Duplicity Inbox

[alwayskayaking]

Duplicity Inbox

You've reached Tim Stoker. I'm out at the moment. Leave me a message and I'll return your call soon.

Comments

cw: mention of body horror/eye removal

[compellingstatement]

[Jon side-eyes the hell out of that message, but manages to contain a snippy response.]

He wasn't one of the Not-Them, Tim.
You realize 'Elias' is just the body Jonah Magnus is piloting around?
He ripped out the original Elias Bouchard's eyes, stuck his own in, and erased the man who used to own that body.
Just like he did to every head of the Institute from its inception.

[alwayskayaking]

[So says Jon.] Then maybe the one here was a clone or something. [Seemed far fetched, but he just ran into his own clone after all.]

[compellingstatement]

Or maybe he was just biding his time.
He spent 200 years planning a ritual that ended the world.
For all his many faults, a lack of patience isn't one of them.

[alwayskayaking]

Then I guess I can see why he'd care about you, but why me? I thought the only one who mattered was you. Yet he was nothing but helpful to me. [About the only one who listened and agreed with him on things Tim thought anyone from home should have done the same for. Yet Elias seemed to be the only sane one for awhile.]

[compellingstatement]

Considering he's used you and the others to help gaslight me in the past?
I wouldn't put it past him to play the sympathetic ear to get you on his side.
All the better to help convince me I'm being unreasonable, irrational.
He's just the old boring, but helpful Elias we all knew and admired.

Why can't we all be friends again, Jon?
You're being so paranoid, Jon.
Why are you always like this, Jon?
He's just trying to help you, Jon.

[Jon is attempting to keep his cool, but the anxiety and paranoia are bubbling up in his throat.]

[alwayskayaking]

[After so long of wanting someone, anyone, to listen and believe him Tim thinks he can understand how Jon feels.]

You do an amazing Elias. Have you thought about quitting archival work and doing impressions as a stand up gig? [He hopes Jon appreciates the attempt to lighten things up and doesn't hate it.]

[compellingstatement]

[Jon hates it. It feels like he's being mocked. He has just enough self-awareness to know that he's probably being uncharitable to Tim, though.]

I'll take the suggestion under advisement if I'm ever looking for a new job.

[He can pretend to be fine with it.]

In any case, I really do hope you find something better than a gun.
Something like that seems bound to cause more problems than it fixes.

[alwayskayaking]

I'll consider it if you consider talking to Martin.

Take care of yourself, Jon.

[compellingstatement]

[Right, so. He has to talk to Martin to make Tim give up the gun? Hngh...]

You, too, Tim.

[alwayskayaking]

[Jon wishes it was that easy.]