nexus_crossings | A Wayward Groom

Grace is sat close by in one of the oversized arm chairs, curled up with her phone and a coffee when she hears something.

Well, someone technically. For the most part she could tune out the sounds of the plaza when it got busier, but that voice cut through it is surprising ease. Pocketing her phone and placing her coffee mug on the table close by, she got onto her knees and peeked over the back of the chair scanning the crowd until she landed on who it was she recognised.

Well fuck. How to deal with this..he was probably freaked out, she remembers how much she was. Probably has no idea how he got here. This was going to be fun. And by 'fun', she means kinda confusing and disorientating.

Abandoning her drink for the moment, she pulls her shoes back on and makes her way closer to Eddie, making herself known once she's sure he'll hear her.

"So, you're here too, huh..?"

Through the crowds a slight woman made her way towards him. There was obvious intent to find him specifically. But why she was doing it was beyond him. There was a crackle in the back of his mind that echoed familiarity, but nothing was adding up. Flickers of leaving the facility entered his head, but it didn't make sense because She hadn't gotten away from him yet...

Eddie recoiled somewhat, a foot going back to steady himself. There was too much noise, too many people. Too much everything. But where has our darling gone? Where is she? Why did this happen?

"What is going on?" He drawled, a slight lisp that drew out the 's's in his speech. The broken skin above his lip still raw and angry looking.

As he steps back, she stops where she is. He looked exactly as she thought he might; now here's hoping she can be at least a little help in explaining things. It wouldn't make any sense at first, and people didn't always react well to that.

"You've managed to find the Nexus. What's the best way to put this..It's kind of a meeting place between worlds, I guess? I know how that sounds, trust me."

He raises his brow slowly. He doesn't know the first way to begin processing this. Neither Eddie nor the Groom are capable of wrapping their head around it, which results in something of a mental short circuit. There isn't the loud static the Morphogenic Engine emits clouding his head. He feels dizzy for a moment, taking deep breaths.

And then his breathing steadies out. Of course, this is the beautiful town at the foot of the mountain side he lives on. It's as beautiful as he remembered it being. Ah yes, his friend he hadn't seen in what is his opinion far too long. Still as pretty as he recalls.

"Ah yes, the melting pot of different cultures coming together. It's such a wonder." His tone is suddenly light and calm, looking around with wonderment. "It's such a lovely day out, no wonder it's so busy."

Well, out of all of the reactions Eddie could have had, this was one of the better ones. This Grace can work with. She hopes. Not that he could hurt her if he'd reacted badly, but who wants that regardless?

"It is, yeah. Usually it's a little colder, you picked a good day to find your way here."

This could be good for him. People lived in the Nexus, not everyone chose to go back to their home worlds. No one here knew who Eddie was; he could stay here if he wanted to.

With a gesture back towards where she was sat before; a cluster of armchairs and sofas close to a small coffee shop, she offers him a smile.

"I was just having a drink - you're welcome to join me."

Normally Eddie didn't exactly feel the cold, but that was possibly more down to The Groom's utter lack of regard for it. He was probably going to be the death of him, but he sometimes wondered if that was really such a bad thing-

The Groom's smile broadened, such a charming girl. Yes, he recalled her, even if it was more like a dream, but the same could be said of his darling. His memories were hazy, fragmented and distorted, but he recognised her and she smiled so nicely at him; it was all he needed to convince him.

"You're too kind." He beamed, although the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm a little out of practice, you'll have to tell me what's good."

"I'm sure they'll have something you'll like."

Grace noticed the smile, how it was void of any real humour, but she didn't comment on it. She couldn't even be sure that Eddie really remembered her. All she could do was humour him, try help him process his being here if she could.

As they approached the sofas and chairs, she was glad to see no one had taken her seat, and there were still a few to choose from if Eddie wanted to sit.

"What sort of thing do you like? Coffee, tea? My treat."

He was practically giddy. Flitting between panic and calm so easily couldn't have been good for him, but he found himself settling down on one of the sofas without any trouble. It was so plush and comfortable. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt something so wonderful.

He chuckled as he settled into it further and set his arms resting on the back. He looked as though he owned the place by the way he was sat.

"And generous too, really, you don't need to." The smile finally began to look less uncomfortable. "I haven't really had either in a long time, I've just been unable to get any back home... What do you normally have?"

