(Untitled)

[wildlyconflictd]

Nearly three weeks it had been since the last island hijinks, and for the most part, things were back to business as usual. For Pepper's part, she'd scarcely taken a moment to slow down since reverting back to her normal self. It was at some point last week that she allowed herself to fully and clearly consider her own level of denial, and why

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[flyboy_shepp]

A few days may have come and gone, and as far as he would tell anyone, John was feeling fine. He'd been tossed around by a giant squid on more than one occasion, he was man enough to stand his injuries.

In truth, he was sitting on the compound steps and letting Cash try to chase around his toy helicopter because his ribs were killing him.

"Hey, Pepper," John called out when he saw her, and gave her as much of a wave as he could manage.

[wildlyconflictd]

"John," she greeted with a smile as she approached, and paused to give the dog a pat after it bounded out to meet her. "Are you all right?" He looked uncomfortable even just sitting there.

[flyboy_shepp]

John wrinkled his nose and waved off her concern. "Just a little beat up thanks to our old friend the squid, but I'm good." He snorted when Cash of course ignored the helicopter for a pretty woman. "How're you?"

[wildlyconflictd]

"I'd completely forgotten about that," she admitted as she flipped a bit of hair from her eyes. "I'm fine, but then again, I haven't been battling giant beasts from the deep. I'm glad that you weren't seriously hurt. I seem to have an inordinate amount of extremely chivalrous men in my acquaintance."

[king_ofkings]

Adrian was never quite a fashion man in his time, but he did think that he reserved quite a good amount of taste. After all, he had personally requested the majority of his suits with each cut specifically designed for him. When he saw a lovely outfit with a terrible pair of shoes. "I know that dissonance can be a celebrated art form," Adrian began, his voice loud enough to gain her attention, "But I don't think any artist meant those shoes with a top that quality."

[wildlyconflictd]

When given the decision whether to be amused or offended, Pepper opted for amusement. It was less work. Besides, she commiserated with what he was saying.

Smirking, she glanced down to her sneakers, and lifted one foot en pointe. "Yes, well. Try hiking up and down the side of a mountain everyday and then get back to me on the appropriateness of my footwear."

[king_ofkings]

"I do the very same hike, but society doesn't exactly take well to the idea of a man in high heels," Adrian smoothly joked in turn with the hint of a smile upon his face. He hardly minded the exercise as it kept him in fine shape. In fact, it wasn't enough if he was to keep himself in peak physique, better than the majority of the rest of the world. "I'm Adrian Veidt," he introduced himself properly.

[wildlyconflictd]

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Veidt," Pepper replied with a hand extended to shake. "And I wouldn't be so sure about island society. Presuming you're from Earth, I think you'll find it much more accepting of men in just about anything," she added with a wry smile.

[whiskytango_rto]

"I think the relief I'm feeling over your shoes is part empathy for your fucking feet, part knowing you won't end up on the side of the boardwalk moping when they wear out," Ray greeted, generally incapable of the usual hellos.

Noticing her shoes was probably weird in and of itself, but she generally wore ones that weren't worth the discomfort unless people noticed them, and he'd been watching the path more than anything else for the past hundred yards because, well, he was bored. You could only play Guitar Hero so many times before you got really fucking sick of the set list, or bug your somewhat beleaguered girlfriend and/or wholly beleaguered best friend for so long before you maybe felt sorry about it.

"Is it another sort of opposite-day," he asked, "Possibly one in which I can convince you to do something pointless and entertaining?"

[wildlyconflictd]

Pepper let out a short huff of a laugh at that and then shook her head. "No such luck, thankfully," she replied as she cast a knowing look Ray's way. "Although I'm sure you'd only ever think of completely innocent and noble ways to handle my vulnerability were the opposite true."

[whiskytango_rto]

"Having probably no control over what I think and only marginally more over what I say, I promise nothing. Actions though, those I can handle." His girlfriend proved that to him several times over before she was really even his girlfriend. "I can't promise that I'd see you home, either, you live on the other side of a fucking mountain."

Maybe he'd get Brad to take her, in that hypothetical set of irritating circumstances. "I get the impression that we're joking about booze, but I could just be projecting."

[wildlyconflictd]

"To be fair, seeing me home is a dubious prospect any day of the week," Pepper conceded with a knowing smile. The hike wasn't bad once you were used to it, but she'd been making it at least twice a day for months now. "And I never joke about booze, Corporal." Although not for the implied reasons.

[not_a_quaker]

I smile when I see Pepper on the path to the Compound, a little relieved to run into someone I haven't thoroughly offended with my idiotic behavior of a few weeks ago. "Pepper, hi," I greet, raising one hand in a wave with the start of a smile.

[wildlyconflictd]

"Major," Pepper greeted in turn, smiling in turn. "Good to see you, I trust everything is well out at the Officer's Club?" She hadn't had a reason to head that way since she'd been changed, and wasn't entirely sorry for it. Nixon had seemed both amused and appalled at her behavior.

[not_a_quaker]

"It is, especially now that things are back to normal," I confirm with a nod. "Or at least, this place's definition of normal. How have you been?"

[wildlyconflictd]

"About the same," she admitted with a knowing smirk. "Were you effected during the personality change, then? I stopped by the Club in the middle of it, but Nixon was the only person I saw." Thankfully.