Demon's Delicacy - Charlotte Katakuri x Reader

Chapter Five

I haven't talked much to Katakuri since my bold words a few weeks ago. He left a day after for a mission. I didn't know anything of it till Brulee said something about it yesterday. I sat quietly in the sunroom with a book lazily perched on the ottoman's armrest. It was a fictional book, mainly a romance, and it was pretty dull compared to my life currently. And that was saying something. The clinking of spurs caught my attention and I carelessly tossed the book away. I nearly threw myself through the door as I spun into the hallway. "Katakuri?!" He paused mid-step and I ran for dear life. "For. The. Love. Of. All. That. Is. Holy! Don't fucking scare me like that!" He quirked an eyebrow as he peered down at my seething form. "You didn't say anything about your mission! Nobody told me where you'd gone off to! So here I was assuming you were avoiding me, that was till Brulee let it slip that you left on a mission!" I huffed as I tried to calm down. I realized that someone was with him, I looked up to see Cracker. I had met him a few days ago, but I kept my distance. "You aren't even married yet and she's already sounding like a nagging old hag." My face twitched as I took in Cracker's words. "Oh no, you fucking didn't." Cracker laughed as I rolled up the long sleeves of my light jacket. "C'mere ya shit! Imma beat your ass into cookie brittle!" Katakuri sighed and grabbed ahold of the back of my jacket. Cracker lost it and started laughing loudly as I struggled to free myself from Katakuri's grasp. "I swear on the gods I will beat your ass ten-fold for that level of disrespect!" Cracker was slapping his knees and gasping for dear life as I struggled. Finally, I realized I had projectiles. Grinning, I slipped off my tennis shoe and chunked it at his head. Then I continued with the other shoe and watched as he stopped laughing. Katakuri seemed pretty annoyed with both of our displays of childishness and started to walk away. He held me far enough from his body that I couldn't swat or kick at him, so I crossed my arms and let him carry me like a cat. 

"Are you done?" I nodded and he set me down on the couch. We were in the same room we were in before he left. "I can't believe he referred to me as an old hag!" I yelled, exasperated. Katakuri sat quietly as I fumed. After about twenty minutes of me stewing over his comment, a soft knock alerted both of us to the door. The same three chefs as last time dropped off a tray very similar to last time. They left after bowing to Katakuri. He picked up a full cake and passed it over to me. "I can't eat all of this." He rolled his eyes and set the plate in front of me. "Whatever you don't eat, I'll clear the rest of when you're done." I nodded and took the plate. I turned around in my seat and faced the wall. I hummed as the cake melted on my tongue. "If I could eat this all the time and not gain anything, I'd be living the life." I heard what sounded like a laugh but it was cut off. "How is it that you don't gain anything after eating so much?" The room went silent as he swallowed. "My body is overworked 24/7. so everything I eat goes straight to energy rather than fat." I felt relief flood me and accomplishment after. For once he actually answered with a real answer. 

"I prefer spending lunch with you, honestly." His eyes widened as I set my empty plate down. "Why is that?" I shrugged in response then slumped back onto the couch. "Well for starters, I'm not being interrogated by your siblings. I'm not being judged on what I'm eating. And overall I feel like I can relax around you." I stretched and felt a burp crawl its way up my throat. I exhaled it through my nose to keep it on the down-low. "How about you? Why have you been letting me stay during mealtimes?" I studied his eyes as they explored my body. "You are... Calming to be around." my mind froze at his words. I hadn't heard anyone refer to my presence as calming since mom was alive. I felt my eyes prickle as I cursed them for not listening to my pleas. "Thank you. I'm glad you think so. It's been a while since I heard someone say that." I used my sleeve to dab at the corners of my eyes. Granted, mom didn't do anything to keep me from being locked away. She was half the reason I was put away. But she didn't treat me any differently. She still loved me and gave me everything I could ever want or need. "I- I need a moment, please excuse me." I stood up and left the room. No one was in the hall, thankfully. I wiped at my face and tried my damnedest to compose myself. 

"Oi. Hag, why are you just standing in the hall-" I looked up at Cracker, I felt mad but couldn't bring myself to act on it. "What's wrong with you? Why are you crying?" His heavy hand patted my shoulder lightly. "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit emotional. Homesickness." Cracker hummed and stopped patting my shoulder. "What do you want? What will stop... this." he gestured to my state. I barked out a laugh and bit my tongue. "There's nothing you can do... I'm sorry, I just need a moment." Cracker's face fell from its usual smirk. He seemed regretful. I sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a puff. "It's okay! I'll be okay!" I wiped my face and grinned with the biggest smile I could muster. Cracker still looked concerned as I spun on my heel and opened the door. "Once again, I'm sorry for all that. I'm better now!" I plopped down onto the couch across from Katakuri. Cracker shut the door back and left us alone. 

Word count: 1,048