(no subject)

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Time: October 14th, 2000
Place: Lobby
Status: Semi-private (Pepper, Crowley, War, John, Bast, Wensley and Roger) [Complete]
Summary: An unexpected visitor


Pepper had spent the day moving various plants into the lobby and trimming them as best she could, throwing the extra leaves and little branches in a garbage bag she'd brought with her. The place needed some greenery and some flowers, and she figured it couldn't hurt now that it was getting colder and things outside would take care of themselves more.

She thought she'd bring in some poinsettias soon.

Granted it wasn't even Bonfire Night, but being English meant that she started preparing for Christmas in October, like everyone else. Besides, Adam had promised a good winter, and she was looking forward to it.

The plants had generally been behaving themselves, all except one. Whoever'd had the bright idea to grow wysteria on the pergola near the garden should have been caught and executed, in Pepper's opinion. The plant had a history of growing up the sides of buildings, destroying framework quite effectively, and yet someone had let the thing go. Pepper had spent half the summer trying to tame the thing and it still wouldn't stop spreading. She was certain that countless people at the manor had probably seen her pitching a fit while hanging upside down from pergola, cursing the wysterias ancestors into oblivion. Those branches were thick.

Maybe that was why she'd decided that she deserved time working in the lobby.

So now she was enjoying a moment of rest, sitting in a chair near the front desk and rereading The Man in the Iron Mask. She'd forgotten how much she enjoyed the book, hadn't read it since she was fourteen or so, and was pretty caught up in it. Pepper had a tendancy to be very expressive as she read or watched movies, and she was currently engaging in gnawing her fingernails down with her teeth, eyes wide as two pound coins, while King Louis ordered d'Artagnan to arrest Porthos and Aramis.

Comments

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

It was the scent of greenery that drew Crowley to the lobby when he'd been intending to go into the bar. Then a redhead behind a book he'd read many times, first in French, then in English, made him stay.

"I have in that Japanese vase two roses gathered yesterday evening in the bud from the governor’s garden. This morning they have blown and spread their vermilion chalices beneath my gaze; with every opening petal they unfold the treasures of their perfume, filling my chamber with fragrance. Look now on these two roses; even among roses these are beautiful, and the rose is the most beautiful of flowers. Why, then, do you bid me desire other flowers when I possess the loveliest of all?" he quoted with a smile.

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Absorbed as she was, the voice that chimed into her thoughts was a perfect accent to them, and she closed her eyes and listened. Many people could read out loud, but it meant nothing if you didn't understand the meaning of the words. This voice understood. Pepper set her head against the back of the chair and drank it in.

"If flowers constitute liberty, I am free, for I possess them," she murmured back, and finally opened her eyes, smiling back even before she knew there would be a smiling face to greet her. "Hello there," she said simply, setting the book in her lap.

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

"If you didn't before, you do now," Crowley agreed, producing a small bouquet (http://www.wishlist.com.au/images/Products/RO05/stunning_L.jpg) and handing it to her.

"Hello, Pepper," he said, voice pitched slightly deeper and richer than usual. "Always a pleasure. But I didn't mean to interrupt. I just couldn't help myself..."

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Pepper blinked once or twice when he held out the flowers. Had anyone ever given her flowers in a bouquet like that before? She couldn't recall it happening, so the answer had to be no. And they were beautiful, she thought, reaching out and taking them hesitantly, certain that her imagination was playing tricks on her.

But then it couldn't be, because even her incredibly vivid imagination couldn't produce a scent like that. "Nothing says freedom like lilies," she teased, holding them under her nose and breathing in deep.

Why was it that whenever he said her name, her toes tried to curl on her? Didn't seem fair. "You're not interrupting," she assured him, hardly daring to think of how she must have looked as she read when he walked in, excited and terrified and ridiculous. "If I'd been intent on privacy, I'd have known better than to read in the main lobby." She looked up at him keenly. "And you? Do you normally go around quoting poetic prose out of the books of anyone reading nearby?"

