Good evening everyone! Hope your day is going well!
Katie was unaware of the new set of eyes watching her from the open shoji. Kizaro wasn't sure what to make of the newcomer despite the young appearance reminding him of a woman he used to know. The only one he'd ever admit having an eye for. The likeness was too uncanny; it was spooky. He would have easily thought the brunette was her daughter but Angela had passed away years ago. His chest became tight as soon as he remembered reading about the tsunami incident. It was the dreaded feeling of regret the admiral had buried long ago.
Borsalino may have been older, wiser, and an admiral of all things but he wasn't dead. The eerie likeness brought up a few things the man enjoyed seeing in women. A lean physique and tight thighs he could easily guess from swimming often; her bun was thick with ringlets of small hair on the nape of her neck. She knew how to dress to catch attention. He did find her height rather odd but it was just like Angela's.
From behind amber tinted sunglasses, Kizaru closed his eyes for a moment. He could still hear the omelet sizzling, smell the aroma of burned coffee, and hear the short woman call his name for breakfast. It was a good time in his life. He and Akainu would often fight for her attention during meal times and something he saw the golden brunette was oblivious too. Now that the older man thought about it, it was what caught his attention in the first place. She was an innocent woman despite her genius intelligence. A heavy sigh found itself free of a hammering chest. The black haired man opened his eyes again to return to the moment.
The admiral in yellow was struck by an odd detail. The young woman wasn't in uniform. Black orbs behind amber tinted glass watched the brunette grow frustrated as she reached for a coffee cup on the very top shelf of the cupboard. The larger marine mugs were located up there. It wasn't unheard of for someone wanting to use one of them but for someone her size, it was a comical thought. It took a bit of practice not to snicker when the young woman realized she still wasn't tall enough to reach the top.
The young woman lowered herself in a huff before kicking off her heels. She hoisted herself up on the counter top. To add to the comedy, the female still wasn't tall enough. Out stretched, Katie couldn't help but feel her skirt rise a little; this allowed the admiral to see teasing strips of skin below the hem. He could remember when Angela did the same.
The brunette elevated herself on her toes before she turned to the side to get those few extra millimeters. Her fingers could feel the smooth texture of the porcelain but just seemed out of reach. Every time she brushed the pad of her finger over it, the handle pushed away.
The sight was something for the admiral to take in. He couldn't say he didn't enjoy it. "Ooh…~ Good morning…~ I hope I'm not interrupting anything…~" Borsalino drew out his words but accompanied them with a polite smile. The admiral got a little satisfaction watching the female startle.
"Ah! Sorry", Katie quickly apologized. The young woman stopped trying to reach the white mug before turning towards her new company. The marine observed slender fingers slip over her skirt to keep it in place while the brunette bowed politely. "Good morning sir", the vertically challenged female kept her head lowered as she continued. "I'm terribly sorry for the scene but I'm a bit under the height limit to reach one of the mugs."
A thin brow arched. Kizaru was immediately stunned by her manners. Most of the gorgeous women in Marineford knew they could get their way with simple tricks such as a cute smile or a wink. This brunette had already lowered her head while understanding the situation she was in. Damn… He would usually mock the female in question but this one took that away from him.
"Ooh~ That's quite alright…~" His smile tightened. The man's large sunglasses rose up on his nose. "What's your name dear…~" Borsalino meandered over with a few long strides.
Katie could see he was going to help her. She didn't dare raise her head until the man reached the counter. The brunette took note that this gentleman in a yellow striped suit and green button up with a mauve tie, had the same feel to his presence that Kuzan did when they first met. The young woman climbed down and cleared his path. The vice-admiral's granddaughter bowed again and remained in the same respected position as she spoke. "I'm…" Her voice was merely cut off at the sound of another clearing of a throat.
"Katie…", Kuzan spoke in her place. Copper orbs darted to meet Kizaru's frightening form. That man really didn't care for strangers, the marine thought. The exceedingly tall gentleman doubted the young woman could see it but she was definitely about to jump into a poor situation. The admiral in yellow was digging for information. He would mock her until he got what he needed and then discard the unfortunate granddaughter.
Aokiji didn't know the real reason behind Borsalino's actions. Kizaru understood this and eased up but never took his eyes off Katie. Black orbs followed her form closely.
To the admiral in blue's relief, he watched his colleague straighten his back and reveal his trademark smile. The questioning admiral had returned to his normal state. Aokiji learned Borsalino's various expressions over time. To the normal eye they could appear the same but to someone who knew the man, they were diverse.
"Let me introduce you two", the towering officer continued before leaning into the door frame and crossing his arms. "Borsalino… this is Katie… Katie… this is admiral Kizaru. She's my volunteer today. I saw no harm in it since her grandfather is an outstanding marine." There was a smirk that worked its way across Kuzan's lips. It betrayed his thoughts of showing off the brunette. The officer in yellow clicked his tongue in response.
