Cross guild simps RISE

Everything feels overwhelming again. Mihawk and Crocodile, the same two men who have spent the last couple of months making Buggy’s life a living hell, have had a change of heart it seems. They no longer see Buggy as some weak, gutless coward, or some useless fuck up, but instead they see him as something entirely different. Now, Buggy is someone who is deserving of their respect and admiration. He’s brave, charming, capable, caring, selfless, and even pretty. What made them change their opinions on him, though? Again, it’s not like Buggy’s made any major changes to himself or his personality. He’s still the same person he was when Mihawk and Crocodile first arrived at Emptee Bluffs Island, but you wouldn’t think that by the way they speak about him nowadays.

Buggy struggles to understand how that kind of hatred can bloom into romantic feelings not just for Mihawk but for Crocodile as well. Sure, Buggy’s had his moments where he’s stood up for himself (mainly when he couldn’t control his temper or take anymore) but was that really enough to get the two to change their opinions on him? It couldn’t have been, right? He’s done absolutely nothing to deserve their hatred, but he’s done even less to deserve their affection.

Crocodile says he gained a sense of respect for him after he fought him back at home and that that same respect turned into feelings of fondness, especially after Buggy saved his life - or, rather, tried to. Was that really all it took to change his opinions of Buggy so drastically? Mihawk’s in a similar situation: He realized he was wrong for treating Buggy so horribly and wanted to make amends, which somehow lead to him developing feelings for Buggy as well, even though Buggy never did anything particularly special to warrant his affection. In any case, they both somehow ended up developing feelings for someone they once couldn’t stand, isn’t that odd?

This has got to be the most frustrating situation Buggy’s ever been in. How is he supposed to feel now that he knows that both Mihawk and Crocodile have feelings for him, especially after they wreaked havoc on his life and caused his self-esteem to plummet to an all-time low in a matter of months?! He was struggling to comprehend and accept the fact that just one of them had feelings for him, but now he has both of them pursuing him.

It all seems confusing, aggravating, and disingenuous at times when Buggy thinks about it. There are times when Buggy genuinely feels like this is all one drawn-out joke, but the punchline never comes even as the days drag on and on, and that’s what makes things worse. Mihawk and Crocodile are both claiming they like him and their confessions have come mere weeks apart from each other, is he wrong for finding that suspicious?

Is he wrong for being confused about this whole situation in general and for being so indecisive at times?

Things should be a lot more straightforward than this. They’ve hurt him, and Buggy will never forget what they’ve done to him. He’ll forgive, but he can’t forget what they’ve put him through and all the anguish he’s suffered because of them. They can call him pretty, they can call him charming, brave, incredible, and anything they want, but it won’t change anything. They don’t deserve him, and he knows that. He fucking knows that, so he doesn’t get why he’s struggling like this when it comes to Mihawk in particular, and he doesn’t get why he hasn’t ripped into Crocodile for even having the balls to confess to him in the first place after all he’s done.

Crocodile is the one who is least deserving of a chance with him. He’s treated Buggy like absolute garbage. And sure, Buggy’s gotten a couple of apologies and some fancy gifts, but other than that, Crocodile hasn’t put in even half the effort that Mihawk has to show that he’s sorry. Not that it matters, Buggy wouldn’t accept his confession for all the sweet words and material goods in the world – not even the One Piece!

Crocodile couldn’t have picked a worse time to confess to him. Granted, Buggy doubts he’d be more accepting if Crocodile confessed a week ago or a few weeks from now, but his mind is already a mess from everything that’s going on with Mihawk. He doesn’t need both men coming at him at once and causing him to have all these unnecessary thoughts and feelings. He was barely ready to become friends with them, but they’re already talking about taking things a step further than that.

Buggy wasn’t ready for this at all; he was already at war with himself and being pulled in all sorts of directions, and Crocodile’s just making things a hell of a lot worse. He’s angry, he’s hurt, he’s confused, he’s back to wondering if this is all a joke, and if it is, if Mihawk is in on it. He--

Crocodile brings Buggy back to reality when he suddenly grabs him by the waist with one strong arm and pulls him towards him. “Buggy,” Crocodile calls out, “I’m not the type to beg – but I’ll do anything you want right now. Just say the word and I’ll do it. I’m fuckin’ serious about this. About wanting you.” Shut up, shut up, shut up. Buggy thinks, I hate you. Why are you doing this to me? The words are at the back of his head, but he can’t seem to voice them nor even move at this very moment. Instead, he remains in Crocodile’s grasp, stiff as a corpse. “I’m sorry, okay? How many more times do you want me to say it? I fucked up. I was wrong, and I see that now.  Will you forgive me and give me a chance to prove that I’ve changed?”

Fuck NO.

“I’m sure you have changed, but I really don’t think that me and you would make a good couple.” Buggy ends up saying. He doesn’t know why he’s even giving Crocodile the privilege of hearing an excuse right now instead of harshly turning him down. He has the opportunity to crush Crocodile’s heart into pieces, provided that Crocodile is serious about his feelings right now. “We always seem to butt heads an—”

“I’ve been trying not to argue with you as much,” Crocodile quickly says in return, cutting him off. Has he really been making an effort to not fight with Buggy, or has Buggy just been more submissive than usual as of lately? “I’ve been trying to pick my words more wisely, too. I’ve changed.”

“Well, even if that is true...” Buggy sighs, “I just think our rocky past will get in the way of things. I mean…” He pauses before quickly muttering, “It’s sure getting in the way of me and Hawkeye.” he admits, and he doesn’t know why he’s saying that, why he’s admitting that there may or may not be something between him and Mihawk.

“It won’t. We can work past it. “

“Can we really?”

“Buggy.” Crocodile calls out in a weary tone, holding him tighter. 

“What? I’m being serious? Can we really just get past the fact that you spent a majority of your early days on Emptee Bluffs terrorizing me?”

“I’m fuckin’ sorry.” Crocodile apologizes for the umpteenth time, and Buggy can just hear the frustration and exhaustion behind his words. Buggy’s frustrated by this whole thing too, but Crocodile won’t leave things alone! “How do I prove to you that I’ve changed?” He suddenly asks, and that’s a question Buggy just doesn’t have an answer to, “How do I show you that I care? Do you want me to buy you something? Tell me what it is and I’ll get it for you.”

“No, I don’t want you to buy me anything, Crocodile.” Buggy says as he pushes himself away from him and their stiff embrace and takes a step back. “Okay, I’m just not in—”

“You don’t have to pay me back the money you owe me.” Crocodile suddenly says, cutting off Buggy again, and this time his voice is more desperate than before. “Even if you reject me, you still don’t have to pay me back, okay? You don’t even have to stay in Cross Guild if you don’t want to. Just… I’m sorry for everything, alright? You mean more to me than a couple of hundred million berries.”

What? Buggy thinks, almost instantly caught off guard by Crocodile’s words again. He’s not in debt anymore? He… He can be free and do whatever he wants. Seriously…? It’s that simple? 

Crocodile takes a step forward, chasing after Buggy and desperately trying to get close to him again, “I mean it. I have feelings for you,” He tells Buggy before he cups the side of his face, “I wouldn’t be making a complete fool of myself if I weren’t serious, Buggy. Just one chance. I never beg, but I’m begging you to at least consider giving me a chance, dammit.”

Buggy yet again finds himself going completely still as he tries to process everything that’s going on. The confession is one thing, but the fact that Crocodile’s put aside his pride and is quite literally begging for Buggy to give him a chance is another thing. Once again, he finds himself wondering why things aren’t as black and white as they should be. Like, why can’t he just tell Crocodile to go to hell and go about his day like he normally would? He had the same issue with Hawkeye, didn’t he? Why is he so bad at straight up rejecting people?

Those feelings of confusion only grow when Crocodile drops his hand down and suddenly grabs Buggy’s. “I mean it.” He repeats, trying to assure Buggy before he lifts his hand up and presses it against his chest. Crocodile’s heart is practically hammering underneath Buggy’s touch, and instead of being disgusted, or annoyed, or even indifferent, Buggy’s own heartbeat matches the rhythm of Crocodile’s.

It’s horrifying how, despite logic and the warnings his brain keeps giving him, how easily Buggy begins to sway. His expression starts to soften just a little as he looks up at Crocodile and he goes from being reluctant to just plain unsure. “No more bullshit, okay? Let me have you. Let me spoil and protect you, and treat you how you deserve to really be treated.”

This shouldn’t be happening to Buggy twice. This shouldn’t have even happened to him once! He shouldn’t be struggling to turn Crocodile of all people down for crying out loud! He feels almost dizzy with conflicting emotions as he replies, “I...I’m trying to see where this thing with Hawkeye goes…” He says and can’t believe that those words are actually leaving his mouth despite all his previous confusion and denial.

It’s...It’s the truth, though. Rather he wants to admit it or not, he’s been steadily letting Mihawk get closer and closer to him, and things are at a point where he doesn’t think he can continue running away and then changing his mind afterwards. It’s gotten to a point where he knows he has to make a firm decision and stick with it no matter how scary the outcome might be.

“I know. It’s not a problem. I can share you,” Crocodile tells him before he pauses for a second and corrects himself, “We can share you. All three of us can work something out, trust me.” That...That just makes Buggy feel even more disorientated. The three of them? Together? What? “What do you say…?” That’s a big decision to make, isn’t it? He can’t just make it right now.

“... I need some time to think,” Buggy murmurs, trying to buy himself more time and prevent himself from making any rash decisions in the heat of the moment. His head is a mess even though it shouldn’t be, and so is his heart. Who would have thought that Crocodile of all people could persuade him so easily…?

Buggy wants to run, even though it’ll continue this seemingly endless loop of him flip-flopping and doubting and denying everything that is happening in his life, as well as his own feelings. Everything is confusing and scary, and quite frankly, it’s a lot easier to run when things get too overwhelming and say that he isn’t serious about things than to man up and face all his problems. He gets why he’s so indecisive now: It’s just hard to make a firm decision when he’s still so scared and unsure, and when Crocodile and Mihawk haven’t gained even a fraction of his trust. 

It seems like Crocodile is already onto him, though, and has a reply waiting for him, “Didn’t we just talk about this?” He asks, “Didn’t we talk about how you should stop overthinking everything and just make a firm decision and stick to it?” Well, yes, but… But… that was different…Kinda.

“Buggy,” Crocodile calls out again, giving his hand a firm squeeze, “Just one chance. And if I fuck up and hurt you again, I’ll kick my own ass. Or I’ll let you and Hawkeye beat the fuck out of me, okay? Just one chance is all I’m asking for.”

…

…

“Just one chance…” Buggy agrees in a tiny voice before he quickly yanks his hand away, “Just one chance, but don’t go thinking that everything will be all sunshine and rainbows. I’m–” For a moment, Buggy forgets that this is Crocodile that he’s dealing with and not Mihawk. Crocodile doesn’t have half the patience, chivalry, selflessness, or romantic attitude that Hawkeye has, and that shows when he cuts Buggy off not with a gentle, chaste kiss, not with a sweet celebratory one either, but with a sudden rough kiss.

Good fucking Lord. It’s dizzying to go from arguing one moment, to kissing the very next. Yet Crocodile’s got one arm around Buggy’s waist again and his fingers threaded through his silky, blue locks as he tilts his head back. Buggy doesn’t know how to even react for a good minute or so as Crocodile completely floods his senses.

The faint smell of tobacco and Crocodile’s expensive cologne fills Buggy’s nose, and it’s then that Buggy realizes just how attractive the other man’s earthy scent actually is. He smells better than Buggy cares to admit, and tastes a little bit like black coffee. God. In between kisses, he repeatedly whispers to Buggy in a low, rough voice. “Mm. Thank you.” he says, and Buggy is so disarmed that he doesn’t even remember what Crocodile is thanking him for.  

Crocodile’s kisses are rough and hungry, but somehow his lips are oh, so soft and his words are extremely tender. “Thank you. Thank you.” He continues to tell Buggy, and when he’s not, he’s giving him some other random praise here or there like: “You taste so damn sweet.” 

Buggy realizes he’s fucked the moment he actually closes his eyes, and hesitantly starts to kiss Crocodile back. God, he’s doing it, he’s kissing Crocodile of all people. He’s kissing Crocodile, and it doesn’t feel gross or horrible or even slightly wrong.

For several minutes there, Buggy buries all his feelings deep within himself and just enjoys the feeling of Crocodile’s lips moving against his own. He holds onto his lush coat for dear life, and it’s only when his lips start to hurt and his lungs crave oxygen that he actually breaks their kiss. Crocodile immediately chases after him, though, “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he asks in a rough voice, and before Buggy can reply, they’re kissing again.

Stupid, impatient, needy man. Buggy hates him, he despises him, he… He still kisses him back against his better judgment, but only for a little longer. When Buggy said he would give him a chance, he meant that he would give Crocodile the chance to pursue him romantically (as crazy as that seems) not that he was giving him the chance to make out with him. 

Buggy breaks their kiss with a wet pop and glares at Crocodile. His face burns and so do his lungs, and the only reply he can muster up at the moment is a quiet, “Asshole.” However, Crocodile doesn’t seem too bothered by the insult, which once again makes Buggy wonder why he even bothers trying to be nasty to Crocodile and Mihawk in the first place. “You didn’t let me finish speaking.” He complains, but he already forgot most of what he was going to say anyways. 

“Yeah?” Crocodile replies in a slightly breathless voice, “Then hurry up and say what you wanna say then so we can get back to kissing.” 

Buggy tries and fails to remain indifferent to Crocodile’s words. It’s just so damn hard to keep a cool face after being kissed breathless and whilst having Crocodile staring at him like that. “I wanted to say that things won’t be all sunshine and rainbows between us just because I’m giving you a chance!” Or something like that…” I’m still not too fond of you,” he says, almost immediately after kissing Crocodile, “And you’re going to have to work your ass off if you really want to win me over, asshole!” 

Now, if he were speaking to Mihawk, he’d receive a sweet, patient reply. Something along the lines of, ‘Of course. I understand that I’ve done wrong in the past, and I’ll work nonstop to gain your trust and affection, darling.’ or something similar to that.

But Buggy isn’t speaking to Hawkeye right now, he’s speaking to Crocodile. And Crocodile grunts in response, “I already said I would prove myself to you, didn’t I? Jeez, shut up and kiss me.” 

“...”

Oh, Buggy hates him so much! He doesn’t think that he’s ever met a more annoying man in his life, is this really how he proves himself to Buggy? By trying to make out with him? Where’s the sweet, warm moments of affection, Where’s the gifts and praises (not that he needs any, but still)? Where is the soft side of Crocodile that he literally just showed him before they kissed?!

Buggy clicks his tongue, “I’m serious. I’m only going to give you one chance to prove yourself, so you better not screw this up. You better make up for all the shit you’ve done to me in the past.” Honestly, now that he thinks of it, he should probably be saying the same thing to Mihawk...”And don’t go thinking I’m going to be all sweet and affectionate with you all the time either, that sort of thing has to be earned.” He says – immediately after kissing Crocodile.

(He should have said all that before letting Crocodile kiss him.)

“Mm.”

“And this doesn’t mean we’re together or anything. I’m just giving you a chance to show me that you’ve changed, alright? We’ll be going at my pace too, got it? And don’t even think about trying to sleep with me.” Man, he really has to remember to have this same talk with Mihawk, huh?

“Mm. Can we still makeout?”

“…”

...Maybe.

Buggy doesn’t let Crocodile know what’s actually on his mind, instead he breaks free from his grasp at long last and groans, “You’re impossible.” He complains under his breath, “I’m leaving, I need to go call Cabaji and Mohji…” It’s partially an excuse, and partially the truth. He really does want to go call those two, but he also needs a moment alone to process all that’s happened between him and Crocodile.

A look of disappointment spreads across Crocodile’s rugged face. “Are you gonna come back afterwards? I want to spend some time alone with you.” He asks in an uncharacteristically sweet voice. The question makes Buggy hesitate for a moment, but he eventually shrugs and gives Crocodile a vague response, “I dunno. Maybe.”