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

He laughed. "Actually, lilies say 'youthful innocence'. It's water willows that say 'freedom'. Or so people used to think. The Victorians worked out an entire language with flowers."

Crowley sat gracefully. "Not just anyone," he insisted playfully. "I only go quoting poetic prose if it's likely to impress a pretty girl. But it helps that you're reading a favourite of mine." She had looked very... animated while reading, but that was nothing to be embarrassed about. It showed her to be a passionate person. The kind that never did anything halfway. It made her interesting and the demon was intrigued despite himself.

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

It was possible that she clutched the flowers a little closer at that, though she was raising her eyebrows in skepticism. Well, she could play the history game too, if need be. "If I r'call correctly - out of textbook readin', mind you, so maybe my information is faulty - the Victorians also thought an entire group of women in the country 'superfluous' because their weren't enough men around to marry 'em, an' they found bustles quite attractive, so I'm not quite sure we should believe 'em." They also believed it was great fun to watch some conjuror raise a person from the dead, but Pepper didn't voice that one, far too worried at the idea that it could come true in a place around here.

And then he was implying that she was pretty and her cheeks were all warm and really Pep, get a grip, you're being such a bloody girl. "Well, colour me 'mpressed then," she said, figuring it would make up for pink freckles at any rate. "A favourite? Really? Somehow 'one for all an' all for one' doesn' strike me as a particularly demonic code." She was teasing again, of course, but she was genuinely curious. A demon who read Alexander Dumas? It certainly wouldn't grace a common List of Expectations.

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

"I never said they were bright. The womens' clothes were frankly awful, though I was glad that they finally invented trousers for men, but I did enjoy sending secret messages with flowers. I missed most of the period, though. I still haven't decided if that was a good thing or not..." The demon got lost in his thoughts for a moment, wondering what could have been had he been awake during the nineteenth century. Then he shook his head slightly and smiled at his companion. Better to live in the present.

"Are you kidding?" he asked, bemused. "Political intrigue, sword fighting, torture, adultery, treachery, and everyone dies at the end. What's not to like? The real thing wasn't nearly as exciting, I'm afraid." Crowley was just as surprised to find Pepper reading a hundred and fifty year old book as she was that he also enjoyed it.

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

She made a face. "Wearing stockings before trousers came along must 'ave been awful, I can't stand the things. But sending messages with flowers sounds like fun." Pepper's mind automatically tried to think of some dramatic message you could send with flowers, something probably involving death and scandal. Until she registered the rest of what he'd said. "But how could you miss most of it? Did you run off to Antarctica or summat?"

The more she considered it, the more logical it seemed for him to like a story like that. "Well, if that's your cuppa, I'll make sure to read something from Shakespeare's Histories next around around. One of the Richards, maybe. Or Henry IV. You can surprise me with Falstaff quotes." Pepper quirked her eyebrows laughingly.

Then she thought back to long history classes about French politics and Louis the XVI and citroyens, and cringed. "No, I can't imagine the real thing would be very much fun at all," she conceeded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But if you had all of history to live through, it probably means that you picked up some pretty impressive skills along the way, besides knowing about flowers. Let me guess - you're an expert archer? You can paint like Michelangelo?" She slapped one hand against her thigh in a universal 'I've got it!' gesture. "You can ballroom dance!" she said jokingly.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

All Roger wanted was to take care of Pippin. He was her boyfriend, after all, and that was his job. He’d known already that Pippin was feeling a little lost lately; it’d been obvious enough, though she hadn’t wanted to talk about it and of course he hadn’t pressed her. He’d hoped that a little time at home, away from the pressures of Uni and long hours of studying and papers, would get her settled again. But apparently he’d been wrong. She needed his help.

So he’d borrowed his father’s car and driven down to Lower Tadfield. It was a nice place, he supposed, quite and unassuming, but he couldn’t really imagine what an intelligent girl like Pippin could find here to occupy her time for a whole year. She’d be bored out of her mind within a month.

