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mamahersh · 1 year

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Mamahersh’s Post-MAG-200 Fanfic Recommendation Mega Thread

@a-mag-a-day

In celebration of us finishing The Magnus Archives (even if I admittedly fell off around S2 and have been mostly lurking since then), I have compiled all of my fave post series fics for your enjoyment! I will be grouping them in some big, general categories, which I’ll list above the read more here. Depending on the size of this post, it might start looking a bit like that “Do you like the sky?” post But I can assure you that I have read all of these and can give them my stamp of approval!

If you finished the series and were wishing for your best boys to finally be happy, then boy howdy do I have some fanfiction for you!

Time Travel

Somewhere Else

AUs

Uncategorized JonMartin Fluff

By these categories, we should hopefully cover all the recommendations I have, and I hope you all find some new fics! (or enjoy rereading fics you haven’t enjoyed in awhile)

TIME TRAVEL

where there’s a will, we make a way by bubonickitten

"So, what does happen if an Eye learns to See within itself?

What happens is this: the Archive Beholds the Watcher – and the Watcher blinks first."

________________________

Jon goes back to before the world ended and tries to forge a different path.

Probably my fave time travel fic in this fandom hands down; it is also currently the longest whilst still unfinished. While I try not to recommend unfinished fics that I am uncertain of their return to activity, this is a big exception and personally I love everything about it! It’s got Jon dealing with trauma through the lens of his speaking only in Statements, Martin being saved from his downward spiral into the Lonely way earlier in S4, Georgie actually sticking around, Basira having a better grasp of the situation and being more understanding about it, and everyone generally sticking close to character while managing to buck parts of the narrative. I cannot recommend this fic enough, and I very likely already did back near the start of S5.

Something’s Different About You Lately by thesnadger

Jonathan Sims has been head archivist for just a few months, but he has memories of holding the position for years. He remembers monsters, and darkness, and the end of the world. Somehow, he'll have to keep everyone safe from what's coming. Meanwhile, his assistants can't understand why their prickly jerk of a boss has gone sappy all of a sudden.

So TMA time travel fics that focus on Jon going back tend to come in two varieties. There’s the “Jon’s mind goes back and replaces himself/inhabits his past self’s body” and then there’s the “Jon physically goes back so there’s two Jons”. The first two on this list are of the first variety, and if I remember right this was one of the first I ever read. However, I recommend this one specifically because this has an amazing ending. Like, it might just be me, but many of the endings in these feel relatively unsatisfying because there’s magically a third option where Jon comes out unscathed while saving his S1 archives crew from the Horrors. For whatever reason, it was incredibly satisfying having a fic that didn’t shy away from the options presented in S4 and S5 and I love how they characterize everyone in this one as well.

100 Seconds to Midnight by starspangledbread

Jon and Martin find themselves back in 2011 after attempting to release the fears from their reality. The world is the same one they left behind, but now something has come back with them. They have a chance to destroy the fears once and for all, but it proves harder than expected. Who knew that the best laid plans could be thwarted by nosy co-workers, office romance, the inevitable learning curve of being a time traveler turned grifter, and the refusal to believe in subtlety?

Did someone say Extinction!Jon? This also is a part of a series, though the true sequel to this one is currently unfinished (though it should eventually be completed and only has one chapter to go). An excellent romp, I definitely recommend if you’re looking for something kinda dark, some comedy, a little OOC, and Martin being able to embrace his crime side in the name of saving the world.

Yesterday is Here by CirrusGrey

"Who the hell are you?" Jon could feel his hands shaking. The man laughed, taking a step forward and raising a hand to point at him. "I'm you, from the future!" he said, then swayed, eyes going unfocused, and collapsed to the floor in a dead faint. -------- Post-season-four Jon and Martin time travel back to the season one Archives.

Written by my fave (and most prolific) JMart author, we have a perfect example of the other kind of time travel fix it fic in the form of Jon physically travelling to the past to try and save the world. As expected by someone I am calling my fave JMart author, we’re going to be getting double dose on the JMart. I highly recommend if you’re looking for something that starts a little bittersweet, but then ends in copious amounts of fluff.

Reverb (Series) by Wolftraps

Undoing the apocalypse would have been enough for Jon, if all his people survived. Without them, Jon's only recourse is making it so it never happened in the first place. He's going to do better this time.

Summary from the first fic in the Reverb series, I highly recommend the first two fics in this series for different reasons. “The Reverb in These Holy Halls” is a great time travel fic that takes some really interesting turns by the end and unlike most fics actually has Jon try to keep Tim safe by keeping him out of the Archives pre-S1. However “Gossip” I recommend if you enjoy those fics formatted to look like official communication of some kind. It’s got people outside the Archives trying to figure out what’s wrong with them during the events of the first fic, and while it would be very confusing to read without the first fic, I’d almost say it’s worth it if you aren’t feeling the tags on the first one. Really fun and entertaining, you can’t go wrong with either one.

The Triumph of Galatea (for Acis is transformed) by TheOestofOCs

Statement of Hazel Rutter.

Jon couldn’t stop reading.

The Fears, however, are a bit more powerful than Jonah gave them credit for. Jon opens the door, but the world can’t hold what’s on the other side.

Time falls through, instead. Past becomes present, and the future is undone.

Statement begins.

Another fic I definitely recommended back at episode 160, but is well worth the second recommendation and/or re-read. Time Travel, but what if Jon could control as well as go into the dreams of the assistants/other Eye aligned people instead of just his victims’ dreams? Very good, even if unfinished, though the author seems likely to finish someday. Check out their other work as well, it’s all very good and has my fave Circus themed fic written to date.

a map of what matters most by gruhukens

“Is that a body,” Tim blurts before he can stop himself, rising to his feet. Martin looks, if possible, even more scared.

“He’s alive!” he hisses, almost defensively. “It’s not - it’s not Gertrude again, I didn’t kill him, he just – I don’t know what happened to him, I just found him in the stacks like this.”

“And you dragged him up here?” Tim says, and then registers several things at once – the build, the hair texture; the little round scars peppering a pair of thin hands and an awfully familiar face. “Wait, is that Jon?”

----

Jon stumbles back into an earlier Archive, looking for a way to fix the world. (Or, mom says it's my turn for the obligatory time travel au)

Directly inspired by CirrusGrey’s fic that I recommended earlier, this is another: Jon travels physically into the past fic. This one though is far more bittersweet than “Yesterday is Here”, but still an excellent read and does a great job at fleshing out the relationships between all the characters.

Saving the Universe: For Dummies by GhostChoir

Finding a man bleeding out in the alleyway was not what Elias wanted to do today. And he certainly didn’t mean to befriend him. But things never did go how he expected.

****** A Post-MAG200 Jon meets a 1970s Elias, an Elias from before he was corrupted by Jonah. Together, the two of them learn to cope with grief, drink more tea than any two people should be able to consume, and commiserate over shitty bosses. Oh, and just for the hell of it, they stop an apocalypse along the way.

Now for a change of pace: What if Jon time travels to the time of early Gertrude and Elias pre-Jonafying? A very good fic is what! While it’s been awhile since I read this, I do remember it’s quite good and deserves a chance. Note: this is NOT Jonathan/Elias, so my apologies if you were looking for that, but it is two very lonely men getting to just have a reliable friend in times of trouble.

A Little Game of Cat and Mouse by Paptato

“Jonah Magnus.” The cloudy silhouette snarled as it’s hand clamped tightly around Jonah's ascot. That was indeed his name, but Jonah couldn’t begin to fathom what he did to have it spat out with such hatred.

But nonetheless, Jonah was a gentleman and he would kindly address the angry figure as politely as possible, “Yes, and you are?”

“What?” The form spluttered as it slowly came into focus. Ah, yes. That probably wasn’t the proper response to being held at gunpoint by a random stranger. Must have been the blow to his head.

(Or in which Jonathan Sims goes back in time and tries to pull a Terminator, but fails and Jonah Magnus finds a new mystery to solve.)

This is that Jonah Magnus/Jonathan Sims enemies to lovers fic your friends warn you about in a good way. It’s not done, but I think it’s still being updated very slowly. Even if all I ever read is the currently released 11 chapters, I will consider it my one exception to my dislike of Jonah/Jon. As you can probably guess by the description, it’s a time travel fix it where Jon gets shunted back in time to when Jonah was still very human and still trying to figure out the Fears. The Web keeps Jon from explaining his circumstances or anything to do with Jonah’s future in particular, but this is a good thing and they both get to learn how to be more human in a world that previously was very antagonistic to those goals. It’s got a heavy dose of comedy, plenty of romantic tension, and lots of both surprising and unsurprising cameos. If you enjoy Dracula Daily, you’ll probably enjoy this imho.

Déjà Vu by CirrusGrey

Sasha remembers being unmade. Tim remembers being Unknown. Jon and Martin remember being unwound. All of them think they're the only one. -------- The S1 crew wakes up in the past with memories up till the moment they died.

So, here’s another one that’s got quite the spin on it. As you can see from the description, this one is where S1 crew all get their minds sent back in time to the time right around Jon’s first statement if I remember right. Another CirrusGrey fic, so it heavily leans on JonMartin, but otherwise it’s a wonderful exploration of the four S1 characters and ends on a very hopeful note!

oh my darling, just a moment of your time by IceEckos12

The Institute is visited by a pair of time travelers, and Jon has an important question for Tim.

Have you ever had a oneshot that just kinda guts you unexpectedly? While this might not do this for everyone, this is an amazing oneshot that gets right the point. I love it a lot, because of all of the fics where future and past meet each other, it very rarely if ever is addressed that past Jon was a douche. Or well it is but past Jon doesn’t necessarily have a character moment from it. Here he does, and despite the briefness of the fic, the author does an amazing job of giving Jon and Tim a moment while making an almost critique of the TMA time travel genre. Highly, highly recommend, and it won’t overstay it’s welcome if it doesn’t end up being your thing.

The Severing of Webs by chlodobird

After Jon kills the world, he travels back in time. Once there, he gets ready to change the future, to save his Assistants, and to watch as everyone learns to hate him again.

Unfortunately, the tapes wrap around him like a fly caught in a Web—he can't move. He's trapped reliving the original timeline, stuck acting out his past actions like an actor rehearsing his lines.

Sasha will die. Tim will die. Martin—

(Jon screams inside his mind, and someone hears him. Fate is not as immutable as he fears.)

This one is a brand new one! While basically all of the others on the list have been out/updating for over a year at this point; this lengthy oneshot just released this month. tbh, very excellent, which is why it has made the list. Also, quite the twist on the usual premise, where being sent back into his head is actually a bad thing this time. Ends with a giant pile of fluff, but who would I be if all my time travel recommendations were not also fix-its?

Somewhere Else

it will be this, always by bluejayblueskies

Jon coughed again, and blood stained his lips and blood stained Martin’s hands where they pressed against Jon’s back and blood stained the floor beneath them and help, they needed help.

Martin doesn’t remember shouting. He barely remembers the faces that had surrounded them, wide-eyed and terrified, all utterly unfamiliar.

Jon and Martin wake up somewhere else. Jon begins a slow path toward physical recovery, and several important, long-put-off conversations are had as they begin to navigate a new world that they hadn’t thought they’d be alive to see.

So, I’m sure you all have gathered that I have qualms with how much disparity there is between canon and fanon Jmart. This fic is painful, but is the most in character depiction of post 200 JMart fallout I have ever read. The ending is very cathartic, and takes a “realistic” approach to what happens to Jon and Martin as they begin to navigate their relationship after they both had betrayed each other so thoroughly in the leadup and culmination of MAG 200. If you don’t want them immediately making up, this is the fic for you. They get there, but by all that is good do they take their sweet time getting there.

Out There, Somewhere by Artyphex

"I'm sorry, you were found alone."

Jon survived the apocalypse and now will go to the end of this new, unfamiliar world to find Martin again.

So I think I’m just getting all the angsty ones out of the way first lol. Another slow burn, this fic is Jon’s recovery in the new reality while he also searches for what happened to Martin. Since I don’t post the tags, I will say this ones does feature “Eventual Happy Ending”, and I do promise that both Jon and Martin made it to the new reality and lived. But Jon and Martin both get to pine and cope for a while before that happy ending tag comes into play. It’s incredibly well done and explores their characters really well. Personally, I kinda enjoyed the Reddit saga because people mistaking Jon’s pleas for Martin as an ARG is very typical internet and 100% I would have bought into that at age 13.

Of course I need a therapist. I need ten therapists, working round the clock building me a bionic coping mechanism. We have the technology. by MartinKBlackwoodESQ

A story set somewhere else.

I’mma be real with you all, if I believed that characters could write and publish their own fanfiction, I would be halfway convinced the name is accurate. All joking aside however, this is a “crack treated seriously” fic but with characterization so on point I can consistently hear the voice actors when I read this. Admittedly, it’s made easier by it being written in transcript formatting, but if you’re looking for a hilarious time where TMA is suddenly is turned into a buddy cop adventure where Jon and Martin go to a universe where the Fears hadn’t been till their arrival, and they have doubles that already exist there who are living fairly normal lives till the TMA Jon and Martin crash land into their reality... Well this fic is one I cannot recommend highly enough. It also has a sequel, and it is also well worth the read, even if it appears to be on a bit of a break in it’s updates.

Worlds like phyllo pastry by neworld

After episode 200 Jon finds himself alone in a world very much like the one he left but fractionally different. It's so similar he finds versions of his former friends existing happily in the world. Unfortunately they have never met him in this universe and have no idea who he is.

This one’s unfinished, but personally it’s well worth the read as is. Not sure how I feel about the most recent chapter, but the story up till that point is a really fun spin on “Jon and Martin get shunted to a new reality” where Jon learns how to feed in a way that doesn’t cause problems facilitated by the new reality, and re-meets all the people who he lost till this point and has a very silly antagonistic relationship with his alternate self. While fic might be more of a guilty pleasure, it still is written in such a way that I would rank it high enough for this disorganized list.

Death Is The Easy Way Out by traveller19

After having killed Jonah Magnus and ended the Change, Jon and Martin should finally be able to rest. Rest, however, proves impossible when Jon falls ill. What's more, he begins having vivid dreams of their dead friends - Tim, trapped in the destroyed Archives, and Sasha, trapped outside of them. As Jon's condition quickly worsens and the line between dream and reality begins to blur, love is all he and Martin have to hold on to, because hope is a dangerous thing.

Did someone say sickfic??? But for real, this fic has an amazing balance between an A plot and a B plot, and keeps both at the right level of tension throughout. While this is a sickfic heavy one, it also features Tim and Sasha as ghosts trying desperately not to be. There’s also a lovely sequel and plenty of fluff by the end, but this is a rough ride. ALSO, if you or a loved one had covid / any respiratory illness that caused them to be hospitalized with pneumonia and it could be trigging to read incredibly on the nose descriptions of that experience, this fic is not for you. Or very cathartic. :/

Castaways by CirrusGrey

Welcome to the Castaway Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a safe and secure landing to those lost souls banished from their home worlds by the influence of Fear.

If you wanted saccharine JMart in a new reality where they get therapy and meet old friends from different realities, this series of (mostly) one shots is for you! As you’ve probably come to expect when I suggest CirrusGrey, the writing is fantastic, the ship dynamics are exemplary, and the character are on point. There is so much to say about this series, but mostly, if you want Jon and Martin healing and then settling together and becoming the stereotypical married couple, then this is it. It’s not done, but it is wrapping up, and I hope you all if you haven’t seen this yet enjoy it as much as I do. And for those long time readers who have been reading it longer than I’ve been in the fandom, here’s your friendly reminder that it exists.

