Inbox

[skeletonkeay]

INBOX OF GERARD KEAY

Point of contact for Pumpkin Hollow. Gerry can be reached by phone, mail, or a visit to his shop during business hours. Pinhole Printing and Binding is open from 11am to 6pm every day except Tuesday, because fuck Tuesday, or unless Gerry deigns otherwise.

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Apologies, for Losing my Cooling

[apocryphalarchivist]

A stern talking-to from a friend and a slap from the Christmas Devil is enough to finally get Jon's miserable arse in gear.

Yes, he knows, fuck Tuesday, but that's the day he picks, nonetheless. He didn't want to interrupt any business-as-usual or leave a workday tense, and it was partially because he wasn't too keen to wait around any longer.

Here goes nothing?

Knocking on the back-door, he waits patiently, trying to keep his words collected as he waited. And the second Gerry answers, he loses about half those mental notes. Oh well.

"Hello, Gerry. ...Is now a good time to chat?"

Re: Apologies, for Losing my Cooling

[skeletonkeay]

Gerry snorts from behind the partially opened door, trying to keep out the cold. But he opens it further to let Jon in.

"'Bout time you showed up. Well hurry up and get in."

[apocryphalarchivist]

"I know, I know. Right when we'd spoken last, I was due for a voyage, and only got back in the other day."

He doesn't have to be told twice to shuffle inside, closing the door behind him. The home is cozy, and, admittedly, neater than Jon would've expected. He doesn't remark on that, of course.

"Lovely home you've got here," He remarks in a sad attempt at small-talk, before getting into the actual reason for the visit. "...I'd like to, ah. Start us off here with this overdue talk by... saying that I'm very sorry for the way I acted, during the incident."

[skeletonkeay]

At the apology, Gerry lets out a slow breath. "Before any of that," he interrupts. "I want to know why you bought it."

[apocryphalarchivist]

Jon hesitates, for only a moment, before he replies.

"...Something about it was off, when I was checking into a rumor that there were tapes in Calloway's shop," He starts, frowning gently. "I couldn't place it, but even at the bare minimum, Calloway being unwilling to sell it to Cecil didn't sit right with me. Even if it didn't have a strange, uncomfortable energy about it, it still felt like... I don't know. Buying a person, in and of itself."

He scratches his neck, glancing away, his frown turning a bit guilty.

"I considered asking him before I did, but couldn't shake the worry that someone else with worse intentions could buy it, being the low price that it was, so I... went ahead and jumped the gun, with a plan to give it to him and ask about it when I could get a hold on some free time. You know how well that played out, of course."

[skeletonkeay]

"You basically did buy a person, Jon. That's why he's so pissed. That's why I didn't wanna tell you what it did."

A hand goes to the bridge of his aquiline nose, and he presses his thumb and index finger firmly to either side.

"I--- In fairness to you, I don't actually know you that well to be able to predict what you might've done with that information. But I know Gertrude Robinson. And I know that if I told her what that thing was, she would want to test it. See how it could be used to further her agenda. And even if her agenda was ultimately to beat the bad guys or whatever, she would've done it at Cecil's expense if she was in your shoes," Gerry explains. "I don't know how much like her you are. I don't know how much of that was Gertrude and how much of it was Archivist, and I don't know what parts of that you got in the change over. I couldn't tell you what that paper could do while it was in your hands. I just had to hope you would take my word for it. A gambit that... didn't pay off."

[apocryphalarchivist]

For a moment, Jon considers his words, brows lightly furrowed.

"I understand your experience with Gertrude bringing you to that conclusion. For better or worse, though, I am not Gertrude Robinson. I haven't got her-- ruthless, no-nonsense, direct approach to all things she assumed responsibility of. I haven't got enough sense not to fall into half of the traps laid for me, and not terribly much more self-preservation or skill to prevent those things from happening, even if I did."

He glances back Gerry's way from where his attention drifted off to the side, though, and his expression softened.

"Unlike Gertrude, though, I could never justify harm to those around me to further my own personal wishes. Even for the greater good. ...I know she hurt you deeply, and that she set a precedent for Archivists to do much the same, but I hope, with time, I can show you I don't intend to follow that legacy she left. And... I'm sorry. For not taking your word for it. I've no reason to distrust you, but... people wanting seemingly mundane things for incredibly impactful purposes is something I've seen a few too many times, and I let my paranoia get the better of me."

[skeletonkeay]

"...I shouldn't have gotten rough with you," Gerry admits after a moment of processing Jon's explanation. "It's not that I think you're like her, I just--- didn't know one way or the other, and I--- I was scared. I was scared of what could happen to Cecil. I've never had anything so overwhelmingly, beautifully, unstoppably positive in my life as what I have with Cecil and I would do fucking anything to keep him safe. So when I thought he might get hurt, I panicked. And I scared you. M'sorry."

[apocryphalarchivist]

Jon's quiet for a moment, but gives a nod, frowning gently.

"I understand. ...Getting scared was no excuse for doing what I did, either. I'm sorry. You've had good intentions, as long as I've known you, and I won't let paranoia and panic leave me breaching your free will the way I did. You have my word."

[skeletonkeay]

At that, Gerry lets out a sigh. "I can't really... say how much I believe that. Not because I think you want to do that, but because this was a knee-jerk reaction. But I think you mean well. I just--- gotta explain this all to Cecil."

[apocryphalarchivist]

"I'll just have to work to prove it to you, then. And I'll do so."

At the remark about Cecil, Jon frowns, letting out a light breath.

"I'm not anticipating much success in mending, if our recent interactions are anything to go off of. ...Do tell me how it goes when you get a chance, though, if you wouldn't mind. If nothing else, then to put some finality on the situation."