nexus_crossings | 1st Annual Halloween Block Party!

Perhaps it's the leaves of fiery golds and oranges drifting on the breeze, or the sight of various hard squash being mangled into festive ornaments, or even still the bowls of candy left out simply everywhere in the Nexus that signifies the import of today. Regardless of when you take heed, Halloween has come to the Nexus.

Neat little handmade signs and fliers of all kinds lead to a particularly festive sectioned off block with the Crossroads Cafe at the center. The brick building has more than its fair share of decorations hung from every available windowsill and door. Hanging skeletons, jolly Jack-O-Lanterns, orange and black streamers cascading down and blowing to and fro in the crisp breeze.

The doors are propped open just waiting to beckon you inside. What are you waiting for?

((See the OOC post if you have any questions! Backtagging and threadhopping are fine. Come on in and have a blast :D ))

Coats and Costumes
The Cafe
Bonfire
Dance Floor
Haunted House
Side Halls and Storage

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Han happens to have not seen the weird shit going on with Harrow. Or maybe he wasn't paying attention. In his defense, there's usually a movie going on to draw his attention and sometimes a redhead that he's awfully fond of besides.

"You did good."

He's not the best with the motivational talks. He knows that. To leave at that doesn't seem like he's ... offering enough praise?

"You always do when you apply yourself to something. Have a little more faith in yourself, maybe."

Look at this face, Han. Does that look like there's not enough praise being given? He's so genuinely surprised and happy to hear those words come out of Han's mouth. Josh's smile is hesitant and crooked, but it's one of the genuine ones.

Josh bites at his lower lip and nods, ducking his head a little bit at the end there.

"This may come as a shock to you--" In a tone that very much acknowledges that it won't, "--but I really don't have a lot of faith in myself in general. Or lots of things in myself in general." Phrasing? Josh sighs and tries again. "What I mean is, this. The speeder. They're real fuckin' important to me. Because it's something that's gone right. It's more unusual than you'd think."

He's looking. There aren't as many moments as you'd think where Han gets to watch the power of encouragement at work. Chewie will get it from him now and again, but more often the two of them are engaging in grudgingly affectionate sass. When they're not venting their frustrations at each other, that is.

The special bond between Han Solo and Chewbacca can be a bit hard to understand unless you see them around each other. It's brotherly in its own way, but ... more like competitive brothers who were really close in age.

"That's when I try to keep the momentum going, kid. String a bunch of good things in a row and then, when the bad comes, because it always does ... you try not to let it set you back too far." He spares him the comparison of likening it to a pilot maintaining their trajectory, but he was thinking it. Josh probably knows he was thinking it too.

The grin Josh gives says that yes he does know Han's thinking it. He gets up then and jerks his head toward the bar.
"I'm gonna get another beer, you want one? And statistically speaking, Han probably does, so Josh will wander off for a few minutes to go get them both a refill on their drinks.

When he comes back he's got a thoughtful expression on his face as he takes his seat again. He also nabbed them each a few pieces of satay he's got piled on a disposable plate. Knows Han isn't too much of a sweets kind of guy. He ate his cupcake while he was in line getting them drinks.

"You're not wrong, Bro. It's just...the bad days are more frequent than I let folks think. Chris.." A pause, and then a shrug. "You. I do my best to stay outta sight when I'm down. That way no one else gets hurt anymore. But I am getting through it, and I'm not entirely useless here. It's progress. And I'm proud of it."

The smuggler pilot can see no reason not to be boozed up for the evening. That's what he's come to equate holidays to in his mind - excuses to get together and blow off a little steam, tell a good story or two and sleep in the next day. No curves thrown tonight.

When Josh is back, Han doesn't hesitate to dive into the beer. It's nice that when someone hands you a beer from virtually anywhere in the multiverse, you know what you're getting. Lightly alcoholic, carbonated and tastes of the grains of wherever it came from. It's funny what's constant around here and what isn't.

And Han listen's to the kid's words. That they're realistic and yet, cautiously hopeful. Other people he might make fun of for that kind of attitude, but he wants to see his younger brother conquer his demons. He's not even all that sure why. He just does.

He pats Josh familiarly on the shoulder. They've been through enough that he feels like he can. "I hope you know I get something out of this too." He thinks it's important for him to know that. That he doesn't think of him as simply a charity case or labor he can have basically for free. "I probably don't thank you enough, so. Thanks."

"Drink your beer before you get all weepy on me, bro." He might sound like he's making light of the thanks, but the way he flushes and ducks his head says much more than his words do. He's just embarrassed is all. And after a belated moment and a long swig of his beer, he gives a tiny murmured "You're welcome, bro" without making eye contact.

He's useful to Han Solo. Josh can't help but to smile to himself. He might be a monster. A fucked up sunnuvabitch. But he's also making himself useful. And maybe someday, he'll be that instead of those other things. A reliable friend. That's who he wants to be.

"What's on the docket tonight then? We already movie'd. We're keepin' our buzz on. What's next on th'list?"

Using the cocky answer when he's trying to talk about his feelings, huh? That has earned you a Han Solo eye roll, but that response shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Anytime someone gets the sarcasm into a conversation before he can, they'll usually get that response - as if sarcasm was only cool when he did it and otherwise it's immature.

"Pick up women, according to Harrow, though I question how accurate that statement is. Dressing up in weird clothes doesn't strike me as the kind of thing that will get the clothes to drop on their own."

"I can only help so much on that front."

Josh makes a bit of a face. He knows the kind of women Han is into. Specifically the woman in particular Han is probably looking for tonight. And she and Josh are not what one would call friends. Though, if Natasha's here for the night (and possibly at Han's later), that would mean he'd be free to go crash Chris's place later....

"But I fully support you gettin' some tonight. Lemme make sure your costume is still perfect and appropriately ruggedly handsome. If that don't melt her Siberian panties off, then I don't know what to tell ya."

Does everyone think he needs all this help, or something? He's doing just fine with Natasha. On some level, even though it's almost impossible to tell what's going through her mind, he knows he must be doing something right with her. She doesn't seem like the type that would stick around if she wasn't enjoying herself.

"I ain't that worried." He says with a shrug. "I get the feeling that that part is gonna work itself out."

He and Nat will figure out exactly how each other's costumes come off or they won't. He certainly has a preference for the way he hopes the night will turn out, but he isn't going to worry terribly if it doesn't. She's complicated. So long as she's not giving him the so long, he's content with letting things play out.

Plus, he gets the sense that if he acts too invested, he'll drive her away.

In Josh's case? No, he doesn't think Han needs help. but if it makes it any more likely Natasha won't be home for the night and give him a reason to shack up with Chris for the night? Then Josh is gonna do everything he can to make sure Han takes her home tonight.

"Good. She'd be nuts not to head back to th'ship with ya anyway bro."

Just a couple of slight adjustments and he looks perfect. Or, as perfect as he can look without bulking up a bit and agreeing to that haircut Josh will never ever mention again, but that's beside the point.

"Perfect."

1st Annual Halloween Block Party!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject