It's a few weeks after the failed Crimebusters meeting that Adrian returns home to find Rorschach in his bathroom rummaging through the various bottles on the cabinet shelves. It's the first time Adrian has really spoken to him, and he can't help finding this a surreal beginning.

'What are you doing?' he asks.

Rorschach looks up, entirely serious as far as Adrian can tell behind that mask. 'I thought I should get to know other heroes better.'

'By finding out what kind of shampoo I use?' Adrian should probably be annoyed. For one thing Rorschach has breached mask etiquette by uncovering his civilian identity, and Adrian is sure he wouldn't appreciate having the favour returned. But there's something intriguing about this novel approach to introductions, especially to someone who had social skills drilled into him as soon as he could speak.

'It's all information,' says Rorschach, shrugging. He deftly picks a bottle out of the neat ranks. 'You dye your hair?'

Adrian sighs. 'My parents started it when I was five, I suppose I do it to remember them. And I'm well known enough that it would be awkward to stop.'

'Hurm. Blond hair dye isn't safe to use on small children. It contains peroxide,' says Rorschach, looking at the ingredients list.

'Would you like a drink?' asks Adrian, wondering if it's even possible to get this back to some semblance of normality. He's not sure whether he feels sorry for Nite Owl or, if he's honest, a little jealous. Projecting an airbrushed façade is second nature to him by now, it shouldn't be such a relief to have it undermined.

'I don't drink.'

'Lemonade, then?'

That meets with approval, although Rorschach treats the lack of bubbles in the very expensive lemonade as a personal affront. Adrian sips at his to hide the fact he's trying not to giggle. Ozymandias does not giggle, and it would be very rude to laugh at a guest. Even a completely uninvited one.

'What colour is your hair really?' asks Rorschach.

'Brown,' says Adrian. If Rorschach's stubble is anything to go by then he's ginger, which is the last colour Adrian would have expected. But nobody would suspect Ozymandias of really having hair a rather non-descript light brown either.

'I think that would be better,' says Rorschach thoughtfully. 'It would make you look less like a cartoon character.'

Adrian takes another sip of lemonade, but can't quite hide the sputtering giggle that comes from being told that by someone with swirling black and white where his face should be. The enquiringly cocked head turned his way only makes it harder to regain a straight face.

'Considering all of our identities are inspired by comic books, I don't think looking like a cartoon character is a drawback,' he manages.

'But do you really want to look like you belong on after school specials?'

Adrian manages to control the urge to start giggling again and changes the subject. They discuss the failed meeting and the other heroes until Rorschach has finished his lemonade and then he slips out of the window, as if that was far easier and more natural than using a door.

Adrian stops in front of a mirror, looking critically at himself. Carefully toned muscles, blue eyes and blond hair. He does look like a cartoon, and the thought mingles with the half formed plans the Comedian's comments set into motion. As Adrian clears away the lemonade glasses he puts away the time he just spent being Adrian, neither Ozymandias nor Veidt intruding for once. He finds a notepad and starts sketching out storyboards, although by the time this stage of his plan comes to fruition none of them will be relevant enough to use.