Jonathan 'Eyebags' Sims (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
beholding_archivist) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
revivalproject2020-04-06 03:44 am
beholding_archivist) wrote in revivalproject2020-04-06 03:44 am
[ video ]
[ Unlike the last time Jon has appeared on this network, this time it's very intentional. And it's very obvious that it is intentional. Apparently he has found himself a usable desk (presumably in the hospital) and has taken the time to prop up his phone appropriately to address his fellow involuntary inhabitants of this lovely place.
It's also rather obvious that he has been using this desk for a few days now at least. There is a comparably neat stack of paper in front of him, two or three notebooks, an assortment of pens, two different types of tape recorders along with some tapes and an empty mug all rather present and no, he doesn't really care about the slight mess. He himself looks a little messy himself, though that's just his normal state of being perpetually tired. But... There are more important things right now, right? Like... How to even start. ]
Uhh... Good evening.
[ That's just remotely awkward. But okay. ]
I have- I mean. I already spoke to a few of you. Either through this network or at an actual encounter in person and... I suppose you might have noticed me at that little welcome home party the Agrii have set up, but... Let's not talk about that. That was... Dreadful.
[ He pauses a moment to sort his thoughts, then goes on. ]
To those I haven't met yet: Hello. I'm Jonathan Sims and I have agreed to help with the hospital.
[ Here he makes a short gesture with one hand to indicate his surroundings. He is indeed at the hospital. Maybe that's your clue to avoid needing medical help anytime soon?
He drops that hand back down. ]
Further, I have decided to take on the task of turning what is left of what appears to have been a library once back into an actual library. To be more precise: I plan to make recordings along with written pieces and store them there once the place is cleaned up. These may serve for our own reference, but also for the Agrii if they are so inclined. My hope is that by teaching them about ourselves, our worlds and our language, we can achieve a more successful way of communicating with them. Learn to understand what they want and need and- You get the idea.
Now what I need is to find a suitable format to record on. While I work with magnetic tapes a lot myself for certain reasons, I am not unfamiliar with digital recordings. Also I am well aware that some of you come from worlds that are technically far more advanced than my Earth happens to be, so I... I would be interested to know if there are more practical formats available. Preferably ones that allow for video as well as audio recordings and don't necessarily require additional hardware for playback. Your universe's version of the data points to be found across this city, for example, just possibly without that direct access to a person's mind. Given that we may soon have access to a functioning replicator... It should be possible.
[ He lets that hang there, then takes a moment to try and think what else he might have to add. He ends up with a short shrug and half a sigh. ]
I guess that's it. If you have a suggestion you believe might work, I would very much like to hear it. And before you ask: Yes, I am planning to keep a purely digital library along with a physically accessible one.
Thank you.
It's also rather obvious that he has been using this desk for a few days now at least. There is a comparably neat stack of paper in front of him, two or three notebooks, an assortment of pens, two different types of tape recorders along with some tapes and an empty mug all rather present and no, he doesn't really care about the slight mess. He himself looks a little messy himself, though that's just his normal state of being perpetually tired. But... There are more important things right now, right? Like... How to even start. ]
Uhh... Good evening.
[ That's just remotely awkward. But okay. ]
I have- I mean. I already spoke to a few of you. Either through this network or at an actual encounter in person and... I suppose you might have noticed me at that little welcome home party the Agrii have set up, but... Let's not talk about that. That was... Dreadful.
[ He pauses a moment to sort his thoughts, then goes on. ]
To those I haven't met yet: Hello. I'm Jonathan Sims and I have agreed to help with the hospital.
[ Here he makes a short gesture with one hand to indicate his surroundings. He is indeed at the hospital. Maybe that's your clue to avoid needing medical help anytime soon?
He drops that hand back down. ]
Further, I have decided to take on the task of turning what is left of what appears to have been a library once back into an actual library. To be more precise: I plan to make recordings along with written pieces and store them there once the place is cleaned up. These may serve for our own reference, but also for the Agrii if they are so inclined. My hope is that by teaching them about ourselves, our worlds and our language, we can achieve a more successful way of communicating with them. Learn to understand what they want and need and- You get the idea.
Now what I need is to find a suitable format to record on. While I work with magnetic tapes a lot myself for certain reasons, I am not unfamiliar with digital recordings. Also I am well aware that some of you come from worlds that are technically far more advanced than my Earth happens to be, so I... I would be interested to know if there are more practical formats available. Preferably ones that allow for video as well as audio recordings and don't necessarily require additional hardware for playback. Your universe's version of the data points to be found across this city, for example, just possibly without that direct access to a person's mind. Given that we may soon have access to a functioning replicator... It should be possible.
[ He lets that hang there, then takes a moment to try and think what else he might have to add. He ends up with a short shrug and half a sigh. ]
I guess that's it. If you have a suggestion you believe might work, I would very much like to hear it. And before you ask: Yes, I am planning to keep a purely digital library along with a physically accessible one.
Thank you.
no subject
no subject
"What is it with the personal questions all of the sudden?" He asks instead of answering - actually asks. Tony might notice the compulsion prodding at his mind, attempting to lure out the man's intentions. The truth. Of course Jon has been bullied, and he has watched one of those bullies being devoured by an evil book that almost got him first. But he isn't quite willing to tell that to this man that enjoys embarrassing him so much.
Rather, he wants to know what Tony's game is here. And he is almost willing to forcefully drag that information out of him.
I don't know if this is how it works
And yet you nailed it~
And yet...
This man that liked to display himself as even more of a pompous ass than Jon has ever done actually... Cares? It's not often that anyone tells Jon that they like him. Few people do and he isn't exactly working hard on changing those minds. And even in this instance the words are more the result of him applying some sort of questionable eldritch powers.
