Your new phone vibrates against the bedside table as a message pops up on-screen, you can vaguely see what it says already due to your head being rested against Katakuri's chest as he sleeps, his soft snores admittedly soothe you. 

He's so damn cute.

You can see that the message is from Thatch and that the brunette is inviting himself over to your apartment so with a sigh, you carefully climb out of bed, being sure not to wake your sleeping lover in the process and then beginning to get dressed.

You've only been officially dating for a week and you've already found yourself in a much better place mentally; the dreams are better, you're not relying so much on alcohol to get you through the day and smiling just doesn't seem like such a chore anymore. 

You like to stay at Katakuri's place when spending time with him because it's easier to avoid your families that way; if his siblings buzz, you then have the chance to leave and let him socialize with them in peace, not that he'd mind if you wanted to stick around but you don't trust his family not to tell pops about the relationship and that's just not something you're willing to risk quite yet.

When your family or friends buzz, they usually end up hitting Katakuri's button anyway because nobody seems to listen when you tell them that your buzzer is the second one up from the bottom but apparently their stupidity isn't necessarily bad, all things considered.

Katakuri will always answer and if you hear that it's a visitor for you, you'll leave his apartment (making sure you're decent this time) and hurry on upstairs to your own floor whilst your secret lover buzzes the visitor inside on your behalf.

It's a nice little set up and nobody has caught on yet.

With a content smile, you scribble your boyfriend a little note before placing it on the table beside the bed, quickly pecking his cheek before you leave. 

You could have sworn you saw him peek but just in case he didn't, you avoided speaking since you didn't want to risk waking him, he looked far too sweet and peaceful for that treatment.

Once you make it into your own apartment, you beeline straight into the bedroom, practically soaking yourself in strong perfume to try and coat his scent before Thatch gets here. 

Though considering your marked neck, messy hair and sweaty face, you'd wager it isn't going to be as simple as merely covering up one's scent but you will not falter so easily; first you throw your dishevelled hair into a ponytail, then you grab a face-wipe and begin to mop away the sweat on your skin and then lastly, you grab a thin and fashionable scarf, wrapping it around your neck - it matches the colours of the clothes you're currently wearing too so it doesn't look out of place at all. 

Nailed it!

Another vibration coming from your phone as a new message from Thatch pops up;

"I'm outside."

He's not even gonna try to remember which button to press today, it seems.

Of course, this just turns out to be a bigger pain in the ass because you have to go downstairs and let the brunette in properly, a goofy grin plastered across his face as he gives you a loose hug.

It seems he's in a good mood today.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in a month! Where have ya been?! Did pops really upset you that much?" His hug only tightens with the question, causing your back to click loudly, a pained grunt escaping your lips as the goofball finally releases you. "You'll have to tell me all about it!"

"Alright, just be quiet! People are still sleeping around here!" Turning on your heel, you make your way back toward the stairs with the brotherly figure following in tow. "You trying to get me murdered by Eustass or something?"

Yes, you noticed that expressing your knowledge of people 'trying to sleep around here' could possibly trigger some suspicion if Thatch were to meditate on your words a little, so you decide to save yourself from any accusations before they even start.

Not to toot my own horn or anything but; I'm pretty clever sometimes. 

Swinging the door into your apartment open, you politely hold it in place whilst Thatch enters also before closing it again, the brunette's orbs noticeably scanning the living room before he takes a seat on your couch with a kind smile gracing his lips.

Was he looking for evidence to suggest that I'm still seeing Katakuri or something?

Good thing we hang out in his apartment, if that's how it's gonna be.

"Is this really your house? I can barely recognize it without the beer bottles and half-eaten pizza laying around~!" Thatch playfully questions, watching you closely as you take a seat on the armchair sat opposite him before he leans forward, seemingly trying to read your face more thoroughly. 

No, don't do that! I'm as obvious as the sun in the sky!

No-no, pull yourself together!

