(Au! One Piece X Undead! Reader) Not Quite Dead

Whitebeard Pt.2

Typically, after the world ended, you had also thought that the many, many, tedious customs of humanity had died with it, like obligations to other people, or morals, or decorum.

Apparently, some people did not get that memo.

And you were stuck in a room with them, for hours, listening to debates and compromises and deeply layered backhanded compliments like you were in the fucking whitehouse.

It has been hours, you had no idea how many to be exact, there weren't any clocks in here, but you knew it's been hours, and you haven't chewed on a single thing, or said anything, not even a mummer, and you've been sitting in this dumb little loveseat and you were going to go fuckass zombie feral if these bitchass craven fogies didn't just forget the useless fancy talk and agree on something.

They've spent at least half of the whole meeting so far arguing over 'who's concerns were valid or not' and 'what changes were indefinitely going to happen'.

You couldn't even fall asleep because 'it would be rude' or 'you could accidentally growl out something half-aware'.

Both were begrudgingly good points, but even then!

It's not like anyone actually expected you to be an active member of this stupid get-together! You were a last minute invite! And even if someone brought attention to your group, Franky was the one doing all the talking.

So, when the time finally came for someone to call for a recess, you practically flew out of your seat and landed yourself in Katakuri's arms, knowing that the larger ghoul knew exactly how you felt, literally.

"I'm sorry about this, I wasn't expecting it to be so..."

'Civil, wearisome, outdated...' came to your mind unbidden, most likely translations from Katakuri's unfinished sentence.

You croaked a sound of agreement, very aware of the restlessness and irritation not quite belonging to you, skittering under the skin like a parasite.

"You worried?"

Katakuri's face scrunched up at being called out, "well, at least they're not demanding territory.. but that doesn't make things easier.."

The two of you spared a glance towards the Whitebeards, currently socializing with each other and visibly enjoying themselves in each other's presence.

The sight made you salty, since you couldn't be goofing off with your own crew because of this whole stupid debacle.

"I wasn't expecting them to demand access to the highway though"

You frowned, "what would happen if they got what they want?"

The older man paused to actually play out the scenario in his head.

"The highway, which is under our tight security, is the only safe route left for the west, if the Whitebeards got access, then not only would they be able to attain ample amounts of terf, but they'd probably stir things up with the powerhouses over there"

"Powerhouses?"

"There's a man named Kaido who controls the entire west coast, his numbers are near equal to ours if not more so, and compared to him, my mother might've well been a pacifist"

More aggressive than Big Mom? When she literally attacked three groups in a single swoop?

You felt bile threaten to rise at the thought.

"The only reason Kaido has never taken control of the mainland is because of another group led by a red-haired man with a scar"