The sticky wooden booth of the country bar smelled of spilled bourbon while the comforting hum of a jukebox played old country tunes. It was miles away from the high-stakes pressure of New York, and that was exactly the point. Pepper leaned back against the worn leather, a rather loud laugh bubbling up from her chest as she clinked her glass against Alex’s. Over the last few hours, the drinks had been flowing easily, and Pepper was thoroughly enjoying the rare luxury of just being herself. Her green eyes, bright with amusement under the dim amber lights, kept subtly drifting across the table to Happy. He was sitting there with his classic, stoic aura, looking fiercely handsome and ruggedly protective in the shadows, playing his usual role of the quiet anchor while his sister teased him mercilessly.
Pepper’s heart did a soft flip every time their knees accidentally brushed under the small table. The decision to keep their relationship a secret, at least temporarily, seemed right. She could see the sharp, knowing glints in Alex’s eyes whenever the conversation veered too close to Happy's personal life, but Pepper kept her poker face flawless, safely guarding their private sanctuary. When she finally slid out of the booth, smoothing down her jeans with a playful roll of her eyes at another one of Alex's jokes, she felt lighter than she had in months. "I'm going to get us another round before the line gets impossible," the redhead murmured, offering Happy a brief, lingering look that carried a world of unspoken affection before heading toward the crowded bar.
She had barely caught the bartender's eye when a heavily intoxicated man shoved his way into her personal space, his breath reeking of cheap beer as he leaned over her with an aggressive grin. Pepper instantly shifted, her posture hardening into the practiced coolness she used to shut down unwanted advances. "No, thank you. I'm just waiting for my drinks," she said firmly, stepping aside to keep her distance. But the man didn't take the hint. His face contorted with drunken anger at the rejection, and before Pepper could even react, his heavy, rough hand clamped tightly around her wrist, pulling her back toward him. "Hey, I'm talking to you, redhead. Don't act like you're too good for a drink," he snarled, his grip tightening painfully. Pepper’s breath hitched, her protective instincts flaring as she tried to wrench her arm free, her eyes instinctively snapping across the room to meet Happy’s through the crowded bar.
cause we deserve some peppy // @wormholxtreme
