nexus_crossings | Time for a big ol' Nexus Block party

Time for a big ol' Nexus Block party

On a sleepy summer morning a wonderful smell begins to waft throughout the Nexus. For those familiar with this place there can only be one explanation but for those new faces to the nexus this may be a strange thing: seeing so many people flocking toward the sweet and savory scents perfuming the Nexus.

There are a few tables set out this morning in the Plaza in front of a small cafe loaded with several carafes of coffee, a myriad of pastries from more than a few different worlds and cultures, and a large pan of eggs and sausage kept warm over a chafing dish. On either end of the table are disposable plates, cups, and cutlery as well as a few welcome pamphlets in a small container. Along the front of the tables is a hand made banner.

Meet and Greet

Manning the tables is Katsuya Suou, red apron on and a cup of coffee in hand. He looks far too cheerful for how early in the morning it is. It's always satisfying to put one of these on and see the throngs of different people stuck in line together to get their food and find a place to sit among the tables and couches nearby.

"Right then, is anyone hungry? I've got more than enough here for everyone so please mingle among yourselves or feel free to ask me anything you'd like."

((OOC: This thread is ALL ABOUT threadjacking and hopping. I encourage folks to tag on each other's comments and mingle rather than to reply only to me. This is a huge opportunity to have your characters interact with people they wouldn't have talked to before. Branch out! Meet new people! Scheme new schemes! Steal the last chocolate croissant!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Panda is helping to serve a mother and her son some juice when Josh approaches his cart, so it takes the bear a few seconds to notice the newcomer. The reaction he has is initially spooked, caught sightly off-guard by the scraggly teenager.

"S-Sure thing..." Panda nervously laughs, telling himself internally to calm down, as he gestures to the offered drinks. "What would you like?"

There's nothing alcoholic on the tray, alas. Something about the teen seems familiar, but Panda hasn't picked up that this is Josh. The friend he made at the cave months ago during movie night. The friend Grizz and Ice Bear have been searching for.

"Jus' water."

Josh scowls and looks to the empty space next to him before flinching back a bit and shaking his head. He reaches up with cut up hands to cradle it a moment.

"...Please. Gotta...'member m'manners."

"One water, coming up." Panda takes a pitcher of cold, ice water and pours a glass for Josh. It's the second he hands the cup to the teenager that he gets a look under the hood and realizes who he's talking to. So much for containing his composure, as Panda has a shocked expression on his face.

"J-Josh...?" Thankfully, Panda whispers his name, unlike Grizz who would've blurted out something stupidly. "It's me, Panda. You came over for movie night and we all had Mexican food together." Oh now Panda hopes this is the missing Josh him and his brothers have been looking for.

"Thanks. Yeah, thank-thank you."

Dull green eyes slowly lift and regard Panda over the rim of the glass he's drinking from. Quite enthusiastically, as though his body is reminding him of how long it's been since his last proper drink or meal.

"Mmh." He finishes the glass and leaves the ice to clink all alone until they melt. "I...I remember th-that."

"That's great. It was a lot of fun cause we talked about the Nexus and movies. Grizz has been really excited to show you the next Crowbar Jones film he's working on."

Panda is doing his best to stay calm, but he wants to flag down Ice Bear or Katsuya. Let them know that he finally found Josh. But would the teen try to run away? He nervously refills the glass, being careful to not spill any water.

"I-I got inspired to draw because of your stories. Nothing scary, just some cool anime characters. You should come by the cave and hang out again."

"Inspired...by you? Big Brother, he's going to kill someone because of you. That's what you do, that's who you are. You did that. You did it. You. YOU."

Josh's attention seems to flicker between Panda and something next to him Panda won't be able to see. He looks pained. The glass of water tumbles out of his loosened grip and chips on the lip as it hits the ground, spilling out its contents onto the ground.

"No, no more. I'm sssssorry. I didn't mean-Never meant. No. I'm nnoot..."

A monster? Oh but Joshua, you are.

Panda has no way to sense or see what's going on, but seeing Josh drop the glass out of nowhere is enough to spook him. This is not the same Josh he met at the cave. Something's amiss...He immediately scrambles to come up with something positive to say.

"I-It's okay! I drew a portrait for you! It's not a bad thing..." Is it? Panda sure doesn't think so..." We should go get some food...I saw some really awesome breakfast burritos..." Panda is trying to not look over his shoulder for help, but what else can he do?

One word cuts through the haze and the mire. The murk and the voices. His stomach twists in on itself painfully and rotting fingers touch his shoulder. A voice as cold as the mountain mid winter sifts into his ear.

"Eat. You need to eat, Joshua. Anything. Survive."

How long has it been since his last meal? Josh looks up then and there's a little bit of light back in those dim green eyes.

"Panda...? Where, food?"

"Oh! It's at the front of the buffet. I can lead you there. Ice Bear won't make you wait at all."

Panda can use this as a chance to refill his drink cart as well. But his main concern is getting Josh to Katsuya and Ice Bear. They'll know what to do to help...

"Just follow me, Josh."

It's pretty busy around them. So many people bustling about. An immediate wave of shame washes over the Canadian as he pulls his hood firmly around his face and keeps his head down as they wander around the line and over toward Josh's other former employers.

You know, the ones who don't murder people. The thought twists Joshua's stomach again. Even if he eats will he be able to keep it down?

Doesn't matter, he really does need to try. It's been...how long has it been since his last meal? What day is it? He doesn't know.

"Bet....they're pissed I haven't been at work..."

"N-No! Everyone has been looking for you. We've been worried sick!" Panda has been doing all the drawings for the missing posters, while Ice Bear and Grizz have been talking with Nexus residents for the past few weeks, trying to locate the teenager.

