It is times like these that I strongly consider ridding myself of you all, and desperately hoping that a fresh crop of assistants may never get so comfortable under my employ that such a thing could occur.
It was mostly my fault, let me be up front with you, please.
[ it was a joint effort, but god tim incites jon so much it's best this way. ]
You were away for the evening.
[ which almost never happens, it was like. basically asking for it. ]
So we decided we would try and tide up a bit and eventually one thing led to another and we got bored of cleaning? It's like when you pick up one thing another thing is out of sorts, like rabbits! But cleaning.
And then Tim tried to frighten me by pouring a packet of gummi worms on top of my head so I grabbed the fire extinguisher and shot it at them but I got it all over his shoes and he was pissed so he grabbed another fire extinguisher and one thing led to another and
[ playing ghostbusters was really fun ok. you should have been there jk ur a fun sucker ]
that's what happened. I started it with the fire extinguisher, really. I lied.
Why would you even bother to say it was Tim that initiated this entirely mindless scenario if
No, never mind, I don't wish to know the answer.
[ as far as jon's concerned, this conversation just proves sasha right again about martin's questionable sense of self preservation.
and yes, jon is certainly a sucker of something, martin would know all about that, wouldn't he. ]
At least you've the decency to come clean about this ridiculous affair, if it had been left up to Tim, then no doubt he would have simply hoped I'd never notice anything going awry. All the same, you should damn well know better, Martin. Must I be permanently fixed within the Institute to deter this kind of behaviour?
[ ... ]
And why would picking up a rabbit lead to other rabbits being out of sorts?
I misspoke. Mistexted. I was just nervous. There's your answer anyways.
And no, you don't need to do something like that. That's... ridiculous. I'll just get out more. Touch some grass. Been a bit restless is all.
[ fat chance. he's not leaving. ]
And you know. Like rabbits? They multiply rather quickly? Breed! They breed. A lot. Often. Like when you pick up one file and under it you've got about fourteen more. Rabbits.
of course it's a better thing that he heard it from martin first, all things considered. ]
Though it's difficult to pick up on lies in text message form, I'll hazard a guess that "I'll get out more" is one.
If you ever feel as though you do want to at least stretch your legs outside of the Institute, I'd be [ glad? available?? oh god what's the right word to use here why does martin ruin his ability to use words ] able to join you. If you wanted company, that is.
[ that's not v smooth, jon. they oddly revert to awkward phrasing from time to time, as though their relationship hasn't been decidedly different for a while now, and the fact that they should be past these sort of stumbles. ]
Ah. Yes, that's not an inaccurate analogy to use, though your initial reference to it was vague.
Rabbits indeed.
Edited (fucking fuck what am words) 2017-09-21 18:55 (UTC)
You should know me well enough at this point to know that I would not offer if it would trouble me. [ aka he's not that sweet he's just a constant arse ache ] It still stands, if you ever want it. The offer, that is.
[ jon feels — nervous? maybe a little. more so he feels a strange mix of being irritated with martin but also ... protective. he's not exactly the sort who's a great shoulder to cry on, he's. well, jon.
and he doesn't think martin's going to cry.
if he does, that will be a whole new kettle of fish.
he lingers in the institute's main entrance, not wanting to head into the archive and risk getting distracted by work, but not wanting to appear as though he isn't here for martin, either. they're not exactly secretive about spending time together, so much as they keep everything else to themselves. ]
[ martin is a bit late, which is why he's rushing, which is why he nearly trips down the steps on his way to the front door. regardless, he's made jon wait just a few extra minutes before he comes out, adjusting his jacket and turning to see jon waiting for him. ]
Uh... [ a beat. another beat. martin glances down at his shoes, then back to jon, a half smile there. ] Hi.
[ he throws a look over his shoulder at the doors of the institute before maybe. just. you know. snatching up jon's hand in his own. we're going for a walk. ]
[ ... well, that at least probably means there's nothing wrong between them.
right?
the sudden contact jolts jon a little, stopping him from properly uttering a greeting, which turns into a bemused noise when martin takes him by the hand. he recovers quickly enough though, feeling strangely warm as he gently tugs martin a little closer to him. ]
Good evening.