Do Before I Die by SupposedToBeWriting

Somewhere Else, Jon can't seem to shake the strange apathy that now plagues his life. Everything reminds Martin of the end of the world. For a change of pace, he and Martin rent a campervan and go on a road trip. Their mission? To fulfill the 'bucket list' Martin made when he was eighteen and lonely. Jon's looking forward to the beach.

Jon and Martin go on a Road Trip accross Britain. It’s just a wholesome and hurt/comfort as it describes. An excellent romp, and the character studies are wonderful. The Planetarium still sticks with me.

ours is a distant shore (series) by pantsoflobster

“If they ever found out about us, we could make things really complicated for them," Jon said. Martin gave a thoughtful hum and then a loaded pause before he said, “Or simpler.” “What?” “We could, you know…” Martin then made mischievous eyes at him in lieu of expanding. “What?” Jon said, thoroughly lost. “Wouldn’t it be a bit fun to sort of... nudge them in the right direction?”

Months after they arrive Somewhere Else, Jon sees himself in the shop.

Summary is from the first fic in the series, this is a fun little romp for those who hated Martin’s defeatism over his and Jon’s relationship in MAG199 and want to see what would happen if instead he accidentally kick started an alternate version and his and Jon’s relationship Somewhere Else. It’s all very silly, tho the last fic does lean more into the hurt/comfort tag than the previous two. Over all though, if you’re looking for a little crack, a lot of fluff, and Jon and Martin being silly this is a good time.

Written in the Stars Will Have to Do by GentlemanCrow

“Yeah well, god knows why, but he thinks you hung the moon, so you might try treating him at the very least like a human being once in a while.”

It was such a small thing. Small words for a small feeling cloaked in a chintzy veneer of idiomatic dismissal. A trembling little bird cupped in his scarred and battered hands and smothered. Or so he thought. Sometimes trembling little birds turn out to be phoenixes, and those who looked to someone else to hang the comfort of a wise, silvery moon in the sky already have the hammer and the picture wire at the ready.

As far as Jon was concerned, the moon only rose on their Somewhere Else because Martin deigned to pull the strings every night, not him.

This is another one of those JMart Somewhere Else fics masquerading as a Safehouse fic that made me want to cry. It’s just, so wonderful, and once again we have themes of healing, but this time through getting a hobby and sharing it with your significant other. The writing is lovely and really gives off the stuffy academic musings I would expect being in Jon’s head (which we are for the duration of this fic) but adds a layer that I didn’t realized I needed till I read it.

On Errantry by ZaliaChimera

Somewhere Else, Jon and Martin discover that their new home has a very special sort of guardian, and Jon seeks judgement from an unexpected source.

They do say that cats purring can heal...

A cute one shot that deals with Jon’s lingering guilt from S5; this is a wonderful tale from Somewhere Else featuring a giant Cat, Martin being supportive, and Jon trying to reconcile his second chance. Very sweet and fluffy, guaranteed!

Lost, Unfound, But Not Forgotten by Elynn

They didn’t find bodies. Or anything pointing to where they may have gone. In the center of the rubble, what Georgie assumed to have once been the top of the tower, was a puddle of dried, crusted blood, and the outline of bodies in the dust and scorch marks. And she knew that wherever the Fears had gone, Jon and Martin had gone with them. The last victims, snuffed and dragged away with them. --- In the weeks after the Eye-pocolypse, Georgie Barker begins the painful process of mourning her best friend.

So, I know I’m very focused on Jon, but I have one fic of Georgie here that’s 10/10. Post 200, Georgie and Melanie eventually goes to clean out Daisy’s cabin of Jon and Martin’s things for Basira (or something like that) and Georgie finds a journal of Jon’s that he kept whilst there. It’s just as bittersweet as you’d imagine, but it’s fantastically cathartic to read and in our MAG 200 feels, this is a good one for closure.

Not Quite Somewhere Else by hawkfurze

Or you can find it on Tumblr HERE

A special entry to finish out this section, I have a long running comic from Tumblr user @hawkfurze who made a TMA x Infinity Train crossover. While I had not watched the show previously (only seen the trailer/pilot from back before it got picked up by CN), the comic is still easy to understand and explains the Infinity Train parts in such a way as to not need any prior knowledge. I highly recommend this comic for anyone who wants a visual treat delving into the relationship and psyches of Jon and Martin as they try to escape into the next reality.

AUs

Two Graves by SupposedToBeWriting

Jon sends the fears far from Earth and flees London, leaving the others to assume the worst. He settles in a small village and opts to live there quietly until he dies, a self-imposed penance. This plan is foiled when the first former Avatar shows up - and Jon realizes that every domain-keeper in the apocalypse still has some faint connection to him.

After a year of being a shoulder to cry on for confused and distraught former Avatars, Jon leads a moderately happy life. He has a flourishing garden, a cat, and some company. All of that comes crashing around his ears (or his head) when a familiar face shows up to his cabin, demanding answers.

This fic is in my top 5 fics of TMA fandom. No contest. It has some of the best healing from MAG 200 for Jon and Martin and tbh the world I’ve seen. It’s got that incredible hurt/comfort and the ending makes me cry tears of joy every time I read it. If you read any JMart fic on this list, please read this one if you can only read one. While I was tempted to put this in a different category, this seemed like the best place to put it.

What Comes After by Mornrandir

More than a year after the apocalypse, the world is starting to move on. Georgie, Melanie, and Basira have learned to move on and get back to living their lives. Then Martin reappears- without Jon- and they have to learn to begin again.

A series based around the initial above description, each entry in the series follows the healing of first Martin, then Jon, then both of them together. While I am a Jon-centric woman, if you are of a more Martin-centric leaning, this first fic in the series should scratch that itch. The final entry is very sweet, and the second definitely has a unique reason as to why Jon shows up so late to the after-Fears party.

The Watcher’s Cows by lenioia

He still remembers the first cup of tea Martin brought him. That’s where it began, not with the dog incident. A sweet and strong blend, reasons for appearance unknown, how could it taste so good, also unknown. Jon stares at what will be the last cup between them. His miserable parting gift. Where it’ll end.

Alt Mag 200, or in a slightly kinder universe which differs by exactly one cup of tea, Martin is the one who switches plan last minute, and Jon’s last half-backed scheme, for once, works.

An AU splitting off MAG 199/200, where Jon’s plan actually happens, but instead of it being quite so bleak he finds a new path with the help of Martin. I know the original ending of the series is probably the most hopeful one realistically, but we all enjoy our fixits here, so this is a really sappy “by the power of love” Jon and Martin save the universe and still get to live in it AU. Highly highly recommend, and it finished within the last 8 months, so it’s “on the newer side” as it were. If you haven’t read it, give it a shot, and if you’ve read it and it’s been awhile now’s a good time to read it again.

The Eyespot Chronicles (series) by SupposedToBeWriting

To Martin Blackwood's surprise, he wakes up in the ruins of the Magnus Institute. He thought he would be dead. The world is back to normal, the Entities are gone, and everyone realizes that it's finally over. The only sticking point is that Jon isn't exactly the Jon that went into the apocalypse. Never one to give up, Martin is determined to make a life for himself and his boyfriend. Even if he is a giant moth.

Summary taken from the first in the series, this trilogy of fics covers Jon and Martin’s attempts at healing in a world that remembers what happened. The first fic focuses entirely on Martin’s struggles, the second on Jon’s, and the 3rd (as you might guess) focuses on them both. The series is excellent, and if you’ve got the fortitude for canon-typical emotional constipation after having just experienced MAG-200 it’s well worth the read.

Another Guest for Mr. Spider by Dribbledscribbles

Jon isn't eating his statements like he should.

Mr. Spider doesn't like it.

Written in transcript format, this AU considers the idea of what if the Web was more hands on it it’s approach to getting Jon to Become more monstrous; or at least not starve himself out. Incredible read, you need an AO3 account though. But I have never been that spooked by a Statement or encounter before I read this fic. If you DO NOT like spiders on you or in your mouth and you don’t like reading about it either, potentially hold off on this fic, or at least skip from where Mr. Spider says “Open your mouth. Do not move.” to when he says “Wash it down with this. Now.” But yeah if you didn’t get enough spider trauma from canon, this fic gives it in spades! (And if you want Mr. Spider getting his comeuppance, you get that too ;) )

Illicio by ThatOneGirlBehindYou

As the new Archivist debates between life and death, the Eye ponders on what to offer him in order to avoid an encore of the unfortunate situation with his predecessor.

-----

Gerard Keay opens his eyes at what feels like fuck-ass in the morning, inside a room with far too little space and far too much dust.

A long form AU of what if Gerry Keay was brought back by the Eye to convince Jon to stay on team Monster if you will. Goes all the way through MAG-200, has some great twists and turns, and manages to turn into an “Everyone Lives AU” as well. While it is currently updating, it’s updating every week on Saturday till it finishes, and she only has 2 chapters left. If you’ve managed to never read this, now is certainly the time for it! It is Jon/Gerry/Martin, so if that’s not your exact cup of tea I’d still say give it a shot.

we should ride this wave to shore by ClarionGlass

“archives research & statement envestigation” Timothy Stoker renamed the group “drinks drinks drinks” Timothy Stoker changed Sasha James’s nickname to saucy sash Timothy Stoker changed Martin Blackwood’s nickname to martini kart Timothy Stoker changed his nickname to stonked stonked: so how bout it lads saucy sash: oh god. A TMA group chat fic where the worst problems they have to deal with start with "h" and end with "angovers"

Right, I don’t tend to read chat fics, I’m going to be honest with you all. I have two exceptions and this is one of them. It goes interesting places, the characters are not completely OOC, if it they are at least it’s consistent OOC and not in a grating way. But in all seriousness, I recommend this because of how it ties in with MAG 160 and 200; as well as how the sequel deals with canon S5. The sequel isn’t finished and is slow to update, but I am still recommending at the very least the first one. It’s a good romp and I highly recommend.

Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues, Soul-Stealing Bosses, and the End of the World at Work by shinyopals

I've recently been unexpectedly promoted to lead a department in my organisation, wrote the anonymous emailer.

As there was no one working here when I arrived, my manager, who is head of the organisation, had promised me the choice of my own assistants. However, without warning, he simply presented me with an additional assistant. This new assistant’s first act on his first day was to let a dog into the office. It took several hours to catch and clean up after this dog and it has only been downhill from there. I admit I'm not entirely sure what to do with this assistant now I'm stuck with him. I'm hoping you have some advice?

Kind regards, New Manager

Abigail Bailey runs a successful management advice blog. One frequent contributor is from a workplace with some... issues.

While this isn’t quite an AU and is basically canon compliant, I’m putting it here because it’s a “what if Jon was an avid seeker of advice on a management advice blog?” AU. It’s beautifully formatted, and features very in character interactions. If you are a sucker for the TMA trope: how do normal people react to the weirdness at the Institute, then this is a great fic for you. I know it’s probably one of the most popular things to have hit the Jonathan Sims tag on AO3 in recent months, but this is just me reminding you all it exists and well worth the re-read.

JMart Fluff

Author CirrusGrey

Literally anything by them. I think I probably recommend them every time I talk about JMart, but I think on AO3 they are both the most prolific and one of the best writers for the tag. Pick almost any fic they’ve written for TMA and it’s probably JMart. There’s too many fics of their’s to recommend, so I’ll just link you straight to their profile and you can go swimming from there lol.

Jon’s Moving Castle by IceEckos12

Martin Blackwood may not have a perfect life, but he does have a good one. That is, until a series of magical encounters leave him with an unfortunate curse. Out of other options, he goes to the wizard who lives in the moving castle for aid.

Life never goes how he intends it to, though.

Basically Howl’s Moving Castle, but with a TMA spin. You don’t need to have seen the movie to understand what’s going on, and honestly while it sticks fairly close to the movie, it doesn’t stick so close that it feels constrained by it in places where it wouldn’t make sense in the AU they’ve set up. It’s a very sweet JMart fic with a satisfying conclusion.

The 101 Kidnappings of Jonathan Sims (and Other Inconveniences) by beetlejoos

Martin Blackwood never applies for a job at the Magnus Institute. The universe seems determined that he meets Jonathan Sims anyway. But is it Fate, or something more sinister, that keeps bringing the two of them together?

Right, this mostly crack treated seriously. It’s got hurt/comfort, but it’s fairly light hearted throughout. As one could guess by the title and description, Jon is repeatedly kidnapped and brought to wherever Martin is living/working at the time. While it’s not done yet, and not on a schedule, the chapters that are out thus far are well worth the read. That and there’s some cute fan art for it that’s linked to in the end notes. But I recommend this because it’s got that vibe of S1 Jon meets S1 Martin outside of the Institute and romance (eventually) happens. Very fun read if you haven’t read it yet.

i think we’re alone now + alone-verse (series) by milliganopen

Just a couple of guys breaking into a basement. What could go wrong?

Getting trapped in your apartment with your boss, that's what.

Season 1 re-imagined if Jon and Martin had been trapped by Jane Prentiss together.

Initially I recommended this back when we had hit MAG039/022 because it was a great AU to Martin’s Statement where Jon also gets trapped in Martin’s apartment during Martin’s no good very bad 2 weeks of worm siege. HOWEVER, the author has since continued this series and is slowly working their way through canon one season/fic at a time. They’re currently on S3, and I am definitely keeping an eye on it for whenever the next update happens. If you haven’t had the time to check it out, it’s got some very good JMart moments, and their relationship manages to move faster than a glacier.

Fate, or Something by HermaeusMora

"You can't be serious." Jonathan Sims raises his eyes at last to properly look at Georgie, expecting her to laugh and make some quip about finally getting him to put the damn book down, at least.

"Well, I am," she shoots back.

He sets his book aside and turns fully towards her, betrayal clear on his face. "A blind date, really?"

Jon makes the frankly terrible decision to go on a blind date with one Martin Blackwood. Fate ensues. AU where Jon and Georgie are still friends, Georgie likes finding dates for her friends, Martin doesn't work at the institute, and everyone is just a bit happier while canon spooky stuff goes on in the background. Takes place juuust barely pre-canon in the beginning but catches up quickly. Inspired as usual by the wonderful conversations with my friend RavenXavier/somuchbetterthanthat.

A fun AU that challenges the idea that Jon and Martin are incompatible a la MAG199. Excellently done and well worth the time to check it out.

Diary by luftballoons99

Not for the first time since they ran away together, a camera reel of all the things they don't know about one another whirs behind Martin's eyes, and he can't help but look at all the sprawling magnetic tape and wonder if they’re going to wind up a romance or a tragedy.

or: Office parties, garage bands, and the joy of being known.

A bit of a bittersweet mostly fluff oneshot focused on Jon and Martin having a night in at the Safehouse and talking about good things from their pasts. (Warning, the sequel is rated E(xplicit) for a reason, so I am only recommending Diary. Both are stand alone however.)

Weaving My Heartstrings by arms_full_of_hyacinths

At least he was someone. Someone who could deal with the spiders. That was probably the source of the nerves unspooling like magnetic tape to fill Jon’s stomach with buzzing static butterflies.

Yes, Martin was much bigger than a spider. He was probably the kind of person who cupped them in his hands and talked to them as he walked them out into the garden, which shouldn’t be giving Jon a burst of warm feeling at all, since his preferred method of spider disposal was simply to squash them on sight.

Martin likes Jon almost as much as Jon hates spiders. When a statement from an institute employee sends them spiraling into the center of a complicated web, they'll need to rely on each other if they want to make it out alive.

Bit of an odd suggestion to close us out, but this one is a fun almost episodic plot about an original Statement and the shenanigans Jon and Martin get into trying to research it. It’s very good, features some very on point S1 Jon and Martin along with a bit of a fast forward on their relationship throughout.

