Woke up to the sound of Jim rummaging around in one of his bags, and Peppy rose slowly, leaning his back against the wall to look.
"Whatcha doing?" he asked.
"Looking for these." Jim announced proudly, as he pulled out a box of cigars.
"...You're joking."
"Nope." Jim replied, getting back on the bed with him, and now they were both leaning back against the wall. Jim wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulled him close.
"Been waiting for you to wake up. Brought them along to celebrate a mission well done. Knew you wouldn't partake, but Pigma would have."
"Shouldn't smoke those things, Jim. They're bad for you."
"I'll take my chances. Sure you don't want one?"
"I'm sure."
"I'll smoke it out in the hangar. Spare you."
"Thanks."
In the silence that followed, Peppy found his thoughts drifting. There he went, being a nag again, then to Pigma, and the mission they had technically accomplished, to all that had transpired here...
"Is it odd that I'm thinking about your wife?" Jim spoke first, a surprise that actually caused Peppy a jolt, that Jim felt clear as day, pressed against each other.
"I told you we'd talk. I keep my promises." Jim explained, matter of fact.
"I've been thinking about her too." Peppy admitted.
"Somehow, when Vi asked me to keep an eye on you, I don't think this is what she had in mind."
"You think they'd be mad?"
Jim let out a rare sigh.
"No. I think they understand. Vi's really up there, you know. Keeping me to my word. I can feel her around. Those laser beam eyes of hers."
"Jim, I… haven't been with anybody since her." Peppy confessed, not really sure why, hadn't been planning too. Felt Jim let out another sigh, tighten his grip on his shoulders, before making a confession of his own.
"I figured. It doesn't change what you had with her, being with somebody else. Being with me."
"I've been thinking of Vickie too." Peppy added.
"Yeah. Good ol' Vixie. Hear her laughing. She thinks this is damn funny. Me running off with my best man. And that it took me so long to figure it out."
"You talk to her?"
"All the time."
"I don't want this to end when we leave here." Peppy surprised himself with another confession.
"We're in agreement then." Jim confirmed.
"Yeah?" Peppy couldn't help asking.
"Yeah." Jim replied easily, before asking him, "You good?"
Took Peppy a moment to answer. Felt like he was signing a contract, before he answered, "…Yeah. I'm good."
"Good." Jim closed the deal.
Things started moving blindingly fast after that.
Got another message from Pigma.
"Congratulations, you poor saps. You're finally getting off that rock. Cavalry's on the way to pick you up. Looking forward to seeing you. Actually started to miss you guys. Did you guys miss me too?"
"Sure did." Peppy replied, and it wasn't an act. Felt his whole body relax after he'd said it.
"Like you wouldn't believe." Jim added, and Peppy had the feeling he meant it too.
"...I can't tell if you two are fucking with me or not." Pigma said warily.
"We're not fucking with you." Jim replied.
"We missed you." Peppy added.
"We're partying when you get back, you hear me?" Pigma said, yet with underlying emotion that Peppy had rarely heard from him.
"We hear you." Peppy answered.
"Of course you did, Peppy, but what about Jimmy?" Pigma answered, back to his rogue self.
"Loud and clear." Jim answered.
Was surreal. Packing up what little they had. Watching their broken Arwings get loaded up. Closing the door on the two bedrooms where'd they'd spent so much time.
Walking through the gray, endless halls one last time. Stepping on to the transport carrier, and watching through the windows as Eremi got smaller and smaller.
What happened there to Peppy was so large.
Everything changed.
Got back to Corneria. Went home. Saw Lou with those wild pink ears of hers. She came bounding over to him, gave him a big hug.
Hadn't done that since she was a little one.
Could tell she missed him, and he'd missed her too.
Wanted to tell her she'd kept him sane many a night on Eremi, but thought it'd more scare her than anything.
Met up with Pigma. Hit the town together. Well, Peppy wasn't the biggest partier, but he tagged along, to the restaurant, the bar, even caught a show at one of Pigma's beloved casinos.
