Chapter Text
“Well that was rude.” Tim’s voice cut through the silence of the Archive.
“Hmm?” Jon looked over from the shelf he was organizing. “What was rude?”
“You. You were rude. Completely ignoring that guy like that.”
“What guy?”
“Are you serious?” Tim asked incredulously. “The tatted up goth that was just talking to you.”
“Tim, I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re the only ones in the Archive. Martin is off with Melanie following up on a statement. It’s just us down here.” Jon paused, “Wait, did you say ‘tatted up goth’? The tattoos...They didn’t happen to be eyes did they?”
“Yeah, dyed black hair, stylized eye tattoos just… everywhere. Kinda hot, not my usual type but still. How could you have possibly missed him? He was standing right there talking to you.”
The Archivist inhaled sharply, “Tim, I need you to go after him and get him back here.”
“What? I don’t--”
“There’s no time to explain except that I think that might have been Gerard Keay. I need to talk to him.”
“Then why didn’t you-”
“Tim!”
“Right, fine, on my way.” Tim half jogged out of the Archives and up the stairs beyond.
Gerard Keay, here? Now? And why couldn't I see him?
An odd memory tickled at the back of the Archivist’s brain. One of the first statements he’d come across working in the Archives, the third of fourth that needed to go on tape. He’d remembered Ex Altiora of course, after his recent encounter with Mike how could he ever forget.
It was something else that caught in his memory now. In the description of Pinhole Books, a painting of an eye made by Gerard for his mother. There was something written underneath it that kept slipping from his mind. The first time he had read the words he had unknowingly crossed them out. At the time, Jon had assumed he had been overtired from his new position as Head Archivist but now…
Gerard Keay was obviously tied to Beholding in some way but perhaps he had found a way to mitigate its influence. That would be very useful skill to have. Unfortunately for Jon, it would seem hiding from Beholding also meant hiding from him.
Sitting down at one of the spare desks, Jon put his head in his hands. If he can’t see Gerard does it mean that he is becoming less and less Jonathan Sims and more the Archivist? He shuddered at the thought.
Jon felt a comforting hand land on his shoulder. He expected to see Tim standing there when he looked up with an apology for not finding Gerard. What he did not expect was to see nothing at all.
Adrenaline flooded his body as he pulled away from the phantom touch. “What is going on? Gerard Keay? Is that you?” He cast his eyes around, willing himself to See the person there with him.
There was a tug on his hand. Jon attempted to pull away but the invisible grip on his wrist tightened. His hand was drawn to something, a note, on the desk in front of him. Then he was released.
He picked up the note with an unsteady hand to read.
Jonathan,
We should meet, but not here
I gave your assistant the when and where
DO NOT bring a recorder
Don’t discuss this in the Institute, especially not in the Archive
“What? I-- alright”
There was another squeeze on his shoulder followed by a light pat on his back then it was gone. Jon crumpled the note and shoved it in his pocket. Best not to leave something like that out in the open.
A few minutes later he was standing outside of the Institute casting about for Tim. Jon spotted him at a cafe across the way. The two men locked eyes and Tim waved him over.
“Very charming fellow, your Gerard.” Tim practically cooed, glancing briefly away.
“He’s not my Gerard , Tim. Nevermind all that, what did he say?”
“He’s worried about you, Jon. Wants to help.”
“Okay?”
Jon made to sit in the chair opposite Tim, who started to protest the action. By the time Jon caught his meaning, it was already too late. He landed awkwardly on what must have been Gerard Keay’s lap. He fumbled to get his feet back under him and nearly fell trying to stand. Jon adjusted his jacket in an attempt to recover his lost dignity. Judging from Tim’s near hysterical laughter, it wasn’t helping.
“Um, sorry, I didn’t see you were there.” Jon directed to the empty, but not at all empty chair and cleared his throat.
He shot a warning look at Tim and pointed to another chair at the table, “Is this one occupied?”
Still choking back giggles, Tim managed to nod an affirmative. “Are you sure you don’t want to ask Santa Gerard what you want for Christmas though?”