Shortly after Katie felt like a child. The men were huge! Not in a Zephyr fashion but tall, the young woman contemplated as she watched the slightly taller officer make his way past her. The one named Borsalino shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned his back against the door frame across from Kuzan. The two faced each other with their legs extended outward blocking any potential new comer from entering and using the facility. The young woman simply took the moment to start the coffee she had brought with her. The aroma soon permeated the break room and seeped into the hallways.
Small snide remarks ceased before the two had come into the kitchen and taken a seat at the circular table. The piece of furniture was made for men their size. It was no mystery as to why it was so close to Aokiji's office. The two admirals began chatting more than just short little remarks. The officer in blue asked many questions relating to investigations and missions while the other in yellow lightly answered them with brief details.
To Kuzan's astonishment he'd hear the young woman going about her way around the kitchen. Occasionally his eyes would break away from the discussion and spot her whipping cream with a whisk or pouring his coffee. Before the man knew it, his drink was placed below his nose. She had added a creamer to the dark liquid. The blanket of foam on top had become a painting with decorative swirls and bubbles. The raven-haired man couldn't deny the aroma. The fragrance practically called his name but what was presented was almost too much.
"My coffee is supposed to be drank; not made into an art piece", the admiral pointed out.
"Are you complaining", she quickly retorted before tugging on Borsalino's sleeve. The little woman pointed upwards towards the cupboard. The man gave a gentlemanly grin before standing and grabbing not one, but two large white mugs.
"This one is for when the third person arrives…~", he spoke cheerfully before patting the top of her head and returning to the table. The man in yellow ignored her physical retorts which caused the young woman to scrunch her little nose.
The admiral proceeded to unbutton and slip off his double-breasted blazer. In return the female tapped his arm and reached out her hand. Without hesitating, he handed it off and observed her hang it on a metal coat hook near the door.
Kuzan couldn't help but to continue with his leer. She really was something. The young woman was handling Kizaru rather well. It was better than what most could say but he also knew the other man was paying his respects to him by not teasing her too much. He didn't miss the pat on the head. Astonishingly enough, the short female didn't either as she had playfully waved off the admiral's hand before taking care of his blazer.
The two ignited their conversation back up. It appeared they were ignoring the little woman but that couldn't be further from the truth. Kuzan had turned his seat sideways to face the open break room. He could stretch out his legs and cross them at the ankle. Borsalino had also turned his back to the wall and crossed his legs instead. The two admirals ran parallel to each other with a table in between them. They didn't do this because they were comfortable with each other but because there was a rather eye catching female skirting around.
Aokiji took a long sip of his coffee and nearly choked. The flavor caught him off guard. The nutty taste was naturally sweet and light. It wasn't weighed down by the use of sugar. The aroma filled his senses and he could practically taste the smell. He could understand why many people were into gourmet coffees but what really made this higher in quality, was the smooth texture. The cream really enhanced the semi bitter liquid. The admiral couldn't believe this came from an ordinary marine coffee pot.
"Chestnut", the curly haired man asked with his tone dripping with bewilderment.
Katie shook her head as she set Borsalino's drink in front of him. "Close… Hazelnut. The cream is naturally sweet and brings out the roasted flavor of the nut. I used a light skim creamer unlike other places. I also aerated the top to make it foamy. The bubbles trap the aroma of the coffee as steam rises. With every sip you can get the full whiff of the coffee without losing any of the experience. I won't compromise the taste nor the aroma since humans need to smell in order to enjoy their food and drink. Plus, with it being morning…, it's just a pleasant way to wake up." After her long explanation, the female turned on her heels and made her way to the refrigerator.
Both admirals watched Katie lower herself after using a hand to smooth out and tuck the hem of her skirt in the back of her knees. The young woman was mindful of her attire. This also surprised the admiral in yellow. Most were eager to flash men such as himself to gain something. This one knew where she stood and apparently didn't play the dirty tricks Borsalino was used too.
Katie paid little mind to the whistle of approval Kizaru gave as he sipped his own drink. The officer was tired and this surely did the trick waking him at least. Then the taste, without a doubt, had taken him by surprise. Borsalino could see why the other admiral wanted to show her off. If he had found her first, he sure would have hidden her away. The young woman was like a treasure, great looks and a remarkable cup of coffee. To add to her value, she was polite and well spoken. They didn't make women like that anymore, the high ranking official thought.
Aokiji remained quiet. He did remember her saying she wanted to own a café but didn't realize she had extensive knowledge on the subject. Hell, he didn't even know there was a science behind it. If anything it revealed her determination to make her dream come true. It also elucidate to her familiarity around a kitchen but damn it, did she really have to wear a skirt that high or the sweater that low?! Her distractions were going to kill him!