NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42: Meant For The Sea
Leroy had this strange grin on his face as he stared at the man. Looking him up and down. He was clearly one that cared about those around him just from that simple gesture of wishing for someone to be polite in the establishment he worked at. Then, Leroy complied. Lowering his feet from the table and placing them below it.
"I'll take a sparkling water. Squeeze a whole lemon into it." Leroy continued to look around to his other crewmates before his smile began to widen even more.
"Sparkling water! Good choice." Noir chuckled. "Though I haven't tried it with lemon before, sounds interesting..."
"Can I just have a sweet tea, please? With lemon." Kirk then said as Noirs gaze met his.
"Now, what can i get for the sir and beautiful madam over here?" Noir asked, looking with a sweet look towards Jeanne.
"I'll have a cola if you don't mind. And please excuse them.", she says with a smile as she looks to Kale and Leroy. "They can be a bit rowdy for their own good, but they're good people.", she says before looking back to Noir.
"Anything for you, my dear!" He spoke rather pleasantly compared to how he was talking to the boys, almost even giddy and excited.
"Ooohh, I'm sure they are, sometimes good people are idiots as well! Hahahaha!"
"Uhhhh... I'll have a..." Kále couldn't really think about what drink he wanted. Cola didn't sound nice, tea sounds rancid and sparkling water is too sparkly. "A regular water. None of that sparkly crap." Of course, there were no please or thank you's because Kale has a severe lack of manners. He then just sat back in the booth and crossed his arms again
Before Noir could turn and leave. Leroy spoke "You're a cook right? You should join my Crew. We've been in need of someone like you"
In leroy's mind that statement meant more than. 'You can cook. Join me'. He could just feel that this man. Was the Right man for the Crew. Someone he felt that he'd be able to rely on. From just one simple interaction of the way he spoke and the way he acted.
Noir then began freezing up a bit. Kirk clearly overheard Leroy and stared up at him with even more horror. The guy literally was stepping on their crewmate's foot and he wanted him to join the crew?! The Fishman was nearly about to reach over and hit him over the head.
"Leroy! You literally JUST spoke to him! This is even worse than when you met Jeanne! You at least SAW she could do something!"
"What! He's clearly meant for the sea! Shishishi!" He said spreading his hands apart in a gesture of "What?"
Noir looked between the crewmates as Kirk chewed Leroy out and let out a scoff of annoyance, his shock residing.
"Absolutely not. I clearly have a job right now, as if I'd join a damn pirate crew. Now hurry up and order." Noir got a scowl on his face. This guy was insane if he thought he could just ask anyone to join his crew.
Must've been a rookie. He was going to get crushed the moment they entered the Grand Line.
Noir just frowned as Leroy gave such a stupid reason for him to join whatever crew they were a part of. No, he wasn't meant for the sea anymore, he was meant to stay here and cook.
Kirk eventually spoke, starting to get embarrassed for Leroy again. "I'm so so sorry! He does this... a lot more than you could imagine."
Noir nodded, his polite smile gone now knowing he was dealing with a bunch of hooligans. He head even taken his foot off of Kále's, knowing it was rude.
A voice then spoke from behind them as he tucked the Notepad into his shirt pocket. An old looking man with a scruffy looking goate spoke from the kitchen door. Wearing specs and a Chef uniform, Head Chef Ducase. "Noir. A moment when you done son."
Ducase Would wait against the Door with a slight grimace across his face as he waited for the young man to finish his duties as a Waiter
Noir perked up at the sound of his name, let alone it being the chef's voice, and he looked over his shoulder towards the kitchen. The grim look worried him, but he would soon shrug it off and shoot a smile that way.
"Yes sir, I'll be over in a moment!"
"Well, I will be right back then! If you have any questions about the menu, I will be glad to help." Noir nodded his head to the bunch
After Noir left, Kirk groaned and put a hand to his face, looking half miserable. "You really need to... you know... stop doing stupid shit. Entirely. All he did was say two sentences.... TWO!! I'm speechless! I swear to God, if you try to pick up a shipwright just because a guy with a hammer passes by, I will DROWN you."
Leroy shrugged and laid down in the booth. A smile on his face as he closed his eyes. And fell asleep.
Kále watched Leroy fall asleep, he thought what a respectable choice for such an occasion. Kále was not one to miss the chance to nap as well so Leroy doing so was completely appropriate. Kále had already napped before they arrived at Rose Arbor so there was no need to nap now, he'd rather stay awake and make sure no one fucks with his captain while he's sleeping.
*
"You need somethin'?" Noir said with a tilt of his head, looking to Ducasse.
Ducasse unfolded his arm as he put his hand on the back of the Sous Chef. Looking over his shoulder and to the red sash crew as he spoke.
"So. Who are they?" Even if the comment from before was a casual. Noir knew what it meant. If Ducasse says he should deal with customers, it meant he really, really wanted them scouted out. So that he could make sure there were no trouble being caused.
"Ah, yes" Noir glanced back over his shoulder at the table full of pirates before heading further into the kitchen, letting Chef Ducasse keep a hand on his arm. Typically, he was a bit iffy if someone put their hands on him just because they could've been cooking, but he didn't mind with the older man.
"Did they say something? I say, you got a look on your face." Ducasse gave a worried look.
"They were just being foolish. I don't think they will cause much trouble, sir, but that one with the red sash asked me to join his crew of all things. I barely had even gotten a word out to them! Imagine!" Noir snorted out a laugh. "They seem alright, maybe rough around the edges… but they won't hurt anyone."
"Good good. Behind" He spoke out alerting the Woman that he was behind to his presence. Simple kitchen Etique. The cook responded with a "Heard, Chef" Before moving out of the way to move to the sink to wash his hands.