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Jon’s having a wonderful first day as the Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute. Not only is he battling a terrible case of imposter syndrome, he’s already managed to embarrass himself with Rosie and snap at his new, admittedly unexpected, Archival Assistant. Jon takes a deep breath watching through the door that a very flustered Martin Blackwood just exited, pursuing an inquisitive spaniel.
“Well that’s – (exhale) not ideal.”
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“End Recording.” [CLICK]
Jon leans back in his chair and sighs deeply. He knew it would be awkward having Martin live in the Archives, but he hadn’t really considered the possibility that he might see… a bit more of his assistant than he had bargained for. The visual of Martin in his sleepshirt and boxers flashes into his mind and Jon feels the blush he had managed to suppress earlier redden his cheeks. Come to think of it, Martin’s legs were really quite…
“Well that’s – (exhale) not ideal.”
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Jon looks up awkwardly. He knows he needs to get back to work – to prepare for international travel, but he can hear Georgie’s voice scolding him to reach out to Martin, to stop cutting himself off.
“I’m, I’m sorry, Martin. We haven’t… I know we haven’t talked much since… Sasha and everything.”
Martin froze momentarily – of course they hadn’t talked much. Jon never talked much, that was just who he was. He could see that Jon was waiting for some kind of response.
“Well, I mean it’s not too late, y’know. Unless the world ends.”
Martin laughs nervously. Jon doesn’t. “Yeah.” He replies drily. Martin waits for a few moments, then slowly leaves Jon’s office.
Jon returns to plotting out his travel and begins to price out what it would look like to add a second passenger to the flights. Martin hasn’t traveled much, but he probably has a passport, right? Jon should ask him. Elias probably wouldn’t be thrilled with the extra expense, but what is he going to do? Fire them?
Wait. Jon stops. What is he doing? He can’t bring Martin along to China, America, or wherever else Gertrude’s trail might lead – this isn’t a field trip. This could be incredibly dangerous. As Archivist there is some level of protection, but if he brought Martin along, would he really be any better than Gertrude tossing her assistants into danger? What if Martin were kidnapped? Hurt? Killed?
Jon’s heart is racing and he has broken into a cold sweat. Why does the idea of Martin in danger scare him this much? He can’t face the guilt of losing another assistant after Sasha, right? That has to be it.
But no, Jon admits to himself. It isn’t the idea of losing another assistant. It is the idea of losing Martin.
“Well that’s – (exhale) not ideal.”
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“Still no sign of Peter Lukas of course, (sighs) or Mar–”
Jon’s heart leaps into his throat as he finally senses the person he has been waiting for ever since waking up in the hospital.
“Wait. Wait.”
He jumps embarrassingly quickly out of his chair and virtually throws himself out of his office.
“Martin! Martin!”
Martin stops and turns, but there is nothing warm or welcoming in his gaze. Their conversation is stilted and unnatural and cold. There has always been some vaguely magnetic connection between them, but somehow it feels like Martin has reversed his polarity – repelling himself away from Jon rather than drawing closer. What is this? There has to be a way to fix this, it is Martin for God’s sake!
Jon feels Martin pulling away and can’t hold back any further.
“W-What, where, where have you been, I, I mean I,I thought –”
Martin’s nearly grey complexion develops just a bit of redness in his cheeks as he looks away and responds,
“Oh – No, no I’ve, I’ve been here, I just, um, y’know… been busy.”
“Busy.” Too busy to check on him after a six-month coma? What is happening?
Martin shifts uncomfortably and looks away.
“Yeah.”
“Right. Working for Lukas.” Jon replies, unconsciously matching Martin’s monotone.
Jon thought he had felt hatred before. Hatred for Jane Prentiss, for the thing that killed Sasha and replaced their memories of her. Hatred for Nikola and Elias and all the other monsters he has read about and encountered. Most of all, he thought he had felt hatred for himself. In this moment, as he takes in this new, washed out, broken Martin, Jon realizes he has never hated anyone or anything like he Hates. Peter. Lukas.
Martin begins to turn away and Jon knows he has lost him.
“Look, Jon, I – (sighs) I’ve really got to go –”
Jon sighs, admitting defeat, at least for now.
“Oh. Okay.”
Martin begins to walk slowly back towards his office.
“I’m sorry.”
Jon speaks to the retreating figure.
“W,w,we’ll – it was – good – It was good to see you.”
Jon watches Martin’s retreating frame. Jon has been kidnapped, tortured, stabbed, and nearly killed multiple times. Nothing ever hurt like this.
“Well that’s – (exhale) not ideal.”
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“Just don’t wait too long, okay? (sigh) If you haven’t already.”
As the door closes behind him, Jon takes a few steps along the hallway before stopping and resting his head on the cool wall. Maybe he should turn back. Maybe he could convince Martin that he meant it – that blinding himself would be worth it to be free of the Institute. He just needed someone to go with him… for Martin to go with him. Inside, Jon knows there is nothing he can say that will change his mind.
“Well that’s – (exhale) not ideal.”
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It is dark, they are exhausted from travel as they stumble into Daisy’s cabin, dropping bags at the door. Jon stretches, sighs, and heads into the kitchen to begin taking stock. Much as he is ready to collapse, Martin needs to eat something. Preferably something warm. Martin begins checking light switches and taking a quick tour of the place. After a few minutes, he peeks his head into the tiny kitchen. He smiles, seeing Jon has already put the kettle on.
“It’s not much, I’m afraid. There’s… there’s only one bedroom.”
Jon pauses, takes a deep breath in,
“Well that’s – ”
Martin cuts in, “not ideal, I know.”
“No,” Jon replies. “Quite the opposite.”