brother_alone: (Head Tilt)
Josh Washington ([personal profile] brother_alone) wrote in [community profile] nexus_crossings2017-06-08 01:50 pm

(no subject)

Some days are better than others.

On Bad Days, the Nexus' resident schizophrenic is hardly recognizable. He's a mess of garbled and slurred speech. Delusional rantings. Unkempt clothes and wild dangerous eyes. The world he sees and hears so far different from reality. He shouts at shadows, throws rocks at the birds, claws at his hair as though he's trying to rip himself out of his own body.

Joshua tends to go somewhere by himself when he's having a Bad Day, though. He's very very used to hiding his condition and pretending to be normal. There are Good Days, too.

Days when he has a part time job, a put together appearance, and a friendly temperament. A life to his eyes that seems so small and fragile and full of hope. Joshua has a few bags with him when he comes to the Nexus today, frowning thoughtfully at the address written down he's supposed to be delivering to.

"You'd think in a meeting place between all worlds and times, prank callers would get more clever than 'Seymour Butts'." With a sigh, he dumps the address in the nearest rubbish bin and takes a seat on one of the couches. So much for his delivery.

"So, does anyone want to commit some petty identity theft for a free meal?" Hell, he'll pretend to be Seymour Butts if it means a free bowl of IceBear's soup. He's going to snag a freshly baked croissant out of the bag first though and pull off a piece of it. "Alternatively, what's the best prank you've ever pulled?"
mynameisnotbrad: (maybe listening)

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-06-09 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
Joshua isn't the only person roaming through the Nexus with a lot of disorders, as 'Josh' happens to be walking by when the question is asked. He almost ignores the teen entirely, wanting to get home rather quickly, but stops upon getting a glance at Joshua. Most teenagers get under his nerves, but it's the comment about identity theft that causes 'Josh' to approach calmly, putting away the small ear-bud headphones he's wearing.

"Seems like a pretty good deal." He shoves his hands into the pockets of his black track jacket, staring at the bag Joshua is holding, his gaze finally resting of the croissant. Food is overly appealing after a light jog through the Nexus and he doesn't want to start begging for anything, given how desperate and sad that would look. Sociopath tendencies aside, he's trying his hardest to have a normal conversation with the person he aptly shares a name with.

"Let me guess: someone was pulling a joke on you?"
mynameisnotbrad: (hey gurl :D :D :D)

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-06-11 12:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, too much of a good thing can have consequesnces, but I'm willing to take a chance on what you're offering."

He gets to peek into the bag, carefully examining each baked treat, until he finally settles on a chocolate chip muffin. Identity theft is a wonderful thing, whether it's a simple treat or someone's Netflix password: he's always ready to play a different part for rewards. Josh gets a smile back as he takes a seat next to the teenager, carefully holding onto the newly acquired muffin.

"At least the caller didn't have you check to see if your refrigerator was running...and that's a pretty lame joke." Good to have that muffin as a distraction, as he carefully tears off a piece, popping it into his mouth. Wow. He can't even hide his pleasure towards the perfectly baked treat. "Now I wish I had a latte to go with this. You weren't joking when describing the quality of Nexus bakers."

He leans back in the sofa, shifting his gaze between the sweet chocolate muffin and Josh. "Don't really have a good answer to you other question, sadly. The closest thing I've done in comparison was getting into trouble during college. Wild parties, spring break, stuff like that."
mynameisnotbrad: (maybe listening)

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-06-13 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"Are you always the optimistic one? You don't have to answer that question if you don't want to."

Josh's reaction just causes him to frown and turn away, embarrassed by what he just said mere moments ago. "Ugh. Can we act like I didn't say that?" He's never been one to blend in well with the younger crowds, as evident by his terrible jokes. "Maximum Effort? Mind filling me in on what kind of pranks you actually did?"
mynameisnotbrad: (hey gurl :D :D :D)

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-06-20 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Go for it then. You only live life once, after all."

Coming from a man who takes way too much pride in killing people, that last sentence holds a great deal of value to 'Josh'. He just smiles at the question, then turns his attention to the story at hand. Immediately the topic of camping catches his eye, and as the tale progresses, it becomes harder and harder to hide his excitement.