Buggy’s so cool and mysterious, and he really knows how to keep people on their toes, doesn’t he? ...If only that were the truth. The real truth is, as previously stated, Buggy just needs some time alone to process the recent development between he and Crocodile, but it’s not like he can tell him that. So, Buggy takes the long forgotten transponder snail and hauls ass out of Crocodile’s room, and as he leaves he can just vaguely hear Crocodile mutter something under his breath:

“You better come back to see me, you damn clown.”

Yeah, whatever.

The rest of the night is relatively uneventful. Buggy and Mihawk continue to talk about various topics. Sometimes their conversations are light-hearted and have just a hint of playfulness to them, and other times they’re on the more serious side. Regardless of what’s being said, the two exchange words smoothly and freely with one another. It all feels so new and exciting, and Buggy almost forgets about their troubled past as time goes by – Almost. 

It’s because when they’re left on their own and they actually talk to each other like two normal adults instead of yelling and fighting, they have chemistry. Good chemistry. Buggy opens up more with time and becomes his usual loud and talkative self. Whilst Mihawk takes on more of a listening role, but he still gives the conversation his all regardless. 

Mihawk remains engaged and attentive the entire time they talk, often leaning in close to listen to Buggy or asking him various questions. He smiles and laughs, and touches him freely. He doesn’t make any big moves, though, just holds Buggy’s hand or occasionally touches his arm or upper thigh. It makes Buggy’s poor brain stop functioning properly, but he allows it for some reason…

Buggy won’t think too much about it, though. He can’t.

Eventually, the dark, starless sky brightens and changes colors. By the time Mihawk and Buggy realize the sun is beginning to rise, the sky is already painted gold, and the sun is shining a soft, warm light down upon them. Morning already? Buggy finds himself thinking. How is that even possible? He feels like he and Mihawk have only been talking for an hour or two at most. Was it that much fun talking with Mihawk?

Buggy doesn’t want to think about that either.

Never in a million years did Buggy think he would ever stay up all night talking to Mihawk and then watch the sun rise with him. He’s supposed to be one of the men Buggy hates the most in this world, but…it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remain indifferent or resentful towards Mihawk. Buggy doesn’t know what to do about that, part of him genuinely wants to hate Mihawk forever out of spite, but he doesn’t know if that’s even possible anymore.

Mihawk scoots a little closer, invading all of Buggy’s damn personal space. Buggy wants to bitch at him and tell him that he only has so much space on the crate he’s on, but he doesn’t because Mihawk’s giving him that annoyingly soft look again. They exchange glances and afterwards, Mihawk rests his head on Buggy’s shoulder. Oh, they’re doing this now? Buggy tenses up, less because of discomfort and more because of surprise. He huffs, “Who do you think you’re snuggling up to, idiot?” he mutters under his breath.

“You.” Mihawk simply replies, “Can we just stay like this for a couple of minutes? I want to enjoy this moment with you.” Buggy should say no, he really should, but he doesn’t. Instead, he grunts quietly in response and leaves Mihawk be. Every affectionate word or sentence, and every soft gesture, feels like a direct attack to the walls Buggy has built around his heart. 

At this point, the walls Buggy has built up to protect himself from being hurt feel like they’re made of glass. It wouldn’t be a problem, though, if Mihawk’s words and actions weren’t so impactful. Buggy keeps trying to shield himself, but Mihawk’s starting to come at him fast. If Buggy’s walls are made of glass, then Mihawk’s shattering them with a sledgehammer, and no matter how many times Buggy tries to rebuild them, Mihawk just tears them down again. 

Buggy’s entire being feels like it’s at war with itself. His mind is telling him one thing, but his body completely disagrees, and his heart is caught somewhere in between the two. The confliction he feels is almost sickening at times, but he can’t stop himself from being pulled in several different directions at once.

What the hell is he supposed to do?

Buggy’s fingers are itching to reach up and caress Mihawk’s short, raven hair, but he resists the urge and stays completely still as they gaze up at the sky together. He has to get his shit together. He feels like an idiot, and a hypocrite, an— 

“You look stunning underneath the morning sun, you know that, right, Buggy? Your skin and hair are practically glowing.” There, that right there, was another strike to Buggy’s poor, conflicted heart. He whines, actually fucking whines before muttering, “Shut the hell up, you’re so damn cheesy.” He says all that yet, he still rests his cheek on the top of Mihawk’s head.

“I can’t help it,” Mihawk murmurs, “I’m practically smitten at this point.” Buggy’s stomach flips after that one word: ‘Smitten.’ Why can’t he just have a simple crush on Buggy? Why does Mihawk always have to take things to the extreme? And doesn’t he feel any shame or embarrassment, how can he just openly discuss his feelings like this?

“I hate your guts.” It’s a blatant lie on Buggy’s part, but his words don’t seem to effect Mihawk in the slighest. “I know, and you have every right to hate me.” What’s the point in lashing out at him when it does nothing at this point? It doesn’t even start an argument or put distance between them anymore. Is this more for Buggy? Is he trying to convince himself that he still hates Mihawk when…

When he knows better.

Buggy goes silent, and despite his cold words, he closes his eyes for a moment and just enjoys the closeness between them and the gentle breeze that’s blowing. His brain is screaming at himself to stop this nonsense, but his heart is telling him to stay still and enjoy himself – And God knows his heart controls him more than his mind does.

The gentle sound of the ocean provides the perfect background noise as Buggy allows himself to let go and snuggle with the Dracule Mihawk of all people. It’s all so serene, like the two of them are in their own little world, until Buggy hears a door opening and his eyes shoot open. He shoves Mihawk away from him and ignores the look of confusion and even slight disappointment on the world’s strongest swordsman’s face. 

“I…” Buggy stands up and clears his throat, “I ought to check on the crew and assign everyone their duties for the day before going to bed.” he announces, fighting back the urge to scream because he's just now fully processing what they were doing and the fact that they could have gotten caught by anyone. 

“...Right.” Mihawk stands up as well, “I suppose I should head to bed now that my duties are officially over, then.” There’s a small pause before Mihawk reaches out and squeezes Buggy’s hand, “I’ll see you later then…” He looks like he wants to say more, but he doesn’t. Instead Mihawk simply turns around and heads towards his quarters, and Buggy stares at his fleeting figure, feeling helpless. 

Fuck.

…

It takes Buggy a little longer than expected to handle his affairs, but once he’s made sure everything is running smoothly on the ship, he returns to his room to finally get some sleep. He flops down on his bed with a loud groan and buries his face into a plush pillow. Truth be told, he doesn’t really want to go to sleep, but he should try anyways. 

Buggy closes his eyes, and the moment he does, all he can see is Mihawk and all the stupidly charming faces he makes while he’s around him. He sees him smiling and laughing freely first - has anyone ever seen him like that before, or is Buggy the only one? It doesn’t matter, he tells himself a moment later, trying not to think too much into things. When he tries to shake that image out of his head, another one pops up, and Buggy sees Mihawk with a soft, dreamy expression on his face instead. He quickly tries to rid that face in particular from his own memory but fails. 

God, why does he look at me like that…? 

Buggy opens his eyes and stares at the wooden walls of his room. He hopes that maybe he’ll be able to force thoughts and images of Mihawk out of his head if he focuses on something else. So, he takes in the design of his captain’s quarters for a moment. It’s technically only his second or third time even being in this room, so he takes the time to properly look at the decorations as well as the furnishings that his men placed after they finished the ship. Everything is probably a tad too rustic for Crocodile or Mihawk’s liking, but Buggy doesn’t have a problem with it. The various pieces of brown wooden furniture and the rough textures they take on make their flagship feel like an authentic pirate ship instead of some modern party cruise.  

After staring at a painting of a pond for a good minute and taking in every detail about said painting, Buggy heaves a sigh and tries to go to sleep again. His mind is blank for less than two seconds, though, before his thoughts start to wander again. The first thing he pictures is himself and Mihawk sitting next to each other under the night sky, holding hands, and it makes him want to scream. 

Buggy quickly tries to think of something else before the scene from earlier can play out in his head. He goes over what he has to do once he wakes up (if he even falls asleep) before he makes a mental note to call Cabaji and Mohji either tonight or tomorrow. He wonders what the pair are doing right now and if they’re okay. They haven’t been at sea for long, but Buggy still misses them and worries about them anyways. He’ll definitely have to bring Cabaji, Mohji, and even Alvida on the next trip to Prickly Pear with them, things just aren’t the same without them. 

Buggy tosses and turns after that, unable to find a comfortable position in bed as he avoids more incoming memories of Mihawk and their time spent together. Most of them have flirty undertones to them, but suddenly a down-right nasty memory of Mihawk pops up in his head without warning. He recalls one of the times when Mihawk verbally berated him and threw a series of downright hateful insults at him. He remembers the way he looked, and how his eyes were filled with pure disdain. He looked at Buggy like he was a squashed bug underneath a pair of brand new shoes. 

That memory in particular makes Buggy’s heart ache. That ache turns into something more, something bigger, something that’s genuinely painful as Buggy relives the same moment over and over again, like he’s unable to remember any other memory but that one. It brings along a sense of anxiety and doubt with it:

Has Mihawk really changed?

Are his feelings genuine? 

How is it possible that Mihawk went from hating Buggy’s guts to liking him so easily? Nothing’s changed about Buggy, so what made Mihawk change all of a sudden? Was guilt really enough to change him completely? 

Buggy’s questions are nothing new, they’re just back and haunting his thoughts again. It would be better to ask how Buggy would feel if Mihawk hasn’t changed, if his feelings aren’t genuine and he has ulterior motives. How would he feel if this were all a perfectly constructed lie or Mihawk ends up hurting him again? 

You’re just being paranoid again, he tells himself, but then an anxious part of him wonders if he’s wrong. What if he’s letting Mihawk get close to him way too easily? What if he’s being too forgiving? What if this all comes back to bite him in the ass? 

Buggy rolls over in bed again and tries to stop everything – all the doubt, the fear, the secret feelings, and the conflicting thoughts. He just wants to sleep, that’s all. He doesn’t want to have these thoughts or to be afraid and indecisive. More than anything, though, he doesn’t want to be wrong or hurt again.

He hates this feeling, this feeling of both helplessness and hopelessness. He remembers just how little control he has over his life, and how he has horrible luck. Wouldn’t it be just his luck if Mihawk crushed his heart to pieces?

Why is he trying to give Mihawk his heart in the first place?

He isn’t, he’s just… It doesn't matter.

Buggy’s eyes shoot open again, and he looks over at the clock at his bedside. It’s 10:37. Every time he closes his eyes and then opens them again, the clock says something different. First it’s 8:21, but then it’s 10:37. Soon 11:45 goes by, followed by 12:56 and 1:15. Buggy falls into a light sleep at some point after that, but the next time he opens his eyes the clock reads 2:55.

Buggy sits up in bed. He feels wide awake again, despite the fact that he hasn’t slept all night or morning. He can’t do this anymore, though. He can’t go to bed thinking about Mihawk, and then think of him first thing when he wakes up too. Buggy needs to make up his mind for real this time. Does he hate the guy, or does he like him? Does he want to push him away, or does he want to let him in?

Buggy just wants to protect himself, that’s all, but he doesn’t know how. He doesn’t know if he’s wrong about everything or if he’s making a complete fool of himself, or what. He doesn’t know if Mihawk will end up hurting him, or how he’s supposed to give a man who’s done him wrong in the past his complete trust either. 

Buggy runs his hand through his hair and sighs. He needs to stop, because if he starts freaking out about Mihawk, then he’ll start freaking out about Crocodile and questioning everything. He’ll undo any progress the three have made over the last several weeks, but Buggy is so confused that it hurts. 

In his moment of distress, he wonders what Gol D. Roger would do in this situation. Honestly, Buggy’s former captain would never be in this situation in the first place, he was just too likable, but he still tries to think of what he would do anyways. Knowing him, he’d probably just go with the flow, but Buggy hates not having control of things in his life. That kind of adaptability is what made Roger a better man than Buggy could ever be. 

Don’t think, just go with the flow. Even if Mihawk or Crocodile screw him over, Buggy can always recover from it. He’s been through a lot worse, a hell of a lot worse, what is he even afraid of?

(Everything.) 

Buggy sucks at controlling his emotions, he always has. He’s not Shanks or Rayleigh, and he sure as hell is not Roger. He can’t just make the best of a bad situation like his former crewmates could/can. At the same time, he knows he can’t keep backtracking and running whenever things become overwhelming. He should man up and face any troubles that come his way bravely. 

…Too bad Buggy’s a major coward, huh?

…

Buggy finally realizes that he isn’t going to get any sleep and decides to get out of bed and look for a transponder snail. He needs to talk to someone about his dilemma and wants to call either Cabaji or Mohji early. There’s just one problem: Buggy discovers that there’s only one transponder snail on the entire ship, and, of course, Crocodile has it. What does he even need it for? That man doesn’t have any friends. 

Buggy gathers up whatever courage he needs to go track down Crocodile and the transponder snail, and after about five minutes, one of his men tells him exactly where he can find Crocodile: “Oh, he’s in his room, Captain! He said something about doing paperwork earlier!” Does he ever do anything other than work? He wonders, but then rolls his eyes. He really doesn’t care what Crocodile does as long as he isn’t antagonizing Buggy or the rest of the crew. 

Honestly, Buggy should have checked Crocodile’s room first, but he didn’t want to go anywhere near Crocodile’s bedroom just in case he decided to tell Buggy that he wanted his entire room redesigned and refurnished. Then again, Crocodile hasn’t made any unreasonable requests in a while. Maybe he wouldn’t do that, but there’s only one way to find out. 

Buggy heads to Crocodile’s room after quickly checking up on his crew. Here goes nothing, He thinks as he stops in front of the door. He takes a deep breath before he finally knocks, just ask for the transponder snail and leave before he can make you do something. There’s a long moment of silence before Buggy hears the sound of a chair scraping against wooden floor boards, and less than a second later, Crocodile yanks his door open. “What now?!” He snaps, but then something happens.  

He realizes that Buggy’s the one at his door, and his expression relaxes slightly. “Oh, it’s you. I thought you were one of the others…” he mutters. Why the hell are you answering the door like that? Buggy thinks with a frown, but he doesn’t bother asking that question because this is Crocodile we’re talking about here. There’s a pause before Crocodile speaks up again, “You look like shit.” 

Two nights ago he was a pretty boy, and today he looks like shit. Buggy doesn’t know if he should be offended or relieved. “When was the last time you slept?” Crocodile asks. 

“Who cares?” Buggy mutters in response, “Besides. I’m fine. Can I have the transponder snail? I want to call the island and make sure everything is okay there,” He states, which isn’t a lie exactly, but it isn’t the whole truth either. 

“Yeah, but you don’t gotta do that,” Crocodile replies as he turns around and grabs the transponder snail off his bedside table, “I called them this morning.” He tells Buggy, and this information makes him raise an eyebrow in response. 

“You called them? What for?”

“To make sure the Marines didn’t blow them up. I talked to that woman earlier. Everyone’s fine and so is the island.”

“Alvida?”

“Yeah, I guess. I never bothered to learn anyone’s name.” 

Why is that not surprising? Buggy thinks, shaking his head. He takes the transponder snail from Crocodile, and quietly thanks him before continuing their small talk: “I didn’t know you cared about the island or anyone who lives on it.”

“If the Marines blow it up, or the island gets burned down in a raid or something, we gotta look for a new place to live.” Crocodile states, sounding completely serious and almost business like. He doesn’t sound concerned about the potential loss of life or property at all, in fact he’s acting like it would be a minor inconvenience, “I want to know if something happens ahead of time, so I’m prepared. I’m not saying it will happen, but I have a couple of other islands other than Prickly Pear lined up just in case.” Yeah, he doesn’t care at all. 

Buggy stares at Crocodile for a moment. He knows better than to question or argue with Crocodile by now, but when has knowing better ever stopped him in the past? “Oh, so you don’t give a shit if hundreds of our men are killed?” he asks. 

“I didn’t say that. I’m just telling you I have a backup plan in case our home is destroyed.” 

“Okay, but would you even be willing to go back if something did happen to the island?”

Crocodile goes silent. His lack of response speaks volumes, and it’s clear he wouldn’t want to turn the ship around even if their crew were under attack back at home. “Look, we’re about three days away from the island. It would take another three days just to get back to Emptee Bluffs. If there were a buster call or a catastrophic attack tomorrow, we wouldn’t make it back in time.” Oh, Buggy really hates it when Crocodile makes sense. “Depending on how bad things are, we might not be able to go back in general. “

“Yeah, but...”

