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[corkscrewed]

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[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.

[statementfuckingends]

That's because the Institute's a hole. [There's bite to it, but there's something almost good-natured to it.] You were too bloody good for it and we all knew it. You and Sasha both.

[--ah. He's ruined his own buzz. He just grimaces gently for a moment, before he takes his new drink in hand.]

[corkscrewed]

Nah. I'm talking about the Barge. Lots of good people here, honestly, I'm just-

[ damaged goods, he thinks sometimes, but he's not inebriated enough to blurt that much out. ]

--we've got some tapes, you know. If you want to listen to her voice.

[statementfuckingends]

[Tim just stares into his drink for a few seconds, before he gulps a mouthful, alcohol content be damned. The tapes offer goes ignored.]

Hate to say it, Martin, but the general concept of 'putting yourself out there' applies to making friends as well, not just dating. You can't spend every day alternating between the laundry and Jon's office.

[corkscrewed]

[ he won't push the offer, but he will try to match the drinks with a wince. ]

I'm working on it. Made it to the lounge, didn't I?

[statementfuckingends]

With me. [It's certainly disparaging, but it's not pointed at Martin.] And I have offered you the chance to have some fun, so I've got you coming and going there.

[corkscrewed]

This is your idea of fun? You injured and me all depressed and mopey? [ also not serious; he's just desperate for any kind of levity here. ]

[statementfuckingends]

I will get you to understand innuendo yet. [But hey, it gets a genuine grin on his face.] But come on, this, here and now? 's'just another day in the office, really.

[corkscrewed]

I understand innuendo, I just always think it's weird when you use it at me.

[ he grins at him, tired but similarly earnest. ]

[statementfuckingends]

[He looks playfully offended. Which mostly just means marginally less tired, but it's still an improvement.]

Are you questioning my taste, Blackwood? [He's definitely grinning behind that sip.] Because disregarding your taste in archival bosses for five seconds, you're a real catch.

[corkscrewed]

[ martin huffs slightly, shoulders setting back, just because he knows that tim isn't teasing him maliciously here. ]

It's weird to think about. I never had time for relationships. I don't know how you managed it.

[statementfuckingends]

[He lifts his injured hand and still manages to point a finger gun at Martin.]

Institute funds.

[But since they're being honest (and the alcohol, perhaps, making his judgement a little impaired), he just shrugs before he takes another sip.]

It's not like any of them were serious, anyway. All in all it was just a bit of fun. [He pauses, glancing aside.] ...a lot of fun. Sometimes lots of different kinds of fun at the same time. [He swirls his drink idly.] But most of it was legitimately work-related.

[corkscrewed]

Dunno. Still think funds would've been best spent on more cronuts.

[ martin is watching his own drink, and it's definitely the alcohol that makes him crack up a little bit. ]

I dunno. Kind of wild to believe an archival assistant job required you to do that at all.

[statementfuckingends]

I'll buy you a whole bloody box of the things if we make port. [He's happy to be held to such a stupid promise.]

I mean, I don't think we would have gotten half the police statements we did before Basira came along if I hadn't. People don't just share those at random, but it's delightful fun helping your boyfriend with his own work, when it's just some harmless old cold case no one'll miss.

[corkscrewed]

What's it like having charisma, Tim?

[ it's not meant to be self-deprecating; he's cracking up. ]

I can't bloody imagine.

[statementfuckingends]

[Tim just snickers, letting the grin brush over his sore face.]

It's massively outweighed by my sense of humour and overwhelming modesty. All part of the whole experience.

[corkscrewed]

Yeah, of course. Don't know why I bothered asking, honestly.

[ but martin is ducking his head to smile. ]

Thanks for checking in on me, by the way. That was- It's good to have a friend here.