[ he glances, briefly, over martin’s shoulder, towards the institute, before leaning down to press a slow, gentle and teeny tiny kiss to his mouth. the action almost surprises him as much as the touch did; his brain catches up a moment later, wondering how long it had been since he last felt such an easy impulse. he nearly says good evening again. ]
martin is about to speak, but the thoughts fly straight out the window the moment jon leans in and presses a small, inconsequential kiss to his mouth (but really it feels like a mountain of a kiss in the middle of the bloody steps, making his shoulders prickle even as it ends.
his fingers flex a bit on jon's hand as he steps up just close enough to deliver a kiss back, very small and to the corner of his mouth. quick. maybe barely even a brush. ]
Thanks. Again, I mean. Just for coming out... means a lot.
[ because really, just being outside of the archives feels. well, it feels so much better with jon's hand in his. ]
[ martin’s hand is warm and comforting. jon can feel his pulse a little through his palm, a pleasant sign that martin is obviously alive and well, as though he needed the additional confirmation. he feels how it quickens a little, and almost smiles for knowing he made it happen. ]
Of course… it can get overwhelming in the archives, I know this perfectly well myself. For all that I would occasionally find it prudent to stay overnight, to do it continuously for this long is another matter.
[ his voice is gentle, a little softer than what anyone except martin would usually expect from him. martin's the only one that gets to see these sides for an extended period of time, to enjoy them properly. jon rather likes that.
he gives martin a little tug, encouraging him to start walking. ]
[ jon like this is... different, but not a bad sort of different. the 80% of the time that martin spends with him is primarily working alongside him, every case file he is given, every follow up, he does it for him to the best of his ability, and nothing changes. not the nagging or the criticisms. he likes it that way. things are... normal that way. at their best.
but this?
this is a whole different... species of jon, one that martin is fairly sure existed but. not for him.
regardless, his mention of the overnights, of how he keeps them to a minimum, that's understandable. martin knows that jon has a home, has a bed. god, he has one too, but he just can't bring himself to go and stay there for more than a night. he'd tried once, gone home, and he'd barely gotten a half hour of sleep, spending the rest of it petrified, wide awake, shambling to work like a damn... zombie the next day (terrible phrasing.)
jon's hand tugs, draws him out of his own head. a route? right... right a route. hm. ]
I...
[ oh no. ]
Well, I didn't think that far ahead I was rather eager to just. Leave. With you.
[ that's all. he tugs closer and at least begins moving them in some direction. forward is good right? it's a start. it's away from the archives. ]
[ if martin was even a little bit sure that jon had this side to him, then he was the most relentless optimist of anyone that jon had ever known. in fairness, this was something that he would have suspected of the man anyway. martin cares, and martin believes. he believes in hopeful things and happy endings — and if he's struggling to believe in them, then he believes that little bit harder. it's not the worst way to be. there is no best way, either. realists were the worst. they were the ones that liked to dress up their negativity in a stiff upper lip and claim some kind of superiority for it.
that, incidentally, was the category that jon fell into.
he almost argues, attempts to inject a random instance of much needed structure and suggest them a route, but martin is tugging on his hand and pulling him along, and he stops himself. mouth opens and then snaps shut again as he simply tips his head in deference to martin's decision to just go somewhere. anywhere. jon was startlingly aware of the fact that he didn't mind this, in present company.
still, doesn't stop his mouth from moving independently of his decision to accept this. ]
You? Not thinking far enough ahead? Wonders never cease. I seem to recall that this was also the case when you kissed me after spilling beer all over yourself.
Well if you have suggestions, then I'll take them. Because as far as I know I just...
[ martin stops tugging firmly, instead merely holds his hand and lines up with him as they move together in some semblance of a direction. anything beyond the walls of the institute is both better and frightening simultaneously, but martin can't say he hasn't missed the feel of the cool night air without fear of threat, or the way the street lights warm the sidewalk with their color. ]
I just wanted to go somewhere.
