Jew and Chinese food [for only_pepper]

[criminal_issues]

The first week of internships had ended and that meant Devon and Pepper had to block out time to compare notes and see if they needed to fire anyone. The way Devon saw it, three would probably drop before the end of the intern process. It was how things worked. Of course, Pepper had a busy schedule and Devon's wasn't uneventful either

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[only_pepper]

Pepper was relaxed and happy. France was the perfect thing she'd needed to once again be secure in her private life

[criminal_issues]

"Oh thank God," Devon replied, pushing a stack of papers away. His hand found a dumpling and he popped it into his mouth. It was warm and satisfying in a way that nothing had been all day. It occurred to him then that he had forgotten to eat lunch completely that day.

"I brushed my teeth at SI today," he admitted, sitting back on his legs. "And I agree. I think the busier you are, the less of a life you have."

Opening another container, he found cold noodles. Grabbing a pair of chop sticks, he ripped the casing. "How was France?"

[only_pepper]

Kicking off her heels, she sat down on the ground across from Devon, and grabbed another random container. Taking a bite, she was pleased to note it was something spicy and sweet, and she was pretty sure it was chicken. "France was lovely," she said, around a mouthful of food. "Warren was lovely, the wedding was lovely, it was all...lovely."

She scrucnched her nose slightly as she smiled. "I feel we should open a branch there, just for an excuse to visit more often. Have you ever been there, Devon?" She pulled her purse closer and took out a bottle of water. Opening it, she took a drink as she waited for Devon's response.

[criminal_issues]

Devon nodded at the lovely as he shoveled some mushu pork into his mouth. Oh yes, in front of Pepper, he was a regular gentleman. Taking a napkin, he wiped his chin and smiled.

"I concur," he replied, pointing his chop sticks in Pepper's direction. "And, I've never been there. I was going to go at one point but -- I didn't," he said, piping down and digging into the cold noodles again. It wasn't often that Devon hit that nerve. He had escaped it for months. If he didn't think hard enough, he could almost forget his name.

[only_pepper]

"Were you really?" Pepper waved a chopstick in the air. "Too bad you didn't then. Care to tell me what happened?" She was as bad as Devon when it came to the food. It was just going in, and she didn't care how she looked. Although, if someone walked in right now, they'd probably blink a few times at the CEO sitting on the floor, heels off, eating food when there was a perfectly good table to the right of them.

"I mean, you don't have to if you dont want to," she quickly added. "I'm just nosy."

[criminal_issues]

"No," Devon said, picking at the mushu pork now in his hands. "I don't mind. We all have a past, right?" He picked a few more times before placing the container on the ground and grabbing the brown rice. "Me and this guy, Kent, were serious during junior and senior year of high school," he said, finally making eye contact. "We went off to different colleges. I got scared of forever. I cheated. Once. And felt terrible about it. He broke it off half-way through freshman year of college."

Looking up, he gave her a soft smile.

"Most of the time I forget about what I did. I'm not proud but I'm human. And I lost a good thing. That's life, right?" he asked, his gaze back on the brown rice.

[only_pepper]

Pepper didn't answer right aways. Instead, she was lost in her own thoughts and wondered if she should cross that line, making her a human instead of a boss.

"I cheated on my husband," she admitted, just playing with the chicken in front of her. With a sigh, she put it down and reached for the discarded noodles. "And the worst part is, it was all my fault. All of it. I can't say that he wasn't a good husband, or unattentive, or anything." Funny how the same situation had just recently happened with Warren, but it's still too close for her to talk about. "I just did it. But you shouldn't forget about it, Devon," she warned. "If you forget, you're bound to do it again."

[criminal_issues]

"I don't mean forget," he claimed. "I just...it's there. It's always there." Taking a moment, he decided to choose his words carefully. "It's not like I'm trying to escape it. I can't. And I'll never be it, again. I'm at the point where forever sounds pretty damn good. So, if forever comes, I'll be ready."

He smiled, and grabbed his own bottle of water that he had brought with him for paperwork before. Unscrewing the cap, he took a swig letting the Aquafina wash the taste away.

"I know I'm not going to do it again."

[only_pepper]

She nodded her head. "That makes sense, and if you know that, then you won't. I know you wouldn't." The earlier joy in the room seemed to have been taken over by this harsh topic matter, and Pepper didn't want that.