And with that, I’ve probably overstayed my welcome lol. I hope you found something new to read! If not, I at least hope that you had fun rereading some old faves. This has taken me a day or two to compile and format, so I hope you all enjoy in whatever capacity that ends up being! Happy end of A Mag A Day, and it was a joy walking alongside you all. Congrats to A MAG A Day blog owners on all your hard work for the last ~210 days and with this post I wish you all a very fond farewell.

#a mag a day #the magnus archives #mag 200 #tma fic rec #fic rec #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #jonmartin #jmart #georgie #melanie

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late-to-the-magnus-archives · 2 months

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One Six Zero

Jonah knew what he'd chosen to do.

He also knew he hadn't been chosen.

Spoilers to MAG 160. It's my 160th fic, after all.

AO3

---------------------

2018, 18th October

Apologies for the deception, but I wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself.

For a moment, it is my voice, coming from his lips.

I’m assuming you’re alone; you always did prefer to read your statements in private. I wouldn’t try too hard to stop reading; there’s every likelihood you’ll just hurt yourself. So just listen.

Of course, like all the good advice I’ve given him over the years, he doesn’t listen.

Jon. Jon, Jon, Jon… why do you resist?

You were born for this.

Born for it, even more than I—I chose my god, and though I have teased you about making your own choices, I know the difference. I chose. You were chosen.

Statement of Jonah Magnus regarding Jonathan Sims, The Archivist.

My name on his lips… my true, real name. Ah!

Ah.

I grip the arms of my seat, here in the Panopticon, in this dessicated but indwelt temple. Jon. You could have been here with me, were you more wise; I, of course, will still receive the Watcher’s Crown, but that is beside the point.

It will be so much harder for you out there, in the world that we have made.

Why does a man seek to destroy the world?

I didn’t lie. No. Not here, not in my moment of triumph. Yet hearing these words— for immortality and power, to ensure your own happiness —sobers me a bit. Yes, yes, I shall be king of a ruined world, and yes, yes, I shall never die, and those are key.

But those aren’t truly the reason, are they?

Deep down, Jon, Jon, I know you understand me. I know you feel my rage, though you do not know it is mine for it echoes yours too well. Why does a man seek to destroy the world, Jon?

Because it hates him, and so he must hate it back.

I believe there are far more people in this world that would take that bargain than you would ever guess. And I have beaten all of them.

The truth comes out there, I suppose. I beat them because they deserved it. Because they hated me; because many still would, if they knew the body I’d taken, knew this sex was not mine by birth, as if any of them have the right to judge me. Ignorant, infantile, puerile little creatures, slithering through their days with puny fears and cheap desires, never knowing the true glory of being seen, never understanding how good it is to know.

To know everything. Every thought, every emotion. Every hidden little secret, tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the wretched human spirit.

I’ll not bore you with details of my bodies and failures through those intervening years. Suffice to say I kept busy, both planning my own next attempt, and doing my best to stymie those others who tried versions of their own.

How he wonders! I see him through borrowed eyes, listen to his voice—to your voice, Jon, a voice I have always liked—and again, I wish you could have been here at the end of it all.

Such a fool. A delightful, easily-led fool.

I know you were confused. My dear Jon, so neurodivergent —a term relatively new, but meaning the same thing as changeling, really. You felt things when you talked to me. You felt our singularity—and yes, I use that word correctly—for we are that point at which change becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, affecting all of civilization.

You felt it when we spoke, away from Daisy or Basira or Tim. Felt that small and quiet place where only you and I stood, and only you and I shared experience, you and I traded feelings. Where only you and I speak this particular language. Not everyone can be a true cleric for the Eye; it is a dumb master, but both keen and gloriously cruel.

And it chose you. It chose you, over me.

For this… that’s all right. I don’t have to be marked by them all. You do.

The only way to ensure I did not suffer the tribulations of what I believed to be an inevitable transformation was to bring it about myself. So what began as an experiment soon became a race.

I didn’t have to be terrorized by everybody. I didn’t have to be seen by every firebug and fortuneteller. But you did, didn’t you? It will be worth it. I will receive my crown, and see all; you will be… the conduit, and everyone will see you in their dreams.

Jon. Jon. Jon. If you had been here, you could have watched, too, with me.

You are a living chronicle of terror.

I have no pity left to give you. The world stripped mine before menarche.

I watch you in my place of power. Watch you trembling, shaking; sweating heavily, rocking back and forth as if to physically hurl yourself away from the statement in your hands, but your face, Jon… your face! Eyes dilated and unblinking, lips pulled back as if in lust, dark cheeks flushed, hair (still too long for office-work, but I never gave you trouble over it) sticking to your forehead.

Jon. You are beautiful. In the way a strange, mutated frog is beautiful: unique, precious, and meant to be dissected.

I would have done, if you’d been with me here. You would have loved it here. Exposed, revealed to the Eye in ways you could never yet dream.

Oh, well. You preferred good cows.

For all your glory… your beauty, your foolish weirdness, your stubborn loveliness… you’ve made your choice, and so have I.

(And so has the Eye, but we will not think about that now.)

But it left me a gift: for sat in that watchtower, I could see everything I turned my mind to.

Martin is coming. I see him, Jon; he’s smiling at the sky, and he’s taking pictures of cows on his phone for you. He loves you, you know. With all your flaws.

I comprehend him because I’ve observed him, but I don’t really understand. If you were mine, I’d burn those flaws away. But no, not him, not bumbling deceitful Martin, who smiles his way into your heart and has every intention of putting up with all your—

You are prepared.

It’s time!

You are ready.

Yes! Yes! My heart leaps! My own eyes fill, and tingles of raw adrenaline race through my every limb!

You are marked. The power of the Ceaseless Watcher flows through you, and the time of our victory is here.

I laugh (or sob), with no one to witness, the echoes dying with only the Eye to see.

Don’t worry, John. You’ll get used to it here, in the world that we have made.

Yes! Jon, it’s time! It’s time! Don’t you see? This will be so beautiful!

Now. Repeat after me.

I raise my face to the darkness of my tower, my seat rising, the tower shaking, the Panopticon wrenching through the soil of central London like a phallus through virgin flesh, and the irony of this tears more laughter from me even as I expand, change, stretch, rise into the air, and it all

Come to us in your wholeness.

floods

Come to us in your perfection.

tears

Bring all that is fear and all that is terror and all that is the awful dread that crawls and chokes

not the crown, I

and blinds and falls and twists and leaves and hides and weaves and burns

Jon, it’s not the Crown, it

and hunts and rips and bleeds and dies!

I am become the Pupil of the Eye and I am lost.

Come to us. I… OPEN… THE DOOR!

And I think

(Barely, my thoughts rise as I rise with my tower and together we pierce the world)

I think

this

Crown was

(Jon is screaming, and he does not see how beautiful he is with the crown atop his head)

meant for…

(Jon)

for you.

Jon!

The world changes, rips, spills its guts into the water of reality and muddies it, impossible to ever be made clean again. I rise. I see. All.

Bliss. Floating. Smearing. All things, every heart, every fear. All of it, too much.

Jon… you should have…

(he is still still screaming)

Come to me. You still can.

(chosen he was chosen this was meant for him)

I wish you could come to me. We are meant to torment one another for all time. We—

(the crown magnificent and terrible and shining with the light of his new eyes)

You will come to me.

Look at the sky, Martin. Look at the sky. It’s looking back.

I am looking back. Jon. I wait for you in the heart of the new world we have made. I wait.

Together, we will see it all.

#tma spoilers #mag 160 #tma #tma fic #magnus archives fic #elias bouchard #jonah magnus #jonathan sims #jonah magnus/jonathan sims if you squint #trans jonah magnus

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pain-is-too-tired · 1 year

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Revived Moth!Jon au info!

OK kinda based off my rambling in a discord I'm in. And art I recently posted.

But au where Jon doesn't make it out of his kidnapping by Nikola and ends up "dieing" some shape or form.

Even with everything of course the ritual doesn't work.

Jon however is taken and somewhat brought back by the web, he's got not much of a memory but what he does remember is

1. Not trusting the web in general

2. Dislike to hatred for avatars of the stranger.

3. Martin and Tim even if not much

Due to him so being distrusting of The Web they end up keeping him in one place until they can get him tamed.

He's made to be very moth like, especially as parts of him still are built back.

His rebuilt skin does seem to be still flesh, but you can notice it looks as if weaved about him.

His haired even longer, like a mane laid over his shoulders no longer tied up.

Since he had been touched by The eye pretty strongly (probably still technically an avatar) his eyes glow green, though the web shields him from being known by Elias.

His moth like wings covered in eye looking marks.

The place he's kept in is covered in webs, living him trapped like a spiders prey. Though stranger avatars/not!them have come by since its close to their headquarters of function. Often they end up being attacked if they cross into his threshold at all.

Thinking of as a way to try tame him in some way the web kidnaps Martin and gets him close to the threshold Jon's bonded in.

Jon's immediate reaction it to protect Martin.

Of course the others come to save Martin, unable to recognize Jon due to how different he looks.

Also think it's important the not that after Jon's "death" there is a lot of chaos in the archives.

1. They lose what little cooperation they have with Elias, especially since it was well over a month before they learned Jon had been kidnapped and later killed.

2. Martin just freaking looses it on everyone, he's no longer putting up his harmless facade anymore. He matches the tone everyone else had given Jon and if that isn't a wake up call idk what is.

3. It's much easier to put blame onto Jon for their situation when you can argue he's having it easier in your mind. Being skinned to death however is a problem you can't just brush off. Elias no longer has someone to take on the blame of his actions in the view of the others.

You can't distrust anymore someone who is dead, especially when the one you know is all seeing had refused to act on it.

All in all Elias might try make a new Archivist (most likely Martin since getting a new new Archivist in that climate would not be wise)

But since he underestimated Martin it's a lot harder to try set him up then with Jon.

So already before they go into trying to save Martin tensions are high. Basira, Melanie and Daisy are bit thrown off by the sudden change, especially given Martin's change in attitude towards all of them.

Tim however becomes very protective of Martin, trying his best to keep their sanity. Afterall, all they have left is eachother.

So he's of course the one to lead on the plan to get Martin back.

Think only Basira and Melanie maybe come with him, Daisy probably still be made to run errands for Elias just to keep her from trying to strangle him frxrf

Jon's gonna only recognize Tim however, immediately trying to protect him. He'll precieve the others as a threat especially when a gun's aimed at him.

Tim will be jumpy with Jon at first, but when he makes a move that's a bit too simular to Jon I think it might click for him.

Also another side note that Melanie must likely is gonna have to break Jon's "death" to Georgie which could make their relationship rocky for a bit or just draw them closer depending on Georgie's reaction(Jon still was her friend even if no romantic feelings were left)

I just think that's important to note in the idea of Jon being precieved dead early on.

#mine #revived moth!jon au #tma #the magnus archives #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #tim stoker #tma au #moth!jon au #moth!jon #my au #sorry for the rambling gfrfr #pain randoms #tma season 3 spoilers

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recorded-anew · 15 days

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So, before you've mentioned swapping Trevor and Julia with Daisy and Basira and I think it's an amazing idea.

Daisy and Basira get their hands on Michael the Skin Book out of police evidence and bargain with him for information. Michael is the one to request that they kidnap Sasha because he wants the chance to meet the new Archivist and also a chance to escape the book.

Daisy and Basira are both still cops but they're both Hunter's, although Basira has a bit more of a handle on it. Or maybe they become ex-cops and go off on their own to hunt down Avatars by themselves once they find Michael, which Michael accepts to on the condition that 1. Once he's taught them everything they release him and 2. They also burn books along the way. They do accept the second condition but they never get to the first condition, always claiming he's got more information than he does.

For Julia and Trevor, I think for most of the seasons, Julia is mostly unaligned (leaning towards Hunt but she's holding on with her last strands of common sense) while Trevor is a full Hunt Avatar. Once Trevor saved her, she helps him find and research people he suspects are Avatars. They travel around a bit and occasionally look up stuff in the Archives, leading to specifically Julia getting wrapped up in helping Sasha and Elias as things ramp up. Julia ends up signing into the Archives as an assistant while Trevor hunts down Avatars for them.

Then, the Unknowing Happens. And instead of Trevor going to the Unknowing, Julia goes with the reasoning being that one of the many jobs she worked at while moving around required her to learn how to use explosives. And since there's a swap between the Coffin and the Distortion, she ends up in the Spirals hallways.

While she's in there, she clings onto one thing like a life line: her bare bones connection to the Hunt. She uses every bit of energy to focus on Hunting down the exit. She may also have a trinket of some kind from Trevor that's Hunt aligned without anyone realizing. It's not a very powerful connection, but it's just enough to keep the Spiral from fully sinking in.

Once she gets rescued, instead of a physical recovery, it's a mental one. She has to both get used to reality again while also digging in her heels against falling into the Hunt, which is now much much harder after spending months clinging onto just that.

She eventually gives in while the Archives are being attacked like the end of season 4, while making Trevor promise to Hunt her down after all of this, because she doesn't want to fall to the Hunt, she wants to be a normal person, she doesn't want to be the murderer that all the tabloids claimed she'd become after her father's murder spree. Trevor, painfully, agrees.

From there, there's like at least 3 different ways that I can see all their dynamics playing out in season 5, but what do you think?

This is AMAZING. I've been struggling with figuring out WHAT to do with Trevor and Julia, but I think you've nailed it. I love this so much.

#wip ask tag #mod corpse #i dont have tags for the hunters yet #will add them then i get off mobile #cheers

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lycanlovingvampyre · 1 year

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MAG 199 Relisten

Activity on my first listen: Slow Tuesday at work/after work...

MARTIN: "Anyone want another cup of tea?" Ah yes, Martin's solution for everything. Tea XD

MELANIE: "So, we’re seriously holding up ‘let Jon become god’ as a legitimate choice here?" Yeah, I guess Melanie would hate that. Even if it's not her god, with her being cut off from the Eye and all xD

So, as far as I see it from these first few sentences we have Melanie and Martin who want to send off the Fears. Then we have Jon who is adamant on becoming the Pupil and letting the Fears die so no other Jon ever has to suffer this. And Basira and Georgie, who are kiiiind of more on the neutral/fence-sitter side.

GEORGIE: "But is it all other realities, or just some of them?" JON: "Does it matter?" MARTIN: "I mean, maybe? If there are infinite worlds out there then “thousands” isn’t even a drop in the bucket, cosmically speaking." MELANIE: "'Cosmically speaking'?" MARTIN: "You know what I mean." [MELANIE SIGHS] BASIRA: "It’s still more than one, though, isn’t it? Which is what we’re discussing." It's time to bring up MAG 155 again! xD They are talking more than one, that's for sure, so it seems like they would do more harm if they send off the Fears, hitting more people than they are, in total numbers I mean. But are they? Here's the hypothetical part again (in MAG 155 it was that the statement giver was working on projects which could save thousands of lives. Hypothetical, cause in the end nobody knows if the projects would have actually failed if it wasn't for her). They don't know what these other worlds look like. We know there's one very similar to theirs from MAG 114. But how many people are there? Maybe all those other worlds are so much smaller that in total numbers they are less than the people here. Very unlikely I know, but there is no way to tell for sure.

GEORGIE: "Option two is Jon takes over from Magnus. Keeps the Powers contained here with us, and tries his best to make the place a little more… tolerable, until the end." MARTIN: "And we lose him." Technically, they don't know that either. Martin fears Jon's humanity will be lost once and for all. But what if he just stays the same?

MARTIN: "No, Jon, I’m sorry, but if one world still matters in an infinite spread of dimensions, then one person does, too." That's the problem. Jon doesn't think that way. If you're counting in total again, trading one life for so many others would have been quite expensive.