Thank goodness Ice Bear's table is within sight. The polar bear looks up from serving a person some pancakes, then noticeably gasps upon seeing Josh. He's dropping everything to come see his lost friend...

"Y-shouldn't be."

Worried about him? Why not. All he seems to do is cause problems for other people. Why not make other people sick with worry on top of everything else he's done to them. It's one more guilt to add onto the mountain already on Joshua's shoulders.

Ice Bear hurrying up to him has the young man clenching both hands into fists inside the front pocket of his hoodie. How can he tell Ice Bear the truth? About what Joshua is?

What he's done?

"...Any chance a guy cannnnnn get a bite to eat?"

"Josh."

Ice Bear is already embracing the teen, knowing he can wash up later. What matters most is that Josh is here. Josh is back. Ice Bear isn't going to shed any tears of joy, leaving that to Panda, who's happily crying for the both of them.

"Ice Bear will always make sure Josh is fed. Josh looks tired. Let's go inside the cafe for some peace and quiet."

The polar bear offers to lead Josh into the empty cafe, since everyone seems to be outside mingling. Panda will start loading up a plate with anything Josh wants.

He's been this thin before--Ice bear will remember when Josh first came to the Nexus. He doesn't look quite that bad now but then again it wasn't winter this time. He's gaunt and swimming in his clothes again. He doesn't smell the best either, but he has no strength to fight the embrace and with his arms pinned to his sides he can't reciprocate it even if he wanted to.

The young man lets himself be lead inside and tries to avoid the hard stare he knows Katsuya's giving him. It is one of worry, but Joshua won't read it that way in his current state. Panda will realize quickly Josh just says yes to anything, so once a plate is filled regardless of what is on it Josh will pick up either the pastry or the fork given to him and begin to slowly eat with no real indication that he's even aware of what he's putting in his mouth. It's an automatic response much like his drinking had been before.

"....I'm sorry." it's a bit muffled with food in his mouth, but Josh makes sure to get it out there as soon as it occurs to him that he should be saying so.

Edited 2018-08-06 13:00 (UTC)

Ice Bear can tell, but says nothing. He'll be sure to get Josh to go back to his place in the Nexus soon, after he's eaten and feels better. Thankfully Panda provides the grub: eggs, buttered toast, bacon. Anything that looks good is getting put on the plate.

Panda nods, explaining that he'll go out and help the customers while Ice Bear takes care of Josh, but neither of them should hesitate to reach out to him for anything. Ice Bear makes a mental note to talk to Katsuya later about the situation.

"No need to apologize to Ice Bear." The polar bear fetches a glass of water for Josh, taking a chair next to him. "Ice Bear is happy that Josh is safe. Josh should come stay with Ice Bear or brothers until Josh is feeling better."

"I rrreally shouldn't."

Not after everything he's done. How complicit he is in lord only knows how many murders. The number of people he's unintentionally psychologically tortured before they met their untimely demises. The voices that usually haunt the edges of his psyche are oppressively silent now. No one is here for Josh to lean on in facing down the people who care about him.

"I hurt...a..a lot of people."

"Ice Bear has hurt a lot of people. Ice Bear forgives Josh for anything that's happened. Bear family is always family."

The polar bear doesn't make any sudden gestures, feeling a sense of dread coming from Josh. He's had brief encounters with the mood swings, but nothing to this extreme. Jack Frost has probably seen more than he has, but the cheeky polar demon isn't here right now.

"Nexus family has also been worried about Josh. Everyone cares..."

"Not like this."

The protest comes out in a hiss, fork clattering on the table as Josh lurches forward in his seat. He's shaking badly. Every word forced out through grit teeth. It's not nothing. It can't be nothing. Not when people have died because of him. Even for someone as in denial as Joshua can be about the state of reality, he can't explain away this as no big deal.

"You d-don't get it. You can't forgive this. You don't knowwww what happened!"

Ice Bear, in a rare moment of weakness, actually reacts to Josh's sudden shift in behavior. His eyes go wide and his paws clench tightly, uncertain on what move should be made. For starters, the polar bear doesn't think Josh will attack him, but can he be certain of that? The sudden outburst isn't like the ones Nom Nom has: this one is filled with emotions Ice Bear rarely sees...

"What should Ice Bear do then?" Leave the question open. No accusatory or claiming language. Stay calm and stoic like always. He's letting Josh come to him with things, not the other way around. Ice is seriously glad Panda didn't stick around, because the older bear would've faltered in a second.

"I k-killed people. It's my fault, all my fault."

Of course Joshua believes that. He might not have been the one to do the killing, but he was complicit in the activities that lead to their demises all the same. What's worse is that Joshua doesn't even know how many. It leaves him open to overestimate just how prolific Jeff was in his serial killings but even if he knew the truth it wouldn't help anything.

People died and Joshua did nothing to stop it. He aided in their psychological torture before their deaths.

"I'm a monster."

Ice Bear isn't sure what to say, for fear of upsetting Josh further. Being reasonable or logical might only upset the teenager, so he has to picture the situation differently. Like when talking to Chloe.

Without a second though, Ice Bear stands up and gives Josh a hug. Grizz would be proud of his younger brothers actions. Can always really be mad at a large fluffy polar bear? Time to find out.

The sad unfortunate truth is that logic and reason don't mean much when you're having a psychotic break and spiraling into self loathing depression. Josh expects Ice to leave when he gets up but the bear pulls him bodily into a hug and doesn't let go.

Not that Josh would have the strength to fight him off even if he wanted to. He's too weak right now.

"W-whyyyy won't you listen? I-I'm a monster, but still..."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Time for a big ol' Nexus Block party

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject