Nexus. Aoife's Brownstone and the Black Dog. Next Steps.

[ssjmihoshi]

tiny gentleman named Noaks: *falls off the arm of the easy chair by the window where he'd been watching the day break, and gets stuck between the side of the chair and the cushion. Muffled yell!*

Matthew: *despite his injuries he's never been able to sleep past dawn. Peeks open his one eye and looks to the chair* You ok?

Noaks: *wriggling fiercely. Freezes a bit at the Big Person voice, but then replies sheepishly* I'm not hurt. Just very very stuck.

Matthew: *steels himself before throwing the covers back and hobbling across to where the chair sits by the foot of the bed. Supporting himself on one arm, he delicately pulls at the wriggling legs with the other*

Noaks: *pops out and sighs with relief, but then peeks up a bit fearfully at the big man who is holding him. He knows the people in this house are friendly, but a habit of generations of hiding is hard to break*

Matthew: *uses his best military training to hide the pain grimace and try to look non-threatening (on second thought, the military didn't prepare him very well for that last one). Stands up straight and makes a 2-handed platform for the man* Anywhere I can set you?

Noaks: *points toward the sewing needle that's sticking lightly into the arm of the chair with a long piece of knotted thread leading from the windowsill* By my climbing gear?

Matthew: *sighs, not liking the idea of more bending* Sure. *dutifully lowers the man*

Noaks: *jumps before the Big man's bent too far, and then grabs his needle and swings nimbly off the chair before climbing the thread and grinning from the windowsill* Thank you.

Matthew: *reserved smile* You're welcome. Be more careful next time.

Noaks: Sometimes all the carefulness in the world is defenseless against a sneeze. *rueful*

Matthew: *begins to laugh heartily until being reminded quite painfully that his wound has not fully healed yet. But he grimaces and manages not to clutch at it*

Noaks: *concern flashes onto his tiny face* Maybe you'd better sit down.

Matthew: *stubbornly* I'll be fine. *begins another round of the stretches Aoife showed him*

Noaks: Alright. Have a good morning! *rolls up climbing gear and slings it over one shoulder, then goes down the lace curtains and scoots toward a tiny closed door in the baseboard*

Matthew: You too. *wonders exactly how many people live here. It seems every day of the 2 months he's been here another new face pops up*

tap: *sounds at the door*

Matthew: *rearranges some hair to cover the right side of his face* Come in.

Aoife: *opens the door and comes in, his breakfast tray balanced on her hip* Thanks for helping Noaks. He's just getting over pneumonia and isn't as strong as he could be yet.

Matthew: *continuing to stretch* Your hospital might not be the most high-tech, but I've never seen a larger array of patients.

Aoife: *chuckles as she puts the tray on the bed table* Actually, Noaks and his family live here. The house has a pretty healthy Borrower and Tiny population. Do you like bullseye toast?

Matthew: *looks to the plate with what seems to be a cooked egg inside a piece of toast... and knowing this is the closest he'll get to protein with Aoife's cooking, takes it anyway* It looks good.

Aoife: Logan's bringing you some chicken and rice spread. I told her your reaction to the soy food. *amused as she remembers his 'But it's not meat!'*

Matthew: *snickers and sits on the bed again, wolfing down the toast concoction once he's situated*

plate: *refills the moment he empties it. This is new, yes*

Matthew: I do like soy, sometimes... *pleased eyebrow raise is pleased!* *munches this one too*

Aoife: And that will keep refilling till you've had enough. You've finally gotten to where a full stomach's not going to stress your system.

Matthew: *barely keeps from complaining about lack of food so far, is just enjoying getting to EAT finally*

Aoife: *big grin, and then turns her head* Excuse me, the baby's crying. *turns and races lightly out, leaving the door open*

Deidre: *peeks around that door, ears perked*

Matthew: *grunts a thank you and eats a couple more pieces before setting the tray on the bedside table* *sees the cat and smiles* Good morning.

Deidre: Mrrrrrrrp. *eyes sparkle* -TV time yet?- *tilts her head and laughs softly in his head* -Deedee brought kitty treatses.-

Matthew: *smile widens* My wonderful friend, you snuck them past the M.O. again!

