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lumiolivier · 3 days ago

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Treasure in Alabasta Pt. 2

Series: One Piece

Chapter: One Shot

Word Count: 15148

Rating: T

Pairing(s): Cross Guild x Reader (YN)

AN: I had no intentions of this being as angsty as it turned out to be, but I've been working on this since February. And I just finished it last night. Enjoy the fruits of my labor.

It took some string pulling…And a lot of groveling, but you knew he could do it. Crocodile got the two of you on the guest list to the gala at the palace in Alubarna. And you couldn’t wait. By the time you two got to Alubarna, you immediately started hitting the shops. With Crocodile’s wallet, of course. You deserved to spoil yourself through Crocodile. Besides, even though you had plenty packed (that was Mihawk’s fault), you didn’t have anything worthy of a gala at the royal palace. So, you made your way to the best dress shop Alubarna had to offer.

You weren’t sure what color to go with. You were certain that if you could find a color to jump off with, you’d be able to find something right then and there. But you were coming up blank. Although, your gut instinct said to go with something green. Or at the very least, accented in green. You wouldn’t have said no to a few emeralds somewhere on your being. The thought of Crocodile draping an emerald necklace around you sent chills down your spine. It was such an intimate thing for you. And you would eat it up like it was your last meal.

But you still needed something. You knew one thing was for sure. You couldn’t upstage the royal family. Even though you knew Crocodile would only have his eyes on you. That was the point of you two being together. Still, it would be tacky if you showed up looking better than the ones hosting the party in the first place. So, you started skimming your options. And nothing was quite tickling your fancy. At least not yet. But you weren’t going to give up hope so easily.

“Oh!” another hand brushed against yours, “I’m sorry. Were you going to pull this one?”

“No,” you shook your head, trying to peek through the rack, “Go ahead.”

“Thanks!” You might not have gotten a look at her, but she saw you instead. And she even handed a different dress off to you, “Here. Try this one.”

“You think so?” You took a long, black dress from her with some beautiful ruffling toward the bottom, “You don’t think it’d be too form fitting?”

“Is that not the point?” she smiled, “Besides, you definitely have the body to pull it off.”

“Thanks,” you bit the inside of your cheek, trying to hold back a smile. You weren’t expecting your new friend to be so sweet, “I’m YN.”

“It’s nice to meet you, YN,” she chimed, “I’m Vivi.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Vivi,” you weren’t sure what it was about this girl, but she had an aura about her. Kindness dripped out of her pores. Sweetness shot out of her eyes. And you were willing to give her pick a shot.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Vivi wondered, “What’s the occasion?”

“Occasion for what?” you asked. Only for it to dawn on you in the next breath, “Oh! The dress.”

“Mmhm,” Vivi nodded, “Something special?”

“I’d say so,” you scoffed, “The gala at the palace tonight. My boyfriend and I managed to make the guest list.”

“Hey, me, too,” Vivi picked out something lighter than what she handed you. Something a little looser, “It’s good to know I’ll at least know one person there. Other than my father.”

“Likewise,” you agreed, “I love my boyfriend. Don’t get me wrong. But if we end up getting into it later that night, it’ll be nice to know I’ll have a shoulder to lean on.”

“Sounds like you and your boyfriend have some problems,” Vivi sighed out, “Or is that just a normal day for you two?”

“Are you from Alabasta, Vivi?” you asked.

“Mmhm. Born and raised.”

“So,” you bit your lip, “You probably know my boyfriend. He used to be a pretty prominent figure around here.”

“Really?” Vivi started to look a little nervous, “Why did he used to be a prominent figure?”

“Look,” you knew you were going to have to have this conversation eventually. You were involved with pirates. All three of the men you loved were pirates. And prominent and powerful pirates. And Buggy. But you knew you had to be prepared for this moment. If by chance you were to make a new friend, you were going to have to explain your boys eventually. Considering you were in Alabasta, you knew Crocodile wasn’t exactly beloved around those parts anymore, “You know who I’m talking about, don’t you?”

“I have a hunch,” Vivi admitted, “I thought it was strange that Crocodile was put on the list, but even stranger yet, he had a plus one. I’m guessing that plus one is you.”

“Mmhm,” you nodded, “So? Do you hate me now, too?”

“Why would I hate you?” Vivi wondered, “Did you do something awful? Especially to the people of Alabasta?”

“No,” you shook your head, “I just ended up shipwrecking on the beach of Kuraigana Island and…Well, I ended up meeting Crocodile and some of his associates. And we just kind of fell from there.”

“So, you’re a part of the Cross Guild?”

“Yes and no.” Vivi looked at you strangely, not entirely following you, “I’m seeing Crocodile, yes. I am his plus one tonight, but…On other nights, I’m also Mihawk’s plus one. And Buggy’s plus one. We’re all seeing each other. I’m in their shared custody. I couldn’t pick between them, so I picked all of them instead.”

“Oh,” Vivi let it go, “So, you’re…Sleeping with Crocodile.”

“Yes,” you weren’t ashamed of that. Although, you had a feeling Vivi wanted you to be a little ashamed of that. Still, you had nothing to be ashamed of. You had the protection of one of the most powerful men in the world right now. Granted, not at that very second. Crocodile had to get your lodgings for the evening situated. And you needed something to wear for that gala. But you had nothing to be ashamed of. You weren’t with Crocodile when he caused his chaos in Alabasta. You didn’t even know about any of the unrest in Alabasta then. You were still just delivering cargo, “He’s gotten better, Vivi. He’s not the man you knew.”

“Really?” Vivi wasn’t entirely believing you. You could feel it in her tone, “In what ways?”

“He’d kill me for saying this,” you chuckled to yourself, “But he’s gone soft. The love of a good woman made him soft. All three of them, actually. The second I ended up on Kuraigana Island, Crocodile wanted me kicked off. But I was too weak to do much of anything. But he helped get me back on my feet. And then, he put me on my back and life has been all uphill since. You don’t have to believe that Crocodile is a decent human being now, but don’t be so quick to write him off either.”

“YN, he withheld water from my people and was responsible for a civil war in this country. Then, he almost blew up Alubarna,” Vivi pointed out, “Excuse me for not immediately wanting to be his best friend.”

“That’s understandable,” you weren’t expecting miracles. But you knew better than anyone that people could change. You had two former warlords at your feet. And you knew more about Crocodile than the layperson. You knew that anyone was capable of change. And no one in your life had changed more than Crocodile.

“By the way,” Vivi started walking off with a long, soft pink dress in her hand, “The black dress really will do you favors. I need to be going. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Bye.” You waved Vivi off, not sure if you still had a new friend. But you made a mental note to ask Crocodile about Vivi later.

You started heading out from the dress shop with that black dress in hand and took a little stroll through the streets of Alubarna. You had agreed to meet up with Crocodile later, but you didn’t know where you were supposed to meet him. Fortunately, the man stood out in a crowd, so you’d be able to spot him instantly.

However, you weren’t going to be able to see him over the man that had just blocked your path, “Hi there.”

“Hello,” you weren’t going to think much about him. You just thought people in Alubarna were friendly. Vivi was friendly with you…at first. You figured all of them would be like that.

“Where you headed, sweetheart?” Hearing him call you sweetheart made your stomach turn.

“To meet up with my husband,” you brushed him off. He didn’t need to know Crocodile wasn’t your husband. He didn’t even need to know if you were married. You just wanted him to go.

“Well, that’s nice,” he continued to impede your progress. And you wanted to punch him. You had better places to be and certainly didn’t want to deal with him anymore, “You like your husband?”

“I love my husband,” you tried your best to shake him, but to no avail, “Do you mind? I have somewhere to be.”

“Where are you going?” he asked, “I might know where it is.”

“None of your business,” you tried to push past, but he immediately grabbed your arm, “Do you mind?”

“No, I don’t,” he pulled you a little closer to him, “Here’s what’s going to happen, sweetheart…”

“What’s going to happen, sweetheart?” a familiar voice thundered over him. And you had never been so grateful for that voice.

“Do you mind, man?” the vile creature tried to play it off, “I’m trying to take my girlfriend out.”

“I don’t think that’s your girlfriend,” he looked over to you, “Do you know this guy?”

“Never met him a day in my life,” you stood firm.

“That’s just a little game we play,” the man tried to cradle your cheek in his palm, but you didn’t want him anywhere near you.

“I’m sure it is,” he put an arm around your waist. And you weren’t going to fight that one, “Next time you try to play that game, try it with someone else’s wife. And leave mine out of it.”

The man went pale. And he had every right to, “Your wife…?”

“My wife,” he kept walking with you, going as far as to kiss the top of your head, “You alright, princess?”

Only one man called you princess. But for him, you’d make an exception, “Yeah. I’ll be ok.”

“Good,” he gave you a little nod, “Now, wait right here. I have some business to take care of.”

“Don’t let me stop you.” Because you had a feeling you knew what that business was going to be.

“Thank you,” he shot you a wink and turned his attention back to the scumbag that wanted to put his hands where they didn’t belong, “Hey!”

“You know what?” the man came back. Because of course, he did, “You’re not her husband, are you? Do you mind? I had some business with the young lady.”

“No,” your temporary husband made sure that if you were any closer, you would occupy the same space, “I do mind. Do you have any idea who I am? Who I know? How well protected this woman is?”

“I’m sure…” The man was so adorably clueless. It brought a smile to your face.

