Ello! Hope everyone is having a good day. Some news both good and bad.
I have been called in for work this weekend and will be getting off Wednesday. This means no regular updates during that time. I work 12 hours a day, sorry when I'm off I just want to sleep. The good news is that I can earn enough to pay my bills and continue writing when I'm off. I have a few chapters saved up. I'll probably release those this weekend and on my last day of work so you guys don't have to wait.
The warm summer day was winding down. The heat of the sun was slowly disappearing as cooler night air began to blow in. Aokiji walked side by side with Katie. His hands tucked into his pockets. The pace they took was unhurried. The two had been quiet since they left the residential complexes. The brunette enjoyed the silence. This wasn't the unnerving quietness she had experienced at her house but the peaceful presence the young woman could unwind with. All that was missing among the ambient sounds of the ocean in the distance was a good book and some chocolate candy.
The little female paced herself next to the much taller man. She had folded her hands behind her back, a habit the brunette didn't even realize she had. "Oh my, Garp really must have worked you over", Kuzan chuckled. "You walk like a marine at ease", he continued as they strolled down dead-end district.
"Oh", she questioned with a little bit of confusion. "Well that's not from grandpa Garp, I guess. It's probably something I picked up from when I tried joining the marines", the young woman volunteered.
"For real", Kuzan asked in dismay. His brows furrowed. "Oh my… Now I have a lot of questions", he spoke in a subjugated tone. "I don't even know where to begin", the marine added before stopping in front of a small restaurant. The square building lacked its luster but the large window revealed something pleasant inside. A few empty tables about but through the stained tiles and aged counters, the hospitality was on full display as the cook waved at them with a wide smile. Katie couldn't help but wave back with a grin of her own.
"Come on", he sighed. The young brunette followed closely and contained a snicker as the unusually tall man had to duck through the door. Inside Kuzan could reach his full height but it was painfully obvious the problems a towering man would have unlike herself. Fitting wasn't an issue for her. It was the reaching.
Heated spices touched her senses causing the female to squeal. "Oh this place smells great", she added to the cooks delight. Kuzan set his hand on the top of her head out of playfulness. A charming smirk touched his lips as her cheeks flushed with color. She wasn't embarrassed, it was the scarlet hue of happiness. This time the admiral was ready for the smile she had revealed. For some reason, that expression of hers still made his heart flutter.
The admiral led them to a large round table in front of the window. Katie discovered the place he had taken her was a yakiniku type of restaurant. The table had a charcoal grill inside the center. Her blue visions sparkled. "I always wanted to go to a place like this", she peeped with pure joy. "I heard from grandpa about restaurants just like the one we're in", the female proceeded to bounce on her toes before taking her seat.
"Oh, that's right. You come from a small village on Dawn Island", Kuzan stated.
"Yep. My mom and I own a small cabin on the coast line. It's not far from the actual village but it is closer to Mount Colubo. I have an auntie who takes care of my two adopted brothers up there. Grandpa Garp came up whenever he could and trained us too. To be honest, it was rough but fun. The mountain is host to a lot of large creatures and flora. We often foraged for ourselves. I don't like hurting people but I can hunt an animal. You can say it's where I grew my love for meat", she explained with a laugh.
The admiral shook his head but smiled. "Sounds pretty rough, if you ask me." He yawned only to sit up on his stool to wake himself. The large standalone table was the only piece tall enough to comfortably fit the towering marine. The black leather seats accommodated him well but also caused him to become sleepy. "Oh sorry", the man covered his mouth as he tried to stifle another.
Katie turned her head and gave a healthy laugh. "No need", she waved off. "Grandpa is known for falling asleep in the middle of a fight. I completely understand", she consoled. "Plus, you worked today; I can only imagine how tired you are. That's why I was a little taken back that you wanted to go out."
If he were honest with himself, he tried not to visit her. Aokiji wanted nothing more than to give her a little space and sleep off the strange feeling he had been carrying around since earlier that morning. Unfortunately, the more the marine fought the sensation the stronger it got. The admiral caved and actually felt relieved once he saw her, to his surprise.
