bridge_carson | Early Tuesday Evening

Early Tuesday evening, Bridge stands outside the Perk with his pack slung over one shoulder, waiting for Xander, and the portal that would then take the two of them to Newtech City.

Xander	Xander's not nervous at all. Really. It's just Bridge's parents, after all. Plus a trip to the future, and those have gone oh so well recently... He puts on a smile as he approaches the Perk, though, a carry-on bag in hand which in no way contains stakes, a sword, and a tool-kit packed in among the clothes. At least there's no airport security issues with portals. "Hey."
Bridge	"Hey yourself," Bridge says, smiling back. "It'll be okay. Really. We don't have much in the way of demons or vampires or anything, and nobody's trying to take over the planet at the moment." Because of course that'd be the only reason for nervousness.
Xander	"Huh. Maybe I should go back to the apartment and dump off the weapons, then." Xander makes as if to turn around and head back up the sidewalk.
Bridge	And Bridge reaches out to grab Xander's arm. "No! Bad idea. I mean, besides the whole 'it's good to be prepared' thing, if you go and come back you might miss the portal and then I'd be home by myself and how would I explain that you're not there even though I told them you would be?"
Xander	"Kidding," Xander says, realizing, maybe not for the first time, but definitely with more clarity, how big a deal this is for Bridge, too. "I'm not going anyplace."
Bridge	"Good, good, that's good," Bridge visibly relaxes. "Please don't scare me like that."
Xander	"Sorry," Xander answers. "Force of habit. Hi, I'm ~~Mel~~ Xander, have we met? Inappropriately-timed humor is like oxygen to me."
Bridge	"I know," Bridge says, smiling a little and moving so that he can lean against Xander, because hey, if they're going to be standing around waiting for the thing to show up (and where was it anyway?) might as well be comfortable. "S'just- this is- I want things to go well."
Xander	'So no pressure, then,' Xander thinks, but doesn't say, suppressing a nervous laugh. "I'll do my best," he says instead, sliding an arm around Bridge's shoulder. "Y'know, no bare feet on the kitchen table, no pretending Hellmouth ate my arm..." He didn't pack Hellmouth.
Bridge	"Please tell me you did not actually pack the plant?" Bridge asks.
Xander	"I did not actually pack the plant," Xander answers dutifully. "Or the frog. Well, not the purple one. But you knew that." He points down. "I did pack my feet, though."
Bridge	"Well I'd be more than a little disturbed if those turned out to be optional, detachable features," Bridge replies.
Xander	"Not like I don't have any of those," Xander points out, tapping his eye-patch.
Bridge	Bridge winces, and can feel his cheeks turning sort of red. "Right. Sorry. I wonder if my parents would think anything of it if I showed up on their doorstep with my foot in my mouth."
Xander	"Well, probably if it was detached." Xander ruffles his hair. "Relax." How did he turn into the guy saying that? "Optional toes would be weird. ...er. Than usual."
Bridge	And Bridge can't help but grin at the hair-ruffling. Whatever he was planning on saying in response, though, is cut off as the portal they're waiting for finally opens.
Xander	Xander glances at his watch. "Oh look, Portalocity runs like the Sunnydale bus system."
Bridge	"I'm guessing that's not a compliment to the Sunnydale bus system. Which, I should point out, technically does not even run at all in this time." Bridge says, shifting his pack slightly and... yeah, totally reaching for Xander's hand. What? Portals make him nervous.
Xander	"Which isn't that much worse than when it did." Actually, the eradication of the Sunnydale bus station from the face of the earth probably counts as an improvement. "Ready?" He frowns.
Bridge	Bridge takes a deep breath as he looks over at Xander and grins. "Ready," he replies, taking a step towards the portal.
Xander	'That makes one of us,' Xander thinks, but he smiles back and steps into the circle of light.

[OOC: preplayed with

needsaparrot; more to come later! and uh, obviously NFB and NFI since this was supposed to be posted Tuesday night and because of blackout... wasn't.]