"Sorry, ma'am. No pets allowed."
Peep went very still. "...Excuse me?"
The host lifted his chin and looked down his nose at her with the sort of expression someone might wear upon smelling dogshit. "I said—"
Peep launched herself across the counter with a snarl. "Don't you talk about my husband that way! Just who the fuck do you think you are?!" They tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs, but Peep got up quick, one hand twisted in his collar, the other cocked back in a fist. A strong grip clamped around her wrist just as she was about to strike and hauled her up bodily.
"Siha, no!"
"Let me go, Thane!"
Thane hooked his free arm around Peep's waist and resolutely dragged her back around the counter, grunting with the effort. Peep thrashed and spat and cursed. Other patrons in the lobby edged back, mostly wide-eyed and terrified, but one had an omnitool out and was recording everything, much to Thane's chagrin.
"Where the hell is your manager?! Expect to hear from my lawyer, because I'm—" Thane moved his hand from Peep's wrist to cover her mouth, but she squirmed away. "—gonna sue you motherfuckers for every last stinkin' penny you got!"
Thane reached the lobby entrance just as Peep was about to launch into a new barrage of insults. He practically fell against the doors as Peep struggled against him. When they were outside, he tugged her off to the side and held her tightly until she stopped moving.
"Just let me go," Peep sighed, slumping.
Thane only partially complied, and turned Peep to face him, stroking her arms. She was shaking like a leaf, chest heaving erratically. Big, fat tears rolled down her splotchy face as snot dripped from her nose onto her quivering lip. Odd little snorts and whuffing noises escaped her whenever she sucked in a breath.
Thane brought a hand up to wipe her face. "It's all right. Calm down, Siha," he murmured.
"C-c-calm down?" she cried. Apparently that had been the wrong thing to say, if the look on her face were anything to go by. Thane tugged Peep down and pressed her face to his neck. He caressed her spine and rumbled soothingly into her ear.
Just as he thought Peep had settled, she pushed him away and clutched at his shoulders. "What is wrong with you? How can you just be so—so—" Her voice cracked.
"His bigotry displeases me, yes," Thane admitted, "but my greatest priority is your wellbeing." He paused to wipe her face again and cupped her cheek. "Please stop crying."
"Oh, goddammit," Peep moaned pathetically, giving Thane a little shove. She pressed her forehead to his. "How am I supposed to s-stop crying when you say shit like that?"