Lol, I just remembered this is basically Life Is Strange on a much larger scale and more complicated due to more variables and unknown outcomes XD

MELANIE: "I-I think the issue is he matters a bit too much." MARTIN: "The point is you don’t have a responsibility to sacrifice yourself just to make everyone else’s lives a bit easier." JON: "I’ve already made them a hell of a lot harder!" Okay first, fuck you, Melanie, seriously! Second, their conversation here again feels so real. Martin thinks Jon's martyr complex is bullshit and that it's not his fault. I feel like Jon did a lot better during their pilgrimage, accepting that it was not his fault and that he was used. But now after what Annabelle told them I'd say he sees himself existing already as his fault.

MELANIE: "Hey! Georgie didn’t do anything!" GEORGIE: "No, Melanie, I, I didn’t." MELANIE: [Softly] "Yeah." GEORGIE: "And maybe I should have. I kept out of it, even when I got a pretty good idea of what was going on towards the end. But… I should have known better. Hiding never helps." It's cool that doing nothing is also presented as doing something. (On a lighthearted note, it's just like someone asking you "Hey, what's your plan for the weekend?" - "Doing nothing" - "Great, then you can join-" - "No, you don't understand. My plan is to do nothing!" XD)

GEORGIE: "For a while! But… we couldn’t actually do anything, could we? Couldn’t save anyone." BASIRA: "Okay, fine, blame for everyone. But the hard fact is, Jon’s the only one who can take over the Panopticon." Oh wait, isn't there a Communist Bugs Bunny meme with Basira??

GEORGIE: "Which brings us to our third option." JON: Which is?" GEORGIE: "Do nothing. We… adapt to the new world, and just wait for it to finally end." Of course Georgie comes up with that one xD But she's right. As I said, doing nothing also is doing something.

BASIRA: "Do we actually have the right to make this decision? The five of us? For the whole world, or for maybe infinite worlds we know nothing about?" GEORGIE: "No, of course we don’t. But we’re the ones here." Ahh, I love the dilemma.

GEORGIE: "And I doubt there’s anyone else out there who’s in a better position to decide." JON: "There isn’t." I mean, Jon wouldn't know, he can't see them. They could technically try to ask other watchers who don't like that they ended up as a tormentor.

MELANIE: "Right? It’s kind of shitty to bring them out just to ask them if they’re willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good." There simply is no right way to do this.

MARTIN: "If it’s just a matter of guilt, then I’ll take it right now. I’d rather live the rest of my life lying awake wondering if I made the right choice, over lying awake listening to the screams of everyone on Earth being tortured!" JON: [Angry] "What? So it’s better for a thousand times more people to scream as long as we can’t hear them?" Very fair point of Jon. Also, most of the guilt would still be weighing on Jon, since he was the lynchpin to all this. I think it would totally fit his character to be high at risk of committing suicide in a scenario where they pass on the Fears and nobody knows he was the Archivist so nobody would come to take revenge on him.

MARTIN: "No! Because Annabelle said it wouldn’t be like that. Wherever they go, it’ll be like it was here before, with the Powers just lurking on the edges." MELANIE: "And our world survived like that for… for what, all of history?" MARTIN: "Mmmm." MELANIE: "Sure, it’s not great, but it’s, it’s not like those other realities won’t have bad stuff happening already. We all lived with monsters in the shadows, and we just got on with it." BASIRA: "Yeah, until we didn’t – until the ritual kicked off. What’s to stop the same thing happening in these other worlds?" MARTIN: "It, it took like millennia of failed rituals before this happened. That means there has to be a chance that it won’t happen at all, right?" Sooo many possibilities! It's such a shitty situation all over again!

MELANIE: "And if it does happen, it will be because of the actions of the people in those other dimensions, just like here it was because of –" JON: "Me." MELANIE: "Because of us." Ohhh, another Communist Bugs Bunny meme!! Also, if it does happen (another mass ritual working) it was only possible to happen at all because that world got the fears passed onto them. So it's not solemnly the fault of the people over there. Our crew would have given them the materials necessary for it.

MELANIE: "Exactly. Probably have their own Panopticon, their own Archivists." Oh yeah, what again are the stakes in The Magnus Protocol? TWO Panopticons and FOUR Eliases!!! xD

GEORGIE: "Well… Did Annabelle say for certain that this dimension is where they were, um, ‘born’, I guess?" JON: "No. No, the Eye can’t see its own creation, so… I don’t actually know how they came to be. Perhaps we can’t know." This does change things again. Annabelle said she doesn't know if they are unique to their world. But that there are definitely worlds without them to spread to. (Also, wait, isn't the MAG 200 statement exactly that?)

JON: "Sure, but even if that was true, it doesn’t change the situation." BASIRA: "Yes, it does. If it’s a choice between stopping the Fears completely – destroying them once and for all, here and now – or just being one universe they don’t escape, among potentially infinite ones where they do… Those are very different scenarios." Yeah exactly that, very well summarized.

JON: "We don’t know. And even if we hunted Annabelle down, and squeezed more information out of her, I don’t think she knows either. We simply don’t have that information, and we can’t just arbitrarily decide what’s true just because it makes the choice easier for us." Ahh yes. One of the themes in Magnus. Making decisions based on the information at hand at that point.

BASIRA: "No. No, I’m not just gonna stand here, and watch you try to justify murdering humanity." JON: [Angry] "How is it different from just letting it happen on its own?" BASIRA: [Forceful] "Because it is. It’s not an option. End of discussion." This and...

GEORGIE: "We’ve got to hope." JON: "Hope that our actions don’t destroy countless other worlds!" GEORGIE: "It’s better than the certainty that they’ll destroy this one!" [TENSE SILENCE] JON: "Sounds like you’ve all decided, then." ...this were breaking points. Especially not even counting Euthanasia as an option. It's Jon's life all over again. People deciding for him what to do. And the thing is, for the plan of passing on the Fears he doesn’t even have to do anything actively. All he need to do is watch them doing it. But doing nothing is also doing something...

GEORGIE: "Can I have a cigarette?" Noooooooooooo! This marks the point of no return. Just like MAG 1 already was the point of no return for them. And Jon once again takes the bait...

GEORGIE: "Then you won’t mind if I hang onto this?" JON: [Distracted] "Hmm." [FAINT STATIC RISES AND FALLS] Did Georgie know what the lighter means? Or that Jon can't keep track of it? We didn't hear how they explained the whole situation, so we don't know... And can this moment be seen as the one Jon finally sheds all the cobwebs off of him? Also I said last episode there's another lighter-moment for me, it's this one. Cause I missed this on my first listen!!! In MAG 200 I was just as surprised as Jon was when he looks for the lighter XD

GEORGIE: "I’m sorry. I know you hate what we’re doing." JON: "I hate all the options. I just… It’s all my fault, you know?" GEORGIE: "What, because you weren’t able to outsmart the literal embodiment of manipulation and scheming?" JON: "Mmm." GEORGIE: "We all make bad choices, Jon. It’s not your fault some eldritch horror decided yours were going to affect the whole world." For all the things Georgie did that made me not like her, I do like her for that one.

JON: "They were still my choices." GEORGIE: "Yeah. And you live with them. Or you don’t. That’s all there is, really." JON: "Hmm." I think that's another cog wheel for Jon to make his own decision.

MARTIN: "I’d understand if you hate me right now." JON: "What? No! No, Martin, I love you. I always will. And I know you love me too. I mean… [sighs] that’s it, isn’t it? That’s the real core of it. You want to save me." MARTIN: "I want you to save yourself." And that's the last puzzle piece for Jon to finally see the big picture. So to count them all again I personally would think its Jon learning his life was a set-up to this. The others dismissing his options. Georgie telling him all he can do is live with his choices or don't and finally this. Jon doesn't see sending off the Fears as saving himself. It's condemning himself. Again. Him saving himself would mean he can finally put a stop to this and save other people like him in return. Spare them the guilt.

JON: "Sometimes… I imagine if none of this had happened. If we had just… met. Been together, without… all of this." MARTIN: [Softly] "Me, too. … But we wouldn’t have, would we? Been together, I mean." JON: "Huh? W-What do you mean?" MARTIN: "Well, we had that, didn’t we? Almost a year of just working a normal job together, and you hated me." I don't think Jon meant this as them working in the Archives together. More like, him still in research, without the pressure of a job he's not qualified for, without a chaotic task of cleaning up after that one colleague who was about to retire and therefore didn't do their work anymore and without the feeling of The Eye pressing down on him. Just Jon meeting Martin in the library and getting to know him.

JON: "Oh god, Angela! Ha! She’s still about, you know? Lording it over a nasty little Flesh domain. Anyway, I didn’t explicitly say it. I… implied it." Face it, Jon, you're a prick xD

MARTIN: "Face it, Jon, it took almost two years of crisis and trauma to even make us compatible. And that sucks. But here we are. And I don’t want it to be for nothing. I won’t let it." JON: "That’s very sweet of you, Martin. Sort of. Thank you." I do see Martin's point of view and I think Jon sees it too. But I also think Jon thinks it will all be for nothing if he sends off the Fears. Also yeah, shared trauma can create a hell of a bond.

MARTIN: "Wherever you go, I go. That’s it." JON: "You promised to let me go. If I had to." MARTIN: "And you promised not to go if there was any other choice. And there is. So that’s the deal." JON: "That’s the deal." I wonder if it would have changed anything, if Martin left it at that. (Also "Wherever you go, I go" T__T)

MARTIN: "I guess that’s why it really bothers me, you know? I try, but I can’t actually imagine ever making a decision that I knew meant losing you. And it… It hurts to know you can." Oh no. If reminding Jon of his promise might have actually turned him around, than this here definitely sealed the deal on going with his own decision again. Martin basically admits here, that he wouldn't have held up his end of the bargain. This makes it sound like Martin is relieved he doesn't have to break his promise cause he definitely would have anyway. I think this is so crucial to what Jon ends up doing.

JON: "I did this. It’s my fault. And I don’t want… I can’t let anyone else feel that. That helpless, enormous guilt. Ever." [JON SNIFFS AS IF TEARING UP] MARTIN: "Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey, come here, come here." [FABRIC RUSTLES, WITH SNIFFS FROM JON] Oh fuck that wrecked me. Still does. In general, these "hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"s get me, I don't know why. It was the same in MAG 102, when Jon does it when Martin begins spiraling into his guilt over not even knowing Jon was kidnapped.

MELANIE: "We were scouting. I was showing Basira where we think the gas mainline is." MARTIN: "And?" BASIRA: "Not good. You know those eye things?" JON: "The old Archivists?" BASIRA: "Yeah. I think they know something’s up. The place is crawling with them. It’s like they’re looking for something." I mean yeah, it's world-building, but also a bit of a loose end, since we never hear their struggle to get to the gas main. I think Jonny mentioned in one of the Q&As/Retrospectives that he thought about squishing in a scene of that somewhere in MAG 200 but he couldn't find a fitting place for it. And I think he's right. I don't think it fits anywhere before Jon realizes the lighter is gone and then an explosion immediately hits, it would kind of devalued this moment. And after that there's already too much going on, breaking off Jon and Martin at that point would destroy the atmosphere. But it's fine, there's a lot in TMA that was implied which we never actually hear first hand. It does give MAG 200 a bit of a suspense, like are they actually able to light up the gas main.

MELANIE: "Jon, you’re sure about this whole gas main thing? It just seems, I don’t know, really mundane." JON: "It’s what Annabelle said, and she wasn’t lying. At least, she didn’t think she was." It's also what Gertrude was planning on doing and she had lots of experience about blowing stuff up.

MARTIN: "You’re not listening. I mean, if he kills Jonah, then knowing our luck he’s just going to end up taking his place in the Panopticon, isn’t he?" Hmm, there's quite some dream logic involved. Cause in MAG 193 Jon said "The Eye would choose a suitable replacement" and "If we kill Jonah Magnus, I take his place". It is never specified if different persons killing Jonah have different outcomes. But I guess you could argue that if Jon himself does it, he's more connected to he whole thing going on and the Eye would be much quicker to put him into place. With someone else doing it (whom the Eye does not see fit to become the Pupil) it probably takes a few moments to connect to the Archivist.

MARTIN: "He can come up with me, but when it actually comes to Jonah…" It wooould make more sense for Jon to hide in the tunnels, cause the Eye can't properly see this place. It would probably take a looooot longer to get to Jon, which is easier for them to time their operations. Buuut, if Jon had to stay in the tunnels, we would immediately know Jon went up to Jonah alone, and so we still have a few seconds benefit of the doubt.

BASIRA: "I just mean… um… If we don’t make it out of this… I wanted to say thanks. For coming back for me. [sighs] What I did… Who I was… I – Thanks." JON: "I’m sorry for all of this." Aw, same thought as with Georgie earlier.

BASIRA: "We’ve all got regrets. But we can’t undo what’s done. All we can do is try and do something worthwhile with the time we’ve got left." [HEAVY SIGH FROM JON] JON: "Yeah." Oh no, that "Yeah" didn't sound good...

@a-mag-a-day

#a-mag-a-day #mag 199 #tma #tma spoilers

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aflyingcontradiction · 8 months

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The Magnus Archives Relisten: Episode 173 - Night Night

Martin: You know, I really miss the days when I could blame broken streetlights on the council. A strongly-worded letter just doesn’t feel as forceful when it’s addressed to whichever Dread Power it may concern.

I've seen some people complain that the interactions between Jon and Martin in Season 5 can get a bit too silly, but how could I possibly mind when it gets us gems like "To whichever Dread Power it may concern".

Jon: What do you think happened to all the children when the world changed?

Oh, this was a wham line! Because, just like Martin, I wasn't thinking about it before this episode. Not even slightly. And then it took just that one line for the horror to sink in. Yeah, I sure as fuck am thinking about the children NOW, Jon!

Martin: Anyone who’s chosen to spend their apocalypse tormenting children – God, you need to end them. Now. (...) Callum: Yeah? What is it?

Oh, this is masterful, because maybe, just maybe for a moment you find yourself agreeing with Martin that it really is that simple, the tormentor of children has go to go. Then you promptly get smacked in the face with the revelation of exactly what Jon getting rid of the Avatar of this domain would actually look like.

Martin: This is that kid Basira went after last year, right? The one the darkness cult took. So, So that’s not even a kid, that’s whatever was inside Maxwell Rayner; it’s just wearing his body!

Oh, Martin is trying really, really hard not to let the implications hit, isn't he?

My impression of this episode

To be honest, the concept of this episode hit me a lot harder than the execution. But the concept is really more than enough. If I remember correctly I immediately went squeeing to a friend in the fandom about just how much sense this makes! I never really quite knew what to do with the Dark. Its episodes were never quite as disturbing to me as other fears and it always felt more like a backdrop (surely the primal fear is about what's hiding in the dark, not the darkness itself!). And obviously this episode focuses on the fear of what's hiding in the dark, too, but somehow the Dark as a fear in its own right makes so much more sense from a child's perspective! And the Avatar controlling this domain being a standard-issue playground bully is just such a good touch! Who else could possibly be the personification of a child's fears? (Well, there's a few other options that spring to mind but this is a very, very good one!) As for the interactions between Jon and Martin, I have to keep reminding myself that, actually, I like Martin, because fuck, he is obnoxious in season 5. His absolute refusal to so much as consider that Jon might not be able to simply fix things makes me want to shake him and shout "YOU'RE NOT HELPING, JACKASS!" Tbh, Jon kinda deserves better.

