He didn't know what woke him, either the insufferable headache or the scent of the coffee that was being handed to him.
"Morning sunshine."
The simple sound of the bartender's voice drilled Johnny's temples. He reincorporated himself from the sticky ivory booth where he had been lying down for the last couple of hours.
"Was it necessary to leave me here?", complained Johnny.
"Well, it was either that or letting you sleep on the floor. Besides, you were quite heavy for both Jimmy and me".
He gladly accepted the mug and swallowed every single drop of its content. He immediately regretted his action since the taste of the beverage was quite potent, and it also burned his throat.
"You couldn't have make it any stronger, could you?", mumbled Johnny.
She raised her cup and drank before responding his bitter remark.
"Nope. This is the breakfast of champions… and also a good remedy for hangovers."
As she spoke, Johnny realized that they were the only people in the establishment.
"Won't you get in trouble for letting me stay all night?"
"Not if it happens that the owner of this place was the one that made the decision." She gave him a smirk. "My place, my rules."
"Right… look, I don't want to sound rude, but aren't you worried of being alone with a guy you don't know at all?"
She glanced down while tracing her index along the edge of her cup.
"You have a point there. I'm surprised myself of my actions. Usually, I just let strangers deal with their own problems and carry on with my tasks."
"Alright, but what made this time the exception?"
Her emerald eyes stared at him as if analyzing his question.
"I don't know. Something in my gut told me to do it". She took another sip of her coffee before continuing. "Call me crazy if you want, I don't mind".
He didn't. They both remained quiet until Johnny noticed the clock hanging above them.
"Oh, shit! I'm already late for work."
"Don't worry," his ocean gaze returned to her delicate features, "I called Bob and told him you were sick. He said it was okay as long as you show up tomorrow."
Johnny couldn't contain a snort.
"And he totally believed you? Just like that?"
"If we're being honest, I didn't lie to him completely if that's what you're saying". She received a fiery glare. "Besides, words spread fast around here, and he found out what you did. He's a regular customer and has a soft spot for this place. So cheers to that!"
He was about to start another argument but was suddenly interrupted by his stomach. She hid her smile behind her coffee and stood up.
"If you're going to deal with this hungover, you should at least eat something. Stay here while I look for my keys. I know a place where we can grab a bite."
Normally the banished cobra would sting at anyone trying to interfere with his life by telling them to fuck off. Yet somehow, he didn't want to this time. Besides, it's been a long time since he'd interacted with someone that didn't involve getting wasted.
As the barkeeper walked towards her office, which was located at the back, Johnny called her out.
"Hey, I never got the chance to ask you your name."
She stopped and turned her neck. A flashy grin gave him an answer. "It's Alexa."
A/N: This was a short chapter, but I preferred to upload something since I'm about to enter a stressful week that will probably keep me busy. Anyway, thanks for reading this fic! :)