“Let’s see…” he began his headcount, “The Revolutionary Army, who listen to every word I say like gospel. The Strawhat Pirates, who wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for me. Then, there’s the Cross Guild. And one of their highest just happens to be in town right now.”

“And what does the Cross Guild have to do with her?”

“Who do you think they answer to?” You were done playing from the sidelines, “Two former warlords and an easily excitable clown with just as much bark as he has bite at my beck and call. I am one of the most well protected human beings on the face of the planet. All I need to do is call out for my scary dog and you will limp out of here with rabies.”

“It’s not their bark I’m worried about…” he kept on getting a little too close and ended up with a fist in his face. And he fell flat on his back.

“I’ll ask again,” an arm draped around your shoulders, “You alright, princess?”

“I’m good now,” you curled into your savior, “Thanks, Dragon. What are you doing in Alubarna?”

“I’m not allowed to travel?” Dragon scoffed, taking you away from the small disaster. He pulled a communicator snail out from his pocket and pressed the button, “There’s a mess in the alley to the west of the dress shop. Go clean that up.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you.” Dragon let that communicator snail get comfortable back in his pocket.

And you could feel sweat rolling down your neck, “What did you just do?”

“You think Crocodile doesn’t have Baroque Works agents all over the place?” Dragon chuckled to himself, “They’re not called a couple and a few, YN. They’re the Millions and Billions for a reason.”

“So,” you started to put the pieces together, “Crocodile sent you to watch over me?”

“If I tell you yes,” Dragon crossed his fingers, “Does that mean you’ll be pissed?”

“No,” You shook your head, “Not at you. You were just doing a job. And I’m grateful you were there for me, sweetheart.”

“Oh, God…”

“So, pookie,” you wrapped yourself around Dragon’s arm, “Where to now?”

“YN…”

“A nice picnic maybe?” You weren’t going to let this one go. You wanted to have a little bit of fun, too.

“YN…” And you could see the mild aggravation on Dragon’s face.

“Ooh! Maybe a cute little café?” you suggested, eating this up like it was your last meal, “That sounds nice.”

“YN.” Unfortunately, Dragon decided to be a buzzkill.

“You never take me out anymore…” you pouted, “I’m starting to think you’re ashamed of me.”

“YN…” Dragon could fight it all he wanted. As irritating as it was, he wasn’t going to fight you.

“I knew it,” you really put on a show. Right there in the middle of the street, “There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

“You caught me,” Dragon caved, “There’s someone else.”

“Who is this hussy?” you clutched your chest, suddenly gaining an audience, “What’s her name?”

“It used to be Wani,” Dragon caught a glimpse of a familiar face sitting outside the café with a cloud of smoke billowing out of it, “But she changed too much…She’s not like you, sweetheart. She’ll never be you. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Well…” You let out a dramatic sigh, “I don’t know…”

“Take him back, honey!” An older lady yelled to you.

“No way!” another barked, “Once cheating scum, always cheating scum!”

“YN,” Dragon leaned into you, “What the hell are you doing?”

“I think…” You wrapped your arms around Dragon and hugged him tight, “I think I can forgive you…”

“Thank you,” Dragon kissed the top of your head, “But still, what the hell are you doing?”

“Thank you all for coming!” you took a bow, “We’ll be doing a five city tour in three months! Thank you!”

A sudden eruption of confused applause broke out. And Dragon, bless his soul, was still incredibly lost, “So, what was that?”

“A little unintended and impromptu street performance,” you shrugged him off, “You were an excellent scene partner, Dragon. Thank you.”

“What was that all for?” Dragon wondered.

“To distract the crowd from the potential ass beating the other guy’s getting right now,” you clarified, “See? There was a purpose for that.”

“You really need to stop hanging around the clown, YN,” a familiar voice rumbled through your chest, “It’s not good for you.”

“Croccy!” you hopped the barrier and made yourself comfortable in his lap, “Hi, baby.”

“Hi, Princess,” Crocodile held you tight, “Thank you, Dragon.”

“No problem,” Dragon gave him a nod, “She’s lucky I got to her when I did.”

“What happened?” Crocodile suddenly grew very concerned very quickly.

“There was a guy,” Dragon reported, “A very stupid guy who thought he could get his hands on YN. He didn’t.”

“And Dragon and I were married,” you smiled.

“Please,” Crocodile ran his fingers down your spine, “Like Dragon would ever get married. Sister, I tried barking up that tree. Not happening.”

“Really?” your ear pricked up, “You and Dragon were talking marriage?”

“What did you say back then, Dragon?” Crocodile chided, “That you weren’t meant to be tied down?”

“I’m still not meant to be tied down,” Dragon argued, “I have shit to do. An army to command.”

“Didn’t stop you from knocking me up,” Crocodile lit up a fresh cigar while the old one smoldered out, “I’d say that’s awfully tying.”

“Did I raise the kid?” Dragon pointed out, “Did you? No. And why was that? Because we both had shit going on. The kid needed to live on, but that’s what we had the old man for.”

“And look how that turned out,” Crocodile pouted, “A warlord and a revolutionary have a baby and hand it over to that revolutionary’s vice admiral of a father. God only knows what kind of disaster that was on Luffy.”

“He turned out ok,” Dragon shrugged, “I mean, he’s going to be king one day. You and I both know that.”

“Of course, I do,” Crocodile brushed him off, “But enough of that. Thank you, Dragon. I appreciate you bringing my Princess back to me unscathed.”

“About that,” you brought the attention on yourself, just to give Dragon his out, “Did you send Dragon to stalk me?”

“No,” Crocodile shook his head, “I sent Dragon to keep an eye on you and make sure nothing happened to you. Along with a couple of Baroque Works agents. But I can explain, YN. Like I said. I never wanted anything to happen to you. I am still generally not liked around here. I just wanted to make sure you were still safe.”

“Because I can’t protect myself?”

“It’s not that at all,” Crocodile clarified, “You shouldn’t have to protect yourself. We hire people for shit like that, Princess. It’s not to say that you can’t protect yourself. I know you can. I’ve seen the clown’s head go down the hall more than once. And it’s impressive every time. But not everyone is as easy for you to fight as Buggy. Forgive me for wanting to set my own mind at ease.”

You couldn’t be mad at him for that. You understood why he did what he did. You didn’t have to like it, but you understood. You pulled Crocodile’s cigar out of his mouth and got a sweet, smoky kiss out of him, “Ok.”

“Ok,” Crocodile smiled a bit, “Now, give me my cigar back, Princess. Or we’re going to have a problem.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” you put Crocodile’s cigar back anyway. It’s not like you were going to keep it. It tasted much better secondhand than directly from the end anyway.

“Oh, I’d take you back to our room for the night,” Crocodile threatened, “Don’t think I wouldn’t take you over my knee.”

“I bet you’re fun at parties,” you teased him.

“You’ll see tonight,” Crocodile held you a little tighter, “Speaking of, do I get to see what’s in the bag or do I just have to imagine it?”

“You’ll see it tonight,” you assured him, “But I didn’t pick it out. I might have made a friend in the dress shop.”

“Good for you, YN,” Crocodile gave you a little nudge, “It’s nice to know you’re socializing.”

“She was a sweet girl, too,” you remembered, “But she also knew who you were, too. And she knows we’ll be at the palace tonight together.”

“Great,” Crocodile grumbled, “Someone else who hates me.”

“Don’t be like that,” you settled him, “I’m sure you two can manage for my sake. I mean, I got the vibe from Vivi that she doesn’t hold a gru-”

“Hold on, YN,” Crocodile stopped you, his eyes doubling in size, “Did you just say you made friends with Vivi?”

“I think that’s what she said her name was,” you thought back, “But anyway…”

“You…” Crocodile let out a little gasp, “You have no clue who you just met, do you?”

“She was the one who picked my dress out, too,” you brushed him off, “I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“YN,” Crocodile chuckled to himself, “That wasn’t just your new friend Vivi. That was Princess Vivi, sweetheart.”

“What?” your heart stopped. You were in the delivery business a long time before you ended up washing up on Kuraigana Island. You were no stranger to royalty on the Grand Line. But never in a million years would you have thought the woman you met in the dress shop was a princess. She seemed so…normal. Like she would fit in with the common people and blend in so well. Nothing about her screamed royalty to you.

“Oh, yeah,” Crocodile nodded, “I bet that was Princess Vivi. We’ll be seeing her tonight. I can promise you that. Well…I say Princess Vivi. She was Miss Wednesday when I knew her.”

“Miss Wednesday?” you wondered, “Why was she Miss Wednesday?”

“Because, YN,” Crocodile explained, “She used to work for me. Until I found out she was undercover. She knew I was up to something, so she infiltrated Baroque Works to get her information. Hate to say it, but she got pretty far. I’ll give her credit for that. But that didn’t mean I had to like it. Still, I’m in shock she was so ok with adding us to the guest list.”

“Kind of figured,” you remembered back to the dress shop, “She wasn’t overly thrilled to find out who I was the plus one of. We were totally cool with each other until then, though.”

“You know,” Crocodile purred in your ear, “I’d love to see what you picked out, Princess. Would it be something Mihawk would approve of?”

“Only on his week, baby,” you melted into Crocodile’s arms, “Only on his week. And only if he was the only one to see it. But this isn’t about Mihawk. This is about you.”

“Just out of curiosity,” Crocodile wondered, “Just because you’re spending this trip with me, that doesn’t mean I have to give up my week, does it?”

“You’re getting a couple weeks,” you pointed out, “But no. I will still be with you for your week. But we’ll probably start counting it as Buggy’s week once we get back.”