#the magnus archives #tma relisten

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mxrstar · 4 years

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would you be willing to post all the answers to that quiz? i got sasha, and it honestly made me sob, but i would love to be able to read all of the possible outcomes

alright so I woke up with several new followers, 900 notes, and seven ask. which is!!! weird for my blog. on top of that, I very soon stopped counting the number of people who told me my quiz made them cry. I,,,,,, thank you? also I am really happy I could provide any type of comfort?

you are not the only one who asked me to post all the answers but im gonna do it once for everyone. okay, so (copied from my notes app)

[Jon] you are eating alone in the kitchen and Jon finds you- immediately can see there is something wrong. he asks you if you are okay, tells you that he is there for you. your replies aren’t spectacularly helpful, but he sits down and eats with you. asks you other questions, though at your own pace. he touches your shoulder as he brings the dishes to the counter, and tries to tell you, again, something vaguely comforting. he isn’t the picture of confidence when it comes to these things, but he is trying so goddamn hard. you don’t feel alone

[Gerry] you are at a cafe with Gerry when something bad happens. he sees the way you change— notices. long moment of silence, and then: “what do you want to do?” he keeps asking, keeps trying to make you smile. tells you, so earnestly, that you don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. but there is a music shop around the corner, and weren’t you looking for that album a while ago? aren’t you still gonna smile when you come back home and listen to it? [he doesn’t matter if you go or don’t. the important thing is: you know he’ll take you. you know he will still ask. and once you have answered, he’ll help you get up and put on the music.]

[Martin] it’s midnight and the lights are off. you mention that something is wrong, and Martin moves a bit closer. doesn’t quite touch you yet, but you can feel his warmth. “what?” he asks. you tell him, and he tries to talk it out with you. he is relentlessly hopeful. he tells you about that poem he heard once, about that song you just reminded him off. he hugs you when you cry, tells you about tomorrow, about the cake you’ll make together once you get up.normally, you’d feel guilty for all that you said. you don’t now.

[Tim] Tim meets you after work/school. you are getting home, and he randomly walks into you. he sees that you are not doing good. he makes up en excuse for you to be with him (“I am going running, do you want to come with me?” “I know this weird abandoned place, do you want to come see it?”) and eventually you say yes. he tells you about his day, makes you laugh. when you get there, when you stop running— you both sit down and he asks what happened. he is worried about you, he says, and somehow manages to make you feel light. still, you feel yourself letting go and almost instantly start crying. he hugs you through it.

[Sasha] you haven’t heard from Sasha in a while. she calls you and asks you how you are doing. you lie and she can tell. she is in your house twenty minutes later. she has a plan and you can tell— it feels like a gift and you desperately want to take it. slowly, gently, she teaches you how to. lets you see your pain and work around it together. with her, you start talking. her words calm you, and she holds your hand as you talk. she’s there. she’s there.

[Georgie] you are on a bus, and Georgie sits beside you. you have been somewhere together, and something upsetting happened. “you won’t go there again,” she says, suddenly and you look at her wide-eyed.“what?” “we simply won’t go there again,” she repeats, “it is just not a welcoming place.” “but you liked it,” you protest, and she frowns, sits back so that your shoulder touch. “I did not.” “okay,” you say, relief washing over you. “okay.” [you are going to eat dinner at a nice place tonight. you know the questions will come only if you want her to. you know she has that story to tell. you know you’ll want to hear it last, so that you can go home smiling. it is a nice prospect]

#asks #i think i left out melanie and basira because i dont have too clear of a characterization for them?#basically i wouldnt have known what to put as their answer #melanie would perhaps be easier #and a bit harder for basira #but i had 7 answers already and that took me hours so i thought it best to keep it simple #tma quiz #long post

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hyperfixationspam · 2 years

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tma voice actors rated on how well they would play the character in live action

Jonathan Sims as The Archivist: 3/10. He just doesnt look pathetic enough. Its the poor little meow meow factor. He gets some points for looking like he might be just a little bit insane tho. Also, fun fact, when I started the podcast I was having trouble picturing Jon so I looked at a picture of Jonny and immediately went "...no. he doesnt look like that"

Alexander J Newall as Martin Blackwood: 0/10. Alex is an evil little man and you can tell by looking at him. Even without the suit, there's malice in those eyes. He is neither gentle nor a giant. Just an all around unpleasant experience, not a Martin!!

Alexander J Newall as Jared Hopworth: -10000/10. No explanation needed

Mike LeBeau as Tim Stoker: 9/10. Im pretty sure he is actually s1 Tim. He's very charming and good looking and just generally has the right personality. Season 3 is harder but I bet he has the range physically too!

Lottie Broomhall as Sasha James: 7/10. She looks very sweet and nerdy! Shed be a good fit. Not like shes around for long anyway...

Evelyn Hewett as Not-Sasha: 5/10. She also looks very sweet!!! Which is the problem!!! I dont think shes creepy enough... but that might actually make it more creepy?? Idk man, take a half rating

Ben Meredith as Elias Bouchard/Jonah Magnus: 4/10. Hes just not scary! Not to mention too young. However he gets points because it would be absolutely hilarious

Lydia Nicholas as Melanie King: 8/10. Something in their face just says "Im a nice person but I could kill you if I wanted to." I think she would really pull off the woman slowly losing her mind look

Hannah Brankin as Jane Prentiss: 7/10. I mean. Shes gonna be covered in worms anyway. Anyone will look terrifying with good enough sfx

Hannah Brankin as Rosie Zampano: 4/10. She looks very sweet but I feel like Rosie has this very specific vibe of well concealed yet visible rage that Hannah just doesnt have. Plus I imagine her being a bit older

Frank Voss as Basira Hussain: 5/10. Theyre too sweet! Basira is very serious and I just dont think I could be intimidated by Frank. They could definitely do the more emotional moments but they just dont look like they would hold someone at gunpoint!

Imogen Harris as Helen Richardson: 4/10. Similar situation to Not-Sasha. She doesnt look unhinged at all but the lack of unhinged energy might actually be creepier? -1 point for not having ringlets. Idk why I just cant imagine Helen without ringlets

Luke Booys as Michael Shelley: 15/10. Just put a wig on him and tip to toe that is a Michael! He has the perfect energy. Theres just something in those eyes that says "I have seen madness beyond your comprehension and I have become a part of that madness." I think hes an avatar of the Spiral irl based solely on his face. He doesnt even fit the canon description but hes just so perfect you cant cast anyone else

Fay Roberts as Daisy Tonner: 10/10. Ze looks very graceful and gentle yet also like ze can and will kill you which is the exact energy I get from Daisy. And their hair is so perfect for her too!! Like yeah thats Daisy!!

Carrie Cohen as Mary Keay: 10/10. Shes got the unhinged old woman energy down to a SCIENCE!! She is TERRIFYING!! Good for her!!

Sasha Sienna as Georgie Barker: 6/10. He looks very sweet, very strong cat mom energy but the problem is they just look too innocent. No offense but I just dont see death in her eyes

Guy Kelly as Mike Crew: 8/10. He looks pretty much exactly how I imagined Mike but I dont think hes tiny enough. Hes gotta be a real short king

Jessica Law as Nikola Orsinov: 11/10. Youre not allowed to cast anyone else!! Shes perfect!! Like Nikola doesnt even have a face but if she did thats what it would look like. There is a reason she gets typecast as a sentient human shaped object and its because she slays it both vocally and physically!!

Lowri Ann Davies as Lynne Hammond/Celia: 8/10. Im just enjoying imagining her in a cult

Francesca Renee Reid as Julia Montauk: 10/10. My only justification for this is that I am gay for both of them

Ian Hayles as Trevor Herbert: 8/10. Needs a little more chaotic bastard energy but nothing a little makeup cant help. Give him a more fucked up beard and put some dirt and blood on him. Thats Trevor!

Jon Gracey as Gerard Keay: 2/10. Hes Not Even Goth. Like I know you could just dress him up goth but its just not the same! We need an authentic goth actor for accurate goth representation! Points for being a weird nerd tho

Alasdair Stuart as Peter Lukas: 7/10. Alasdair is way too wholesome for Peter and I dont think I could be intimidated by him or see him as pathetic. HOWEVER I am giving him a bunch of extra points because I simply thinks he deserves to play Peter in live action. Alasdair is the OG Peter kinnie and who am I to deny him that right?

Russell A. Smith as Oliver Banks: 9/10. He looks so nice and handsome! Yet also a little depressed at the same time! Give him some dark circles under his eyes, and yep, he's Oliver!

Helen Gould as Laverne: 10/10. Theyre such a comforting presence. She could totally be a therapist. I would tell him all of my problems

Layla Mannings as Manuela Dominguez: 5/10. Shes too adorable! She doesnt look like someone who would try to extinguish the sun!

John Henry Falle as Arthur Nolan: 2/10. He definitely looks insane but not in a landlord kinda way ya know? He looks like he would commit arson but not like he would be a class traitor

Karim Kronfli as Simon Fairchild: 0/10. Hes like 50 tops. Simon is like 500 and appears 100. We need a man whos fucking decaying

Richard Soames as Eric Delano: 1/10. This Dude Is Like Thirty

Chioma Nwalioba as Annabelle Cane: 9/10. Shes adorable!! And I think Annabelle is adorable too!! She would look great in some vintage clothes. I would tell her all of my secrets I dont care if she would use them against me <3 I cant imagine her as a giant spider tho but Im sure she has the range

Ray Chong Nee as Mikaele Salesa: 10/10. He really does look like he would sell people cursed shit, he just has that eccentric vibe. Seems like hes a big dude too. Definitely the kind of guy to dramatically play the piano to reveal he was alive all along

Mabel Syrup as Dr. Jane Doe: 10/10. Looked at her instagram for ten seconds and nearly went insane. My brain cant process any of this. Thats the kind of vibes we need. Good for her

Anil Godigamuwe as Arun: 10/10. I literally just imagined him as Anil the entire time. I cant separate the actor from the character

Tim Ledsam as Jordan Kennedy: 10/10 but only if he wears the Gunpowder Tim getup and this is never addressed

#tma #the magnus archives #tma spoilers #long post #tma shitpost

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ghostbustermelanieking · 3 years

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jonmartin for 13? :)

i have absolutely no restraint and cannot write anything short im so sorry. this is a mag 102 au where martin finds out jon was kidnapped sooner. warning for discussion of this kidnapping as depicted in the episode, and the aftermath of recovering from this. also here on ao3.

13. things you said at the kitchen table

In the end, it's Melanie who tells Martin Jon's been kidnapped. Catches him in the break room, irritated and banging around the mugs, and she drops it into a sentence like it's something casual to be communicated. Oh yeah, Jon's back. Guess he's been kidnapped or something, and something sharp presses into Martin's chest, something like urgency. He's pushed his way out of his chair and halfway towards the door in a blind sort of franticness before Melanie catches him by the arm. "He's fine, you know," she says. "He looks… I mean, he doesn't look good, but he…"

"A month, " says Martin, feeling sick. "A month, he's been gone, and we… we didn't…"

"We didn't know, " Melanie says annoyedly, but there's a tiny pinprick of guilt in her voice, too. "He… he wasn't here before. You know that."

Right, Martin thinks, because you're probably the person he talked to most before he disappeared, and then he immediately feels guilty. Jon's been kidnapped, and he's… he's just… "Where is he?" he says, softer this time. (The bite's still in his voice, a little bit. He isn't sure who to be furious at, but it's hard not to be under the circumstances.) "Has… has he left?"

"Uh… no, I don't think so," says Melanie. "He… he said he was going to go lie down."

Martin knows, immediately, where he is, and he tries not to wince at it; he remembers sleeping there every night, scared out of his mind on that little cot, he doesn't know how Jon stands it. "I'm going to go check on him," he says. "I… he shouldn't… I'm going to go check."

Melanie lets go of his arm. "I think Elias knew," she says darkly. "Jon said it and he didn't even bat an eye. He knew, and he didn't tell us."

Something twists in Martin, something that he pushes aside—doesn't matter, not yet, all that matters right now is making sure Jon is all right. He nods a little, at Melanie, and then he pushes out of the break room and down towards the office. Tim is out for the day (not surprising), and Basira is reading at her desk; she doesn't look up when Martin comes through. Martin goes to the storage room where the cot is, where he knows it still is, and raps his knuckles quietly on the door frame before opening the door.

Jon jumps, when Martin enters, in a way that instantly makes Martin shrink back with guilt. He's huddled on the cot, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and he looks awful. Thinner, hair shaggier than when Martin saw him last. He looks exhausted, leaning towards the wall like he needs it to hold him up, and his arms are wrapped around himself in a protective sort of way. "... Martin?" he says, voice thin, and Martin honestly can't tell if he's happy to see him or not.

"... Hi," Martin says, honestly not sure what to say. (What do you say in a situation like this?) He chews at his lower lip, reaching for what to say— Are you all right doesn't seem appropriate, when Jon is so clearly not, but it's what he comes up with, his voice shaking a little when he asks it.

Jon laughs, bitter, and uncoils his arms from around himself, relaxing a little. "Honestly? Honestly, not really, Martin. I… it's been…" He lifts a hand to press against his forehead; his sleeves fall down and Martin winces, immediately, at the red marks on his wrist, where he must've been restrained. "It's… it's, uh, really good to see you, Martin," he adds, softly.

Martin presses a hand to his mouth, just for a minute; he's torn, he doesn't want Jon to see him upset, not when he's… "Melanie… told me," he tries. "What you… and I didn't… Jon, I'm so sorry. We had no idea, I… I swear, if we'd known, we would've…"

Jon sits up a little straighter, something flashing in his eyes. "Hey… hey, no, Martin, it's… i-it wasn't your fault, it's all right, it's… t-there was no way to find me, and I hadn't really been… around before then, and it…" He breaks off his words, clutching a little harder at the blanket. "... Elias didn't deem it worth telling anyone," he adds, with a wry laugh.

Martin takes a few steps closer, trying his damndest not to fall apart (at the fact that Jon looks like this, that Jon's been gone a month, that Jon is somehow trying to comfort him when he's…). "You aren't… d-did they hurt you?" he asks, uncertain who they even are.

Jon flinches a little, looks down at his feet. "No, n-not… not really. I… not, um…" He laughs a little again, a hollow sound. "I'm just so tired. "

Martin stops, a few feet away; he thinks about touching Jon, some sign of comfort, a hand on his shoulder or—but no, that wouldn't be—he can't do that, not when Jon's just been kidnapped, it's probably the last thing he wants, to be abruptly touched. He does what he can do, instead; he says, "Jon, d-do you have anywhere… er, there's a… there's a reason you're staying here, isn't there? Wh-what about your friend you were staying with, could you go back there?"

Jon immediately, vehemently shakes his head. "I-I can't go back. Not if, n-not after… th-they came there before, they found me there, and if I go back… I-I told Georgie I'd leave. I can't bring her into this. I can't. If they came back…"

"Okay," says Martin. "Okay, that's…" He crouches a little, feeling awkward as he does it, but he can't shake this feeling of—of looming over Jon. "Y-you can't stay here, Jon. This cot is horrible, i-it's… it's not a place for recovery, it's…"

"I'm going to find a place," Jon says softly. "I just… I need to sleep. First."

"You shouldn't stay here, though," says Martin, "not after… you need a bed, a real bed, Jon. I…" He stops, halfway considers for a second. Starts again, because what else is he going to do? "C-come stay with me."

Jon looks up, shocked, but he doesn't immediately protest, so Martin continues: "Sleep on a real bed, recover, j-just until you're… I mean, my bed isn't great, but it's better than a cot, especially after…" He stops. He doesn't know what to say. "Just… you deserve something better than that, right now," he tries.

Jon shakes his head, just a little. "Martin, I can't. I… i-if they came for me again, then you would…"

"I don't care," Martin says, firmer this time. (If Jon doesn't want to come back with him, fine, but he won't let that be the reason.)

