[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]

Our what?

[THIS HAPPENED SO FAST.]

[curriculum_fictae]

You agreed to date first.

[eyediot]

Well- Yes. Yes?

[The missing article in that statement makes such a huge difference in meaning.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Yes. So - ah. You'll have to order for both of us, probably.

[eyediot]

[Oh. OH. He sees what's happening now.

He doesn't like that idea though. Jon thinks about it, his face going through a couple different expressions of thought before he smiles. It's all hopeful that Algric doesn't take this the wrong way.]

Maybe, but. I may have a different idea?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric straightens up a bit. ]

Of course.

[eyediot]

Do you trust me?

[curriculum_fictae]

........

Y - yes. All right, yes.

[eyediot]

What do you want to eat?

[That part's important here. He'll get to the rest after he knows, but he doesn't want to Know.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Ah - well - I could really go for some Thai, I think...?

[eyediot]

[Hm. That's not something he can cook here with these ingredients. But if the Jon in this time knows he's here, then he won't mind him using his charge card.

Jon nods to himself and goes to his bedroom to dig out his spare card and comes back with his jacket.]

We'll make a couple stops on the way, then. Just think about what you want and let me know.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric moves to get his own then. ]

O-oh, right. Okay. I'll follow your lead?

[eyediot]

[He's having some doubts of his own idea here, but he hopes it...works. And since it's him, he grabs his own key from his bag - wandered the apocalypse alone and he still carried it with him. An idiot.

But he walks them down the block, to a couple thrift stops. Picks up a larger heavy throw blanket, and a nicer reusable box. Another shop has some old plates and flatware.

The Thai place he gets them to is familiar. The staff behind the counter recognize him from late nights ordering when he couldn't sleep.]

Whatever you want.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric hovers behind Jon as they go, invisible to anyone except for him. He ... thinks he might know where this is going? And the thought makes him blush furiously. ]

Ah - pad thai? And some of those summer rolls, the ones that come with the peanut sauce.

[eyediot]

[He nods and adds it to his usual order. For their credit, the staff don't make a show of how surprised they are that he's changing anything on his usual order.

It takes a few minutes but the food comes. And Jon carefully places it all in the box he bought and starts walking Algric a different direction.]

Pretty sure we can find a nice place out.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He follows still, pink all over. ]

Are you - are you taking us on a picnic, Jon?

[eyediot]

I-- thought it might be nicer than dealing with sitting in a restaurant where staff can't see you the whole time we're there.

[Yes, yes he is.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Well yes. I agree completely.

[ He seems enamoured of the idea. ]

[eyediot]

[That has his confidence boosting up nicely. A little more confident in his steps to an empty park, no one going through it and has a nice flat space by a tree they can get a good skyline view.

Once there, he sets the box down and spreads the blanket out and gets everything else started.]

Should be fine. A less popular part of this park.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric ... hesitates there for a moment. Not because he doesn't want this - he does. It's just that his delirious joy over having a picnic date with Jon chokes him for a moment, making him just. Stop and be overwhelmed for a moment. ]

Y-yes, I. I think so. We'll have privacy.

[ Give him a moment to take in this moment. He needs to remember it forever. ]

[eyediot]

[Jon only stalls setting things out because... Is it too much? Should he have done something different? He isn't used to this at all and he wants so badly to ....to make Algric not regret spending any time with him when he could be with the trio. He has to make the time worth it. So if it's a little out of his comfort zone? Sure.]

...Algric?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He shakes his head a little, trembling as tears start to stream down his face. Good tears! Happy tears. ]

It's - it's just the first time anyone's. Ever done something like this for me.

[ Past Jon surely would have if their relationship had progressed past their disastrous "date" in the café prior to Martin being involved. But it hadn't, and now feelings for past Jon are complicated, and ...

And this is simple. Just for him, Algric, specifically, with no intent to share it with anyone else. There's ... something special about that, however Algric may feel about being poly on an intellectual level. ]

[eyediot]

[As soon as he sees tears, Jon's going over to him. No nononono no tears, no crying, he was trying to do this right--]

I... Oh.

[Jon watches him before taking one hand, and reaching with his other to wipe some of those tears.]

You. You deserve much more than this, if I'm honest.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric leans into that, laughing a little through his tears. ]

M-maybe, but. But I wouldn't be able to handle it. You don't - you don't understand how long it's been. How hard it's been.

[eyediot]

[He settles for cupping Algric's cheek, watching him carefully.]

...No. I-i don't. You're right.