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[corkscrewed]

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[epistemological]

It happened to a lot of people, Martin!

[ A pause before, quieter.]

...yes. They... I felt ridiculous.

But they weren't the worst of what people got. Really, I was... lucky.

[corkscrewed]

You are the only man alive who could tell me he was being tortured and that he's lucky in the same sentence. You- you're infuriating.

[ and he seems to realize, a moment later, that he actually said that out loud - martin flusters hard and takes a long, cringing pull from his tumbler. ]

Sorry, I- sorry, I didn't mean- I don't know.

[epistemological]

[ He glances over at Martin, and it's obvious that there's a few things he could say.

He could mention that this was only the fourth time he'd been kidnapped.

That a few days of torture and experimentation wasn't nearly so bad as a month of torture and terror and moisturizing. He could mention those things, but Martin had asked for a pause from the bombs and while he hardly thinks those are upsetting, the look on Martin's face says that such a thing would upset him indeed.

...he'd never mentioned much of what'd happened while he was kidnapped to Martin back home, had he?

Hmm. ]

It's all right, Martin. It's just- it's been a lot. And I try to take the positives where I can.

I'm sorry.

[corkscrewed]

No, it's just - it's fine, Jon. I mean, it's not? It's not fine. But it's fine. It'll be fine. Just, um, hold on.

[ another long gulp, before he puts the tumbler back onto the table and stands up. ]

I'm getting us water.

[epistemological]

Glasses are in the cabinet to the right of the sink.

[ It's a well-designed flat, with all of the (currently empty) windows up near the ceiling, indicating that the flat would have been in the basement of a building otherwise. ]

[corkscrewed]

Is this what your place looks like? Back in London?

[ martin: struggling so hard to talk about ANYTHING ELSE. ]

[epistemological]

[ He nods. ]

A completely accurate recreation. Including the books. The furniture. Every ding and scratch.

[corkscrewed]

You didn't feel like changing it up at all?

[ he's bringing the glass of water over, sliding it in front of jon. ]

[epistemological]

[ He shrugs.]

Seemed like it'd be convenient. I'm not in here much anyway.

[ He glances over at Martin.]

What'd you get?

[corkscrewed]

Place where I grew up. Quite nice, actually. I mean - it's not the whole house, not like it brought my mum's old room, but - it's better than my little flat in London.

[ he's not very fond of that place anymore, anyway. ]

[epistemological]

I was going to say, I've got a guest room if you needed it.

[ If he'd had his flat in London, which he knows Martin is not particularly fond of.]

A proper house, though? That's... nice.

[corkscrewed]

Well, it's not - it was a townhouse. We didn't rent the whole building.

[ that's the less important part. the bigger thing here- ]

You were going to let me stay with you?

[epistemological]

If you were stuck with your flat?

[ That comes with a snort. And a nod.]

[corkscrewed]

I, um.

[ HE IS WEIRDLY AND DEEPLY TOUCHED BY THIS. ]

Thanks, Jon. That means a lot.

[epistemological]

[ He just flutters his hand as if to say 'of course' before taking a long sip of his drink.]

[corkscrewed]

[ martin falls silent for a moment, before finally, quietly, to himself: ]

I knew there was more to the story than 'breadknife.'

[epistemological]

[ That has him blinking and looking up.]

Is that really what you're taking from all of this?

[corkscrewed]

It's been driving me crazy, Jon.

[ pointedly.

he's getting a little drunk. ]

[epistemological]

Was there anything else you wanted to clear up?

[corkscrewed]

[ yeah.



he's a little drunk. ]

What would you have done if I was a ghost?

[epistemological]

...really?

[ He snorts and takes another sip.]

Not much. Maybe see if I could find your body or something.

[corkscrewed]

[ his nose wrinkles. ]

Immediately into problem solving mode. Maybe I wouldn't have wanted to be put at rest.

[epistemological]

But you couldn't make a proper choice until we'd found it, now, could you?

You'd deserve the choice.

[corkscrewed]

What if I'd been dead and didn't know it? Like, if she'd gotten me while I slept.

[ lmao he's just.


he's just thoughtfully considering awful scenarios here. ]

[epistemological]

[ Yeah, he's going to squint at you on that one. ]

Is there a point to this line of inquiry?