The Universe's Mixer

There were a couple of things Abraham was certain of in the City. One, Beauty was absolutely delightful and two, trying to sense the City's emotions gave him an enormous headache and a hangover worse than beer ever would. Fortunately, both of these effects were short lived.

A few days had passed and Abe was growing disgruntled at how at home he felt in this City shaped cage. The stresses of his previous life were not an issue here. He worried for Liz and the fate of the twins and the fate of his brother, Hellboy, but having surmised how little he could do to return to his universe he had become content to ride out whatever the City had planned for him.

One of his radios had gone off a couple of days ago with an announcement of missing residents. He didn't feel any attachment to the names so he did not think to look into it.

The pond where he resided was close to Beauty's cottage and he gave a glance to the French style house before heading into the City proper with his gloved hands behind his back. Having gotten used to the stares from others, he noticed they were beginning to get used to him. At least a little.

Though, still, a disguise might be nice. Maybe a coat...a costume beard...large brimmed hat. Might not be too difficult to find...

He eyed a clothing store pondering if he should enter.

Wash was in Jo's living room with his cast leg propped on a pillow and his cast arm resting in his lap. He was out of the hospital. This was great. Watching Jo stoically mope was...well...not so great. Not that he could blame her.

Every once and a while he would take a sip of one of Maxine's boxed juice drinks. Grape. His slurping seemed to permeate the thick air of the otherwise quiet mid morning.

He stared at Jo, watching. Jo had nothing on Zoe's moping abilities, but she was definitely in the running.

"So..." he said, finally breaking the solace. "Wanna talk about it?"

slurrrrp

Effie was curled in her large bed, hugging the Hello Kitty plushie her father had given her. She never did return to Stark Tower, instead buying out an apartment building for herself and Marcus, the man insisting that she should go back and that she was a moron, but Effie ignored him.

She needed a space that was her own. The Opera House had been Erik’s, the Warehouse Enigma’s and later her father’s, Stark Tower...obviously belonged to Tony and Bruce.

Effie needed a place that was only hears, not tied to anyone else.

But the big empty building felt cold to her, the loss of Timmy, Bruce, their animals...everything was cold and hollow.

“I’m heading out,” Marcus said from the doorway, staring at his young charge. He was tempted to simply pick her up and drag her kicking and screaming back to the Tower, but for now, he would let things play out. Even if she was an utter fool.

Effie nodded, snuggling more with her plushie. “Good night, Marcus.”

“Good night, little moron,” he said, using his new nickname for her.

Effie snorted, throwing a stuffed koala at him, a smile playing over her lips before she sighed, her eyes closing, listening to the rain machine blocking out sound.

( Rainy Days )