"You can decorate it to your heart's content." Shanks exclaims as he leads Kyo up the stairs, stopping outside the apartment as he unlocks it, allowing her to enter before he follows her inside. "How did Mihawk handle the news?"

"What news? I haven't made a decision yet." She simply mutters while observing the home, the kitchen and dining rooms are joined, a large wooden table sitting underneath the window with a bench on either side and a large sofa tucked into the edge of the room with an armchair positioned beside it. 

The walls are quite bland but if she's allowed to decorate, that shouldn't be an issue.

"It looks a little empty right now, I know, but it'll look more homely when you have a TV set up."

"I don't care for TV." 

Shanks merely chuckles at her response while she inspects the home, her hand lightly running along an oddly-placed sink beside the dining area, it looks like it should have been installed in the bathroom. Her eyes filling with curiosity while she turns the faucets to test whether or not they work. 

The water runs and it's clear, the boiler seems effective also, a subtle steam rising from the hot tap before she finally turns it off. 

"I know it's not exactly a castle but it'll still give you some independence." Shanks casually murmurs while leaning against the kitchen counter, his watchful gaze following the young lady as opens the bathroom door, peeking into the washroom before she closes it again.

A bathtub and a shower...

She had to stick to bathes whilst living with her father and while it's better than not washing at all, it is rather time-consuming, which can be quite troublesome given her busy schedule. 

At least if she lived here, she'd be able to take quick showers. 

A slight huff escaping her lips as she folds her arms over her chest, a thoughtful glimmer in her eyes as she stares off into space, the little change in mood seeming to intrigue Shanks. 

"So? What's on your mind~?" The male inquires with a cheeky grin, earning himself a cold glance in the process before she readjusts her attention toward the large window, seemingly taking in the view while fiddling with the silver cross hanging on her necklace. 

A loud buzz sounding suddenly and causing her brows to raise, Shanks immediately heading over to a small device on the wall, his eyes shifting back toward the girl as his thumb hovers over a button attached to it. "This is how you answer the intercom." He informs while pressing said-button and turning his attention back to it. "Hello?"

Meanwhile Kyo is left beyond confused, he hadn't told her that he was expecting company, a male's voice reaching her ears as the apparent visitor speaks. "We're here to see the flat, we made an appointment." 

"Sure, come up!" Shanks being careless as usual while releasing the button, his finger shifting down to a second one with a green hue to it. "This is how you let people in." He lectures once again while pressing the switch, the information going completely ignored though.

"Who the hell is that?"

"Your potential roommate, of course!" He chimes, opening the door just as a pair stops before it, clearly intending to knock but not getting the chance. Kyo's stare shifting toward them curiously, a wave of relieve washing over her when she notices that one is female; the girl has brown hair and eyes, wearing high-waisted jeans with a superhero shirt tucked into it.

Beside her stands a tall young man, his skin tan and hair dark although it's mostly covered by a white and black hat, his eyes harbouring a golden tint to them.

I hope he isn't planning on moving in here. 

Shanks loudly greeting the pair and inviting them in to look around while the younger redhead studies the two, only being snapped out of her thoughts when Shanks' brings their attention to her; "This is Kyo, she just moved in here last week!"

Her eyes widening slightly at the lie although she forces her indifferent expression back to her face when the brunette locks eyes with her, the girl seems to study Kyo for a brief moment before her focus shifts elsewhere. 

"I'm Trafalgar Law. This is my cousin, Lotte, she's actually the one interested in the apartment--"

Lotte...I'll have to remember that.

"My god!" The brown-haired girl suddenly gasps, her eyes filling with surprise as she stares up at Shanks, her orbs shifting back to Kyo before returning to the older man once again. "You must have been a teenager when you had her!"

Huh?!

A confused frown traversing across Kyo's features as Shanks merely chuckles, she doesn't miss how the raven accompanying the brunette grimaces before he continues. "...She talks too much."

"Did you hear that, Kyo? She thinks we're related~!" Shanks' simply letting out a hearty laughter, seemingly not at all offended while he shakes his head. 

"I heard." She deadpans, her stare never leaving the other girl's as she ponders back and forth for a moment before finally deciding to explain. "Shanks is just a family friend though." 

"Oops, sorry." 

She's respectful enough, I suppose. 

So far the potential roommate doesn't seem too bad but one must keep up her guard, just in case, people can be surprising sometimes and not always in a good way. 

Her eyes focusing on the brunette's cousin instead as the pair enter the apartment properly, unexpectedly he locks gazes with her instantly, she doesn't miss how his dark eyebrow rises ever so slightly. 

It would seem he can hold her stare though, unlike most people. 

She can vaguely hear Shanks showing Lotte around the flat in the background while she subtly reads the raven, he looks like a cross between professional and slacker, his clothes are loose and comfortable yet his facial expression radiates confidence and precision.

An odd mix, she hadn't seen anything like it before. 