The place was a little difficult to find, but once he’d found it he knew without a doubt that it was the right place, and he began to revise his early judgment that Pippin would be bored. This looked like exactly the sort of building that would appeal to the imagination of a girl who took classes in stage combat. She could be so childish sometimes.

He came in the door in time to hear Pippin’s exclamation and see her smack the man in sunglasses smartly on the knee. He frowned at the gesture behind her back before saying cautiously;

“Pippin?”

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Pippin?

Pepper frowned instantly. The only person at the manor who was allowed to call her by her real name was Shadow. And that didn't sound like Shadow. In fact, it sounded like -

"Roger?" Pepper said disbelievingly, her eyes narrowing furiously on the new visitor. Her head started spinning. Why was he here? She had said goodbye to him two weeks ago. "What are you doing here?"

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

“Hi.”

He gave her a shy half smile, not sure what kind of reaction to expect. Pippin was funny like that; usually so calm and quiet but every once and a while she did something crazy (like suddenly deciding to take a year of from Uni) and it was always when Roger least expected it.

He spread his arms, hoping for a hug.

“Everyone says hi. We miss you at school.”

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Oh, there went the bloody puppy smile of his again, like he was expecting to be sratched behind the ears for tracking her down like a good boy. And adding everyone into it, like a National Worry for Pippin Society, like they wouldn't go on because exams just wouldn't be the same without her.

She gave him his hug, briefly, and only because she knew he could be a real pain in the arse about stupid things like that. He'd probably stand there with his arms spread all day, waiting for her to come over if she didn't. But she drew back an instant later, stepped away to maintain distance and suspend familiarity. "You still haven't answered my question, Roger. How'd you even get down 'ere, you're s'posed to be in London."

If you don't want this here, tell me 'n' I'll delete it...

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War was coming down the stairs, planning to head outside to the grounds to work off some energy, when she heard voices in the Lobby - Crowley, and Pepper, and one she didn't recognise. Curiously, she ducked her head down to look, just in time to see a strange man standing with his arms outstretched and Pepper uncomfortably give him a brief hug.

Something was clearly going on here, and it didn't feel right. She froze at the top of the stairs, watching, one hand on a hip knife without her even noticing.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

“Borrowed Dad’s old car,” Roger replied, adding jokingly, “He can do without it for a bit, it’s not like he needs it to get to work or anything.” Pippin was one of the few who knew that Roger’s dad was unemployed, and had been for years. “I just wanted to come check on you; you know you suddenly decided to blow off Uni for a year just like that, and then you wouldn’t answer my calls…” he trailed off there, looking at her a bit accusingly, then continued “I was worried. So I thought I’d come down and make sure you were alright.”

And get you to come to your senses and come back where you belong.

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Pepper cringed at the mention of Roger's father. In her humble opinion, that man had effectively turned Roger into the semi-anal, horribly neurotic person he was, she was sure of it. She felt certain he could have been a looser, more spontanteous guy if he hadn't always been worried about his family as a child, and completely job-obssessed. A steady job was the only thing that Roger really cared about, something to keep the future secure. He would rather do something he hated for the rest of his life than risk stability and find a little adventure. It scared her, that.

"I'm not blowing it off," she said defensively, unsure as to why she was letting his neurocies rub off on her in that moment. He had a funny effect that way. "I need the year to help with... things around here. There's stuff goin' on that I need to be around for is all. At home. Nothin' to do with uni, just is. It's not a problem, I'll be back," she lied, as she really wasn't certain it was true. "But..." Here came the hard part. "That-it still doesn't change what I said to you 'bout us, you know."

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

Roger frowned. Somehow, he’d half hoped that just coming down here would make everything okay, that Pippin would be glad to see him and that they could put all the ridiculousness of the past few weeks behind them. Of course nothing is that easy, he should know better than to be so idealistic.

He took a step closer and dropped his voice as he placed his hand on her elbow.

“Pip, look, I know things have been rough for you lately, but don’t you think you’re overreacting? I mean, what is this really about? I could tell you weren’t being honest with me over the phone. Whatever’s wrong, I’m sure we can fix it.”

