for corkscrewed: a package arrives

[epistemological]

[ ooc: from here]

[ Jon is tense the entire way back to the Institute, but all of that flows out of him the moment that they reach the building itself. Instead, there's a supernatural sort of calm to his movements, something dangerous and self-assured to his steps as he takes the stairs down into the Archives, keeping Martin behind him.]

Please stay there, Martin.

Comments

[corkscrewed]

— what? Why? I still don't know what's going on, and like hell if I want to just, hang back while you head into the office.

[ what is happening!!! ]

[epistemological]

Behind me, I mean.

[ He doesn't want him wandering off, for goodness sake. He just got him back. But like hell is he putting him into more danger. He's already got-

Basira's voice cuts through the darkness of Jon's office.

Jon. Don't turn on the light. Go get Melanie, quickly.

Jon can't help but sigh at that. Mostly because he has no intention of doing any of it.]

It's all right, Basira. I know he's here. And I've already got Martin.

[ Already got- hmmn. ]

I imagine he's here to deliver something. Thought it might need signing for.

[ Which is when a gruff, ridiculously-accented voice cuts through the dark of the Archives.

That's right. Just wanted to- It stumbles a little. -to drop off a package.]

[corkscrewed]

[ martin has to wonder, here, if he's in the (metaphorical) dark because he's spent so much of his time alone, or if it's because he's just in the middle of jon knowing things. it's increasingly hard to tell.

it is nice to hear basira's voice, however. ]

I can go get Melanie.

[ counter to what he'd just said about staying here, but if basira is here too - as long as jon isn't alone, it's fine. ]

[epistemological]

[ Jon's voice holds something of an edge, and it would be easy to say that Martin's heard that edge before but... this one is just a little different. This one is more controlled.

Where Jon was usually 'cutting', it was almost always incidental. He was in a mood and out it came.

This was firm. And intentional.]

That shouldn't be necessary, Martin. I'd prefer if you stayed right where you are.

[ Something Basira picked up on.

Right, look, what the hell is this? Did you bring him here?

Which shakes a little of it out of Jon, because his answer is followed by a disbelieving snort.]

No.

[ Is he here for revenge?

As if they weren't all thinking it. But Jon sounds more irritated than scared.]

I don't know, ask him!

LA DE DA im gonna use this post instead of making a brand new one

[corkscrewed]

[ martin listens to the statement afterwards, just because there's still something weirdly discomforting about being in the room while jon reads them. there are implications here, and he doesn't really like them at all.

so he doesn't knock at jon's office door as much as he sort of just lets himself in. honestly, it seems like the time for things like knocking is way past any of them. ]

Jon? That was - interesting statement, huh.

[epistemological]

[ Honestly, any time someone doesn't knock on his door, he appreciates it. When and if he doesn't want Martin in the room, he's got a perfectly functional (if scarred up) hand he can use to shoo him off.]

I'm curious how you mean.

[corkscrewed]

I don't know. Just kind of a weird gift, wasn't it?

[ and martin is unsettled, but not entirely sure why. maybe it's just because everything has seemed extra foreboding since he turned his back to peter lukas.

he sinks into the seat across the desk from jon, strangely uncomfortable. ]

The statement.

[epistemological]

[ He can't help a low chuckle at the question, his shoulders shrugging.]

Beholding insists on telling me about the ritual of the Buried, and now the Web wants me to know about the Flesh.

[ He glances over at the coffin.]

Or it's about... something else.

[corkscrewed]

[ martin hesitates, following jon's eyes to the coffin. ]

I don't see how they could be related.

[epistemological]

The statement before this one was about the Buried. And the... knowledge drop I received was as well.

[ His expression darkens a little as he thinks about that; he'd been with Martin at the time, enjoying lunch, when he'd glanced over at his desk, at a letter opener, and the information had just slid in, too awful not to be noticed.

He'd lost his appetite after that.]

The Flesh, though... that is... curious.

[corkscrewed]

Can't say that I'm a fan.

[ and this is maybe the worst part about no longer being under lukas's direct employ: a staggering feeling of helplessness. he wants to do something, but he can't. jon's expression darkens, and it's clear that he's thinking about something, but martin just can't fathom it.

he takes a breath. ]

'The siren call of flesh.' I don't like that.

[epistemological]

...personally, I greatly dislike the fact that Gertrude probably murdered her afterwards. But yes, that's...

That's certainly a disturbing turn of phrase.

[ Do his eyes drift to the coffin? They can hardly fail to.]

[corkscrewed]

Well, we've already established that Gertrude wasn't a very nice woman.

[ so do martin's. ]

What are you thinking?

[epistemological]

I'm wondering...

[ He glances at the coffin again. ]

I'm wondering if there's a way to safely enter the coffin.

A 'siren call' to keep me from being lost to the Buried.

[corkscrewed]

That- that statement before. Kulbir Shakya? He used a knife, didn't he? Or - or he found the knife.

[ martin still isn't clear on that part. ]

[epistemological]

The scabbard, I think.

[ And he is thinking. He's thinking and he's looking at Martin and he's thinking. And he's looking at the tape and he's still thinking.]

Something to consider.

[ He says after a moment.]

Wouldn't do to go in without a plan.

[corkscrewed]

Right. Right - I wonder, maybe-

[ and martin is leaning back in his seat to Think as well, though it's likely on a different line entirely than jon. ]

Maybe something from your grandmother? And I could look in storage, for something from my mum...

[ it's clear that he's going about this entirely too literally, trying to transpose the exact same set of circumstances on them both. ]

[epistemological]

[ That startles him out of his thoughts. ]

Martin- Martin, no. That-

No. You're- you're already claustrophobic.

[corkscrewed]

You asked me to come with you.

[ pointedly, and his own eyes are cutting up to jon, too. yes, he's fucking terrified of even the thought, but - ]

'Peter can't object to a rescue mission. Come with me.' And then I promised I would.

[epistemological]

To get the coffin, for goodness sake. I didn't expect- I can't ask you to-

[ He swallows, hard.]

I couldn't ask that, Martin.

[corkscrewed]

[ suddenly, fiercely: ]

I didn't stop my own plans to let you go into that coffin alone, Jon.

[epistemological]

I'm not going in until I have a plan that involves getting back out, Martin. It's not- it won't be a death sentence, for goodness sake.

[corkscrewed]

Do you want tea? I think I left the kettle on in the break room.

[ STUBBORNLY. he's just not going to acknowledge that. ]

[epistemological]

[ Jon considers that for a moment, curls his fingers into his hand. And then he nods.]

That would be- that would be good, Martin. Thank you.

[corkscrewed]

[ he calms some of his own anxiety while he's gone, and looks marginally less stressed when he does finally return with two cups. while he's in the break room, there are whispers about one of the women in artefacts who has stopped showing up to work entirely.

he wonders if peter is punishing him. he hopes she's just on vacation. ]

Here.