"Martin, i-if anything were to happen, i-if you got caught in the crosshairs, I'd…"

"Really, Jon, I don't care. I'm not going to let them take you again, so you can put that thought out of your mind." Martin adjusts his position—it's uncomfortable, squatting like this, but making sure Jon feels safe is more important. (If it's even helping at all.) "You said you didn't want to put your friend in danger because she's out of this, right? Well—I'm in this. Pretty far into it, at this point, there's no getting out of it. So it doesn't matter. Okay?"

Jon worries at the edge of the blanket with his overlong nails. "... I… wouldn't want to impose…"

"You're not, Jon. I'm offering." Jon's still quiet. Martin shifts back into a standing position, because it really is uncomfortable, going slow; he adds, "It's the least I can do. Please."

Jon's hands are shaking. Martin can see it, now, and it's hard to watch; he's pushed a lot of fury back, just watching Jon now, still without any idea what's happened. "A—all right," Jon says quietly, finally, and his voice is thick, like he might cry. "Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Martin." And Martin feels a flood of relief at this, that Jon might be, at least, somewhat safe in his flat.

---

They take a cab home. The Tube seems like it would be a lot. Jon really is exhausted, huddled up in an old coat despite the warm weather, leaning against the window in the back of the car. Martin shows him the bath and the bedroom, when they get home, says, "Let me know if you need anything," and leaves him alone. It feels like the right thing to do.

Martin stays in the living room. The anger begins to rise to the surface, then, coming out in bursts of nervous pacing and muttering (quietly, of course; he's had lots of practice with that, with Mum). He's furious at whoever took Jon (he isn't sure who, but he has a sneaking suspicion it's connected to the Unknowing), more furious at Elias for not telling them. He's going to say something this time, he thinks—march up there and give Elias a piece of his mind, or, or draft a furious email—and Martin has to stop there because it's all starting to sound ridiculous. He's going to say something now? He didn't say something when they found out Sasha died, when Elias told them that they were all trapped, but he's going to say something now? It sounds ridiculous, it does, and what would saying something do? Jon's back now, more or less safe, and there's nothing he can do now—no charging, triumphant rescues, nothing like that, all he can do is offer Jon his bathroom, somewhere safe to sleep. Shouting at Elias won't do a thing.

(Martin wants to do something. He should've said something for Sasha, and he thinks he'll regret that forever, but if he couldn't then… well, he wants to have the courage to say something for Jon. But he doesn't. For some horrible reason, he can't.)

Jon sleeps for over fifteen hours, all afternoon and into the night. Martin sleeps on the couch. (He goes into the room to get the extra blanket and a change of clothes, and for a moment, he worries he'll wake Jon, but he must be quiet enough. Jon doesn't wake; he makes a strained sound in his sleep and turns over, curling in protectively on himself, but he doesn't wake up. Martin wants to go over there, kneel by the bed and hold Jon's hand, climb into bed and hold Jon and make sure he isn't hurt again. He doesn't. He doesn't have that with Jon, and now isn't the time, he can't scare Jon, make him uncomfortable, he has to leave Jon alone.) Jon's still asleep when Martin wakes hours later, tangled in his blanket on the couch, restless and on alert. He stares at the front door, tensing like he expects someone to come in (someone coming back for Jon), but nothing does. The apartment stays quiet.

Martin gets up to make tea. It's still early, still dark outside, but he can't go back to sleep, he can't relax. He puts on the kettle and sits at the table, opens a packet of biscuits to munch on absently. Something to do. Something to do besides sit and think.

The door creaks, abruptly, and Martin's head shoots up to see Jon, leaving the bedroom, looking dwarfed in one of Martin's rumpled jumpers. He looks at Martin with a tired sort of tentativeness and says, "Hi," softly.

"Hi, Jon," says Martin, his own voice too soft. "How… how did you sleep?"

Jon rubs at his throat, an absent sort of motion, and pads across the floor to the table. "I… well, actually. Very well. Best… best sleep I've had in a month."

Martin's heart breaks a little, and he pretends it doesn't. Jon motions to the empty chair beside him and says, "Do you mind if I…"

"No, no, of course not," says Martin quickly. "... D'you want some tea?"

A funny look passes over Jon's face as he sits and he says, "Yes. Yes, I… tea sounds amazing, Martin."

Martin gets up to get out another mug, to get out the milk and sugar. "I can make you something to eat, too," he says, and immediately feels horrible for not suggesting it earlier. (He doesn't want to speculate about when Jon's last eaten.) " Christ, why didn't I… I'm so sorry, Jon, you must be starving. I should've…"

"Don't, Martin, it's… I-I'm fine," says Jon. "Honestly, I… I-I can eat in a little bit, I'm not really hungry."

Martin bites his lower lip too hard and grimaces at the sudden burst of pain. "Okay," he murmurs. "Just… let me know when you're ready."

"I will," says Jon.

There's silence for a few moments aside from Martin puttering around the tiny kitchen. It feels strangely domestic in a way that Martin isn't used to; he hasn't lived with anyone since Mum. He and Jon have shared meals before—they did it often, before Jon went on the run because they'd thought he was a murderer—and Martin's made him tea a dozen times, but it's never like… this. Quiet and natural, like they've done it a dozen times. Jon's staring down at the table, tracing a pattern cut into the top with an absent finger; he's shivering, in his chair, and Martin makes a mental note to turn on the heat. And then the kettle goes off, a sharp sound in the silent room, and Jon's jumping, jolting nearly out of his chair with huge, panicked eyes.

"Sorry, sorry!" Martin says in a rush, reaching to yank the kettle off the eye. "Sorry—I-I forgot it was there."

"I-i-it's all right," Jon says. He's tensed against the table, his palms pressed to the top, like he's waiting for a bomb to go off, but he looks at Martin and he says, "Just a… little on edge, b-but really, it's fine."

Martin's chest aches as he fixes the tea. All of him aches, a guilt he can't really put his finger on—he didn't notice Jon was gone, he couldn't go after him, and now he can't even get to the kettle quick enough to keep from scaring Jon out of his wits. He doesn't say anything, though, besides another murmured, "Sorry," as he passes Jon the mug, and sits back down beside him.

Jon holds onto the mug with both hands, like he expects to be pulled away, inhales a bit before taking a drink. "I've… missed your tea, Martin," he says quietly, stiltedly, like it's difficult to say. "All this time."

Martin blinks in genuine surprise at that—all this time, and he's wondered before if Jon was just tolerating the daily cups. "You're joking," he says with disbelief.

"I'm not," says Jon—and it's stunningly familiar, that tone of voice. He smiles a little down into the mug. "Haven't had a decent cup since February—Georgie's a coffee drinker."

"The audacity, " Martin snorts, theatrically, some small attempt to keep Jon smiling like that.

"Yes, well—that's what I told her," says Jon, still with that halfway smile. He looks up at Martin abruptly, and something shifts on his face, almost—almost guilt of his own, which makes no sense. He says, "Martin, I've… I've taken your bed, haven't I? You… you should've said something."

"No, I shouldn't have, and I won't," says Martin firmly. "I didn't bring you here to sleep on the couch, Jon, for god's sake. The bed is yours."

"Sleeping on a couch won't kill me, Martin—"

"And it won't kill me either. You're not talking me out of this, Jon."

"A couch would be an improvement over that cot— anything would be. I shouldn't have…" That same look passes over Jon's face: that something resembling guilt. "I should never have made you stay there," he nearly whispers. "For months on that cot, after what you'd…"

"Jon, don't," Martin says, and he reaches out suddenly, to cover Jon's hand where it lays on the table. Jon looks up at that, as if he's startled, and Martin yanks his hand back, but he doesn't bring it too far; he leaves it there, hovering just above Jon's. " Don't ," he says. "I-it was a long time ago, and it was… I didn't mind staying there, I wasn't… you gave me a way out, and I-I appreciated that. I still do, Jon. So don't, please. Don't beat yourself up over that."

"I should've offered you better," says Jon, something like disgust in his tone. "I should've… there are so many things I should've done better."

Well—he isn't wrong, Martin thinks, but—but there's a dozen things they both should've done better, and now isn't the time to discuss them all, so Martin just says, "Don't," again. "Please. You don't have to… it's okay. It is. " And after a moment, Jon nods. He hasn't moved his hand away, but Martin feels odd, leaving his hovering there, so he just pulls it back.

They drink tea in silence for a few minutes. It's a pleasant silence, one that, under different circumstances, Martin might allow himself to hope for every day. It's several long moments before Jon speaks again, his voice rasping and small—he says, "It was the Circus. That took me. T-the one we've been looking for, planning the ritual. They'd… they planned it, they were watching me and they came."

Martin tries not to flinch, tries to ignore what feels like his insides grinding themselves together. Jon keeps talking after a moment; he says, "They… they wanted my skin. For the ritual. They… kept me for that, so they could… skin me. They were waiting for that."

Martin can't stop the words this time, when they push their way out; he says, "Oh, Christ, " like air being pushed out of him, like a sucker punch. He says, "Jon…" and his voice breaks, too, and something inside of him rips when Jon looks back at him, when he looks as if he might cry.

"Um, Martin," he says, and he inclines his head tentatively towards Martin. "Do you mind… um, if I…"

His arms go out to the side a bit, and it's then that Martin realizes what Jon's asking for. He nods, immediately, and opens his arms, and Jon leans forward and into him so quickly that Martin wonders if he was waiting.

Martin folds his arms around Jon gently, tentatively (one hand cupping the back of his head); he wants to cling, wants to hold Jon tight enough that nothing else would be able to take him, but he's afraid to hold on too tight. Jon, though, clings hard, his grip tight, his fingers digging desperately into the back of Martin's shirt. So Martin tightens his grip, and leans his head against Jon's, and lets Jon expel shaky breaths into his shoulder. He rubs tiny circles into Jon's back, murmurs, It's okay, it's okay now, and desperately wills it to be true.

Minutes or hours later—it is impossible to be sure—Jon whispers, "Thank you," into Martin's shirt. He whispers it with a sort of finalty, but he makes no move to pull back. So Martin keeps holding him.

"Jon… I'm so sorry," he says softly. "I'm so sorry. I… i-if I'd known. I swear, I would've come for you if I'd known."

Jon takes another shuddering breath and looks up at him. His eyes are wet. There's something in his expression Martin can't quite place… reassurance, maybe. Or trust. "I know," he says. "Martin, I-I know you would've. I know."

They sit there for a while longer, just like that, holding onto each other at Martin's kitchen table.

#i have no idea what this is lol it just came to me. apparently i will never stop trying to write fic remedying 101 lol #tma fic #jonmartin #the magnus archives #i wrote this #kidnapping tw

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spacestationdaedalus · 3 years

Text

it’s called freefall

in which Jon has trauma related to his time with Michael Crew, and it makes falling off the ladder in 198 just a little bit harder. Martin (and Basira) try to help.

dedicated to the lovely @captaincravatthecapricious for this wonderful idea!! ao3 link here!

The statement finishes with a trailing buzz of static, and none of the relief.

Although, Jon can’t help but think, that’s not entirely true. He can feel the pressure, the thick weight easing from his mind. Like a fog, lifting with the Eye’s satisfaction. But there’s a deep dread pooled in the pit of his stomach, icy fingers cramping around equally icy and rickety metal and ah yes, I’m still on this god forsaken ladder.

The rusted steel is coarse underneath his fingers. The scar on his right hand might dull some of the rough cold, but the loss of superficial sensation is made up for with a deep aching pain that's practically begging him to get on with it. To let go.

He wasn’t lying when he told Martin and Basira that the fall wouldn’t kill them. Of course he wasn’t. He Knows with absolute certainty that this is true, as surely as one might know their name or their favorite color. He wouldn’t have let them fall if he didn’t.

And yet.

Jon takes a breath. And another, around his heart that has decided to make a home at the base of his throat. It hammers away, hard and loud but not quite loud enough to drown out the echoing yells of the statement’s victims. Screams overflowing with the mindless terror of falling to unforgiving ground. Not knowing when the ground will come-

Jon had never considered himself afraid of heights. There were a lot of things he didn’t used to be afraid of.

And yet.

The Eye eagerly supplies an empty silence when he tries to Know how far the drop is. What he does get, is the knowledge that humans tend to greatly overestimate vertical distances, especially when viewed from above. That studies have shown height overestimation is greatly correlated with fear. Jon sighs, because of course having all-knowing powers would be this useless.

He's not sure how long it’s been since he finished. But there’s no use in keeping them waiting, right? And there’s nowhere off of this ladder but down. Jon knows and Knows this.

And yet.

It takes a few tries for his brain to start unclenching his fingers, curled tightly as they are. He takes it slow - first his pinkies, then the ring fingers, until it’s only his thumb and index fingers - and his feet planted on the bottom rung - keeping his balance. A clammy sweat breaks out across his palms, and breathing is getting more and more impossible around the tightness in his chest. The thought of the last time he fell comes unbidden to his mind - of a wooden chair, wooden table, a face that might be kind if it wasn’t making him feel like he would never touch solid ground again for the rest of his life-

Stop. Focus.

Actually, stop focusing. Stop thinking. Just get it over with. Just let go.

He does, against every instinct and nerve screaming at him not to. Jon lets go, and everything is worse.

His stomach drops out from underneath him and he's falling falling falling no where to go but down. The wind whips at his hair and his face and steals any hope of breath out of his throat. How people can manage to scream while falling, he doesn’t know.

He's back in that chair, at that table, but not in the chair or at the table. He's not touching anything but open air. Then it had been a deep, unnatural blue, but now. A grey mist, thick and heavy such that opening or closing his eyes means nothing. He thinks his eyes are closed, already lost sight or feel of up and down and where-

The terror is so paralyzing, so encompassing in it's consumption of his thoughts, he hoped it might dull the pain of hitting the ground. It does not. Fire blooms across his back, his neck, his head, in an agony so acute he bypasses any sound all together. The wind would be knocked out of him, if there was any wind to knock out in the first place. And he's still falling.

Is he? Jon registers a dull graininess under his hands, cool earth on his back. Ground?

It can't be. His insides are still weightless, dropping, he's on the ground but not on the ground. It might as well be empty air. He's falling straight through the earth, and he will for the rest of his life. If he opens his eyes all he'll see is sky blue enjoy sky blue-

He doesn't know how long he lies, falls, in silent terror. But after a moment hours seconds something grabs his arm, both of his arms, and pulls. The world lists with a dizzying vertigo, a shift in gravity and up and down and he feels himself tilting, but to or from where when how he can't tell and he never will. Something grabs him again, his shoulder, maybe, and it should help but now he wants to scream because it doesn't it doesn't it doesn't please make it stop-

He tries, oh god he tries to breathe. His lungs, his throat, seized tight with panic and wind and sickening emptiness. Like a vacuum bag, every last molecule of air sucked away. There's still a gaping pit where his stomach should be, and he wonders numbly if he'll ever get it back.

Something that might be words pass over his head. A conversation intercut with the sound of blood and wind in his ears.

"Is he-"

"-ou alright? Hey-"

"-can we-"

"Jon?"

There's something - a hand? - against his cheek. It's warm and rough against his wind chilled face, so warm it almost burns, but the shock of it is something to focus on that isn't falling falling fal-

"Hey, it's alright. You're alright-"

Martin.

Jon feels another hand, Martin's hand, on his face, stroking thumb pads against his cheekbones. Jon reaches blindly to grab onto his wrists in some mockery of purchase. Something, anything to stop the falling. He opens his eyes, which is strange because he doesn't remember closing them. He can feel how his face aches though, with how tightly he had clenched them shut.

And Martin is there. He's kneeling in front of him, eyes searching him in flickering panic for some kind of injury. He meets Jon's eyes, and something bordering on relief flickers for an instant before his brow furrows again. He's saying something, and Jon wants to hear it so badly he could cry. He tries reading his lips - it’s something he's usually good at when his brain can't keep up with sound.

