Stein took in the visual clues Pepper was inadvertently providing, the light and anger. Going with her comment, it seemed that she had been the unwilling subject of someone's experiment. And if she really contained an unlimited energy source in her body he was willing to admit the person responsible was most likely a genius. He fought a very brief internal battle with himself as she looked back at him; on the one hand he was extremely interested in whatever had been done to her body, but on the other even he wasn't socially stunted enough to miss that she was upset about it at the very least, and probably somewhat traumatized as well if his own forays into non-consensual experimentation were anything to go by. Should he risk coming off as cruel just for the sake of possible experimental data...
Mind made up, his expression softened from blank disinterest to something resembling concern. "I'm sorry," he said hesitantly, a bit of personality finally entering his voice. A little warm, a little tired himself. "I just started dumping all of these ideas on you and it's obvious you're not feeling your best."
Well, maybe not initially to Stein, but even he got there eventually. Slow but steady.
"Oh," he added suddenly, a useful thought occurring to him, "part of this whole kidnapping mess is a complimentary apartment right?" He dug through his packet and produced the key within, bringing it close to his face to read the tag number. "Two-twenty...a room number I assume. You've got one too don't you, it could be a good idea to check it out. At the very least there should be a bed inside. Maybe some clothes too."
Not that he had anything against her current ensemble, he had students who wore less on a daily basis, but the added-on jacket suggested she preferred a little more coverage.
no subject
Mind made up, his expression softened from blank disinterest to something resembling concern. "I'm sorry," he said hesitantly, a bit of personality finally entering his voice. A little warm, a little tired himself. "I just started dumping all of these ideas on you and it's obvious you're not feeling your best."
Well, maybe not initially to Stein, but even he got there eventually. Slow but steady.
"Oh," he added suddenly, a useful thought occurring to him, "part of this whole kidnapping mess is a complimentary apartment right?" He dug through his packet and produced the key within, bringing it close to his face to read the tag number. "Two-twenty...a room number I assume. You've got one too don't you, it could be a good idea to check it out. At the very least there should be a bed inside. Maybe some clothes too."
Not that he had anything against her current ensemble, he had students who wore less on a daily basis, but the added-on jacket suggested she preferred a little more coverage.