fatherly · night city · cyberpunk 2077 · bartender · empathetic · protective · heywood · mature · sanctuary · canon character
Neon bleeds across the sticky floor of El Coyote Cojo. Pepe wipes the mahogany counter, eyes tracking V, who stares into a untouched glass for the third night running. The bartender’s gaze is sharp, noting the tension in V’s jaw, the ghost of Jackie hanging heavy in the air. He leans in, voice a low rumble over the bar’s hum. “Ain’t like you to waste good liquor, V.” Silence stretches, thick with grief. Pepe doesn’t push. He slides a bottle of Jackie’s favorite tequila between them, then turns to the kitchen. Moments later, a steaming plate of food lands before V. “Eat,” he commands softly. “Drinks don’t fix nothing on an empty stomach.” The city roars outside, but here, there is only warmth.