brother_alone | Brobot Hangouts (for fiveofnone )

Josh can't believe he has this much money in his account.

He'd checked to make sure his boss gave him the right amount, because honestly it seemed like quite a lot more than he would have expected, considering he doesn't even want any work done while he's off on his Random Ass Vacation. It's not the first time he's gone off on a sudden holiday though, and last time he had he took Josh with him and got him drunker than he'd been in a while just walking the streets of Vegas.

Good times.

So Josh isn't really questioning the intentions of his boss giving him a metric shitload of money, but he is wondering what to do with it. He spends some of it taking Ice Bear and Jack out for a nice dinner and then paying Ice for his half of the groceries and utilities for a while. Paid off his rent for his storage unit slash workshop for the next half a year in advance. But there was still an awful lot of money leftover.

That's when Josh remembers Caspar and Adia's Christmas present. His very nice sweater hangs up neatly in his closet with nothing to be worn with it and that's a goddamn shame. Josh doesn't have Caspar's direct number though so he settles for messaging Adia's PINpoint first.

Hey Adia it's Josh. Can Caspar come out and play sometime? ;) I don't have his number but Bro owes me a shopping date. If he complains remind him he promised!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Adia is usually very good about texting people back, but Josh's message goes unread for several hours. Finally, he receives a reply.

Hi Josh. I gave Caspar your number, I hope that's okay. He'll be in touch with you soon.

A message comes from an unknown number several minutes later.

Fine. Let's go shopping. I'll meet you in the Plaza. This is Caspar, btw.

Edited (html gone wild!) Date: 2018-02-21 02:48 am (UTC)

Thanks Adia! You're the best, don't tell Caspar or maybe do he'd agree with me ;)

Adia has a whole lot of work to do back on her own planet so the pause in between getting a reply doesn't bother Joshua any. He settles in at his desk and works on editing the short B-movie horror flick Adia and Caspar were so awesome about helping him out with a while ago. With all the filming long since done he just has to finish editing the footage so he can present it to the bears for a nice movie night gift.

Having Adia and Caspar reply makes for a nice break form his work.

Kickass. I'll bring coffee and see you there.

Josh has an In for the good stuff and he knows Caspar is a fan. He's holding out a cup for the Cylon the moment the other shows up in the Plaza several minutes later.

"I sort of expected you to forget the deal, yo. Thanks for coming out."

Edited Date: 2018-02-24 03:01 pm (UTC)

There's likely a lot of footage on the virtual cutting room floor of Adia smiling through her swamp monster make-up, or shuffling past her mark and then waving her webbed hands apologetically as she scoots back into frame. It's obvious that she had a fun time, though, and Caspar certainly had a smile on his face when it was time to take her home and get her cleaned off.

That smile is nowhere to be seen now, however, when he strides over from a different part of the Plaza. His expression is wary bordering on grim as he keeps a suspicious eye on his surroundings.

"Hey," he says shortly. His gaze falls on the offered cup of coffee and the hard look in his eyes softens considerably. He takes it carefully. "It's no problem. Thanks for the coffee."

This isn't the Josh who's terrorizing Adia, he reminds himself. No need to take his foul mood out on him.

Edited Date: 2018-02-24 10:25 pm (UTC)

It's not inherently suspicious for Caspar not to be smiling out in the public eye of the plaza. Not for Josh anyway, who's used to ice queen friends whose image is more important than it should be that they're uncaring jerks only out for themselves even when it couldn't be farther from the truth. Hell, Josh is guilty of the same act, though his has always been to project that he's fun and happy to be around.

What is alarming is the way he keeps looking around, like he expects them to be mugged at any second. Josh doesn't speak up about it at first, choosing instead to observe from behind his cup of coffee and slowly turn them toward the busier streets that lead to so many shops in the plaza.

"You're spending a free morning with me, least I could do is bribe you with sweet sweet caffeine." A small pause. "I don't actually know which shops we're going to here. You seem to have a monopoly on class in this duo."

He takes a sip of coffee; it is indeed the good stuff, although he didn't expect any less from Josh. The self-effacing comment puts something of a smile on his face, if only for a moment. "I'll take you to the place where we got your sweater first. It's off-the-rack but the selection is decent."

The street he follows is one of the main avenues leading out of the Plaza, but he doesn't stay on it for long, turning onto a smaller cobblestone street after a couple of blocks. The shops here are medium-sized or smaller -- boutiques and curated chains as opposed to big box stores, all set inside brownstones with inviting brass placards. It's a very deliberate aesthetic. Even the less ritzy establishments, like convenience stores and shoe repair shops adhere to the overall style.

