Hello everyone! Hope you all are having a good day. I'm exhausted. I had to do some work today but hey... still managed to get a post out. Woot!
Now I did check out AO3 and I get an invite in a few days. I'll check it out (thanks for the suggestion). If it doesn't pan out then I'll make something for Deviant Art. Once it's set up I'll post the link in my profile.
Hope everyone has a great night. I'm going to get some sleep. It's just a little past midnight. I'm dead tired. Good night!
It had been two days since the incident involving the bantam brunette. The first day was an emotional roller-coaster that left Aokiji raw. He was short with almost everyone. Not that the admiral did it on purpose but he was human.
By the second day, investigative reports rolled in as well as the inventory the doctor had ordered. Katie was up and about but still on morphine to help kill the pain and to more or less, assist in her healing process. While the woman was under the influence, she wasn't as inclined to move around as much.
What the man discovered, he didn't like. The marines had sifted through his ice and did not find a single soul except a patch of ice missing. There was no trace of a frozen body except for blood that couldn't have been Katie's since she had been in the kitchen. The missing patch was found in the bedroom where the bed had stopped the stove from crashing through any more of the structure. The appliance had been nearly folded in the center, indicating a body had been kicked into it as the brunette had stated between humdrums of woken moments.
The next report was more of an inquiry. Kuzan wanted to know more about the red head. She apparently was a nurse at the hospital while her sister was a greeter but something felt off. The admiral had summoned Smoker. He was the best man for finding discrepancies in people's stories and sniffing out anyone hiding in the shadows.
Upon the captain's arrival, Aokiji was met with a scowl. Tashigi had tagged along and was allowed to say hello to her little friend. The two men had made their way out of the room and into the seemingly empty hallway.
"You know, I'm getting pretty sick of not getting back to my post", the two cigar smoking captain bit in a subdued tone. The nearly seven foot marine crossed his arms over his bare chest; his green and white jacket left open in a casual fashion, which was the norm for Smoker.
The admiral sighed. Honestly, he half expected the white-haired officer to be bitter. "I've got an assignment", the towering gentleman breathed with his head falling slightly forward. The puffy rings under his eyes were smoothed away as he rubbed them with robust fingers.
"Let me guess, it's got something to do with the fleet-admiral's adopted granddaughter being nearly assassinated. If you're asking me to get involved, means you haven't got a clue who's behind it."
The taller officer sat down and crossed his ankle over his knee. He let out a frustrated huff of air. "They survived my devil fruit ability and disappeared before the marines could investigate but that's not why I called you. There are a set of twins I want you to look into. I could be wrong but it feels too convenient for their faces to be popping up whenever Katie is involved." Copper orbs glanced up in the dim lit hall.
The captain raised a brow. "Interesting", was all he could really say at the moment without knowing more of the content. "Names? Descriptions?"
"Izumi Nomi and Izumi Noriko. Red haired, bobbed cut, you have seen Noriko at the greeter's desk and Nomi is a nurse here. She looks exactly like her sister working at headquarters. While in shock, Katie had thought it was Noriko by sense of smell. At the time we thought she was just under the influence of painkillers but we found out Garp's granddaughter had been sedated instead. I don't believe it's coincidence that one works at headquarters while the other was Katie's original nurse."
The White Hunter nodded. If he were in Aokiji's position, he too would have his suspicions. "I'll leave Tashigi here to help you get some rest. You look tired. Have you gone home at all", the captain queried.
"Not really. I froze it over trying to catch the person who assaulted Katelyn… And before you get any ideas, remember she's my neighbor", Kuzan swiftly informed Smoker who had arched a brow.
"I know that. I was wondering why you were so reckless but now I'm curious about your personal feelings", the marine captain rightfully asked. He wanted to make sure he wasn't being sent out on a personal vendetta despite the young woman's status. He was a marine, not a mercenary.
"My personal feelings aside, the facts are the facts. I don't plan on getting involved with the criminal or criminals; who knows?" The high-ranking officer took a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose. "That's why I'm sending you. I can trust you to get things done right without the investigation becoming convoluted."
The marine captain couldn't argue. Aokiji was right whether his feelings were a factor or not. She was the granddaughter of Garp and adopted granddaughter of fleet-admiral Sengoku. If Smoker was a betting man, and he was, his money was put on the idea that it was done from the inside. They had to have access to the residential area as well as the hospital and only marines or specialized personnel had that kind of access. He'd check the twins first, just as the admiral wanted.
Returning to the room, Tashigi sat quietly in a chair beside a sleeping beauty. Her long dark hair had been spilled over the white covered pillows while a powder blue blanket had been pulled up under her chin. It was noticeable that the petty officer had tucked the slightly shorter woman in.