But his eyes can't focus right. Everything in his vision shifts back and forth, his brain trying to compensate for movement that he knows isn't there. He closes his eyes again, against the dizzying nausea. It's a bit easier, in the same way that stabbing yourself is a bit easier with a sharper knife.

"M-...m-ha-"

There's barely enough air for him to breathe, let alone speak, and all that comes out is a choked wheeze. And it's as painful as it is concerning, even to Jon's own ears.

"Hey hey hey, it's okay, just- just try to breathe with me, okay?"

He can hear Martin's voice again, as muffled as it is, laced with worry. Jon wants to apologize, to tell him it's ok, it's fine, but it's not really fine, is it? But there’s Martin's breathing, deep and slow, exaggerated in such a way that Jon can hear it over the sound of everything else.

It's something for Jon to focus on, and it helps. He thinks. Painstakingly, forced wheezes become shallow breaths become gasps for air. His lungs burn with the strain of it, but it's probably a better pain than suffocating on nothing. So he keeps going.

There are words, again. Some close, some further away. Something - Martin Martin it has to be Martin - shifts beside him. A steadying hand rests on his back, leaning him forward until his head is between his knees. It almost sets off the vertigo again, but the movement is just slow, just gentle enough not to.

The hand stays, though, solid and warm and comforting above anything else.

The breaths come easier with each passing what-might-be-a-minute.It's hard to tell time under the weight of what his brain still thinks is some twisted imitation of freefall. Equilibrium comes back to him with all the speed of a dripping faucet, but there's ground beneath him and Martin next to him, and it gets better. The world is less of a sickening drop and more of a lingering dizziness, like stepping off of a merry-go-round a little too quickly.

The vertigo fades and the adrenaline leaves with it. Jon can feel his hands start to shake, but it doesn't stop him from reaching a trembling hand out towards where he thinks Martin is. Eyes still closed. He's met with another hand almost immediately, squeezing his tight, and the pressure soothes the most ragged edges of the tremors.

"Jon, hey- are you…?"

Jon nods, slowly, carefully. He's not entirely sure what question he's responding to, but Martin deserves some kind of acknowledgement. For whatever...this is. There's a shaking weakness deep in his core, like he just ran a marathon at a dead sprint. But he looks up, cautiously opens his eyes. And Martin is there. Still. Again.

Martin brings a hand to his cheek, just like before, and Jon can't help but notice how soft it is in spite of the rough dryness of his skin. It's a shaky thing around the edges, but Martin smiles at him, breathing a sigh of something like relief.

"There you are."

Jon really doesn't want the tears to well up in his eyes. But the fear is so acute, sharp and hungry in a way that leaves him hollowed out, with nothing but lungs that still barely work and a surge of emotion that he doesn't know what to do with. He reaches for Martin- or, he tries to, but he doesn't have to go very far, because Martin meets him more than halfway.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, come here-"

Martin pulls him close, one arm wrapped around his shoulders and another in his hair. It's pulled free from it's tie, still a complete mess from the fall. But then again, so is Jon. His shoulders are shaking with the force of muffled sobs, and Martin holds him tighter. Everything hurts, bruises from the fall that aren't really there, his head, his chest, his lungs that still don't feel like they're getting enough air. It might help if his face wasn't buried in Martin's jacket, but it feels like a fair trade at the moment.

He can feel Martin's pulse where his face meets the crook of his neck. It's steady and strong, a little fast, maybe, but so comforting in a way that Jon could probably never put into words. He lets himself be, miserable but alive and held in Martin’s arms, until he feels like more of a person again.

After what probably isn’t long enough Jon pulls back, but Martin’s arms don’t let him go far. He reaches up to wipe his face with clumsy hands, and tries for words. They come a bit easier now. "Martin, I'm-"

"Nope, absolutely not, don't you dare apologize." Martin cuts in immediately. He strokes a thumb across Jon's cheek, brushing some of the remaining tears away.

Jon sighs. "I just- I didn't mean to worry you, is all."

"Well, it is a little bit late for that." He's going for brevity, but it's quickly drawn into something more serious. "But don't worry about that, that's not- are you alright? What happened?"

Jon swallows, his throat sticky and sore. He wants desperately to say he doesn't know, but he does, and he just hopes he can get the point across in the fewest words possible. "It's just, uh… the, falling, reminded me of… Crew. I didn't realize how- how much that still affected me, I suppose."

Martin sucks in a breath. "Oh, Jon. I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"It's okay." Jon supplies, and means it wholeheartedly. "I mean, I didn't- I didn't know either, until it was, ah… a little too late."

There's a small tap on the ground to his right, and Jon looks over to see Basira kneeling next to him. She has a small water bottle in her hand, held out towards him.

Jon takes it in muted surprise. "Oh, thank you. Wh...where did you-"

"Don't worry about it."

There are too many other things to worry about right now, so he doesn't. "...Right."

They don't really need to drink anymore, but the water is cool and surprisingly fresh. Basira speaks again.

"It's not like we're in a rush, exactly. London isn’t going anywhere. We can wait here for a bit." She shifts from a crouch to a sitting position on the ground next to them. Martin hums in agreement.

After a moment, Martin gestures to the elastic band on Jon's wrist. Jon hands it over wordlessly, with a rush of affection, as Martin begins sorting through the tangles in Jon's hair.

It's not the first time he's done it. The feeling of gentle fingers through his greying locks, diffused afternoon sunlight seeping through the windows like honey in Scotland. Jon showing him how to braid, just a simple one, because Martin claimed to not know how and they had nothing better to do. Later, Martin admitted it was a lie, an excuse to play with his hair. After which Jon had kissed him and said he'd never need an excuse. Ever.

Martin's fingers comb through his hair, pulling at his scalp in a way that never quite hurts. Not like when Jon does it himself. It soothes the tension still wound around his chest, the hammering of his heart easing beat by beat into something resembling normal. He feels the strands twisting into a braid under Martin's hands, and when he's done he rests it over Jon's shoulder. It’s a little lopsided, a little uneven, and utterly perfect.

Jon takes one of his hands, laces their fingers together in a sign of appreciation. Martin squeezes his hand, and Jon squeezes back.

They sit like that, for a while longer. At Jon's cue Martin and Basira help him up, on slightly shaky legs, but he's alright, really, I promise. And it isn’t a lie. So they continue on.

#the magnus archives #tma #tma fics #my writing #cw panic #cw trauma #in which my love of the Vast as a fear shows #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #basira hussain #jonmartin #spoilers up to and including 198!!

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dathen · 3 years

Text

Speaking of Jon’s style of dressing, I’m really into the in-show implication that Jon dressed more stylishly/professionally in season 4.

When he woke up from his coma and found that all his clothes had been thrown away, Basira responds with “we’ll get you new ones, better ones,” which is a bit of a backhand at his old style. I picture his s4 wardrobe was mostly what others had picked out for him as “better.”

On top of this, instead of letting himself go, I picture Jon as trying extra hard to present himself as put-together and reliable to balance out the ‘unhinged monster’ image he feared the others had of him. He wanted their trust and he wanted to be included, and kept insisting he was useful. I picture him trying to stay well-groomed to hide how much he was deteriorating; people off the street might describe him as “looks like he hasn’t slept in a week,” but I think that would just make him try even harder to compensate.

I know this is 100% opposite the usual mental image of s4 Jon, but I save that for the Scottish honeymoon--just him and someone he trusts and who he knows loves him, with no one to put up appearances for. Soft sweaters and comfortable long skirts and stealing Martin’s clothes and maybe sneaking a bottle of nail polish into their shopping basket.

#tma #the magnus archives #jonathan sims #tma spoilers #I have very very very many feelings about s4 jon's presentation to the others #but it's so rare to find anyone who shares this hc #i still love long hair jon though so like the idea that it's growing out but he still works hard at the upkeep

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wordsintimeandspace · 3 years

Text

Somewhere to Belong

Until the incident with Jude Perry, Jon used to wear a black ring on his right middle finger. In the safehouse, Martin finally understands why and plans a little surprise for Jon.

Happy Ace Week! It’s been really wonderful to get into the TMA fandom last year, not just because of the representation but also because there are so many ace people here. So I wanted to put a little fic out there for the occasion. :) For anyone who isn’t familiar with it: an ace ring is a black ring that a lot of aces wear on the right middle finger as a symbol of their asexuality.

Jon/Martin, ~1.7k words, rated G. Read on AO3!

Jon wakes to a kiss pressed to the top of his head. He smiles and blinks his eyes open to find Martin standing over him, his cheeks red from the cold autumn air outside.

“Hey,” Martin says warmly. “Had a good nap?”

“Mhh. I did.” Jon stretches his arms over his head with a squeak, and shifts until Martin can sit down on the couch next to him. As soon as he’s seated, Jon plumps back down, his head in Martin’s lap.

Martin smiles down at him, brushing a strand of hair out of Jon’s eyes. Jon shudders at the touch and groans. “God, your fingers are cold.”

“I did just walk back from the village, Jon.”

“We need to get you some gloves,” Jon grumbles, curling closer until he can press his forehead against the soft wool of Martin’s jumper.

“Yeah, well. Didn’t quite expect to be still here in late October. We probably both need some winter clothes soon.”

“We can go shopping next time we visit the city. Did you get everything we need today?”

“Yup. Got milk and toothpaste and squash for the curry tonight. There was also a package from Basira at the post office.”

At that, Jon finally opens an eye and blinks up at Martin. “More statements?”

“Yeah. So, if you’re a bit, uh, peckish, I suppose-”

Jon snorts. “I’m alright, thank you. Don’t want to spoil my appetite before dinner.”

“Okay.”

Martin smiles, but now that Jon looks at him a bit closer, he can see that it’s a bit strained. Jon frowns. “Was there anything else? From Basira?”

“Not really? She just apologized for the delay. Apparently something was wrong with the latest batch, but she said she would handle it.” Martin lets out a sigh and shrugs. “Dunno, she was a bit cryptic about this.”

Jon watches him for a moment longer, registers all the little ways that are off about Martin - the crease between his brows, the nervous fumbling with the hem of his sleeve, and the fact that he doesn’t quite meet his eyes - and finally pushes himself upright.

“Martin, what is it?” he asks in concern and Martin’s gaze snaps to him. He looks a bit like a deer caught in the headlights, his eyes wide.

“Um, it’s- it’s fine, really. I- I just had another delivery. Nothing to do with the statements, don’t worry.”

“Martin?”

“I just-” Martin stops himself, taking a deep breath. A blush creeps into his cheeks. “I got something for you.”

That’s not quite what Jon expected. He’s become so used to horror and tragedy that something mundane like a present suddenly throws him off course. He blinks. “Oh?”

Martin nods and bites his lip before pulling a small box out of his pocket. Jon eyes it curiously - it’s a plain grey colour, maybe two inches wide with a lid on top. He can feel the Knowledge of the contents pressing in at the back of his mind, but he’s getting better at blocking it out. Even if it sometimes leaves him with a headache, it’s worth it for the thrill of a surprise. He can’t even remember the last time someone gave him a present.

“So, can I open it?” he asks, a little impatiently as Martin seems to hesitate.

“Uh, yeah!” Martin blushes even harder, and unceremoniously shoves the box into Jon’s hands. “Of course. I… I hope you like it.”

The box is light. Jon runs his fingers along the lid, and at Martin’s encouraging nod finally opens it.

Inside, protected by soft padding, is a ring. Jon’s heart skips a beat, his breath catching in his throat at the first implication that pops into his head - but no, it’s not that kind of a ring, although it leaves him speechless all the same. It’s a simple black band, a few millimeters wide. A design that’s more than familiar.

Eyes burning, Jon looks up. Martin gives him a soft smile.

“I noticed you used to wear one like these,” he says quietly. “Before… well, before you burned your hand.”

Jon nods. He gulps around the lump in his throat. “It- it was destroyed,” he finally says, a little choked up. “They had to cut it off me in the ER. I never got around to getting a new one.”

“I figured. I- I never understood what it meant to you until recently. And, well, the way you explained that you’re asexual and what it means to you after we arrived in Scotland, I felt that this is important to you. That people see and understand and accept it. And, uh, I said I support you, and I mean it, but I just… I wanted to show it as well.”

Jon lets out a shuddering breath. A few tears trickle down his cheeks, and he surges forward to wrap his arms around Martin’s waist and hide his face in the crook of his neck. Immediately, Martin’s arms are around him, holding him tight.

“Oh,” he says softly, breath tickling against Jon’s ear. “Jon, I’m-”

“You daft man,” Jon interrupts before Martin can do something ridiculous like apologize. “You already show me every day. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Maybe. But I wanted to. You deserve the extra effort.”

“Martin.”

“I- I wasn’t sure if it would cross a line to get you one. I mean, it’s such a personal thing, and maybe it would be better if you get a chance to pick one yourself-”

“Stop it,” Jon protests, pulling back to interrupt Martin with a firm kiss. Martin makes a choked sound of pleasure from the back of his throat, and gently cups Jon’s face in his hands as he kisses back. “It’s perfect,” Jon says when they pull apart, a little breathless.

Martin smiles hesitantly, brushing his thumbs over Jon’s wet cheeks. “So, these are good tears?”

“Very good tears. Thank you.”

Martin’s smile blooms into a bright grin and he leans in to press a kiss to Jon’s forehead. With a smile, Jon looks back down at the box still sitting in his lap. Carefully, he takes the ring out of the box and runs a finger over the shining black metal.

“The ring,” he starts slowly, searching or the right words, “it’s less about telling people I’m asexual, and more... a symbol of community and belonging, I suppose. Something I haven’t experienced a lot in the last few years at the Institute.”

“Oh, Jon…”

“I suspect that’s part of the reason why I put it off for so long. It would have felt too much like an empty platitude while I was feeling so alone. But now…” Jon trails off and looks up to find Martin staring at him, eyes shining with unshed tears. Jon smiles and squeezes his hand. “Put it on me?”

Martin’s cheeks turn crimson, but he still plucks the ring out of Jon’s grasp with only slightly trembling hands. His touch is careful as he takes Jon’s burnt hand in his, caressing the palm for a moment before he slips the ring onto Jon’s middle finger. Jon’s breath catches in his throat at the gentleness of it, and he blinks away a few more tears.

The ring fits perfectly onto his finger, despite the jagged scar that still remains after his encounter with Jude Perry. The sight leaves Jon a bit breathless. He didn’t quite realize how much he missed this, but seeing the black band marking his finger feels a bit like coming home.

“Do you like it?” Martin asks quietly.

Jon can’t help but grin, smiling up at Martin. “I love it.”

“Okay. Good.” Martin smiles and raises Jon’s hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “I was a bit scared. You looked a little shocked there for a second when you first opened the box.”

“Oh, I wasn’t-” Jon stops himself, clearing his throat. “I mean, I just saw it was a ring, but I didn’t quite recognize what kind of ring it was, and, um…”

Martin blinks before his eyes widen in understanding. “Wait, did you think I was going to propose?”

“I- no, I just...”

“You did!” Martin laughs and Jon lets out a groan, hiding his face against Martin’s chest. “Jon, we’ve only been together for… what, three weeks? Four weeks?”

“Yes, yes,” Jon grumbles, his cheeks burning. “I know. No need to rub it in.”

Martin wraps his arms around Jon, his chest rumbling with laughter. “Maybe I should have expected that this is the pace you set in a relationship,” he teases. “Especially after you asked me to gouge my eyes out and elope-”

Jon pulls back to glare at Martin, even as he can’t help the smile tugging at his lips. “Shut up, Martin.”

Martin only grins wider. Jon huffs and climbs into Martin’s lap to straddle him. That alone is enough to take the wind out of Martin’s sails. He blushes, settling his hands on Jon’s hips. Jon cups Martin’s face in his hands and his eyes catch once again on the black ring he’s now wearing.

