Sorry this is late! Had a really long day today. :( I did try to proof read this but it's super late and I'm falling asleep as I type. I hope you all enjoy and had a great day.
Sakazuki ran the back of his hand over Katie's cheek. Just as he had done to Angela a few times. Her skin was soft like her mothers, he thought. The tops of his fingers tingled slightly. The velvety texture felt inviting. The admiral feared if he brushed through her silken strands of hair with his fingers, he wouldn't be able to stop. His brow creased as his smirk faded to a scowl.
It was unfair that she had that woman's face, he thought solemnly. No, that wasn't right. He was the one that forced her away. The man should have known better. Angela's heart was given to Borsalino, even if his older friend didn't realize it. The man in red swallowed hard as his hands began to tremble.
The marine could fight and execute without batting an eye; the man commanded literal thousands of men but Angela always made him feel… human. His scowls, barks, snarls, and bites never affected her. The squared jawed officer always felt off balanced around her. After any one of his bouts, her smile always made him feel like a fool for going to such lengths. Half the time the man was frustrated, the other half amazed.
Before Angela there had only been two people in his life who could deal with him, Borsalino and Kuzan. Though they met in their earlier years, they joined the marines together. Their ages varied but that didn't stop the three of them. They were monsters. Utter terrors of the sea. Pirates and marines feared them alike.
One day he had come back from a mission. Sakazuki was truly at the end of his ropes. Tired and exhausted but he enjoyed his morning jogs. His eyes couldn't believe what he saw. Borsalino had stopped to chat with a petite woman who was a bit more top heavy than a normal female her size. What caught his attention wasn't her figure but the fact that she had garnered the attention of his colleague.
Kizaru usually mocked idiots by playing around and convincing them he cared but this was different. They were talking about one of his favorite subjects, a book. He couldn't remember when he ever saw the man in yellow without one. They were engaged in a genuine conversation which was surprising since the three rarely spoke honestly to people outside their circle.
At first Sakazuki ignored it but morning after morning they'd meet. He could hear in the distance the two of them conversing about a book she read the day prior. Angela was enthused, to say the least. Books, in general, were apparently her favorite pastime.
One morning the officer decided to take Borsalino's route. Not surprising he found the young woman in a black tank top with dark blue-jean capri pants. A stylish blue sheer scarf hung over her shoulders added with her mocha tinted hair let down the length of her back. The breeze of the ocean was cool but the air had been humid.
Marineford had been known for its hot summers and warm winters. It rarely got cold and if there happened to be a nip in the air, it meant that a powerful system was headed their way. That morning the air wasn't cool, just added moisture in the air which was cause for some concern. He wanted to get his run in before being called to insure the ties and hatches were drawn up and tied down before the head of the thunder storm was spotted.
The man stopped and stood before the female who was reading quietly. His copper orbs gazed downward. He waited a moment to see if her eyes would wonder upward. They didn't. He could see her blue hues traveling over every letter quickly. It was self-evident that she was in her own world.
The officer cleared his throat to gain her attention. The brunette shot her eyes upward. He saw the flinch in her shoulders indicating the marine had startled her. It didn't bother him at the time. When they first met, he had zero cares about her. He just wanted to meet her out of curiosity.
"If you're looking for Borsalino, he won't be coming around for a while." The man's voice was deep but not soft. It was a serious tone and often it caused him trouble with the older officers since they often misinterpreted it as disrespect towards their rank.
"Huh", she asked. The woman appeared clueless to what he had said.
"I said…", she raised a hand to stop him. His voice caught in his throat when the young woman turned up her supple lips into a soft smile. Sakazuki instantly felt uncomfortable. Give him a hundred pirates to take on; not a smile he didn't know how to react too.
"I heard. I just don't know what you're talking about. I'm not waiting for anyone", the small female clarified in a matter-of-fact voice. Large endless blue hues blinked. They were so dark like the sea at dawn.
The marine's head tilted downward with his scowl deepening. Many were already frightened of the look. She didn't seem too. The woman wasn't even nervous. There was no shifting or fidgeting. Instead she continued to keep her pleasant expression. It wasn't a counterfeit smile either. Unfortunately, life had taught him to spot every single one of those and he guessed back then that's what made him feel like a fool. Hers was honest. All those years ago, Akainu hated that sensation to the very core.
The man shivered then. He could remember his hands begin to sweat. It was the heat of his own heartbeat. "I thought you and my colleague were meeting up here for a purpose."
"Kind of you", she responded smoothly. "But no. I come here because of that", the young woman pointed off behind him which caused him to turn.
"The rose gardens", he questioned in disbelief.
"Yep", the brunette chimed. It was then she stood and Sakazuki could remember how astonished of how small she was. She merely rose just above his hip. Most were a little taller than that. The man in the white hoodie had to pinch the bridge of his nose to relieve the aching sensation forming in the back of his mind.
