jonelias fake dating bullet fic
So Jonβs about a month into his new position as Head Archivist. itβsβ¦ fine. this is fine. gertrude was a mess, clearly, and elias is even more of a mess for allowing things to get this bad, but itβs fine. itβs fine. heβs fine.
yes, really, martin, stop asking,
And heβs - look, heβs always been a diligent person, always very committed to his work, so naturally he would spend every waking minute trying to organize the Archives, and naturally he would forget to sleep once or twice or five times a week, and honestly so what if he hasnβt actually touched his bed in nine days? Itβs not like the lack of sleep is impeding his brain function. Much.
So itβs a bright and sunny morning in the Institute, and heβs up in one of the many libraries, looking up something about what may or may not have been a sentient kitchen sponge, and one of the researchers comes up to him looking oddly red and kind of stumbling over her words and oh lord no heβs being asked out
He quickly stutters through a rejection, but instead of just accepting it like a normal person (though, in fairness, what normal person would work at the Magnus Institute?), she asks him why not
And Jon isnβt exactly the nicest or most tactful person, but even he isnβt about to look this woman in the eye and tell her that he just straight up does not like her. heβs not even sure he knows her name. there is a whole realm of possibility as to what reason he could give, like heβs too busy, or he isnβt looking to date anyone right now, but those would sound too much like excuses, wouldnβt they, rather than valid reasons to reject her.
He picks the worst option.
βIβm already seeing someone, actually.β
An eyebrow goes up. She looks him up and down. A second eyebrow goes up.
Fuck. Now he has .2 seconds to make up a love story. Heβs too tired for this, and heβs never been one for love stories. What makes for a believable romance? And in that panicked, sleep-deprived instant, his eyes fall on a portrait of Jonah Magnus nestled between two shelves, and somehow that prompts a spectacularly terrible response.
Twenty minutes later heβs sitting at his desk in a spiral of anxiety. Itβs fine, though, right? That woman will probably keep it to herself, and sheβs just some random researcher, thereβs no way anyone else will hear about his stupid comment. Thereβs no way Elias will hear about it - and even if he does, Elias has always been a pretty laid back boss, maybe heβll even find it funny?
Oh lord heβs going to die Β
The next day, everyone has heard about it. Jon can just feel it in the way peopleβs eyes follow him. Tim and Sasha give him twin funny looks, kind of half-disbelieving, half-amused. Jon slams his office door slightly harder than necessary. He puts it forcefully from his mind, and the day passes without incident. Until.
Itβs the end of the day. Jon is walking towards the Instituteβs main doors. Half the Institute seems to be there (fair enough, it is closing time), gathered in bunches, talking quietly, eyes flitting to him and away. Tim and Sasha are sitting on their Gossip Couch in the lobby, watching him. Elias is there, and waves him over, holding something that looks like a statement. Of course, today would be the day he decides to get involved in the archives.
Jon begrudgingly walks over. The second he reaches Eliasβ side, Timβs voice rings across the lobby. Heβs walking towards them, saying something about hearing the most interesting thing from a woman in research, and how long have they been together?
Elias looks at him. Jon can see the instant when he realizes whatβs happened, and, more importantly, he can see the precise moment when Elias decides to make things infinitely worse, because his eyes light up like heβs just been offered a second Christmas.
Elias turns back to Tim and, entirely matter-of-factly, says, βTwo weeks.β
