"You're inviting me to my own birthday party...?" Kyo mutters lowly as her brown orbs study the childishly-themed invitation in her hands, it has doodles of balloons and smiley faces all over it, not exactly her aesthetic but neither is a party.

You're invited to Keyo's birthday party!

He spelt my name wrong...

Date: 10th of June

He got the birthdate wrong too.

Time: 6:00pm - whenever.

Place: Newgate's place. 

"Yep, 'cause we know you won't plan it yourself~!" Ace cheerfully chimes from the opposite side of the counter and quite frankly, holding up the line that's forming behind him.

Mihawk had taken a trip out to an excavation site this morning and Perona naturally went with him, Kyo doesn't know where they've gone but they've certainly tossed her and Drake into the thick of it, once again. 

Her poor co-worker had tried to call her this morning to ask for assistance behind reception but she was in the shower with Law at the time so she missed the call, the whole situation has put her in quite the sour mood though; she isn't allowed to travel because he needs her to take care of the museum but he'll happily take Perona, the person who is supposed to be their receptionist without a care in the world for her work.

"In case it isn't obvious, I'm going to be rather busy this week. And likely next week too." The redhead gesturing to the woman behind Ace, beckoning her to come forward before selling her a visitor's ticket, counting the money the lady gives her in return before her attention shifts back to Ace as he speaks. 

"Then free up your schedule! You have 5 days~!" His words only drawing an exasperated sigh from her lips as she begins to serve the next customer.

"My birthday is in 6 days." 

"Well, the party's in 5." The raven carelessly blurts, taking no notice at all to the small glare she sends him as he picks up the rest of the invitations, a wide grin adorning his features. "We have a DJ, a mixologist, a chef, a clown and the house to ourselves so you can invite whoever you want!"

"A clown? Why?" It's not like she cares for clowns and as far as she knows, neither do the boys. 

Hell, they're clowns themselves, they don't need to hire one. 

The freckled goon merely shrugging his shoulders at her question as a playful chuckle escapes his throat. "I just met him at the bar the other day and he seemed funny, you'll like him for sure!" 

"Am I even going to know the guests at this party?" Her stare briefly diverts toward Drake as he returns to the reception; the man had just given a tour to one of the more articulate visitor's; the man had half orange hair and the opposing half was white, seemed to have a real fondness for white too, she believed he was calling himself Inazuma.  

She doesn't miss how Ace hands Drake an invitation to the party also, his grin never wavering as he nods. "You should! But to be sure, you might wanna invite some people yourself!"

Like who, exactly? 

Law works different shifts everyday at the hospital and there's always the possibility that he could be called into work due to an emergency, there's also Lotte but she usually hangs out with Kid during the evenings so she'll have to inquire some more about that. Mihawk is already out of the question since he's away, not that the man really cares for birthday parties regardless, he only ever attends them if he's forced to. 

In all her thinking and selling tickets, she didn't even notice a certain redheaded male enter the museum, her hollow gaze staring straight through the customer before her as she murmurs an almost-robotic "Thank you. Enjoy." before handing them a visitor's pass.

At this point she can't even blame Perona for leaving, receptionist work is the most boring work among all. 

"Alright, I'll see ya later! Don't forget to attend though, it's your party after all~!" Ace playfully chimes, it's not like the boy would give her a choice regardless however, if she chose not to go then he'll simply come and collect her. 

He's a bastard for that.

It's only when he leaves, Kyo notices Shanks in the background, the redheaded male taking this opportunity to approach the counter with a smile. "Hey there! Where's ole Hawk-eyes?" 

"He's away on an excavation." She notices immediately how his smile begins to fade at those words, a small pout slowly beginning to etch itself into his features as she continues. "I don't know where it is nor when he'll be back, I'm afraid."

"Damn...I really needed him this evening." The man rumbles as Kyo sells a ticket to the next customer, only half-listening to the older gentleman whilst counting the coins in her hand before putting them inside the cash register. "Beckman and I are doing a car show, we thought your father's presence would help us sell since he's high society and all." 

"He's a curator, not a president." 

"He's wealthy and people know who he is, that's all that matters." The redhead's brows suddenly raising as his eyes lighten up, his smile making a grand reappearance to his face and his tone perking up as he blurts a loud; "I've got it!" The energetic claim drawing in the girl's curious gaze as he claps his hands together. "You're high society, you're a curator and better yet, you own a car that Beckman fixed up! You'll probably sell us better than your father!"

How misinformed is this man?

"I am not high society, I live in a shared apartment. I'm only an assistant curator and I've already got plans for this evening." She had convinced Law to take Bepo out for a walk with her after work, she was hoping to visit the beach whilst the tide is out since it'll give the pooch a lot of room to roam, attending a car show instead is the very last thing she'd like to do with her time. 

