(Untitled)

[flyboy_shepp]

John wasn't a fan of the changes the island liked to spring on them from time to time, but if pressed, he had to admit that being a kid again was his favorite. Or the one he found least issues with, anyway. The candy and newly decorated New Atlantis sort of put the cap on whatever anxiety John had been fighting off over the past week about

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[anewwaive]

Gideon didn't recognize the kid, but it was hard not to fucking crack up when he saw him suddenly go from walking in the opposite direction Penny and he were walking to suddenly face first on the ground. It didn't take him long to just let it out, snickering pretty fucking loudly.

"Nice fall," he said outloud in between his laughter, cheerfully. Figuring it was the right thing to do or whatever, he at least headed over with Penny a few moments later. He supposed he ought to make sure the kid wasn't bullshitting.

[all_happening]

[flyboy_shepp]

John made a disgusted sound - half at himself - when he heard the kid cracking up. When he looked up, he wasn't surprised to see who he had to assume was Gideon. Or was it Jim? He was pretty sure a tiny Veronica wouldn't be hanging out with Gideon.

Except the way she talked about him, it was definitely Gideon, which meant she was Penny. "I'm fine," he said, checking himself for anything bruised or broken as he made his way to his feet and brushed himself off. "Hey, Penny. Hey Gideon, did you know you look just like Jim did when he was that age?"

[anewwaive]

Gideon only knew a couple of people who knew that'd fucking piss him off, and his eyes narrowed as he looked the kid over. It didn't take him long to realize who it probably was.

"John?" he asked, scowling at him. "Well, it's good to see that fall and you getting tiny as hell hasn't kept you from being a jackass."

It was sort of nice to be taller than him just then, he had to admit.

[all_happening]

[flyboy_shepp]

"I wouldn't wanna disappoint you," John said, giving Gideon's scowl a grin. He nodded at Penny's question, since it seemed pretty obvious, and knelt down to tie his shoelaces properly. "I think this is the third time it's happened? But only the second time for me. You look like Veronica Mars when she was little too, by the way."

[anewwaive]

His scowl deepened a little bit at the mention of Veronica. That was the last person he wanted to think about.

"I was stuck with her during that shit that happened on Valentine's Day," he said, in a way that probably showed just how much he had "enjoyed" that.

[all_happening]

[flyboy_shepp]

"Pretty sure she wouldn't have enjoyed you either," John told Gideon lightly. He was a lot like Rodney in how much John liked poking at him, just to see how annoyed he could get.

"I remember Claire," John said thoughtfully, though he shot Penny a look. She was talking to two guys who both had clones of themselves running around. "You'll get used to it. Besides, it's only for a few days."

[anewwaive]

"And at least you don't have to always deal with it," he added, crossing his arms against his chest as he shot John a look. He knew he always fucking reminded him of Jim to piss him off.

[all_happening]

[anewwaive]

As it turned out, Penny was actually a little fucking scarier on a rampage as a kid than as an adult. He looked between the two of them, torn between calming her down and not looking like a fucking dumbass in front of John.

"Jeez, I'm sorry," he apologized, though he sounded exasperated. "I was just fucking saying I deal with that shit every day. At least it only happens to you once in a very little while. It'll be back to normal soon and you'll all look fucking different again, or whatever. Don't need to get all pissed. I'm not taking anyone's side."

[flyboy_shepp]

John's eyes widened and he took a step back when Penny let Gideon have it. He never understood why most of the time they tended to argue when he was around. It was just plain awkward.

Also, it didn't help that her tone kind of sounded familiar, in the way any memory he had of his ex-wife was familiar. Women were impossible to figure out, whether they were eight or twenty-eight.

He wisely kept his mouth shut and took the chance to tie his shoelaces.

[all_happening]

[anewwaive]

It was because, technically, he wasn't sorry. She was making a big deal out of nothing, and she had to fucking know that. It was probably his stubborn side talking, intensified by his younger age, but he didn't see what he'd done wrong.

"Am not," he said, because, at the very least, he could say that for sure. He wouldn't take his side just because it'd be taking his side. "Things will be normal soon, so let's just drop it, okay?"

[all_happening]