“Boo,” Crocodile whined, “Why does it have to be the fucking clown’s week?”

“Because his week comes after your week,” you kissed his cheek, “That’s the way it’s always been. It goes Mihawk’s week, your week, Buggy’s week, and then, my week off to recoup and bleed out. Simple as that.”

“I know,” Crocodile pouted, “Come on. Let’s go back to the inn. I want to see that pretty dress of yours on that beautiful body.”

“You will, you will,” you blushed a bit. Crocodile had that effect on you. He knew what button to push to see a little flash of color in those cheeks.

“By the way,” Crocodile nudged you off his lap, “You’re good enough to put yourself together, right? You don’t need me making calls for a salon or anything, do you?”

“I got it,” you assured him. Because if you could take care of Buggy, you could certainly take care of yourself. Did you really want to? Not really, but you weren’t going to shrivel up and die if you had to.

“And…” Crocodile bit the inside of his cheek, “YN…Remember the last party we threw at the castle?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, “What about it?”

“Could you…” Crocodile got a little fidgety. You knew right then and there what he was trying to say, but he couldn’t get the words out.

“Crocodile,” you held his face in your hands so delicately, “Are you saying you want me to do your braids again?”

“Please?”

“Of course,” you snuck in one little kiss and grabbed your bag, “Come on. Let’s get to the inn. Rumor has it, someone wants to see me in this pretty dress I picked out.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Crocodile grabbed your wrist, his grip nice and tight just the way you liked it, “I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather see it puddled around your ankles later tonight. But we can wait for that, can’t we?”

You weren’t sure how long you’d be able to wait for it, but you could hold out. Just a little. Maybe if you were lucky, Crocodile might feel a bit adventurous later in your evening at the palace. Maybe he’d want to find a guest room. Or a coat closet. Or an abandoned section of the library where you two could discuss your favorite pieces of literature.

But it was getting to be crunch time. You two needed to get moving or you were going to be late. Crocodile already had a little bit of a reputation around Alubarna. The least you two could do is show up on time. When you got back to your room, you noticed someone had been in there. Your bathroom was fully stocked with any type of beauty product you could possibly need. You knew Crocodile had something to do with it. Even though you had a small makeup bag already packed. Still, it’d be rude if they had already gone through all the trouble and you didn’t use it.

And once you were all together, you looked absolutely stunning. You came by Crocodile calling you princess honestly. But then, you got a better look at your prince in the mirror. If there was one thing about Crocodile that you never had to doubt, it was this. That man looked damn good in a nicely fitting suit. And much like how he wanted your dress on the floor, you were no better. It was like getting a present. Such a shame to tear through that pretty wrapping paper.

“YN,” Crocodile poked his head in the bathroom, getting a better look at you. And yet, much like every other party you’ve been to with him, he was rendered speechless.

“Yes, Crocodile,” you ran your fingers up his chest, “Is there something you’d care to tell me?”

“I…” Crocodile was dumbfounded. It wasn’t often he got like this, but when he did, you ate that up. Especially since you were the reason for it anyway.

“Sit down, baby,” you pulled out the stool from under the vanity, “Make yourself comfortable.”

“Ok,” Crocodile did as you asked without a single fuss. He knew why he was there. You knew why he was there. And the clear elastics on the counter knew why he was there, too. You weren’t expecting them to be there, but that’s when it hit you. Chances are, this was premeditated. Crocodile knew you’d say yes whether he had any gel or not. You saw some on the counter. A full bottle. And yet, there you were, running little braids down the side of Crocodile’s head.

It was an oddly therapeutic process. You weren’t complaining. You were more than happy to do it for him. He asked nicely. Who were you to say no to that face? But you could tell. Something was making him uneasy. He needed to mellow out for a bit. You weren’t going to make him talk. You knew better than that. Crocodile and his emotions didn’t necessarily get along sometimes. And you didn’t want to put him through that before a public appearance. So, you did the next best thing. You tied off your first braid and left a kiss on his cheek, “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” Crocodile wondered, watching you walk off.

A cigar box sat on the dresser. Because you knew something didn’t feel right. Something was missing. And you knew Crocodile was anxious. He didn’t want to go to this gala. He didn’t want to have to mingle amongst the Alabasta royalty. Not after everything he did. But you sat in his lap with a freshly cut cigar in your hand and put it in his mouth.

“I appreciate the sentiment, Princess,” Crocodile held you steady, “But it’s kind of pointless without…”

You were already ahead of him. You pulled a lighter from your pocket and lit the end for him, “You were saying…?”

“Fuck, I love you,” Crocodile pulled that cigar out of his mouth and gave you a well deserved kiss, “How is it you know just how to make me feel better?”

“You’re indulging me with this party tonight, Crocodile,” you pointed out, “The least I can do is make it manageable for you.”

“It’s been too long since I’ve been to a good party anyway,” Crocodile shrugged you off. Even though you knew that was a lie, “I’m overdue.”

“If you wanted to go to a good party,” you argued, going back to your braiding, “You and I would already be on our way back to Kuraigana Island and you’d be up Mihawk’s ass about it. Now, are you going to try that one again?”

“I said a good party,” Crocodile retaliated, “You’ve never been to one of Cobra’s parties. They’re fantastic. They put Mihawk’s to shame. At least half of the Alabasta military gets trashed and nine times out of ten, they end up in one of my casinos and I end up making a shit ton of money. Everyone wins. Except them, but that’s here nor there.”

“You really are something else…”

“I’m just the worst,” Crocodile cracked a smile behind his cigar. And you knew in that moment that everything was going to be ok.

Purupurupuru…

“Don’t everyone get up at once,” you stole a little kiss off Crocodile’s cheek and grabbed the transponder snail. You could only assume the call was coming from inside the house. Or in your case, the castle, “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Hey, doll…” You weren’t expecting to hear Buggy on the other end, but you weren’t mad about it.

“Buggy!” you couldn’t help but smile, “Hey, baby. It’s good to hear your voice again.”

“Well, I’m happy to hear that, YN,” Buggy chirped, “Because I want you to come home. Like…Now would be a great time.”

“I can’t do that right now,” you got a better look at yourself in the mirror. Sure, the dress was working for you, but you still had to finish Crocodile and then, you’d get to work on yourself. And that gala was coming sooner rather than later, “I have places to be tonight.”

“And where do you think you’re going, young lady?”

“Seriously, Clown?” Crocodile’s voice thundered from the bathroom, “You really think you get to call the shots with her tonight?”

“Well,” Buggy started to backtrack, “No. I understand that it’s your time with her right now, but that’s because you decided to bring her with you to Alabasta! That’s not fair!”

“It’s entirely fair,” Crocodile assured him, “If you wanted to take her somewhere, you’re welcome to it, too. So long as the proper paperwork has been filed.”

“Wait,” Buggy thought back, “Since when did you two get pen and ink involved in your Alabasta trip?”

“New rule implemented recently,” Crocodile took the transponder snail out of your hand, “And it needs to be agreed on by all members of the house. Including YN’s biggest mother hen.”

The other end went quiet for a moment or two, “Mihawk?”

“Worse than Mihawk,” Crocodile nudged him along.

“Shit…” Buggy grumbled, “Perona.”

“You get Perona to sign off on it, she’s yours,” Crocodile insisted, “But she needs to approve.”

“Give,” you stuck your hand out, waiting for the transponder snail to come back.

“Come on, YN,” Crocodile awed, trying to talk his way out of upsetting you, “You know you’re more than just a commodity to me.”

“Uh-huh,” you weren’t falling for it. That pretty face only got him so far, “Give.”

“Fine,” Crocodile had a bad habit of screwing with Buggy. Mihawk, too. Only Mihawk was a bit sneakier about it. Crocodile surrendered the transponder snail.

“Thank you,” you sent him back to the bathroom, “Buggy? Still there?”

“Of course,” Buggy swore, “Like I’d ever hang up on you. Crocodile, yes. You? Never.”

“One of these days,” you held your face in your hands, “One of these days, I’m going to make it so you boys finally get along and aren’t regularly waging psychological warfare against each other.”

“In all fairness, YN,” Buggy pointed out, “It’s mostly just Mihawk and Crocodile ganging up on me.”

“And eventually, you’ll all play nice,” you rolled your eyes, “Please tell me that Mihawk’s behaving himself while I’m gone.”

“He has for the most part,” Buggy confirmed, “But that’s because of Rayleigh. If it were just us and Perona home, I’d be fucked.”

“So, I’ll ask the important questions…How are you, Buggy?”

“Eh, can’t complain,” Buggy reported, “What about you? Where are you and your asshole for the evening running off to?”

“Buggy…”

“Fine, fine,” Buggy stopped himself, “Where are you and Crocodile going tonight?”

“The palace in Alubarna,” you told him, “I’m anticipating a mess, but hoping for the best.”

“Such a way with words, YN,” Buggy swooned, “Wait a goddamn minute, you’re going to the royal palace of the royal family of Alabasta…With Crocodile?”

“I know,” you sighed out, throwing yourself onto your bed, “It’s a wacky world we live in. But somehow, Crocodile managed to pull all the strings he needed to get us on the guest list. The fact that I kind of made friends with the princess earlier today had nothing to do with it.”

“Look at you, coming up in the world,” Buggy jabbed, “We’re so proud. I wish I could see you, doll. Bet you’re a stunner.”