"That's great! To see all your hard work pay off in glorious spades makes it all worth it. But, I have to ask now...why deliveries?" He points to the bag as if to make a statement. " I mean, if you have such a knack for making props, why not find a job in the Nexus that caters to prop-making? Heck, there's bound to be some movie businesses somewhere around here."
mynameisnotbrad: (hello (darkness my old friend))

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-06-21 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
"Exactly! Scaring people is a fun rush, seeing their true and natural reactions are simply priceless."

Ouch. He can visibly see the change in Josh's mood, causing him to sit up, holding the muffin carefully in his hands. Normally he wouldn't show any sort of sympathy to Josh's plight, but he gets it: the struggle of fitting in when people think you're crazy. Now the elaborate prank seems to make more sense, and he so desperately wants to talk more about Josh's mental issues, but he sees an opportunity at hand.

"Hear me out, but you sound like a master of the macabre, and the best way to control those feelings is to channel them into your work." He gives Josh a smile and a small nod of the head. "I've been wanting to start up a horror-themed business here in the Nexus and having the right filming set is key in getting the audience excited. Does that sound like something you'd be interested in?"
mynameisnotbrad: (maybe listening)

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-06-24 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
The catch is obviously not being stated: he wants to set up a dangerous game show where people are kidnapped. To have a really great show, scenery is important and Josh would fit that niche perfectly, especially with this newly announced statement of having a mental condition. The teen seems less likely to question his murderous tendencies in comparison to a normal person. So when Josh refuses the offer, he's visibly taken back.

"I think you have the perfect personality for it." He shakes his head. "Hey, I won't force you to make a decision you're not comfortable with, but the offer stands in the future."

Placing the half-eaten muffin on a nearby table, he reaches for a pen and paper which have been left behind. Writing down a phone number and address, he offers the information to Josh calmly.

"Reach out to me if you change your mind."
mynameisnotbrad: (hello (darkness my old friend))

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-06-28 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
"There's no point in joking about something like this." He's a low patience kind of guy, so dragging out a needless conversation is pointless. The muffin is reclaimed while Josh has a moment to let things sink in, until a handshake is offered. It takes him a moment to respond and return the handshake, mainly because of the awkward name situation. He's been calling himself Josh, but since he's taken to doing bad things anonymously, maybe its best to come up with a second alias.

"Dave." The last victim he killed provided him with a lot of amusement, and now, an acceptable name. "It's a pleasure to meet you Josh." He's keeping up a normal smile while shaking hands, thankfully not getting too excited over this possible new recruit.

"Now that you know I'm serious: is the offer still something you need to think about?"
mynameisnotbrad: (hey gurl :D :D :D)

[personal profile] mynameisnotbrad 2017-07-05 01:49 am (UTC)(link)
"Sure. The sooner you find out, the better."

Although he'd prefer to have an answer now, impatience and all, he's willing to give this time. It's very hard finding the right people to bring into his 'business' circle, but the payout seem worth all the effort, given how many goody-goody people exist in the Nexus. Speaking of work, there's a buzzing sound coming from his jacket pocket, followed up by a slightly audible notification song.

He doesn't even seem fazed by the interruption, quickly removing his cell phone in order to glance at the incoming message. If Josh does try to read over his shoulder, the text seems completely innocent, talking about friends coming over. In fact, he's smiling and oohing to himself, before realizing that he's actually sitting next to someone instead of being alone. Oops.

"Sorry Josh, but work calls. Have to meet with some promising clients to see if they can handle my creative ideas." He stands up, offering his hand to Josh politely. "If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call me."
chiron_survivor: (another way to smile)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-09 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Adia is having a good day, too, if her appearance is anything to go by. Or it might be due to the trio of pokemon following her through the Plaza. The one that looks like a fiery orange dog notices Josh first, or rather, the bag full of delicious smells that he is holding. She trots his way and stops at the couch with a hopeful look on her face. Treats? For me?