Jon sat stiffly in his chair. “Are you quite finished? I believe we have business to attend to.”
Tim glanced at the empty chair and erupted in fresh laughter.
“What is so funny, Tim?” the Archivist asked dryly.
Tim’s laughter hitched to a stop, “He said, ‘Business of pleasure.’” he gave his head a bit of a shake, “Christ Jon, don’t do that. It really kills the mood”
“Do wha-- Oh. I’m sorry Tim, I didn’t mean to”
“It’s fine.” he sighed, “On the up side, I’m getting better at being able to tell when you’re doing it. So that’s something, I guess?”
“Well still, I’ll be more careful.”
“Anyway, Mr. Keay here,” he paused, “sorry, Gerard, here has a… Well, he has a proposition for you.”
“A what now?”
“You heard me. I’m here as an intermediary so he doesn’t have to keep passing you notes like a schoolchild.”
Jon looked around at the cafe. “Is this really the best place for this?” He nodded to where the facade of the Magnus Institute could clearly be seen through the plate glass window of the cafe.
“Yep!” Tim said, popping the p at the end of the word. “Something about a kind of blind spot this close to the Archives. Like how you can’t really see your own nose unless you actually focus on it.”
“Hmm, that might explain how the Prentiss situation managed to get to the point it did.”
Tim paused again, nodding his head along with whatever Gerard was saying. “It was definitely a factor.” He started absentmindedly scratching his arm where Jon knew there to be a cluster of worm scars. Tim caught himself and placed his hand deliberately on the table.
Turning to face Jon more fully, he flashed a big grin. “We’re not here to revisit war stories, we’re here for me to seduce you by proxy.”
Jon shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “You are taking far too much... glee in this conversation”
“Damn right I am! I get to do something in defiance of our ‘masters’. Proper active defiance, none of this running away or moping bullshit. I haven’t felt this alive in a while. The fact that it makes you adorably uncomfortable is just a bonus.”
“Very well,” Jon sighed, “off you go then.”
Tim leaned forward conspiratorially, “Right! So before we start, a few rules.”
“Rules?”
“Yes, rules, for everyone’s protection.”
“Fine.”
“Rule number one, you will not ask Gerard any questions directly. You are to go through me for that. In fact, at least for now, just try not to talk to him at all.”
“Why?”
“That right there.” Tim sighed, “Goddammit Jon, you said you’d be more careful.”
Jon looked down at his hands and mumbled an apology. He jumped slightly when he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Gerard gave him a bit of a squeeze and the touch faded.
“Gerard can hide from Beholding and,” Tim gestured to Jon, “it’s agents but he can’t risk getting compelled. He won’t feed it Jon, not if he can help it. So for now at least, you talk to me. If you slip, there’s not much I can tell you and less damage that can be done.
“Rule number two, this can never be discussed in the Archives. We probably should avoid talking about it in general but especially in the Archives.”
“No talking directly to Mr. Keay and no discussing him in the Archives. Anything else?” Jon tried to divest himself of his hunger for knowledge at the question.
Tim stared at the space Gerard should be for a bit, before answering, god that was bizarre to watch.
“Yeah, that’s the gist of it. And he prefers to be called Gerard.” Tim rubbed his hands in anticipation, “Now for the fun part!”
Jon groaned and rolled his eyes.
“Oh, you love it!” Tim teased, “A mysterious stranger wants to sweep you off your feet!”
“Okay, but why?”
“You need to form some connections in the world. Person to person, the more intimate the better.” He paused to receive instruction, “I have been informed by the esteemed gentleman to your right that I’m coming on a bit to strong. He means ‘intimacy’ as in deep personal connections not necessarily in the more… physical aspects. Though the two often overlap.” he winked.
Giving Tim a withering look, Jon crossed his arms and waited for him to continue.
“Look boss, that place,” he pointed to the Institute, “is pushing you away from humanity. You have always been on the solitary side but lately you’ve been cutting yourself off more and more. You are becoming more detached, clinical. Becoming more Archivist. And Gerard here want to help reverse some of that.”
