juststeverogers | Merry Christmas!

Current Mood: pleased
Current Location: the nexus
Current Music: O Christmas Tree

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Merry Christmas!

It took an awful lot of work to track down everyone and get their gifts in order, but Steve's going to be running around the Nexus giving out presents to all of his friends. Or inviting them over to his apartment. Whatever works for them!

((Stealing verity's setup--please go to the top level for your character and begin commenting as you like. Feel free to make Steve work to find you, he's got gifts for you all!))

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"Thank you. Um, how do I look?" Ghost looks like he's trying to peek up at the horn.

"Dangerous," Blaze assures him with a thumbs-up. She leans over to pull Steve into a hug, and quite possibly off his feet. "Merry Christmas to you too, Steve! And thank you! This was really thoughtful."

Ghost bobs eagerly. "Shall we go inside? I'd like to give you our gift, but it's safer indoors."

"Whoa!" Steve doesn't flail at being picked up, her just laughs and hugs Blaze back until she's ready to put him back down on the ground again.

"Sure. I could use a little warming up, myself. You're both welcome. I'm grateful to have such good friends."

He's allowed things to slide for her this morning, so she'll do the same in return. No need to get him too flustered. "Perhaps you'd show me this place some day? If the tea is as delicious as it smells, I'll be stopping by quite often to pick up more." She winks and sets aside her gifts to take a sip of her coffee. It's still not great, but she honestly doesn't mind that part.

"And we're lucky we've got you. Heh, makes a hell of a difference to last year." She sets him down soon enough: they have places to go, after all!

The bar she was talking about is only a couple doors up, and inside it's warm and brightly lit, with the space to move and noisy company that endeared it to Blaze. Ghost darts over the other patrons to find a good table, and the Titan pushes a path through them for herself and Steve. She's obviously not making any effort to shove and everyone who makes eye contact gets a cheery nod, but people tend to bounce off or slide aside in a hurry.

Steve is careful to follow along closely, keeping to the gap in people Blaze makes as she walks through the establishment. She's clearly a regular here, or at least a unique enough patron that most of the regulars know her.

He gratefully takes a seat when ghost comes back into view with an open spot for them to sit and takes in the atmosphere of the room.

"Warm and cheerful." He says over the din. "I like it already!'

It's good progress. Remember to enjoy the little steps.

*She reaches into the bag, drawing out the hat and smiling bemusedly.*

Heh. My head does get cold sometimes. Thank you.

"You like it?" Steve gives a small smile before he sits back down and scoops his cup of coffee back up. Seems he has it to keep his hands warm as much as he does for the liquid inside.

"I'm glad." He is, too. Especially since he's done his fair share of fighting with her during their lessons. The not-supposed-to kind.

"Great, isn't it?" The furniture's sturdy (with the side-benefit that Steve's chair won't get jostled easily) and perhaps more than half the patrons are non-human. Blaze mightn't be the oddest figure there but she's one of the heaviest, which is good incentive for the others to take notice. The server who comes over to hand out menu cards is a nimble, long-limbed spider-person bundled up in a face-concealing scarf and an elf hat.

"

They have things I never thought anyone could drink here. Most of them are safe for humans, but I can check if you're not sure,

" Ghost offers, drifting down by Steve.

Okay, don't stare at anyone, Steve. Eyes to yourself. Blaze wouldn't bring you anyplace dangerous, and you don't want to be rude.

Steve busies himself with the menu card as soon as he's handed one. Aside from ghost, he's easily the smallest thing in this establishment.

"I..don't suppose they have just a regular beer?"

I do.

*She'll even try it on. Samus in a knitted yellow bird hat--doesn't Verity wish she could see this? But trying it on means she has to set down something she's been carrying, a long, narrow package that's been wrapped.*

I have something for you, as well.

Steve has put as many of his friends as he could find excuses for in those knit hats. He thinks they're really really cute. They're not all the same animal, of course. But all equally as adorable.

Probably not a word most would associate with Samus though.

"Oh! Thank you very much." Steve hadn't been expecting so many people to get him a gift, but he's glad. He has more friends than he knew. "May I?" He waits for her permission to open it up.

"Right on the back. I don't know if the names will be familiar, but there are descriptions."

At least the place is more noisy than rough - most of the patrons aren't even wearing protective gear, let alone packing obvious weapons. There's a trio of floating jellyfish flashing to each other in a corner, a group of staff from the commercial district trading stories at the next table. It's not so bad for anyone of nonjudgmental inclinations, or who's just sufficiently jaded to the Nexus crowds. Blaze isn't bothering to check the menu, so she's sitting back and people-watching unashamedly.

*Cute is, admittedly, an adjective rarely applied to the Hunter. Now might be an exception, with the top of her head a giant fuzzy chick.*

Go on. It's why I brought it.