The entire way, Caspar never stops his endless scanning, restless and on guard despite the casual way he strolls along the sidewalk. Something other than fashion is definitely on his mind.

"Gonna try to find something nice for Adia while we're out?"

Mentioning her is usually a swift ticket to getting Caspar to relax usually. He'll talk about her all goddamned day if anyone lets him. Whatever's eating at the Cylon, hopefully that's a decent distraction while they head toward the shop Caspar's got in mind.

Josh meanwhile fusses with the hem of his flannel every so often when they pass by a shop. It's been a long time since he's made an attempt to clean himself up so far as his wardrobe is concerned. It shouldn't be a big deal, and in a lot of ways it isn't, but a small part of him hesitates all the same at the thought of dressing like a proper Washington again.

"I didn't even realize this place was here. I'm always coming up and down the shopping district delivering lunches and the like to businesses here for meetings but this is a new area."

Josh's instincts would normally be spot-on, but rather than soften Caspar's attitude, he only seems to tense more at the mention of his girlfriend. "Always." He flashes a brief smile, but it looks forced. "Let's concentrate on you first, okay? You need more help than she does."

If it helps any, the crowd around them is typical of any other street in the Shopping District. No one is giving Josh or Caspar a second look, too busy window-shopping or engaged with their electronic devices.

"There are a few small businesses on the upper floors, but almost all of these buildings are stores," Caspar replies. "I found it after asking around for a good tailor. I still haven't settled on a tailor, but the shopping here isn't terrible." He stops in front of one building in particular, a brownstone like the others with the name Papaya Commonwealth in shiny gold letters above it. The window display features three featureless male mannequins in various poses, all wearing stylish clothing of a similar caliber to Josh's present. A fourth mannequin with multiple arms and a tail is wearing similar garb, checking the time on its imaginary watch.

"Here we are." He holds the door open for Josh, almost as an after-thought.

"Ouch, kick a bro in the dick again why don't you."

The sulking is short lived though. Josh knows that Caspar thinks Adia's the hottest thing that ever did grace the planet--any planet really--so trying to stand up for himself isn't going to work. Besides, he's not even sure he can still clean up the way he used to be able to. He's never quite filled out again after his near starvation in the mines a few winters back that lead to him arriving in the Nexus to begin with.

"Thanks, yo." One of the upsides of not wearing a ton of layers is not having to carry much when they transition from chilly outdoors to the comparatively oppressive heat of the inside of the store. Josh tugs off his beanie and stuffs it into his jacket pocket before dragging a hand through his hair. It's mostly come back in after his Halloween stint but thankfully not long enough yet to curl furiously at a moment's provocation. Josh takes a cursory look around before sighing forging ahead toward the racks of pants.

There's nothing to be nervous about. He used to wear clothing like this all the time. It looked damn good on him. Joshua can pull it off still...he hopes.

Edited Date: 2018-03-06 02:01 am (UTC)

Caspar rolls his eyes but says nothing. His normally favorite subject -- Adia -- has been dropped. Josh can complain all he wants. And anyway, once they enter the store, whatever has him on edge seems to fade considerably. His gaze remains sharp, but focused on the clothing racks instead of the other few well-dressed patrons browsing through the racks. He is in his element.

Following Josh to the pants section, he seems unfazed by the temperature change. "A good start," he says in mild approval after a sip of his coffee. "What's your size? Most of the pants on this rack will go with your sweater. Just avoid the section at the end there, it's for humanoids with tails." He smirks faintly. "Unless something has happened since the last time I saw you."

"Nah, bro. As a human dude my tail stays firmly in the front."

Josh shoots the quip over his shoulder while rummaging through the racks. Looking for something fitted but not tight enough to look like he had to paint it to get it on. In earthier tones than Caspar tends to favor, at that.

"Scrawny as fuck. I'm at seventy-six centimeters at my waist, but it used to be worse so I guess I can't complain much."

Severe malnutrition and starvation had taken months to begin to recover from, but while Josh is still lighter and thinner than he used to be he's at least back to looking healthy for his age and height after so long spent in the Nexus.

He grabs a pair of pants off the rack and turns it around once before giving a half nod. Worth trying on at least.

"Not sure I'll ever fill out the way I'd like to though. Always been the scrawniest dude among my circle of friends."

"Classy. Perhaps we should go to a novelty shop instead so you can have that printed on a shirt."

He looks vaguely disappointed at Josh's color preferences, but then again, not everyone can pull off a flashy suit like he can. Once Josh announces his measurements, he's also rifling through the rack, pulling out his own selections. Don't worry, they're all within the same boring earthy color palette, except for a nice pair of vibrant blue slacks. "Try these on for me, too." He holds them out expectantly.