Jon stiffened at the word “Archivist”. He didn’t like being reminded that he was quite likely a some thing instead of a some one. If Gerard was legitimately here to help, then it was worth hearing him out, so to speak.
“And me getting laid is supposed to help with that?” Jon scoffed.
“Frankly, yes. It is a very effective way to establish a connection with another person. But we can start with cuddling if you prefer.”
“Wait, we? ”
“Well, yes.” Tim said, “I want in on this.”
Jon started to stutter a noise of protest.
“Wait, hear me out, Jon. You need human connections, and I need you to see me as a person, not a means to gather more information. Also, I need something to hold on to that doesn’t belong to the Institute, something to keep me sane. Besides, you’re going to need help… navigating if you can’t actually see or hear the suave and handsome Gerard.”
Jon felt but did not see the hand that placed itself gently over his own. He looked back and forth from his hand to where he assumed Gerard’s face to be several times. An emotion he couldn’t place filled Jon’s chest. Somewhere between confusion and a desperate need for human contact. He was not normally a touchy feely person but something about Gerard's touch made him feel, calmer somehow. Safer?
Whatever it was, Jon didn’t want it to stop. He held his hand very still so as not to startle away the invisible weight there. Looking down at were it should be, he wished he could See the other man’s hand there.
The touch retreated immediately and Jon felt a light smack on the back of his head.
“Stop that!” Tim scolded, “do you want to give us all away?”
“W-what? Oh! Goddammit, I didn’t…” the Archivist wearily rubbed his eyes.
Tim had a point about needing to be seen like a person. Elias was very keen on Jon divesting himself of any and all emotional attachment, especially when it came to his staff.
“Okay Mr. Stoker, for argument’s sake, what happens if I were to say ‘yes’ to whatever… this is? Your ‘proposition’ as it were.”
“That is really up to you. A big part of this on your end is going to be about building trust. Neither of us is going to force you to do something you don’t want to. The ideal outcome is that you form real emotional bonds that will keep you grounded in humanity.”
“Intimate personal contact.”
“Well, like I said, I find that the be the best way to achieve that level of connection.”
“And you don’t think that will... complicate things? I am still technically your boss after all.”
“Seeing as how we can’t discuss any of this at work, I’m not worried. And to speak to workplace power dynamics, we are both solidly under Elias’s thumb at this point. I’m not so sure the boss/employee thing really applies to us anymore.”
“Indeed.”
“You don’t have to think of it as a ‘forbidden office romance’ if it bothers you. I’m viewing it as more as a ‘secret double agent spy thing’ myself.”
“So what, do we all go out to dinner? I’m not sure how I feel about playing a game of telephone while watching a knife and fork floating in midair. Food disappearing into nothingness and that sort of thing.”
Tim laughed, “Gerard says it doesn’t quite work like that. In fact, he’s drinking a coffee now. Do you see any kind of ghost cup?”
“Actually, no.”
“Try not to think too much about it.”
Jon huffed out a dry laugh.
“No really, Jon. Try not to think too much about it. It could blow our cover.”
“‘Blow our cover’? You really are into the whole spy thing.”
“What can I say,” Tim shrugged, “it’s kinda hot.”
Jon rolled his eyes at that. “Whatever you say.” he continued more seriously, “So you really think I’m losing my humanity?”
Tim’s face turned more serious. “I’m not saying I think you’re a monster, Jon. I am worried about you might be slipping away from us. Gerard says his little trick only works if a not insignificant part of yourself is dedicated to a Power. You’re on a slippery slope and we can slow that decent, maybe even pull you back up a bit. If you let us”
They sat in silence for a time while Jon considered their offer. Well, he and Tim sat in silence. Gerard could have been tap dancing on the table and singing opera for all Jon would know.
“Okay, fine. I’m in. So what now?”
“I’d say that this was a pretty successful first date. Would you like to continue this… somewhere else? Gerard says he’s got a place we can use.”
Glancing through the window Jon stared at the imposing building beyond. He has work to do but he really doesn’t want to go back in there right now. Tim saw the conflict on his face and reached over to place his hand on Jon’s. A third hand joined them.
Jon took a long, slow breath and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”