A Taste of Forever (Katakuri x Reader)

Chapter 40 - One becomes two

A/N:

There are 21 versions of this chapter, all fundamentally different except for the ending, and I'm happy that my schedule finally forces me to upload one version. I'm free of the very pain of my existence.

Wordcount: 4800+

By the time you arrived at the farmer's market, your face had stopped contributing to the island's warmer climate and even the colour looked more or less normal again. On the inside, however, you were still a mess.

Still, despite being utterly mortified, you tried to enjoy the beauty of the farmer's market. Large stalls with different produce were arranged in neat little rows in the middle of the town's square and although you were still a little bit flustered, you enjoyed the both relaxing and exhilarating atmosphere that surrounded you.

The sound of laughing children, shouting vendors and chatting people joined the smell of fresh vegetables, fruits, and the few food stalls littered in-between the vendors. Young kids were running around, playing, and some even bumped into your legs as they chased each other.

Intoxicated by the lively atmosphere, in addition to the nice little bonus that no one seemingly recognised or cared about you without your famous plus one, you tried to finish your shopping as quickly as possible to allow yourself some leisure time.

There was a little café a little closer to the pier that had caught your attention, and you really wanted to go check it out.

It's been a while since you'd been a face in the crowd and could interact with people without them having some form of prejudice towards you, whether negative or positive.

When you were still travelling with the Whitebeard pirates there was no way you could have moved incognito. You were mostly visiting islands in Pops' territory and since you grew up with the crew, the people on the islands knew who you were.

Nothing changed much when Red-Hair had charmed his way into your life. The reason why people recognised you had changed a little, but the outcome was pretty much the same. People didn't necessarily know you, but they knew the young yonko, and they were quick to either treat you with respect or animosity solely because of your relationship with him.

On Voire you were the lost and stranded girl on an independent island, and therefore the talk of the town too, and lastly in Tottoland you rose to Charlotte royalty. There was no way the residents in Mama's territory didn't know who you were, although your popularity was more related to the status of your wonderfully ambiguous husband than you being overly popular yourself. Then again, your husband would like to disagree with you on that one.

Quickly finishing your shopping, you ran back and forth between the ship and the market to store whatever you had bought either in the pantry or the kitchen until you were finished.

With your lips wrapped around the rim of your teacup, you held your book in your other hand as you silently indulged yourself in the written story in front of you. A piece of strawberry sponge cake was sitting half eaten in front of you, as well a teapot, and judging from the steam rising from its spout, the tea was still hot.

The café was great, albeit small. So small in fact, that it almost disappeared in-between the other shops. Just by the looks of it, it was the wallflower of the shops on the main street, but that was exactly its charm.

Not larger than your bathroom back on Whole Cake Island, the inside looked very rustic, and yet lovely. The outside was lined with a few iron tables and chairs, one of which was currently occupied by you, and the façade was decorated with long vines of ivy crawling up its wall. Although there wasn't anything particularly flashy or eye-catching about the shop, the rustic and overgrown atmosphere was what had initially caught your attention. The real showstopper, however, was the incredibly delicious tea. It was sweet, yet light, and you had already bought some for Perospero to take back home with you.