Chapter Text
jon was furious.
that wasn’t uncommon anymore, of course. but it was so… annoying. standing infront of his new boss, this.. peter lukas fellow, who clearly was not comfortable having a conversation with him. all he wanted was an answer, something he could use to try and find answers. anything.
who he was, WHAT he was, what he was supposed to be doing? martin was off… doing whatever, melanie and basira were both having several layers of a mental breakdown, and daisy was in no shape to help anyone. that left jon, and he wasn’t even sure where to start.
“jonathan, i wish you’d stop looking at me like that.” peter’s voice was soft, and wispy, and gave jon a headache.
“it’s just my face.” he snarled. “and it’s because you’re not answering my questions.”
“i told you, i don’t have any answers for you.”
“than why are you the new boss?” which peter didn’t seem to have an answer for. jon hummed, as if that was confirming a suspicion he had. “i just.. i need something. anything.”
“i told you—“
“and i know you’re lying!” jon’s voice was loud. he didn’t mean it to be. he was vaguely aware of the door behind him opening, and closing. “i just need something! a person, a place, a fucking— just. something, peter, please.”
there was a gentle hum behind him, and jon glanced to see who was there.
martin blackwood stood there, holding some files in one hand and the other was in his pocket. his hair was still in his eyes, it was always in his eyes, jon knew he needed to cut it but martin was stubborn and wouldn’t.
jon’s lungs felt dry just seeing him. it had been so long since they were in a room together, let alone had anything close to a conversation. he missed it, seeing martin around the archives. drinking his tea. annoying him, seeing that little scrunch of his nose, and getting annoyed by him… he missed martin. so seeing him here…
“peter.” martin’s voice… god, jon missed it. “you know jon is stubborn. he’s not going to leave until you tell him what he wants to know.” though he sounded distant, and jon didn’t like it. he felt a lot of static in his mind, his brain aching as both martin spoke and peter sat back in his chair.
peter didn’t speak. which just made jon even angrier. he moved his curls back from his eyes, his jaw hurting from clenching it. he needed to invest in some hair ties. him and martin both.
and then he heard the martin he knew, less distant and more present and there and alive. “jon, what are you even asking him for?”
“i’m asking for information.” the words spilled from his mouth, and as far as he knew, martin didn’t have the call. he couldn’t make him tell anything he didn’t want to, but jon… trusted him. and he knew martin may judge, but he wouldn’t tell him it was a terrible idea unless it really was.
“i should’ve known that.” martin laughed warmly, which just made jon’s throat dry.
“i just need something. anything.” he rasped out. “you’re off… doing important work, and i feel i’m not doing anything. i need to do something.”
martin sighed through his nose, his blond hair swaying over his eyes. jon tilted his head, noting the white roots. those weren’t there before. martin opened his mouth, like he was going to speak, and jon nearly interrupted to ask about his hair again. (god he needed to leave martin’s hair alone. martin needed to cut it and tell him immediately where the white came from.) but martin closed his mouth, not saying whatever came to his head.
then he said, “peter, just tell him. whatever it is, he’s not going to let up unless you tell him something.” which just made peter huff in irritation.
jon felt vindicated, at this. martin taking his side. they hadn’t talked in a long .. time, and having someone actually encourage his behaviour made him feel.. you know, better. and pissing off peter lukas was always fun, so jon kind of smirked.
“fine.” peter huffed, gently leafing through some papers on his desk. the static grew louder, and jon visibly winced. he hoped he didn’t imagine martin doing the same. “well….. you..” he paused. “you aren’t.. the only avatar, of the ceaseless watcher.”
“i know that.” jon crossed his arms. “elias is… unfortunately one as well.”
“no, that’s not what i mean.” peter spoke soft, like he was talking to a child. it made jon irritated. “there’s another one, one almost as powerful as elias. any questions you have, i’m sure he could.. answer them. but he’s.. you know, eccentric. and hard to track down.”
jon’s jaw set. another avatar of the eye? of course peter would want to hide that from him, elias too. elias was so… not willing to answer his questions. he wanted jon to ‘figure all this out in his own time’, but jon didn’t even know WHAT he was supposed to be figuring out. maybe this.. other avatar was a fake. maybe lukas just wanted him to leave him alone, and was lying, but jon’s chest and head and body didn’t buzz when he spoke. therefore he was being honest, or at least as honest as he knew how to be. even if this avatar couldn’t tell him everything, he could tell jon something. maybe just somewhere he could go to get some information. anything.
he balled his hands into fists, shifting a bit as he answered, “i want to try. to track him down, at least. i found gerry, im sure i can find him too.”
peter shrugged. “up to you.” he mumbled, shifting some papers over.
“…. you said he’s eccentric?” martin cut in, his hands trembling a little. “.. how eccentric are we talking?”
jon also cut in, “like jude perry or—?”
“oh, no. he’s harmless. well, ‘harmless’, he’s mostly just … not willing to hurt anyone. you’ll be fine.” peter seemed to be getting uncomfortable again.
“okay. so.. where can i find him?”
peter sighed. he looked up at them, at jon’s determined face, his curls falling back into his face, and martin standing so close to jon it was almost painful for peter to even look at.
“his name.. uhm…”
“..his name is Cecil Palmer. i think ..he lives in a desert town, called.. Night Vale?”