*Under the wrapping paper is a long, slender carrying case covered in tooled leather, with a walnut handle. Inside the case is a pool cue.*

Samus can watch the gears turn in Steve's head as he unwraps the carrying case, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. He wasn't expecting this. He runs his fingers over the leather, the handle, before opening it up.

"...?" Definitely not what he expected at all. It certainly looks nice though. He can tell there's some remarkable craftsmanship to it, even if he doesn't know why Samus gave this to him.

"A special pool stick? I've never seen one look even a third as nice as this one." That much is true. He's smiling, but there's still confusion evident on his face. Clearly Steve is not very versed with pool.

"Thanks Ghost." Steve smiles warmly at the floating companion before he flips the menu over and reads over the selections. Ghost is right, there isn't anything here Steve recognizes by name, but he'll end up choosing a stout something or other with a name you have to be an invertebrate to pronounce. He can just point when Spider-Waitress comes back, he hopes.

"Is this your usual Nexus haunt then?"

It's my understanding that the better players have their own. I thought you might enjoy taking it up, as a hobby.

*She's smiling pleasantly enough, and watching him closely, waiting to see whether he accepts that at face value or probes further. Is this a test?*

With Samus, it's always a test.

The better players all have their own? Steve isn't a better player, having only played a handful of times ever. So she intends for him to become one?

Why?

"More hand eye coordination?" He glances back her way, still holding the pool cue gently. "Another dexterity lesson....right?"

*Gold star! Her smile grows into a grin.*

Hand-eye coordination, strategy, planning, maneuvering, unconventional approaches, geometry, psychology... there's plenty to learn, at the billiards table.

*She pauses barely half a beat before adding an afterthought.*

And if things go poorly and a fight starts up, well, you've got a nice, long stick already in your hands.

Spider-Waitress is a pragmatist. She accepts pointing, and taps his choice for confirmation before giving him a clawed thumbs-up. Blaze chips in for a 'Type C powerpack, whatever you've got', which satisfies the waitress. Ghost seems to get an inquisitive glance, but he's withdrawn behind Blaze's shoulder and doesn't come out until the waitress goes on her way.

"Don't really have a usual." Blaze shifts into a comfortable spot (how she sits with all that stuff on her back, who knows). "We've been here a couple times before, scouting. Seems a good place to come back if we need it. Sorta planning to bring a friend from our world to visit. At least once we track him down. He's a Hunter - a real lone wolf sort of Gunslinger, if you get me. Ghost had an idea we'd convince him to come easier if we could offer him a drink, so we went looking for somewhere that'd fit."

"Which included checking their stock, of course."

"Well, speaking from experience, it's an awful lot easier to bribe people into going most places if you offer to buy them a drink." Steve laughs and reaches over to straighten Ghost's hat for him when he comes back out of hiding.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." He says quietly to the small robot with a soft smile. "Blaze doesn't think there's danger here. You're probably alright." Bit there's nothing wrong with being shy. Steve understands.

"It's definitely different. I've never been anywhere like this yet."

"Well, I hope it doesn't come to that. This is a really fine pool stick. I'd hate to have to use it for anything other than it's intended purpose." Even as he says so, his grip tightens on the cue, as it to check it's weight and feel in his hands.

"Do you know anywhere I could learn how to play? I could always ask Verity or some of my other friends too. They might know." Thoughtful Steve is thoughtful. He hasn't gone out to many pubs or bars since he's arrived here.

I've played a bit...

*Danger! Danger!*

...but it'd be good for you to stretch those investigative abilities. Go forth, find places to play and people to play with, and learn.

"Sure." Steve is careful when he puts the cue back in it's case. It's going to get put someplace special so he doesn't scuff up the nice case, too.

It's the fanciest thing he has ever owned, without any sort of hyperbole.

"Thank you, Samus. I'll probably ask Verity next time I see her. She's going to teach me how to cook for myself a bit. Much as I like the diner she introduced me to, I should probably learn more than the few meals I know how to prepare."

*She smiles, nodding approvingly.*

It's never a bad thing to broaden your skills.

Blaze cocks her head at Steve's offer with a chuckle. Not that she doesn't approve of the spirit behind it, it's just kind of funny to hear little Steve promising to protect her Ghost. The latter certainly seems to appreciate his kindness though. "Ghost's better at spotting danger than I am. Got a knack for taking cover fast."

"Well, I have had practice. I was alone in the wilds for a very long time before I found you."

Blaze gives her partner an affectionate look, though she's soon moved on. "Aren't any places like this at home either. Plenty of drinking holes, sure, but nowhere all these kinds of people could sit down and have a drink together. That's one thing I like about the Nexus. Couldn't do that with the aliens we have."

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Merry Christmas!

<3

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((Sorry, don't know how I let this slip for so long.))

Thats how the holidays are though!

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It really is.

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