The Kidd Pirate Café [Heat x Fem!Reader]

Scary Neighbours

Thump!

Your head jerked up and you stared at the swinging kitchen light.

"Must be the new neighbour," Gran muttered as she took the soup off the stove, "I've never heard someone fall down so many times in one afternoon. Do you think he's a drunk?"

"No," you mumbled.

The old woman glanced your way before quickly turning back to the day's menu to hide the happy light in her eyes. You didn't notice, your attention was still on the ceiling.

"Well then he's the clumsiest man I've ever known," Gran muttered under her breath.

You nodded, finally dropping your gaze to the sign you had been in the midst of writing.

"He's a policeman," you said.

"Oh?" Gran clattered around the kitchen, "Have you spoken to him?"

You nodded again as you finished your writing and propped the sign up on the table. 'Books: 3 for 1$'

"I was bringing in the sign and he dropped his groceries," you mumbled, "So I helped him."

Gran turned to you with a smile, wrapping her arm around your shoulders and pressing a quick kiss on your temple.

"It's good to hear you're talking to people other than Robin again, honey," she said before going back to prepping for the coming day, "Come help me bring the sandwiches out to the front."

You pushed up from the table and quickly moved to follow Gran's instruction just as another thud sounded from above.

"Are you sure he isn't a drunk?" Gran muttered.

A smirk flitted over your lips as you shook your head.

"He's not," you said, "When you meet him, you'll see."

You took the platter of sandwiches and carried them out into the café. Gran stared after you, her eyes wide and brimming with silent tears.

"A smile..." she whispered, pressing her hand over her heart, "I've missed that so much. Keeping going, honey. You'll get there."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You cracked your eyes open as a cascade of stomps pulled you from your sleep. You blinked lazily at the ceiling before another thump caused you to jolt upright.

Someone was upstairs!

"He's back?!" you gasped and threw a sweater over your pyjamas before bolting for the door.

Your heart pounded like crazy as a smile split your face. New life began flowing through your veins, kicking you out of your long slump. The world sparkled with renewed colour.

"I'm going to give him such an earful for making me wait so lo-!"

You made it all the way to the front door before you froze.

The street outside was still shrouded in the grey shadows that preceded the dawn. But it was the pickup truck parked outside your shop that snapped you back to reality.

You immediately plummeted from cloud nine all the way down to rock bottom.

"Oh... right..."

Your fingers hovered before the door handle before you sighed and stepped back. After a few long seconds, a smile tightened your lips.