I would actually kill to hear your post 200 jmart messy divorce thoughts you alluded to in those tags
Woof OK let’s get into it then
My foundational piece of thought for this comes from the fic it will be this, always by bluejayblueskies on ao3. That fic is basically the closest I consider canon to the ‘jon and martin managed to survive somewhere else, with consequences’ ending (if you’re an 'optimist’ like me and you choose to believe in that option :P) Their relationship in that fic has similar tones to the show– the writing captures the feeling of TMA well–and the fic in general is very bleak and cathartic, clinging to the edge of a damaged relationship that’s about to fall apart. So, I enjoyed this fic A Normal Amount and it’s stuck with me ever since.
Now I don’t actually have the brain cells or the energy levels to write the fics that’re floating around in my head atm, but here are my scattered thoughts on the subject of jmart post-mag 200:
- Basically, they can never truly come to terms over the final decision
- (Jons desire to end the world’s suffering, vs Martin’s POV, the betrayal of their relationship and Jon’s self hating suicidality)
- At least, definitely not in the first few months when they’re forced to live together bc they’re stranded in this brave new world and have no one else.
- Both fall back on negative habits. Jon starts smoking, withdrawing, becoming paranoid; obsessively searching for signs of the fears.
- Not one person in the world understands what he’s been through. What kind of sacrifice he made. And they don’t know how much he failed them all.
- And his body hurts. All of his wounds hurt. His head struggles to clear and the empty space in it seems so silent. He sometimes gets mentally lost without the eye to guide him.
- He almost wishes they had died. He wishes he hadn’t cut the tether. But hes so happy Martin is alive—even if he seems to hate him right now. That’s ok, hes alive. Even if he can’t smile at him anymore.
- Jon craves any sort of comfort. But the only man who had ever wanted to give him that is now enormously angry with him and maybe rightly so. And besides, of course, he’s so unworthy of comfort that it’s shameful to even desire it. He deeply wishes he could stop wanting it, to stop feeling so disgusted with himself.
- He feels disgusted with himself regardless. Helpless and hopeless and confused in this floundering relationship and so very guilty of the things hes done.
- He’s sinking deeply, deeply into self hatred and despair.
- But he still lashes out at Martin occasionally bc he’s a bastard
- (And bc he deserves to a little bit, y'know? He’s angry about a lot of things right now and he has a right to be! And some of those things might be bc Martin uhhhhhhhh. Did not always treat him with the most compassion, understanding, or patience during the apocalypse.)
NO I don’t think their relationship in show is toxic or abusive. I think it’s realistic that two people who love each other very much in terrible circumstances are going to fuck up. and them hurting each other makes for good drama. anyways- Martin also withdraws, becomes cold and passive aggressive. Assumes the caretaking role for Jon (again) and walls off his feelings
- He just can’t forgive Jon for leaving him like that. For betraying his trust. For abandoning him. For hurting him immeasurably deeply by forcing him to kill him
- And he can’t understand his reasoning for doing so, when he thought that there was a chance for them to get out and be ok, and it could have all been so easy, but Jon didn’t seem willing to take it. He chose to die instead because of his guilt, and martin is so, so angry at him for that.
- And now he’s stuck. Again. Forced into caring for someone who has treated him badly, AGAIN.
- And he has no one to talk to. No one outside of Jon to go to for comfort, and being around Jon hurts. He is increasingly alone. Again.
- Martin’s fine. Everything is fine. He doesn’t want to talk about it. Would you like some tea? I.e., it’s time to shut the fuck up, Jon.
- His anger and resentment sometimes turn his tongue as sharp and cold as an icicle. In those moments of icy rage, Martin thinks his voice sounds like his mother’s.
- Except when he finally can’t hold it in and he explodes at jon like a sadness volcano, because Jon can’t even look him in the face anymore. And then he leaves to go cry alone in their bedroom
- Eventually communication breaks down. Then I have a few fun ideas for what might happen
- Jon has a full-on mental break. Becomes catatonic. He’s paralyzed by the need to stay here for Martin… but he’s also held in place by the webs he sees now tying around his whole timeline. He was never going to be able to stop what they had planned for him. None of his choices ultimately matter –so he stops doing or wanting anything. It will all be taken away from him eventually. Whatever’s going to happen will happen regardless of what he does
- At the same time, he is experiencing so much pain and so much guilt and self hatred and lack of love in their relationship that he’s desperate to escape it. When he finds no relief from any quarter, he becomes extremely suicidal. The only two things holding him to life are 1. not leaving Martin alone, and 2. his hopeless resignation to the web.
- Starts having severe panic attacks.
- Has that PTSD 'avalanche’ where, now that he’s finally somewhere he can be relatively safe, everything that happened to him is hitting him all at once.
- He’s scared of everything. He’s scared of what might happen to Martin. He’s scared of himself. He’s scared of Martin.
- Then there’s the vomiting, anorexia, agoraphobia, bodily neglect, other passive self harms, the whole nine yards. He’s physically falling apart.
- Jon has a very bad time.
- And he’s moved almost entirely beyond Martin’s reach
- Martin is suddenly forced to come to terms with the fact that Jon needs immediate, intensive medical help if he’s going to survive
- Fate turns slightly in their favor, and they find a good physical rehab doctor, a good psychiatrist, and a good therapist for both of them. Perhaps at this point they’re separated, maybe just bc of a hospitalization, but they’re attending counseling together.
- In my happiest ending, Jon responds well to the meds and is able to start talking to someone about his overwhelming feelings. Martin is actually able to find therapeutic help for his trauma, finds other people to help him and Jon so it’s not all on him anymore, and he starts getting more of the love and support he deserves from his boyfriend
- they recommit themselves to the relationship and to making it work. slowly, they start healing.
- While also beginning to rediscover all the reasons they loved each other in the first place :)
- In a sadder ending, one of them dies ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Eventually both, if we’re being honest. One would not last long without the other. Not with that kind of connection
- Or perhaps they do separate. Maybe they keep in close touch, in which case I think it would lean more towards a happy ending. Orrrrrr they make a hard break of it. Maybe it’s sudden, urgent, painful and messy. Maybe they dont see each other again for years.
- Regardless of what they do, I don’t think they could truly be apart forever. They would visit. Even if it hurt every time. They would want to see each other again.
- Because they care about each other.
- But maybe, in one timeline, they need some space to heal and rebuild their lives and themselves. Maybe when theyre ready, they’ll try again.
I may continue this later with my other branching ideas possibly but I wanted to get this bit out while it was fresh and I was thinking about it. This line of thought continually haunts the back of my subconscious so I’m always happy to share it