She'd finally had a fantastic weekend, and wanted to stay in that mindset.

"So! Interns! Who do you think is going to quit by Friday, and who do you think is going to stay?" It was common knowledge that the first week was the hardest and Pepper did that on purpose. She liked to swamp the interns with so much work they could barely think, if only because that was how work was aroudn there. It was a busy organization.

[criminal_issues]

"Becky signed all her paperwork. Took her three days because we had to track said paperwork down. Apparently, personnel had gotten a hold of it, early..." he said, opening the folder nearest to him. "And she's doing swimmingly. As is Milo. He has only spent his time with Terrence save for one lunch with me...and Terrence was there and I was on the phone the entire time." Shuffling the papers, he continued. "Mary Cherry - well -" he said. "She was with you," he said looking up at her.

[only_pepper]

Pepper gave him a look. "Smart ass. I know she was with me." And that was not fun. Keeping that woman busy was almost impossible. The minute Pepper gave her a job to do, she was finished almost instantaneously. This was not normally something she complained about but it kept Mary Cherry attached closely to her. Maybe she'd pawn her off on Warren...

"Has she been bothering you at all lately?" Pepper licked the tip of her chopstick as she though. "Because I know she somehow managed to get Bruce Wayne's phone number, and called him. Actually, there's something you can do -- tighten the server on personal information, HR stuff. Tony normally is the one that updates all this, obviously, but he's gone so I'll need to call in Kitty or someone to work on that." Pepper pondered this for a moment before continuing.

"Forget about her. How're the ones over at SM? Sapphire right? The one with the porn-y name."

[criminal_issues]

"Who, surprisingly, has not done porn," he replied, flipping through the pages in the binder that was now on his lap. "The references from NYU came in. There was a hint of a sort of, little, forgery thing but the ink had just been smudged from the rain and switching hands...it's all very confusing. Main point, she's good. That reminds me, Billy needs to learn of her existence," he said, jotting the note down.

"Adam White has his eye on Sapphire but she's one of those determined, no other guy exists, I use a vibrator types." He looked up. "I'm guessing," he added.

"Annnd, Philip Moore is quiet but diligent. My guesses," he said, looking up at her. We'll lose Adam and Philip. Possibly. I'd say Mary Cherry but she's attached to your hip. But, no, she hasn't bothered me in weeks. It's been wonderful."

[only_pepper]

Pepper had to laugh at that. "Vibrator types? Do I even want to know?" She brought up a picture of Sapphire's face and gave a little shake of her head. "Actually, never mind, I know exactly what you're talking about."

A giggle escaped her lips as she took another drink of her water. "I'm almost worried how she'll react with Billy but I'm almost positive they'll get along. Adam and Phillip...well, yes, I see what you're saying." Phillip had asked too many questions -- all the wrong ones too -- and Adam had been entirely too quiet. "Adam might pan out, but Phillip...well, a perfect 4.0 gpa isn't really the only thing I like to see here."

Notice how wonderfully she was ignoring all mentions of Mary Cherry? Out of sight, out of mind.

[criminal_issues]

"But, we could be judging before the results are in. Either one could come through," he said, relaxing back. His hand grasped the carpet as he laid down, his gaze still on Pepper. "SI has the most comfortable carpeting. I swear!" Squirming, he looked up before shifting to be on his stomach again.

"Mary Cherry also asked for you today but I told her you were out of the office." He smirked. "Did she blow up your Twitter account?"

[only_pepper]

Pepper gave him a look before casually picking up a piece of pork. "You make one more comment like that, and this? Goes all over that outfit that I'm sure I paid for." With a smirk, she popped the meat in her mouth. "Seriously. Just try me."

Settling down more, she had to agree. "Yes, the carpet is fantastic, and I don't have a twitter account, Devon. Or Facebook. I have too much troubles keeping up with friends in real life, why would I want them online as well?"

[criminal_issues]

"You do," he admitted, looking down. "That's the other thing. Terrence thought it would be good for publicity so he sort of ... is you on Twitter. Not Facebook. Facebook is too personalized. Your Twitter account's name is 'holdthesalt,'" he laughed before looking at Pepper. "Seriously, though. It helps. And you don't have to, you know, follow it..."

He held his hands in front of him. "Don't mushu pork me!"