"I know, but I want to." That, and she couldn't think of anyone that needed a sit down and a mug of something hot more than Eddie.

"Usually it's tea, but the states have kind of turned me into a coffee fiend." The answer to his question came with a smile of her own. "I'll be back in a sec."

She wasn't gone long, as promised - returning with two wide mugs of black coffee. While her first instinct had been to assume he wouldn't care how his drink came, she'd asked for milk and sugar separately for his, just in case. Setting the tray down and settling herself down a moment later, Grace stirs in the packet of sugar she'd gotten for herself, looking over at Eddie only when her mug's enclosed in her sleeved hands.

"So..this is probably an odd question, but do you remember me..?You didn't look as though you did when I first walked up to you."

"I've heard that to the English, tea over here is terrible compared to what they have. I think it was something to do with how the leaves blend with the water." He reached for the sugar, a modest single scoop and a lot of milk. Mostly just so he could drink it quickly. It'd been so long since he'd had a hot drink, let alone something to eat.

He took a sip and sunk into the chair, clutching the mug closely. He'd missed coffee more than he realised. Once the daze of his first sip of coffee in years passed he glanced back at her. There was a nagging. She was being so familiar with him and yet he couldn't place it. Yes, she was familiar too, but... it was blank.

"I can't say I do." He frowned, feeling bad. "But I do, at the same time. If that makes sense? I know that I know you, but I don't know how." Eddie paused and set the coffee down after another sip. "How did I look? Did you know me before Murkoff? I have to say a lot of that's quite hazy to me now." He admitted sheepishly.

"It's pretty bad, yeah - but the coffee kind of balances it out. Italian coffee is the best I've had though, easily."

At the question of knowing Eddie before Murkoff - however long ago that'd been - she shook her head, lowering her own mug. God she hated remembering this particular story, if only because of how much it made her cringe. It hadn't been her smartest decision in history, not by a long shot.

"Ah...not quite, no. A few of my friends from work decided it'd be a great idea to break into Mount Massive when we were last stateside. While we were wandering around inside, I got separated from them and ran into you, and you helped me get out."

And that was how she was going to leave it, rolling her eyes at herself as she took another mouthful of coffee.

"Not my proudest moment, I'll admit."

That haunted, lost and alone expression of absolute terror is one Steve Rogers understands very well. It's been over a year since he'd worn it, to be sure, but you don't forget a trauma such as being ripped form your world.

Not then, not now.

He's slow to get to his feet, tucking the small notebook he'd been scribbling in into his suit jacket as he approaches the much larger man.

"I didn't see anyone come ahead of you, sorry. Do you know where you came from?"

Eddie's gaze fixated upon the small man in front of him. The twin aspects of him battling for dominance. The Groom was thankfully still fixated upon capturing Waylon to be his bride and as such despite seeing Steve as a 'her', to him, he looked far too small and sickly to bear his children. Terrible genes. He could hear his voice rattling around, a low muttering. Words but almost incoherent.

It was still fuzzy for Eddie, trying to work out exactly how he wound up here. Murkoff was capable of a great many thing, but this? This was new. Maybe this was it. He'd finally cracked beyond the point of no return. He needed to sit down. The pain he was in was finally starting to kick in. The Groom was able to ignore it from his mania, but Eddie was aware that the vision in his right eye wasn't quite right. It stung. The entirity of the left side of his face stung. And God above his mouth felt raw.

I came from my beautiful home- He grimaced and shook his head. "The Colorado mountains. Mt. Massive..." Despite his huge frame and broad build, the voice that came out was meek and quiet. "No.. it's for the best she didn't get sent here. It keeps her-- him away." He looked down at himself. It wasn't the ward's jumpsuit he'd been issued. It was hideously sewn from spare scraps. It also reeked of old blood.

It's probably for the best Steve doesn't realize this man sees him as a sickly woman or there would be some hurt prides and snarky remarks being slung this guy's way. He's scrapped with people your size before, buster (and gotten beat half to death as a result of it).

"I've not been to Colorado before. I'm from Brooklyn." Steve's also just now taking in everything this guy is wearing and his expression is steeling slightly. He really really hopes this is an overenthusiastic and somewhat time displaced Halloween costume. Otherwise. Well, this guy might need to be someone Steve keeps an eye on.

