#myopicbloom

((HI EVERYONE!! It’s gonna be quiet over on this blog for the next week; mod is attending AX!

Characters: Crocodile, Daz Bones

A/N: Hurt/Comfort mini-fic. Inspired by a dream I had.

Crocodile's wild eyes searched for something he could not find.  He was alone.  So very alone.  He felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.  Unbidden, his knees crumpled.  He swayed, struggled to get back up, but his legs did not obey him.  Vision blurred.  Even as he sank to the ground, he tried to fight it.  Panic leapt deep within him.  Am I… going to die? I don't want to die…  No, no!! No!! No…  I don't want to die, not like this.  No…  I have to…  Darkness closed in, and Crocodile lay motionless, facedown.  

As he opened his eyes, he did not remember what had happened.  He started to get back to his feet.  Suddenly everything seemed to whirl about him.  He panicked, felt himself moving to grasp hold of what he could not have anymore.  His reputation, his pride, his crew.  He grasped out with his hands— no.  His eyes went wide.  Where his left hand should have been, there was nothing at all.  He stared in shock at the stump of his hand.  From deep within him came an anguished moan, like that of a wounded animal.  His breath hitched.  But he was not given an opportunity to shed tears.   They came for him.

They forced him to his knees, laughing at him.  Humiliating him.  Crocodile felt his unshed tears evaporate.  Numbness set in.  He began to sink inside himself.  Blood loss made his limbs leaden.  Broken.  He could no longer feel the blows that rained on his back.  He was exhausted, so exhausted.  His heart ached, wishing for death.  Pathetic.  He knew that's what they were saying about him.  Useless.  Weak.  Trash.  Worthless.  A waste of time.  Leave him.  Soon enough he'll be dead anyway.  He lay upon the ground, felt the tears flow, and flow, and flow…

--

Crocodile's eyes flew open.  His skin was icy.  He sensed movement, someone grabbing at him!! His right arm turned to sand and he lashed out.  "Stay away from me!!" he shouted.

"Nngh!! Boss, it's me!! It's Daz!!"

"Stay the hell away from me!!"

"Please try to calm down!! You were having a nightmare!!"

"Shut up!! Shut up, shut up!! You think I'm some kind of fool?! You're gonna betray me, too, aren't you?!"

"I…  I would never do such a thing!! Snap out of it, I'm not your enemy!!"

"Yes you are, stay away from me!!" Crocodile's voice cracked.  He felt something deeper within him fracturing, rendering him unable to speak momentarily.

"Boss…" Daz whispered softly.  "Boss…  I'm here, it's okay, I'm here…"

In the darkness Daz could not see Crocodile's expression, but he heard a sound.  It was a sob.  He could sense Crocodile's body shudder in the attempt to stifle the noise.  He felt the shaky intake of breath.

"I'm here," Daz said yet again.  "It's okay…"  Daz tried to discern his boss through the darkness.  Crocodile wasn't saying a word now.  "I'm not going to hurt you," Daz said softly.  "I would do anything for you.  Because you are the person whose side I belong by.  I know it."  Still, he received no reply.  Cautiously Daz shifted, millimeter by millimeter.  His boss sat unmoving on the edge of the bed.  Daz simply forgot to breathe.  He carefully watched Crocodile's silhouette.  While Daz was impervious to Crocodile's attacks because of his devil fruit, he didn't want to cause any more alarm.  

By degrees, Daz had maneuvered himself next to Crocodile.  He slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.  Daz did not attempt to touch Crocodile's arm, much as he longed to do so.  Instead he waited.  He could feel the tremors in Crocodile's whole body, but he waited.  And waited…  Crocodile turned his head ever so slightly.  Daz said nothing and stared straight ahead into the inky darkness of the cabin.  Daz did not move or speak when, eventually, he felt Crocodile cautiously rest his head upon Daz's shoulder.  Daz made no comment about the dampness spreading on the fabric of his shirt, either.  Crocodile huddled closer to him and shivered.  It was then that Daz slowly reached out and grasped his boss by the shoulder and held him close.  

Long after Crocodile had stopped trembling, Daz said, "Would you like a drink?"

"No," came the hoarse reply.  "No, I…  just a little longer…  I want to…  stay like this, just a little longer."

"Alright…"

"…  Daz?"

"Yes, boss?"

"Don't…  Don't leave me."

Daz pulled Crocodile closer against his body.  "I will never do such a thing.   Because you are everything to me.  I'm here to stay.  Always.  No matter who or what tries to stop me…  I'm here."

Crocodile's body relaxed.  He murmured, "Good…" and drifted off to sleep.  Daz held Crocodile in his arms for a very long time.  Then, with a gentleness that belied his profession as an assassin, scooped up Crocodile, and laid him down upon the bed.  He started to straighten up, but stopped at the realization that Crocodile's right hand curled in the fabric of his shirt.  Daz carefully lay down next to his boss.  By now his sharp eyesight had adjusted to the dark.  Daz cupped Crocodile's face and carefully wiped away the tearstains without disturbing Crocodile's slumber.  Daz softly whispered an oath, once more…