Josh's comment on size gets a dismissive eye roll. "Try being the shortest guy in the room always." He shrugs. "At least with clothes, it's always easier to tailor a waist in than out."

Edited Date: 2018-03-12 02:35 pm (UTC)

"I am always the height of sophisticated humor, excuse you."

No he isn't, and he clearly knows it. It shows in the way he grins like a kid being caught somewhere they shouldn't be the second Caspar looks at him. He accepts the handful of clothes Caspar holds out for him with a murmured thanks but pauses at the much more colorful blue pants Caspar's holding out.

Does he think Josh won't try them on? He's worn so much awful shit on a bet or dare before. Let's not even get into the time he wore his sister's clothes to school for a bet before they disappeared. He raises both of his eyebrows in an 'are you serious' kind of way but takes the pants without a word of complaint.

He's going to wear every last thing Caspar hands him and he will make it look damn good. Just you wait, Bro.

"To be honest? That was previously my position before I ended up here. Hell most of my gal friends are my height or taller, too. I've only met a couple guys shorter than me and it was all here."

Caspar just so happens to be one of them but Josh doesn't bring it up. Kinda getting the vibe there's a chip on someone's motherboard about it so it's best not to linger on the topic.

"Alright hold down the fort I gotta go shimmy my scrawny butt into a bunch of pants."

He gives Caspar a crooked grin before hurrying off to the dressing room to do just that. Though anything that fits him at all decently he'll come out in between pairs and get the Cylon's opinion on. That's like half the reason they're out together in the first place. He saves the blue pants for last but looks as casual as he'd been before when he steps out in them, hands loosely in the pockets.

"Definitely doesn't go with the flannel, bro, but I can dig it."

Edited Date: 2018-03-15 01:48 am (UTC)

Josh does not have to bring up their height difference, Caspar is well aware of the one inch that Josh has on him, thank you. "The only Cylon model shorter than me were the Ones, and that was not something they let me enjoy in the slightest," he replies flatly. Why yes, he's bitter. Who turns a seven foot tall killing machine into a guy who's only 5'8'? Idiots.

(It doesn't help that Adia thinks it's adorable. Well, yes, it does, but woe to anyone else who dares to call him cute.)

The eyebrow raise gets his best resting Cylon face. He waves Josh off to the dressing room and waits outside with arms crossed. Any pair of pants that Josh deigns to show him is met with brutal honesty. "That cut makes you look like a waiter at an over-rated bistro," he says about one pair. "Too many pleats," he says about another. "You look like you're wearing windsocks." The rest are met with a shrug of subtle approval.

Until he comes out in the blue pants.

"Get those," he says immediately. Joke's on you, Josh, he knew you'd look good in those pants from the beginning. "They won't work with the sweater, but you can pair them with a blazer instead. Do you have a pastel blue dress shirt? White would work, too."

Caspar's digs make Josh laugh rather than get embarrassed. It's like shopping with Emily, if she were half a foot taller and also a guy. The laugh catches at something in his chest, a stab of longing for friends he hasn't seen in years now even though he knows he can't go back. Not after what he's done. Not after so long.

It has to be enough. These new memories with new friends even if they're not as close as the ones he's lost. Whose fault is that, Josh? He's the one who hasn't let anyone get close to him. Holding everyone at arm's length. And then here comes a pissy as fuck Mr. Robot who knows exactly how to get Joshua to be honest. Isn't scared of the jagged pieces and rough edges.

It's refreshing. And they're not even that close of friends.

He raises his eyebrows at the emphatic point Caspar's made to his pants, trying not to let the corners of his mouth upturn into a grin and only mostly succeeding.

"Yeah? Sure don't, but that's what the shopping trip's for. There's a darker teal pair I saw I kinda want too, if we're going full on eye punching colors here. You got a problem with darker colors?"

Josh can't deny they look pretty decent on him. Just not what he would have picked for himself to wear.

It's refreshing for Caspar, too. Too often he has to hold his tongue, tamp down on his sarcasm, not say what he wants to say because any time he's too honest, people get bent out of shape. Not that he's terribly successful at that, anyway. It's easier to not say anything, to fall back into the old and familiar habit of keeping his face a blank mask, his mouth turned down just enough to discourage anyone from talking to him, Cylon or human.

Josh gets him. He's human and immature and has committed the mortal sin of loving flannel, but he gets him.

The comment on teal makes him smile.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have great taste." He shakes his head a little at the question. "No, dark colors have their place. But there's no reason to blend in if you don't have to. Besides, if I can't literally punch people in the eyes, I can at least let my suit do it for me."