Deidre: *big purrr* -Needs help getting back in bed? Or sitting on chair today?-

Matthew: *looks between the two options* I've had enough of this bed. *stands again and moves for the chair*

Deidre: *right over there offering a strong shoulder under his hand*

Matthew: *leans on that shoulder as he sits, then rubs her head and neck with broad massaging motions*

Deidre: *big big purrr, and then tilts her head to one side so that he can see the treat packet stuck behind her collar*

Matthew: *takes the packet and gives a few to Deidre before munching some himself. The mushroomy bits are the closest to meat he gets outside of Aoife's cooking*

Deidre: *noms and purrs, then flops down and stretches out with her eyes turned toward the television next to the door* -Footses warmer?-

Matthew: Yes please. *reaches for the remote... and finds air. Looks up to see it's been forgotten on the bedside table, pushed aside by the breakfast tray* ... *nearly facepalms at himself*

Deidre: *floats it off the table and over in front of him on a trail of golden sparkles*

Matthew: Thank you. *turns on the news*

Deidre: -Saw a guy in a prettier dress than yours.-

Matthew: *chuckles* That's not hard. *glances at his old nightgown* Who was this?

Deidre: -Scattershot. Barmaid.- *looks up at him* -Mama could have made prettier dress.-

Matthew: *not concerned* I'll get a better one when I'm not sitting on it all day in bed. *thinks that he's already tired of doing so*

Deidre: *stretch and squiggle under his feet, then turns on her back and watches invisible things from that vantage* *massive purr on the Mathew feets*

Matthew: *stretches out his big brown toes and idly massages the fuzzy kitty belly as he watches the TV*

Deidre: *conks out and snoozes*

few hours later

Matthew: *bored with the same shows and feeling antsy, flips off the TV and moves to get up*

Deidre: *snaps awake and rolls onto her tummy* Mrr?

Matthew: 'Been cooped up in here too long, time to go downstairs. *less stiff than he was earlier. Opens the door and waits for Deidre*

Deidre: -In your night dress?- *ears perked as she sits up and looks at him*

Matthew: *shrug* Why not? I don't have anything else to wear.

Logan: *snort* If ya stayed put a little longer you would'a.

Deidre: o.0 *scoots over to peek into the hall*

Matthew: *also looks into the hall, as the voice sounds familiar*

Logan: *cracks a grin at him* Hey, kid. Feelin' any better?

Deidre: -Aunty Logan!- *big feeling of a happy squeal*

Matthew: *oh, it's you! Small smile* Hey, Pixie. I should be, after 2 months.

Logan: *hands on hips* Let's get somethin' straight. *points up to a little critter sitting in a spider web and having a staring contest with the rightful dweller thereof* 'At's a pixie. I ain't.

Matthew: Not going to stop me from calling you one. *ruffles her hair as he passes her on his way toward the stairs*

Logan: *snickt! sound, and then something is poking him in the lower back*

Deidre: -Oh boy...-

Matthew: *tenses, barely resisting the pounded-in urge to throw the attacker over his shoulder* Please don't do that.

Logan: Exactly. I ain't no stinkin' pixie. I'm a Wolverine. *who is trying very hard to keep a feral growl out of her voice*

Matthew: *gazes down at her. Then smiles as a piece of a memory floats to the surface. Turns back to the stairs* You didn't come see me to threaten me.

Logan: *chews her cigar and scowls, but then lets her claws retract with another snickt* Was gonna give ya some decent clothes 'n take ya ta eat, but now I figure I'll go run the clothes up some flag pole 'n buy myself dinner.

Matthew: *raises an eyebrow at this, descending the stairs while indignantly not using the railing* I guess I'll have to kill myself again so you'll be nice to me.

Logan: *snorts and throws a bright pink and lime green maxi dress down on his head*

Matthew: *smirks to himself, folding up the dress until he can get to a bathroom to change* You coming? Aoife said you were bringing meat.

Logan: We're gettin' it at the bar. *flings a petticoat down on him too, and then a pair of boxer shorts with a happy face on the butt*

Matthew: Didn't think Aoife'd let me out so quickly. *raises an eyebrow at the petticoat* Is it cold?

Logan: It's snowin'. Besides, the dress's kinda thin. *holds up a pair of stripy, hand knitted socks. With toes*

Matthew: *hand-knitted? Really? Tries not to snicker as he takes them anyway* You have a lot to learn about fashion.

Logan: *gives him a Look* Where I come from people'd fight fer those. Except the toes. *grimace*

Matthew: *snerks as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. Takes in the 1st floor with interest*

1st floor: *a hallway, with doors to either side. The enclosed stairwell opens onto it about halfway along. The hall is very shady and Victorian, and some of the doors have windows in them that are screened on the inside with little lace curtains*

Matthew: Huh. With all the noise I kept hearing I thought it'd be...

Aoife: *comes out of one of the two doors nearest the front entrance, a slight frown on her face*

Logan: *scowl deepens with concern as she steps forward to meet the landlady* *gruff* How is she?