“In that case, our organization would take a major blow and we would have to go on the defense. We’re only so strong and there’s only so many Marines we can take on at once, especially if our numbers are down.” Buggy knows Crocodile’s words are true, but they’re still hard to accept. “We’d be in danger and would need to get somewhere safe to rebuild and regroup. There wouldn’t be time to go back and mourn. We’d have to keep going.” 

“I know, but…” 

Crocodile sighs, “Look, I know that’s not what you want to hear, but we have to be prepared for anything and we have to keep moving no matter what. Why do you think I stress about going to Prickly Pear so much? I know we’re on borrowed time and that the Marines won’t be afraid to attack forever. I know that one day they’re going to attack Emptee Bluffs and I want to minimize the damage Cross Guild takes. We either stay one step ahead of them or die. And I ain’t dying any time soon.” 

Buggy bites the inside of his cheek, instead of chewing Crocodile out for his bluntness and apparent lack of empathy, he asks a simple question: “How are you so sure of yourself all the damn time?” Why is everyone in Buggy’s life so confident and brave? Why is he the only one who struggles to make up his mind? “How do you just… accept things as they are and continuously move forward? Don’t you ever worry?” 

“No.”

Buggy suppresses a groan. Crocodile is incredible at giving advice, isn’t he? Then again, Buggy doesn’t know why he asked Crocodile of all people for advice in the first place. A dead fish is probably more insightful than Crocodile. “Great talk.” Buggy mutters, clutching the transponder snail close to his chest. “Well, I should get going.” he says before he turns around to leave now that his and Crocodile’s conversation is all but over. 

“Wait.” Crocodile says before he reaches out and grabs Buggy by the arm. “I can’t worry or hesitate. We don’t get that kind of privilege as pirates.” He tells him slowly, “I don’t know what will happen in the future, which is why I make a decision and try my best to be prepared for any possible outcome.”

“And if you fail? or If you’re wrong?”

“Minimize any loss or damage and move forward. There will always be more opportunities for me to try again or do something new in the future, unless I kick the bucket.” Crocodile’s advice is a bit stiff, but it’s definitely positive, that’s for sure. It still doesn’t do much to comfort Buggy, though. 

“Okay, Yeah, but how do I become more decisive?” 

“Get out of your own damn head and stop overthinking things.” Yeah, that’s easier said than done, though. “Or come to me, and I’ll make up your mind for you and make sure you stick to your plans.” Crocodile pauses, “I’ll be like your accountability buddy or some shit. “

Crocodile as Buggy’s accountability buddy…? That would be… horrifying but probably effective, actually. He’s not too sure how well that would work regarding personal matters, though. Crocodile isn’t exactly someone Buggy can confide to. "What kind of decision do you need to make anyways?” Crocodile asks, “I’ll tell you what to do.”

Buggy needs to figure out how to deal with this Mihawk situation, but he can’t tell Crocodile that. “Um, it’s nothing.” he insists, turning towards Crocodile and laughing nervously. 

“Just tell me, I already know you’re struggling with something.”

Buggy groans. There’s no way he can actually tell Crocodile what’s bothering him, and even if he could, he wouldn’t. He would much rather talk to Cabaji, Mohji, or Alvida about his problems, they’re far less impatient and judgmental than Crocodile is. Buggy tries to think of a bullshit question to ask Crocodile, but takes too long to reply. 

“Seriously, clown,” Crocodile frowns, “Just spit it out.”

Against his better judgment, Buggy relents, “I just want to know if I should trust someone or not.” 

Crocodile scoffs. He probably thinks Buggy’s just being overly sentimental, or something. “I don’t trust no one.” He claims, but Buggy is already well aware of Crocodile’s trust issues. “But you can always give that person one chance, and if they mess up and betray you or something, just kill them.” 

Oh.

“Or tell me who they are, and I’ll kill them for you if they hurt you. There, problem solved. Just be careful.” 

Buggy wouldn’t say his problems are solved by any means, if anything he feels like he’s gained one new problem in the form of Crocodile being a rather aggressive friend. Is that what this is? An aggressive form of kindness and friendship? “...Alright…” Buggy agrees hesitantly, though he’s not sure if he can really come to Crocodile if Mihawk ends up betraying his trust,  “...I’m going to go call the island now.”

“Wait.” Crocodile suddenly orders, “Come sit with me for a couple of minutes.”

"What?"

Buggy sits at a small table situated against a window in Crocodile's room, unsure how he even ended up in this situation in the first place, which isn’t anything out of the ordinary for him. The weirdest things have been happening to him for a while now, and more often than not, he finds himself in positions he never thought he’d be in. 

This is one of them: Here he is, sitting across the table from Crocodile and… Well, they’re not doing much, actually. They’re not laughing it up and conversing like good ol’ pals, not that Buggy thought that they would, but he did expect there to be something more than a staring contest between them going on. 

The air in the room feels weighed down with tension and, other than some quiet breathing, only the faint sound of a clock ticking away in the background can be heard. 

...Awkward…

On Buggy’s thigh sits the transponder snail he so bravely came to retrieve. Buggy’s usually fond of these little creatures and finds them rather adorable, but the one on his lap looks like Crocodile at the moment and even scowls up at him every now and again. It would be cute if Buggy didn’t see it as a personal attack, and like a snail of all things is trying to provoke him. Little fucker…He can’t help but think the next time it glares at him just like Crocodile would. He has to continuously remind himself that this is just a snail in his lap and that it is definitely not mocking him.

(...Is it?)

The minutes continue to tick by, and the room remains oddly quiet and filled with this weird tension between the two. Buggy doesn’t get what they’re doing here. Crocodile said he wanted to talk to him, but then he clammed up the moment Buggy came into his room and sat down. It seems like Crocodile (and the transponder snail) would much rather give him mean looks than converse with him. 

Is he mad at Buggy? At that moment, Buggy tries to think of all he’s done in the last thirty seconds that might have offended Crocodile in some way, but then he realizes that he’s probably overreacting again. Crocodile just looks mean as hell and extremely angry (and so does the dumb snail right now.)

Feeling bored, Buggy glances around Crocodile’s room, but there’s nothing interesting about it – It’s more or less a slightly messier version of Buggy’s own captain quarters, with the only difference being some documents stacked on a nearby dresser, as well as several boxes containing even more papers piled up in the corner of the room. 

Buggy briefly wonders if Crocodile is waiting for him to strike up a conversation with him, and if that’s the case, that won’t be happening any time soon. Buggy has no idea what to say, in fact, he doesn’t even know If there’s ever been a time when they sat down and chatted with each other like a pair of pals.

What do they talk about? Cross Guild? Their plans for Prickly Pear? Ancient weapons? Snore. 

Again, how the hell did he end up in here? Why is he here? Can he go yet? He glances over at a clock on the wall and groans internally when he sees that he’s wasted a good ten or so minutes in Crocodile’s room doing absolutely nothing. This is weird even for Crocodile, right? Is he just going to stare at him all damn day?

Buggy shifts restlessly in his seat before glancing over at a small fruit cake that’s in the center of the table - It’s light brown, loaf-shaped and filled with colorful dried fruit and nuts, and for the most part looks rather moist and tasty. His eyes linger on it for perhaps a moment too long because Crocodile finally speaks up once he sees him eyeing it: “You can have it.”

“Oh, I’m not really hung—”

“Take it.”

Why does Buggy suddenly have a sense of deja vu? He’s not sure why Crocodile and Mihawk have been aggressively sharing food with him, but he won’t question it. It’s probably the least harmful thing they’ve ever done to Buggy now that he thinks about it. 

Buggy ends up eating a small slice of the fruit cake offered to him; it’s a bit too sweet for his liking, but he still eats it regardless, all whilst Crocodile watches him eat it with a sharp and focused glare on his face. “Do you like it?” he asks, and Buggy gives a simple nod in response, not wanting to talk with his mouthful (for once) “Good. I’ll pick you up about a dozen or so.” A dozen? Buggy thinks, and almost chokes on the cake in his mouth. Isn’t that a little extreme?

Buggy swallows down the rest of his cake before he responds, “Uh, I don’t really need that many, but thank you.”

“It’s fine, it’s not like I don’t have the money for it.”

That isn’t the problem! The problem is that Buggy doesn’t need that many cakes! How is he even supposed to eat them all by himself before they go bad?! He chuckles sheepishly, “You really don’t have to do that,” He insists, “It would be kind of wasteful, really.” He pauses and thinks for another second, “Well, I mean, I could always share them with the crew.”

He adds after giving the idea some more thought. 

Crocodile scoffs, “No, if I’m buying something for you, I expect it to be specifically for you, not for your men.” While Buggy sees where Crocodile is coming from, they’re talking about a dozen cakes, here! Surely that kind of gift is meant to be shared with others. “If you want me to buy your men some, though, I guess I could do that.”

Oh, it’s pointless to argue with this man. Buggy heaves an exasperated sigh, “Yeah, that’s fine. That’s fine.” He replies, waving his hand, “But you do realize that you don’t have to keep buying me gifts, right? I’ve already forgiven you. I’ve told you this, like, a hundred times now, man. We’re good.” Well, as ‘good’ as they can be. 

Crocodile stares at Buggy wordlessly, “I know.” He simply responds. Okay, well, if they’re on the same page, then why is he still trying to give Buggy all these gifts? Is this still some weird guilt related thing or something? “But I want to give you nice things.” He pauses, “Plus, It ain’t that big of a deal, anyways. I planned on getting the fat kitty back on the island some things while we were on our little detour.”

The fat kitty? Those words almost sound hilarious coming out of Crocodile’s mouth, and Buggy would laugh if he weren’t afraid it’d get him punched. So Crocodile still hasn’t given up trying to befriend Richie, huh? “You really want to be his friend, don’t you?” He asks, resting his chin in his palm as he speaks. 

Once they start talking about something Buggy cares about, he relaxes just a little bit, and his voice takes on a softer tone. There’s a hint of affection behind his words, but it’s for Richie. God knows Buggy adores that cat.

“Mm,” Crocodile confirms with a quick grunt,  “You have to tell me what he likes, though, so I know what to buy.” 

What doesn’t that fat ass lion like? Buggy thinks with a small, affectionate scoff, “Just get him some meat,” he tells Crocodile, “That ought to do the trick.” That is, if Richie manages to stop being utterly terrified of Crocodile, of course. 

Crocodile exhales a cloud of smoke before he puts his cigar out in a nearby ashtray, “Fine, I’ll get him the best damn meat money can buy then,” He replies. Oh, why couldn’t Buggy have been born a lion instead of a man? “While I’m out, I’ll see if I can find an exotic pet breeder, or two.” He mentions, “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to keep any animals, and I feel rather lonely without one by my side.”

Crocodile being lonely? How is that even possible?! He hates everyone! Well, everyone other than Richie, but he doesn’t really count since he’s a lion. “Oh….” Buggy nods, “Oh, well, what kind of pet were you looking to buy?”

“Crocodiles.”

Crocodiles. Really…? He wants a crocodile for a pet? Buggy’s mind struggles for a moment as he tries to process the reply that just came out of Crocodile’s mouth. He glances over at him and takes in his expression. He’s… He’s serious, isn’t he…?

“... Is that so…?” Buggy asks.

“Yeah.” 

Crocodiles, huh? 

Buggy feels like his life is one big fever dream. He shouldn’t be as surprised as he is, though. Nothing about Crocodile is even remotely normal. Sure, Buggy and his crew keep a lion on the island, but… But it’s different. Richie is like a member of the family, and he’s practically a giant kitten who, on most occasions, wouldn’t hurt a fly! Crocodiles, on the other hand, are… Oof. “Do you really think we have enough room on the island for a crocodile?”

“We have enough room for about fifteen or sixteen.” 

Fifteen or sixteen?! That has to sound unreasonable even to Crocodile! “What are you even going to do with fifteen or sixteen crocodiles?!” Buggy asks, but he probably should have known the answer to that stupid question by now. 

“Keep them as pets. That’s why I wanted an enclosure with a pond built near my tent.” 

“...Right.” 

The thought of one crocodile is already horrifying enough, but fifteen or sixteen? What happens if one of them breaks free from their enclosure and terrorizes the island? What if one tries to eat poor Buggy? Oh, wouldn’t that just be Buggy’s luck? 

It would be! He can see the news headlines: “Emperor of the sea torn apart in a vicious crocodile attack that injures seven others!” 

Crocodile pulls Buggy out of his panicked thoughts just before he can start imagining various different crocodile-related deaths, and for that Buggy is grateful, “I don’t know much about the island we’re going to. I think it’s called Needle Palm Island or some shit. It’s a shame it doesn’t have a dryer climate, though.” He mentions, and all Buggy can think is, Yeah, like you need to be somewhere where you’re practically invincible… Then again, he thinks that whenever Crocodile mentions going to the desert, though. He can’t help it, he just finds the thought of Crocodile being even stronger than he is now terrifying. “It might be the perfect chance to make connections, though. Maybe we can find a few more weapon dealers, or even recruits if we’re lucky.” 

It’s always all work and no play for this guy. Buggy thought they were making this detour so they could rest up a little, not so they could continue to plan for their stupid trip to Prickly Pear or just work in general. How incredibly boring and predictable. Buggy exhales a rather loud sigh on accident, and it seems to catch Crocodile’s attention: 

“Okay, fine.” Crocodile suddenly says after he clicks his tongue, “You and the men can rest. I’ll just keep on working while you and the others enjoy your little break.”

“Don’t you know how to have a little fun, Crocodile?” Buggy finds himself asking. 

“I ain’t got time for fun.”

Wow, Buggy never expected Crocodile to say something like that. He shakes his head, “I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but, come on. We already said we were going to stop for a break, so why not enjoy our time off? Why don’t you actually relax for the day and see what the island has to offer instead of holing yourself up in some dark room the entire time?” 

Crocodile huffs, “Because I would rather do something more productive with my time.” he replies.

“Oh, come on,” Buggy replies, “I’m sure you need a break more than any of us. You’re all work and no play, why don’t you go and enjoy yourself for a couple of days like the rest of us?” Why do I even care what he does? Buggy suddenly finds himself wondering as he looks over at Crocodile again. If he wants to work himself to death, then that really isn’t Buggy’s problem, is it? 

“There’s no time for that shit.” Crocodile claims, and that’s the exact moment when Buggy stops listening, arguing, and caring. A sigh falls from his lips when he thinks about just how boring, uptight, and stubborn Crocodile can be. He can’t even take a couple of days off just to rest and recuperate?

Whatever, if that’s what he wants... 

Crocodile presses his lips into a thin line after noticing Buggy’s reaction. “So, If i do take a break like the rest of the crew, are you going to stick by my side and keep me entertained?”

“What?”

“You heard me. If I take a break, are you going to keep me entertained?  Is your ass going to explore the island with me and keep me company while we’re there? If not, then I might as well keep on working.”

“You want to actually spend the day with me?” Buggy asks, officially feeling dumbfounded as he stares back at Crocodile. 

Crocodile reaches across the table and grabs Buggy by the chin. The action is quick, so quick that Buggy doesn’t even get a chance to react before Crocodile’s thumb and pointer finger are pinching his chin gently, “Who wouldn’t want to spend the day with a pretty boy like you?” He asks, and Buggy feels a weird mixture of anxiety, confusion, and some other third thing after hearing those words.

Buggy’s heart is pounding in his chest as he jerks back, trying to put as much space between him and Crocodile as possible while still seated. “What the fuck?” the question is out of Buggy’s mouth before he even realizes it. He holds onto the transponder snail in his lap, making sure he doesn’t drop the poor creature during his moment of panic and confusion.  

Crocodile furrows his brow, his expression becoming icy as he narrows his eyes at Buggy, “What the hell are you jumping like that for?” What does he mean?! Why wouldn’t Buggy jump after he just touched him like that?! “You know damn well that I ain’t going to hurt you.”

Does he?!

Buggy straightens up in his chair, trying to calm down a little. Oddly enough, he’s not scared, just really startled by all of this. He wasn’t expecting Crocodile to just… do that. “I wasn’t expecting you to touch me like that,” He says after a long pause. “It’s weird… What the hell were you even thinking?” He asks, “It’s not even just the fact that you touched my face, you also said…” God, does he even want to repeat those words? No. “You were also saying some weird shit, too.”