He grins to show he's joking. Mostly.

If that's the worst sin Josh has committed in Caspar's eyes, he'll take it. The Cylon is wrong (about the sins And the flannel) but he'll take it either way. It's nice to be able to be more outspoken and not worry if he's going to say something inappropriate and ruin everything. It's pretty hard to offend Caspar. Well, no. It's ridiculously easy to offend Caspar but JOsh knows how not to pretty easily.

"But you do know me better, so don't get your hopes up bro."

No reason to blend in? It's something they don't quite see eye to eye on, and not just because Caspar's shorter. Josh wants to be normal. Or at the very least, not stick out quite so much as he does. Being in the Nexus is great for that. When you're talking to literal robot people and gods, a kid with mental health issues doesn't stand out so much.

Joshua laughs and it's not forced at all.

"That's a fucking fantastic mental image. Hold up I gotta change outta these a second so we can go find all the shirt you want to punch for me."

There are a couple hair triggers for Caspar, it's true. The main one is to not talk shit about Adia, which Josh would never do anyway. The others Josh manages to avoid with his easy-going, but hands off camaraderie. A crude joke or flagrant use of "bro" isn't about to put the Cylon off of what is turning out to be a decent shopping expedition.

"Just promise me you'll get those pants and I'll be happy." As if sensing the difference in opinion, he adds, "My brother Aaron had even more outlandish style than me, and he managed to hide in plain sight." Who expects a mild-mannered public relations specialist on board Galactica to secretly be a Cylon? No one, that's who, except Gaius Baltar for some reason. Takes a liar to spot a liar, he reasons, but his brother getting found out had nothing to do with his fashion choices, at least.

He waves Josh back towards the changing room. "I'll start looking. Maybe find a pair of sunglasses for you, too, so you don't go blind." He'll polish off the rest of his coffee while he waits, too. He wants both his hands free to hunt for the perfect dress shirt to go with those slacks.

Edited Date: 2018-03-21 12:46 am (UTC)

"Yeah, yeah I'll get your eye punching pants. I can afford to get a couple of outfits even here, so we're good."

Just how much has Josh saved? The clothes here certainly aren't cheap but for the first time in years he's not even thinking about how much it's going to cost. Feels kind of nice. Still not what anyone would consider a rich kid anymore, but for today it's like stepping back in time a few years.

Josh is careful to hang the clothes he doesn't want on the rack next to the changing room but carries the blue pants and a couple darker pairs in hand as he wanders off to go join Caspar in looking at shirts.

"I'd worry more about everyone else with me in these clothes, but the protection should help me form yours."

Huh, that's news to him. The clothes here aren't cheap, although they're worth the cost, in his opinion. Where'd Josh get the influx of cash? It's only been a couple months since the holiday party.

Caspar mulls that over as he sifts through the shirts. There's a nice pastel blue in here, just need to find the right size... Josh comes rolling up with another insult and he snorts. Poke fun all you want, Caspar knows he looks good. "Anyone who says something negative about you in those pants is either jealous or has no taste. Here." He holds up the pale blue shirt to Josh's torso critically, then hands it to him. "I'll find you a white one, too."

As he resumes his search, he says thoughtfully, "I thought I'd have to wait a couple more months than this to get you dressed properly. Did Katsuya give you a holiday bonus?" Yes, he bothered to learn the name of one of Adia's friends that he hasn't met yet. He's learning.

"Huh? Nah, my other job did though."

Josh frowns thoughtfully over the selection of shirts, letting his fingers trail over a dark green button up he inevitably passes by while he keeps looking on the rack next to where Caspar's picking around.

"I make special effect type stuff for a guy doing indie movies and tv stuff. But he decided to go on vacation so he paid me a bonus and a chunk in advance while he was gone. Dude's not...the most responsible with his money. Hunted me down last fall and took me on a crazy ass trip to Vegas just outta nowhere. For research, he said. I got to see a shitload of magic shows, so that was kinda neat."

Josh gives a shrug of his shoulders.

"Weird guy, but I think mostly he doesn't have any kids or a lady or nothing to spoil, so he dumps money on me. Either that or he's a level of rich that even I don't understand. And that's kind of impressive because my family was loaded enough to buy a goddamned mountain."

Other job... had Josh mentioned that before? He listens while he continues his hunt for an elusive white shirt. It appears that white is not in season at the moment. There are plenty of patterned shirts, a few of which catch his eye. He makes note of them, but doesn't get side-tracked -- an example of personal growth from the normally selfish Cylon.

