Back! Not sure for how long but work has cut me loose! Yay! Been thinking about this story. I sort of feel as if I'm drifting away from how the characters would normally act but we'll see how it goes. Anyways, thanks for sticking with me. My work season has started so I will be less frequently on but I will try to post daily until the days I do work. Take care and have a great Spring!
Borsalino was more than pleasantly surprised in Katie's company and he hadn't overlooked Kuzan's protective actions either. It was the same between Angela and he when they were younger. Using his slow but witty nature to keep Sakazuki at bay whenever the two were around the petite woman. In that precise instance the man noticed the subtle gazes the topless marine expressed when his own sharp eyes drifted in the brunette's direction. If he hadn't fallen for her yet, Aokiji was doomed too and that would be a discussion for another time.
The whole night reminded Kizaru of the memories he held so dearly with Angela. Like a bittersweet story playing over and over in his head behind a carefree expression; they plucked every nerve of guilt mixed with a hint of joy. The taller man wanted the little woman back but the officer had no right to even voice it. The marine was responsible for directly threatening the life of an innocent woman who had been a victim of naivety and alcohol. She had buried herself in trouble with a man the brunette thought she could trust. Sakazuki could be disgusting at times and he knew that. The aspiring librarian simply didn't.
The food was more than delicious, it was wholesome. The air was inviting and the admiral in yellow could have used a bit of wine. Kizaru wasn't comfortable with what he was seeing before him and needed the alcohol to dull the sensations. The officer's mind rolled over the idea Katelyn could have been his. It was absolutely clear now, how much Angela felt about him. The notion was so grotesquely raw, the man physically winced. Everything that had happened between the three of them left the officer wondering, why couldn't her daughter have been his? Why did he have watch from afar and NOT be the one whom they both could depend on?
"What are you doing", Borsalino heard Kuzan ask the petite young woman who had gotten up with the now dirty dishes. The admiral's mind was torn away from his thoughts and brought back to the current moment.
"Putting the dishes away to soak while I get the Sherry Perth wine I saw tucked away in your stash. There had been so much dust on it, I figured you wouldn't miss it", Katie retorted with a smirk.
"Eh? That stuff is disgustingly sweet. It's more of a port than a wine", the ranking marine rebuffed with a physical shiver. Unbeknownst to Aokiji, his own nose had even curled.
Borsalino and the young brunette were left blinking. "Um… Well… Drank straight from the bottle…, I can see that but it's an alcoholic dessert wine. You need to prepare it first", Katie responded while grabbing the large bottle from under the counter top near the stove.
The older man snickered at his colleague before revealing an embedded grin. "~Oh… What's this? Don't know how to drink your wine~", Kizaru questioned in a mocking tone. It earned a sharp glare in retort from the curly haired officer.
"Let's see… Hmm…", she hummed. "He has some fruit but not everything I need. I'll be right back", the female chimed.
"Nope", Kuzan corrected sharply. "If you are thinking of going to your place; think again", the topless admiral inserted with a little authority.
"But I have everything I need…", Katie tried to explain before being cut off sharply by a gaze she had never seen from the man. It felt authoritarian.
"If you insist, I'll go…" A sigh escaped his lungs as he stood. "What do you need", the marine asked before lazily walking towards the door.
The shorter woman appeared defeated. Her shoulders slumped slightly. "Well… A handful of strawberries, the bottle of Oaken Barrel brandy, a few bananas, and the bottle of lemon juice. It's next to the tea box."
Without another word, the admiral left out the front door. Borsalino remained quiet. He too carried an uneasy feeling about her going over to her place alone. The marine couldn't put his finger on it, but the nagging sensation made him a bit on edge. Instead, the man figured he'd remain silent. The officer didn't want to push Angela's daughter away by asking the wrong question.
A soft smile slipped over the young woman's expression as she turned on the water to the sink. "Borsalino-sensei", the smaller brunette chimed.
A thin brow arched as he breathed. "~It's Kizaru-sensei or Borsalino-sama, but since you're Angela's daughter just call me Uncle.~" Still cradling his chin in his large palm, he watched Katelyn nod happily. He couldn't help but let a true smirk tug at his lip. She was every bit of that woman's personality; it was almost eerie, definitely unsettling in his mind.
"Uncle... Since you knew mom... What was she like when she was younger?" Katie padded gingerly over to the kitchen table after letting a few of the dishes soak. The young woman slipped into her chair which had been placed at a distance between the two admirals as they sat across from each other.
The question took the officer by surprise. What a strange turn of events, Kizaru thought. "~Oh...~", he sang. "~Well let me see~", the man continued. "~She was bright. Always looking for the better side of any situation. Also, had a knack for showing up in places she shouldn't have been; but things would always turn out for the better~", the officer added with a softened expression.