Buggy didn’t think it was possible for Crocodile to look even meaner than he already did, but he was wrong. Crocodile looks damn near offended by Buggy’s question, like he just said something downright insulting. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” He asks in return, “Don’t act like you have no idea what’s going on.”

Motherfucker, I don’t know what’s going on! Buggy thinks as his eyes widen. “Trust me, I’m not acting clueless, I really am.” He replies through gritted teeth, “I genuinely don’t know what kind of shit you’re trying to pull here!”

Crocodile laughs, the sound is loud, cold, and obnoxious. “Really?” He asks, “You really don’t know what’s going on? C’mon, stop fucking with me, clown. You aren’t stupid.”

“I have no clue what you’re doing or even talking about, asshole!” Buggy blurts without meaning to. Ah, fuck. Him and his stupid fucking mouth are going to get him in trouble again, aren’t they?

There’s a long moment of silence before Crocodile laughs again, and this time the sound is a little more rough. He shakes his head, “Okay, since you don’t get it, I’ll just say it loud and clear.” He looks Buggy dead in the eye and doesn’t even flinch as he says: “I’m flirting with you, dipshit.”

What the actual fuck??! Buggy remains quiet and he can’t control the look on his face right now. He imagines his features have hardened and that he’s glaring at Crocodile like he’s lost his goddamn mind, but he isn’t sure. One thing is for sure, though: He absolutely wants to rip into Crocodile after he said that. “What do you mean you were ‘flirting’ with me?” He asks, and it’s at this point where he feels so… angry and confused that he can’t even think about his own self-perseverance or the fact that he and Crocodile are supposed to be friendly with one another.

Crocodile opens his mouth to say something before he closes it a second later. “Alright, alright.” He finally says after doing a little bit of thinking while Buggy glares at him, “Let me try this again.” He mutters, “And quit glaring at me like that, will you?”

Buggy tries to relax his face a little bit, but it seems stuck in place right now. He just can’t believe that Crocodile would say some shit like he’s trying to flirt with Buggy after all that he’s done to him!

Crocodile waits a moment for Buggy to relax, but when it becomes clear that that’s not going to happen, he sighs and lights another cigar. “Alright, look.” He says slowly, “After our little fight back at the island, I gained a lot of respect for you. You know that, I told you that…” He pauses, looking over Buggy’s tense expression again before continuing, “I’m shit at expressing my feelings, but that respect I felt for you started to turn into something like fondness or some shit. I don’t know, okay?” 

What is he even saying right now, Buggy thinks as he grips his thigh tightly, still listening to Crocodile speak when he knows that he should get up right now and leave the room without giving it a second thought. 

“Then you saved me the other night,” Crocodile adds, “Or tried to. Your intentions are all that really mattered to me, and I started thinking.” God, he can’t be for real right now, Buggy thinks as his gut fills with anxiety. This is another cruel joke the universe is pulling on him, right? It has to be. “You almost died trying to save me, and that takes a lot of guts. A lot of fucking guts and kindness considering all the shit I’ve done to you.” 

Before Crocodile can continue, Buggy interrupts him, “Don’t.” He replies, “Just, stop right there, okay? I really don’t want to hear i–”

Crocodile cuts Buggy off this time, “Just fuckin’ listen to me, okay?!” He orders, “At least let me say what I have to say.” Why should he? Why should Buggy give him a moment more of his time?! He doesn’t owe Crocodile a damn thing! “It took me some time, but I finally realized what kind of man you are.” 

And what kind of man is Buggy? Wasn’t he a weak, spineless coward a few months ago? Wasn’t he a good for nothing who didn’t deserve the power and fame that came with his new emperor of the sea status? Just what kind of man if Buggy, huh?

“Quit giving me that look, clown.” Crocodile orders with a frown before he continues speaking, even though Buggy refuses to smile and act like everything is okay,  “You may be a stubborn pain in the ass sometimes, but…” He groans, “Look, you’re also brave, caring, loyal, and pretty damn selfless if you ask me, and I respect you for all that you’ve done recently and for putting up with my shit and even having the heart to forgive me. I don’t usually like my men too emotional and overly sentimental, but…” he looks over Buggy quickly, openly checking him out, “I like that quality in you. You’ve got a warm, nurturing side to you, that I’m starting to like.”

Okay, that’s enough. Buggy really can’t do this anymore. He can’t sit here and listen to the same man who treated him so poorly suddenly praise him. Mihawk was one thing, but Crocodile? Come on. There’s no way this is happening for a second time, right? He isn’t being confessed to right now, right? Right? 

“Crocodile, stop. Just stop with this bullshit,” Buggy says as he stands up from his seat - he just barely remembers to hold onto that transponder snail in the heat of the moment and holds it close to his chest. “I don’t want to hear it. Look, I forgave you for the sake of Cross Guild, but now you’re-–”

“I’m not finished.” Crocodile states, standing up as well, “Don’t try and argue with me or run off, alright? Let me finish, i’m almost done.”

No, Buggy doesn’t want to hear anymore. He doesn’t want to hear him say…

“I want you, alright?” 

That. Buggy didn’t want to hear Crocodile actually confess to him. He didn’t think it was possible for Crocodile to look at Buggy and feel anything other than mild annoyance, but now he’s saying he likes him? What a joke. “You don’t get to say that,” Buggy snaps, his voice rising, “After all you’ve done, you don’t get to say you have feelings for me and that you want me!” 

“But I do!”

“You don’t get that privilege!” Buggy retorts, “You made my life a living hell and have never once shown any genuine remorse! You don’t get to turn around and say you like me after all you’ve done, you dick!”

“I know. I’m fuckin sorry, okay?!” Crocodile asks, and now his voice is starting to rise too as things begin to get heated, “I know I fucked up, okay? But I thought we moved on from this bullshit.”

“Yeah, I’ve moved on, but I haven’t forgotten! I’ll never forget the way you and Mihawk made me feel.” Buggy says, taking a few steps back, “If you think that I’m just going to stand here and let you sprout some nonsense about liking me, you’re wrong!”

“Why does Hawkeye get to do it, but not me, then?!” Crocodile suddenly asks, throwing Buggy completely off balance. It makes him let out a nervous laugh before he responds, “What are you even talking about right now?” Buggy asks, his voice growing small.

“Seriously?” Crocodile sneers, “You think I don’t know what’s going on between you and Hawkeye? You think that he doesn’t tell me everything?” That’s…that’s a lot for Buggy to take in right now. “Why does Hawkeye get to confess? Why does he get to chase after you, but not me, huh? Aren’t we the same?” He pauses, “Why do you think Hawkeye can change but not me? Do you seriously think i’m that much of a stubborn asshole?” 

“I…”

“You don’t think I can show you a different side of me? You don’t think I can be kind and loving like he can? How is that fuckin’ fair? You haven’t even given me a goddamn chance and it pisses me off. You just instantly shut me down, an–” Crocodile suddenly stops himself, “Fine. I understand how you feel,” He suddenly says, changing his tone completely, “I fucked up big time, and I understand that I don’t deserve to have you reciprocate my feelings, but it hurts to see you give Hawkeye a chance but not me. I know it I don’t deserve shit from you, but it still hurts.”

…It hurts…?

“Hurts?!” Buggy repeats, his voice cracking slightly, “You know what hurt? Having you humiliate and degrade me, having you smack me around like a gnat.” It’s at this point that his vision starts to blur and he has to fight back the urge to just breakdown again. “Don’t tell me something hurts when you don’t know the first thing about pain, asshole!” 

“Yeah.” Crocodile nods after he exhales loudly through his nose, “You’re right,” he replies in a softer voice, sounding slightly… defeated? “I don’t know what that kind of pain feels like, but I’m dying for you to give me one single chance to prove myself, and to prove that I can be different.” 

“And why the hell would I do that?!”

“Buggy, please, I’m fuckin begging you to give me one chance. I just want the same chance that you’re giving Hawkeye. Please, I promise that I won’t fuck up again.”

Everything feels overwhelming again. Mihawk and Crocodile, the same two men who have spent the last couple of months making Buggy’s life a living hell, have had a change of heart it seems. They no longer see Buggy as some weak, gutless coward, or some useless fuck up, but instead they see him as something entirely different. Now, Buggy is someone who is deserving of their respect and admiration. He’s brave, charming, capable, caring, selfless, and even pretty. What made them change their opinions on him, though? Again, it’s not like Buggy’s made any major changes to himself or his personality. He’s still the same person he was when Mihawk and Crocodile first arrived at Emptee Bluffs Island, but you wouldn’t think that by the way they speak about him nowadays.

Buggy struggles to understand how that kind of hatred can bloom into romantic feelings not just for Mihawk but for Crocodile as well. Sure, Buggy’s had his moments where he’s stood up for himself (mainly when he couldn’t control his temper or take anymore) but was that really enough to get the two to change their opinions on him? It couldn’t have been, right? He’s done absolutely nothing to deserve their hatred, but he’s done even less to deserve their affection.

Crocodile says he gained a sense of respect for him after he fought him back at home and that that same respect turned into feelings of fondness, especially after Buggy saved his life - or, rather, tried to. Was that really all it took to change his opinions of Buggy so drastically? Mihawk’s in a similar situation: He realized he was wrong for treating Buggy so horribly and wanted to make amends, which somehow lead to him developing feelings for Buggy as well, even though Buggy never did anything particularly special to warrant his affection. In any case, they both somehow ended up developing feelings for someone they once couldn’t stand, isn’t that odd?

This has got to be the most frustrating situation Buggy’s ever been in. How is he supposed to feel now that he knows that both Mihawk and Crocodile have feelings for him, especially after they wreaked havoc on his life and caused his self-esteem to plummet to an all-time low in a matter of months?! He was struggling to comprehend and accept the fact that just one of them had feelings for him, but now he has both of them pursuing him.

It all seems confusing, aggravating, and disingenuous at times when Buggy thinks about it. There are times when Buggy genuinely feels like this is all one drawn-out joke, but the punchline never comes even as the days drag on and on, and that’s what makes things worse. Mihawk and Crocodile are both claiming they like him and their confessions have come mere weeks apart from each other, is he wrong for finding that suspicious?

Is he wrong for being confused about this whole situation in general and for being so indecisive at times?

Things should be a lot more straightforward than this. They’ve hurt him, and Buggy will never forget what they’ve done to him. He’ll forgive, but he can’t forget what they’ve put him through and all the anguish he’s suffered because of them. They can call him pretty, they can call him charming, brave, incredible, and anything they want, but it won’t change anything. They don’t deserve him, and he knows that. He fucking knows that, so he doesn’t get why he’s struggling like this when it comes to Mihawk in particular, and he doesn’t get why he hasn’t ripped into Crocodile for even having the balls to confess to him in the first place after all he’s done.

Crocodile is the one who is least deserving of a chance with him. He’s treated Buggy like absolute garbage. And sure, Buggy’s gotten a couple of apologies and some fancy gifts, but other than that, Crocodile hasn’t put in even half the effort that Mihawk has to show that he’s sorry. Not that it matters, Buggy wouldn’t accept his confession for all the sweet words and material goods in the world – not even the One Piece!

Crocodile couldn’t have picked a worse time to confess to him. Granted, Buggy doubts he’d be more accepting if Crocodile confessed a week ago or a few weeks from now, but his mind is already a mess from everything that’s going on with Mihawk. He doesn’t need both men coming at him at once and causing him to have all these unnecessary thoughts and feelings. He was barely ready to become friends with them, but they’re already talking about taking things a step further than that.

Buggy wasn’t ready for this at all; he was already at war with himself and being pulled in all sorts of directions, and Crocodile’s just making things a hell of a lot worse. He’s angry, he’s hurt, he’s confused, he’s back to wondering if this is all a joke, and if it is, if Mihawk is in on it. He--

Crocodile brings Buggy back to reality when he suddenly grabs him by the waist with one strong arm and pulls him towards him. “Buggy,” Crocodile calls out, “I’m not the type to beg – but I’ll do anything you want right now. Just say the word and I’ll do it. I’m fuckin’ serious about this. About wanting you.” Shut up, shut up, shut up. Buggy thinks, I hate you. Why are you doing this to me? The words are at the back of his head, but he can’t seem to voice them nor even move at this very moment. Instead, he remains in Crocodile’s grasp, stiff as a corpse. “I’m sorry, okay? How many more times do you want me to say it? I fucked up. I was wrong, and I see that now.  Will you forgive me and give me a chance to prove that I’ve changed?”

Fuck NO.

“I’m sure you have changed, but I really don’t think that me and you would make a good couple.” Buggy ends up saying. He doesn’t know why he’s even giving Crocodile the privilege of hearing an excuse right now instead of harshly turning him down. He has the opportunity to crush Crocodile’s heart into pieces, provided that Crocodile is serious about his feelings right now. “We always seem to butt heads an—”

“I’ve been trying not to argue with you as much,” Crocodile quickly says in return, cutting him off. Has he really been making an effort to not fight with Buggy, or has Buggy just been more submissive than usual as of lately? “I’ve been trying to pick my words more wisely, too. I’ve changed.”

“Well, even if that is true...” Buggy sighs, “I just think our rocky past will get in the way of things. I mean…” He pauses before quickly muttering, “It’s sure getting in the way of me and Hawkeye.” he admits, and he doesn’t know why he’s saying that, why he’s admitting that there may or may not be something between him and Mihawk.

“It won’t. We can work past it. “

“Can we really?”

“Buggy.” Crocodile calls out in a weary tone, holding him tighter. 

“What? I’m being serious? Can we really just get past the fact that you spent a majority of your early days on Emptee Bluffs terrorizing me?”

“I’m fuckin’ sorry.” Crocodile apologizes for the umpteenth time, and Buggy can just hear the frustration and exhaustion behind his words. Buggy’s frustrated by this whole thing too, but Crocodile won’t leave things alone! “How do I prove to you that I’ve changed?” He suddenly asks, and that’s a question Buggy just doesn’t have an answer to, “How do I show you that I care? Do you want me to buy you something? Tell me what it is and I’ll get it for you.”

“No, I don’t want you to buy me anything, Crocodile.” Buggy says as he pushes himself away from him and their stiff embrace and takes a step back. “Okay, I’m just not in—”

“You don’t have to pay me back the money you owe me.” Crocodile suddenly says, cutting off Buggy again, and this time his voice is more desperate than before. “Even if you reject me, you still don’t have to pay me back, okay? You don’t even have to stay in Cross Guild if you don’t want to. Just… I’m sorry for everything, alright? You mean more to me than a couple of hundred million berries.”

What? Buggy thinks, almost instantly caught off guard by Crocodile’s words again. He’s not in debt anymore? He… He can be free and do whatever he wants. Seriously…? It’s that simple? 

Crocodile takes a step forward, chasing after Buggy and desperately trying to get close to him again, “I mean it. I have feelings for you,” He tells Buggy before he cups the side of his face, “I wouldn’t be making a complete fool of myself if I weren’t serious, Buggy. Just one chance. I never beg, but I’m begging you to at least consider giving me a chance, dammit.”

Buggy yet again finds himself going completely still as he tries to process everything that’s going on. The confession is one thing, but the fact that Crocodile’s put aside his pride and is quite literally begging for Buggy to give him a chance is another thing. Once again, he finds himself wondering why things aren’t as black and white as they should be. Like, why can’t he just tell Crocodile to go to hell and go about his day like he normally would? He had the same issue with Hawkeye, didn’t he? Why is he so bad at straight up rejecting people?

Those feelings of confusion only grow when Crocodile drops his hand down and suddenly grabs Buggy’s. “I mean it.” He repeats, trying to assure Buggy before he lifts his hand up and presses it against his chest. Crocodile’s heart is practically hammering underneath Buggy’s touch, and instead of being disgusted, or annoyed, or even indifferent, Buggy’s own heartbeat matches the rhythm of Crocodile’s.

It’s horrifying how, despite logic and the warnings his brain keeps giving him, how easily Buggy begins to sway. His expression starts to soften just a little as he looks up at Crocodile and he goes from being reluctant to just plain unsure. “No more bullshit, okay? Let me have you. Let me spoil and protect you, and treat you how you deserve to really be treated.”