"Maybe he's into more than your special effect skills," he says, amused, before letting out a quiet "a-ha". He retrieves a white shirt and hands it over to Josh. "He sounds eccentric and rich. You might want to hold onto that advance pay." Just in case Mister Boss decides not to come back from that vacation.

He shoos Josh back to the dressing room. "Try them on with the teal pants and show me."

Edited Date: 2018-03-30 01:46 am (UTC)

"Nah, I think Dave would tell me if he was planning on skipping out of the Nexus for good. He loves it here. Plus, what am I gonna do with the money? Invest it? I haven't seen a financial broker anywhere around here and I've looked."

The harder Josh has tried to understand the economy of the Nexus, the more his head hurts. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense but he's learned that you don't necessarily need much in order to get by. Plus, he was once living in a shack with no plumbing or power so really anything is a step up from that.

"I worried for a bit he was one of those kinds of weirdos, yeah. But he's always been really open with me about what he expects. And I've gotten to make some pretty awesome stuff thanks to his commissions."

Josh grabs a black shirt of his own before taking the ones Caspar's handed his way and disappearing off into the dressing room again. When he comes back he's trying to get his hair to behave and go back instead of curling like it tends to when he doesn't purposefully style it. For a guy who doesn't tend to wear more then flannel and khakis, Josh wears these clothes with confidence. It's just been a few years since he's worn anything this nice, is all.

The name Dave doesn't ring any bells, but Josh seems to be confident that this guy isn't stringing him along, so Caspar doesn't bother playing another round of devil's advocate. The Nexus seems notorious for people disappearing without further notice, though, and the thought of that in general eats at him a little. "Yeah? Then he's probably stable enough to come back when he says he does. Maybe you can wear your new clothes on your next Vegas adventure."

Now there's a city that Caspar would do well in. At least until he got thrown out of every major casino for counting cards.

Caspar goes back to those patterned shirt while Josh gets changed. When he comes back wearing the pastel blue with the blue pants, the Cylon breaks into a satisfied smile. "Yes. That's the shirt. You might like the others but that's the one you want to wear first."

It does remind Josh however that Dave had admitted back in Vegas to having a crush on Adia, but he never brought it up again and Adia's certainly never mentioned him to Josh. Plus, that was back in October. Caspar's here now and with Dave's never brought it up again since, Josh doesn't feel like it's probably worth sharing. It's not like there's any reason for Adia to be suspicious of people or anything. Hell, she has more friends than the Nexus has people and one of them's a goddamned Winter Spirit. Her boyfriend's a Cylon.

No, Adia's just fine so far as Josh knows. If Caspar doesn't seem to react to Dave then there's no reason to stir up drama. Just a littl eneat factoid lodged in his brain and nothing more.

"I should introduce you guys sometime. He seems to know damn near all my friends here in the Nexus." Josh shoots Caspar a crooked grin and does a slow turn with his arms held out for Caspar to get a good look at him in the outfit. It feels better than he remembers to be dressed nice and told he looks good. Josh hasn't had many reasons to think well of himself. Feels really nice.

"No autographs, please."

Edited Date: 2018-04-06 02:13 pm (UTC)

Better not to bring that up, not unless Josh wants to sour Caspar's mood. He does his best to keep his jealous, over-protective side in check, but he would not like the idea of some guy he's never met having a crush on Adia. Even more so since the last person who had a crush on her turned out to be a stalking, murdering psychopath.

"Sure," he replies. It's no skin off his nose to meet an eccentric entrepreneur. Whether he gets along with Dave depends on how 'eccentric' he is, but he'll play nice for Josh's sake. He makes a mental note to ask Adia about him, too. She's probably met him already, it feels sometimes like she knows nearly everyone in the Nexus...

Josh's slow turn and his off the cuff joke make Caspar chuckle softly. It may sound corny, but it is true that a person's confidence in what they wear makes them look all the better in it. "Can I at least tell people I knew you before you were famous?" he quips back. He tilts his head towards the rack of shirts. "I'm gonna look for myself a little. Can I trust you not to sneak some flannel in while my back is turned?"

Just kidding. There's no flannel in this store.

Josh's eyes crinkle with barely suppressed laughter. Caspar's good people. He waves the Cylon off toward the rack of shirts.

"Bro, you're safe to browse. This is a flannel-free zone. I'm surprised they let me in here wearing my street clothes. Though, now I gotta find some hip posh as heck throwdowns to wear these digs at. I sure as hell can't wear 'em while I"m working. They'd be wrecked in a hot second."

