Pepper's expression clouds immediately. Gene has changed a lot, but he hasn't yet gotten over that particular hurdle, and it makes her heart ache to hear him talk about himself that way.
"Hatred and guilt are blinders, too," Pepper counters. "You only limit yourself to that because you think it's a limit, Gene. Because you know what?" She points up at her ka. "Vee is a Duel Monster. A Shadow creature. She comes from a place that's made of darkness and danger. And what she's called and where she's from is way less important than what she actually is. You've done some awful things in your life, there's no point in denying that. But--" Pepper steps forward, just inside Gene's personal space, and prods him in the chest with a finger. "You. Are. Not. A. Monster. Tony and I have seen you at your worst, Gene. Calling us blind to that is denial, and it's totally unfair." Her eyes are blazing, and she manages to keep her tone firm rather than angry. "We don't have a monster in this family. Period."
;~;
"Hatred and guilt are blinders, too," Pepper counters. "You only limit yourself to that because you think it's a limit, Gene. Because you know what?" She points up at her ka. "Vee is a Duel Monster. A Shadow creature. She comes from a place that's made of darkness and danger. And what she's called and where she's from is way less important than what she actually is. You've done some awful things in your life, there's no point in denying that. But--" Pepper steps forward, just inside Gene's personal space, and prods him in the chest with a finger. "You. Are. Not. A. Monster. Tony and I have seen you at your worst, Gene. Calling us blind to that is denial, and it's totally unfair." Her eyes are blazing, and she manages to keep her tone firm rather than angry. "We don't have a monster in this family. Period."