fierce ↠ sweet pea [1] [✔]

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Three days of flyering had taken its inevitable toll on Lauryn's body, but she wasn't accepting defeat.

"Penny Peabody," Lauryn said, sensing the bitter, unpleasant presence of the woman who had just sat down at the bar beside her. She bothered not to look at her, but kept her eyes in the other direction as her head rested on her hand. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Little Lauryn Fogarty," Penny jeered, a smile detected by the roundness in her voice. Her palm smacked the bartop, one of her tarnished rings clanging against the surface. There was an awkward silence, as Lauryn had no intention of speaking to her. "Does your auntie Penny not get a hug?"

Lauryn looked at her, trying to gather if she was serious or not. She raised a brow. "What?"

"Come on, you remember me!" Penny elbowed her, but she only leaned away slightly. "I was a good friend of your dad's. Used to do business together."

"Friend?" Lauryn scoffed. "It was quite obvious that there was more than platonic drinks after work going on. I shouldn't be talking to you."

"Why? Is your mom gonna tell you off?" the woman glanced around, before flashing her eyes at Lauryn. "That's funny because I don't see her here. Haven't for about... eight years."

"What do you want, Penny?" she asked sharply. She'd heard enough about her mother, particularly her absence, and she didn't need any more. Especially not from Penny Peabody of all people.

"Legend has it that you're expecting," Penny replied, looking downwards at Lauryn's shirt. "And by the looks of things, legend is spot on."

Lauryn tried to pull her jacket over the bump. "Great observation. Now, if you'll excuse me."

She stiffly got up to walk away but Penny seized her slim wrist, shooting a direct, shuddering gaze into Lauryn's eyes. "There's gonna be a vote."

Snatching her arm away the second she felt Penny's grip loosen, Lauryn frowned at her. "What vote?"

"Whether Jughead should be exiled--"

"No, he won't be," Lauryn cut her off, shaking her head. "You don't get to dig your way back into the snake pen that easily. You--"

Penny snorted, licking her lips. "Need I remind you that your pal carved a chunk out of my arm and now his father is wrapped around my little finger."

"That's just it, Penny," Lauryn hissed, leaning closer to the blonde woman. "You're never happy unless everyone's wrapped around your finger. You won't win this. FP won't let you back into Serpent territory. You stay a Snake Charmer, or fuck off. That's what it'll be."

"Hey," Penny replied, her eyes narrowing. "You don't wanna be sucked into this as well, do you? Watch your mouth."

"You're not my mother, Penny," Lauryn reminded her bitterly. "Stay the hell away from my family."

"I can help you," Penny yelled after Lauryn who was making her way towards the ladys' room as an escape. Lauryn ignored her once again, and so she snuck after her. 

The minute Lauryn was in the restroom alone, the door swung open again. She rolled her eyes, turning on her heel. "Jesus, Penny. What do you want?"

"I said I can help you," Penny repeated, approaching the girl uncomfortably close. She had a few inches on Lauryn, but enough to look down on her. The whiskey from her breath drifted into the air, wafting into Lauryn's nostrils. "You're not doin' so good, and it's pretty obvious."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure," Penny said sarcastically, and Lauryn despised how her health's state was so obvious to even her enemies. "But, say I did. You need protection, stability. Be it financial or--"