Which... He probably shouldn't have.
"Jesus..." Jon mutters to himself and steps forward, making his approach obvious to the man he just exposed more than he had previously exposed himself until he stands next to him, his attention more on what Tony is doing than the man himself.
"I'm sorry." He apologizes, voice soft and almost reluctant as he gestures with one hand the one Tony still holds - Whatever it is he has found within this mess. Jon opens up and holds out his other hand before simply prompting "Let me take that."
no subject
It was only the apology that fit this puzzle together properly, because Jon's question had some so naturally and easily, and didn't seem at all like he was forcing Tony. In fact, he deployed it with less charge than most of his other responses to Tony; if he had a second thought, Tony didn't hear it. It was hard to know, then, what else he hadn't noticed. His glance Jon's way at his offer was cuttingly cold, trying to spot the angle that he hadn't seen through yet, and Tony kept this watch on him as he dropped the chips into Jon's waiting hand and with the smallest gesture, metals. He yanked the board free easily with both hands then, but found he was dreading Jon asking him another question with every step he took toward the small accumulation of woods, so as he dropped it with a clatter among them he said, "I hope that was fun for you." Tony really hadn't thought he had secrets to keep, and he wasn't enjoying reflecting on how naturally it came to him to obfuscate what he really meant. He pushed his sleeves back down as he headed back to the door they had entered through, shivering at the exposure.
Belated edit because I just saw this opportunity and I'm not above taking it.
And of course he doesn't miss the dread either.
The dread caused by him. Given what he is, he should feel good about that, shouldn't he? He should welcome causing people to dread him and wallow in observing his good work. But he can't. He knows what he has done was wrong and seeing the result - It's not a good feeling. Maybe he does still have some part of his humanity left after all. It may well be that part that feels a bout of fear itself at seeing Tony pull free the board - An item he might as well use as a weapon. Just bludgeoning the monster into a bloody mess on the floor and leaving it here.
None of that happened, though. But the remark feels worse than a physical attack. Jon winces and looks up and after the other man, his hand closing around the pieces of metal he is still holding. Seeing Tony leave like that causes something inside of him twist in an unpleasant way and before he knows it, Jon hurries after him, his free hand reaching to get a hold of Tony's arm.
"Tim, wait! Please wait. I'm sorry! This wasn't what I-" Now if only he had a more coherent idea of what to say aside from profusely apologizing. That he accidentally used another person's name has yet to dawn on him.
no subject
Bruce never used any fucking magic powers on him, though.
Tony didn't quite yank his arm away, but clearly held it stiffly away from himself, like he was ready to disengage with it if Jon had that betray him, too. He wasn't ready to trust his own mouth yet, but feeling hunted and under pressure made him minimally patient while he watched Jon searchingly, waiting for him to either realize what he had said, or figure out where he was going with it. Too slow. He had to cut this off, cauterized, so both of them could have their space. Clearly, Jon had been on a world tour of freaking people out, he didn't even know what he should be apologizing for. "You let me know when Tim forgives you. We'll start a group," Tony offered, waving Jon off then.
no subject
It's Tony's comment that makes him fully realize just what he has said, and the remark cuts deep, making it easy for Tony to pull his arm away while Jon takes a wounded step backwards, grief settling over desperate determination. Tim. Jon has heard Tim's last words when he woke up from his coma. The lingering betrayal and understandable lack of forgiveness before he gave his life to stop the Unknowing and avenge his brother.
How often has Jon wished he had been of more use during that event. More capable of protecting those he cared about.
And now he's doing it again. Hurting someone who meant well.
Guilt and shame interlace with grief and all Jon can do is look away, the hand that has tried to keep a hold on Tony clutching onto his own upper arm as if in search for something to hold on to.
"Tim is dead." He confesses, voice weak "...he never forgave me."
And it's moments like that that Jon wonders if these feelings of guilt and pain will go away once he fully stops being human. Once he, probably, stops caring at last.
i didn't mean to do THAT
Well, Tony wasn't a fan of dealing with that, either. Never mind that he was the one to drive the knife in, but none of his PhDs were in emotional support. That might have been evident in the way he muttered, "You're such an asshole." It wasn't done bitterly, but with the exhaustion of someone who was resigned to this awkward web that Jon had tangled them in and was familiar enough with the situation to know his walking away was the more volatile move. There was no telling what the fallout of that could be, but the worst that could happen if Tony stuck around to see it through was Jon getting in his head again. He gestured with a listless arm to get Jon's attention, eyes back up here, buddy, then raised a finger, not quite bringing it to his lips but a clear sign for Jon to keep his spellcasting mouth shut, thanks. As long as it seemed like Jon would agree to that, Tony swung that arm around his shoulders, burying his hand in Jon's hair, hyper aware of the texture between his fingers where the smooth slip gave way to the thicker, wiriness of the gray; Jon was too old to be pulling some shit like pretending a friend was dead, and Tony turned him back toward the problem they were supposed to be dealing with. Tony owed it to him to see that through, but he wasn't going to let Jon know that. "We don't have to talk to each other anymore," he explained, "but we're going to get some of this done before we lose the light."
no subject
He takes a deep breath, steadying himself with a small, still shaky nod "I... won't ask any more questions." Jon agrees "But I don't like the thought of us not talking anymore." Tim has avoided talking to him for months despite them still working together. The few times they exchanged words, they fought. And Tim always made sure to blame Jon for everything that has happened. Rightfully, maybe. In some way or another.
"Let's try not to feel alone together, instead." A cautious, and maybe a little hopeful suggestion.