"Sarah..." Adia catches up to her, smiling brightly when she sees who the friendly growlithe has found. "Oh, hi Josh! How are you doing? Sarah, there is nothing in there for you." Although Adia can't help but admire the bag of take-out as well. She's had Ice Bear's soup, she knows how good it is. "I can't believe people pull pranks with food deliveries. It's such a waste."

She's not going to bother answering his question. Her, pull a prank? Instead, she asks with mild concern, "Were you okay during the invasion? Your apartment building didn't get damaged, did it?"
chiron_survivor: (one sad tulip)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-11 02:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Sarah basks in the attention. A bite of that buttery croissant would sure be nice, but she'll happily settle for pettings. "She's a growlithe," Adia explains. "I'm watching Steve's pokémon... he was injured during the invasion." Rather badly, if the way her smile falters is any indication. "Bucky's wary of strangers, but Ethel is friendly, too. I'm still learning what they can and can't eat, so they probably shouldn't have anything in that bag."

Adia, however, is not going to say no to a free meal. She may look clean and refreshed, but there has been a steadily mounting food crisis in the Fleet. She'll take food wherever she can get it. She sits down next to Josh and smiles at him gratefully when he passes over the bag. Peering into it, she sighs longingly. "Is that Ice Bear's ramen?"

Bucky perches on the back of the couch and gives Josh a suspicious stare. Ethel settles at her feet. "Oh, that's good. That was kind of you to help others. I was in the Plaza, too, performing first aid." She looks around with a small frown. Hard to imagine that just a short time ago this place was overflowing with refugees. "Have you been here for previous invasions? it was... well, if I hadn't already been used to war, I think I would have been overwhelmed."
chiron_survivor: (woobie eyes)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-12 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
He must be a great trainer, because all three pokémon are incredibly well-behaved. "it's okay, Josh." She winces at her word choice. "I mean, it's not okay that he got hurt, but he's going to pull through. He just needs time to heal." She hopes. She hopes so hard.

She only hesitates a moment before pulling the container and utensils out of the bag. "You're sure that there isn't a guy named..." She pauses, knowing that she won't be able to say "Seymour Butts" without snickering. "A guy named that? The Nexus is full of possibilities."

Her mood sobers quickly at Josh's admission. "Your hallucinations?" she asks softly. She looks him over in concern, but he seems as put together as he's ever been. "But you're doing okay right now?"
chiron_survivor: (you're kidding right?)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-12 03:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Adia can't help but smile at Sarah's antics. "Oh, she really likes you, Josh. That's sweet." It makes her glad that she brought the pokémon with her to the Plaza, even if Bucky is still looking disgruntled. Ethel is naturally taking the opportunity to catch some shut eye.

Finally satisfied that there is no Mr. Butts who will storm up to them and demand his food, Adia snaps apart the disposable wooden chopsticks and pops off the plastic lid. She brings the bowl up so she can inhale all that broth-y goodness before balancing it carefully in one hand so she can grab noodles with the other. "Ice Bear gave me a bowl of this when I was all hung over... he is such a good friend."

Mouth full of noodles, she needs several seconds to swallow them with as little slurping as possible before she can respond. "Oh, Josh... I'm so sorry." So many of his earlier comments make sense with this added context. "Is that... is that why she died?"
chiron_survivor: (Default)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-12 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"Pokémon aren't like regular animals." It feels a little like she's stating the obvious, but it's the conclusion that she's come to after spending so much time with these three. "They can understand me... not just my emotions, but some of what I've saying, too." She reaches up to gently scratch at Bucky's feathers. He chirrups softly in response. "They make me feel safe, too... they're taking care of me as much as I'm taking care of them."

The soup is delicious, but she can't enjoy it while Josh is suffering through a painful memory. She sticks the chopsticks into the bowl so she reach over and touch his arm. "That's hard... that's so hard. I'm sorry."
chiron_survivor: (thoughtful but hopeful)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-16 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm sure I would," Adia agrees whole-heartedly. She likes most people anyway, but Josh's sisters sound like especially sweet girls. The kind she would have liked to have as friends when she was their age.

