[Room 372]

[mr_gaeta]

[After this.]

"Okay," says Gaeta -- out of breath, as always, from the climb up the stairs -- as he shoulders open the door. The bird immediately weaves around him and darts in, plocking happily at its return to its new nest.

Once it became obvious that Gaeta would be a permanent resident, Bar kindly supplied a few additions and expansions to his room: a kitchenette, a couch and TV, a small bookshelf, a wooden partition to separate his bed from everything else. It looks more like a studio apartment now than the hotel atmosphere of most Milliways rooms.

Stepping aside as best he's able, he holds the door so Louis can come in.

Comments

[mr_gaeta]

The bird eyes Louis' fingers. Swivels another glance up to his face.

Then it ducks its head just enough to get underneath Louis' hand in the universal signal of pet me.

(Gaeta's doing his best not to start laughing.)

[faithful_lt]

"Persistent, aren't you?"

He ruffles its feathers gently, scratching the back of its neck.

[mr_gaeta]

"Maybe that's what I should name it," he says; the laughter he's been holding back colors his voice. "Persistence. Or Stubborn Bird."

It certainly seems to be the animal's defining trait so far.

[faithful_lt]

Despite everything, it's good to hear Felix laugh.

"You could try," he offers. "I'm sure if he doesn't like it, he'll let you know."

[mr_gaeta]

"Undoubtedly."

He reaches to give the bird a pat -- making sure his hand is at least six inches away from Louis'.

"Do you, ah...want anything to eat? Toast, or...?"

(Offering to cook Louis some eggs while there's a giant bird sitting right there seems kind of rude.)

[faithful_lt]

"No, that's okay."

A beat of silence hangs heavy in the air before he adds, quietly,

"I wouldn't say no to coffee, though. Especially if you're having some."

[mr_gaeta]

The tiny, hopeful smile returns. "Sure," he says. "I could use a cup, too."

He gives the bird one last scratch before scooting over to find his crutches.

[faithful_lt]

He stays where he is, lightly continuing to pet the bird -- even as it alertly turns its head to watch Felix's movements.

"It's okay, featherbrain," he murmurs. "He's not going far."

[mr_gaeta]

"Plock?" it asks.

"Yes, he's sure," says Gaeta solemnly. To Louis: "Be right back."

He swings himself upright and hobbles over to the kitchen. There isn't very much on the counter besides the basics -- a loaf of bread, a couple of oranges he grabbed from Bar several days ago -- but basics, in Gaeta's world, most definitely include a bag of coffee and a percolator of his own.

Within a couple minutes, the coffeemaker's quiet gurgling trails across the apartment.

[faithful_lt]

Hoshi hesitates for only a few moments longer, then swings his legs over the edge of the bed and places his feet flat on the floor.

He runs his hands over his hair, one after the other, trying to make sure that there aren't any unruly cowlicks sticking up.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta glances over his shoulder just in time to see Louis try to flatten down his hair. After a second, he smiles -- fond and faintly pained -- before turning back to fetch down a pair of mugs from the cabinets.

Next to Louis, the bird cocks its head and voices another inquiring plock. Want any help grooming your feathers? It helps Gaeta all the time! (Because clearly, its poor nestmate is so sick that not only has he lost almost all his feathers, but he can't take care of the ones that remain. Just look at how unruly they get.)

[faithful_lt]

Unfortunately for human-dodo diplomatic relations, Hoshi has no idea what the bird's doing.

"Hm?"

He looks down at it, rather blankly.

[mr_gaeta]

Does that mean yes? It think that means yes.

So, obligingly, it stretches up a little to try and grasp some of Louis' hair with the tip of its beak.

[faithful_lt]

"Hey, hey, take it easy--"

He leans back away from the bird's grasping beak.

[mr_gaeta]

Oh! Sorry. The bird pulls back with another plock that actually sounds kind of apologetic.

"It's okay," says Gaeta, who's been watching the tableau from the kitchen; he sounds on the verge of laughter again. "He's just trying to help you comb your hair."

[faithful_lt]

"He does that?"

Hoshi stares at Felix, then at the bird, before cautiously leaning closer again.

[mr_gaeta]

"Yeah." Wryly amused. "He's done the same thing to me a couple times. Just sort of..." Gaeta waves a hand near his own hair. "Preening it."

As the coffeemaker sputters to a halt and he busies himself with filling each mug, the bird blinks, leans in to meet Louis, and makes another tentative go at grasping his hair.

[faithful_lt]

This time he stays still, no matter how odd it feels.

"Good bird," Hoshi tries. "Nice bird."

[mr_gaeta]

Success! Your friend is very cooperative, nestmate.

Gaeta starts laughing outright as the bird gets to work in earnest, scooting from side to side in an effort to reach all of Louis' hair.

[faithful_lt]

It's been a while since he's felt like laughing, but the ridiculousness of the situation overcomes him.

Hoshi chuckles, and reaches out to gently ease the bird back.

"That's enough, but thanks."

[mr_gaeta]

Small as it may be, the sound of Louis' answering laughter warms his heart.

The bird lets itself be pushed back without resistance, though it does offer a tiny plock-plock of mild protest. After nudging Louis one last time, it trots back to the foot of the bed -- where the frame is already acquiring some impressive scratches and beak marks -- to climb down to the floor.

"Do you, ah," says Gaeta, nodding to the bed. "Want to have the coffee over there? It's ready."

[faithful_lt]

"Sure, I g-- "

It takes one glance to realize the logistical problem. Hoshi automatically gets to his feet and crosses over to join Felix, silently extending his hands to take one of the mugs -- or both, if Felix will let him.

[mr_gaeta]

...Oh.

He wasn't going to say anything, he was going to try and figure out the logistics on his own, but -- there's a tiny part of him that's grateful Louis noticed, and just as grateful he's still willing to help.

"Thanks," he whispers, and, one at a time, shuttles the mugs into Louis' hands.

[faithful_lt]

"Sure," he repeats, and steps to the side to let Felix lead the way back across the room.

[mr_gaeta]

By then, the bird's hit the floor and is scampering over to take up its post next to Gaeta. Fluffing up its tailfeathers, it spins back around once it pulls even with him, keeping pace for the whole walk (well, hobble) back to the bed.

As soon as he lowers himself to the mattress with a groan, the bird takes a seat by his foot, right underneath the stump of his right leg.