No Use Crying
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“Because you’re stressed. And so am I,” he replied. He twisted to reach into his satchel, then pulled out a corkscrew. “And I don’t know about you, but relaxing is all but impossible for me, so once in a while it’s nice to cheat and get some help with it. Usually I just sit and unwind with it at home, but I figured…” He reached out and offered the corkscrew to Martin. The universe’s strangest olive branch. “Unless you’re opposed?”
Jon’s question was not a challenge, nor was it laced with any suggestion of expectation. It was just clarification; an offer to back out if Martin truly was uncomfortable with the prospect of getting wine-drunk with Jon.
It's been about a week since Martin temporarily moved into the archives, and between the fear caused by Prentiss and the confusion caused by Jon suddenly being a bit nicer, he's been a bit flustered. This has not gone unnoticed by Jon, who is nothing if not someone who tries to take initiative.Series
- Part 1 of No Use Crying
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Suddenly he was aware of the chatter of the cafe around him, the bright light of the sun filtering through the windows and onto the table, the sensation of the sandwich wrapper he had been absentmindedly picking at without feeling for God knows how long. There was a bite taken out of the sandwich on top, and although the distant memory of the taste of tomato lingering in his mouth suggested that he was indeed the one that had taken that bite, Jon did not remember doing so.
He looked up, and sitting on the opposite side of the table from him was Martin. The rest of reality seemed to wash in all at once upon seeing his face - that’s right, Jon had agreed to go with him to the cafe right after having listened to Gertrude’s tape.
And Martin’s expression was one of concern, a sight that lately seemed more and more like a permanent fixture on his face. At least when Jon was around.An instance of Jon struggling to accept kindness as anything other than sinister as he copes through the trauma of the Prentiss incident. He might realize a few things about himself... and definitely realizes a lot about Martin.
Series
- Part 2 of No Use Crying
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Jon sighs. “Martin, look, I’m not… I’m not poking fun, or god forbid angry at you. I just… Going into… whatever I’m about to go into, not knowing if I’ll make it back, I just… After so long scorning you, distrusting you, and you still caring? I just worry that I somehow managed to… fool you.”
Martin scoffs. “You haven’t fooled me, Jon. Not even a little bit. That’s exactly the thing.” He exhales. “I guess… I’ve been able to spot your attempts to fool everyone with the ‘disinterested academic’ schtick and it just… didn’t work on me. Through all the tired bullshit I saw… I saw you.”
The night before Jon leaves for The Unknowing, Martin stops by his office for a few last words of encouragement. One more cup of tea. But their interaction unfolds into something far, far different.
Series
- Part 3 of No Use Crying