[ anywhere is the implied somewhere as his fingers twitch just a bit and he leans in to press a small kiss to the side of jon's cheek, to his jaw, closing his eyes for half a moment and breathing him in with a sigh before pulling back and up a bit more. ]
And if I recall correctly, you didn't seem to mind very much.
[ a sly look shifting underneath martin's uncertainty, an edge of weary playfulness. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
How
Why did
INFURIATING
15 minutes of (...) later
[ it was a joint effort, but god tim incites jon so much it's best this way. ]
You were away for the evening.
[ which almost never happens, it was like. basically asking for it. ]
So we decided we would try and tide up a bit and eventually one thing led to another and we got bored of cleaning? It's like when you pick up one thing another thing is out of sorts, like rabbits! But cleaning.
And then Tim tried to frighten me by pouring a packet of gummi worms on top of my head so I grabbed the fire extinguisher and shot it at them but I got it all over his shoes and he was pissed so he grabbed another fire extinguisher and one thing led to another and
[ playing ghostbusters was really fun ok. you should have been there jk ur a fun sucker ]
that's what happened. I started it with the fire extinguisher, really. I lied.
no subject
No, never mind, I don't wish to know the answer.
[ as far as jon's concerned, this conversation just proves sasha right again about martin's questionable sense of self preservation.
and yes, jon is certainly a sucker of something, martin would know all about that, wouldn't he. ]
At least you've the decency to come clean about this ridiculous affair, if it had been left up to Tim, then no doubt he would have simply hoped I'd never notice anything going awry. All the same, you should damn well know better, Martin. Must I be permanently fixed within the Institute to deter this kind of behaviour?
[ ... ]
And why would picking up a rabbit lead to other rabbits being out of sorts?
no subject
And no, you don't need to do something like that. That's... ridiculous. I'll just get out more. Touch some grass. Been a bit restless is all.
[ fat chance. he's not leaving. ]
And you know. Like rabbits? They multiply rather quickly? Breed! They breed. A lot. Often. Like when you pick up one file and under it you've got about fourteen more. Rabbits.
[ martin shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. ]
no subject
ugh.
of course it's a better thing that he heard it from martin first, all things considered. ]
Though it's difficult to pick up on lies in text message form, I'll hazard a guess that "I'll get out more" is one.
If you ever feel as though you do want to at least stretch your legs outside of the Institute, I'd be [ glad? available?? oh god what's the right word to use here why does martin ruin his ability to use words ] able to join you. If you wanted company, that is.
[ that's not v smooth, jon. they oddly revert to awkward phrasing from time to time, as though their relationship hasn't been decidedly different for a while now, and the fact that they should be past these sort of stumbles. ]
Ah. Yes, that's not an inaccurate analogy to use, though your initial reference to it was vague.
Rabbits indeed.
no subject
You don't need to trouble yourself. I won't go shooting off fire extinguishers are passersby if I leave off. It'll be fine.
[ sweats ]
I thought it was rather clever.
[ martin. ]
no subject
You should know me well enough at this point to know that I would not offer if it would trouble me. [ aka he's not that sweet he's just a constant arse ache ] It still stands, if you ever want it. The offer, that is.
[ mmmmmmm ]
It was apt.
[ let's not get ahead of ourselves ok martin ]
no subject
I'd like to be certain. That's all. And I would. Maybe. At some point.
[ why can't you just give a dog a bone, jonathan. ]
It was good.
no subject
not that kind
yknow what i mean
i need to stop]It was fitting, Martin, was it not enough that I concede as much?
no subject
I suppose.
no subject
You suppose?
no subject
Yes.
There's nothing wrong with that is there?
Is it too soon to collect on my walking company.
no subject
Never mind.
It is not. I can be at the Institute in half an hour, if that suits you.
no subject
Thank you.
Really.