This shouldn’t be happening to Buggy twice. This shouldn’t have even happened to him once! He shouldn’t be struggling to turn Crocodile of all people down for crying out loud! He feels almost dizzy with conflicting emotions as he replies, “I...I’m trying to see where this thing with Hawkeye goes…” He says and can’t believe that those words are actually leaving his mouth despite all his previous confusion and denial.

It’s...It’s the truth, though. Rather he wants to admit it or not, he’s been steadily letting Mihawk get closer and closer to him, and things are at a point where he doesn’t think he can continue running away and then changing his mind afterwards. It’s gotten to a point where he knows he has to make a firm decision and stick with it no matter how scary the outcome might be.

“I know. It’s not a problem. I can share you,” Crocodile tells him before he pauses for a second and corrects himself, “We can share you. All three of us can work something out, trust me.” That...That just makes Buggy feel even more disorientated. The three of them? Together? What? “What do you say…?” That’s a big decision to make, isn’t it? He can’t just make it right now.

“... I need some time to think,” Buggy murmurs, trying to buy himself more time and prevent himself from making any rash decisions in the heat of the moment. His head is a mess even though it shouldn’t be, and so is his heart. Who would have thought that Crocodile of all people could persuade him so easily…?

Buggy wants to run, even though it’ll continue this seemingly endless loop of him flip-flopping and doubting and denying everything that is happening in his life, as well as his own feelings. Everything is confusing and scary, and quite frankly, it’s a lot easier to run when things get too overwhelming and say that he isn’t serious about things than to man up and face all his problems. He gets why he’s so indecisive now: It’s just hard to make a firm decision when he’s still so scared and unsure, and when Crocodile and Mihawk haven’t gained even a fraction of his trust. 

It seems like Crocodile is already onto him, though, and has a reply waiting for him, “Didn’t we just talk about this?” He asks, “Didn’t we talk about how you should stop overthinking everything and just make a firm decision and stick to it?” Well, yes, but… But… that was different…Kinda.

“Buggy,” Crocodile calls out again, giving his hand a firm squeeze, “Just one chance. And if I fuck up and hurt you again, I’ll kick my own ass. Or I’ll let you and Hawkeye beat the fuck out of me, okay? Just one chance is all I’m asking for.”

…

…

“Just one chance…” Buggy agrees in a tiny voice before he quickly yanks his hand away, “Just one chance, but don’t go thinking that everything will be all sunshine and rainbows. I’m–” For a moment, Buggy forgets that this is Crocodile that he’s dealing with and not Mihawk. Crocodile doesn’t have half the patience, chivalry, selflessness, or romantic attitude that Hawkeye has, and that shows when he cuts Buggy off not with a gentle, chaste kiss, not with a sweet celebratory one either, but with a sudden rough kiss.

Good fucking Lord. It’s dizzying to go from arguing one moment, to kissing the very next. Yet Crocodile’s got one arm around Buggy’s waist again and his fingers threaded through his silky, blue locks as he tilts his head back. Buggy doesn’t know how to even react for a good minute or so as Crocodile completely floods his senses.

The faint smell of tobacco and Crocodile’s expensive cologne fills Buggy’s nose, and it’s then that Buggy realizes just how attractive the other man’s earthy scent actually is. He smells better than Buggy cares to admit, and tastes a little bit like black coffee. God. In between kisses, he repeatedly whispers to Buggy in a low, rough voice. “Mm. Thank you.” he says, and Buggy is so disarmed that he doesn’t even remember what Crocodile is thanking him for.  

Crocodile’s kisses are rough and hungry, but somehow his lips are oh, so soft and his words are extremely tender. “Thank you. Thank you.” He continues to tell Buggy, and when he’s not, he’s giving him some other random praise here or there like: “You taste so damn sweet.” 

Buggy realizes he’s fucked the moment he actually closes his eyes, and hesitantly starts to kiss Crocodile back. God, he’s doing it, he’s kissing Crocodile of all people. He’s kissing Crocodile, and it doesn’t feel gross or horrible or even slightly wrong.

For several minutes there, Buggy buries all his feelings deep within himself and just enjoys the feeling of Crocodile’s lips moving against his own. He holds onto his lush coat for dear life, and it’s only when his lips start to hurt and his lungs crave oxygen that he actually breaks their kiss. Crocodile immediately chases after him, though, “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he asks in a rough voice, and before Buggy can reply, they’re kissing again.

Stupid, impatient, needy man. Buggy hates him, he despises him, he… He still kisses him back against his better judgment, but only for a little longer. When Buggy said he would give him a chance, he meant that he would give Crocodile the chance to pursue him romantically (as crazy as that seems) not that he was giving him the chance to make out with him. 

Buggy breaks their kiss with a wet pop and glares at Crocodile. His face burns and so do his lungs, and the only reply he can muster up at the moment is a quiet, “Asshole.” However, Crocodile doesn’t seem too bothered by the insult, which once again makes Buggy wonder why he even bothers trying to be nasty to Crocodile and Mihawk in the first place. “You didn’t let me finish speaking.” He complains, but he already forgot most of what he was going to say anyways. 

“Yeah?” Crocodile replies in a slightly breathless voice, “Then hurry up and say what you wanna say then so we can get back to kissing.” 

Buggy tries and fails to remain indifferent to Crocodile’s words. It’s just so damn hard to keep a cool face after being kissed breathless and whilst having Crocodile staring at him like that. “I wanted to say that things won’t be all sunshine and rainbows between us just because I’m giving you a chance!” Or something like that…” I’m still not too fond of you,” he says, almost immediately after kissing Crocodile, “And you’re going to have to work your ass off if you really want to win me over, asshole!” 

Now, if he were speaking to Mihawk, he’d receive a sweet, patient reply. Something along the lines of, ‘Of course. I understand that I’ve done wrong in the past, and I’ll work nonstop to gain your trust and affection, darling.’ or something similar to that.

But Buggy isn’t speaking to Hawkeye right now, he’s speaking to Crocodile. And Crocodile grunts in response, “I already said I would prove myself to you, didn’t I? Jeez, shut up and kiss me.” 

“...”

Oh, Buggy hates him so much! He doesn’t think that he’s ever met a more annoying man in his life, is this really how he proves himself to Buggy? By trying to make out with him? Where’s the sweet, warm moments of affection, Where’s the gifts and praises (not that he needs any, but still)? Where is the soft side of Crocodile that he literally just showed him before they kissed?!

Buggy clicks his tongue, “I’m serious. I’m only going to give you one chance to prove yourself, so you better not screw this up. You better make up for all the shit you’ve done to me in the past.” Honestly, now that he thinks of it, he should probably be saying the same thing to Mihawk...”And don’t go thinking I’m going to be all sweet and affectionate with you all the time either, that sort of thing has to be earned.” He says – immediately after kissing Crocodile.

(He should have said all that before letting Crocodile kiss him.)

“Mm.”

“And this doesn’t mean we’re together or anything. I’m just giving you a chance to show me that you’ve changed, alright? We’ll be going at my pace too, got it? And don’t even think about trying to sleep with me.” Man, he really has to remember to have this same talk with Mihawk, huh?

“Mm. Can we still makeout?”

“…”

...Maybe.

Buggy doesn’t let Crocodile know what’s actually on his mind, instead he breaks free from his grasp at long last and groans, “You’re impossible.” He complains under his breath, “I’m leaving, I need to go call Cabaji and Mohji…” It’s partially an excuse, and partially the truth. He really does want to go call those two, but he also needs a moment alone to process all that’s happened between him and Crocodile.

A look of disappointment spreads across Crocodile’s rugged face. “Are you gonna come back afterwards? I want to spend some time alone with you.” He asks in an uncharacteristically sweet voice. The question makes Buggy hesitate for a moment, but he eventually shrugs and gives Crocodile a vague response, “I dunno. Maybe.”

Buggy’s so cool and mysterious, and he really knows how to keep people on their toes, doesn’t he? ...If only that were the truth. The real truth is, as previously stated, Buggy just needs some time alone to process the recent development between he and Crocodile, but it’s not like he can tell him that. So, Buggy takes the long forgotten transponder snail and hauls ass out of Crocodile’s room, and as he leaves he can just vaguely hear Crocodile mutter something under his breath:

“You better come back to see me, you damn clown.”

Yeah, whatever.

Everything feels overwhelming again. Mihawk and Crocodile, the same two men who have spent the last couple of months making Buggy’s life a living hell, have had a change of heart it seems. They no longer see Buggy as some weak, gutless coward, or some useless fuck up, but instead they see him as something entirely different. Now, Buggy is someone who is deserving of their respect and admiration. He’s brave, charming, capable, caring, selfless, and even pretty. What made them change their opinions on him, though? Again, it’s not like Buggy’s made any major changes to himself or his personality. He’s still the same person he was when Mihawk and Crocodile first arrived at Emptee Bluffs Island, but you wouldn’t think that by the way they speak about him nowadays.

Buggy struggles to understand how that kind of hatred can bloom into romantic feelings not just for Mihawk but for Crocodile as well. Sure, Buggy’s had his moments where he’s stood up for himself (mainly when he couldn’t control his temper or take anymore) but was that really enough to get the two to change their opinions on him? It couldn’t have been, right? He’s done absolutely nothing to deserve their hatred, but he’s done even less to deserve their affection.

Crocodile says he gained a sense of respect for him after he fought him back at home and that that same respect turned into feelings of fondness, especially after Buggy saved his life - or, rather, tried to. Was that really all it took to change his opinions of Buggy so drastically? Mihawk’s in a similar situation: He realized he was wrong for treating Buggy so horribly and wanted to make amends, which somehow lead to him developing feelings for Buggy as well, even though Buggy never did anything particularly special to warrant his affection. In any case, they both somehow ended up developing feelings for someone they once couldn’t stand, isn’t that odd?

This has got to be the most frustrating situation Buggy’s ever been in. How is he supposed to feel now that he knows that both Mihawk and Crocodile have feelings for him, especially after they wreaked havoc on his life and caused his self-esteem to plummet to an all-time low in a matter of months?! He was struggling to comprehend and accept the fact that just one of them had feelings for him, but now he has both of them pursuing him.

It all seems confusing, aggravating, and disingenuous at times when Buggy thinks about it. There are times when Buggy genuinely feels like this is all one drawn-out joke, but the punchline never comes even as the days drag on and on, and that’s what makes things worse. Mihawk and Crocodile are both claiming they like him and their confessions have come mere weeks apart from each other, is he wrong for finding that suspicious?

Is he wrong for being confused about this whole situation in general and for being so indecisive at times?

Things should be a lot more straightforward than this. They’ve hurt him, and Buggy will never forget what they’ve done to him. He’ll forgive, but he can’t forget what they’ve put him through and all the anguish he’s suffered because of them. They can call him pretty, they can call him charming, brave, incredible, and anything they want, but it won’t change anything. They don’t deserve him, and he knows that. He fucking knows that, so he doesn’t get why he’s struggling like this when it comes to Mihawk in particular, and he doesn’t get why he hasn’t ripped into Crocodile for even having the balls to confess to him in the first place after all he’s done.

Crocodile is the one who is least deserving of a chance with him. He’s treated Buggy like absolute garbage. And sure, Buggy’s gotten a couple of apologies and some fancy gifts, but other than that, Crocodile hasn’t put in even half the effort that Mihawk has to show that he’s sorry. Not that it matters, Buggy wouldn’t accept his confession for all the sweet words and material goods in the world – not even the One Piece!

Crocodile couldn’t have picked a worse time to confess to him. Granted, Buggy doubts he’d be more accepting if Crocodile confessed a week ago or a few weeks from now, but his mind is already a mess from everything that’s going on with Mihawk. He doesn’t need both men coming at him at once and causing him to have all these unnecessary thoughts and feelings. He was barely ready to become friends with them, but they’re already talking about taking things a step further than that.

Buggy wasn’t ready for this at all; he was already at war with himself and being pulled in all sorts of directions, and Crocodile’s just making things a hell of a lot worse. He’s angry, he’s hurt, he’s confused, he’s back to wondering if this is all a joke, and if it is, if Mihawk is in on it. He--

Crocodile brings Buggy back to reality when he suddenly grabs him by the waist with one strong arm and pulls him towards him. “Buggy,” Crocodile calls out, “I’m not the type to beg – but I’ll do anything you want right now. Just say the word and I’ll do it. I’m fuckin’ serious about this. About wanting you.” Shut up, shut up, shut up. Buggy thinks, I hate you. Why are you doing this to me? The words are at the back of his head, but he can’t seem to voice them nor even move at this very moment. Instead, he remains in Crocodile’s grasp, stiff as a corpse. “I’m sorry, okay? How many more times do you want me to say it? I fucked up. I was wrong, and I see that now.  Will you forgive me and give me a chance to prove that I’ve changed?”

Fuck NO.

“I’m sure you have changed, but I really don’t think that me and you would make a good couple.” Buggy ends up saying. He doesn’t know why he’s even giving Crocodile the privilege of hearing an excuse right now instead of harshly turning him down. He has the opportunity to crush Crocodile’s heart into pieces, provided that Crocodile is serious about his feelings right now. “We always seem to butt heads an—”

“I’ve been trying not to argue with you as much,” Crocodile quickly says in return, cutting him off. Has he really been making an effort to not fight with Buggy, or has Buggy just been more submissive than usual as of lately? “I’ve been trying to pick my words more wisely, too. I’ve changed.”

“Well, even if that is true...” Buggy sighs, “I just think our rocky past will get in the way of things. I mean…” He pauses before quickly muttering, “It’s sure getting in the way of me and Hawkeye.” he admits, and he doesn’t know why he’s saying that, why he’s admitting that there may or may not be something between him and Mihawk.

“It won’t. We can work past it. “

“Can we really?”

“Buggy.” Crocodile calls out in a weary tone, holding him tighter. 

“What? I’m being serious? Can we really just get past the fact that you spent a majority of your early days on Emptee Bluffs terrorizing me?”

“I’m fuckin’ sorry.” Crocodile apologizes for the umpteenth time, and Buggy can just hear the frustration and exhaustion behind his words. Buggy’s frustrated by this whole thing too, but Crocodile won’t leave things alone! “How do I prove to you that I’ve changed?” He suddenly asks, and that’s a question Buggy just doesn’t have an answer to, “How do I show you that I care? Do you want me to buy you something? Tell me what it is and I’ll get it for you.”

“No, I don’t want you to buy me anything, Crocodile.” Buggy says as he pushes himself away from him and their stiff embrace and takes a step back. “Okay, I’m just not in—”

“You don’t have to pay me back the money you owe me.” Crocodile suddenly says, cutting off Buggy again, and this time his voice is more desperate than before. “Even if you reject me, you still don’t have to pay me back, okay? You don’t even have to stay in Cross Guild if you don’t want to. Just… I’m sorry for everything, alright? You mean more to me than a couple of hundred million berries.”

What? Buggy thinks, almost instantly caught off guard by Crocodile’s words again. He’s not in debt anymore? He… He can be free and do whatever he wants. Seriously…? It’s that simple? 

Crocodile takes a step forward, chasing after Buggy and desperately trying to get close to him again, “I mean it. I have feelings for you,” He tells Buggy before he cups the side of his face, “I wouldn’t be making a complete fool of myself if I weren’t serious, Buggy. Just one chance. I never beg, but I’m begging you to at least consider giving me a chance, dammit.”

Buggy yet again finds himself going completely still as he tries to process everything that’s going on. The confession is one thing, but the fact that Crocodile’s put aside his pride and is quite literally begging for Buggy to give him a chance is another thing. Once again, he finds himself wondering why things aren’t as black and white as they should be. Like, why can’t he just tell Crocodile to go to hell and go about his day like he normally would? He had the same issue with Hawkeye, didn’t he? Why is he so bad at straight up rejecting people?

Those feelings of confusion only grow when Crocodile drops his hand down and suddenly grabs Buggy’s. “I mean it.” He repeats, trying to assure Buggy before he lifts his hand up and presses it against his chest. Crocodile’s heart is practically hammering underneath Buggy’s touch, and instead of being disgusted, or annoyed, or even indifferent, Buggy’s own heartbeat matches the rhythm of Crocodile’s.

