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Martin slightly hates Sasha for making him come here. The statement sounded ridiculous - a weird man in a house full of "violent plants"?! Who would believe that? The Magnus Institute, apparently, which is why Martin is walking along the old sidewalk in this old neighbourhood trying to identify the exact abandoned house that was described. When he finally finds it, he's kind of taken aback. To the statement giver's credit, it is completely covered in poison ivy and Martin can barely locate the front door. Something about the house makes him feel dirty and leaves him wishing he'd brought a pair of rubber gloves. He hasn't, unfortunately, so he can only step up to the door and shudder at the slimy feeling of the brass knob against his hand.
The door isn't locked, which doesn't surprise him, and it opens with a creak. However, he is taken aback by the amount of sunlight flooding the inside. There are plants everywhere, but they're still, nothing like the violent reaction the statement had described. Martin is tempted to leave and chalk it all up to the unpleasant results of drugs or high stress. Just as he has turned around, though, he hears a voice.
"Wow, a second person for this week, and it's not even Christmas yet." Martin jumps and whips around to look at the newcomer, who sounds somewhat curious.
He's short and so covered in plants that he almost blends into the surroundings. There's poison ivy tangled in his long brown hair and Martin can't tell if it's actually growing out of his head. His eyes are dull, and look as though he hasn't slept in years, but they are most definitely watching him. Mushrooms are growing on the side of his neck, piercing through his skin and leaving it rotten around them. His dark complexion contrasts the patches of vibrant green moss that are growing on him, surrounded by the same rotten skin. The man looks like a corpse rotting on a forest floor. He may not be breathing or blinking, however, he is undeniably alive.
"I, um, I actually came to investigate, uh, you, I guess." Martin says and wants to slap himself. The stranger should attack him, but he doesn't.
"Oh? I don't get visitors very often." The man raises an eyebrow and smiles. "Though I certainly wouldn't mind it if you came again. I'm Jon, by the way."
"I'm, uh, Martin." He stammers while his mind tries to rationalize the fact that this corpse of a man just flirted with him and he didn't hate it. He decides to just keep talking. "Um, well, my boss sent me just to see what was up with this place, so, uh, I probably won't be coming back."
"Probably?" Jon grins and reveals his teeth, equally as decayed as his skin. Despite this, Martin isn't used to such forward attention and it leaves him a stuttering mess. Luckily, Jon takes pity on him. "By all means, have a look around, just don't start screaming when they look back."
The words remind Martin that he's supposed to be doing his job, so he directs his gaze to the interior of the house. Technically, it's not an unpleasant house. It would be a nice place to live were it not for the vines and leaves and moss that cover every surface just like they cover the man in front of him. Where there had once been wallpaper, now grew ivy. The wood of the floors is rotten and Martin has a feeling that it would be damp if he touched it. The plants around him all appear to be different species and are now a lot more mobile than when he'd first entered. Some are swaying, others seem to be reaching out to him or to Jon.
"Are they violent?" He asks.
"They're alive." Jon says, not looking up from where he's softly stroking one of their leaves.
"That doesn't really answer my question."
"They are alive, therefore they have the potential to attack." Martin swallows at this and tries to keep his distance from the plants. This makes Jon laugh softly and the sound does things to Martin he absolutely does not have the time to process.
"So they did attack the woman who came here last?"
"They got territorial. She was interested in selling the house." Jon seems to be equally upset as the plants at this idea.
"Is the house yours?" Martin asks him and Jon shakes his head.
"The house belongs to the plants and so do I." He says. After noticing Martin's confused expression, he continues. "But yes, on paper you could say I'm the owner. I used to live here with my grandmother."
"Well, uh," Martin once again remembers his job. "Could you stop using it to scare people?"
This makes Jon laugh again, though there's a bit more malice to it.
"Come on, now, what kind of avatar would that make me?"
"Okay, fine," He relents because some part of him is starting to like the strange man. "Since you seem reasonable, though, could you at least promise not to hurt anyone?" Saying that makes him feel childish, but Jon smiles, amused.
"Only because you asked, Martin."
Martin is absolutely sure he's blushing like a fool, but he stammers out a thanks and turns around to leave, feeling Jon's unblinking gaze on his back all the way to the door. Sasha and Tim are never going to believe him about this.