[first-catwoman.livejournal.com]

Bast had been walking by the door when she felt the prickle of hostility. She stuck her head 'round the door. //Hey - Crowley! I've been looking all over for you. //

Then she noticed Roger, and tilted her head to one side. He was cute, in a kind of idiot college-boy way. //And who's this?//

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Pepper motioned with one hand behind her back in a waving get-out-right-now gesture. She glanced at the half-cat briefly and shook her head. Not a good idea, she sent out silently, hoping her expression made it evident enough in her face that this woman would understand.

Roger was probably going to have a stroke if he looked too closely.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

Roger just gaped at the woman for a moment, and then his brain* decided that it was just a trick of the light that he’d thought for a moment the woman had a cat’s head. Much more important was the familiar way in which the man in sunglasses put his arm around Pippin and how comfortable she seemed with his touch.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked. “And how is it any of your business?”

He glared at Pippin.

“Look Pip, where is Adam? If he’s the guy I’m getting replaced by… or, or was briefly a replacement for,” he was sputtering now, he was so frustrated, “I think I at least have the right to talk to him.”

But they all just looked at him… or rather, glared at him as if he was the one in the wrong here. Fine, if Pippin wasn’t even going to try to meet him halfway here then Roger really wasn’t in the mood to keep making the entire effort himself.

“Adam Young!” he shouted abruptly. “Adam Young, come down here! I want to talk to you!”


*as the human brain has a tendency to do when faced with the extraordinary

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

John stepped off the staircase, having caught the gist of the situation within seconds (idiot kid, he had no idea what he letting himself in for) and walked up to within a scant few feet of Roger, looking him up and down with as insultingly unimpressed an expression as possible.

He was disturbed by his own reaction to the sight of Crowley with his arm protectively around Pepper, and that alone was reason enough not to like this twerp.

Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he exhaled a cloud of pungent smoke in the boy's general direction. "Got a problem, Junior?" he asked gruffly. "Believe me, you go picking a fight around here, especially with Adam Young, you will."

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

It said a lot for Roger’s current state of mind that he was shouting for someone he wasn’t even sure could hear him, not knowing if Adam was in the building at all. While he was at it, though, he might as well mouth off to the idiot with the cigarette.

“Yeah? And what are you, his bodyguard?” He coughed roughly as his eyes started to water.

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

"Nah. More like yours," John said coolly. "Do yourself a favor, kid. Turn around and walk away." From this angle, he could see Bast quite clearly, and thought he'd caught a glimpse of movement from the opposite staircase. Roger was a few heartbeats away from revelations he really, really could do without. "This place isn't for you."

[first-catwoman.livejournal.com]

//Really not for you,//Bast added, baring her teeth in what could be easily taken for a grin or a feline sneer. Her tail lashed. //My advice'd be to scram, pretty boy. While you've still your favourite parts.//

Just for effect, she stepped closer, and murmured, for his 'ears' only, //I know everything about you.//

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Pepper gave an inaudible releaved sigh when John showed up. If anyone could handle someone like Roger without damaging him permanently, he could. John could just throw it back in his face and...

oh dear.

Pepper had to stop herself from yanking the woman back and sending her anywhere out of sight. This was bad. "It's her Hallowe'en costume," she told Roger, because he certainly wouldn't be able to drive back to London if he thought he saw what was standing right in front of them. "She's tryin' it on early. But they're all right, Roger. It's time for you to go. Please." Before you see something else that could potentially cause a nervous breakdown...

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

He knew just what was going on, of course. But Adam had hoped that Pepper and Crowley could handle it quietly without the necessity of his intervention. When the others started showing up, though, and Roger called his name, he couldn't stay out of it any longer. He wasn't a coward and all of these people were his responsibility - even Roger. Instead of running down stairs like he tended to do when there was a problem, however, Adam walked down calmly, regally, and in total control.

As he reached the little knot of people, he looked at Roger. "I'm Adam Young."