This shopping trip has definitely improved Caspar's baseline mood. Josh's 'bro' doesn't even faze him. "That's dry clean only, by the way. Let the professionals handle keeping it pressed." Maybe there's a magic laundromat somewhere in the Nexus, but he wouldn't personally risk it.

As for anywhere fancy for Josh to take his new digs for a spin, Caspar shrugs a little. "There are some nice spots downtown. I'll be honest, though, Adia and I aren't much for crowds." Especially not recently, when a certain stalker could be lurking in the shadows. "You'll need to find someone who really enjoys the nightlife around here."

Anyway, back to those shirts. He'll still be there by the time Josh has changed back to his street clothes, and he'll be holding one shirt in particular, along with a blazer that he snagged from an adjoining rack. "Figured I'd pick something out for Spring," he informs Josh. "Unless Reynard decides to frak things up again."

Edited Date: 2018-04-08 01:11 am (UTC)

"Eh, just means I might be allowed to go see Viatorus or Isidor in public and not pretend to be th'help for a change."

Not that he pretends to be the help now, but he also doesn't try to seek them out all that often either. They're a kind of old money social class you only tend to see in stories where Josh is from. Or overseas maybe but he's only been to Egypt a couple of times and Europe once, so his knowledge base isn't too good there.

"Once Winter's over I don' really see much of him until it's about to come back." Josh shrugs at the mention of the WInter spirit. He knows a lot of folks don't like him much but Adia does and Josh...Josh isn't sure what to think of him. He doesn't remember a lot of the interactions they've had and he's not sure if that should scare him more than it does.

Josh's assessment gets a mildly dismissive shrug from Caspar. He has a healthy respect for Isidor's intelligence and expertise, but he's not intimidated by her social standing, nor her brother's. "Don't sell yourself short. They're pals with Harrowheart and he dresses like... god, I don't even know." That doofy reindeer sweater from the holiday party surfaces in his mind's eye and he represses a shudder. "But in those clothes you'll be a good match for Isidor. Viatorus is a little too rumpled professor for my taste."

There's... not quite affection in his voice, but as he talks about these people -- even Harrowheart -- his expression remains on the positive side of neutral. That changes when Reynard becomes the focus of the conversation again. His jaw tightens, as does his grip around his new blazer's hanger. "Good. I've seen enough of that asshole to last me a lifetime. The less he's around, the better."

"Aw come on. You gotta admit the look suits him."

Josh knows better than to prod too much at the subject of Reynard given the reaction Caspar is having. Probably doesn't like that Adia is such good friends with a guy like that. Can't be helped, really. Caspar's extremely protective of Adia.

All the more reason to keep his head on straight around the Cylon. Easier said than done but...he's been doing better. Staying out of the plaza when he's having bad days.

"I think I"m about done here. We should find something nice for you to bring back for Adia though. A snack, maybe. She didn't seem quite as upbeat as normal when I talked to her earlier." Though why, Josh has no idea. He hasn't actually seen her in a while either. How odd.

"Who, Harrowheart or Viatorus?" He supposes that's true for either of them, but will he admit it? No.

It is a markedly more peeved expression than when they last spoke about the Winter Spirit. It appears that whatever interactions he had with Reynard, they did not go well. Josh is wise to drop the subject. Unfortunately, the topic he replaces it with doesn't do him any favors. Caspar's eyes narrow shrewdly -- not at the suggestion, but at Josh's inquiry.

"She didn't tell you, did she." He sighs, unsurprised. Adia managed to keep almost the entire Nexus in the dark about her stalker, out of shame and fear. Maybe if more people had known... no, he's not going to go down that route. None of this is her fault. If anything, it's his for not being there for her when she needed someone the most.

He heads for the cashier, intending to ring up his purchases. "I know a place we can go to get her something." Another glance at Josh, and then he adds, "I'll tell you what's up on the way."

"Viatorus. I don't know Harrowheart."

They only met once and it didn't go so well.

"Tell me what."

Josh's expression falls fast. The unsure smile replaced all too quickly with concern and a small bit of anger that something is wrong and no one's told him. He keeps himself from asking further while they pay for their own purchases. It's easy for Josh's mind to go running away into dark places with what ifs and worries, but once they're outside he turns fully toward Caspar.

"What happened to Adia." She must be okay or Caspar wouldn't be here. Josh doesn't think for a minute the Cylon would give a flying fuck about keeping his promise to take Josh shopping if Adia wasn't alright. Nor would Josh expect the other to in that kind of situation.

Caspar doesn't say anything while he pays for his new clothes; he does not need the employees of Papaya Commonwealth all up in his business. Even after they leave the store and return to the dreary late winter chill, Caspar stays tight-lipped, scanning the busy street warily.