“Keep an eye on the papers.” You peeked over at Crocodile in the bathroom, watching him twiddle his thumbs and his cigar come to an end. You knew you’d have to remedy that quickly, “There’s no way Crocodile shows up at the Alabasta royal palace and it goes undocumented.”

“If he has his way, it will be,” Crocodile called out, “You know what? At this point, I’m just impressed the castle’s still standing.”

“Fuck you, too, Crocodile!”

“No…” Even when they’re miles and miles apart, you still had to keep your boys from killing each other, “That’s what we have Rayleigh for. Speaking of, Buggy, not that I don’t trust you with the house, but can you put Rayleigh on for me?”

“About that,” Buggy started to remember his whole reason for his call, “Not that it hasn’t been just wonderful having old man Rayleigh around, but if you and Croccy need to go on another romantic getaway to Alabasta again, you don’t need to call him back.”

“Is everything ok…?” The other end went quiet. And you knew right then and there, things may not have been good. They never were when Buggy finally shut up, “Buggy…? You need to talk, baby?”

“It’s just been…” Buggy sighed out, “I miss you, doll. It’s been rough. You have to think, YN. It’s the first time we’ve been away from you since you got here. First time you’re out to sea and it’s with Crocodile…”

“I’m sure you and Mihawk could’ve joined us.”

“Yes, YN,” Crocodile rolled his eyes, “Bring the two biggest attention whores in the Grand Line somewhere we need to keep a low profile.”

“Would you like to talk to Buggy, Crocodile?” You handed off the transponder snail, “Because the way you keep putting your two berries in, I’d think you did.”

“I…” Clearly, you caught Crocodile a bit off guard. Not something done often. Not something done easily. But when it happened, you always took a little bit of satisfaction in it.

“You know what?” You walked back into the bathroom and brought the transponder snail with you, letting it get comfortable on the counter, “Go ahead, sweetheart. You’re more than welcome to.”

“I feel like I caught you two in the middle of something,” Buggy started to back off, “I can call back later.”

“It’s fine, Buggy,” you assured him, “You want to know what you caught us in the middle of?”

“That’s between you two…”

“I’m wrist deep in doing Crocodile’s hair, you weirdo,” you giggled a bit, the sudden tension dissipating.

“I thought that was something he did himself.”

“Until I came into the picture,” you left a little kiss on the side of Crocodile’s head, “And someone ran out of gel. And someone else was a goddamn genius. You’re welcome.”

“Thank you, Princess,” Crocodile took your hand, “I knew we didn’t boot you for a reason.”

“Glad you didn’t.”

“I never wanted to kick you out, YN,” Buggy told you, “I had to fight Crocodile for you.”

“Bullshit, you didn’t!” Crocodile immediately jumped on the defensive, “You wanted her to leave the second she washed up!”

“Yeah, Buggy,” you winced, “Hate to break it to you, babe, but I know you wanted to boot me.”

“Your memories are a little hazy,” Buggy went on, “You were pretty out of it in those early days.”

“No,” you put your foot down, knowing much better than that, “Don’t try and use my fuzzy mental state as a weapon, Buggy. That’s a dick move. I remember it clearly. You wanted me gone. Because…And I want to see if I’m getting this right…That if you take someone new on like me, you end up with less for the rest of you. Crocodile? Is that right?”

“That seems familiar,” Crocodile naturally took your side, “Yeah. I think Buggy wanted to kick you out. Mihawk wanted to keep you. I wanted you nursed back to health and then, dropped at the next port. Yeah. That’s right.”

“Thanks, Crocodile,” Buggy groaned, “I appreciate the solid.”

“I don’t like you, Buggy,” Crocodile reminded him, “You’re a raging pain in my ass. Why would I take your side against YN?”

“Valid point.”

“So,” you brought the conversation back, “About you and Rayleigh. Things are good? Yeah?”

“Things are…iffy,” Buggy explained, “I’m done being treated like a kid in my own house. So, you can come home any time, YN.”

“Probably within the next few days,” Crocodile thought, “We’ll be on our way home then. I think you can manage until then, yeah?”

“I guess…” Buggy let it go, “Wait, does that mean if you and YN are on your way home in the next couple days, I can boot Rayleigh out then?”

“No,” you stepped in, “That means we’ll be back home soon. Then, I can boot Rayleigh out. Alright? Can we live until then?”

“I guess so…”

“Thank you,” you smiled a bit, “I love you, Buggy. I’ll let you off the hook about me talking to Rayleigh, but I’ll call in the morning, ok?”

“Ok,” Buggy chirped, “Love you, too, doll. Miss you, Croccy.”

“I miss you, too, Buggy,” Crocodile ended the call, “And that’s when I get better aim.”

“Crocodile,” you settled him, “You and Buggy really need to get along better. I mean, I can trust you and Mihawk alone in a room together. But the second I turn my back, you two are the cattiest bitches toward Buggy.”

“That’s because Buggy was just supposed to be our scapegoat,” Crocodile groaned, “And then, he became an integral part of the organization. He’s exasperating.”

“Don’t I know it,” you tied off the last braid, “But I manage. You should, too.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Crocodile shoved a finger in your face.

“Likewise, baby,” you kissed his cheek, “I’m done with you. You want me gel them down, too? Just to make sure they stay?”

“You don’t have to,” Crocodile shot you down, “But thank you, Princess. I greatly appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” you sat in Crocodile’s lap, “Does this mean you’re going to take care of me now?”

“If I had half an idea of how to do anything you needed, YN,” Crocodile wrapped his arms around you, “I would be more than happy to. But you got me, not Mihawk. And sure as hell not the damn clown.”

“Crocodile…”

“Buggy,” Crocodile corrected himself, “But you got that covered, don’t you?”

“Of course,” you got up from his lap, “I mean, you did get me everything I need, right?”

“Of course,” Crocodile nodded, “Maybe I could sit and watch. That way, I have some semblance of an idea the next time one of these things come up.”

“I got it, Crocodile,” you promised, kissing his forehead, “Go ahead. I got me handled.”

“Alright,” Crocodile left you in the bathroom and got another cigar. He cracked open a window, letting the smoke get out of the room.

However, the thought of putting any effort into yourself after putting it all into Crocodile felt like pulling teeth. At this point, you wanted to put an end to the party altogether. But you knew you couldn’t do that. It wasn’t your party. And Crocodile had put too much effort into getting you both onto that guest list. You didn’t ask him what he had to do. You didn’t want to know. That was Crocodile’s business. If he wanted to share that with you some day when he was comfortable with it, then that was his prerogative.

But you also put all that effort into making him look decent. You knew what he had done. You knew he had somewhat atoned for it. And you wanted to be on the arm of your man for the night. Was that too much to ask? Besides, it was not difficult to keep your eyes on him for the evening. And you were going to glut yourself on food and wine and in a perfect world, indulge in the most incredible sex you can get in Alabasta. It was that kind of a night.

With that sentiment in your heart, you could plow through that exhaustion and pull yourself together. Besides, you might have put a dent in Crocodile’s bank account earlier that afternoon on that pretty dress you got for the occasion. You were going to wear it tonight. And if certain cards got played right, it was going to end up balled up in the corner of your hotel room later.

After a little fleck of makeup and a few stray bobby pins, you weren’t half bad. You got one last look at yourself in the mirror and decided you were good enough. You knew that no matter what, when you walked out of that bathroom, you knew Crocodile would still drool over you and give you a nice little swat to the butt on the way out. It’s just how you two worked. And you were not complaining. Still, you were cute in the right light. And you were alright with it.

“Well?” That didn’t mean you didn’t want to still hear it straight out of Crocodile’s mouth. The validation was always nice, too, “Am I good enough to be at the palace?”

“Of course, you are, Princess,” Crocodile got an eyeful of you. And there was something in those eyes. Something dark and primal. And you were here for it. Oh, yeah. That dress was going to end up in the corner of the hotel room tonight, “I couldn’t have picked anything better myself. Even when I was wearing shit like this, I still couldn’t have picked better.”

“You were wearing shit like this?” you let out a little gasp.

“Back when Dragon and I were still together,” Crocodile nodded, giving you a little spin.

“Lucky Dragon,” you poked at him a bit, “You think Dragon’s going to be there tonight, too?”

“Probably not,” Crocodile shook his head, “Dragon didn’t do parties. He’d just get anxious and uncomfortable and getting him to sit still was next to impossible. I had to be the one to handle it if we ever got invited to fancy parties like this. I don’t know if you picked this up, YN, but he’s kind of a baby.”

“Really?” you giggled, “Dragon?”

“Dragon,” Crocodile held his face in his hands, “My god, YN…Can we be done yet? My suit’s too tight. The food looks weird. How do people eat this? Why did you cut me off? Why can’t I keep drinking? Wani, can we leave? Wani, can we leave? Wani, can we leave? It was fucking insufferable. It’s a miracle I never killed him then.”

“It’s because he’s cute,” you pointed out, “And you can’t convince me otherwise.”

“In those days?” Crocodile scoffed, “Oh, yeah. He got better with age, too. Lucky son of a bitch…”

“Hey,” you got in a little closer, wrapping your arms around his waist. Granted, there was no way your fingers were going to touch, but you wouldn’t have had it any other way, “Do you hear me complaining?”

“No…” a little smile graced crocodile’s face.

“Damn right, no,” you kissed his cheek, “Now, I put in effort on both of us. We’re both going to the palace. You ready yet?”

“I’ve been ready, Princess,” Crocodile took your hand, “You realize this might get messy.”

