(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

[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.”

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Pepper tensed when he touched her. Too much sense memory involved that she didn't want right now. She laughed bitterly because this whole thing was just stupid. He couldn't fix it, there was no way he could fix it, he didn't even know what it was. Only Adam could fix it, and that was why she had to be here. To make sure that Adam was fine. To make sure her friends and family were safe and help as best she could.

"How would you know how things have been lately? You dun't know what I'm doin' out here, or why I came home. I'm fine, Roger, nothin' to fix. People just need me back here, and it's no big deal takin' time off." She was a little embarrassed that this whole conversation was taking place in front of Crowley, but she didn't give him any signal to leave. For some reason, she felt stronger having someone there at her back, especially someone she felt she could count on if things got a little ugly here. Because if Roger didn't back off soon, it was going to get difficult.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

Roger wanted to think that there was a time when Pippin actually talked to him. There must have been; he was her boyfriend after all. He winced at her laugh. It wasn’t at all like her usual laugh, which though sometimes rare was one of Roger’s favorite things about her; this was bitter and angry and it made Roger want to shake her.

“Well, maybe I’d know if you would actually tell me!” he answered. “Jesus, Pip, I’m your boyfr…” her furious glower made him stop in the middle of the word, “I’m your friend, and I’m trying to help you, and if there’s really a good reason for you to just up and leave then you could at least have the good grace to talk to me about it.”

She didn’t belong here, anyway. She belonged with him, sitting with him in the cafeteria talking about their last psych test or hanging out together with their friends or alone with him in his room on a weekend evening. She was part of his family now, and he was going to keep her safe.

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

What did he expect her to say? Sorry Rog, meant to tell you, one of my best friends that I've known since I was four is the Antichrist and he stopped the world from ending when we were little, and now he needs help again, so you're just going to have to take a hint and piss off? She probably could say that, now that she thought of it. He'd never buy it.

Instead, she snapped, the fiery edge of her temper starting to rise. "It's not your business, not everythin' I do is your business!" she rambled, pent up frustration at his over-protectiveness finally leaking out and taking hold. "This is my home, Roger, and I have friends 'ere who need my help, and that's all there is to it. An' I didn't just run away, I came home for the summer and decided to stay, there's nothin' wrong with that, you just dun't understand because you dun't like goin' home and - " This is where I belong. Just accept it and go back.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

“It’s not my business?” Roger couldn’t believe it. “How is you leaving me without any warning at all not my business? Am I supposed to just nod and smile and let you go without a word like I don’t care about losing you?”

And then she started getting nasty, talking about his home life like he just couldn’t understand what it was like to love one’s family and friends just because his father didn’t have a job and his mum had left them all those years ago for a home-appliance salesman. He did in fact like going home and seeing Jeanie and his father and that wasn’t the point…

“All this from a girl who hated to talk about her family and friends back home and who never let me ask about it,” he said instead, fury in his voice though he kept it low, not wanting to cause a scene. “And I didn’t press you, did I Pip? I never once made you talk about Tadfield or your crazy mother or that Adam Young boy who I know has something to do with this, because that was what you wanted, and I wanted to be understanding, and I told you all about my family because I thought you knew, and that you’d understand...”

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

He wasn't supposed to care about losing her. They were wrong anyway, she wished he could understand that. He needed someone sweet and accomodating and attentive. Pep tried in her way, but that wasn't her.

But it wasn't his business, especially not family because the reason he didn't know was - "My mother is not crazy," she hissed. The only person who was allowed to say anything about Pepper's mum was Pepper. And maybe she did think her mother was a bit loopy from time to time, but no one else got to make comments about it. "I never told you because I was..." Running away. Keeping my distance. Trying to forget. But he didn't know why, which made it unfair to pass judgement. "I had my reasons for not talking about them, and it's fine that you talked about your family, and will you stop talking about Adam Young like you know anything about him? You've never met him! So stop with your conspiracy theories about it!"

She paused for a moment before she remembered how he had been referring to her. "And it's Pepper," she said quietly, lividly. "The only person who calls me Pippin here is my mum. My name is Pepper."

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

“Pepper?”

Roger stared at her. Bugger conspiracy theories, this was just getting ridiculous.

“So you come out here and, what, have some sort of alternate life?” he spluttered. “Look, Pippin, I’ve put up with a lot but I think that this is getting ridiculous. Why can’t you just grow up? Life isn’t some sort of fairytale, with, with swordfights, and mansions and… and secret agents.” He waved his hands angrily at the man in sunglasses, actually noticing him for the first time since he’d come in. “You can’t have this both ways. At some point you’re going to have to start living in the real world.”

He stopped, took a deep breath and tried once more to be reasonable. He reached for her arm again, trying to pull her off to the side for a little more privacy.

“Look,” he said. “You can still come back; I’ve talked to most of the professors and they’d all be happy to let you into the classes late, they know you’re a good student and you can make up the work. And no one’s going to bother you asking what happened and where you’ve been, I promise I can take care of it.”

He pleaded with his eyes for her to relent, to stop being so damned stubborn.

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

What part was she not explaining correctly? "No, no you don't understand back there was my alternate life, Roger. Not here. This is my home. I've been Pepper since I was four years old, I only let everyone call me Pippin to... to... I had to make changes, you see, to..."

And then he kept going on about her and being grown up, and calling Crowley and secret agent was actually very funny, but the bottom line was being grown up was something she'd been thinking about too much lately and who the hell was he to tell her how she could have it? "Live in the real world? You're one to bloody talk, coming out 'ere like some soddin' knight on a white horse to rescue me! Well, I'm not a damsel for fuck sake, and I dun't need you comin' in here and tellin' me what I'm doing wrong with my life!"

She stepped away from him, closer to Crowley, not wanting to be led away from equal ground, to be pulled along like some stubborn mule that hadn't been broken in properly and didn't know its place. "Take care of it? What does that mean exactly, you'll take care of it?" Pepper was getting dangerous close to that place where she'd start kicking things. Who did he think he was, planning her life out for her like she was some kept woman? "I'm not going back! Why are you so convinced that I am?"

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War watched carefully. The situation was not pretty, and whilst she knew Pepper could hold her own in a fight, didn't mean she should have to when there were friends around to help her. Who was this man, coming in and trying to tell her what to do?

She bristled, but kept herself tense and under control, trying and failing to see the expression on Crowley's face when he got referred to as a secret agent.

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Crowley had also watched the entire scene with interest, yet he hadn't interfered up to that point. But when the whelp kept pressing the point and Pepper moved closer to Crowley, the demon put his arm protectively around her shoulder and smiled unpleasantly.

"Hey, kid. The lady comes and goes as she pleases. So back the fuck off."

He didn't stop to think about whether defending someone who'd probably be pissed at him for his trouble was proper demonic activity.

[playswithboys.livejournal.com]

Pepper did something that she would normally never do under the circumstances: she backed further into Crowley's touch, hoping to let him know without words that she appreciated his help. She couldn't do this on her own, the only way she knew how was with fists, and Adam had told her no more fights. She assumed he would extend that courtesy to Roger as well, even knowing that the boy didn't like him. The manor was supposed to be safe, so she needed another way to get rid of him.

When she heard the voice behind her and looked around to find a woman who appeared to be half-cat, she blanched and knew she had to handle that one fast.