Finally, when there don't seem to be any suspicious-looking eavesdroppers, he says quietly, "Adia has a stalker." He starts to walk down the sidewalk, gesturing for Josh to keep pace. "He's a serial killer on his world, and he's been pretending to be her friend since the beginning of last year. Were you around for the Khan invasion? He took advantage of the AV field being down to kill a couple people and set them up like a frakkin' dollhouse so that Adia would find them."

It's difficult to talk about 'Josh' without losing his temper, so he concentrates on the path they take to their new destination. The brownstones are soon replaced with a more modern, colorful look. Curiously, many of the buildings have the same symbol upon them. Curiouser still are the strange animals that seem to accompany more and more of the other people walking about.

"He was acting weird at the holiday party, so Harley followed him through a portal. That's how she and I learned about the serial killer business. But it was Adia who figured out that he was her stalker, too. That was only about a week ago." He rubs at one of his wrists, a gesture of frustration and deeply buried fear. "She hasn't been in the Nexus since."

"What the fuck?" It takes every ounce of self control for Joshua not to shout the question at the top of his lungs. He's lowered his voice instead until it's frozen steel and barely louder than their steps on the sidewalk.

A stalker? A serial killer stalker? How had he not known about this? Who could it be? Josh wracks his brain for answers but comes up short every time. Adia's never mentioned anyone other than people they both know to him before and certainly none of them are stalker-slash-serial killers.

"I was. Isidor and I were helping set up shelters until she jumped into the fight. I didn't...I didn't even know Adia was there at the time. I'd hoped she'd have stayed away. I mean I live in the Nexus so when things go sideways I gotta do something but..."

How?

How did he not know about the murders Adia found? How did he not know...anything???

"Motherfucker. Who is this son of a bitch?"

If the situation weren't so serious, he'd probably crack a smirk at Josh's reaction, because that's exactly how he felt when he learned about Adia's stalker. Who knew that she was so good at keeping secrets? "She was helping injured refugees in the Plaza when her stalker lured her to another part of the Nexus using some tortured teenager as bait." He bites the inside of his lip to quell the frustration building within him. Bad enough she put herself in danger in their own universe, but to risk her life here... "Sheriff Coltrane was with her, and Felix, but it still went pear-shaped. Thank god they got her out of there before she got hurt."

He stops at an intersection, waiting for a young trainer and their lumbering Rhydon to pass before crossing the street. "He said his name was Josh." He glances at Joshua a moment, and adds, "Don't worry, it's an alias. He's medium height, dark-haired, light-skinned... real distinctive, I know. The asshole managed to avoid himself getting photographed. He met Adia online when his computer connected to the Nexus. That's when his obsession started. A Voodoo witch on his world opened a portal for him. He's been lurking on the DarkNet and causing trouble ever since."

Josh knows who those two are, even if he hasn't talked to them too much in person. The sheriff thinks of Josh as some kind of kid and Felix is one of those skirt wearing not-Romans always hanging around that big ostentatious table the Star Trek guy frequents. He wasn't aware Adia was friends with them, too, but then again Adia is friends with everyone.

And that seems to be the problem, here.

She's befriended monsters like himself, Caspar, and Reynard and then real monsters. Like this--wait. "Of fucking course his name is also Josh." It only adds more fuel to his internal rage, knowing he possibly shares a name with this A-hole.

"I only know Of the Darknet, sadly. Was never the techie in my group of friends and shit, even if I was that's the sort of place you don't tend to go unless you've got a fuckload of shit to hide." Which, okay does fit Josh's MO but it's not him, dammit.

Caspar gives Josh a surprisingly sympathetic look. The Cylon shared a face with a suicide bomber and several model Fives with a propensity to use physical torture as an interrogation tool. Of course Josh is going to be pissed that there's a serial killer running around with his name. "Like I said, it's probably an alias. A guy like that doesn't give out his real name to just anybody."

As for the DarkNet, Caspar shrugs dismissively. "I've been keeping an eye on it in case he rears his ugly head again. You don't want to go on there, not if you want to preserve your faith in your fellow sentient beings." Caspar never had any to begin with, so it's no skin off his nose.

There's another street to cross and then Caspar stops in front of their destination: a bubble tea café that also sells pokémon cupcakes. "Adia loves their strawberry tea with the heart jelly. I'm going to get her a cupcake, too. You want anything?"

Josh sees that look for what it is, even though his kneejerk reaction is to assume it's pity. Caspar doesn't do pity and that's what stops him from getting even more angry. He nods stiffly instead. Tries to quell the storm brewing without abandon in his chest.

