xp_logs | Angelo and Theo, Sunday evening

Angelo meets Theo, gets an update on Nathan's condition, and takes on the task of entertaining Bella.

On not receiving an answer to his comment on Nathan's post, Angelo decided to head up to his rooms anyway. At worst, he figured Moira or whoever was there and awake would tell him to come back later, or he just wouldn't get an answer. So he made his way to the third-floor corridor, leaving Joyita in his room, and knocked on the suite door.

After a few moments, a very large bear opened the door. "Yesssss?" Theo rumbled down at Angelo.

Angelo looked up. And up. And blinked. "Hi... is Nathan awake?"

Theo shook his great shaggy head. "Sleeping. And not feeling very well just now." He gave the boy an assessing look. "You must be Angelo. Gray skin's a dead giveaway."

Angelo nodded. "Yeah, that's me. An' you'd be... Theo?"

"Mmm-hmm. I'd be Theo." There was a whistle from behind him, in the room, and Theo looked at the birdcage steadily. "Don't you go waking him up, Bella. Or I'll eat you."

"Pah! Pah!"

Angelo chuckled and called quietly into the room, "Hi, Bella. Sssh, now. Good to meet you, Theo."

"You get along with the featherduster, do you?" Theo asked after a moment, his eyes narrowing as he remembered some of Nathan's emails. Angelo nodded. "Why don't you come in and take her for a while, then? She's being fussy and I really don't want her waking up Nate."

Angelo grinned slightly. "Can do. I'll take her out to play with the puppy, she likes that."

Theo moved out of the doorway. "Daft bird," he muttered as Angelo headed over to the cage. "She's been trying to boss Nate around, though. It's kind of cute."

Angelo opened it and let her jump onto his wrist. "What, tellin' him to sleep? Yeah, I've heard her do that. An' she understands every word we say, I swear."

"Telling him to sleep, growling at him when he tries to move around too much... she's an unnatural bird," Theo said dourly as Bella looked up at him and hooted. "Too much time around Dom."

Angelo chuckled. "I was tryin' to get her to stop destroyin' Nathan's bed last week, when he was in Vegas, an' all I got was 'Bite me'."

Bella hooted again and climbed up to Angelo's shoulder, nibbling on his hair. Theo just sighed. "I never really liked her," he muttered. "She knows that."

Angelo laughed quietly. "Yeah, probably. It's like cats - they always fixate on the one person who's allergic or doesn't like them."

"I like cats," Theo said. "I just don't like mouthy birds." Bella made a noise that sounded very much like a gleeful raspberry, and he waved an enormous paw at her dismissively. "Anyway. Feel free to keep her, unless she fusses to come back. She seemed to settle down when Nate went back to bed."

Angelo nodded with a faint smile. "Sure. If she goes to sleep on me, she can just stay. Or Miles'll take her, he loves her too."

Theo brightened. "I like Miles. Cute little green guy, even if he won't let me near any chocolate chip cookies."

Angelo chuckled. "Yeah, he is. Just had his official birthday, did you know?"

"No!" Theo looked distressed suddenly. "I should have gotten him something. Only I didn't know we were going to be here, or that it was his birthday..."

"He only decided it was his birthday a few days ago", Angelo reassured him. "We don't know when his actual one is, so he chose. December 17."

"Ahh." Theo went over and sat on the couch, which creaked and groaned alarmingly. "Still. I should get Dom to get something for him while she's out."

Angelo grinned. "He'd like that. Although I think he's had enough green cake an' other sugar products for the next three birthdays."

"No sugar. Check." Theo looked thoughtful. "Bet I could come up with something non-sugary he'd like... I'd just have to think. Maybe I'll ask his mom."

Angelo beamed. "Yeah, you should. She's all better now, too."

"That's fabulous," Theo said happily. "I was real glad to hear it. We all were." He looked back over his shoulder at the closed door of the bedroom. "Now, to get him back on his feet and everything'll be good."

Angelo nodded. "Yeah. Soon, I hope. How's he been?"

"Had a few visitors today. I think it wore him out." Theo snorted. "I packed him back into bed when I got up here and he didn't even fuss at me."

Angelo blinked. "He must have been really tired. Still. It sounds like somethin' that'll get better with rest an' time, from what he said..."

"Should," Theo said firmly. "Moira'll make sure he rests. It's a good thing they're going to Muir. Both of them will get some rest."

"Definitely. I've been to Muir before, it was a lot more peaceful than here."

Bella poked him with her beak. "Fruuuuit?"

Angelo glanced down at her with a chuckle. "Yes, Bella, fruit." Looking back up at Theo, he said, "I think that's my cue to get her out of here. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Theo said, then stuck his tongue out at the bird, who hooted at him. "Thanks for letting me know about Miles' birthday."

"No problem. See you 'round."