It’s horrifying how, despite logic and the warnings his brain keeps giving him, how easily Buggy begins to sway. His expression starts to soften just a little as he looks up at Crocodile and he goes from being reluctant to just plain unsure. “No more bullshit, okay? Let me have you. Let me spoil and protect you, and treat you how you deserve to really be treated.”

This shouldn’t be happening to Buggy twice. This shouldn’t have even happened to him once! He shouldn’t be struggling to turn Crocodile of all people down for crying out loud! He feels almost dizzy with conflicting emotions as he replies, “I...I’m trying to see where this thing with Hawkeye goes…” He says and can’t believe that those words are actually leaving his mouth despite all his previous confusion and denial.

It’s...It’s the truth, though. Rather he wants to admit it or not, he’s been steadily letting Mihawk get closer and closer to him, and things are at a point where he doesn’t think he can continue running away and then changing his mind afterwards. It’s gotten to a point where he knows he has to make a firm decision and stick with it no matter how scary the outcome might be.

“I know. It’s not a problem. I can share you,” Crocodile tells him before he pauses for a second and corrects himself, “We can share you. All three of us can work something out, trust me.” That...That just makes Buggy feel even more disorientated. The three of them? Together? What? “What do you say…?” That’s a big decision to make, isn’t it? He can’t just make it right now.

“... I need some time to think,” Buggy murmurs, trying to buy himself more time and prevent himself from making any rash decisions in the heat of the moment. His head is a mess even though it shouldn’t be, and so is his heart. Who would have thought that Crocodile of all people could persuade him so easily…?

Buggy wants to run, even though it’ll continue this seemingly endless loop of him flip-flopping and doubting and denying everything that is happening in his life, as well as his own feelings. Everything is confusing and scary, and quite frankly, it’s a lot easier to run when things get too overwhelming and say that he isn’t serious about things than to man up and face all his problems. He gets why he’s so indecisive now: It’s just hard to make a firm decision when he’s still so scared and unsure, and when Crocodile and Mihawk haven’t gained even a fraction of his trust. 

It seems like Crocodile is already onto him, though, and has a reply waiting for him, “Didn’t we just talk about this?” He asks, “Didn’t we talk about how you should stop overthinking everything and just make a firm decision and stick to it?” Well, yes, but… But… that was different…Kinda.

“Buggy,” Crocodile calls out again, giving his hand a firm squeeze, “Just one chance. And if I fuck up and hurt you again, I’ll kick my own ass. Or I’ll let you and Hawkeye beat the fuck out of me, okay? Just one chance is all I’m asking for.”

…

…

“Just one chance…” Buggy agrees in a tiny voice before he quickly yanks his hand away, “Just one chance, but don’t go thinking that everything will be all sunshine and rainbows. I’m–” For a moment, Buggy forgets that this is Crocodile that he’s dealing with and not Mihawk. Crocodile doesn’t have half the patience, chivalry, selflessness, or romantic attitude that Hawkeye has, and that shows when he cuts Buggy off not with a gentle, chaste kiss, not with a sweet celebratory one either, but with a sudden rough kiss.

Good fucking Lord. It’s dizzying to go from arguing one moment, to kissing the very next. Yet Crocodile’s got one arm around Buggy’s waist again and his fingers threaded through his silky, blue locks as he tilts his head back. Buggy doesn’t know how to even react for a good minute or so as Crocodile completely floods his senses.

The faint smell of tobacco and Crocodile’s expensive cologne fills Buggy’s nose, and it’s then that Buggy realizes just how attractive the other man’s earthy scent actually is. He smells better than Buggy cares to admit, and tastes a little bit like black coffee. God. In between kisses, he repeatedly whispers to Buggy in a low, rough voice. “Mm. Thank you.” he says, and Buggy is so disarmed that he doesn’t even remember what Crocodile is thanking him for.  

Crocodile’s kisses are rough and hungry, but somehow his lips are oh, so soft and his words are extremely tender. “Thank you. Thank you.” He continues to tell Buggy, and when he’s not, he’s giving him some other random praise here or there like: “You taste so damn sweet.” 

Buggy realizes he’s fucked the moment he actually closes his eyes, and hesitantly starts to kiss Crocodile back. God, he’s doing it, he’s kissing Crocodile of all people. He’s kissing Crocodile, and it doesn’t feel gross or horrible or even slightly wrong.

For several minutes there, Buggy buries all his feelings deep within himself and just enjoys the feeling of Crocodile’s lips moving against his own. He holds onto his lush coat for dear life, and it’s only when his lips start to hurt and his lungs crave oxygen that he actually breaks their kiss. Crocodile immediately chases after him, though, “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he asks in a rough voice, and before Buggy can reply, they’re kissing again.

Stupid, impatient, needy man. Buggy hates him, he despises him, he… He still kisses him back against his better judgment, but only for a little longer. When Buggy said he would give him a chance, he meant that he would give Crocodile the chance to pursue him romantically (as crazy as that seems) not that he was giving him the chance to make out with him. 

Buggy breaks their kiss with a wet pop and glares at Crocodile. His face burns and so do his lungs, and the only reply he can muster up at the moment is a quiet, “Asshole.” However, Crocodile doesn’t seem too bothered by the insult, which once again makes Buggy wonder why he even bothers trying to be nasty to Crocodile and Mihawk in the first place. “You didn’t let me finish speaking.” He complains, but he already forgot most of what he was going to say anyways. 

“Yeah?” Crocodile replies in a slightly breathless voice, “Then hurry up and say what you wanna say then so we can get back to kissing.” 

Buggy tries and fails to remain indifferent to Crocodile’s words. It’s just so damn hard to keep a cool face after being kissed breathless and whilst having Crocodile staring at him like that. “I wanted to say that things won’t be all sunshine and rainbows between us just because I’m giving you a chance!” Or something like that…” I’m still not too fond of you,” he says, almost immediately after kissing Crocodile, “And you’re going to have to work your ass off if you really want to win me over, asshole!” 

Now, if he were speaking to Mihawk, he’d receive a sweet, patient reply. Something along the lines of, ‘Of course. I understand that I’ve done wrong in the past, and I’ll work nonstop to gain your trust and affection, darling.’ or something similar to that.

But Buggy isn’t speaking to Hawkeye right now, he’s speaking to Crocodile. And Crocodile grunts in response, “I already said I would prove myself to you, didn’t I? Jeez, shut up and kiss me.” 

“...”

Oh, Buggy hates him so much! He doesn’t think that he’s ever met a more annoying man in his life, is this really how he proves himself to Buggy? By trying to make out with him? Where’s the sweet, warm moments of affection, Where’s the gifts and praises (not that he needs any, but still)? Where is the soft side of Crocodile that he literally just showed him before they kissed?!

Buggy clicks his tongue, “I’m serious. I’m only going to give you one chance to prove yourself, so you better not screw this up. You better make up for all the shit you’ve done to me in the past.” Honestly, now that he thinks of it, he should probably be saying the same thing to Mihawk...”And don’t go thinking I’m going to be all sweet and affectionate with you all the time either, that sort of thing has to be earned.” He says – immediately after kissing Crocodile.

(He should have said all that before letting Crocodile kiss him.)

“Mm.”

“And this doesn’t mean we’re together or anything. I’m just giving you a chance to show me that you’ve changed, alright? We’ll be going at my pace too, got it? And don’t even think about trying to sleep with me.” Man, he really has to remember to have this same talk with Mihawk, huh?

“Mm. Can we still makeout?”

“…”

...Maybe.

Buggy doesn’t let Crocodile know what’s actually on his mind, instead he breaks free from his grasp at long last and groans, “You’re impossible.” He complains under his breath, “I’m leaving, I need to go call Cabaji and Mohji…” It’s partially an excuse, and partially the truth. He really does want to go call those two, but he also needs a moment alone to process all that’s happened between him and Crocodile.

A look of disappointment spreads across Crocodile’s rugged face. “Are you gonna come back afterwards? I want to spend some time alone with you.” He asks in an uncharacteristically sweet voice. The question makes Buggy hesitate for a moment, but he eventually shrugs and gives Crocodile a vague response, “I dunno. Maybe.”

Buggy’s so cool and mysterious, and he really knows how to keep people on their toes, doesn’t he? ...If only that were the truth. The real truth is, as previously stated, Buggy just needs some time alone to process the recent development between he and Crocodile, but it’s not like he can tell him that. So, Buggy takes the long forgotten transponder snail and hauls ass out of Crocodile’s room, and as he leaves he can just vaguely hear Crocodile mutter something under his breath:

“You better come back to see me, you damn clown.”

Yeah, whatever.

Buggy sits at a small table situated against a window in Crocodile's room, unsure how he even ended up in this situation in the first place, which isn’t anything out of the ordinary for him. The weirdest things have been happening to him for a while now, and more often than not, he finds himself in positions he never thought he’d be in. 

This is one of them: Here he is, sitting across the table from Crocodile and… Well, they’re not doing much, actually. They’re not laughing it up and conversing like good ol’ pals, not that Buggy thought that they would, but he did expect there to be something more than a staring contest between them going on. 

The air in the room feels weighed down with tension and, other than some quiet breathing, only the faint sound of a clock ticking away in the background can be heard. 

...Awkward…

On Buggy’s thigh sits the transponder snail he so bravely came to retrieve. Buggy’s usually fond of these little creatures and finds them rather adorable, but the one on his lap looks like Crocodile at the moment and even scowls up at him every now and again. It would be cute if Buggy didn’t see it as a personal attack, and like a snail of all things is trying to provoke him. Little fucker…He can’t help but think the next time it glares at him just like Crocodile would. He has to continuously remind himself that this is just a snail in his lap and that it is definitely not mocking him.

(...Is it?)

The minutes continue to tick by, and the room remains oddly quiet and filled with this weird tension between the two. Buggy doesn’t get what they’re doing here. Crocodile said he wanted to talk to him, but then he clammed up the moment Buggy came into his room and sat down. It seems like Crocodile (and the transponder snail) would much rather give him mean looks than converse with him. 

Is he mad at Buggy? At that moment, Buggy tries to think of all he’s done in the last thirty seconds that might have offended Crocodile in some way, but then he realizes that he’s probably overreacting again. Crocodile just looks mean as hell and extremely angry (and so does the dumb snail right now.)

Feeling bored, Buggy glances around Crocodile’s room, but there’s nothing interesting about it – It’s more or less a slightly messier version of Buggy’s own captain quarters, with the only difference being some documents stacked on a nearby dresser, as well as several boxes containing even more papers piled up in the corner of the room. 

Buggy briefly wonders if Crocodile is waiting for him to strike up a conversation with him, and if that’s the case, that won’t be happening any time soon. Buggy has no idea what to say, in fact, he doesn’t even know If there’s ever been a time when they sat down and chatted with each other like a pair of pals.

What do they talk about? Cross Guild? Their plans for Prickly Pear? Ancient weapons? Snore. 

Again, how the hell did he end up in here? Why is he here? Can he go yet? He glances over at a clock on the wall and groans internally when he sees that he’s wasted a good ten or so minutes in Crocodile’s room doing absolutely nothing. This is weird even for Crocodile, right? Is he just going to stare at him all damn day?

Buggy shifts restlessly in his seat before glancing over at a small fruit cake that’s in the center of the table - It’s light brown, loaf-shaped and filled with colorful dried fruit and nuts, and for the most part looks rather moist and tasty. His eyes linger on it for perhaps a moment too long because Crocodile finally speaks up once he sees him eyeing it: “You can have it.”

“Oh, I’m not really hung—”

“Take it.”

Why does Buggy suddenly have a sense of deja vu? He’s not sure why Crocodile and Mihawk have been aggressively sharing food with him, but he won’t question it. It’s probably the least harmful thing they’ve ever done to Buggy now that he thinks about it. 

Buggy ends up eating a small slice of the fruit cake offered to him; it’s a bit too sweet for his liking, but he still eats it regardless, all whilst Crocodile watches him eat it with a sharp and focused glare on his face. “Do you like it?” he asks, and Buggy gives a simple nod in response, not wanting to talk with his mouthful (for once) “Good. I’ll pick you up about a dozen or so.” A dozen? Buggy thinks, and almost chokes on the cake in his mouth. Isn’t that a little extreme?

Buggy swallows down the rest of his cake before he responds, “Uh, I don’t really need that many, but thank you.”

“It’s fine, it’s not like I don’t have the money for it.”

That isn’t the problem! The problem is that Buggy doesn’t need that many cakes! How is he even supposed to eat them all by himself before they go bad?! He chuckles sheepishly, “You really don’t have to do that,” He insists, “It would be kind of wasteful, really.” He pauses and thinks for another second, “Well, I mean, I could always share them with the crew.”

He adds after giving the idea some more thought. 

Crocodile scoffs, “No, if I’m buying something for you, I expect it to be specifically for you, not for your men.” While Buggy sees where Crocodile is coming from, they’re talking about a dozen cakes, here! Surely that kind of gift is meant to be shared with others. “If you want me to buy your men some, though, I guess I could do that.”

Oh, it’s pointless to argue with this man. Buggy heaves an exasperated sigh, “Yeah, that’s fine. That’s fine.” He replies, waving his hand, “But you do realize that you don’t have to keep buying me gifts, right? I’ve already forgiven you. I’ve told you this, like, a hundred times now, man. We’re good.” Well, as ‘good’ as they can be. 

Crocodile stares at Buggy wordlessly, “I know.” He simply responds. Okay, well, if they’re on the same page, then why is he still trying to give Buggy all these gifts? Is this still some weird guilt related thing or something? “But I want to give you nice things.” He pauses, “Plus, It ain’t that big of a deal, anyways. I planned on getting the fat kitty back on the island some things while we were on our little detour.”

The fat kitty? Those words almost sound hilarious coming out of Crocodile’s mouth, and Buggy would laugh if he weren’t afraid it’d get him punched. So Crocodile still hasn’t given up trying to befriend Richie, huh? “You really want to be his friend, don’t you?” He asks, resting his chin in his palm as he speaks. 

Once they start talking about something Buggy cares about, he relaxes just a little bit, and his voice takes on a softer tone. There’s a hint of affection behind his words, but it’s for Richie. God knows Buggy adores that cat.

“Mm,” Crocodile confirms with a quick grunt,  “You have to tell me what he likes, though, so I know what to buy.” 

What doesn’t that fat ass lion like? Buggy thinks with a small, affectionate scoff, “Just get him some meat,” he tells Crocodile, “That ought to do the trick.” That is, if Richie manages to stop being utterly terrified of Crocodile, of course. 

Crocodile exhales a cloud of smoke before he puts his cigar out in a nearby ashtray, “Fine, I’ll get him the best damn meat money can buy then,” He replies. Oh, why couldn’t Buggy have been born a lion instead of a man? “While I’m out, I’ll see if I can find an exotic pet breeder, or two.” He mentions, “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to keep any animals, and I feel rather lonely without one by my side.”

Crocodile being lonely? How is that even possible?! He hates everyone! Well, everyone other than Richie, but he doesn’t really count since he’s a lion. “Oh….” Buggy nods, “Oh, well, what kind of pet were you looking to buy?”

“Crocodiles.”

Crocodiles. Really…? He wants a crocodile for a pet? Buggy’s mind struggles for a moment as he tries to process the reply that just came out of Crocodile’s mouth. He glances over at him and takes in his expression. He’s… He’s serious, isn’t he…?

“... Is that so…?” Buggy asks.

“Yeah.” 

Crocodiles, huh? 

Buggy feels like his life is one big fever dream. He shouldn’t be as surprised as he is, though. Nothing about Crocodile is even remotely normal. Sure, Buggy and his crew keep a lion on the island, but… But it’s different. Richie is like a member of the family, and he’s practically a giant kitten who, on most occasions, wouldn’t hurt a fly! Crocodiles, on the other hand, are… Oof. “Do you really think we have enough room on the island for a crocodile?”

“We have enough room for about fifteen or sixteen.” 

Fifteen or sixteen?! That has to sound unreasonable even to Crocodile! “What are you even going to do with fifteen or sixteen crocodiles?!” Buggy asks, but he probably should have known the answer to that stupid question by now. 

“Keep them as pets. That’s why I wanted an enclosure with a pond built near my tent.” 

“...Right.” 

