kayakking | (no subject)

[ When Elias gets there...

With his eyes elsewhere, he can't see the shade emerging from the shadows, more mist than human at this point. He can't see the last moment of hesitation as Algric considers the desiccated corpse in front of him. Wonders if the timing is right.

Hopes Tim and Jon have done enough.

No, Elias can't see any of that. But he can feel the blade plunge down into his chest, seeking his heart. He can feel the cold pressing in through the steel of what would normally be a fairly blunt kitchen knife, sharpening it to a razor point. And he can hear a voice often ignored, always underestimated: ]

Fuck off, Jonah Magnus.

[ As the knife twists and everything fades to nothing. ]

[Jonah sits for a long moment, frozen in position of stabbing Elias Bouchard for all of time. Before he shifts his weight and pulls the blade out, sitting on his knee to one side of the body, trembling as the emotion leaks out of his eyes. He stares at the body in disbelief.]

He's gone...

[They really did it. Even as his hand still clutches the handle of the blade for his very life and the adrenaline drips out of him.]

Are... are you sure? [ So maybe that's a dumb question, but it feels like he HAS to ask it. It feels.. unreal?

He stumbles the distance, feeling exhausted and drained more than he ever has, and drops down next to Jon in a little splash of blood. ]

I'm sure.

[He nods, but there are still tears, his hands still tremble.It's over, they're... safe? Safe. No one else to manipulate the situations, or try to force this ever again.]

H-he's gone.

[ He's gone. He's gone. They did it...

And remembers the missing fingers on the hands that tremble now, the gastly sight without the legs. The burns where his dumbass...

It's a bit of a lunge himself. A dam breaking as he wraps up Jonah in the tightest of embraces. ]

You idiot. I'm... I'm so glad you're okay. Why are you here. Thank god. [ There's no coherence, not any more than the tumble of feelings, grief, love, worry, joy, relief... it's all a rambling mess, but the embrace is tight and solid. ]

[He instinctively tenses in the embrace, muscles ready for an impact of pain as he trembles.

But then it doesn't come.

Instead it's worry, genuine concern. Jonah isn't sure what to do with that. His voice is shaky as he tries to answer.]

Algric - Algric... broke his promise. And. A-and next thing I knew, I was downstairs.

[Had he stormed his way here in his anger and not remembered the in between? Or had it been something else? He'll never know.]

[ Speak of the devil and he appears. One of the walls frost over, then shifts into mist. Out of it steps Algric, more ghost than person by now. Those cracks running through him are completely clear, while the rest of him is ... human-shaped? But there's a layer of mist nearly everywhere, obscuring his features. No colour. No copper curls.

He's silent a moment at Jonah's comment. Relieved to see Tim and Jonah in one piece. ]

Why, Jon? Why'd you come?

[ No pain. Not even that unearthly warmth, everything Tim had in him, he'd expended. (Something cracks and creaks in his hidden arm.) All that's left is exhaustion and worry. The hand that runs down his back is somewhere between possessive and soothing. Both at once. ]

I... We'll deal with that.

[ And the chilling cold of Algric returns... there's something damp and heavy, nearly invisible... He struggles to focus on him. It staves off the explosion that is surely coming from there for a moment, at least. ]

[The nearly imperceptible greens in his shadows are coming out now like a new bruise, soft handprints on his face, his chin, his lips. But Jonah is trying to hold it together, trying to stay together - but the hands around him and down his back send him nearly crumpling. Especially when he feels that chill, and the sudden ice piercing into his bad shoulder is almost too much as it runs through the new crack there.

He can't get his eyes to focus just yet, the fog disorienting him, but.]

You lied to me.

[ The fog ... solidifies a little. Both Tim and Jon will find that they can focus on him, if they want to; the fog is distinctly-Algric shaped now. Just. Utterly colourless, his sharpest features blurred to nothing and nobody. ]

Jon. Please. I did it for your own good. This - this was enough of a mess already.

[ He reaches out a hand - hesitates. Looks at Tim. ]

Tim didn't know.

No shit I didn't know.

[The bottom falls out of his stomach hearing that.

It was intentional.

The tears are still down his face, but now angry and hot as he tries to get out of Tim's arms to get at whatever he can see of Algric.]

You promised me! It was the only thing I asked!

[ Algric is there. Faint, but distinct. Not leaving or hiding just yet. ]

Jon, we've just done something horrible. Can't this wait until we're sure you're all right?

[ He reaches out at last, moving to lay a hand on Jonah's good shoulder. ]

[At the touch, he brushes Algric's hand off. Then nearly tries to grab at that arm, but can't find purchase.]

We rid the world of a monster, but you - You lied to me.

[ No. Jonah's hand just slides off Algric. Or through, if he finds a particularly bad part.

Algric makes a frustrated noise ]

Yes! Fine! I did lie to you! Given what happened here, I'd say it was completely justified!

I trusted you!

If you really trusted me, then why are you here?

Because you lied to me!

That's not an argument, Jon! If you'd trusted me, you'd be safe. T-Tim and I would have killed Elias without all - all this spider shite, and we could be yelling about this at home! With none of us hurt!

[Jonah's eyes are still flaring with anger before he sinks down, clinging to Tim. Lowers his voice to forced even.]

If you hadn't broken your promise, I would still be home. I will never forgive you.

No. No, you wouldn't be home. I know you, Jon. You'd have given us ten minutes and then followed us anyway.

[ His own voice lowers into something miserable, especially at that last part. Never forgive you. Never forgive you. After everything that's happened, he believes it. ]

Well, we don't get to know that. Because you decided to try and hide something from the patron god of 'Well, Actually'. And god, Jon, you COULD have stayed home and won every argument until the end of time on the sheer I TOLD YOU SO from this.

[ He shakes a little. ] Instead. We're ALL here.

[Jonah had intended to stay home.

He wanted to, until he found out the truth.

But he'll always wonder now. Was it really his decision that he came? Was it going to happen no matter what?

Jonah will never know.

He slumps a bit more, hearing Tim. What does it matter.]

We are. And... Fine. [He takes a slow breath before pulling away from Tim, readjusting his shirt to keep the crack in his scar from being seen now. Up to his feet.] Fine, it's my fault.

[ UGH. Algric makes a face, instinctively wanting to protest THAT too. He also smoulders dimly in Tim's direction, though at least that isn't a surprise. He's ... sunk, isn't he. Worse, he deserves it, probably. ]

I'm not - I'm not saying it's your fault, I'm just - you can't be mad at me for trying to prevent the exact mess we ended up in!

Edited 2021-07-18 13:19 (UTC)

Look! Look. Lets argue this at home, and not in the middle of the five thousand tape recorders, closed caption tvs and whatever mastrabatory instruments Elias has in here.

Lets focus on the fact we have a lot of blood and a body, make sure we're all okay and then go home and yell at each other.

[ And oh, oh he's going to. ]