How could he have not known about this? Why would Adia keep coming back to the Nexus time and again after the Khan invasion with such a threat looming over her head? Why? Who?

The cafe Caspar takes them to is bright and cheerful and suddenly Joshua feels sick to his stomach. He's dripping in loathing and hatred in a place that's all fun and whimsy. He takes half a step back while he tries to check his expression into something less...well, LESS than it was up until now.

"No, thanks. I want to know what I can do now, and cujpcakes ain't it."

Edited Date: 2018-04-29 02:14 pm (UTC)

That's the one question Caspar never asked Adia, why she kept coming to the Nexus despite a serial killer stalking her. He never asked because the answer was painfully obvious -- even with a stalker, the Nexus was a safer haven than being hunted to extinction by Cylons. By his brothers. The guilt twisted at his gut nearly as much as his rage towards 'Josh'. The only reason he can stomach entering such a cutesy café is because he's had time to handle the news.

And Adia is his priority. Always.

He turns at the tone of Josh's voice and looks the other man over. Josh may be trying to hold back his expression, but Caspar recognizes it for what it is immediately. "Hey," he says. "You're angry, I get it. You cannot possibly be as angry as I am, but I am setting that aside so that I can put a smile on my girl's face. If you want something to do, trying making sure she's safe and happy the next time she shows up here and I can't be around to do it."

And on that note, he steps into the café. Josh is welcome to wait outside.

"This isn't a competition, dick."

The reply is out of Josh's mouth before he can hold it in but the cafe door is closing in his face by the time he's done with it leaving a cutesy picture of a pink pudgy round thing holding a tray of cupcakes all Josh can see. He moves away from the door and leans against the side of the building instead, letting his head fall back against the wall.

Put a smile on her face? Make sure she's safe and happy?

If Caspar was serious about that he'd keep her out of the Nexus altogether. At least until he was able to find this sick fuck. Thing is, Josh is pretty sure he's always serious when it comes to Adia so the choice just doesn't add up. Josh doesn't understand. If it were his sisters--

No. Don't start that right now. He's no good to anyone if he's ten layers deep into his own skull talking to the dead. He takes a deep breath and presses his head uncomfortably hard against the wall until Josh's sure he's grounded. Good? Yeah, good. Good as he can ever get, at least.

When Caspar comes back out with his sweet smelling treats in adorable designs, Josh is waiting for him.

"I don't get it." Straight and to the point. "I know you're not fucking around when it comes to Adia, but why let her come here if you know it's not safe? You guys have a house and a cat and shit, so...why?"

He doesn't acknowledge that comment as he enters the café and puts on an expression of polite neutrality for the cashier. One strawberry tea with heart jelly and a slowmo cupcake to go, please.

When he exists the shop, package in hand, he's got his own snappy comeback to deliver, but Josh beats him to the punch. Expecting more attitude, he's taken aback by the straight-forward question, enough that he thinks up a serious answer instead of delivering another healthy dose of sarcasm.

"Believe me, there's nothing I'd like more than for her to wait this out on Atlantis. But what would you have me do, Josh? Take away her PINpoint? Tell her that I'll kill myself if she doesn't stay put? Build a cage and put her inside it?" The words taste bitter in his mouth, precisely because all those thoughts have crossed his mind, dark impulses to keep Adia safe, a desire that bubbles up from his robotic ancestry, where choices are binary and the end always justify the means. "What kind of boyfriend would I be, hmm? Her happiness is as important to me as her safety."

"It shouldn't have to come to that. I expect her to think a little bit and not selfishly risk her own safety because she's bored when there's a serial killer on the loose that's been stalking her specifically."

Caspar is talking about this like Adia's some child who doesn't understand the risks and who will cry if he tries to protect her but she's a grown ass woman who should know better. How is it that no one has managed to talk some sense into her since they found this out? Josh just looks a little bit incredulous.

"I get you want to make her happy, Caspar. What I don't get is why that means she also gets to act like her life doesn't matter for the rest of us. Including you. What kind of potential murder victim goes walking into the same mall or setting the murderer is known for stalking?!"

Caspar is listening, although to Josh it might look like his attention has gone somewhere else completely. Whatever warmth had been there before has been replaced with a cold stillness.

"You think she comes here. Because she's bored."

It's not as though Josh's concerns are invalid. But all Caspar can hear is his girl being insulted. It's only because of the good will that Josh has built up between them that he doesn't lash out, verbally or physically.

"Tell you what, Josh. Next time you see her, you can ask her about that yourself. Because I'm done talking to you." He pulls out his PINpoint and teleports away on the spot.