[PSL-Adjacent] time travel side story

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Is this part of the other PSL? MAYBE ... tbd.

But - this is the Martin who went back in time to the second season, before everything really started going to hell. It hasn't been the most pleasant ride - seeing himself, accidentally triggering Not-Sasha's attack, the confrontation with Elias - but it's been better. He'd begged Michaelen not to take him back for multiple reasons. Yes, he thinks help more here, but ... he also doesn't want to go home to die. Not when there's a Jon here who's willing to love him, when Tim is blossoming into a new best friend, and even Martin is slowly moving towards self-acceptance in a literal sense.

For the first time in months, Martin - no, Algric - sees the shape of what a peaceful life could be. This could be a world where he lives in Jon's flat for the rest of his life, where he doesn't only have to be a helpful ghost. The Lonely is still too strong in him, but he feels it weakening in spots, where Tim and Jon and Martin have all helped him remember what it's like to have human connection.

That's why he's here at Hilltop Road. He dares to hope now; he dares to consider the possibility that he might get to keep all of this. And if he wants to keep this, he has to make sure there's no way back to the hell he left. Michaelen's appearance had scared him more deeply than he wants to let on.

As he mounts the steps to the rickety old house, Algric takes in a shivering breath. It's fine. It's fine, this is fine, he's just - just going to look. And if there's a creepy basement with a crack in the world, he's not going to go through it! He's just going to. See if it's there or not. If he thinks his timeline is on the other side or not. ]

Comments

[eyediot]

[Normally he'd make a face at even indirect jokes of his stature but honestly? It's fine.]

...Should we... I mean, it's a few stops... [Sit. Please sit. He needs to sit, knees weak.]

[curriculum_fictae]

-- oh, right. Just. Here.

[ He finds a spot, then, tugging Jon into place next to him. ]

[eyediot]

Sure. [Oh thank god. Jon heaves a sigh and. Kind of leans against him. Just how long was he in that space between timelines? And how long was he unconscious in that basement? He has no idea. But he's draining bit by bit.]

...This still doesn't feel real.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric loops an arm around him gently, leaning his head down. ]

I know. But - but it is, truly. I've been here for a while now.

[eyediot]

[He swallows thickly. Not wanting to scare him, but-]

I keep- Keep waiting to see Helen open a door and.... I dunno, tell me this wasn't real.

[curriculum_fictae]

I - I thought that too. But she's been here, and I haven't disappeared.

[eyediot]

....She's much more powerful in my time. So, I...

[God. He needs to trust him. Jon has to trust.]

All right.

[curriculum_fictae]

After the world's ended. Right. I can - I can only imagine.

[eyediot]

If she hasn't taken you back, then... She has no reason to try to take me.

[First stop. Two more. Jon settles in against Algric a little easier.]

I'm sure it'll be fine.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It's ... nice. Sitting like this on the tube, with Jon's head against his shoulder. Mercifully uncomplicated. Even with past Jon, he always has to consider Martin's feelings. ]

It - it has to be. I won't let you go back to an apocalypse, Jon.

[eyediot]

[He could get used to this. A quiet, semi-normal life with Algric. If he could get some other identity or something, it could work. Maybe.]

And I am willfully choosing not to go back, so. That works out.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Wandering monsters, maybe? Algric and ... well, they could find another name for him, yes.

Algric clings a little more. ]

D'you think you can control that? You're - you're a full avatar, right?

[ No fear, only concern. ]

[eyediot]

[His metaphorical hackles go up at that question. He's been seen.]

Y-yes. I...am. I think I could? I still don't really know how I ended up at Hilltop. [He suspects... Well, the Web and Annabelle but... No proof.]

[curriculum_fictae]

... mm, well. We can figure that out later, I guess.

[ The tube slows; this is their stop. ]

[eyediot]

Agreed.

[It feels like the worst thing ever, standing up and pulling away from Algric. But after everything that's happened, coming out of the tube and looking around his block feels... nearly nostalgic. Sure, he doesn't need to eat or drink anymore, but god he's half tempted to pick up some pastries or something on the way up.]

....I don't know why you were there at Hilltop, but. I'm glad you were, Martin.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin.

Martin. He is - that's who he is, isn't he? The name reverberates and echoes inside of him, rewriting him. He has to stagger for a moment, still clinging to Jon's hand as they step off the tube. ]

I - I go by Algric here. Since. There's two of us.

[ Two Martins. Two, including himself. ]

[eyediot]

[When he staggers, Jon stops, holding one hand to steady him and all concern on his face.]

Oh... I. Yes, that makes sense... I'm sorry.

...'s a cute name.

[curriculum_fictae]

No, it's fine, it's just - I think whatever you call me is. Is true.

[ Dizzying, a little unpleasant, but not harmful. He doesn't seem hurt at all. Just embarrassed. ]

It's the name of. Ah. An old character of mine.

[eyediot]

An old--

Oh. [Oh that is cute. He smirks and steps up to his building door, putting in the number code.]

You don't have to tell me.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric heads in once the door is open. ]

N-no, but - look, it was a long time ago. The web archives imploded in 2017 sometime, so there's no evidence of them anywhere on the net anymore.

[eyediot]

I wasn't going to ask.

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh don't give me that. You still wanted to know.

[ When they get to Jon's door, Algric lets go of his hand. For a brief, terrible moment, Jon is alone in the hall. ]

[eyediot]

[Jon blinks because... Really, even all those months with Peter as the head of the Institute, he never actually saw anyone do this. Did he see anything at all? For a brief moment, he knows he came here alone.

Eyes are on him. Passing over with a curiosity, peeling that first layer of obscurity off. His heart is racing.

Stop looking. Stop looking stop looking stop lookin--

It passes, and he's breathless when he hears the lock click on the other side.]

P-please... Open the door.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Jon has always been alone, hasn't he? Hallucinated up an image of Martin to keep him company on the long walk back to his flat, maybe, but definitely alone. He must be losing it. He must be --

(Behind the door, Algric flinches as that top layer of fog burns away. That's - that's not pleasant, but it's fine, because a second later he's back in existence, opening the door wide.) ]

S - sorry Jon, I - I had to do that to get through. I'm here again.

[ And so he was, if slightly blurry around the edges. He never left. ]

[eyediot]

[Jon stumbles in quickly, clutching at Algric's arm like a vice and shaking.]

... He was looking. [Jon's... scared. He forgot he could even feel fear like this. But if they want to fix this timeline, Elias can't know he's here, or who he is. Not this soon.]