Aoife: Her heart's settled down, but I think she's getting a fever.

Logan: *shakes head and growls very softly* I'll take care'a the Teletubbies.

Aoife: *snerk* I already did.

Logan: *disgruntled look*

Matthew: *well, never mind then. Would smile, but it seems wrong considering the talk of heart conditions and fevers*

Aoife: *looks at him. Looks at the clothing in his hands* Bathroom, right there. No streaking in the common areas or in other lodgers' quarters.

Matthew: *small smile* You should know I'm only nude when I'm alone.

Aoife: Everybody gets told the same rules. *glances toward the room she just left*

Matthew: *softly* Go. *ducks into the water closet. Lots of bumping ensues as the large man tries to change clothes in the tiny room*

Aoife: *is the sound of snerking after particularly loud bumps*

Matthew: *eventually emerges* I see what you mean about the toes... *grimaces at his feet now clad in tight yarn casings*

Logan: *as she steps out of that other room and closes the door softly behind her* What kinda shoes ya want, kid?

Matthew: Are my boots fixed? *wonders where the laundry room is to deposit his nightgown in*

Aoife: *calls from the other end of the hall* That hatch in the hall, and the boots are here under the table.

Matthew: *looks to Logan, hoping she'll lead the way to said table*

Logan: *snorts at his expression and walks up beside him* Need a hand?

Matthew: I'd hold you up if I just wandered around.

Logan: Meant somethin' ta lean on, bub.

Matthew: Oh. *straightens and steels himself again* I'm fine. *goes to look for the hatch door*

Logan: *gently taps her knuckles on it in passing as she walks toward the door to the room that Aoife called from*

Matthew: *deposits the dress and follows Logan to the kitchen*

Aoife: *sitting at the big wooden table by the windows, carefully feeding a tiny little purple baby plant small bits from the plate of red rice that's sitting in front of her* *looks up as they come in, and then gently boots Mathew's boots out from under the table, sparkling them a bit so they land near him in an upright position* Those are outside shoes though, okay? They're too loud for in the house.

Matthew: *raises an eyebrow, decides not to mention the amount of design work that went into combined ground combat/stealth tech boots like this, including sound dampening materials* ....Sure

Logan: If I gotta take mine off in the house, so d' you. *curious look at the purple seedling* ...That's new.

Aoife: My son, Twap.

Twap: *peep peep peep. Eat eat eat*

Matthew: *slips absently into the boots with practiced skill while watching the feeding with interest* Your kind start out as immobile plants?

Aoife: He's adopted. *feeds the baby some more, and then pokes him gently with the tweezers as he stops eating to look at Mathew with itty bitty beady black eyes*

Matthew: Oh. *smiles at the bitty thing*

Aoife: You've met Deidre. That's Violet. *points to where a little purple Twi'lek toddler with a pair of soft knitted panties on her head is sleeping in what looks like a Deidre bed* And this is Rose. *gentle touch for a large seed like an egg which is sitting in a pot next to some other plants in the window, then smooths one of the two leaves that the seed has sprouted so far*

Matthew: Quite a herd.

Aoife: Logan's raised more than that.

Logan: I'm also over eighty years old. Yer what, sixteen? *poking around the coffee pot on the stove*

Matthew: *leans on one of the chairs, interested to see how far the ribbing will go*

Aoife: Actually, I'm fifteen. That doesn't mean much in the Nexus. And Legacy's mine too.

Logan: *snorts as she pours herself a coffee* 'N she's older 'n you. Yer nuts.

Aoife: I was born in a jar and I have conversations with my gun. *gentle touch for Twap, who is still watching Mathew with bright eyed curiosity*

Logan: ... *shakes head and drinks coffee*

Matthew: *reaches out a finger to pet Twap's head* Why are you surprised by this, Logan? On some planets they think consuming water without freezing it first is torture.

Logan: Didn' say I was surprised. ...What's that bunch do with beer?

Aoife: *soft snork*

Matthew: Beer isn't water. *snerk*

Aoife: Tell her that. *laughter in her voice*

Logan: *just smirks and drinks the coffee. Which has been sitting on the stove for some time and is nearly black as tar*

Matthew: *glances out the window where large kittens wrapped in flowers are playing in a summery meadow* I thought it was snowing?

Aoife: *grins, the green coming out clearly from the grey in her eyes* It is. In the Nexus.

Matthew: I thought that's where we were? *looks to Logan for confirmation*

Logan: Front 'o the place's in the Nexus. The back ain't.

Matthew: Oh. *smiles at his confusion* I'm not used to dimensional travel.

