Chapter Text
It was a normal morning on Karai Bari Island. The sun had just begun its ascent above the hills and already the docks were bustling with Cross Guild employees starting their work for the day.
Dracule Mihawk always rose with the sun. Every morning he would wake up and make his way to the kitchen for a cup of coffee before starting his training regiment. Being an executive of Cross Guild meant he didn’t have to use the communal cafeteria tent like all the other employees. No, he got to use a smaller kitchen only available to the top officials of the company. Which, granted, was eight other people, but it was better than nothing he supposed.
And that was another reason he got up so early. Usually he could wake up and make his coffee in peace, escaping the kitchen before anyone else showed up. He wasn’t a social man by any means and being on an island with hundreds of other people was probably one of the most exhausting and annoying things he’s done in years.
“Good morning,”
“Good morning,” Mihawk nodded politely to the silk robed woman sitting on the counter. He pulled open the door of his personal cabinet and reached for his bag of coffee beans before freezing.
What?
He slowly peeked back out around the door to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. The woman watched him with a calculated smile, holding her teacup up to her lips. Her black silk robe was tied loosely around her waist and sliding off one shoulder, although it was covered by her long black hair. She swept it back, revealing a lacy black bra and a neck marred by bruised hickies.
Mihawk blinked once, and buried himself back in the cabinet.
He pretended to be looking for something, but he was just trying to figure out what was going on. She wasn’t a member of Cross guild, at least, not to his knowledge. This kitchen was off limits to everyone who wasn’t a top officer and not even Buggy’s most rabid of fans would risk the consequences of entering. Which meant she must have had permission to enter from someone, but who? Mihawk’s mental gears spun as he mulled this over.
He immediately ruled out Mohji and Cabaji. They were far too eccentric to attract a beauty like that, not to mention both were off island at the moment overseeing other projects. He dismissed Alvida as well. Not out of prejudice, but because she was obviously enamored with someone else. Mihawk didn’t know much about the former Baroque Works members Daz Bonez and Galdino, but he doubted Daz would bring a woman back to headquarters. Galdino probably would but he was too much of a sniveling mess over the return of Crocodile to pull a stunt like that.
Which left only two other options. The other executives of Cross Guild. Mihawk shuddered. He really did not want to think about that. But out of all of them, only Buggy would be foolish enough to-
“G-good morning, Hawkeye, sir,” Buggy stuttered. Mihawk looked over to where Buggy stood hovering in the doorway, obviously uncomfortable at being in the same room as him. He looked down at his fidgeting hands. “I-I thought you were already out of here already. I’ll just go.” Buggy gestured over his shoulder and looked up for the first time. His eyes bugged comically out of his head at the sight of the woman. She gave him a fluttering wave and Buggy’s face turned bright red. He immediately hid his face in his hands, crying something under his breath that Mihawk couldn’t make out, rocking back and forth.
“Have you started the coffee yet?” Alvida wandered into the room with a yawn, stretching her arms out above her head. Her black hair fell down her back in waves and she was already dressed and ready for the day, complete with her signature white cowboy hat. She opened her eyes and promptly screeched. “Who the hell is she?!” Alvida demanded, flinging an arm out to point at the woman. She looked accusingly between Buggy, who was still hiding his face, and Mihawk, who had finally accepted his fate and clutched his bag of coffee beans. “Well?” Alvida put her hands on her hips.
Mihawk just shrugged while Buggy whimpered. He was just as confused as both of them. He walked over to the coffee machine and began making his coffee. It was too early for this and honestly he didn’t care enough.
“I heard screaming! What’s wrong? What’s going on? AIEHHHH!” Galdino slid into the room, taking in the sight before him before screaming louder and higher than Alvida ever could and falling to his face. “Miss. All Sunday! What a pleasant surprise!” the stylised three on top of his head quivered.
“Mr. Three,” the woman smiled widely, resting her chin in her hand as she leaned forward. “It’s been a long time.” so she was a former member of Baroque Works, Mihawk mused, busing himself with the coffee machine. Interesting.
“How have you been? Is there anything I could possibly do for you?” Galdino groveled, still on the floor.
Miss. All Sunday, surely that wasn’t her real name but that was all Mihawk had to go on now, laughed lightly. “Not at this moment, no.” Evidently she had been a high ranking member of the former crime syndicate. Mihawk knew from passing that Galdino had ranked quite high himself, but to see him acting like this, a way he only acted with Crocodile, must mean she had ranked far above him.
“Get up, Galdino, you’re embarrassing us all.” Daz Bonez scolded. Somehow the kitchen had become the place to be today. They were only missing one person and Mihawk was realizing why with rising alarm. “Good morning to you, Miss. All Sunday.” he nodded to the woman.
“And to you as well, Mr. One.”
“What brings you to this island?” he asked conversationally, leaning against the counter. Galdino slowly got to his feet and hid behind Alvida, who still looked livid.
“I had some unfinished business to attend to,” Miss. All Sunday said casually, crossing her legs and exposing more dark tanned skin. Buggy, who had finally decided to uncover his face and join the little party, looked ready to faint. Everyone stood there in silence, eyes dancing from person to person, daring someone to speak first. They had all undoubtably reached the same conclusion about why she was here. Miss. All Sunday just continued to smile at them, unfazed.
A coffee machine in a secluded corner beeped loudly, breaking the tension.
“That’s my cue,” Miss. All Sunday slid gracefully from the counter and grabbed the coffee pot. Her robe swished elegantly with each step giving the impression of a dancer. She pulled out a tray that had been hidden behind her and put the pot in the center of it. Two coffee cups were already there, placed upside down in their saucers. The owner of said cups was well known to everyone present. “It was lovely to meet all of you,” she smiled as she picked up the tray and slipped out the back door.
“Are… we going to talk about that?” Galdino said slowly.
“No,” Mihawk spoke for the first time, surprising everyone around him.
“She took the only other coffee pot…” Buggy whined quietly. Everyone turned to Mihawk, who was already using the spare one. He looked them in the eye, unplugged the machine, picked it up, holding it tightly in his arms, and walked out.