“And?” you rolled your eyes, “Since when is anything we do not attached to a little bit of a mess?”

“Valid point.”

And so, your night began. It was time you got to go play at the palace. You thought back to when you and Crocodile made landfall in Alabasta. If any Marines asked, you never met the man. If any authority asked, you didn’t know who Crocodile was. And yet, the Princess of Alabasta knew who you were. She knew you had connections to Crocodile. And deep ones. Still, you knew that denial was your friend if any Marines showed up.

When the two of you made it to the palace, everything was beautifully lit up. The music coming from inside was already bright and lively. It was exactly the way a good party should be. And you were excited to go inside. Until you actually went inside. And all eyes were on you. But they weren’t looking at you. Not really. They were looking at him. It was hard not to notice when a powerful man like Crocodile walked into a room.

Everything went quiet. The band stopped playing. The conversation came to a grinding halt. And yet, a man came walking toward you two. He stared into Crocodile’s eyes. And you weren’t entirely sure if he was going to fist fight him or kiss him. Either way, you knew Crocodile would be able to hold his own. That didn’t make you feel any better, though.

“YN!” your friend from the dress shop came down to you, looking absolutely beautiful. Her long, blue hair cascaded down her back in soft curls. Her dress a stark white and the thin gold chains draped around her neck complemented her perfectly. And without hesitation, she threw her arms around your shoulders, “I was hoping I’d see you tonight.”

“Hi, Vivi,” you weren’t sure what angle she was working, but you could roll with it, “It’s great to see you. You look fantastic.”

“Thank you,” Vivi smiled, “But look at you! I knew that dress would be a good one on you. It suits you.”

“Thanks,” you did a quick spin, just to show off a little more.

Vivi looked up at the man at your side, smiling politely despite the rage in her eyes, “Crocodile.”

“It’s good to see you again, Miss Wednesday,” Crocodile shot her a little smirk, then turned his attention back to the man, “What about you, Cobra? Cat got your tongue?”

“Crocodile,” you gave him a little jab to the side.

“Ow,” he whined, “What the hell, YN?”

“Play nice,” you insisted.

“You know what?” Crocodile backed off, “You’re right. Thank you for letting us come tonight, Cobra. I hope this can be a step in a new direction for us.”

“It’s actually not the worst to see you again, Crocodile,” the man gave him a courteous nod, “Before you were trying to destroy my country, I liked to think of you as a friend.”

“Maybe we could resume there,” Crocodile hoped, “Put the past behind us.”

“I like to think so,” the man looked over at you, “Maybe you can start by introducing me to this one here. I heard Vivi call you YN, right?”

“That’s right,” you looked the man over, not entirely trusting him. But given that Vivi didn’t seem bothered by him, you could only assume he was her father. There was slight familial resemblance.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss YN,” the man smiled your way, “I am Nefertari Cobra, King of Alabasta. Please enjoy yourself this evening.”

You had never been around royalty in your life. The closest you got to royalty were Warlords. And you only knew two of them. And happened to be in good with an emperor. But that was here nor there. Still, you had to conduct yourself with a scrap of dignity here.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Your Majesty,” you gave him a courtesy, “And again, it’s great to see you, too, Vivi.”

“We really should be going,” Cobra cleared his throat before turning his attention to the room, “Everything is under control, everyone. Please enjoy yourselves.”

And so, the party resumed. However, that didn’t mean a few weren’t still a bit uncomfortable around Crocodile. And you understood that. It’s as Cobra said. Crocodile did try to take over Alabasta. You didn’t know what means he used to do so, but you had a feeling it’d be better not to ask.

“Hey, Princess,” Crocodile sat you down at a table, “I’ll be back in a bit. I’m going to go take a quick peek around the party and see if any stray Baroque Works agents are walking around.”

“Ok,” you weren’t surprised, but you were a little jilted. You had visions of a nice evening with Crocodile amongst the nobility of Alabasta. But he still had business to conduct. You weren’t going to fault him. Besides, you already caught sight of the bar and a drink wouldn’t hurt.

You sat down at the bar and waited for the bartender to notice you were there. Because you had a feeling you were going to need a drink. And a big one. Once you had a drink in hand, you scoped around the ballroom. It was, after all, your first time at a royal party.

“Excuse me, sweetheart,” a familiar voice spoke softly behind you, “But you look awfully lonely. You wouldn’t mind if a strange vagabond like myself troubled you for a dance, would you?”

“I wouldn’t call you a vagabond,” you gladly accepted his hand, “But I’m starting to think you’re stalking me. What are you doing here, Dragon? Or are you playing my bodyguard again?”

“I don’t think Crocodile even knows I’m here,” Dragon chuckled to himself, “I actually got an invitation from Cobra himself. Why do you think I’m in Alabasta in the first place? Or why I’ve been kind of following you and Crocodile since you got here?”

“I didn’t realize a revolutionary would be in good with a king,” you pointed out, moving with Dragon in time with the music, “I thought types like you were more likely to behead types like him.”

“Only the bad royals get the guillotine,” Dragon clarified, “Cobra’s one of the good ones. He’s more for the people than anyone I’ve ever met in my life. Trust me, YN. I’ve seen it from both sides. I’ve seen it from local monarchs like Cobra. I’ve seen it from guys like Crocodile. Hell, I’ve even seen it from the inside of the Marines.”

“Really?” you looked at him strangely, “You don’t strike me as the type to go running into the Marines. Unless they have plans of taking you as prisoner, Mr. World’s Most Wanted.”

“No,” Dragon shuddered, “Before I ended up leading the Revolutionary Army, I was slated to join up with the Marines.”

“Oh, eww,” you gagged, your own grudges against the Marines burning in your mind, “Something tells me that wasn’t of your own free will.”

“Nope,” Dragon shook his head, “That was my dad’s doing. Isn’t he a sweetheart.”

“Your dad’s a Marine?”

Dragon chuckled nervously, “Oh, sweetheart, how I wish my dad was just a Marine. You’ve never heard of Vice Admiral Garp, have you?”

“I’ve heard vague stories,” you thought back to all your travels, “But I didn’t make it a habit to associate myself with Marines.”

“He wasn’t called the Hero of the People for no reason,” Dragon pointed out, “But not only is my dad a Marine, but he’s a high ass ranking Marine. And that was almost me. But I basically told him to fuck off when I realized how corrupt the whole system was. Especially within the World Government. And here we are. Most wanted man alive.”

“And I happen to be dancing with him,” you let Dragon spin you around, “Lucky me.”

“I mean,” Dragon shrugged, “You’re also sleeping with my ex and the other father of my son, but I digress. I give that disaster my blessing.”

“What do you mean, disaster?” you scoffed, “There’s nothing wrong with Crocodile and me.”

“If you can put up with him,” Dragon insisted, “He’s all yours. Trust me. He can be a pain in the ass, too.”

“I know,” you smiled, “And yet, I stick around.”

“How do you do it, YN?” Dragon wondered as a giant shadow came over him, “How do you put up with Crocodile of all people?”

“Pretty easily,” you looked over Dragon’s shoulder, knowing you weren’t in any imminent danger.

“Because of my pretty face and the fact that I’m hung like a goddamn horse,” Crocodile’s voice thundered behind him, “Care to explain what you’re doing with my woman, Dragon?”

“Someone had to keep an eye on her,” Dragon argued, fully letting you go, “And she looked awfully lonely at the bar all by herself. How could anyone leave someone like her alone?”

“Crocodile,” you stepped in before it could get messy, “It’s alright. Nothing happened. Just a dance. I also wouldn’t have said you were hung like a horse.”

“Do I need to prove that to you?” Crocodile took your face into his gigantic hands. That were certainly proportional to other things.

“No,” you shook your head, “But I’d be lying if I said I could walk right after a week with you. And…Well, there have been times where I thought you invited a sea beast, but that’s here nor there.”

“Seriously?” Dragon looked over at you with the widest of eyes, “And you live to tell the tale? I mean, I haven’t seen anything since he went to Iva, but seriously?”

“Oh, yeah,” you nodded, “It’s like an economy sized soup can.”

“How can you still walk?”

“Very wobbly most of the time,” you giggled, “It takes a day or two for me to recover.”

“And you get so spoiled those days,” Crocodile put a hand to your cheek, “Don’t you, YN? Truly living up to me calling you Princess.”

“Yes, I do,” you moved into Crocodile’s chest and got comfortable, “And there’s a good chance my next recovery is when we’re on our way back to Kuraigana Island.”

“Excuse me?” Crocodile perked up, “You do realize we’re leaving tomorrow, right?”

“Then, I suggest someone plays his cards right tonight.”

“Goddamn,” Crocodile held you close, “I love this girl.”

“I can see why,” Dragon looked you over, “It’s a shame you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“But,” you knew this was a long shot. But you couldn’t help yourself, “I think I know a way we could all have a little fun…It’d mean me making a phone call to the castle to make sure it’s cool there, but I’m sure no one here would say no.”

“Hold on,” Crocodile pulled you aside, away from any other listening ears, “Are you sure you’d want to do something like that, YN?”

“If it’s alright with Mihawk and Buggy,” you stipulated, “And if it’s alright with both of you, then I don’t see why not.”

“YN,” Crocodile held your face in his hands, “You don’t have to do this for me.”

“Who said I was doing this specifically for you?” you scoffed, “Maybe I wanted this.”

