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[corkscrewed]

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[epistemological]

[ Martin knows what it looks like when Jon wants to curl up in his arms. There's a particular lean to him, a way that he seems to try and catch the residual body warmth left behind.

But usually, once they're in their flat, he'd just do it. Now, he holds back. Swallows. Makes sure the door is closed.]

The statement was from Eli-Jonah.

And it was... a trap.

[ Much like the last two and a half years of his life.]

[corkscrewed]

Fuck.

[ whispered, immediate. he's reaching out to take jon's wrists, pulling him closer. ]

What did he want? What did he do?

[epistemological]

[ He doesn't pull away. He lets Martin take them, swaying a little as his eyes close tight.]

What do any of them want, Martin?

Only he... figured out how to do it.

Through me.

[corkscrewed]

[ his pulse is ramping up quite suddenly. ]

He- he tried a ritual?

[ a huge question, because he's still not sure what jon is getting at. ]

[epistemological]

[ He nods. And then, to be honest- ]

Not tried.

Succeeded.

[corkscrewed]

[ and he goes ashen. ]

You're- not making any sense.

[epistemological]

No...

[ He looks over at Martin. ]

I am.

[ He closes his eyes and looks down.]

You brought a package from Basira: statements for me. Some of them were written, some tapes. I settled down to read one and you went to look for some 'good cows'.

[ He glances up.]

Still with me?

[corkscrewed]

[ he is still clinging tightly to jon's wrists. ]

Yeah. And-- something happened after that.

[epistemological]

Yes.

I picked up the first statement.

And once I got started... it ended up being a letter. A statement. From... Elias.

Jonah.

[corkscrewed]

And- that was a ritual. Somehow.

[ his eyes are locked onto jon's, nearly unblinking. ]

[epistemological]

The... capstone. The end of it.

[ He holds up his hands, shows off the worm holes. The burn. Lifts his chin to show the scar from Daisy.]

These were... the rest of it. A mark... from each one of the powers, connecting me to them. Providing them a path.

[corkscrewed]

[ martin's hands fall uselessly to his side. every muscle in his body is tense. ]

What do any of those have to do with the Watcher's Crown?

[epistemological]

A servant of the Eye, connected to each one of the other powers. An Archivist. Or rather... an Archive.

[ He looks to Martin. ]

He put the words in the statement. I couldn't stop reading them aloud. I- I called to them. I called all of them.

[corkscrewed]

[ why did he have to go back. why. ]

What happened, Jon? You called them and what happened?

[epistemological]

[ He can't look up.]

What do you think happened, Martin?

[corkscrewed]

All of them, at once-

[ fuck. ]

I don't have a clue.

[epistemological]

[ He breathes out, slow.]

You slapped me awake afterwards. Said it was bad. I don't know what you saw, but...

The sky is just... it's just one massive, encompassing Eye. And the whole world is afraid.

[corkscrewed]

[ and this startles martin visibly. ]

I'm still-- there?

[epistemological]

[ He nods.]

You woke me up.

[corkscrewed]

It was too good to last. I - I shouldn't have gone on that walk. I could have stopped you from reading it. Snapped you out of it.

[ he's letting go of jon, aghast. ]

[epistemological]

[ But that just gives him a good opening to follow.]

That's ridiculous, Martin. We had no idea- you couldn't know- we couldn't-

It came from Basira. How could we know?

There was no way to know, Martin. He... he held all the cards. He always has.

[corkscrewed]

[ he presses the heels of his hands against his eyes. ]

Then - we'll find a way to fix it. We have to.

[epistemological]

[ He nods.]

I'm- I'm changing my deal. I... thought that was rather obvious.

[corkscrewed]

To -- change the world back?

[ he's assuming, but. ]

[epistemological]

[ He nod.]

Yes. O-obviously.

As much as I'd-

[ He shakes his head. ]

I want to see you free. All of us free. And- and Tim. I want to bring him back. But this is- this is the whole world.

I have to.