What an interesting man.

"So, what do you think?" Shanks' voice catching her ear again as he and Lotte stop beside the two once more, seemingly taking no notice of the little stare-off they're having, the brunette fiddling nervously with her purse before she speaks.

"It's cute, actually..."

"And the price is reasonable." Law finally piping up once again, his sharp eyes never leaving the redhead's as she frowns to herself inquisitively, not at all missing how his cousin glares at him. "I think you should take it."

"Excuse me, why are you here again?" Kyo finally finding her own voice, sounding a little brash as usual but it doesn't seem to massively bother the raven, his brow merely raising at her inquiry. "She's the one searching for a place, isn't she? Are you here to make sure she doesn't get screwed over?"

"And what if that's the case?" Law's eyes now seeming to study hers right back, a challenging tone riddling his voice and causing his cousin to smirk as she turns to Shanks.

"Is she not able to take care of herself?" Kyo inquires once more, causing the corner of Law's mouth to twitch ever so slightly, she can't quite work out if she's almost making him smile or almost making him angry though.

"And they say I'm the one who talks too much." The brunette playfully murmurs, drawing a chuckle from the landlord's lips as he waves his hand at the bickering pair dismissively, finally attempting to end their staring contest. 

"Come on now, Kyo." He calmly voices, immediately silencing the girl as his eyes shift toward Law instead, his smile never fading. "Law, you're a good cousin, I could have been a pervert for all you know." 

Of course, the raven isn't actually here by choice, he was actually sent by his adoptive father to help Lotte pick out a place. Not that he's about to tell these two that though. 

"So, are you interested in this place?"

"She is." Law answers on his relative's behalf, still staring deep into the red-haired girl's soul and earning himself a subtle huff from the brunette. 

"I guess I am." She finally admits. 

What follows is a reasonably short interview, the four sat at the dining table while Shanks asks the usual questions for a landlord. 

"What kind of job do you have, Lotte?" 

"I'm in the middle of earning my PhD in marine biology," Her answer intrigues the redheads both, Shanks eyes filling with amusement as his grin widens. "I work in the research centre by the shore." 

"Wow!" He blurts out in surprise, clearly impressed by the girl's position as he continues. "Kyo here works as a night guard at the history museum so you shouldn't need to fight over the bathroom in the mornings." Both girls frown at the male as he chuckles to himself, his eyes reading the next question on the paper. 

I am not a night guard, damn it! This is temporary!

She doesn't usually care for what other's think of her but at this moment in time, she cannot help the slight grimace that etches itself into her features, the man just made her out to be a total loser in front of these two.

Sometimes, I really hate you, Shanks. 

"Any crazy friends that might come over?" Shanks questions, of course Kyo doesn't miss how the table lightly jolts as the brunette hesitates, a small cough escaping her lips as a thump sounds from underneath the wooden surface, causing the redhead to smirk subtly to herself as she reads into her potential roommate's eyes.

Clearly she was just kicked by her cousin and why would that be? 

Looks like Kyo isn't the only one with imperfections here.

"No. My friends are all nice, respectable people." Lotte's claim sounding so fake that surely even Shanks could pick up on the lie but he still checks the box silently, no worry showing in his eyes whatsoever. 

Are you deaf and blind or something?

The rest of the interview flows by rather quickly, Kyo merely watching in silence as Lotte makes her way toward the exit after shaking Shanks' hand, seemingly in a hurry to leave while Law lingers behind. 

"Thank you, Mr. Akagami." The raven politely mutters while shaking the older man's hand though surprisingly, his attention soon shifts toward the feminine redhead next, seemingly knowing not to even attempt to shake her hand however. "Kyo-ya, isn't it?"

"Hm?" It's the only reply she could muster on the spot, her eyes widened ever so slightly and brows raised before she quickly blinks away her shock. "Yes, it is, Trafalgar."

He doesn't seem as visibly amazed that she remembered his name, though he must have expected it somewhat since he lined this up perfectly, he had planned for this. 

He wanted to know if she would have remembered him, although she doesn't quite know why. 

"I guess I'll see you around." He smoothly murmurs, a small smirk tugging on his lips and causing the girl to pout as she watches him leave, his cousin waiting outside for him and noticeably grinning once he gets close although the door blocks out the rest of the view when Shanks shuts it. 

The man staring down at Kyo with an impish smile, his arms folding over his chest as he teasingly raises a brow. 

"What was that~?"

"What was what?!" The girl barks, soon deciding it doesn't matter regardless as she continues. "You win, I'll move in here. I want the bigger bedroom though."

She doesn't miss how Shanks' smile widens ever so slightly at that, his eyes shining with an emotion she isn't too familiar with while he simply shrugs his shoulders. "The bedrooms are roughly the same size, the one on the right might be slightly wider but not by much."

"Then I'll have the one on the right."

"Okay...so, what made you decide on this place~?"

"Nothing in particular."