Time for a big ol' Nexus Block party

[sumarusfinest]

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!))

Comments

[juststeverogers]

"That's what the message Ghost sent me was about, then." It makes a lot more sense in retrospect that they had run into this Steve. He's glad too that they got along with him alright. They're a couple of real good allies and friends.

You're not wrong.

What a Tony thing to say. Especially when he's right. That digs a bit deeper than Steve would like, but this man has lived through the consequences of those choices already and--oh. Oh how the color drains slowly from Steve's face, only to be replaced by a cold shock.

"He couldn't--he's not." He could never be, even when he was at his most broken. Steve didn't give up on him then, he's sure as hell not about to start now. "He doesn't have to do a damn thing to be 'good enough' for either of us."

[shieldborne]

That's probably where he picked up that speech habit, yes, although he's not thinking about it right now. Unlike Tony, though, Steve says 'you're not wrong' in a tone that doesn't imply he thinks the other person's a nimrod. But this Steve hasn't been in touch with Tony since the fight in that frozen bunker. It's just sometimes people leave a mark on you, even if you're not aware of it.

"You know that, and I know that," he tells his counterpart. "But Bucky might not. At least, mine didn't. He's still...struggling to internalize it, is how Sam puts it. The idea that he's a victim and not a monster."

"I mean, I can't say for sure your version feels the same as mine. Mine still can't get over how close he was to killing me on the helicarrier. He's a little leery of being touched, but he likes phone calls, and I've visited a couple times. Think about it. You might be able to head off the argument we had a few months ago."

[juststeverogers]

It's been rough, not talking to Tony. Having to go through Natasha to get any kind of insight as to how the other is doing and if he's holding up alright. The worst part, Steve thinks, is how even though he regrets how things ended, he knows he would do it again. There's nothing that will stop him from reaching a hand out when Bucky Barnes needs it.

And it would be just like Buck to ignore all the progress he's made and assume he's no good. The very same stubbornness he used to get mad at Steve over all those years ago, and here they are with the situation reversed.

"He's a survivor." Steve doesn't want to treat Bucky like either of those things. Something broken. Something inhuman. He's Bucky, simple as that. Neither he nor Steve may be the same as before they were put away for an age but it doesn't much matter. "Phone calls...I can do phone. I think." Not being able to see Bucky will make it easier to not just drop everything and head to Wakanda the minute his friend's expression breaks.

"I don't want him to get any funny ideas."

[shieldborne]

This Steve has analyzed what happened, how things went wrong, over and over and over, and there's plenty he regrets, but very little he could have done differently. And that weighs on him, because he promised Tony the Avengers would face whatever came at them together, and broke that promise in spite of his best efforts. Maybe, sometimes, there is no clean win. Sometimes you tell the world 'no, you move', and it just doesn't obey.

But they're still standing. Still pushing.

"It's worth the pain," he tells his counterpart with a weak smile. "For both parties. But, uh...actually, you should probably keep in mind who you're talkin' to here. My judgment isn't exactly known as flawless these days."

Even if he does stand by his actions.

[juststeverogers]

The warning jars Steve from his thoughts.

Startles a chuckle from him he didn't know he could even give anymore. Hey, who better to appreciate a guy's sense of humor and self depreciation than himself, right? This is undeniably weird but it's not as bad is it could have been. It helps that he's got a friend going through the same thing around here. At least the idea isn't mind breaking to him anymore.

"Well, I'm sure I'd get the same idea sooner or later. That might be how this works. I have a friend running around with a double too. I never thought to ask him about it before. Seemed rude. Now I'm wondering if I should have been taking notes."

[shieldborne]

It's kind of nice to hear himself laugh. Almost as nice as having a laugh himself, which is an event that's been few and far between lately.

This could be okay, having an unexpected twin. Chances are they'll feed heavily into one another's moods, and that could lead to trouble, but otherwise it's hard to argue with meeting someone who can very clearly empathize with all the crap you've been through.

"Maybe," he says. "I think I know who you mean, too. Met them both. They seem like good guys. I don't know, maybe how you get along with a double depends on what kind of personality you have to begin with. You and me, we're stubborn as hell and not exactly easygoing, but it sounds like we have the same values."

Someone with a superiority complex, someone who needs to be the best, might see an alternate as a rival to be put down and conquered. No chance of that coming into play with them. As long as they don't get on opposite sides of an issue worth fighting for, they should be fine.

[juststeverogers]

"Oh, you've met Captain Kirk? Er, one of them anyway. Or both? Wow. I only know one of them real well at all."

Despite having some of the same friends getting the two captains together in the same place has been remarkably difficult somehow. Strange thing, that. But this Steve is making a whole lot of sense and that's what's important right now.

"Suppose that's true. And I don't know about you but I've seen enough weird in my life that this doesn't even rank in the top five."

[shieldborne]

"Well, I wouldn't say I know either of them well, given I just met 'em, but yeah. They both dropped by to talk to me when I first showed up."

His gaze goes distant for a moment, as if he's reflecting on said 'weird in my life' and considering where this one ranks in his own estimation. "...definitely in the top ten," he concludes. "But no, not the top five."

He takes a breath and gets a PINpoint gingerly out of his pocket. "I should probably...get moving. But let me give you my contact information, in case something comes up? I'm not real comfortable with this thing yet, but I'm pretty sure I can send a text without blowing myself up."