Work Text:
Pepper stared at the desert street, her mind completely blank.
She was strong. She knew she was. Nothing could get to her, she was strong.
She tried her usual mantra. This will not get to me. This will not get to me. This will not…
Today, it didn’t work.
Greasy Johnson and the Johnsonites were stupid, sexists boys.
Oh, great. Aziraphale was rubbing off on her. She wasn’t even able to curse them properly in her own head.
She was strong. She could laugh it off. She was a strong…
Not girl. Human. She was not a strong child, she was not a strong girl, she was just bloody strong as a person !
She didn’t feel like it at the moment.
It hadn’t even been the worst insults Greasy had ever thrown at her. It was just… not the right moment ? On another day, she would already have forgotten about it.
Greasy and the Johnosites were the Them’s Archenemies, but she was kind of proud to know that said Archenemies had never uttered the slightest slur about her skin colour.
About her sex, though ? A lot.
She swallowed hard. This would not get to her, and she would… join the others in the woods, and say nothing about it, because she was more than able to stand for herself alone, and if she told her friend, they would think her weak.
“Hey, Pepper.”
She startled and turned around. Dark glasses were looking at her.
“Sorry, kid. Didn’t want to scare you.”
“I am not scared !”
“Oh. Right. Course. Not scared scared… I meant… surprise ? Didn’t want to surprise you, that’s it.”
She knew Crowley was a Demon, of course (she wasn’t stupid, plus Adam had told them) but it was kind of difficult to be afraid of him. He wasn’t very impressive. And he always thought of her feelings, like three seconds ago. Changing a word to spare her dignity.
Sexism again !
“You did scare me ! You know it ! Are you sugar coating me because I’m a girl ?”
Crowley snatched his glasses off and blinked at her like he had no idea what to answer.
“Ahhhh… no ? Why would I ?”
“Everybody does it !”
The demon frowned.
“Oi, that’s unfair ! Your friends don’t, Aziraphale definitely doesn’t, sex is just as important as the colour of your eyes to him, and I’m pretty sure your mother...”
“Yes, I know ! I didn’t mean them !”
Crowley quirked an eyebrow, clearly amused.
“So… everybody is treating you differently because you’re a girl, except ninety percent of the people who care about you ?”
She sent him a scathing look. He sighed and leaned towards her.
“Okay, kid. You’re right about the sexism issue. Just don’t do the same and assume every stranger will be like that, okay ? There are decent guys in the world, I met a few.”
She took the time to ponder. That kind of made sense. Of course, it was the voice of the demon who literally invented temptation… but still, it made sense.
“What happened just before I got here ?”
She stared directly into the yellow, terrifying eyes, and didn’t look away.
“Nothing.”
“’Kay. Fair.”
The demon fidgeted a moment with his glasses, looked at her, looked away, then seemed to take a decision.
“Okay, Pippin Galadriel Moonchild. I will teach you two words. Listen carefully. Whenever you find yourself in a nasty situation, or you lose courage, or you feel like life is shit, I want you to think about these two words. You don’t even have to utter them. Just think them really hard. Agreed ?”
She looked at him again, something like fear, but also excitement, building into her.
Special words. Taught by a demon.
That was not a good idea.
Never accept anything from a demon (or an angel) had said Adam.
Except of course his uncles.
“Agreed.”
He nodded once. “Don’t think them if you’re just mildly annoyed. It’s for hard times only. Ready ?”
She looked at him intently. He smiled and his eyes seemed to blaze for a second.
“Alright. Listen attentively : Chin. Up.”
She blinked. He smiled again, wickedly.
“Chin up. When people give you shit, keep your chin up. When life seems like crap, keep your chin up. don’t let them see they got to you. You’re a daughter of Eve, and she was quite the bad ass, believe you me. There is divine in your blood. You, Pepper, are exceptional. Remember it.”
This was not supposed to make her feel better. This was probably the worst advice someone ever gave her. She was feeling so much better already. No way she was going to show it.
“I have done that for eleven years already. I don’t need you to tell me this.”
Crowley’s smile turned into a large grin.
“That’s right. Just a little reminder, is all.”
He winked and put his glasses back, then stood up again.
“Oh, and Pepper ?”
“Yes ?”
“If these words are not enough, think Help Me. As long as you have your mind on Aziraphale or myself, that will work.”
He turned away and waved at her.
“If you’re really, really mad, better think of the angel. He is ruthless when pissed off, you’ll like the view !”
And in a blink, he was gone.
Pepper stared at the desert street.
And smiled.
She had to hurry.
The Them had a revenge to prepare, after all.