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Peter Lukas' offer comes in at the perfect time for Jon. With Tim and Daisy gone and Martin in a coma, he is desperate to be useful in any possible way. Now he has been tasked essentially running the entire institute on Lukas' behalf, though it's not as bad as it sounds. Jon is quite happy to be away from Melanie and Basira's constant anger. The only contact he has with anyone these days comes in the form of emails he sends out to the employees of the institute. They never vary, they always end the same way.
Regards,
Jonathan Sims
Assistant to Peter Lukas, Head of the Magnus Institute
No one ever responds.
He barely leaves the small office anymore. He has much to do and the couch he has is perfectly fitting for his small frame. Besides, he's always so warm (too warm) when he leaves the room.
Jon is glad his office has air conditioning.
Jon ignores the fact that it does not.
He buries himself in emails and documents and when Peter asks him to start reading some statements, he takes on that too. The Extinction seems like something he ought to care about, but he can't bring himself to do so. (Why should he?) There is fog that follows him wherever he goes. It's not the weirdest thing he's seen, so he pays it no mind.
For the first time in six months, there is a knock on his door. He doesn't respond, he's too busy. The door opens regardless and reveals Martin. It takes Jon too long to remember that this fact should surprise him. (It still doesn't.)
"I, uh," Martin starts talking. "I don't know if anyone told you I'm back."
"They didn't." Jon doesn't look up from his computer.
"Oh, well, I am. Back in the archives, that is."
"Alright." (He used to like Martin, he's pretty sure.)
"Are you coming back too?" (It's not like Martin cares about him, though - his nasty behaviour made sure of that.)
"No, I'm not." (Whatever. It's too late for anything to change.)
Martin leaves, but he keeps coming back. It distracts Jon from his work and he doesn't like it. Peter seems dissatisfied with Jon's attitude, which makes no sense. He's all about The Lonely, seeing Jon should make him proud, shouldn't it?
"The Extinction is coming!" Peter says to him.
"So?" Jon responds.
That night Jonathan Sims leaves the Magnus Institute. He feels The Eye's gaze on his back, but not its pull. He picks a direction and starts walking. London's streets are covered in a thick fog.
Basira keeps telling Martin not to worry. But she doesn't know Jon like he does, and she doesn't care to. Peter Lukas has been laying low ever since Jon disappeared, though, and according to Basira, it inconvenienced Elias as well. Things at the Archives are calmer than they've ever been and Martin hates it. He can feel The Eye tempting him to use his powers to find Jon, but he doesn't give in. Jon doesn't want to be found, Martin knows that much at least. So, he keeps reading statements and life goes on.
Until the coffin arrives and he goes on a suicidal mission to get Daisy out of it. When they get out, there is a new statement on his desk. Melanie says it had arrived recently and goes to help Basira take care of Daisy. Martin settles down on his desk and barely registers the click of the tape recorder when he starts reading.
Statement of Eliza Williams, regarding a man she met in the fog.
The statement itself is nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to The Lonely. The end of it, however, catches Martin off guard.
Just before he disappeared, he said: "When you give your statement to The Magnus Institute, tell Martin 'hi' from me." I don't know who that is, but whatever. The man in the fog sends his greetings.
It makes Martin feel warm inside in a way nothing has since the coma. He asks Melanie to be on the lookout for any more Lonely statements.
"Keep your nose out of The Mother's business, Archivist."
***
"To whoever Martin is, the guy in the fog says not to worry about him."
***
"I already took your rib, Archivist, you've got nothing else to trade. Ask your patron for information."
***
"Oh, and a message to 'Martin in Archives', the fog dude said he misses you."
***
"̷̣͝I̴͖̕'̸͇̋m̵̖̄ ̶̞̇p̵͖̊r̷̳͠o̶̼͆u̸̬͐d̵̥͛ ̴̞͌o̵̖͝f̶̭͘ ̸̧̐ỵ̸̊ơ̵̖ú̵̺,̵̰̅ ̴̗͛A̷̪͑r̷̝̿c̷̥͗ȟ̴ͅi̴̜͗v̸̮̂i̵͇̐s̶̘̓t̴̖̀,̷̙̎ ̷͖͗n̵̹͂ŏ̸̗t̶͕̎ ̴̼́e̵̞͛v̵̨̚é̴̳ȓ̸̹y̶̧̅o̷̡ň̶͕e̸̗̔ ̴͔̌c̴̛͚á̶̺n̶̗̄ ̵̝̈́p̷̝͝r̵̟̐e̶̟͘v̵͈̎è̶͉n̵̛̠t̵̼̓ ̴̹̉å̷̟ ̵̫n̴̼͛e̴̩̍w̴̮͠ ̸̏͜e̸̩̾n̴͍̽t̴͉̄ĭ̸͚ţ̸͝ý̶̲ ̵̘̍f̷̫̀r̵̜̔o̴͓͒m̵̗̂ ̷̦̈́a̴̻͌p̵̢̓p̵͔͛ẽ̵̠á̵̻r̸̬̎ỉ̶͜n̴̠̂g̸̮͠!̴͇͝"̵̱͐
***
"Um, are you Martin? The man in the fog sends his love."
A year after he left, Jonathan Sims returns to The Magnus Institute. Martin Knows this, so he leaves the small office in a hurry, to the bewilderment of Basira and Daisy, and almost runs outside. The sunset is far gone and the dusk only helps to emphasise the fog that has gathered in front of the building. Martin isn't sure how to proceed from here, but the second he sees Jon, his body takes the lead and he pulls the smaller man in a hug. It startles Jon and he laughs. It sounds like it's coming from across the street.
"Didn't you get the memo about The Lonely, Martin?" He asks jokingly. "I don't do hugs anymore."
"If you can send messages through statements, you can put up with some returned affection."
Martin is sure he has his 'fond look', as Basira calls it, but he can't bring himself to care. It feels like they're the only two people in the world and whether that's due to The Lonely or just them, the last thing he wants is for this moment to end.