It looks like Sarah's got the whole physically comforting thing down, so she withdraws her hand and eats some more of her ramen. "Yeah," she says quietly, commiserating with Josh's words. She wishes she had something uplifting to say in return...

"Guess what," she says finally. "We found evidence recently that Earth is real. It looks like we're going to find it soon." Maybe he won't care, too deep in his own dark thoughts, but it's something, right? "And, oh... we got off New Caprica. The day after you helped me. Thanks again for that, by the way."
chiron_survivor: (reporting for duty)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-17 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah." She grins, happy to see the beginnings of a smile. "I hope so, too. We're following a beacon to another part of space... they meant for us to find them, so hopefully they'll be willing to help."

"Not anyone," she gently disagrees. "You're a very charitable person, Josh." She holds up the bowl of ramen as an example. "You were there for me when I needed someone. That means a lot to me."
chiron_survivor: (thoughtful but hopeful)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-17 01:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"It had coordinates, but no other information, so far as I know." She's intrigued by the idea of inscriptions of music and mathematics, and frowns thoughtfully at the idea. "It would have been nice to have more than that, but if they're running under the assumptions that the Sacred Scrolls haven't been corrupted over time, then there wouldn't be a need for it. That's a neat idea, though, I'm glad people on your Earth did that."

She watches him quietly for a moment, hoping he'll look at her again. "Things are much better now," she tells him. It's important that he knows that, that she isn't still suffering. "And if there's anything I can do to help you, you let me know, okay?"
chiron_survivor: (Default)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-17 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"And no one was worried about whose attention that might attract?" She grimaces a little and adds, "Sorry. I'm too used to hiding from the Cylons."

It's her turn to blush a little at the compliment. She's unsure if he means her ex-boyfriend or her situation in general, but with the two tied up so tightly with one another, it doesn't really matter. She nods solemnly at his words, taking his condition seriously. "I will. I have Ice Bear's contact on my PINpoint. Who is Han? I don't think I've met him."
chiron_survivor: (you're kidding right?)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-19 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Contact with aliens," she says with a slightly questioning lilt to make sure she's understanding him correctly. "I don't know, I used to think the odds were better for alien life, but we've been halfway across the galaxy by now and haven't found anybody else. But maybe it's different where you're from."

Perhaps someday Adia will have an opportunity to watch some Earth movies and get better acquainted with its pop culture. Until then, Han Solo is just another Nexus denizen. But she'll make an effort to find him, if it's important to Josh. "A pilot? What does he fly?"
chiron_survivor: (thoughtful but hopeful)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-19 07:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Sarah's nose wiggles at the smell of home made foccacia, but otherwise she's content to stay close to Josh and keep him company. Ethel has already dozed off, and Bucky is periodically breaking his creepy bird stare to gaze longingly at Adia's ramen. Adia pretends not to notice, but makes a mental note to give all three pokémon some treats when they get back to Steve's apartment.

Setting the plastic bowl in her lap, she takes Josh's phone. She has seen this particular photo before during her intermittent research of Earth, but she still takes a minute to look it over, her expression full of wonder, as if someone has given her a precious gift. "It's so beautiful... "

Josh's words break her out of her trance. She hands back his phone, suddenly a lot more interested in his friend Han. "A spaceship? Is he from an Earth, too, or somewhere else?"
chiron_survivor: (reporting for duty)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-20 04:06 pm (UTC)(link)
It takes her a moment to catch on to why he's apologizing. "No, it's fine," she reassures him. "We'll be finding our Earth soon, I'm sure of it."

There's a small amount of disappointment that she tries hard not to show. If Mr. Solo is not from Earth, then the star charts he has on his ship won't be of much use to her. But by the time she picks up her bowl of ramen, now nearly gone thanks to her appetite and Ice Bear's amazing cooking, her interest in Josh's friend returns. "Someone else not from Earth... there aren't a lot of us, are there?" She smiles. "I look forward to meeting him. He's not from the same universe as Shark, is he? The little alien lawyer?"
chiron_survivor: (you're kidding right?)

I got an error when posting the tag and forgot to try again. >_<

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-22 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"Okay." She shrugs and returns to her ramen. It doesn't hurt to ask.