"Really?... I didn't know mom was so rebellious", Katie teased with a slight snicker in her tone. "Mom never talked about her time here or really anywhere else. Always asking why would I want to hear an old lady's tale when I'm young enough to have my own adventure? Her other excuse was, all she ever did were boring things. Mom only spoke up recently about this place when Grandpa Garp and Sengoku finally talked me into moving. She spoke about how beautiful this place was and how most of the people are responsible and to not take that lightly. She emphasized not to trust everyone I come across and to not tell anyone where she's at."
Katie watched as Borsalino flinched. His relaxed smile faded slightly. "~Did she say why~", a darker tone washed over the admiral's words. It even caught him off guard and he watched as a pair of blue orbs blinked up at him with a little confusion in her expression.
The brunette nodded. "Mom doesn't want anyone feeling sorry for her. The Wasting Disease is not something many can stomach seeing. Bogard is one of the few people in her life that does love her unconditionally. I know he worries about her and I can see it's hard on him but…"
There was a short pause in the young woman's words which earned Borsalino's curiosity and a little worry. He didn't like the idea of another man in Angela's life but it was bound to happen. Katie for example. She wasn't either Sakazuki's or his but here she was, sitting before him. Angela was no doubt a beautiful woman. Her charm proved more alluring than her looks but he'd say he'd be blind not to notice that woman's curves when they were younger.
"~But what~", the admiral inquired. His eyes solely focused on the tiny female next to him.
"I really can't talk about it but I can say it left ill feelings between he and I. Mom has done a lot to patch things between us but it's really not getting anywhere. Grandpa Garp says that's just how it ended up being. He's not happy about what transpired and blames himself. I can definitely say he's not at fault and Grandpa Sengoku doesn't care for Bogard much after that incident. And… there you have it", she breathed.
"~You're referring to the youth program scandal from nine years ago?~" His inquiry earned a raised brow and a wrinkled lip from the young woman. She was following her court order but he wasn't as slow as many liked to think he was. Absent minded, laid back, and liked to take things at his own pace but he wasn't an admiral for nothing. "~He did something and you haven't forgiven him, have you?~" His question cut deep into the center of Katie's guilt. The young woman squirmed some.
"It's what he said, did, and didn't do… I don't know why but I can't forgive him completely and yet I feel guilty I haven't. He still hasn't apologized but grandpa Garp says that's because he probably doesn't feel like he deserves to ask. Honestly I don't get it…", the smaller brunette paused and slumped over the table with a groan before continuing.
"As kids, we're taught to apologize when we do something wrong. As adults, we realize we don't want it unless it's sincere. So why is it so hard? I don't get why I can't forgive him fully, even though I keep telling myself I have and I don't get why he can't apologize. He raised my older brother so he's practically family."
During Katie's slight rant, she missed the deepened scowl in Borsalino's expression. He didn't like the idea of what was being implied. Bogard had been part of the problem nine years ago yet Angela seemed to have forgiven him. If anyone had hurt his child, the marine officer wouldn't hesitate to kill them on the spot. It puzzled the raven- haired admiral. Was the commodore bullying the family? The older man shook his head. Garp wouldn't allow that. Was Angela so in love with the man that she could cast her child's feelings aside? Honestly that didn't seem like her character at all. He needed to know more before passing any judgments.
"~Katie dear~", he practically cooed with a warm smile. A soft chortle escaped, forcing a set of blue hues to meet up with his midnight orbs. The man set a large hand on the back of her head while she remained slumped onto the table. "~Right now, we're looking for Kane. Anything you can tell me would be under the Law of Investigation.~"
"Law of Investigation is a coined term the marines use to usually exploit a situation without punishment. Doesn't absolve the person they rely on as an informant. Such as a pirate telling a captain of important information using illegal means. The pirate can still be punished, not the marine...", the brunette pointed out in a subtle dry tone.
Kizaru had to admit, the brunette was clever but he seriously had no intention on letting anyone know what the young woman would tell him. Was it for her sake? No..., and it would be a fairy tale to believe he would. The man liked her but the twenty-three year old was her daughter. The admiral simply wanted to peek into Angela's world even if it were through someone else's eyes.
"~I assure you, anything spoken between you and me will remain between us.~" His tone was soothing. It had a slight edge but it seemed to be part of his nature and not towards Katie personally.
The brunette let out a heavy sigh with her hands folding over the top of his. Honestly she didn't think his touch could feel so nice but it was. The odd sensation took her by surprise but still found herself able to relax under it. "Fine but only if Kuzan is allowed to sit in and listen as well." It wasn't like the twenty-three year old didn't trust the admiral, it just felt better. In the strange turn of events, the female had come accustomed to having the curly haired marine by her side. It would only be fitting for the man to get the whole story and not just little bits of it from a drunken woman.
To Borsalino's displeasure, he agreed. The officer understood Garp's granddaughter would be a little more at ease with someone she was familiar around. Plus it would secure the idea of him keeping his word. The last part wouldn't matter since he had not intent on whispering a single word. Clues to as where Angela had hidden was all he wanted, the rest was merely trivial.