At the end of the night, standing next to an outdoor fountain, Pigma and Jim smoked more of those cigars, while Peppy stood off to the side.
"What, no nagging Peppy?" Pigma asked, genuinely curious.
"Figured I'd let you two have your fun for once." Peppy replied calmly.
"What? That's not the Peppy I know and love. What the hell happened to you on Eremi?"
"Guess it just put some things in perspective, that's all."
"Really? Maybe I should have joined you too after all."
"Probably for the best you didn't." Jim answered.
"Yeah. That hermit life ain't for me. Peppy came out of there a better person, I'd have come out a worse one. What about you, Jimmy? Eremi change you too?"
Peppy looked to Jim. Even though it was dark, he still had his sunglasses on, but could tell Jim was looking back at him when he answered.
"Yeah. It changed me too."
"Well good for you. It's like some old movie. If everything goes to shit, at least you two will always have Eremi."
Something about the way Pigma said that sent a chill down Peppy's spine. Made him remember his fears, that Eremi was all they were going to get.
Made him want to meet up with Jim by himself.
Sooner rather than later.
And they did, went to Jim's apartment in the city a couple nights later.
Was just real determined to get there, as he drove, walked up the stairs, knocked on the door. Didn't think of anything else except just getting there. Not what had happened, not what was going to happen.
Jim opened the door, and the mood was stormy, pressurized as Jim stepped aside so Peppy could step inside, and Peppy had all his nerves firing now, the ones that had stayed quiet up until now, and he wasn't really sure who moved first, but seemed like the moment the door was closed Peppy's back was up against it, wasn't at all prepared for and couldn't stop the pitiful whine that came out of him when Jim had his lips on his again, how he pawed Jim's back for him to come closer, felt so shaky he couldn't even get a grip on him.
Jim in response reached down for the backs of his thighs, then simply lifted him up, had him wrap his legs around his waist, let him rest against the door a second before they were off in the direction of Jim's bedroom. His actual bedroom, Peppy was reminded, as Jim set him down on the edge of the bed and Peppy scooted backward, one that had his actual stuff in it, not the one he'd temporarily claimed as his own on Eremi. Had never been in here, had no reason too until now, and was thinking about it now 'cause Jim was just standing there looking at him, at the foot of the bed, not getting on with him.
"Jim?"
"Remember this."
"What?"
"When we're apart from each other."
Felt that chill run down his spine again, didn't understand why Jim was saying this now, why he was so intense about it. Tried to get him off the subject by replying:
"But we're together now."
Didn't stop him.
"Promise me. If you ever need me, remember this."
"Okay. I promise."
"And Pep?" Jim added, as he finally put a knee down on the bed, started removing his shirt too.
"Yeah?" Peppy asked, no idea what he was going to say this time.
"This bed ain't crap."
Had his legs wrapped around Jim's waist again, except this time was for a different kind of ride.
Was hard to hold on, sometimes, sometimes wanted to tell him to slow down, but something stopped him. Maybe the same thing that made Jim say such a strange thing at the beginning of this, the same thing that made Peppy so determined to get here.
Kind of felt like he was possessed, and the best thing to do was ride it out.
And at least Jim was right.
Bed wasn't crap.
Woke up to the sound of Jim once again rummaging around for something.
"Not looking for cigars again, are ya?"
"Not this time." Jim answered back, before tossing a small box his way.
Really did buy him a ring.
Was simple, just a band.
Gunmetal gray.
Made him not only speechless, but thoughtless to boot. Just sat there, looking at it. Was scared to even put it on, but he did, slowly. Looked up to Jim, and realized neither one of them was smiling.
Something heavy, about this ring.
He'd wear it anyways.
Wasn't too long that Star Fox got another call from General Pepper. Another mission. More of a favor really. Was a little more serious, with a lot more unknowns.
Go to Venom.
But they were old friends, after all.
They'd help him out.