“No…” Crocodile cradled you against his chest, “You don’t. I know you’re doing this for me. Listen, YN, whatever was between Dragon and me is gone. I don’t even think I’d do him if I was bored. I appreciate the efforts you’re willing to go through, but you don’t have to do that for me.”

You stared blankly up at one of the men you loved dearly. Yes, you had to remind yourself that you still loved him. No matter how dense he could be, “Are you fucking serious?”

And if that didn’t catch Crocodile off guard, “Excuse me?”

“Crocodile, I love you,” you assured him. And a little bit yourself, “I love that we have the open relationship we have. I was willing to ask Mihawk and Buggy first. You think I was doing that for you? Because you didn’t think that maybe, just maybe, I saw a hot piece of ass like Dragon and thought to myself that hitting that wouldn’t be a hell of a ride? You think I wouldn’t want to be sandwiched between the two of you? You think I want to be able to walk when we get back to Kuraigana?”

“Well…” Crocodile started to realize he may have made a slight mistake, “You know how protective I can be of you, Princess.”

“And when I’m asking for something like this directly,” you went on, “All of a sudden, I’m the bad guy for having two perfectly working eyes and an imagination? You don’t have to have feelings for someone to have sex with them, Crocodile. And I would’ve thought you’d be alright with me exploring my appetites. Apparently not.”

“YN…” Crocodile tried to reach for you, but you just swatted him off and walked away. You were in no mood anymore. You just wanted another drink.

You weren’t interested in Dragon. Not for anything long term. The thought of a night with Dragon and Crocodile was incredibly titillating. If push came to shove and you really had to sleep with Crocodile and Crocodile alone, the mental image of Dragon being at the very least in the room might have been what pushed you over the edge. But you hated that you were mad at Crocodile. And you hated it even more knowing that Dragon was in the middle of it, too.

Because that meant you being completely on your own. You sat at the bar, sipping your cocktail, with your heart on the floor. Just one night. It wasn’t like you were asking him to make it a regular thing. You were just asking for one night with Crocodile and Dragon. That is, if it was alright with Mihawk and Buggy first, of course. But instead, you were just upset. You needed another drink. You flagged the bartender down for another round.

“YN?” a soft, sweet voice floated through the air. And it was nice to finally realize you weren’t totally on your own, “What are you doing here by yourself? I thought you and Crocodile would’ve been on the floor. Or at least together.”

“Hi, Vivi,” you ran your finger around the rim of your glass. That still remained empty. Because the bartender wanted to take his sweet, precious time.

“What’s the matter?” Vivi stepped in and got the bartender’s attention. And you got another drink almost instantly. It paid to have a friend in the royal family, “You seem down.”

“I am down,” you admitted, “Can I tell you something kind of personal?”

“Of course,” Vivi insisted, grabbing a bottle of wine from behind the bar while the bartender wasn’t looking, “Come on. Let’s go somewhere quiet.”

“Where are we going?” you wondered, following Vivi closely.

“Up to my room,” Vivi kept an eye out for anyone who may have tried to stop her, “Besides, this party’s been nothing but exhausting. I could stand a good drink that isn’t watered down.”

“Ok.” Who were you to fight her? You followed Vivi up a large spiral staircase behind the ballroom. There was definitely a vibe that said you weren’t supposed to be here, but if all else failed and you ended up caught, you were with Vivi. Vivi lived here. This was her palace. This was her party. It was totally fine. And yet, the vibe still lingered.

Vivi brought you into a big, open bedroom, drenched in luxury fabrics, not unlike your own back at the castle. It’s not like it was something you weren’t used to. It was the closest you felt to being home since you left Kuraigana Island. And Vivi’s bed was plenty big for the both of you.

“Come on, YN,” Vivi patted the bed, “Make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you,” you took a seat on the very edge of the bed while Vivi pulled the cork off the wine bottle.

“On the bed,” Vivi rolled her eyes, “It’s alright. I don’t bite. And I invited you here in the first place. It’s fine. Come here. You said you needed to talk.”

“I do,” you moved in a little closer.

“Here,” Vivi handed off the bottle, “I’ll let you get the first pull.”

“Thank you,” you had no intentions of slamming the bottle, but you definitely got a good drink from it, “So, ever since Crocodile and I have been in Alabasta, one of his exes has been kind of following me around.”

“Eww,” Vivi took her due drink from the bottle, “Gross. You want me to do something about it?”

“No, no,” you assured her, “It’s fine. It’s just Dragon.”

“Wait,” Vivi let out a little gasp, “That’s not…Monkey D. Dragon…Is it?”

“The very same,” you confirmed, “I know. I know. I know who he is. He’s the most wanted man in the world. He also dated Crocodile for a while from what I understand.”

“I didn’t realize Dragon was interested in men,” Vivi shrugged, “But to each their own. I’m interested in both, so I don’t really have a problem with it. And my girlfriend is a pirate, too, so I can’t judge you either. Anyway…”

“So, come to find out,” you took the wine bottle back. You also didn’t have the heart to tell Vivi that Crocodile wasn’t exactly a man when Dragon knew him, “Crocodile sent Dragon to keep an eye on me when I went out today. Which, I didn’t have a problem with. Dragon’s really grown on me since we’ve been here.”

“So…” Vivi wondered, “What’s the problem?”

“Since Dragon’s grown on me,” you hid a little smirk, “I thought I’d maybe propose a little something, something amongst the three of us later. Like…A special bedroom something, something.”

“Between Dragon and Crocodile?!” Vivi clutched her chest, “YN, I know I’m not here to judge, but seriously?! Something like that would leave you paralyzed!”

“Not completely,” you giggled a bit, “I mean, yeah. It’d be a couple days before I made any recovery, but you get what I mean. I already told Crocodile that I’d ask Mihawk and Buggy about it first, but if they said yes, I was hoping he’d say yes, too. When is an opportunity like this going to come up again? It’s not like Dragon’s going to show up to Kuraigana Island any time soon. So, you know…Seize the moment, right?”

“I guess so,” Vivi nodded, “Whatever makes you happy.”

“But that’s the problem,” you went on, “Because Crocodile didn’t exactly agree to it and I think even bringing something like that up might have pissed him off. Yes, I understand he’s more than plenty for me, but…Sue me. I wanted to be a little greedy. He always tells me when we’re together that he wants me to be a little greedy. But when I want to bring his ex into it that he’s on good terms with, then it’s too much. And it’s bullshit! I want to have a good night.”

“By the sounds of things,” Vivi thought, “You’re looking to put yourself in a coma.”

“It’s just…” you flopped over on the bed, “I don’t know. Am I in the wrong here? Did I fuck up?”

“So,” Vivi asked, “When you say Crocodile and Dragon are on good terms, does Crocodile have any residual feelings for Dragon? Or vice versa?”

“Crocodile said he didn’t,” you remembered, “And that was the other kicker. He thinks I’d be doing this for him. I think he’s thinking it’d be for some kind of closure in his relationship with Dragon, but this really is for my own selfish desires. I want to have to get back on the ship on either a wheelchair or a stretcher because of how good tonight could be. I want Mihawk and Buggy to be worried about me when we get back to Kuraigana Island because I wouldn’t be fully recovered. Is that too much for me to ask?”

“Oh…” Vivi winced, “We may need another bottle of wine.”

“No,” you stopped her, “As much as I’d love to, we probably shouldn’t. That just sounds like a bad idea. I don’t need to leave this party completely trashed. The last thing I want is to have Crocodile have to carry me out.”

“But think of it this way,” Vivi pointed out, “If you get completely trashed and Crocodile has to carry you out, there’s a chance you might have Dragon carrying you out instead while Crocodile does damage control. Then, you get them both back to the inn and you can get what you want.”

“But I have to call my boys back home first,” you reminded her, “I’m not just going to outright cheat on the men in my life. That would be breaking some of our rules. And well…I kind of don’t have anywhere else to go, so I don’t need to piss off former Warlords that I just happen to live with. And a little weirdo clown. So…”

“Alright, alright,” Vivi let it go, reaching for the communicator snail on her nightstand, “Then, call your boys. Ask them if you can have sex with Dragon.”

“What?” you gasped, “No. Vivi, I’m not going to do that. Asking Crocodile was stupid enough.”

“Come on,” Vivi insisted, “Live a little. If you really want to get this threesome with Dragon and Crocodile rolling, you need to ask Buggy and Mihawk anyway, right? So, why not ask them now and have that in the bank for when you go talk to Crocodile about it again?”

“You know,” you thought it over for a moment or two, “You might be onto something.”

“I’m telling you,” Vivi shoved the snail into your hand, “Call Buggy and Mihawk.”

“Fine,” you dialed up Mihawk’s communicator snail and waited for it to ring, “I can’t believe you’re talking me into this.”

“I can,” Vivi beamed, possibly a little too drunk to care.

“Who is this?” a familiar voice answered on the other end. You couldn’t help but smile.

“Hi, Mihawk…”

“YN!” Mihawk chirped, “Hello, darling. It’s nice to hear your voice again. What’s the occasion you call?”

“I have something I need to run by you and Buggy,” you began, “Is he around, too?”

“Hold on,” Mihawk instructed, “You know, it’s the strangest thing. I feel like I haven’t heard from Buggy all day.”

“I just talked to him this afternoon,” you told him, “So, he’s somewhere in the castle, I’m sure.”

“Are you positive?” Mihawk wondered, “Because I’m not seeing him anywhere.”

“It’s important,” you begged, “Because it’s one of those things that I need both your permission for if we decide to go through with it.”

