#// KATIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AAAAAAA I MISSED YOU

[ferromagnetiic]

She'd been struggling with his birthday -- debating on how to celebrate him. If she wanted to celebrate him, at all. After all, he had (not-so-kindly) put a damper on her birthday celebration, and it would take her a while to forget it. It was likely that Kid would have a good birthday, with or without her input --- it made her wonder why she cared, at all. She did, though. And for that, Kid would receive an expensive bottle of whiskey from one of the best distilleries in his homeland. Along with it, a decanter set in the shape of a skull, with matching glasses. Something about it simply screamed Eustass Kidd, and Nami knew he had to have it when she saw it. Attached, was a little note. She didn't make it a long one; simple, precise, cursive writing centered on the page:

Happy birthday, dickhead. - 🍊🧡

【 KID'S BIRTHDAY 2024. 】 @chatcambrioleur

          When Kid had first discovered the Straw Hats were in the immediate vicinity, he had been keeping a very mindful eye out for their navigator in particular. If she was going to seek revenge for the events occurring during her last birthday, today would be the best day to do it. For this reason, he told himself he would be even more on guard than usual — but she was crafty, and he didn't trust her to not try something just because she was under additional surveillance.

Several hours have passed since he was first informed of their appearance, but he has still yet to spot her. Admittedly, his attention has since been divided; with his own crew members regularly approaching him to offer him warm words coupled with cold drinks, she has had plenty of opportunities to slip by him unnoticed. His attentiveness further dwindles with every mouthful of hard liquor, and his plan to intercept her arrival on his turf ebbs further and further away from him.

By the time he has found her gift, he has all but forgotten that he was originally intending to watch out for her. The copious amount of celebratory booze has stolen the scheme away from him, and the cat burglar has already successfully slipped away. In her wake, the note attached to the present she left him exposes his blunder. It is innocently placed on a wooden crate on the main deck, somehow teasing him, playfully mocking him with its mere presence. He recognizes her handwriting even without a blatant signature; her elegant script was distinct in its meticulousness.

If she ultimately does still intend to later return and make an attempt at humiliating him today, at least the generosity of the birthday present will soften the blow. There's no doubt over him liking the items she's selected — a pair of copper irises linger over the decorative skull-shaped bottle for a long time, and his expression brightens in a way that is immediately telling. Nami was always full of surprises, but he hadn't expected any of them to be the kind that would genuinely please him.

It is rare for him to willingly share with anyone other than those who sailed under his flag, and yet, he finds himself considering that if she has not yet entirely absconded the area, he might be willing to offer her a few sips. He carries the glass skull neatly tucked under his arm, and one of the corresponding glasses in each hand. It is likely the alcohol already in his system is the culprit for this minor display of geniality, but he will not consider that now.

He looks for her, briefly. He checks in with those on his crew who had been performing guard duty, and then he asks anyone who might have noticed when the whiskey first appeared. Stealth was her profession, and in the midst of birthday merriment, there was barely a sober member of his crew now remaining. She must have found it no major feat to appear, only to then quickly bleed back into the cover of nightfall.

A shame, he thinks. He might have liked to have asked if it was bought, or stolen. He suspects he may know the answer already, but he is starting to come to terms with the fact that he may be less adept at predicting her actions than he first assumed. He will drink his own glass, and then he will have hers as well. The smooth amber liquid reflects the quality of the artistic container it is presented in. She's got good taste, but he'd figured that much out a while ago.

Regardless of how good the whiskey is, he will make sure to save some for her to try the next time they meet. The first taste will be complementary, but on the understanding that additional refills will need to be exchanged for more of her tangerines.