Logan: Give it time. *then perks and looks toward the hallway door* Prime's here. Ya ready ta go eat, bub?

Matthew: *oh, that must've been why she was waiting* Ready, if the MO will sign off... *looks to Aoife*

Aoife: I'm not a medical officer. *leaning an elbow on the table as she plays with Twap* Just don't slag yourself up and expect me to fix it again.

Matthew: *snort* What an attitude for a hospital...

Aoife: Actually, this is a rooming house.

Logan: *over by the door* Ya comin', kid?

Matthew: 'Coulda fooled me. *follows Logan, stopping in the kitchen doorway to thank Aoife*

Aoife: *grins* Just doing my job.

Logan: Boots. *frown* *is holding her own battered moccasins in her hand*

Matthew: What's wrong?

Logan: Yer wearin' yer boots in the house.

Matthew: I was leaving...

Logan: *points out the length of the hall and the fact that it's carpeted*

Matthew: *sighs and bends down again to take off the shoes*

Logan: *waits, and behind her through the window on the front door a large metal face may be seen peering in*

Matthew: *follows, unsurprised by the face* He's coming too?

Logan: He's givin' us a lift so you don't gotta walk that far. *slips on moccasins and laces them up to her knees, then opens the door and steps out to give her husband a poke on the mask in greeting*

Matthew: Thanks. *was looking forward to walking around but all this bending has him more tired than he thought*

Optimus: Hello, Matthew. It's good to see that you're feeling better. *optics twinkling as he puts a big hand on his wife's back*

Matthew: My thanks to you two. If you weren't there I would've ended up in an alley somewhere. *puts boots back on*

Optimus: *other hand goes out to offer support for the man while he gets those boots on*

Logan: *chews her cigar and watches*

Matthew: *boots slip on without issues, as they were designed for ease of use* So what is this place anyway?

Logan: Black Dog? *shrug* Pub.

Optimus: It's a very good place to eat.

Matthew: Good, I'm starving.

Optimus: *quiet chuckle in his deep voice, and then he's stepping back to transform into a red cab over semi*

Logan: *down the steps and heading for the driver's side door*

Matthew: *takes one last look at his black right palm and heads for the passenger door*

Optimus: *opens the door as he nears it* What sort of food do you like, Matt?

Matthew: It's... just Matthew. *climbs in* And... *thinks* I've always been partial to spicy things.

Optimus: Meat? Vegetables? Stew? Have you ever had spaghetti with meat sauce? *closes the door and shifts into gear* Please use your seat belt, Logan.

Logan: *snorts and does it*

Matthew: *also secures his safety belt* Oh, meat please. *one can tell he's getting excited*

Logan: We'll get 'im a plate'a spicy sausages 'n mashed taters with gravy.

Optimus: No. You should both have steak. Maybe the big ones.

Logan: .... *snerk* *griiin*

Matthew: *smile is restrained, but just as happy as Logan's*

Optimus: You can order them with the mild dragon elf seasoning mix.

Logan: *grin widens*

Matthew: If that's as good as you're letting on it's going to be a good day.

Logan: Let's jes' say that the hot dragon elf seasonin'... kin corrode metal.

Matthew: *raises eyebrows* You live dangerously.

Logan: *lifts a hand and pops the claws out, then retracts them so that he can see her heal* Didn't say I ever ate that one, bub.

Matthew: *impressed* Wish I could do that. Would save me a lot of pain, that's for sure.

Logan: *shakes her head, the grin fading* No ya don't, bub. Trust me. *growls softly and looks around as Optimus toots his horn, then chuckles and waves to another Optimus as they pass him*

Matthew: *waves* Can you regro limbs?

Logan: Nope. Can grow 'em back on if they're taped where they're supposedta be. *looks ahead and grumbles about how ugly the Black Dog sign is*

Matthew: Well I can regrow limbs... But it takes a year. *grimaces with the memory* I wouldn't mind it going faster.

Optimus: And if they're taped back in place?

Matthew: They go back on. But it still takes a while. *realizes something* Actually... those were the rules before... *worried thinking*

Logan: *looks at him as Optimus stops in front of the former warehouse* Might be different now?

Matthew: Now that the tech destruction is gone, yes. *gazes at his black palm some more*

Logan: *gives him a gentle punch on the shoulder* We'll have somebody that knows about that kinda stuff look at it. But not today.