“Go through with what?” Mihawk asked, “What are you planning?”

“Well,” you hummed, “Tonight’s our last night in Alabasta.”

“Right…”

“And in an unexpected turn of events,” you went on, “Crocodile had to go take care of some business in Rain Dinners, so I had to sit and twiddle my thumbs in his office.”

“Right…”

“And who else was in there when I got there?” you chirped, “Dragon.”

“Dragon?” Mihawk gasped, “Monkey D. Dragon was sitting in Crocodile’s office?”

“Mmhm,” you nodded, “Apparently, they were a thing back in the day.”

“That part, I knew,” Mihawk brushed you off, “But what does Dragon have to do with anything?”

“He and I were talking for a while,” you thought back to the night you met Dragon. He was a little scary, but you also had the Cross Guild on your side, so you weren’t entirely afraid, “And we got to know each other and I made a friend.”

“That’s sweet.”

“But it gets better,” you added, “Because since it’s our last night in Alabasta, I was thinking maybe I could have my cake and eat it, too.”

“How so?” Mihawk wondered. But then, out of nowhere, a sudden outburst came from him, “There you are, you pain in my ass!”

“Love you, too, Mihawk,” Buggy snapped at him, “What did I do?”

“Boys!” you barked out, “No. We’re not having that.”

“Oh!” Buggy changed his tune, “Hiya, doll! What’s got you on the snail?”

“I was calling to ask if I could orchestrate a threesome with Crocodile and Dragon,” you said so casually, “If that’s alright with you two, of course.”

“Hold the fuck up,” Buggy stopped you, “You’re wanting a threesome and it’s not even with all of us?”

“All of us aren’t together right now,” you pointed out, “So, I thought maybe…”

“YN, are you fucking suicidal?” Mihawk worried, “Do you not realize what would happen to you if you were to go through with something like that?”

“What?” you shrugged so casually.

“Aren’t you adorable,” Mihawk sighed out, “YN, you can barely handle taking Crocodile. You really want to add Dragon to that, too?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Because we want you to come home not split in half!” Buggy squeaked, “Is that too much to ask? Before you do something insane?!”

“What’s going on?” Rayleigh joined in, “What’s with all the yelling?”

“YN wants to have a threesome with a pair of giants because she’s possibly insane,” Mihawk caught him up.

“Damn,” Rayleigh laughed, “Adventurous girl, isn’t she?”

“She can’t stretch like that,” Buggy sputtered out, “She can’t take both of them. I don’t know how big Dragon is, but I know how big Crocodile is. I know how much YN can take. She can’t take both of them.”

“I say, give her a chance,” Rayleigh allowed, “I mean, not that I have a say in it, but if she thinks she can handle it, then let her handle it. I thought you kids had an open relationship anyway.”

“With the three of us, yes,” Mihawk explained, “But not with anyone else.”

“YN can have whatever or whoever she wants!” Vivi slurred, the empty wine bottle in her hand. And you, being the only responsible one in the room, took it away from her.

“Who’s that now?!” Buggy scoffed.

“Forgive me if I’m wrong…” Mihawk assumed, “But YN, was that, by chance, Princess Vivi?”

“It is Princess Vivi!” Vivi squealed. “Hi!”

“Don’t listen to her,” you begged, “She’s a little drunk.”

“Hard to believe,” Buggy grumbled.

“So, the short answer, darling,” Mihawk brought it back, “No. You don’t need to be involved in a threesome between Crocodile and Dragon. That’s just asking for trouble. And there’s a higher chance of you being the one left out more than anything. Trust me. This is for more than just your personal safety. It’s for your emotional wellbeing as well. If you’d like, and I know he’ll agree to it, you could ask one of us to join you then.”

“Well…” you pouted a bit, “I guess that’d be ok. Whose week is next?”

“Your week is next,” Mihawk thought, “And you can have whatever you want then.”

“Alright,” you managed to muster up a smile, “I need to go find Crocodile and apologize. I kind of made a little bit of a scene before I started drinking with Vivi.”

“I’m proud of you for making friends, darling,” Mihawk awed, “But perhaps getting drunk with royalty isn’t the wisest decision.”

“I’m a big girl,” Vivi snapped, “I can do whatever the hell I want!”

“Yes, you can, dear,” Mihawk let her go, “Hurry home. We miss you.”

“We will,” you assured him, “Love you.”

“Love you, too, YN,” both Buggy and Mihawk chimed back at you.

Click…

“I miss them…” your voice broke. But you quickly cleared your throat, “I miss my boys, Vivi.”

“Then, go to the one you have here, YN,” Vivi ordered, “Go to him…I should call her.”

“Call who?” you looked at her strangely.

“Nami…” Vivi sighed out, “I miss her so much…”

“Nami…?” You knew the name. You had only heard it in reference to the Strawhats’ navigator. And you only had spoken with her a few times when Zoro stopped by the castle to see Mihawk. In total, maybe half an hour, “Are you talking about Nami of the Strawhat Pirates?”

“She’s their navigator,” Vivi swooned, “And I miss her so much. I should call her, too.”

“Go ahead,” you insisted, “I’m not going to stop you.”

“Yay!” Vivi took the communicator snail and dialed the right number.

“Thank you for calling the Strawhat Pirates,” the other end spoke, “This is Sanji. How can I help you?”

“Boo!” Vivi groaned, “I didn’t want you the first time, Sanji! Put Nami on!”

“Vivi? Vivi, my angel?!”

“Give me the communicator snail, you moron!” a different voice answered, “Vivi…?”

“NAMI!” Vivi’s face lit up, “Are you anywhere around Alabasta? I miss you. I want you to come over.”

“Hold on,” Nami wondered, “Are you drunk?”

“A little…Does that make me a bad girl…?”

And you took that as your sign to leave Vivi alone. Granted, she was out of booze and you were out of energy, but you hoped she’d be alright on her own. Still, you were a woman on a mission. You needed to find Crocodile. Maybe even Dragon, too. But you needed to make the night right again. Sure enough, you followed the cloud of smoke to the bar. And you knew mistakes were made.

“Crocodile…” you tapped on his shoulder gently, “Can we talk?”

“Oh,” Crocodile jumped a bit, “You want to talk now? You mean, you don’t want to immediately jump to conclusions?”

“Excuse me?” you looked at him strangely. This wasn’t right. Sure, you understood that you and Crocodile didn’t exactly part on good terms the last time you saw each other, but no matter how upset he was with you, Crocodile never talked to you like that.

“You heard me, hic…” Crocodile glared a hole through you, “If you want to leave me, YN, then leave me. Quit letting me dangle.”

“What?” you noticed the empty scotch glass behind him. And you couldn’t help but wonder how many times it had been refilled. You got a better look at his eyes and his flush cheeks, “Crocodile, are you feeling ok?”

“So, now, you care about my feelings?” Crocodile snapped, “Please, hic. Just let me be, YN…”

“Stay here,” you ordered, “I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t fucking bother…”

Yeah. That wasn’t your Crocodile. When you left Crocodile to run off with Vivi, you didn’t leave him alone. He was with only one other person. And funny enough, that one person was nowhere to be found. Until you caught him trying to slink his way out the front door. And without any hesitation, you grabbed the back of his cloak.

“Don’t. You. Fucking. Dare.”

Dragon wasn’t one to cower to anyone. However, there was something in your tone. Something very dark. Something very scary. Something had to have been said to Crocodile to make him think you were going to leave him. And there was only one person to point those fingers at.

“YN…” Dragon couldn’t even look you in the eye, “Hi. So, hey…Too bad about that whole…”

“I don’t even care about that anymore.” Mostly because you already knew the answer was no on the other end. And once you sobered up a little and thought it through, you knew that was only going to be disastrous, “What the hell did you do to my man?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Dragon backed off, “You two got into a fight. You walked off. He asked me if I’d have a drink with him and I said, sure. What the hell? Why not? And that’s when one drink to me turned into about half a dozen for Crocodile and I wasn’t going to stop him. I mean, no one was going to stop him.”

“Dragon…” you growled, “You’re going to go back in there. You’re going to convince Crocodile that I’m not going to leave him. You’re going to tell him I want nothing to do with you anymore. And then, I’m going to take him back to our room at the inn. Do you fucking understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am…”

“Wonderful.”

And that took care of that. You just wanted to take a nice little trip to Alabasta. You wanted to play amongst the royals for the evening. Have a drink or two. Have a nice dinner. Then, you wanted to go back to the inn, have a little something, something with the man you loved, and call it a night. But oh, no. You couldn’t have that. You weren’t allowed nice things. Because Crocodile was mad, depressed, and drunk all at the same time. And it was mostly Dragon’s fault. A little yours. You weren’t stupid. You could take a little accountability here, too. If you wouldn’t have mentioned a threesome, that anger never would’ve happened. But that didn’t mean Dragon didn’t have a hand in stirring the pot either.

“Hey, cutie pie…” Dragon sat down next to Crocodile, “You doing ok?”

“Fuck off, Dragon,” Crocodile shot him down, “I’m in no mood. Besides, you’re half the reason why YN and I are fighting in the first place.”

“What did I do?” Dragon whined, looking back over his shoulder to see you still standing there, waiting on him to fix things.

“You and YN just had to hit it off,” Crocodile pouted, “She’d almost be better off with you instead…”

“What?” Dragon looked to you for some kind of guidance, but you were just as confused as he was.