"She didn't come through here. Just you. I can walk you back to your door, if it's still there. Do you know which one is yours?'

His brows dipped, there was more than one door? Oh Christ. He took a steady breath and looked around, a new fresh wave of panic seeping through him. He didn't want to go back there. He needed to be away from the hellscape that was Mount Massive Asylum. Everyone needed to keep away from it. They said they'd help, they did the exact opposite; smiling and jeering the entire way through.

The comment about being from Brooklyn flew right over his head. Now more concerned with the thought of whether the other was trying to make him go back or was offering help.
"I'm not going back." Don't shout. Don't raise your voice. He's not one of those jack-booted fucks. "I'm not- I won't." He backed away from Steve, mind already starting to make war over his meaning.

He wants to return us to our Darling~

There's something not right here. Steve turns around, watching the larger man cowering away, holding back emotions Steve isn't sure he understands. But he's beginning to suspect this man's Colorado isn't a place to be visited, and isn't the kind of place he wants to return to.

Was it a prison? it's the first time Steve's even questioned criminals possibly having access to this place. But look at his outfit. No one would let him walk around wearing something like that, surely.

"Okay...that's okay." Steve holds his hands up as placatingly as possible. "You don't have to go back. I thought you were worried about the girl, is all."

What's not right is everything. This entire situation. But the other wasn't making any rash moves, maybe he didn't work with Murkoff then. No, this place couldn't have been made by Murkoff, it was too beautiful. All that company could bring was death, misery and a fundamentally flawed understanding of science.

The girl? Our Bride. Our beautiful-- Eddie shook his head. Waylon.
"She isn't one." He tried to correct himself, but The Groom wasn't having any of it. "She's-- He's trapped there too. He helped them make me like this." Now it made sense why The Groom was so fixated upon Waylon. He gritted his teeth, focusing more than he wanted to on his words just to make sure that they came out right. "He can rot there for what he did."

"She...he? He hurt you?"

Steve doesn't really understand, but he's trying to. And he's suddenly very glad for the Anti-Violence field in the Nexus. He doesn't want to know what it would look like if this guy went berserk. Not with the state of his dress.

"So don't go back then. You...you can get help here."

Whoever this person was, it was apparent that he wasn't communicating effectively enough to him. But focusing was so difficult. One minute stalking the decrepit halls of the asylum and now... it was idyllic by comparison. Something that he could have only conjured up in his dreams to stay.

"No doctors." He grimaced, looking over his shoulder at the door he came through. Selfishly he wished that no one else from Mt Massive would come through there either. He wanted to block it up and keep the sickness that place brought out. "They lie. All of them. They won't help."

"I'm not sure how to help you then. The people here are very nice, but..."

Steve's hands are wringing in front of himself, looking between the man and the door he'd come from several times. What to do? He could call for help, but that might put this guy into a bit of a panic and that's the last thing he wants to do. At least he's calm right now. Best for Steve to just play along and be as calm as possible.

Probably?

He has no idea what he's doing.

"A..are you hungry then? Thirsty?"

From spending all his time observing the mannerisms of the doctors and directors at Mt Massive, reading people was easy. This man was clearly unnerved by him, but it wasn't his job to placate him. Not after everything he'd been through.

"Yes, thank you." He exhales slowly, trying to keep himself in check at the very least. "Then I must find-" My Darling-- he grimaced, "some supplies. Something I can treat myself with."

Not that he knew the first thing about first aid, but he'd just dab it with antiseptic and hope for the best.

"Well, first aid kits are easy to come by. Not everyone who ends up in the Nexus does so gracefully."

Steve's already walking off across the Plaza to one of the many such kits hung up on an inconspicuous wall. He pops it open to check that the contents are all in tact before clicking it shut and hurrying back over with it. Steve jerks his head toward one of the many Nexus couches in the plaza.

"Come on, let's get you patched up."

Concentrating on not spilling her coffee as she looks for an available computer terminal, she doesn't see Eddie. But his question certainly catches her attention. Most newcomers ask where they are, or why they're here. They don't often call out for loved ones, and so plaintively besides.

She looks around until she can match a face with a voice. The poor man looks like he's been dragged through Tartarus. "Who are you looking for?" she asks in concern. "And do you need any help?"