Angela had gotten up and trotted over to the blue railing that outlined the path. There was a sheer fifteen foot drop from the edge of the walk to the sand below. Across that was one of Marineford's pride and joys. The rose garden. It had an official name, The Crown's Jewel but everyone referred it to the rose garden because that's exactly what it was. There was everything from white to blue. Even green roses from the Grand Line but he soon learned the more rare and exotic species wasn't what drew her attention.
The brunette had taken that particular seat to gaze at the pink roses that bordered the garden itself. It was rather common and plain but there was a deep seeded adoration for them. She explained they were one of the few species that never bloomed the same. Same plant, same stem, every flower would be slightly different.
The conversation which was only to serve a probe to find what kind of trophy hunter Borsalino took an interest in, turned out to be a half hour long chat. Angela did most of the talking but she sincerely asked her questions too. He had no shame in answering them. The officer was merely taken back that he wasn't annoyed during the entire time. Everything seemed right…
"You know… Giving my petty officer a hard time isn't very admiral of you", Sakazuki's thoughts had been interrupted by the sound of Kuzan's voice. The ranking official in white and blue clad subtly eyed the thumb caressing and outlining Katie's ear. His gut tightened. The sense of jealousy began to creep up his shoulders like a demon slipping its claws into him. It made the man feel sick to his stomach. This wasn't like him.
The marine crossed his arms and leaned against the wall near the door. His ankles passed over each other in a relaxed fashion. Dark eyes followed the hand as it retracted. The officer in red stood firmly to his feet with his chin tilted downward. Slowly Akainu fitted his leather glove back over his reach. He was quiet. The pleasant moment in his head had slipped away leaving an empty void.
"What do you want Sakazuki", Aokiji asked with his eyes nearly glaring at the other official. The man wasn't keen on what he saw when he entered.
"What I do on my own time is no concern of yours", he gruffly spoke with a growl.
The admiral in blue sighed before pushing himself off the wall. "Sorry… I'm short. Lack of sleep will do that", the officer played it off with his shoulders relaxing. There was no way a man like Akainu would have any sort of interest in a woman that young. He couldn't even understand why he started too, himself.
The other officer nodded with a grunt. "No need. I know how important it is to protect her. She's the fleet-admiral's granddaughter. To kill her on Marineford would not only be a mockery to us but reveal just how incompetent we are as officers. I don't plan on letting that happen", Sakazuki vowed with a sinister tone.
Kuzan pushed down the aghast sensation in his stomach. He knew the meaning behind his words and the tone in the man's voice. It was the very same one when Akainu murdered the survivors from Ohara. He didn't want to have needless blood shed again. Especially since it'll be marines that he'll target and anyone else whom the man believed to be involved. The mere idea caught his breath in his throat.
"~Oh, that won't be necessary~", Kizaru interrupted as he walked in. All eyes shifted to the admiral in a yellow pinstriped suit. He smiled before displaying a warm wave. "~Hello dear~", he walked past the two men to hover over the female who was struggling to sit up. "~Did we wake you~", he asked in a ginger tone and a masked smile.
"I think my hunch is right", she muttered before rubbing her face with both hands.
"~Oh…? What's that~", Borsalino asked slowly.
"You three are more like brothers. At first I thought you were friends. Nope…", she hummed. Kuzan recognized the signs of her being under the influence of morphine again. The woman was swaying before flopping on her side. "You guys act like me and my brothers. Just too serious. Listen… I don't want to be protected. I'm not that important. I just come from a small village. If everyone is worried, how will work get done", the smaller brunette asked as Kizaru tucked her back in.
"~Oh, ho… Good question… But I think there is need of someone to be by your side until we figure this out~", he spoke in a delightful tone.
"…Grandpa…", she answered. "Did you know he's really-really tough! You know how I know?" Kuzan couldn't help but smirk. Her expression was absolutely beautiful and full of pride. "It's tougher to smile when it's easier to cry. He never cries! He always has a good laugh and a great smile!"
"~Katie dear…~", Borsalino nearly sang. "~Which one are you referring too~", he asked with an earnest grin.
"Both! I have two great grandpas! Grandpa Garp is the loudest though. He always has something to say. I think he likes to make Grandpa Sengoku mad and does everything on purpose." Katie developed a wide toothy smile. Her cheeks were a pink hue adding to the sincerity of her statements. Instantly every man in the room grew envious. Growing up, not a single one had such secured belief in anyone. There were no heroes in their lives to tote them around on their shoulders. To have even a grain of faith she carried around in her heart would have been nice.
Borsalino and Sakazuki shivered. The marines knew the reason why they were so drawn to Angie was because of that very same light she had and shared. Katie was every bit her mother. Though Kizaru didn't approve of Kuzan's closeness because of Angela, he knew there was no stopping those harbored feelings. His only fear was how was Akainu going to react. That man was sometimes extremely hard to read. One wrong step could send him into a flurry of anger and no one needed a hospital burned down