TMA!Jacobi and Jon

[mrballisticsdummy]

"Are you sure this is the place?" he asks the driver, who was already speeding off, leaving Jacobi in front of the old building.

"Thanks for your help!" he calls out with false cheer, rolling his eyes before trudging his way up to what he had been told was the Magnus Institute. He doesn't even flinch at the screech of tires that comes from blocks behind him. He doesn't have to see the car erupt into flames as a very confused driver crawls out and phones for help. That's chaos for someone else.

Instead, he takes the steps up, backpack on his shoulder. He had flown all the way out here, so it's not as if he's going to be missing any leads. Besides. He has an appointment.

The closer to the door he gets, the more uncomfortable he feels about this. It's like a whisper of wind against his skin, a suggestion of something dangerous, but Jacobi's never let something like that bother him. He walks through, hands in his pockets.

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[mrballisticsdummy]

For the first time in a very long time, Jacobi laughs and there is no anger, no heat, behind it. It's a genuine, surprised sound.

"What? No. Look, you've lost the plot. I came looking for this because a contact told me that other people might be after it. But the news is old because I've been in space. A fact that you seem to he way okay with, even though I'm not famous. That was the reference."

Oh shit. Is he turning into Eiffel, making stupidass references?

He picks up his backpack again, the metallic clanking of magnesium casings sounding again. "Look. Do you have it or not? It's pretty important."

[epistemological]

"Well, if you'd been in space with Fairchild or that outfit out of Ny-Ålesund, I might have a bit more objection," he says primly before he glances towards the stairs to the rest of the institute. He frowns at the question, biting his lip a little.

"Let me... see if I can find it. Can you stay here?"

[mrballisticsdummy]

Jacobi raises a brow at that. "Don't care much for the dark.." He shrugs.

"I'll stay," he says, though he has every intention of snooping. "Whatever you say."

[epistemological]

He looks back at Jacobi as he starts to move towards the deeper parts of the building.

"Stay there, please." A pause. "And I will know if you don't."

[mrballisticsdummy]

That gets a very shitty salute.

"Sure thing, boss," he says, adjusting his backpack. But as soon as Jon is out of sight, Jacobi is absolutely going to try and find his way into anything he can. Fortunately, he has no intention of burning anything, but - hey. A boy can snoops.

[epistemological]

...which is why Jon walks back in a few moments later, frowning in irritation.

"What did I just tell you? Are you four?"

[mrballisticsdummy]

He might have his hand raised, about to open a door. He might have already fiddled with the lock. But when Jon catches him, he flashes a grin.

"Hey, neat trick," he says with absolutely zero regard for the look on Jon's face.

"Did you find it?"

[epistemological]

"How was I supposed to do that when you waited less than half a minute to start mucking about?"

The angry substitute teacher energy is high here.

[mrballisticsdummy]

That's strangely endearing for Jacobi, who meets that energy with amused class-clown vibes of his own.

"What's behind here?" he asks instead of answering the question.

[epistemological]

Oh the eyeroll is mildly epic as he starts walking over.

"None of your business. Now do you want me to look for it or not?"

There might be a bit of zing on that, whether he meant to or not.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Jacobi flinches a little, but doesn't itherwise react.

"At this point? I don't really care. It's more curiosity and wanting to just...finish what I started."

[epistemological]

He notices the flinch... and he winces in return.

"Sorry about that. I didn't- it gets away from me on occasion."

[mrballisticsdummy]

He can't help but look to his hands. "Yeah, I get it. But it's fine. That doesn't scare me," he assures him, finally admitting to knowing a little more than he did before.

"The truth, I mean. It's a good way to...break things."

[epistemological]

There's a pause... and then a slow nod. And he looks to where Jacobi had looked. Glances over at him.

"Are you... you're not with the Lightless Flame, are you? Yourself, I mean?"

[mrballisticsdummy]

"Nope," he says, popping that last sound dramatically. "Not for lack of trying on their part. And I considered it. Briefly. For about three seconds. But uh...I don't like mindless idiots too much."

[epistemological]

"...oh thank Christ."

He probably shouldn't sound so relieved. But also he's not sure what he'd do, considering.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Jacobi laughs. A laugh that sounds more like a giggle. The kind of laugh he remembers from before. He wonders, just briefly, if that's because of Jon.

"They're the worst, right? But I work - alone. Which I actually find to be a bit more - I don't know - comfortable. "

[epistemological]

"But you are-"

An avatar seems like too much to say. And he's not sure he should finish the question, if he wants to know the answer. He doesn't think the other man is fully realized if so; he could try to find out, but he might be willing to just say so. Most of them have been.

[mrballisticsdummy]

"I know what I am," he says firmly, though Jon's right.

"But it doesn't mean I always - want to agree with others on how to go about it."

He doesn't particularly enjoy the feeling of fighting it as often as he does. But that's the price he pays. His own sacrifice. Burning away parts of himself to have a semblance of life for a while longer. It isn't sustainable, but it's his actual goddamn choice.

[epistemological]

"Well, I suppose that makes the two of us," he has to admit, and there's a deep sigh before he shakes his head and slings an arm to indicate Jacobi should come with him.

"I'm an idiot, but I assure you, you won't like the consequences should you try and burn anything where we're going."

[mrballisticsdummy]

"I'm not going to burn anything!" he protests, but follows after him. "If I was going to, I'd have already ignited all the shit in my backpack. But that's not meant for this place."

[epistemological]

"You do realize telling me that does not actually make me feel better about inviting you in," he says with a huff and a shake of his head as he leads the way up the stairs.

"Artifact storage is this way."

[mrballisticsdummy]

Jacobi snorts. "I don't believe in inefficiency," he tells him as he follows close behind. "Also, I kind of figured I'd get three steps in before you tried to stop me."

[epistemological]

"Yes, well, we've got quite enough enemies. Forgive me for attempting diplomacy. Try not to make me regret it."

[mrballisticsdummy]

"We?"

He shifts his backpack on his shoulders. "And I'm not going to make you regret anything. It's been - strange to have an actual decent conversation for the first time in months? Years. Definitely months."