"It's alright. I wanted to pay you back for the tuna you caught two weeks ago. Work has just been in the way but since I have a three-day weekend I can do at least this much. It won't cover the…"
"Stop", the shorter brunette demanded. "I caught that and it didn't cost me a thing. If you want to pay me back that's fine. Do it for the cost of the coffee or the ingredients that I used cooking your meals. I don't see a problem with that but if I can catch it, cook it, and eat it then don't worry."
The man wanted to argue but her reasoning was solid. She was right. The fish technically didn't cost her anything but if someone found a diamond, polished it, and gave it away; people would expect to pay something in return. The admiral let out a sigh. "Fine", the man propped himself up on his elbow. "Mind if I order for you", he asked politely. A grin formed as Katie nodded.
The marine stuck with what he knew which was a buffet of sorts. Meats ranging for pork, beef, to chicken, and even shellfish. He didn't really spare any expense since the officer rarely spent any. There was also a variety of vegetables and sauces which added as a filler for the young brunette.
The female was in heaven. From expression to the tone of her voice, it showed. Kuzan couldn't remember when a date was ever as nice as this. Could he even compare this to a date? They were just friends, right? Friends didn't go out together in that manner; what was going on was just the two of them having dinner and enjoying each other's company.
"Katie… I have to ask", Aokiji expressed. "Since you've been here, what do you think of the marines?"
"They're ok. Just many are really pushy. This morning was a good example", the young woman slumped forward.
"Oh", the admiral asked in surprise. "I thought most women liked that sort of thing", he added.
"Huh?! No way! What woman wants to have a bunch of guys to corner her and bombard her with personal questions that she would only tell friends?" Blue hues narrowed slightly. "It's intimidating. I've never been in that kind of situation before, let alone I feel sorry for the poor greeters. They usually are ignored without so much as a 'good morning' until today. Man… It was stressful. Plus, there's the fact that I'll forever be alone. I'd even think of going on a date or two if it weren't for the fact I'd be an accessory to a murder." Katie whimpered as she tapped her forehead to the table.
"Oh… What makes you say that?" He needed to confirm what he assumed this morning about her grandparents.
A loud thud hitting the window startled both parties at the table. Katie pointed in the direction of the display without looking while Kuzan turned his head out of curiosity. There was a Garp glowering down at the two from his full height with his nose pressed against the glass, his palms raised to his ears and placed firmly on the flat surface. His eyes angrily darkened over while his teeth bared. The menacing gaze was apparently towards both his granddaughter and the higher ranking officer. The vice-admiral had previously changed from his white attire to his black suit which suddenly resembled a man about to attend a funeral.
"Laurel M. Katelyn! I know you're not doing what I think you're doing", the snowy grey haired man bellowed.
"He doesn't seem angry at me", Kuzan blurted in surprise remembering the aftermath from this morning.
"Huh? Why would he?" Blue hues innocently blinked at the man across the table from her.
The admiral couldn't help but chuckle with a soft smile. He was starting to understand where she got her honest character. "Come join us", the admiral waved in.
Garp darted in before using an open hand to shove his granddaughter's face off to the side. Quickly the man snagged a freshly grilled piece of beef from her plate and gulped it down. "Grandpa, you jerk! Don't steal my food", she protested fiercely.
"When are you big enough to order this old man around", he barked back. "Yo... Aokiji", his tenor changed to a normal greeting before returning to Katie with a growl. The antics of the two had the marine admiral laughing hysterically. There wasn't a moment where food wasn't being stolen from the other. First Garp snatched her cooked chicken from her plate which caused a full retaliation of wrapping her sharp teeth around the tip of his chopsticks. His own meal eaten before he could even lift it.
"Want some sake", she politely asked the two after filling herself off her grandfather's plate.
"I normally drink wine. I'll", the officer was going to pass before Garp interrupted him.
"Sure sweetie! Ahaha!" The older marine laughed as staff came and cleared the table.
The little woman disappeared but not before stroking Aokiji's arm. Katie caught on to what he was trying to relay. The gesture was received and understood. His large palm clasped over the top of hers briefly. She enjoyed the officer's warmth as he appreciated the attention. The gentle touch sent goose pimples down his back. It was something he could get used to if he wanted. The question was, should he?