Chapter Text
Having a meeting with Elias always messed with Jon’s nerves. His leg bounced too much and his nails that he had painted this morning were chipped from biting.
Did he go too far for an assignment this time? Did the police finally have enough of Elias bailing out his top Researcher? Was Elias firing him?
Jon ran a hand through his hair, taking in a deep breath, tugging lightly at his own hair to help ground himself.
“Mr Bouchard will see you now.” Rosie smiled at Jon, that helped little to calm his nerves but he appreciated the effort the woman put in.
Jon nodded back at Rosie before putting his messenger bag onto his shoulder and made his way into Elias’ office– the man had caught Jon five minutes before the day had ended, telling Jon that once he clocked out he would like to have a quick word with him (of course Tim had to be so mature about the situation, acting like he was a child that got called into the Headmaster’s office).
So here he was now, standing in the doorway of Elias Bouchard’s office. The man was staring at him, his eyes had always unsettled Jon, but he thinks it's because Elias is his boss, behind Elias was a large painting of Jonah Magnus, and all around the portrait were smaller paintings of all the past Heads of the Institute, their eyes all seemingly locked onto the door and whoever enter.
Jon wasn't afraid to admit that Elias’s office creeped him out.
“Ah, Jonathan.” Elias smiled his way, his interlocking hands separated so he could gesture to the empty chair sat across his lavish desk, “Come sit. I know you wish to make this meeting quick so you can be on your way home.”
Jon closed the door and walked over to Elias’ desk, sitting in the chair, all the eyes of the previous Institute Heads now seemed to look down at him; he hated optical illusions like that.
“Now, Jonathan.” Elias started as he opened up a drawer in his desk and took out some paperwork, “You've been working with us for almost nine years? You started out as an Research apprentice during University whilst you took your English Major and Parapsychology major. Then of course graduated a year early from both and started working in the Research department full time.” Jon had no idea why Elias was laying out his employment history, but he didn't stop the man from talking.
“Eight years you've been working with us, and never once have you asked for a promotion.” That unnerving smile once again appeared on Elias’ face, “That is why I would like to offer you one.”
With a smooth twist of his hand, Elias faced the paperwork– which Jon now knew was a contract, towards Jon.
“As you know, my previous Head Archivist has gone missing, presumed dead. So I need someone to fill in her role. And I believe that someone could be you.”
Jon looked at Elias with shock.
“You want me to be Head Archivist?” Something within Jon wanted him to say yes, to sign that contract and shake Elias’ hand and go back to his flat with new responsibilities on his shoulders.
But he didn’t.
“Yes. You've worked here for eight years, you know your way around Research and many of our cases like the back of your hand, you'd be a perfect fit for Archivist.”
Jon swallowed that urge to agree and instead looked over the contract, that ever so familiar urge to know and to gain knowledge tugged at his head as he read through the contract.
Although the pay rise was a significant jump to what he was currently earning; just beyond enough to afford a two bedroom flat in London, the hours made him stop.
He would be required to work full weekends and an extra two hours per day, 8-6.
He couldn't do that.
“I'm sorry Elias but I have to decline.” The shock that briefly passed over Elias’ face surprised Jon. “These hours are far too much for me- and I'm a researcher! I don't have the skills or qualifications to be an archivist. If you wish for someone to take over as head archivist, why not ask Sasha James. She trained under Gertrude personally in the last two years. Surely you'd want someone more…adept to be working in your archives?”
Jon wasn't the best at reading facial expressions, but if he had to guess, Elias looked angry, and frazzled. Like he wasn't expecting Jon to decline.
Elias then suddenly sat further into his chair, leaning across his desk– and Jon swears to God he saw his eyes get greener, and asked Jon a question.
“What is the real reason you declined the position?”
“I do truly believe I am unqualified for it, it'll only cause me stress and anxiety. But I don't want to have to work more hours than I already do because I don't want to spend more time away from my daughter.” Jon felt his throat block up as he finished talking.
Why did he say all of that? What had compelled to spill his guts to his boss? Maybe his anxiety was far too high to think of clearly.
It wasn't like his daughter's existence wasn't known; Tim and Sasha had very quickly become her Uncle Timmy and Auntie Sash when he introduced them to her. But people outside of his two immediate friends weren’t aware, which meant Elias wasn't aware.
Jon looked back at Elias, and he seemed almost smug, proud of himself.
“I see, well I'm sure that you'd want this meeting to end soon so you can get back to your family. But I'd like for you to at least consider the role of Archival Assistant for research if Sasha James takes the promotion. You can email me any time this weekend and I'll have the contract ready by Monday for you to transfer.” Elias then waved Jon off, remnants of annoyance clung to his movements. So Jon quickly picked up his bag and sped walked out of Elias’ office without even bidding him a goodbye.
As Jon closed the door and walked out of the Institute, he'd hoped that he could shake that ever persisted feeling of being watched off him.
Jonah kept his Gaze on Jonathan until he exited his Temple, relishing in the uneasiness the man felt. He resisted the urge to scream in annoyance as Rosie was still outside his office, no doubt finishing off the last of her admin tasks before packing up to leave for the day.
He could go and complain to Peter about how his plans to bring about a New and Changed World were in vain because he did not Know of Jonathan’s daughter, an Anchor to keep from him from ever truly Becoming, but the two were going through another divorce once again so it'll be a good month before he has Peter back to complain too whilst in bed.
How did he not Know about her? Even as he Looked, he could not See her.
Jonah knew Jonathan wasn't lying, he had Compelled the man after all, so why couldn't he Know?
Instead Jonah turned his Gaze to Sasha James, Looking at what Marks she had already gained.
One of the Vast– she fell onto the glass floor of the Shard during its opening weekend (Jonah still couldn't believe The Vast had been allowed to build a perfect Feeding place in London) when she was 24, and seemed to be stuck to the floor, seeing the world get further and further from her, giving her Acrophobia.
And a Mark of the Flesh– the first person she went to for a surgery (that he didn't care to Know) was secretly a man of the Flesh and took a hip bone. She needed another surgery to replace it, Sasha still walked with a limp sometimes.
Jonah frowned, yes, Sasha would be a good replacement for his Archive as she already had two Marks, but she didn't have the natural urge to gain and retain information like Jonathan did, nor the Mark of the Web which Jonah knew was going to be extremely hard to give Sasha.
But then again…
Sasha was more than happy to dig up information to tease or blackmail others with, she was a master hacker, able to access many important files and documents if an assignment called for, all in the pursuit of understanding. So if he encouraged that behaviour even more he could carve that natural urge for Knowledge that Jonathan already possessed.
The Beholding was not happy with this change of plans.
But even if Sasha was an Archivist- an Archivist was always in need of an Assistant, an Assistant who could always take over if need be.