Missing Piece

Chapter 39

"Hey Latte, are you—"

"Don't. Call. Me. That." Charlotte interrupted with a warning glare.

"But the kids call you that." Shachi interjected again with a pair of finger guns directed at the only two who seemed to get away with calling Charlotte 'Latte'. Why? They had no clue, the Hearts wanted to get a nickname going too now that they were closer. "It's cute. What about Char then?"

Charlotte ignored the comment, instead responding with, "Shouldn't you be with the other two mechas fawning over Grebbon and his work?" Cole and Penguin were there to observe while Charlotte continued her hunt.

"I would have but Kozu was adamant that I come along to cockblock yours and Captain's date." Shachi threw back with a sigh, remembering the hit the little kid did to his pride. It was either Shachi or Penguin since Cole would just pick fights and cause trouble. Apparently, he wasn't a potential threat or love rival. He grabbed his head, beading over backwards with a groan, remembering the once over the kid gave him. "I'll get back at him for that!!"

Charlotte stared at the other quietly, completely lost in the male's strange action. "I'm glad you came though." Her words jarred the other out of his anguish and he spun around to look at the huntress as if she was a godsend. "Otherwise, we would have all starved or died from food poisoning." His face dropped, gaze drifting back towards the large pot of curry he'd made. Shachi was deemed the chef for the night when the twins started complaining about being hungry and a quick cooking test proved him the best choice amongst the three of them.

"My cooking isn't that awful." Law defended as he brought in the remaining plates. The two shot him a look, faces grim as they recalled the black and purple sludge. He flinched at their faces. "At least it was something I made." He added quickly, remembering Charlotte's food option of just eating bread.

"Hey! At least mine's edible!" Charlotte snapped back immediately. "What if you gave the kids food poisoning?!"

"I'm a doctor! I can fix that!"

"That's why you're a doctor?!"

Shachi sighed as he watched the two growling at each other now, faces shoved against each other. The fuzzy edge of Law's hat pressing against Charlotte's forehead. A married couple's argument. He deadpanned, turning away from the two and picking up the stack of plates that the two had brought in. He turned on the faucet, crying silently to himself. He wasn't a cockblock, he was a third wheeler. A slave who did all the chores. He started washing the dishes while the other two continued to bicker behind him. He was a maid.

"Why were we cooking for the brats anyway? I thought you said their parents would be here!" Law exclaimed, exhausted and Shachi perked up at that. That was a good question. When they arrived back at their house, the place was empty. Deserted for a while based on how things looked. Charlotte explained that they've been away busy with a job but should be returning today.

"I didn't know they weren't back yet! They're scheduled to come back today. Maybe something came up and delayed them! How am I supposed to know everything? Why don't you start pulling your share?" Shachi sighed at Charlotte's comment, keeping his thoughts to himself. Cole's right. She's like a stalker. She even figured out the parent's schedule for the day.

"Mommy's back!" Came a shout from the dining room and Charlotte's face twisted into a smug grim. Told you so! She shot before the sound of chairs scraping and the door unlatching spook the three pirates. How did they know she was back if the door hadn't been open yet? Shachi and Law turned towards the huntress, taking in her equally surprised gaze. How did they know someone was here before Charlotte did?