This couldn't have been the work of Murkoff, there were too many women walking around. The experiments at Mt. Massive had affected even the female staff who hadn't come into contact with the engine. So where in the hell was this?

Look at her, she's so beautiful- Eddie quickly quashed the thought. He needed to keep the Groom fixated upon Waylon, keep him away from any and all unsuspecting women. He needed to keep himself away.

"-I shouldn't be here." He spluttered, finally managing to get out of his own head long enough to speak. His voice was softer than a man his size should have possessed. "It's not safe-- It's not safe there either."

Anywhere else, a man in that state of shambles would have her backing away in fear. But this is the Nexus, the land of second chances. Things on her own world are far scarier, at times. She can handle this.

"There's an anti-violence field," she says kindly, pushing down her anxiety in an effort to settle his. "You're safe here. No one can hurt you."

And, presumably, he can't hurt anyone else, which is probably more of a comfort.

Anti-violence field? If Eddie hadn't looked confused before he sure did now. He had to be dreaming. Such things didn't exist. Had he finally lost it completely and this was what he was seeing now? Though, to be honest that might not be an entirely unwelcome thought. He'd had far worse delusions he'd been trapped in before.

"If I can find my way here, then Murkoff can..." He muttered, brows dipped. "But if they can't hurt anyone... and I can't hurt anyone. That may be for the best."

He swallowed thickly and looked to the woman, he could see how tense she was, not that he could blame her.
"I'm sorry-- I haven't come from the best of places."

That's at least one thing Adia and Eddie can agree on; when she first arrived in the Nexus, she also thought the anti-violence field was so ludicrous that she was dreaming or had gone mad. "I know, it sounds unbelievable," she says, reading the confusion on his face. "There are a lot of things here that are unbelievable..."

At least he's not pretending that he isn't dangerous. That's a point in his favor. "I'm not from the best of places, either," she says with a tentative smile. Slowly, more for his sake than hers, she approaches. Close enough to be conversational, without violating his personal space. "This is a great place to make a fresh start, if that's what you want."

"I don't know if it'll be so easy." He rubbed at the nape of his neck, now very aware that she was closer.

People didn't know who he was. He was supposed to be elated at that, he could pretend everything was fine, but that was how he got to where he was in the first place. If he'd tried to get help more after he was put into the system as a child maybe he wouldn't have become what he was now. Murkoff wouldn't have sought him out for their experiments.

"I'm not always in control. If this field works, like you say it does, then everyone will be much safer." He rubbed at his face, the open wounds stung from the sweat on his palms. He grimaced. "It's... difficult to talk about. Where I'm from, they were conducting experiments on people like myself... it didn't go well. The facility's half destroyed and the 'patients' rule the roost. There was so much suffering."

"Oh... I'm so sorry." Genuine sympathy fills her eyes. "That sounds like a nightmare. You... you certainly don't have to talk about it with me. But I promise that you're safe here. The people who live and work in the Nexus would never tolerate that sort of thing."

She wishes she could do more. No matter his past, no one deserves to be treated like that. "You might want to stay in the Plaza for now, then. The anti-violence field works best here." She pauses a moment before adding, "My name's Adia, by the way. I don't live here, but I try to visit as often as I can."

He nodded slowly, his features softening somewhat as he found himself less concerned. There was every chance that this was just an act on her part, but he'd been let down too much to have the strength to keep doubting. He wanted to believe her and that things could be different here.

"My name is Eddie." He tried to smile, although the pull on his facial wounds was more painful than he wanted to admit. "Thank you, really. Perhaps when the wounds are less fresh."

Granted not talking was how he'd gotten into this situation all those years ago. But it wasn't her job to listen to his tragedy.
"I'm sorry that we didn't meet under better circumstances. I'm certainly not my best." And haven't been for years.

She seems sincere, for whatever that's worth. "Nice to meet you, Eddie." She doesn't know if he's referring to his physical or psychological wounds. Likely both. "I wish I could do more for you. Someone around here must have access to a first aid kit, or... one of the vending machines, maybe. You should get your cuts washed out and re-bandaged."

It's probably for the best that he doesn't share his story. Adia is a good listener, but some tales of woe are out of her league. "It's okay. Very few people are at their best when they first arrive here. Give yourself plenty of time to settle in and get used to it things. You can always look for me if you have any questions."

A Wayward Groom

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