Chapter Text
It was a dark evening in the ruins of the once-great Muggy Kingdom— that is to say, darker than most. The heavy rain beating on the castle walls hardly called Mihawk’s attention as he sat with his book. The warlord did find himself thinking of his young ghostly roommate who’d set out for a stroll before the weather hit, but he’d remembered her umbrella and let it go.
It was nearly an hour after the downpour had begun when the door was opened. Mihawk didn’t need to look away from his book to recognize the clicks of Perona’s heels on the stone flooring. However, what did catch his attention was whimpering. It wasn’t Perona’s— though he knew that sound well enough. This was more animalistic. He arched his head back, trying to see down the hall behind him.
“Look what I found!” Perona had finally reached the parlor he resided in. He gently set his book on the table beside him and rose to face her. Her umbrella was seemingly abandoned as every inch of her was soaked; her makeup was miraculously intact. He’d have to ask her about that. Most notably of her appearance was the prize she cradled in her arms.
“A cat.” Mihawk looked to the animal in her arms; it was horribly small. “A sopping-wet, noisy cat.”
“Isn’t he cute?!” She clearly took no note of his distaste. “I simply must keep him!”
“No, you need to put him back outside.” He sneered.
“What— no! He’ll die!”
“If it can’t fend for itself, it deserves whatever comes to it.”
“It’s just a kitten, Dracule!”
He winced at such an informal address. They certainly weren’t close enough for that yet.
“And it has no mother or friends.” She sadly prodded the animal.
“You probably separated it whenever you caught it and brought it here.”
“But I’ve never seen any cats here!”
“Well, where do you suppose it came from then?”
“Maybe it… just washed up or… I don’t know! But I can’t let him back out now!” She fell into a silence, lacking any more arguments for her defense.
“He kind of looks like you.” She finally broke the horribly awkward silence, moving her hands to wrap around it’s stomach under its front legs, holding it up to him. It hung quietly, staring at Mihawk for a moment before thrashing about and whining. The princess quickly took the kitten back in her arms to calm it.
“He has the big yellow eyes, and the black hair— he even has your funny brooding face!” She shifted her arms to an angle so the cat’s face was more visible to him. It did indeed have a stormy look on its face.
If he at all found any amusement in the comparison, Mihawk didn’t show it. He continued to stare at the kitten, contemplating the dilemma at hand.
“Ple~ase!” She looked to him desperately. He pinched his nose and sighed dramatically.
“Fine; under one condition.”
“Yay!” She began playing with the cat again; a childish glee shone in her eyes.
“I’m serious, Perona.” That caught her attention back, Mihawk rarely used her actual name. “I want you to teach it to be quiet. If that thing wakes me up at night I will throw it out to the baboons.” She held the kitten close to her chest with a gasp at such a threat, but nodded quickly.
Before he could change his mind, she ran to her quarters. He slumped back into his seat, trying not to think of what he may have just brought upon himself.