Matthew: *smiles at the punch* Thanks. *almost calls her "Pixie" again, but thinks better of it at the last second. Unbuckles the belt and exits the cab*

Logan: I'll go see about the table. *strides up the human size steps that go up the side of the much bigger ones. Does not seem so small at a distance when you're just looking at the way she moves*

Optimus: *transforms and stoops* Would you like a ride inside? *offers hand*

Matthew: *smiles* Thanks, but I'll manage. *will start up the stairs and wait in the entryway for Logan to return*

Optimus: I overheard you calling Logan 'Pixie'. *deep voice is quiet and serious*

Matthew: *turns at the top of the steps and laughs* I like teasing. Actually, *tone changes to reverence* she reminds me of someone.

Optimus: The name has sad memories for her, Mathew. Pixie was one of her students who didn't survive.

Matthew: Oh... *glances inside* I didn't know. *looks back to the robot* I'll stop then. Thank you, Optimus.

Optimus: *nods* *quietly and kindly* She doesn't talk about her past, so it's hard to know. Oh, hello, Beauty. You woke up?

Beauty: *scolds and licks Daddy!*

Optimus: *shakes his head and turns back to Mathew*

Matthew: *nods in understanding* Are you coming in?

Optimus: *as Logan appears at the door and waves* *chuckles* Yes, I am now. *was just letting his wife scout the place, in accordance with her instinct*

Matthew: *will follow Logan*

Optimus: *brings up the rear with Beauty* What sort of sides would you like with your steak?

Matthew: *hmms* I don't know. I suppose whatever the specialty is on this world. What about those taters you mentioned, Logan?

Logan: *grins* Baked, mashed, fried, refried, French fried, roasted? 'N ya want the plain Earth kind, the sweet kind, or some from some other planet? *pauses to think* I'm havin' fried lotus.

Matthew: *perks* The Earth kind are always good. Cooked in phanroot oil. *looks around at all the different people* Is there a spacedock nearby?

Logan: *turns and walks beside him* This's a place between realities, bub.

Matthew: *eye widens* Eggheads back home would have a field day with this...

Logan: If it didn't break their slaggin' brains. *smirk*

Optimus: *from above and behind them* Roasted in the oil or fried, Mathew?

Matthew: *snickers* That wouldn't be hard, trust me. *perks at Optimus' question* Definitely fried!

Optimus: Deep or shallow?

Matthew: *blinks* Does it matter? *from the tone of his voice, either way is delicious*

Logan: *as she leads the way to the ladder at the end of the bar* Get 'im refries.

Optimus: Alright.

Matthew: *catches sight of the ladder, winces, and immediately looks for the stairs*

Optimus: *once more stoops and offers his hands*

Logan: *hops onto one and sits down* Goin' up. *grin*

Matthew: *snorts and climbs on too*

Optimus: *straightens and sets them on the gleaming bar counter next to a human size round table. Then settles onto a nearby stool and rests an elbow on the bar*

Beauty: *flies down and chooses a spot on the table for herself, still fussing and scolding as though talking to herself*

Matthew: *sits down gladly, though he's not letting it show, and curiously looks over the multitude of species present*

Logan: *turns her head to look over toward a bank of electronic games of various sizes that rests at one end of the huge room, over by the restrooms* *snort* Dragon elves playin' zap trivia.

Optimus: *looks that way as well and winces*

Matthew: *looks interested...... until he sees the penalty for a wrong answer and chuckles* Do... do you have dance clubs here?

Logan: *looks at Optimus*

Optimus: *looks back* Aoife would probably know.

Logan: I think there's dancin' here sometimes when they have live music.

Optimus: *perks and points* They have DDR here.

Logan: *facepalm*

Matthew: What is DDR?

Optimus: Dance Dance Revolution. It's a video game that you dance on.

Matthew: I'll have to try it sometime.

Logan: *calls her husband a dork, and then perks as Nemesis sets a massive steak in front of her*

Optimus: *watches as a second huge steak, this one accompanied by crusty refried mashed potatoes, is set in front of Mathew. A deep bowl of meat and gravy follows for Beauty, and then a massive slab of green gummi ham steak is dished down for himself* Thank you, Nemesis.

Nemesis: *snorts and goes*

Mathew's dinner: *steak nearly needing a road map, the potatoes, and some steamed broccoli with a little cheese on it*

Matthew: Yes, thank you! *digs into the steak. Is in heaven*

Logan: *as she eats her baby carrots first* Hot enough for ya?

Matthew: *smiles and nods*

Logan: *looks up at husband* You good?

Optimus: *rumbles happily as he drinks from the large mug that accompanied his meal*

Logan: Beauty?

Beauty: *scolds with head in bowl*

Logan: *will settle down and make that slab of meat on her plate follow her carrots and lotus*

((Written by ssjmihoshi and random_xtras.))