[ video ]

[beholding_archivist]

[ And this is Jon appearing on your network feed, actually outside of his library and in all likelihood enjoying a nice evening at the open air. ]

Good evening, Temba.

I... I mean. We don't need more apologies, and yet I feel like I owe quite a few. Things happened. I hurt people both physically and verbally and I'm sorry, but...

...it happened.

[ He falls silent, eyes dropping for a moment. Then he clears his throat and looks back up and over his screen. ]

The beach here is gorgeous. Have been here a few times now and- I think it would be nice to- To come together. Here. Have a nice day and enjoy- uh, well. The beach. The water. Find some time to just... Talk. Maybe... Have fun...

I... I will organize something.

[ Is he awkwardly announcing a beach party? Oh, you bet he is. ]

Comments

[beholding_archivist]

Thanks.

[ You know what? He means that. ]

What’s wrong with having a little... Right. Let’s call it a party at the beach. The dress code will be much less strict than your fictional charity event, I promise.

[ A pause. ]

Will you come?

[in_extremis]

[This all comes very fast, no filters between Extremis and pushing the texts]

Nothing's wrong. Jon's throwing a beach party, that's normal.

You can blame Padme for the dress code, I wasn't involved. You looked good, though. You didn't like it? You looked like you would wear gloves to slap me.

I'll check my schedule.

Did you do this kind of thing

while you were gone?

[beholding_archivist]

[ Well. Those sure are a curious collection of messages. Jon gives a little smile, then sits down in the sand with a shrug. ]

A little too formal for my taste. Wearing the suit felt nice, though. Not my usual, but- Nice. Glad to hear you liked it, too. And- ah- Sorry. You know. For attacking you. And- Acting weird on your party.

I'm sorry.

[ Another shrug and he shakes his head. And he rambles on to that quiet screen of text. ]

I actually never planned a party. Only went to very few. Was too busy reading, I suppose. And I wouldn't call the apocalypse a party. Maybe to a very particular type of person, but- No. We mostly just walked, you know? Up from what used to be Scotland to what used to be London. Time didn't pass, we didn't get tired or hungry... We literally just walked, talked, met other avatars... Killed a few...

It was dreadful. Not even in the end there was any sort of celebration. Or... If there was, then... Well. I wasn't there, you know? I, uh...

....

...I would like if you came.

[in_extremis]

Don't apologize for that. I was the one that didn't know what was happening. You'd think I would have been more receptive, I really did mean what I said.

[That's vague, but this is still public.]

In my defence, you've never been sexier than whatever that was with the eyeballs.

[A very normal thing to say in public. Much easier to say than anything Tony could think about a walk through the apocalypse, but at least Tony hadn't missed some other guy unlocking Jon's party impulses, maybe.]

Cayde'll help me build a bonfire. I've got some fireworks for him, too.

You're here now. We'll celebrate.

[beholding_archivist]

You said a lot, Tony.

[ That's what Jon manages to answer as he reads on, then his voice trails off into some flustered sputtering and he does his best to scowl at the camera. Which isn't quite as effective as scowling at a face. ]

It didn't feel very attractive to hurt all these people. Even if they weren't real people. I-it's- You know.

[ And he's looking away for a moment, scowl softening into a bit of a pout as he reads on about bonfires and fireworks and the agreement to join the celebrations. Reading that bit results in an actual smile from Jon and he bows his head with a little nod. ]

Thank you. I'm looking forward to it.
I love you.

[ Public or not, he doesn't care. ]

[in_extremis]

[He's always saying a lot, that's why he never says anything important that way. So, hopefully Jon doesn't mind that he doesn't get an actual answer, but a photo in response of a thoroughly annotated doodle of Jon lounging in what looked like a blow up pool, covered in a wide umbrella and next to a cooler and a few scattered, less discernible items around it. They were all accompanied by material and component lists, including Jon, but Tony's handwriting isn't nearly as neat as his. That might say 'likes cats' and 'hates worms'.]