The Kidd Pirate Café [Heat x Fem!Reader]

Scary Neighbours

"Well, now that I'm up I better get cooking..."

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The bells over the door chimed loudly, calling you roughly out of your daydream. You lifted your nose out of your book to see your new neighbour filling the doorway with his massive frame.

You hadn't really noticed how tall these guys truly were yesterday. Eustass Kid, with his shockingly red hair and pale skin, almost touched the ceiling as he strode over to where you stood behind the counter.

"You." He grunted, sending you a glare so dark you literally felt your stomach clench.

"Uh.... Me?" you squeaked, slamming your book closed a little too hard.

Kid's amber eyes flicked down for a moment and his lips curled into a snarl. Without a word, he reached into his leather jacket and dug out a few bills. You stared as he slammed them onto the counter.

"For the sink," he ground the words out with great difficulty.

Then he whirled around and stomped toward the door.

You blinked at the money and your mouth opened before your brain could save you.

"Wait!" your call made him freeze in his tracks and his head jerked back to send you the coldest glare you'd ever received, "Uh... um, you don't have to..."

You picked up the money and moved around the counter. Kid was even more intimidating up close and you had to use every ounce of self-control to keep your hands from shaking as you held out the money.

"Please," you bowed your head to him, "I was just helping out my neighbours. There's no need to repay me."

There was a moment of silence as you stared at your feet.

"Tch!" Kid scoffed as he snatched the bills from your hand, "Your loss."

And then he was gone.

You stood in the center of your shop in a daze.

"Nice to meet you too, I guess," you mumbled before returning to the safety of your romance novel.

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You didn't get any customers until lunchtime. But that was business as usual for you. You didn't have to open up as early as you did, but your grandmother had always unlocked the door at 7 a.m. and you just couldn't bring yourself to break the tradition.

Back then there had been a lot more people living in your area and the café was always full. Nowadays, with all the businesses moving downtown to the New World district, there was less and less of a demand for cafés or bookstores, not to mention a combination of both.

The customers who frequented The Calico Hen were usually locals who worked in the area, but you still got the odd tourist every now and then.

Today there were a few new faces among the regulars seated around the café. Most occupied the tables near the windows but a few had settled into the more comfortable chairs among the bookshelves.

You had just waved goodbye to the last of the lunch crowd when you heard some shouting coming from outside. Having nothing better to do you quickly moved to the window.