Green Eyed Girl
Kanan didn't like the look of the situation, but he hesitated. The woman had a defiant fire in her luminescent green eyes that Kanan could see even from almost across the bar. However, when the man loomed in even closer, her eyes flashed with panic as she tried to shift away. Kanan was suddenly moving across the bar, weaving his way through the throng of people.
Kanan really hadn't wanted to come to the bar; in fact he had protested, dug his heels in, and flat out told Zeb and Ezra 'no'. Yet here he was, leaning dejectedly against the wall behind Ezra's chair as Ezra and Zeb laughed and drank.
Kanan had a long and painful family history with alcohol, so he purposefully avoided bars and liquor stores. The only reason Zeb and Ezra had even gotten him to come along to the small, smoky bar was because they needed a designated driver. Ezra had just come of drinking age, so naturally Zeb had promised to take him out drinking.
Kanan sighed through his nose and rubbed a hand over his face, running his fingers absently through his coarse hair. He had thrown his hair into a stubby ponytail before going out, not really caring what he looked like. As Kanan's mind wandered, his gaze followed, moving about the bar and taking in all the random couples and groups of friends crowding the dim, musty bar. It smelled like any other run-of-the-mill bar you would walk into – alcohol, smoke, and fried food.
God, Kanan really didn't want to be here.
It wasn't until Kanan's eyes made it around to the barstools that he noticed something off. At one of the stools sat a woman who looked about his age, poised uncomfortably with her drink clutched firmly, almost defensively, in between her hands. She was leaning slightly away from the blond man who was hovering over her with a smirk on his face. He had one hand on the back of her chair and the other firmly planted on the table top of the bar in front of her, obviously trying to impress the woman.
Furrowing his brow, Kanan didn't like the look of the situation, but he hesitated. The woman had a defiant fire in her luminescent green eyes that Kanan could see even from almost across the bar. However, when the man loomed in even closer, her eyes flashed with panic as she tried to shift away. Kanan was suddenly moving across the bar, weaving his way through the throng of people.
Arriving at the bar, Kanan moved up on the other side of the woman, taking care to not loom over her like the other man was, but taking up a protective stance with one hand on the back of her chair.
"Hey, sweetheart. Sorry I'm late," Kanan said to the woman, a defensive note stringing his words together. She turned, slightly startled, anger filling her eyes, as she looked Kanan up and down. When she noticed he was not making a move on her, she seemed to understand and gave him a tight smile, trying to sell the act.
"Is there something my girlfriend can help you with?" Kanan asked in a cold voice, his teal eyes pinning the other man under their stare.
The man's eyes took on a hint of surprise as he retreated from his looming position and scooped up his nearby drink. Now that Kanan was in front of him, he could smell the reek of alcohol wafting from him, more powerful than the dull smell that had permanent residence in the bar. Raising an eyebrow at the man, Kanan felt his nerves spark as he thought of what the man must have been trying to do to this woman.
Shaking his head, the other man took a swig of his beer and grunted out a, "No, nothing at all," before moving away.
Kanan let out a relieved breath before looking down at the woman and moving off a bit from his protective stance so as not to anger her further. Kanan took in her appearance, not having really looked at her before. She was obviously shorter than he was with a slender frame and a lovely face. She had long, dark hair that was dyed with green streaks, the same color as her eyes. The luminescent green eyes that Kanan had spotted across the bar were offset by her darker skin, especially in the dimly lit bar.
Kanan extended a hand towards her with a small smile. "I'm Kanan, by the way. That guy didn't hurt you at all, did he?"
The woman was giving him a distrustful and guarded look, which Kanan understood, but she extended her hand for his and shook firmly.
"Hera," she said curtly. "And no, he didn't. Thank you for the help, but I hope you don't expect anything from me, especially considering I didn't ask for help."
Kanan blinked at her, stunned at her response for a moment before he let out a short laugh.
"No, I'm not expecting anything. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You looked pretty uncomfortable with him looming over you like that. You're obviously very capable of taking care of yourself."
It was now Hera's turn to look surprised, almost as if she hadn't expected him not to want anything from her. And then she smiled at Kanan, not the tight lipped one she had given him moments before, but a genuine smile that took Kanan's breath away. Her defiance seemed to melt away, and Kanan could tell she was still guarded. But her face seemed to light up with that smile as she gestured for him to sit next to her.
Kanan slid onto the barstool and shook his head as the bartender came up to see if he wanted anything. Hera eyed him as she sipped at her own up.
"Not much of a drinker?" she asked, running her finger around the rim of her cup, one eyebrow raised in question.
