Chapter Text
They’re about to kiss, a rarity in of it self as Jon is rather touch adverse with about everyone but Martin and is rarely in the mood, when they hear a tape click on.
Jon lets out a groan.
“Really? Again? You can afford us just a moment of privacy?”
“Every time” Martin mutters shaking his head.
The tape still doesn’t go away so Jon looks to Martin for help.
“Why are you looking at me?”
“Because it actually listens to you sometimes.”
“Sure, why not, worth a shot,” Martin turns to the running tape “first of all audio only kisses sound disgusting-“
“Glad you have your priorities straight” Jon says, rolling his eyes.
“And somethings are private you know, not everything is for you.”
“‘It is addressed to me.’” The tape whines, and Martin quickly tries to shush it.
“Martin? Martin what does that mean? You’re you are obviously trying to hide something from me.”
“It’s not- it’s not my secret to tell, but I suppose if it wants to...”
He takes the pillow muffling the tape off.
“Are you sure you want to come clean NOW?”
“‘I trust you’”
“Alright then I guess, I’ll let you explain yourself.”
He picks up the tape and puts it down on Jons lap. He doesn’t know why, it just feels... more intimate or something for it to be up there with them, more right.
“‘My name is Jonathan Sims-‘ ‘the Archive. Because you do not administer and preserve the records of fear, Jon. You are a record of fear.’”
Jon gives the tape a wild look and looks between it and Martin.
“No way.”
“‘I’m still me.’”
Jon gives Martin a glare.
“You’re telling me you knew this evil god THING is supposedly some twisted version of me and you didn’t say anything?!?”
“You didn’t want me too! I found out by accident and it wasn’t really my secret to share.”
“And how exactly did this happen?”
The tape refuses to really add anything to the conversation and Martin sighs.
“I’m not- you weren’t exactly clear on it, but from my understanding the world sort of ended? And you could come back because you were boarder line all powerful?”
Jon looks at the tape in bewilderment.
“Why would I then? I mean, obviously I would l, but the tapes- we KNOW it occasionally revels I’m suffering, why would it come back?”
There’s a long moment of silence and then.
“‘Jon I- I don’t know if you can hear this or- or if there’s enough of you left to care but- please. I can’t- I don’t care how- how weird or uh- evil you are I just. I can’t do this on my own, I can’t be alone, not again I just. I need you, I need you to come back or at least some sort of sign that you’re still sentient or- please. Just... just give me something.’”
Martin and Jon look at each other in that moment.
“You- you came back for- for ME.” Martin says a bit breathlessly.
“And you didn’t leave me, even when I was a monster.” Jon says in awe.
Martin takes the tape in his hands really quick.
“I want to tell you thank you, for all of this. For saving everyone, for setting me and Jon up, for all of it.”
Jon clears his throat and gives him a sly smirk.
“But as much as I appreciate it, I do need you to leave immediately because privacy is a big thing, and I need to snog you immediately.”
The tape disappears, and Martin lets out a little “thank you” even though he knows it can’t hear him.
“We still need to talk about this later.”
“I know. But for now can I- can I kiss you?”
“I think I’d like that.”
Martin throws himself at Jon, who lets out a laugh of surprise, and they kiss.
They don’t know the recorder simply moved under the bed so they couldn’t see it, and is happily recording every moment.
——————————
Somewhere else, in a different time, in a different world, one of the last free humans presses pause on a tape recorder, and smiles.
“God I love you.”
“‘I love you too.’”
And for one, beautiful, shining moment, a world based on fear is filled with nothing but pure, unadulterated joy.