The female marine jolted to her feet and saluted the admiral who motioned for her to sit back down. "Tashigi", Smoker spoke in a husky tone. "You're to stay here with her and stand guard. Don't be an idiot and take off your glasses either."
The swordsman nodded as she listened to Aokiji inform her the only doctor Noah and a large nurse named Liddy had access to enter. Anyone else, including marines alike, were to be stopped minus family of course. "Hai", the petty officer acknowledged.
"If anyone gives you trouble, send someone to my place", the admiral ordered as he slipped the investigative files into Smoker's hand. The man wished them both luck before disappearing around the corner and down the hall.
An hour later, Tashigi was reading a book in silence as the young brunette was sleeping. According to the doctor, they were going to keep her heavily medicated for a couple of more days due to the extensive internal damage the knife had done. It was only by luck, her friend was out of danger now.
Instead a new threat emerged. Sakazuki entered the room with a menacing gaze about him. His expression had been over shadowed by the bill of his marine cap. Tashigi would be lying if the woman said she wasn't afraid.
The admiral gazed down with dark eyes. His scowl deepened when the petty officer stood unmoved in front of him. "I'm sorry sir, but I'm under orders to not let anyone but the assigned doctor and nurse see her."
"Under who's orders", the ranked official clamored.
"Admiral Aokiji, sir", she answered with a straightforward tone.
"Then go get him", he bent over and growled as the higher-ranking officer lowered himself mere inches from her nose.
"Yes sir", the insignificant marine saluted before darting off at full speed. Her heart was pounding profusely in her chest. The admiral was terrifying.
Alone, in the seemingly empty room the officer in red sat next to the hospital bed. His eyes lowered as he crossed an ankle over his knee. The man's large arms crossed over his chest with black leather gloves tucked into the creases.
"R...", the little sleeping woman whispered. "If you're gonna loom… do it right", she waved a hand about before letting it flop at her side.
"How's that", the marine asked; honestly curious himself.
"Oh jeeze…", Katie sleepily stated as she made grabby fingers behind her, in his direction.
The officer in red smirked. She was exactly like Angie. He could count the times the librarian he knew acted in the same manner. Drunk, tired, or even half awake. Always wanted to be touched and the marine could even bet if he took off his glove, she'd comment on how warm he was. Sakazuki did exactly that.
Thick calloused fingers slipped over her dainty hand. She was so small. Just like her mother and that feeling of excitement rushed through him faster than adrenaline. Internally he wanted to pluck the female from the bed, hold her, and ask the brunette about her mother.
"Hm…", Katelyn hummed. "So warm…" There was a pause with a few long-drawn breaths. "Oh… Sorry. I thought you were my brother. You smell like roses and a thick cologne. You don't wear it heavy… It's just the brand. Smells really good but slightly different from R's."
It should, he thought. Angela was the one that picked it out all those years ago when he was more a rough neck. Now he had his career and reputation to worry about. He traded in his open jacket for suits with the occasional cigar.
The young woman continued to hum. His strong left thumb traced the outer shell of her ear. The sensation sent goose pimples down her back but it felt so good, the little female didn't want him to stop. The man's rough hot palm felt wonderful against her velvety skin.
"That's nice", she mumbled while nuzzling the pillow. "Oh… I recognize this scent", her volume indicated a drowsy moment. "First morning, coffee. You're the admiral in the red suit", Katie smiled while a hand reached up and rested on the top of his own.
"You're not afraid of me", the marine inquired with a thick husky voice.
"No… I'm not a criminal. Why should I?" Katie didn't see the faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lip. She hit the nail on the head. The female wasn't a marine nor guilty of anything. Normally Sakazuki wouldn't have any business with her but there were a few things nagging at his mind that he wanted to put at ease.
"Katelyn, where's your mother", the strong jawed marine asked.
"Katie…", the brunette corrected inside a loud yawn. Still unaware of the kind of danger the twenty-three year old was actually in. "Probably home. Sleeping. I hope she remembered to eat today", the befuddled female muttered.
"Sleeping", he continued the conversation. His thick voice tickling the hairs in her ears. The admiral was pleasant to listen to in low tones but she could imagine, in her sleepy stupor, how terrifying he probably sounded when angry.
"Yup", the female answered shortly before a small snore left her lips. The alien sound caught Sakazuki by surprise. She was tired. Seven blood transfusions in less than twenty-four hours would do that to anyone. If Katie's appearance imitated anyone else, he wouldn't have cared but she looked and sounded just like Angela. It was so uncanny that it forced his heart to thump rapidly. It took every ounce of self-discipline to not call out her name.
To add to the admiral's blight, she acted just like her as well. Goose bumps dotted his arms and back. His breath was short. The only reprieve the officer received was that the brunette's back had been turned. His passion for Angie rivaled that of his obsession with thorough justice. This put the person who hurt the librarian's daughter in a very... dangerous... position.