He tries to imagine what it would look like, to have another ring to complement the black one. A silver one maybe, with a shining gemstone set into it. He has to admit he quite likes the mental image.

“Just for the record,” Jon starts with a grin, “if you would have proposed, I might have said yes.”

Martin’s eyes widen, full of surprise and a bit of shock that is readily replaced by sheer delight, but before he can answer Jon leans in to kiss the dazed look off his face.

By the time they pull apart Martin looks thoroughly kissed, his cheeks flushed and his lips shining. He's looking at Jon like he still can't quite believe he gets to have this, and Jon has never been more in love with him.

Martin takes a few seconds to catch his breath until finally, Jon’s last words seem to catch up with him. He lets out a groan and buries his face in the crook of Jon’s neck. “Christ, Jon.”

Jon laughs, rubbing a hand up and down Martin’s back. “I just wanted to make that clear. In case it comes up again at some point in the future.”

Martin lets out a long breath that makes Jon shiver. When he pulls back his cheeks are still flaming, his smile shy, but his voice is steady. “I- I’ll keep that in mind,” he says. “For the future.”

#jonmartin #the magnus archives #tma #tma fic #ace week #my fic

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creativitycache · 4 years

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If you're still up for TMA theory discussion, I'd like tp know where you think Georgie, Melanie, and Basira's arcs are gonna go. I know a lot of people have general plot theories but its a bit harder to figure out character arc trajectories, and Georgie's role in this season specifically is something I'm very intrigued by but have no real idea where its going.

I AM ALWAYS UP FOR TMA THEORY DISCUSSION

I think Georgie’s character arc must go towards the ethics and privilege of “opting out” of unjust systems. Her entire stance has been “Just quit. Just stop. Just be a Good Trauma Victim, stop being a Bad Trauma Victim.” She is analogous to rich people saying “It’s not that hard to shop ethical.” (By the fact that she can afford a multi-room place by herself in London on a podcast wage is proof she literally must have some other source of money. She fundamentally does have privilege in the regular world.) And now, with her in a blind spot, she potentially is once again is in the privileged position of not having to deal with the full scope of horrors.

Despite being in a blind spot, she is still in a world that people cannot opt out of the horrors of. She must confront this. She also must confront her role in the creation of this world, just a upper middle class person in a yuppie store must internalize that there is no simple “just shop ethically” solution for most people.

Melanie is along for the ride on Georgie’s arc. She is the “Good Victim”. She did it ostensibly “right”- she clawed her way out, she went to therapy. Through blood and toil she managed to get her way into a better situation but she is still literally scarred. She is a foil for Jon. She is also a perfect mechanism for Georgie’s revelation that the Fears (capitalism) can be mitigated but you are still trapped by them. I will bet dollars to donuts she is like Martin. Sure she never emerged as a full “Avatar” but an Avatar is just a word. Actually- Georgie’s been touched too.

I bet Georgie and Melanie have a domain. I bet they are going to be analagous to people making their money off passive bank accounts invested in oil stocks, or terrible run down apartments. They recieve the benefits of untold suffering, but they don’t See it.

They will have to.

Basira’s arc is more tricky. She is clearly involved in the Eye, and we’ve mostly dealt with her ACAB issues. Where does she go from here? Does anyone have any thoughts on what sort of metaphor she might be?

#tma #the magnus archives #georgie baker #melanie king #basira hussain #jonathan sims

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captaincravatthecapricious · 3 years

Text

You Don’t Understand- Prompt Fill

Jon has a rough time after being absent for 6 months.

Write as a prompt fill gotten through A03

CW fainting, victim blaming, withdrawal/starvation symptoms (from statements) (I am a bit vague about which it is more like because I couldn't choose, so a bit of both), trust issues, very brief Peter Lukas mention, brief mention of someone being touched while unconscious (nonsexual and very brief mention), and cw for some very mixed feelings about Georgie. I understand her, and I don't hate her, but I don't really like her either so please don't get mad at me for how she is written I am trying to do her justice and I get why she does the things she does, but I don't have to like her for it.

Thanks for reading hope you enjoy! I have a few more bingo prompts to post, but only one more to write! Feel free to stick it in my inbox and if no one does, well you will just have to put up with whatever whim strikes me this weekend when I will write it for a backlog! Card by the wonderful @celosiaa

It’s been six months. How has it been six months?

Jon isn’t sure how he is supposed to think about that time. Is it all supposed to feel like a dream, that one moment he’s blowing up, the next he’s awake?

It doesn’t feel like that.

But he also wasn’t really there for six months, was he?

He sighs deeply to himself. It doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter.

He’s alive.

He’s fine.

Martin and Tim are sharing a flat, apparently. And that’s good. He thinks? Maybe?

They keep telling him there is room for him, but he isn’t sure he can believe that…. Not after everything with Tim. He wants to believe it… But… what if Martin doesn’t want him there. He thought maybe they had a moment before the Unknowing, but did they?

Jon’s not good with…. Feelings. With people.

Not to mention he’s been Gone. With a capital G and a flatline of a heartrate.

Even if he and Martin could possibly have… Could possibly have had something. Of some unknowable sort. That he couldn’t have hoped to put a word to for fear that it would crumble around him. But he’s been gone and Tim hasn’t been and they seem close now.

And maybe Tim is trying again with him? But how can he be sure? When everything is confusing and out of sync with what he thought of time.

Not to mention the deep hunger that is more than hunger. Deeper in his gut, and harder to ignore. Followed by a fog of confusion and the sense that his skin is too tight, that the world is the wrong temperature, and that everything is tilted ever so slightly, making it impossible to keep his balance.

Reading statements helps, but… Basira… but Georgie. The disappointed glares they send his way when he skulks off to read one in hopes of feeling like his limbs are his again…. That he isn’t being slowly set on fire or slowly frozen. The world skirting by him with a vengeful glee leaving him to rot in his own misery on the shelf in the stacks he’s been calling home recently.

Martin wasn’t there when he woke up…. Working for the ever elusive Peter Lukas. Tim wasn’t there… Martin later telling him he’d been afraid of scaring him. Which Jon couldn’t escape the worry that, in actuality, it was Martin worrying that Tim would scare Jon… or hurt him. Which Jon could tell was the more valid of the worries. Or he thinks it is? How is he supposed to be certain. How can he trust anyone? How is he supposed to trust anyone when Basira gives him such calculating stares, when Melanie glares metaphorical and literal daggers at him, when Georgie has been ignoring his texts (and her harsh words upon his waking). When Martin is working for a literal monster. When Daisy is gone… and Jon doesn’t know how to feel. He wants Basira to be happy, but he feels safer without her. And he doesn’t know how to feel about anything but he is sick and hungry and cold and hollow.

There is no one.

Georgie doesn’t understand.

He runs into her once, picking Melanie up for therapy. After…. An unwise abrupt and shady surgery.

He is in the breakroom. Baffled that Martin is still making him tea when he hardly sees him around. Even more baffled when Tim makes him another cup.

What does it all mean?

(Not to mention his confusion at the green hair… that had been a shock.

When he texted Martin about it, he said to ask Tim, and included an emoji that Jon couldn’t parse out. Weren’t emojis supposed to be easier to read than actual faces? It was maybe resigned? Or maybe regretful?

Regretful of what? Is he ashamed of something? Is he regretful that he opened a text from Jon, that Jon turned down the request to move in? It isn’t that Jon wanted to turn it down.

But it sounds too good to be true? When everyone avoids him at work… Well Tim doesn’t, but Jon is scared of being alone with Tim. He is scared of this kindness and how long it might last.)

So he’s in the breakroom.

Trying to steady himself the less monstrous and terrifying way.

And Georgie is there.

Jon shrinks back on himself. Still hoping the mug of tea will make his hands steadier, make him less cold, less shaky, less miserable. But he’s having difficulty holding it with one shaky hand, white knuckling his cane with the other. Trying not to let it tremble as much as the rest of him, propping himself up when black spots start eating at his vision. Not in the POTS sort of way… but in the same way that has been since America. Since that first hint of fear that maybe… maybe he’s not human, that he is reliant on some horrifying eldritch god of knowledge.

This is the price of him waking up.

And it chews him up from the inside when, in his panic, he tries to limit his consumption hoping that it will turn him back. Hoping that he still has a chance to win back the people he cares about, but fighting the fear that this is the only way to save them all.

He doesn’t know what to do. Being undead doesn’t come with a manual.

And there is no chance that Georgie will take this any better than she did when she kept telling him to quit… to just stop.

He’s trying!

It’s been a few days since his last statement, and the world swims before his eyes whenever he stands. Worse than it ever has. He’s woken up on the floor more times in the few weeks he’s been alive again than in the long and confusing months leading up to his diagnosis.

Which was after Georgie… which… means she hasn’t seen him like this. Not when he was living with her because he has been managing, or so he thought, but hell maybe the Eye had a hand in that.

And oh Shit, she is looking at him now.

What does he do if she wants to talk? She hasn’t responded to any of his texts, or late night calls when he’s been too afraid to call anyone else and she always felt safe. Even when they were fighting. But she hasn’t been there for him. No one has, of late. Except the people who are trying and Jon is too confused to know what to do so he does nothing and an all-consuming guilt joins in with that Hunger. That sickness eating him from the inside with every word he doesn’t consume.

“Hi Jon.”

He can’t say anything. He’s been standing too long, but seeing her there, he is frozen. Fight or Flight breaking down to freeze. Has he always been such a coward?

Yes.

Yes he has. A miserable coward since he was a child. Getting into trouble trying to try to prove to himself that he isn’t.

Christ he’s dizzy. But she’s still talking.

“Jon, you really oughtn’t be here. You don’t look well. Shouldn’t you still be resting? That long in hospital should have you in need of some physical therapy. Are you pushing yourself too hard?”

Jon bites down on the urge to snap at her. Or start crying. Or simply pass out and not have to deal with this conversation at all. “I need to be here,” he says quietly. Afraid that expelling too much air will knock him over.

“And why is that? Really Jon, I swear… Melanie says you haven’t been eating , or sleeping, but she sees you here at all hours. Why? What is this all for? It’s just a job, I don’t care if there are Monsters or whatever. You see this? This is why I can’t deal with you right now! Not to mention what you did to Melanie. What the hell, Jon? You say you’re trying to save the world, but maybe you can’t? Maybe you need to save yourself before you can do anything else.”

Jon just wants to get away before he goes down, and by this point he knows that is inevitable. Maybe get to his office, and open a statement first. Maybe that will help, or maybe it will make him feel better once he comes around. He should put down his tea. He doesn’t want the mug to break if he can’t make it. He’ll set it on the table on the way out, or wait until he’s in the bullpen and put it down and take a seat and hope that helps. He tries to edge around her, staring at the floor. Careful not to say anything that could compel. Just wanting to get out. “Have work to do… sorry.”

“No you don’t! Look at yourself, Jon! Work can wait!”

Jon just wants to leave. He wishes it could! He does. He wants nothing more than to take a vacation. To move in with Martin and Tim and have a life. A home. Safety. Normalcy. And Argument over who finished the milk and who has to do the shopping and not about how best to not die at the hands of Fear Gods, and how best to not serve them. “Please, Georgie you don’t understand…”

He backs away. Fuck he’s dizzy.

“No, Jon I don’t. Explain. What am I missing. Why do you have to do this? Why do you insist on working yourself into your grave? It’s already basically killed you. Maybe some of us don’t want to see you do that again?”

“I… I… I need a Statement….” Well so much for getting away. He’s not even going to make it to a chair or the floor on his own. “Hold this, I’m… I think I’m going to faint now.” He holds his cane out to her.

She takes it confused.

Jon doesn’t remember hitting the floor.

When he comes around, his head is pounding.

Georgie is touching him. He is on his side, and he is being yelled at. He can’t make out the words yet… all just in a haze of pain and confusion and feeling like utter shit. He tries to bat her hands away but he can’t and so he just lays there. Hoping some feeling comes back to his limbs soon. Or that Georgie will just get bored and leave him there.

But then Martin is there. And Tim.

And Martin is shooing Georgie out of his personal space. “He doesn’t like being touched while he’s out.”

Well… correct.

“What the hell just happened?” Georgie.

“Well… it happens sometimes. Did he say anything?” Martin again.

“Something about needing Statement?”

“Tim, could you grab him a Statement?”

“Sure thing, back in a mo.” Tim. More earnest than Jon has heard him in a long time. Tim helping him? If he wasn’t already on the floor, he might have fainted again at that.

“What, you’re just going to go along with it? Let him work himself to death? Look at him! He isn’t well! …I don’t know why I am arguing this. He’s an adult and if he is going to do that, I don’t need to be a part of this. It isn’t my job to baby sit him.” Georgie shoves his cane at Martin, who doesn’t freeze. In fact, as far as Jon can tell through half lidded eyes, Martin looks angry.

“Look. I know we don’t know each other well. But do you really think so poorly of Jon… of me? I don’t know what he’s told you… but he needs those Statements to live. I don’t know if it’s ….a food… or… or an addiction. But … he doesn’t do well without them. And… And Elias was feeding them to him when he wasn’t here. And Jon told me how you didn’t want them in the flat, but he got sick in America. Really really sick, and … and Elias found him there and fed him another one. He didn’t know until then. But… you have to know we can’t quit. And we aren’t sure if Jon can live without these. And it is a far from ideal situation… but we are working on it. You don’t have to like it. Or talk to Jon, although you should. You aren’t enabling him, he needs a support system. And he’s just too thick to see that Tim and I are here from him, and everyone else is giving him the cold shoulder… so I don’t blame him for being too thick to notice! Not to mention, my new position has made interacting with him during work hours… difficult, but I can’t blame him for not wanting to move in yet, although I hope he will. And you! The only person not in this mess who he trusts, ignores him. Blames him! Maybe you should try listening? I get it… you can’t deal with him right now. Fine. I get it. Do what you have to. You don’t have to look after him at your own expense. But don’t be cruel. …Oh good. Tim, thanks. When he comes around, a Statement and some tea will set him right.” Martin smiles at Tim (a smile that makes Jon jealous) and gives Georgie a cool look.

“Marto, I think he’s been awake for most of that.” Tim is crouched by him.

“Haven’t been eavesdropping, promise. Just… just getting my bearings. I’m fine. I’ll be up soon.” Jon’s voice is rough. Misery, unshed tears, exhaustion. Take your pick.

“It’s okay, buddy. We’ll get you fixed up and then you can have a proper rest. Offer of the flat share is still open, okay?” Tim hovers, ready to help him sit when he’s ready.

Jon… doesn’t know what to say. After hearing Martin defend him… Maybe… Maybe he can start working on trusting Tim again. Tim… is, after all, working on trusting him too.

Georgie looks down at him. He can’t read her expression. She looks at him for a long moment.

The gaze isn’t uncomfortable by itself. But Jon feels exposed on the floor. Small and helpless and weak as well as supernaturally hungry, that not at all helped by his “surprise nap.”

He tries to avoid meeting her eyes.

“I’m… sorry I didn’t listen. I… still can’t do this with you right now. But… I’m sorry. I can’t be your friend now, but… let me know if you want some pictures of the Admiral ever, okay?” And she leaves. Off to bring Melanie to her appointment.

Leaving Jon with Martin and Tim.

Who bring him to his sad excuse for a bed, tuck him in with a statement and a cup of tea and tell him to call if he needs anything. And Jon thinks, maybe he will reconsider their offer.

#the magnus archives #tma #jonathan sims #georgie barker #tim stoker #martin blackwood #timothy stoker #cw fainting #cw victim blaming #cw statement hunger #tma fic #my words #my fic #my writing #my art

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