The thought of one crocodile is already horrifying enough, but fifteen or sixteen? What happens if one of them breaks free from their enclosure and terrorizes the island? What if one tries to eat poor Buggy? Oh, wouldn’t that just be Buggy’s luck? 

It would be! He can see the news headlines: “Emperor of the sea torn apart in a vicious crocodile attack that injures seven others!” 

Crocodile pulls Buggy out of his panicked thoughts just before he can start imagining various different crocodile-related deaths, and for that Buggy is grateful, “I don’t know much about the island we’re going to. I think it’s called Needle Palm Island or some shit. It’s a shame it doesn’t have a dryer climate, though.” He mentions, and all Buggy can think is, Yeah, like you need to be somewhere where you’re practically invincible… Then again, he thinks that whenever Crocodile mentions going to the desert, though. He can’t help it, he just finds the thought of Crocodile being even stronger than he is now terrifying. “It might be the perfect chance to make connections, though. Maybe we can find a few more weapon dealers, or even recruits if we’re lucky.” 

It’s always all work and no play for this guy. Buggy thought they were making this detour so they could rest up a little, not so they could continue to plan for their stupid trip to Prickly Pear or just work in general. How incredibly boring and predictable. Buggy exhales a rather loud sigh on accident, and it seems to catch Crocodile’s attention: 

“Okay, fine.” Crocodile suddenly says after he clicks his tongue, “You and the men can rest. I’ll just keep on working while you and the others enjoy your little break.”

“Don’t you know how to have a little fun, Crocodile?” Buggy finds himself asking. 

“I ain’t got time for fun.”

Wow, Buggy never expected Crocodile to say something like that. He shakes his head, “I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but, come on. We already said we were going to stop for a break, so why not enjoy our time off? Why don’t you actually relax for the day and see what the island has to offer instead of holing yourself up in some dark room the entire time?” 

Crocodile huffs, “Because I would rather do something more productive with my time.” he replies.

“Oh, come on,” Buggy replies, “I’m sure you need a break more than any of us. You’re all work and no play, why don’t you go and enjoy yourself for a couple of days like the rest of us?” Why do I even care what he does? Buggy suddenly finds himself wondering as he looks over at Crocodile again. If he wants to work himself to death, then that really isn’t Buggy’s problem, is it? 

“There’s no time for that shit.” Crocodile claims, and that’s the exact moment when Buggy stops listening, arguing, and caring. A sigh falls from his lips when he thinks about just how boring, uptight, and stubborn Crocodile can be. He can’t even take a couple of days off just to rest and recuperate?

Whatever, if that’s what he wants... 

Crocodile presses his lips into a thin line after noticing Buggy’s reaction. “So, If i do take a break like the rest of the crew, are you going to stick by my side and keep me entertained?”

“What?”

“You heard me. If I take a break, are you going to keep me entertained?  Is your ass going to explore the island with me and keep me company while we’re there? If not, then I might as well keep on working.”

“You want to actually spend the day with me?” Buggy asks, officially feeling dumbfounded as he stares back at Crocodile. 

Crocodile reaches across the table and grabs Buggy by the chin. The action is quick, so quick that Buggy doesn’t even get a chance to react before Crocodile’s thumb and pointer finger are pinching his chin gently, “Who wouldn’t want to spend the day with a pretty boy like you?” He asks, and Buggy feels a weird mixture of anxiety, confusion, and some other third thing after hearing those words.

Buggy’s heart is pounding in his chest as he jerks back, trying to put as much space between him and Crocodile as possible while still seated. “What the fuck?” the question is out of Buggy’s mouth before he even realizes it. He holds onto the transponder snail in his lap, making sure he doesn’t drop the poor creature during his moment of panic and confusion.  

Crocodile furrows his brow, his expression becoming icy as he narrows his eyes at Buggy, “What the hell are you jumping like that for?” What does he mean?! Why wouldn’t Buggy jump after he just touched him like that?! “You know damn well that I ain’t going to hurt you.”

Does he?!

Buggy straightens up in his chair, trying to calm down a little. Oddly enough, he’s not scared, just really startled by all of this. He wasn’t expecting Crocodile to just… do that. “I wasn’t expecting you to touch me like that,” He says after a long pause. “It’s weird… What the hell were you even thinking?” He asks, “It’s not even just the fact that you touched my face, you also said…” God, does he even want to repeat those words? No. “You were also saying some weird shit, too.”

Buggy didn’t think it was possible for Crocodile to look even meaner than he already did, but he was wrong. Crocodile looks damn near offended by Buggy’s question, like he just said something downright insulting. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” He asks in return, “Don’t act like you have no idea what’s going on.”

Motherfucker, I don’t know what’s going on! Buggy thinks as his eyes widen. “Trust me, I’m not acting clueless, I really am.” He replies through gritted teeth, “I genuinely don’t know what kind of shit you’re trying to pull here!”

Crocodile laughs, the sound is loud, cold, and obnoxious. “Really?” He asks, “You really don’t know what’s going on? C’mon, stop fucking with me, clown. You aren’t stupid.”

“I have no clue what you’re doing or even talking about, asshole!” Buggy blurts without meaning to. Ah, fuck. Him and his stupid fucking mouth are going to get him in trouble again, aren’t they?

There’s a long moment of silence before Crocodile laughs again, and this time the sound is a little more rough. He shakes his head, “Okay, since you don’t get it, I’ll just say it loud and clear.” He looks Buggy dead in the eye and doesn’t even flinch as he says: “I’m flirting with you, dipshit.”

What the actual fuck??! Buggy remains quiet and he can’t control the look on his face right now. He imagines his features have hardened and that he’s glaring at Crocodile like he’s lost his goddamn mind, but he isn’t sure. One thing is for sure, though: He absolutely wants to rip into Crocodile after he said that. “What do you mean you were ‘flirting’ with me?” He asks, and it’s at this point where he feels so… angry and confused that he can’t even think about his own self-perseverance or the fact that he and Crocodile are supposed to be friendly with one another.

Crocodile opens his mouth to say something before he closes it a second later. “Alright, alright.” He finally says after doing a little bit of thinking while Buggy glares at him, “Let me try this again.” He mutters, “And quit glaring at me like that, will you?”

Buggy tries to relax his face a little bit, but it seems stuck in place right now. He just can’t believe that Crocodile would say some shit like he’s trying to flirt with Buggy after all that he’s done to him!

Crocodile waits a moment for Buggy to relax, but when it becomes clear that that’s not going to happen, he sighs and lights another cigar. “Alright, look.” He says slowly, “After our little fight back at the island, I gained a lot of respect for you. You know that, I told you that…” He pauses, looking over Buggy’s tense expression again before continuing, “I’m shit at expressing my feelings, but that respect I felt for you started to turn into something like fondness or some shit. I don’t know, okay?” 

What is he even saying right now, Buggy thinks as he grips his thigh tightly, still listening to Crocodile speak when he knows that he should get up right now and leave the room without giving it a second thought. 

“Then you saved me the other night,” Crocodile adds, “Or tried to. Your intentions are all that really mattered to me, and I started thinking.” God, he can’t be for real right now, Buggy thinks as his gut fills with anxiety. This is another cruel joke the universe is pulling on him, right? It has to be. “You almost died trying to save me, and that takes a lot of guts. A lot of fucking guts and kindness considering all the shit I’ve done to you.” 

Before Crocodile can continue, Buggy interrupts him, “Don’t.” He replies, “Just, stop right there, okay? I really don’t want to hear i–”

Crocodile cuts Buggy off this time, “Just fuckin’ listen to me, okay?!” He orders, “At least let me say what I have to say.” Why should he? Why should Buggy give him a moment more of his time?! He doesn’t owe Crocodile a damn thing! “It took me some time, but I finally realized what kind of man you are.” 

And what kind of man is Buggy? Wasn’t he a weak, spineless coward a few months ago? Wasn’t he a good for nothing who didn’t deserve the power and fame that came with his new emperor of the sea status? Just what kind of man if Buggy, huh?

“Quit giving me that look, clown.” Crocodile orders with a frown before he continues speaking, even though Buggy refuses to smile and act like everything is okay,  “You may be a stubborn pain in the ass sometimes, but…” He groans, “Look, you’re also brave, caring, loyal, and pretty damn selfless if you ask me, and I respect you for all that you’ve done recently and for putting up with my shit and even having the heart to forgive me. I don’t usually like my men too emotional and overly sentimental, but…” he looks over Buggy quickly, openly checking him out, “I like that quality in you. You’ve got a warm, nurturing side to you, that I’m starting to like.”

Okay, that’s enough. Buggy really can’t do this anymore. He can’t sit here and listen to the same man who treated him so poorly suddenly praise him. Mihawk was one thing, but Crocodile? Come on. There’s no way this is happening for a second time, right? He isn’t being confessed to right now, right? Right? 

“Crocodile, stop. Just stop with this bullshit,” Buggy says as he stands up from his seat - he just barely remembers to hold onto that transponder snail in the heat of the moment and holds it close to his chest. “I don’t want to hear it. Look, I forgave you for the sake of Cross Guild, but now you’re-–”

“I’m not finished.” Crocodile states, standing up as well, “Don’t try and argue with me or run off, alright? Let me finish, i’m almost done.”

No, Buggy doesn’t want to hear anymore. He doesn’t want to hear him say…

“I want you, alright?” 

That. Buggy didn’t want to hear Crocodile actually confess to him. He didn’t think it was possible for Crocodile to look at Buggy and feel anything other than mild annoyance, but now he’s saying he likes him? What a joke. “You don’t get to say that,” Buggy snaps, his voice rising, “After all you’ve done, you don’t get to say you have feelings for me and that you want me!” 

“But I do!”

“You don’t get that privilege!” Buggy retorts, “You made my life a living hell and have never once shown any genuine remorse! You don’t get to turn around and say you like me after all you’ve done, you dick!”

“I know. I’m fuckin sorry, okay?!” Crocodile asks, and now his voice is starting to rise too as things begin to get heated, “I know I fucked up, okay? But I thought we moved on from this bullshit.”

“Yeah, I’ve moved on, but I haven’t forgotten! I’ll never forget the way you and Mihawk made me feel.” Buggy says, taking a few steps back, “If you think that I’m just going to stand here and let you sprout some nonsense about liking me, you’re wrong!”

“Why does Hawkeye get to do it, but not me, then?!” Crocodile suddenly asks, throwing Buggy completely off balance. It makes him let out a nervous laugh before he responds, “What are you even talking about right now?” Buggy asks, his voice growing small.

“Seriously?” Crocodile sneers, “You think I don’t know what’s going on between you and Hawkeye? You think that he doesn’t tell me everything?” That’s…that’s a lot for Buggy to take in right now. “Why does Hawkeye get to confess? Why does he get to chase after you, but not me, huh? Aren’t we the same?” He pauses, “Why do you think Hawkeye can change but not me? Do you seriously think i’m that much of a stubborn asshole?” 

“I…”

“You don’t think I can show you a different side of me? You don’t think I can be kind and loving like he can? How is that fuckin’ fair? You haven’t even given me a goddamn chance and it pisses me off. You just instantly shut me down, an–” Crocodile suddenly stops himself, “Fine. I understand how you feel,” He suddenly says, changing his tone completely, “I fucked up big time, and I understand that I don’t deserve to have you reciprocate my feelings, but it hurts to see you give Hawkeye a chance but not me. I know it I don’t deserve shit from you, but it still hurts.”

…It hurts…?

“Hurts?!” Buggy repeats, his voice cracking slightly, “You know what hurt? Having you humiliate and degrade me, having you smack me around like a gnat.” It’s at this point that his vision starts to blur and he has to fight back the urge to just breakdown again. “Don’t tell me something hurts when you don’t know the first thing about pain, asshole!” 

“Yeah.” Crocodile nods after he exhales loudly through his nose, “You’re right,” he replies in a softer voice, sounding slightly… defeated? “I don’t know what that kind of pain feels like, but I’m dying for you to give me one single chance to prove myself, and to prove that I can be different.” 

“And why the hell would I do that?!”

“Buggy, please, I’m fuckin begging you to give me one chance. I just want the same chance that you’re giving Hawkeye. Please, I promise that I won’t fuck up again.”

The rest of the night is relatively uneventful. Buggy and Mihawk continue to talk about various topics. Sometimes their conversations are light-hearted and have just a hint of playfulness to them, and other times they’re on the more serious side. Regardless of what’s being said, the two exchange words smoothly and freely with one another. It all feels so new and exciting, and Buggy almost forgets about their troubled past as time goes by – Almost. 

It’s because when they’re left on their own and they actually talk to each other like two normal adults instead of yelling and fighting, they have chemistry. Good chemistry. Buggy opens up more with time and becomes his usual loud and talkative self. Whilst Mihawk takes on more of a listening role, but he still gives the conversation his all regardless. 

Mihawk remains engaged and attentive the entire time they talk, often leaning in close to listen to Buggy or asking him various questions. He smiles and laughs, and touches him freely. He doesn’t make any big moves, though, just holds Buggy’s hand or occasionally touches his arm or upper thigh. It makes Buggy’s poor brain stop functioning properly, but he allows it for some reason…

Buggy won’t think too much about it, though. He can’t.

Eventually, the dark, starless sky brightens and changes colors. By the time Mihawk and Buggy realize the sun is beginning to rise, the sky is already painted gold, and the sun is shining a soft, warm light down upon them. Morning already? Buggy finds himself thinking. How is that even possible? He feels like he and Mihawk have only been talking for an hour or two at most. Was it that much fun talking with Mihawk?

Buggy doesn’t want to think about that either.

Never in a million years did Buggy think he would ever stay up all night talking to Mihawk and then watch the sun rise with him. He’s supposed to be one of the men Buggy hates the most in this world, but…it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remain indifferent or resentful towards Mihawk. Buggy doesn’t know what to do about that, part of him genuinely wants to hate Mihawk forever out of spite, but he doesn’t know if that’s even possible anymore.

Mihawk scoots a little closer, invading all of Buggy’s damn personal space. Buggy wants to bitch at him and tell him that he only has so much space on the crate he’s on, but he doesn’t because Mihawk’s giving him that annoyingly soft look again. They exchange glances and afterwards, Mihawk rests his head on Buggy’s shoulder. Oh, they’re doing this now? Buggy tenses up, less because of discomfort and more because of surprise. He huffs, “Who do you think you’re snuggling up to, idiot?” he mutters under his breath.

“You.” Mihawk simply replies, “Can we just stay like this for a couple of minutes? I want to enjoy this moment with you.” Buggy should say no, he really should, but he doesn’t. Instead, he grunts quietly in response and leaves Mihawk be. Every affectionate word or sentence, and every soft gesture, feels like a direct attack to the walls Buggy has built around his heart. 

At this point, the walls Buggy has built up to protect himself from being hurt feel like they’re made of glass. It wouldn’t be a problem, though, if Mihawk’s words and actions weren’t so impactful. Buggy keeps trying to shield himself, but Mihawk’s starting to come at him fast. If Buggy’s walls are made of glass, then Mihawk’s shattering them with a sledgehammer, and no matter how many times Buggy tries to rebuild them, Mihawk just tears them down again. 

Buggy’s entire being feels like it’s at war with itself. His mind is telling him one thing, but his body completely disagrees, and his heart is caught somewhere in between the two. The confliction he feels is almost sickening at times, but he can’t stop himself from being pulled in several different directions at once.

What the hell is he supposed to do?

Buggy’s fingers are itching to reach up and caress Mihawk’s short, raven hair, but he resists the urge and stays completely still as they gaze up at the sky together. He has to get his shit together. He feels like an idiot, and a hypocrite, an— 

“You look stunning underneath the morning sun, you know that, right, Buggy? Your skin and hair are practically glowing.” There, that right there, was another strike to Buggy’s poor, conflicted heart. He whines, actually fucking whines before muttering, “Shut the hell up, you’re so damn cheesy.” He says all that yet, he still rests his cheek on the top of Mihawk’s head.

“I can’t help it,” Mihawk murmurs, “I’m practically smitten at this point.” Buggy’s stomach flips after that one word: ‘Smitten.’ Why can’t he just have a simple crush on Buggy? Why does Mihawk always have to take things to the extreme? And doesn’t he feel any shame or embarrassment, how can he just openly discuss his feelings like this?