"Mh...charming." You can't even hold his stare, your orbs are glancing off to the side as you smile awkwardly, your heart pounding like crazy inside your chest and your face feeling like it's about to crack any moment as Thatch chuckles to himself. 

What's funny?!

"Oh yeah! He really tore into you, huh?" His laughter only getting slightly louder as your face falls completely, your brain eagerly trying to decipher what the hell he could be talking about, he's looking at you as if you were a dumb child or something. "Y'know, Ace and Sabo pull the exact same face after getting flamed by pops too!"

Oh right, pops! 

Thank God!

"Ah, I dare say I got off lighter than those two ever could." Your response seems to relieve the brunette sat before you at least, he finally leans back into the couch as his eyes relax a little. "Poor Sabo never deserves Newgate's wrath...screw Ace though, I have no sympathy for that little snitch."

Of course you're not being fully serious, you're still mad at him for grassing you up, definitely. 

But no man deserves to be on the receiving end of pops' temper. 

"Hey, he didn't mean for pops to overhear him." Thatch states with a boyish giggle despite the fact that his facial expression has changed slightly, his stare now looking a bit more firm. "Marco was asking him why we allowed Katakuri to sit with us at the club and Ace made a joke about your little crush, pops just had to walked by the kitchen at the worst possible time."

Oh, so he wasn't being malicious then...

"...I still blame him." Despite your cranky remark, you still can't fight the small smirk tugging on your lips, it becomes even more harder when Thatch notices it also and grins. "Was Marco angry with me as well?"

You silently prepare yourself for the worst as the brunette hums to himself; you would admittedly be hurt to hear that the blonde was also disappointed in you, but upsetting people is a risk you'll have to be willing to take if you want it to work out with Katakuri.

"Not exactly angry but..." Thatch's face scrunches up as he hums to himself again, your heart feeling like it's about to burst right out of your chest as your nails nervously dig into the arm of your chair. Just say it, man. "Maybe worried? His main concern was Charlotte Linlin sticking her nose in rather than Katakuri himself though, that woman is pretty big on marriage sooo, be ready for that."

EH?!

"But we haven't been together 5 minutes!" And just like that, Thatch's eyebrows raise as a smug smirk curves his lips, your brain breaking down into a circus of screams as you silently kick yourself. "Hadn't! I meant to say we hadn't!"

"I knew it! I knew you were too happy for somebody who just got Romeo and Juliet'd!"

Romeo and what?

"J-Just keep it to yourself, okay? I don't want pops losing his shit again." Your request has Thatch gesturing a zipper-like movement across his mouth before he chuckles to himself softly. 

"If it's back on and his mother finds out though, she'll want marriage and she won't care if you've been together 5 minutes or 5 weeks, so be prepared for that ordeal." The brunette doesn't seem to be at all worried by the possibility that you might be getting proposed to at any given day but then, Thatch doesn't really seem to care about anything these days. "So? How does he treat you?"

"Well, he shares his food with me which is apparently rare." Thatch's smile lightens at that statement, his index finger idly scratching at his goatee as he listens attentively to you listing off the best things about the redhead. "He's also really strong, loyal and honest but also sweet, he's a giant softie toward me!" You exclaim excitedly, not even taking into account how lovestruck you sound as you grin to yourself and judging by the look in Thatch's eyes, you'd wager that you're improving his opinion of your beautiful neighbour. "And the sex is amazing!"

And it's in this moment Thatch's face falls into more of a grimace, his hand raising and rapidly gesturing for you to halt your words. 

"Y'know, you coulda just said he treats you 'good'! Good works!"

A hearty laughter erupting from your lungs when you spot the pale blush spreading across the poor brunette's cheeks, naturally it doesn't take long for him to start laughing himself, his forefinger pointing at you as his grin becomes more sly.

"You're totally whipped~! Look how happy you are to have yourself a Charlotte~!"

"Pssh, I'm not whipped! I'm just...in a good mood?"

"More like whiiiiipped~!"

This goon.