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[corkscrewed]

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[corkscrewed]

I-

[ he flusters again, uncapping his second bottle. ]

Okay, that was an empty threat and you know it.

[statementfuckingends]

[He laughs then, an actual proper little chuckle, before he downs the rest of his beer.]

If you are going to threaten someone, mate, you've got to try a lot harder than that. Commit to your bit or you're gonna get hit.

[And he'll slide his own empty aside to grab his fresh bottle.]

[corkscrewed]

[ martin rolls his eyes skyward, but it's clear that he's on the cusp of a sulk. ]

That's really inappropriate office behavior anyway, isn't it.

[ snootily, as if the archives still even existed. ]

[statementfuckingends]

Luckily this isn't the office, and I think general circumstances are a bit too... extenuating for him to actually be our boss anymore.

[At this point calling Jon that is just a habitual nickname. But he knows Martin well enough to see he's toeing a line a bit closely, and he really is enjoying the company too much to want to spoil it.

So he'll lean back, holding the bottle in his injured hand so he can pop the cap with the other. His dominant hand being the injured one sucks.]

But I'm still proud of you for setting bits of it on fire, for the record.

[corkscrewed]

Yeah.

[ tim leans back and martin relaxes just slightly, rubbing at his own face. it's - nice, having a moment with someone who understands and doesn't also carry the weight of the apocalypse on his shoulders. ]

It's weird not having to see it, you know? It was just a fixture for so long. Not that the Barge isn't dangerous, too, but- it's better.

[statementfuckingends]

[Tim frowns a little, but it's curious, not annoyed. He hadn't really considered that the Institute literally doesn't exist after the world ends for those two.]

At least if the manager here's another spooky damn telepath, he's not actively plotting to get us all tortured and killed. Which is definitely an upgrade.

[And he'll offer his beer to Martin in a sardonic kind of cheers.]

[corkscrewed]

Not that we're aware of, at least. And, hey: it's an improvement.

[ martin will lift his bottle in return, tapping the glass to tim's, before he falters slightly. ]

If I do talk to you about - certain things. Um. Would I know for sure that they'd never get... brought up to Jon? Or anyone, really.

[statementfuckingends]

[The look Tim gives him for that question is somewhere between sympathetic and insulted.]

I'm not going to tell people about your sex life, Martin. Or anything else you choose to tell me in confidence, I can keep a secret. On god, or whoever else is bloody watching.

[corkscrewed]

Well!

[ tim's indignation actually makes martin feel a little better here, and he picks at the generic label on the bottle just so that he's looking anywhere else. he has, historically, confided in tim. it's weirdly comforting to do it again, even after everything they've both been through. ]

There's... not much one to speak of, really? Jon just, um. He's not really a- it's not his- thing.

[statementfuckingends]

[Tim's eyebrows twitch up a little at that news, but he's not, like, shocked. Jon was never a touchy-feely guy, it made a kind of sense that that extended to the bedroom.]

And you're... [He gestures Martin up and down with the mouth of his bottle, not spilling a drop.] Alright with that? You're a bleeding heart, I know you'll be fine emotionally, but, physically...?

[Tim enjoys sex, he doesn't think he could handle being in a relationship without it no matter how much he loved someone.]

[corkscrewed]

I mean-

[ martin flounders slightly here, if only because this is the most he's ever talked about it with anyone. he shrugs one shoulder, vaguely dismissive. ]

Jon's- he's my- [ how is he this tongue-tied after only two drinks? ] Sure, I wish sometimes that - you know - but it's not a dealbreaker. Not by a longshot.

[statementfuckingends]

If you like, if we happen to dock somewhere a bit modern, I could help you find something to... [He gives a kind of bemused pouting shrug.] Deal with that, privately. I'm not even gonna suggest someone, I can't imagine you two would have eyes for anyone else.

[Which is a crying shame. It's not like he's crushing on Martin but there'd always been a tiny glimmer of hope in the unknown.]

[corkscrewed]

I don't need aids, I'm - more than happy with, um, my current- solutions are fine, it's just the whole-- you know. You know? Oh my god.

[ he's slipping out of the booth to go grab something a little harder than cider now, but he keeps his voice very low even though it's just the two of them there. ]

There's just sort of a- a connection you- get, from that kind of thing. That's all.

[statementfuckingends]

Think I saw some Gullivers' if you're after something a bit stronger.

[Not at all a slight hint-hint. And he'll make a cursory glance of the room just in case, purely out of paranoia.]

I hear what you're saying, though. You can be as romantic and soul-searchy as you like but being physical is very much its own sort of brand of... thing. And it wouldn't make you a bad person if you were unsatisfied by that, specifically.

why do i only get notifs 80% of the time

[corkscrewed]

No, no, I know. [ he is, indeed, searching for the gulliver's, and will begin to pour himself some when he locates the bottle. ] It's not like I'm-

[ he takes a breath, tries to un-fluster. ]

It's like I've got- a slice of cake, and it's great, and I wish maybe sometimes I had some ice cream to go with it? But most of the time I don't notice what I'm missing. Back at home I mostly just didn't even have time to-- think about that kind of thing. No one's having sex in the middle of an apocalypse.

DW has been notoriously messy on them recently

[statementfuckingends]

[Tim is actually twelve and narrowly avoids choking on his beer. Instead he thumps it on the table a bit too heavily.]

Pour me one too. Payment for forcing me to think about you and Jon and ice cream.

[corkscrewed]

[ martin just squints at him then, holding up the bottle dubiously. ]

Shouldn't you be on painkillers? I don't think you're supposed to mix these.

[ huff!!! ]

[statementfuckingends]

Alcohol is a painkiller. Therefore it's fine.

[He holds up his empty bottle demonstratively.]

Besides, I'm already two down. Can't really claim you're looking out for my health at this point.

[corkscrewed]

Just make sure you've got something for the hangover.

[ he will start making a drink for tim, though. ]

So- you're really alright with it? With me and Jon. I was... worried.

[statementfuckingends]

Oh, like you're the first scandalous office romance in the Institute.

[There's a glib humour in his tone there, but he's pushing himself around to drape himself over the booth and look at Martin properly.]

I'm genuinely curious why you think I wouldn't. Besides the whole, like. [He waves his empty bottle around blithely.] "Ohhh, our boss is a spooky telepath who doesn't respect us or trust us, fuck that guy" thing.

[corkscrewed]

[ martin shrugs at that, suddenly unsure if he should even address that. he's enjoying the time with tim, even if the circumstances are - well, foul. ]

I just remember your opinion of Jon being... really bad. That's all.

[statementfuckingends]

I mean it's not really all that improved yet, I'll give it that much.

[It's not like he's forgiven Jon yet. Doesn't plan on it, really, even if forcing a confession out of him cleared the air a bit.]

But if you've forgiven him, then at that point it's not really my business, is it?

[corkscrewed]

Honestly, Tim, I was just as angry at you as I ever was him. [ martin is maybe made more candid by the drinks, but he's not backpedaling this time as he slides a glass to tim's side of the table and slips back into his own seat. ] Which is to say - I don't know. Everything was fucked up.

[statementfuckingends]

You're not very good at hating people, are you Martin.

[Tim is exactly as candid as ever. He's buzzed, not tipsy; mostly it's taking the worst of the edge off the pain, which is nice.]

[corkscrewed]

[ it's martin's turn to snort slightly into his drink. ] As if. I'm barely even good at liking them. I've been here over two years and I can count the number of friends I've got on one hand.