She thinks for a moment that he's still talking about Shark, but despite how fond she is of the diminutive clone, there's no "kind of" modifying his arrogance. "I'm glad Han has been looking out for you. I know how important it is to give back, too. I'm glad you got the opportunity." She pauses, the last few curls of noodle clinging to her chopsticks. "Do I want to know about the weird coliseum thing?”
chiron_survivor: (tired of running)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-25 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
Something akin to distaste passes across Adia's features. Not enough to put her off her ramen, but enough to make her chew her last bite slowly and without pleasure. Fighting. And with some people dragged into the spectacle involuntarily! She will never understand why anyone would want to participate in such an event, let alone watch.

Not that she holds it against Josh. He's young man, they're usually into that sort of thing. Finally swallowing, she wipes at her mouth with a napkin and listens to his description of the disappointed man who sat next to him during the fight. "Oh, that must be Felix. He's Jim's boyfriend."

Only belatedly does she realize that maybe she shouldn't have said that so freely. As frustrated as she is over how loose Felix plays with the truth, he's still her friend, and she's willing to respect the things he keeps private. She doesn't know if this is one of those things.
chiron_survivor: (reporting for duty)

[personal profile] chiron_survivor 2017-06-27 01:21 pm (UTC)(link)
She's not sure what it says about Han, that he'd be willing to fight for money to repair his ship, but he's Josh's friend, so she won't pass judgement. Josh needs all the friends he can get. "He was lucky to have you around," she says, her smile returning. "You're good at caring for others."

Her bowl empty, she closes the lid back on. "Thank you again so much for the ramen. I'm going to recycle this and then take Steve's pokémon to the park. Do you have any other trash? I can take it with me."
riversideblues: (pic#7947755)

[personal profile] riversideblues 2017-06-11 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
Dean is on his way to the Atomic Range with a borrowed sniper rifle slung over his shoulder. That or he has been looking to return it to the original owner, or maybe he wants to pocket it for himself. It is the same gun Adam left behind while he was on the roof, and the same gun he used to shoot Khan with.

He grinds to a stop when he spots Josh and he hears the words pranks, a devilish smile appears on his face.

"Little dude, I am the master of pranks. And you bet'cha I had many prank wars with Sam." He takes in a deep breath, and he puts a hand to his chin. "Best one was when I replaced his shampoo with Nair. You know the stuff that removes your hair. Dude was pissed at me for months. As for your second question... Count me in. I'm hungry and I'm more than happy to help someone with a little five finger discount."
riversideblues: (pic#6924568)

[personal profile] riversideblues 2017-06-12 07:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Dean reaches into the sack without any hesitation and he pulls out a box with a small apple pie in it. He ooohs, and he opens it up. "Come to daddy." Maybe he needs a stiff reminder about what happens to those who eat random food in The Nexus.

"Now what about you? Tell me about your favorite prank that you pulled on your friends, here or back home." Dean takes a bite of the pie, and he mmms. He didn't bother to read the ingredients and he hopes there are some big giamagantic words along the list of apples.

"The gun ain't mine, I ended up borrowing it during Khan's little invasion from a big guy named, Adam. I haven't seen him around, so I'm taking good care of it like it was one of my own. Though if I don't find him soon, I might just adopt the poor thing."
riversideblues: (pic#7038241)

[personal profile] riversideblues 2017-06-21 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Dean is already digging into the pocket pie with gusto. Even if it was tainted with a curse or LOL, he won't leave a delicious pocket pie to go uneaten. He makes mmm noises, and he swallows the bit of pie.

"Think you told me about your dad being doing stuff for Hollywood. I still think that is pretty bad assed. Though I got to ask if he ever worked on a Friday the 13th movie, or Hellraiser." One would think Dean wouldn't watch movies that reflect his career as a hunter. But movies were a great way to kill time as a kid while he was living motel to motel while their father was hunting, and he was stuck looking after Sam.

"But, dude, I would have killed to see the looks on the faces of your friends. And you'd think I would have done gross shit like that to my lil'bro. Guess there's only so much you can do when freaky dolls are all part of the job."