Kanan shook his head and pulled out a small coin from his pocket, showing it to Hera with a little smile.
"Two years sober," he said with a hint of pride in his voice, returning the coin to his pocket as Hera's eyes widened.
"What in the world are you doing in a bar then?" she asked. If Kanan hadn't known better, he would have said she almost sounded concerned.
Kanan chuckled and jerked his thumb in the direction of Zeb and Ezra's table where the pair of friends where still laughing and drinking the way he had left them. Hera's eyes followed his gesture and she smiled softly.
"Those two knuckleheads dragged me out so they'd have a designated driver. The smaller one, Ezra, over there just came of age. So Zeb, the big guy, promised to bring him out drinking." Kanan gave a little laugh and returned his eyes to Hera, saying, "I'm just the driver."
Hera nodded her head towards a group of girls who looked about the same age as Ezra on the other side of the bar, with a fond look on her face.
"That's Sabine, the girl with the blue and orange hair, and her friends. I'm their driver tonight." When she saw Kanan eyeing her cup suspiciously, she slid it towards him and simply said, "Coffee. The bartender here makes a pretty good cup of caffe."
"Huh, really?" Kanan said, impressed, as he slid the cup back towards Hera. "I never would have guessed."
They spoke idly about nothing in particular for a few more minutes before the pair sat in silence for a while. Kanan watched out of the corner of his eye as Hera rhythmically ran her finger back and forth across the rim of her cup; the music and background chatter of the bar blended together in a chaotic murmur around them.
Finally, Hera looked over at Kanan with a serious expression and asked, "So, what made you come over and say you were my boyfriend so that guy would leave?"
Kanan looked over, slightly startled by the sudden question. He thought for a moment before finally giving a little shrug.
"Well, I could see that you were uncomfortable from across the bar. I'm not sure what it was, but when he started moving in closer I just sort of started over, because you looked like you needed help…" Kanan trailed off quietly, realizing how stupidly cheesy he must be sounding. But when he looked up at Hera, he found her smiling kindly at him.
"Well, I'm glad you came over, Kanan," she said gratefully. And, God did Kanan love the way her voice sounded when she said his name; it made Kanan's heart beat just a little faster.
"I'm glad I came over too," Kanan said after a moment of trying to bring his head back down to earth. "I didn't expect to find someone here I could get along with, but I've enjoyed talking to you."
Hera smiled and glanced down at her drink with a hint of pink tingeing her tan cheeks. As she looked up and opened her mouth, obviously about to say something, Ezra and Zeb came stumbling up to Kanan, their cheeks flushed from the alcohol. Kanan grabbed Ezra's upper arm, steadying the younger boy as he fell against Kanan.
With a hiccup, Ezra grinned at Kanan and jingled the car keys. "Zeb and are ready to head home," Ezra slurred out. The younger boy looked over at Hera and got a funny look on his face.
"Though," Ezra hiccupped out. "If you're busy, Zeb 'n I can make it home-"
"Absolutely not," Kanan cut Ezra off, reaching out and grabbing the keys. Looking back over at Hera, he grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry, but it appears that my passengers are ready to head out." Kanan scratched the back of his head and let out a little laugh.
Hera chuckled and finished off her coffee with a quick sip. "I understand." Glancing over her shoulder at Sabine, Hera pulled the keys out her own pocket and gave them little jingle. "I should probably get my passengers home too."
Kanan nodded goodbye to Hera as she stood up and started to walk over to Sabine. As he watched her start to leave, Kanan couldn't help himself.
"Hera!" he called out, causing her to turn around. Hera's bright, alluring green eyes distracted him as she looked at him expectantly.
Taking a breath, Kanan gave her a nervous smile and said, "Would you…I don't know," Kanan said, cutting himself off. Quickly trying again, Kanan said, "Would you maybe like to meet up again some time?"
Hera's expression was unreadable, and that scared Kanan. He was sure that she would probably think he had lied and was actually trying to get something out of helping her. But Kanan couldn't help it; he genuinely thought that Hera was amazing. And she was probably going to turn him down and walk away.
But then she gave him that genuine smile as she walked back over to him. She pulled a pen out of her pocket and grabbed a napkin, jotting something down in a quick little scribble. Hera straightened up and passed Kanan the napkin with a little grin.
"I would love to meet up again, Kanan," she said, turning and walking off towards Sabine.
Kanan looked down at the napkin and grinned as he folded it up and tucked Hera's phone number into his pocket.
"All right, boys," Kanan said, grunting as he tugged Ezra with him towards the door. "Let's get you guys home."
A/N: I hope you guys liked this! R&R please!