Of course her refusal only makes the redhead more persistent, his hands pressing together in more of a begging motion now as he impishly gives the girl a puppy-dog eyed expression. "Aw, come on, Kyo~!  I'd do it for youuu~!" 

He isn't lying either, he does a lot for her and although she won't say it aloud, she notices and appreciates it. 

A long and deep sigh pushing itself past her lips and immediately causing the older redhead to grin and his eyes to fill with excitement as he awaits her vocalised response, not that he even needs it by this point.

"...I was going to walk the dog tonight." Well, that response definitely catches him off guard, his smile not fading in the slightest although his brow quirks a little as mild confusion fills his eyes. 

"Dog? You know, I'm not complaining, but you're supposed to warn me about pets--"

"Not mine, it's Law's dog." She doesn't miss the flicker of realization that flashes in the redhead's eyes before his smile slowly widens. "We're...seeing each other now, I guess." 

The snort that erupts from him is enough to make her wish she'd just die on the spot, her brows furrowing and her gaze trailing off to the side as a heat begins to rise across her cheeks, a slight pout engraving itself into her features. 

"Just seeing each other? I hope he isn't playing games with you."

"N-No, he's my...boyfriend, I just don't like that word." That isn't exactly true, she doesn't dislike the word at all but it does stir something odd within her, a powerful feeling but she can't quite figure out what it is or why it occurs.  

It's somewhat unsettling.

"Huh...well, you've never seemed to like change, you'll get used to it though." Shanks optimistically chimes, his hand reaching over the counter to pat the girl's head, a kindness shining in his eyes and his voice becoming much calmer as he continues. "You can bring him and the dog along to the car show too! There's plenty of grassland nearby so the pooch will be able to run around without getting hurt!"

"I--!" She falls silent when she hears a subtle vibration, her eyes immediately shooting down to her handbag, she had left it on a shelf behind the counter when she arrived since she didn't really have the time to lock it inside her office. "F-Fine, I'll be there."

At this point she's just trying to get rid of the man as she grabs the bag, passing a ticket to the next customer before taking her phone out and reading the screen.

Lotte calling...

It's in this moment that it dawns on her; that last customer didn't pay, her head whipping round to call out to them but it would seem that they've already disappeared into the crowd, a disgruntled cuss rumbling in the girl's throat as she answers the phone. 

"Yes?!"

"Hey, are you okay? You disappeared last night." She hadn't thought about how her actions might cause her roommate to worry, whatever irritation she had upon answering the call slowly beginning to ebb away as she pins the phone to her ear using her shoulder, taking some money out of her purse to cover for the price of the previous ticket as she responds. 

"Yes, I couldn't sleep so I went to see Law. I'm at work now but I don't know when I'll be back since Pa has gone on an expedition." Finally putting the owed money into the drawer, she pushes it closed, a slight frown still dominating her features as she slips the purse back into her bag. "Could you do something for me? If it isn't too much trouble?"

"Sure."

"Can you feed the fish?" She had intended to do it herself during her Lunchtime but it would seem, at this rate, she won't be getting any kind of break, especially not one long enough for her to go home.

"Oh, I already fed them. They were swimming at me when I tried to check on you this morning so I gave them some food." That brings a small smile to the redhead's lips, sometimes she forgets that Lotte is a marine biologist, she has an affection for the aquatic life so Kyo really needn't worry about the fish starving with her around. "By the way, where did you get that photo of Kid? I assume it was you who slid it under my door."

Oh, that.

"Sabo took it with my camera at the party, it was the night you and Kid met, I believe. Anyway, I had no use for it and assumed you would so, it's yours now." 

"Ah, well thank you, it is a handsome photo...~"

"Uh...I suppose." 

I don't see it, personally.

"Oh! I found a cat outside this morning when I was going to work, it looked a little hungry so I fed it and put him in the apartment for now, don't worry your door is closed so your fish are safe. I just thought I'd let you know."

"Oh?" Since Shanks hasn't quite left yet, the man is in fact in the process of writing the time of this evening's event on the back of a museum pamphlet. "We have a cat now, it would seem." She calmly informs since he claimed he'd need to be warned about pets previously, this would be the best time, the male glancing up at her with his brows raised and a smile still on his lips. 

"Really? Well, make sure it doesn't scratch up the walls, carpet or cupboards."

No, it would be Eustass who destroys our apartment, not the cat. 

"Wait, is Mr. Akagami there? What did he say?!"

"He's fine with it, don't fret." Another customer gaining her attention as he approaches the counter, of course her stomach sinks a little when she sees that it's actually Crocodile. "I must go now, I look forward to meeting the little guy though."

"You'll love him, I'm sure. See ya later!"

"I'm sure. Bye." Upon hanging up the phone, her stare meets with Crocodile's once again.

I'm afraid I have some rather bad news for you, sir.