“I hate your guts.” It’s a blatant lie on Buggy’s part, but his words don’t seem to effect Mihawk in the slighest. “I know, and you have every right to hate me.” What’s the point in lashing out at him when it does nothing at this point? It doesn’t even start an argument or put distance between them anymore. Is this more for Buggy? Is he trying to convince himself that he still hates Mihawk when…

When he knows better.

Buggy goes silent, and despite his cold words, he closes his eyes for a moment and just enjoys the closeness between them and the gentle breeze that’s blowing. His brain is screaming at himself to stop this nonsense, but his heart is telling him to stay still and enjoy himself – And God knows his heart controls him more than his mind does.

The gentle sound of the ocean provides the perfect background noise as Buggy allows himself to let go and snuggle with the Dracule Mihawk of all people. It’s all so serene, like the two of them are in their own little world, until Buggy hears a door opening and his eyes shoot open. He shoves Mihawk away from him and ignores the look of confusion and even slight disappointment on the world’s strongest swordsman’s face. 

“I…” Buggy stands up and clears his throat, “I ought to check on the crew and assign everyone their duties for the day before going to bed.” he announces, fighting back the urge to scream because he's just now fully processing what they were doing and the fact that they could have gotten caught by anyone. 

“...Right.” Mihawk stands up as well, “I suppose I should head to bed now that my duties are officially over, then.” There’s a small pause before Mihawk reaches out and squeezes Buggy’s hand, “I’ll see you later then…” He looks like he wants to say more, but he doesn’t. Instead Mihawk simply turns around and heads towards his quarters, and Buggy stares at his fleeting figure, feeling helpless. 

Fuck.

…

It takes Buggy a little longer than expected to handle his affairs, but once he’s made sure everything is running smoothly on the ship, he returns to his room to finally get some sleep. He flops down on his bed with a loud groan and buries his face into a plush pillow. Truth be told, he doesn’t really want to go to sleep, but he should try anyways. 

Buggy closes his eyes, and the moment he does, all he can see is Mihawk and all the stupidly charming faces he makes while he’s around him. He sees him smiling and laughing freely first - has anyone ever seen him like that before, or is Buggy the only one? It doesn’t matter, he tells himself a moment later, trying not to think too much into things. When he tries to shake that image out of his head, another one pops up, and Buggy sees Mihawk with a soft, dreamy expression on his face instead. He quickly tries to rid that face in particular from his own memory but fails. 

God, why does he look at me like that…? 

Buggy opens his eyes and stares at the wooden walls of his room. He hopes that maybe he’ll be able to force thoughts and images of Mihawk out of his head if he focuses on something else. So, he takes in the design of his captain’s quarters for a moment. It’s technically only his second or third time even being in this room, so he takes the time to properly look at the decorations as well as the furnishings that his men placed after they finished the ship. Everything is probably a tad too rustic for Crocodile or Mihawk’s liking, but Buggy doesn’t have a problem with it. The various pieces of brown wooden furniture and the rough textures they take on make their flagship feel like an authentic pirate ship instead of some modern party cruise.  

After staring at a painting of a pond for a good minute and taking in every detail about said painting, Buggy heaves a sigh and tries to go to sleep again. His mind is blank for less than two seconds, though, before his thoughts start to wander again. The first thing he pictures is himself and Mihawk sitting next to each other under the night sky, holding hands, and it makes him want to scream. 

Buggy quickly tries to think of something else before the scene from earlier can play out in his head. He goes over what he has to do once he wakes up (if he even falls asleep) before he makes a mental note to call Cabaji and Mohji either tonight or tomorrow. He wonders what the pair are doing right now and if they’re okay. They haven’t been at sea for long, but Buggy still misses them and worries about them anyways. He’ll definitely have to bring Cabaji, Mohji, and even Alvida on the next trip to Prickly Pear with them, things just aren’t the same without them. 

Buggy tosses and turns after that, unable to find a comfortable position in bed as he avoids more incoming memories of Mihawk and their time spent together. Most of them have flirty undertones to them, but suddenly a down-right nasty memory of Mihawk pops up in his head without warning. He recalls one of the times when Mihawk verbally berated him and threw a series of downright hateful insults at him. He remembers the way he looked, and how his eyes were filled with pure disdain. He looked at Buggy like he was a squashed bug underneath a pair of brand new shoes. 

That memory in particular makes Buggy’s heart ache. That ache turns into something more, something bigger, something that’s genuinely painful as Buggy relives the same moment over and over again, like he’s unable to remember any other memory but that one. It brings along a sense of anxiety and doubt with it:

Has Mihawk really changed?

Are his feelings genuine? 

How is it possible that Mihawk went from hating Buggy’s guts to liking him so easily? Nothing’s changed about Buggy, so what made Mihawk change all of a sudden? Was guilt really enough to change him completely? 

Buggy’s questions are nothing new, they’re just back and haunting his thoughts again. It would be better to ask how Buggy would feel if Mihawk hasn’t changed, if his feelings aren’t genuine and he has ulterior motives. How would he feel if this were all a perfectly constructed lie or Mihawk ends up hurting him again? 

You’re just being paranoid again, he tells himself, but then an anxious part of him wonders if he’s wrong. What if he’s letting Mihawk get close to him way too easily? What if he’s being too forgiving? What if this all comes back to bite him in the ass? 

Buggy rolls over in bed again and tries to stop everything – all the doubt, the fear, the secret feelings, and the conflicting thoughts. He just wants to sleep, that’s all. He doesn’t want to have these thoughts or to be afraid and indecisive. More than anything, though, he doesn’t want to be wrong or hurt again.

He hates this feeling, this feeling of both helplessness and hopelessness. He remembers just how little control he has over his life, and how he has horrible luck. Wouldn’t it be just his luck if Mihawk crushed his heart to pieces?

Why is he trying to give Mihawk his heart in the first place?

He isn’t, he’s just… It doesn't matter.

Buggy’s eyes shoot open again, and he looks over at the clock at his bedside. It’s 10:37. Every time he closes his eyes and then opens them again, the clock says something different. First it’s 8:21, but then it’s 10:37. Soon 11:45 goes by, followed by 12:56 and 1:15. Buggy falls into a light sleep at some point after that, but the next time he opens his eyes the clock reads 2:55.

Buggy sits up in bed. He feels wide awake again, despite the fact that he hasn’t slept all night or morning. He can’t do this anymore, though. He can’t go to bed thinking about Mihawk, and then think of him first thing when he wakes up too. Buggy needs to make up his mind for real this time. Does he hate the guy, or does he like him? Does he want to push him away, or does he want to let him in?

Buggy just wants to protect himself, that’s all, but he doesn’t know how. He doesn’t know if he’s wrong about everything or if he’s making a complete fool of himself, or what. He doesn’t know if Mihawk will end up hurting him, or how he’s supposed to give a man who’s done him wrong in the past his complete trust either. 

Buggy runs his hand through his hair and sighs. He needs to stop, because if he starts freaking out about Mihawk, then he’ll start freaking out about Crocodile and questioning everything. He’ll undo any progress the three have made over the last several weeks, but Buggy is so confused that it hurts. 

In his moment of distress, he wonders what Gol D. Roger would do in this situation. Honestly, Buggy’s former captain would never be in this situation in the first place, he was just too likable, but he still tries to think of what he would do anyways. Knowing him, he’d probably just go with the flow, but Buggy hates not having control of things in his life. That kind of adaptability is what made Roger a better man than Buggy could ever be. 

Don’t think, just go with the flow. Even if Mihawk or Crocodile screw him over, Buggy can always recover from it. He’s been through a lot worse, a hell of a lot worse, what is he even afraid of?

(Everything.) 

Buggy sucks at controlling his emotions, he always has. He’s not Shanks or Rayleigh, and he sure as hell is not Roger. He can’t just make the best of a bad situation like his former crewmates could/can. At the same time, he knows he can’t keep backtracking and running whenever things become overwhelming. He should man up and face any troubles that come his way bravely. 

…Too bad Buggy’s a major coward, huh?

…

Buggy finally realizes that he isn’t going to get any sleep and decides to get out of bed and look for a transponder snail. He needs to talk to someone about his dilemma and wants to call either Cabaji or Mohji early. There’s just one problem: Buggy discovers that there’s only one transponder snail on the entire ship, and, of course, Crocodile has it. What does he even need it for? That man doesn’t have any friends. 

Buggy gathers up whatever courage he needs to go track down Crocodile and the transponder snail, and after about five minutes, one of his men tells him exactly where he can find Crocodile: “Oh, he’s in his room, Captain! He said something about doing paperwork earlier!” Does he ever do anything other than work? He wonders, but then rolls his eyes. He really doesn’t care what Crocodile does as long as he isn’t antagonizing Buggy or the rest of the crew. 

Honestly, Buggy should have checked Crocodile’s room first, but he didn’t want to go anywhere near Crocodile’s bedroom just in case he decided to tell Buggy that he wanted his entire room redesigned and refurnished. Then again, Crocodile hasn’t made any unreasonable requests in a while. Maybe he wouldn’t do that, but there’s only one way to find out. 

Buggy heads to Crocodile’s room after quickly checking up on his crew. Here goes nothing, He thinks as he stops in front of the door. He takes a deep breath before he finally knocks, just ask for the transponder snail and leave before he can make you do something. There’s a long moment of silence before Buggy hears the sound of a chair scraping against wooden floor boards, and less than a second later, Crocodile yanks his door open. “What now?!” He snaps, but then something happens.  

He realizes that Buggy’s the one at his door, and his expression relaxes slightly. “Oh, it’s you. I thought you were one of the others…” he mutters. Why the hell are you answering the door like that? Buggy thinks with a frown, but he doesn’t bother asking that question because this is Crocodile we’re talking about here. There’s a pause before Crocodile speaks up again, “You look like shit.” 

Two nights ago he was a pretty boy, and today he looks like shit. Buggy doesn’t know if he should be offended or relieved. “When was the last time you slept?” Crocodile asks. 

“Who cares?” Buggy mutters in response, “Besides. I’m fine. Can I have the transponder snail? I want to call the island and make sure everything is okay there,” He states, which isn’t a lie exactly, but it isn’t the whole truth either. 

“Yeah, but you don’t gotta do that,” Crocodile replies as he turns around and grabs the transponder snail off his bedside table, “I called them this morning.” He tells Buggy, and this information makes him raise an eyebrow in response. 

“You called them? What for?”

“To make sure the Marines didn’t blow them up. I talked to that woman earlier. Everyone’s fine and so is the island.”

“Alvida?”

“Yeah, I guess. I never bothered to learn anyone’s name.” 

Why is that not surprising? Buggy thinks, shaking his head. He takes the transponder snail from Crocodile, and quietly thanks him before continuing their small talk: “I didn’t know you cared about the island or anyone who lives on it.”

“If the Marines blow it up, or the island gets burned down in a raid or something, we gotta look for a new place to live.” Crocodile states, sounding completely serious and almost business like. He doesn’t sound concerned about the potential loss of life or property at all, in fact he’s acting like it would be a minor inconvenience, “I want to know if something happens ahead of time, so I’m prepared. I’m not saying it will happen, but I have a couple of other islands other than Prickly Pear lined up just in case.” Yeah, he doesn’t care at all. 

Buggy stares at Crocodile for a moment. He knows better than to question or argue with Crocodile by now, but when has knowing better ever stopped him in the past? “Oh, so you don’t give a shit if hundreds of our men are killed?” he asks. 

“I didn’t say that. I’m just telling you I have a backup plan in case our home is destroyed.” 

“Okay, but would you even be willing to go back if something did happen to the island?”

Crocodile goes silent. His lack of response speaks volumes, and it’s clear he wouldn’t want to turn the ship around even if their crew were under attack back at home. “Look, we’re about three days away from the island. It would take another three days just to get back to Emptee Bluffs. If there were a buster call or a catastrophic attack tomorrow, we wouldn’t make it back in time.” Oh, Buggy really hates it when Crocodile makes sense. “Depending on how bad things are, we might not be able to go back in general. “

“Yeah, but...”

“In that case, our organization would take a major blow and we would have to go on the defense. We’re only so strong and there’s only so many Marines we can take on at once, especially if our numbers are down.” Buggy knows Crocodile’s words are true, but they’re still hard to accept. “We’d be in danger and would need to get somewhere safe to rebuild and regroup. There wouldn’t be time to go back and mourn. We’d have to keep going.” 

“I know, but…” 

Crocodile sighs, “Look, I know that’s not what you want to hear, but we have to be prepared for anything and we have to keep moving no matter what. Why do you think I stress about going to Prickly Pear so much? I know we’re on borrowed time and that the Marines won’t be afraid to attack forever. I know that one day they’re going to attack Emptee Bluffs and I want to minimize the damage Cross Guild takes. We either stay one step ahead of them or die. And I ain’t dying any time soon.” 

Buggy bites the inside of his cheek, instead of chewing Crocodile out for his bluntness and apparent lack of empathy, he asks a simple question: “How are you so sure of yourself all the damn time?” Why is everyone in Buggy’s life so confident and brave? Why is he the only one who struggles to make up his mind? “How do you just… accept things as they are and continuously move forward? Don’t you ever worry?” 

“No.”

Buggy suppresses a groan. Crocodile is incredible at giving advice, isn’t he? Then again, Buggy doesn’t know why he asked Crocodile of all people for advice in the first place. A dead fish is probably more insightful than Crocodile. “Great talk.” Buggy mutters, clutching the transponder snail close to his chest. “Well, I should get going.” he says before he turns around to leave now that his and Crocodile’s conversation is all but over. 

“Wait.” Crocodile says before he reaches out and grabs Buggy by the arm. “I can’t worry or hesitate. We don’t get that kind of privilege as pirates.” He tells him slowly, “I don’t know what will happen in the future, which is why I make a decision and try my best to be prepared for any possible outcome.”

“And if you fail? or If you’re wrong?”

“Minimize any loss or damage and move forward. There will always be more opportunities for me to try again or do something new in the future, unless I kick the bucket.” Crocodile’s advice is a bit stiff, but it’s definitely positive, that’s for sure. It still doesn’t do much to comfort Buggy, though. 

“Okay, Yeah, but how do I become more decisive?” 

“Get out of your own damn head and stop overthinking things.” Yeah, that’s easier said than done, though. “Or come to me, and I’ll make up your mind for you and make sure you stick to your plans.” Crocodile pauses, “I’ll be like your accountability buddy or some shit. “

Crocodile as Buggy’s accountability buddy…? That would be… horrifying but probably effective, actually. He’s not too sure how well that would work regarding personal matters, though. Crocodile isn’t exactly someone Buggy can confide to. "What kind of decision do you need to make anyways?” Crocodile asks, “I’ll tell you what to do.”

Buggy needs to figure out how to deal with this Mihawk situation, but he can’t tell Crocodile that. “Um, it’s nothing.” he insists, turning towards Crocodile and laughing nervously. 

“Just tell me, I already know you’re struggling with something.”

Buggy groans. There’s no way he can actually tell Crocodile what’s bothering him, and even if he could, he wouldn’t. He would much rather talk to Cabaji, Mohji, or Alvida about his problems, they’re far less impatient and judgmental than Crocodile is. Buggy tries to think of a bullshit question to ask Crocodile, but takes too long to reply. 

“Seriously, clown,” Crocodile frowns, “Just spit it out.”

Against his better judgment, Buggy relents, “I just want to know if I should trust someone or not.” 

Crocodile scoffs. He probably thinks Buggy’s just being overly sentimental, or something. “I don’t trust no one.” He claims, but Buggy is already well aware of Crocodile’s trust issues. “But you can always give that person one chance, and if they mess up and betray you or something, just kill them.” 

Oh.

“Or tell me who they are, and I’ll kill them for you if they hurt you. There, problem solved. Just be careful.” 

Buggy wouldn’t say his problems are solved by any means, if anything he feels like he’s gained one new problem in the form of Crocodile being a rather aggressive friend. Is that what this is? An aggressive form of kindness and friendship? “...Alright…” Buggy agrees hesitantly, though he’s not sure if he can really come to Crocodile if Mihawk ends up betraying his trust,  “...I’m going to go call the island now.”

“Wait.” Crocodile suddenly orders, “Come sit with me for a couple of minutes.”

"What?"