[ he knows he needs to get out. ]
no subject
and he doesn't think martin's going to cry.
if he does, that will be a whole new kettle of fish.
he lingers in the institute's main entrance, not wanting to head into the archive and risk getting distracted by work, but not wanting to appear as though he isn't here for martin, either. they're not exactly secretive about spending time together, so much as they keep everything else to themselves. ]
no subject
Uh... [ a beat. another beat. martin glances down at his shoes, then back to jon, a half smile there. ] Hi.
[ he throws a look over his shoulder at the doors of the institute before maybe. just. you know. snatching up jon's hand in his own. we're going for a walk. ]
no subject
right?
the sudden contact jolts jon a little, stopping him from properly uttering a greeting, which turns into a bemused noise when martin takes him by the hand. he recovers quickly enough though, feeling strangely warm as he gently tugs martin a little closer to him. ]
Good evening.
[ he glances, briefly, over martin’s shoulder, towards the institute, before leaning down to press a slow, gentle and teeny tiny kiss to his mouth. the action almost surprises him as much as the touch did; his brain catches up a moment later, wondering how long it had been since he last felt such an easy impulse. he nearly says good evening again. ]
no subject
absolutely.
that isn't sarcasm.
martin is about to speak, but the thoughts fly straight out the window the moment jon leans in and presses a small, inconsequential kiss to his mouth (but really it feels like a mountain of a kiss in the middle of the bloody steps, making his shoulders prickle even as it ends.
his fingers flex a bit on jon's hand as he steps up just close enough to deliver a kiss back, very small and to the corner of his mouth. quick. maybe barely even a brush. ]
Thanks. Again, I mean. Just for coming out... means a lot.
[ because really, just being outside of the archives feels. well, it feels so much better with jon's hand in his. ]
no subject
Of course… it can get overwhelming in the archives, I know this perfectly well myself. For all that I would occasionally find it prudent to stay overnight, to do it continuously for this long is another matter.
[ his voice is gentle, a little softer than what anyone except martin would usually expect from him. martin's the only one that gets to see these sides for an extended period of time, to enjoy them properly. jon rather likes that.
he gives martin a little tug, encouraging him to start walking. ]
Did you have a route in mind for this walk?
no subject
but this?
this is a whole different... species of jon, one that martin is fairly sure existed but. not for him.
regardless, his mention of the overnights, of how he keeps them to a minimum, that's understandable. martin knows that jon has a home, has a bed. god, he has one too, but he just can't bring himself to go and stay there for more than a night. he'd tried once, gone home, and he'd barely gotten a half hour of sleep, spending the rest of it petrified, wide awake, shambling to work like a damn... zombie the next day (terrible phrasing.)
jon's hand tugs, draws him out of his own head. a route? right... right a route. hm. ]
I...
[ oh no. ]
Well, I didn't think that far ahead I was rather eager to just. Leave. With you.
[ that's all. he tugs closer and at least begins moving them in some direction. forward is good right? it's a start. it's away from the archives. ]
no subject
that, incidentally, was the category that jon fell into.
he almost argues, attempts to inject a random instance of much needed structure and suggest them a route, but martin is tugging on his hand and pulling him along, and he stops himself. mouth opens and then snaps shut again as he simply tips his head in deference to martin's decision to just go somewhere. anywhere. jon was startlingly aware of the fact that he didn't mind this, in present company.
still, doesn't stop his mouth from moving independently of his decision to accept this. ]
You? Not thinking far enough ahead? Wonders never cease. I seem to recall that this was also the case when you kissed me after spilling beer all over yourself.
no subject
[ martin stops tugging firmly, instead merely holds his hand and lines up with him as they move together in some semblance of a direction. anything beyond the walls of the institute is both better and frightening simultaneously, but martin can't say he hasn't missed the feel of the cool night air without fear of threat, or the way the street lights warm the sidewalk with their color. ]
I just wanted to go somewhere.
[ anywhere is the implied somewhere as his fingers twitch just a bit and he leans in to press a small kiss to the side of jon's cheek, to his jaw, closing his eyes for half a moment and breathing him in with a sigh before pulling back and up a bit more. ]
And if I recall correctly, you didn't seem to mind very much.
[ a sly look shifting underneath martin's uncertainty, an edge of weary playfulness. ]