“No…” you draped your arms around Crocodile’s shoulders, “No, no, no…Crocodile, I don’t want Dragon permanently. When I suggested a little threesome between us, it was more of a one night stand thing. I’d still want to go home with you more than him any day of the week.”

“Bruising the ego a little here, YN…” Dragon grumbled under his breath. But with one little glare from you, he shut his mouth, “Got it…”

“I love you, Crocodile,” you assured him, “I just thought about adding in a little fun.”

“Really…?” Crocodile’s tears mixed in with his scotch.

“Of course,” you wiped that sadness away. And took away his scotch, “I’m sorry I even brought it up.”

“Ok…” Crocodile laid his head on your chest, “I love you, too, Princess…”

“You know,” you cradled him, “I did end up calling Mihawk and Buggy.”

“Oh, yeah?” Crocodile perked up, “What did they have to say?”

“No,” you giggled a bit, “Mostly because it’d be a safety risk for me. They didn’t want me to come home and be split in half. Apparently, if you and Dragon were to have me, I would’ve been split in half.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Dragon agreed.

“And I don’t remember where I asked you to join in the conversation,” you retaliated.

“Didn’t stop you when you wanted me to join you in bed…”

Without another thought, Crocodile decked Dragon right in his face. Of course, it brought the party to a grinding halt. And that’s when Cobra got involved, “What just happened here?”

“Crocodile’s drunk,” you stepped in, doing all the damage control, “Dragon ran his mouth. I’m going to get Crocodile to bed.”

“Feel free to use any of the guest rooms, YN,” Cobra offered, “My palace is your palace.”

“Thank you,” you smiled, “But I really couldn’t do that.”

“What better way to bury the hatchet?” Cobra insisted, “Besides, Crocodile doesn’t look like he’s going to make it to the inn. And I can get one of our doctors to get him started on IV fluids, so he doesn’t wake up so miserable. Rumor has it, you have a long voyage to embark on tomorrow.”

“All the way back to Kuraigana Island,” you nodded.

“You might as well get a good night’s rest,” Cobra allowed, “I can send for your things at the inn if you’d like.”

“Thank you,” you weren’t going to fight him. Mostly because you were already wrecked enough. And as long as he doesn’t know you were getting drunk with his daughter, you were in the clear, “That’s very generous of you, Your Majesty. I appreciate it.”

“Please,” Cobra smiled with you, “Call me Cobra. I would call us friends now. No need for formal titles.”

“Thank you, Cobra,” you gave him a grateful nod, throwing Crocodile’s arm around your shoulders, “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Yes, please…” Crocodile’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier as he took another step.

“THEY’RE COMING!” Vivi squealed down the hall, “THEY’RE COMING! THEY’RE NOT TOO FAR OUT! THEY’RE COMING! YAY!”

“Who’s coming, Vivi?” Cobra wondered.

“THE STRAWHATS ARE COMING!” Vivi couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.

“Ok,” you picked up the pace. Because the last thing Crocodile needed to do was deal with the Strawhats, too. It had already been a long night. Something about having Dragon and Luffy under the same roof as Crocodile felt a little concerning. Unfortunately, you weren’t getting any, but as long as Crocodile made it to bed safely, you’d be happy.

You found your way to an empty bedroom and got Crocodile onto the bed. And that’s when he decided flirting with you was a good idea, “You’re really trying to get me naked right now, Princess?”

“In a manner of speaking,” you admitted, taking his jacket off, “Yes.”

“And here I thought we weren’t fucking tonight,” Crocodile tried to wink at you, but it just came across as him blinking. And yet, you loved him all the same.

“We’re not,” you stood your ground, “Croccy, sweetheart, you’re drunk. I’m drunk. If we would’ve negotiated something beforehand, then I’d be all for it.”

“You know,” Crocodile awed, “If you would’ve gotten me another couple shots, I probably could’ve powered through us throwing Dragon into the mix.”

“But it still wouldn’t be right,” you held his face between your hands, “Because I didn’t get the ok from Mihawk and Buggy. It would’ve been cheating and it would’ve been wrong. And we’re not going to do that. You’re going to let me take your pants off.”

“I’m really getting some mixed messages here, YN,” Crocodile swooned, watching you slide his pants down his legs, “Are we banging tonight or not?”

“Not,” you assured him, taking your own spot on your knees on the bed. And you started pulling little elastics out of Crocodile’s hair as gently as possible, “My kingdom for a pair of little scissors…”

“I don’t know what I was thinking,” Crocodile started to relax a bit, “You wouldn’t leave me…”

“Of course, I wouldn’t,” you kissed his cheek, “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“No…” Crocodile shut his eyes, “You love me.”

“I do,” you confirmed, pulling your first braid out.

“Uuuugggghhh…” Crocodile groaned, “That was almost better than sex.”

“That’s because I spoil you,” you pulled out the next one.

“Excuse me…” one of the palace’s housekeeping staff came into the room, “Miss YN?”

“Yes?” you stuck your head around the corner, “Did you need me for something?”

“Your luggage from the inn just arrived,” she brought in a cart with both yours and Crocodile’s bags on it.

“Thank you,” you gave her a nod, “You can leave it anywhere. I’ll take care of it.”

“Would you like me to unpack it, Miss?”

“No, thank you,” you shot her down, “We’re leaving in the morning anyway. There’s no sense.”

“Alright,” she bowed, “There’s going to be a doctor in shortly for Mr. Crocodile’s IV. Is that ok?”

“Yes,” you agreed, “That’s fine. Thank you.”

“Wait,” Crocodile grabbed your arm, “What am I getting an IV for?”

“So, you’re not hungover as a motherfucker tomorrow,” you explained, “It’s alright. Cobra’s a hell of a guy.”

“He is,” Crocodile confirmed, “You know, before I held Alabasta hostage, he was a good friend. The people of Alabasta are lucky to have a guy like Cobra. Good for them. But then, I had to be such a dick to them. Shame on me. They didn’t do anything.”

“Alright, sweetheart,” you pulled out the last of Crocodile’s braids and scratched his scalp, putting him a little more at ease, “Why don’t you just lay down for a while, yeah? Maybe shut your eyes? Get some sleep?”

“Ok…” Crocodile shut his eyes and got comfortable, “Mmm…I love you, YN. You’re so good to me.”

“Yes, I am,” you kissed his forehead and laid down next to him. Only for him to flop his head over onto your chest. And mashed your boob down.

“Mmm…” Crocodile smiled, “Pillow…”

“That pillow isn’t a pillow,” you winced, not appreciating the sudden pain, “You know the rule. If you’re going to lay on my boobs, at least lay in the gap between them.”

“And if I suffocate,” Crocodile moved his head just a little bit. Enough to where he wasn’t squishing you anymore, “Hell of a way to die.”

“You’re not suffocating,” you rolled your eyes. He was drunk. He got a pass. You put your hand on the back of his head, holding him close and steady, “You’ll be fine, Croccy. You’ll be fine.”

“As long as I got you…” Crocodile was just about asleep. If you gave it another couple seconds…

And he was down. The scotch had taken its hold and Crocodile was sleeping like a baby. It was all you could ask for. Well, at least until the door creaked open. And you had a feeling it was the doctor coming in with Crocodile’s IV of saline. But you didn’t hear the squeaky wheels of the IV stand.

“Hey…” a familiar voice spoke softly, “Mind if I come in?”

“I actually do,” your eyes burned a hole in the side of Dragon’s head, “He just fell asleep.”

“I didn’t want to talk to him,” Dragon kept walking in, “I wanted to talk to you. At least before I leave.”

“What?” you wondered, “Not sticking around to see Luffy?”

“Probably not the greatest idea,” Dragon admitted, “But I wanted to apologize. I didn’t realize I would’ve caused so much trouble here. I hope things are good with you two now.”

“Oh, yeah,” you looked down at the sleeping angel in your arms, “We’re good. Thank you, Dragon. And if you’re ever around Kuraigana Island, feel free to stop by. Granted, we’re not going to have sex with each other and something tells me Mihawk and Buggy wouldn’t be thrilled about it either. But I’m glad we were friends here. And I’d hate for that friendship to be a one time thing.”

“I just might take you up on that,” Dragon cracked a smile.

“Excuse me…” the doctor came in with the squeaky wheeled IV stand you were waiting for.

“Sorry,” Dragon got out of the way, “What’s that for?”

“A hangover cure for Crocodile,” you explained, “Since we have to leave in the morning.”

“Oh,” Dragon gave you a nod, “So, I’ll just leave you to it then.”

“Good night, Dragon,” you waved him off.

“Good night,” Dragon started heading off.

“Hello?” a familiar voice chimed at the door, “Vivi? Are you in here?”

“She’s not in here,” Dragon shot him down, “Keep your voice down, kid.”

“Dad!”

Dragon immediately got your intruder out of the room before things could get weird. And yet, it was enough for Crocodile to partially wake up. Just as the doctor stuck the needle in his arm, “YN…”

“Yeah, sweetheart?” you pushed his hair out of his face. Not something you got to do often, so you appreciated the novelty.

“Am I really that fucked up,” Crocodile wondered, “Or did I just hear Luffy at the door?”

“Vivi did say the Strawhats were on their way,” you explained, “She was on a call with Nami when I left her. I’m guessing they’re here already.”

“I shouldn’t have let Dragon take Luffy away from me…” Crocodile wept, “But goddamn…That IV feels good.”

“It should,” you settled him, “Don’t worry about it right now, Crocodile. Just get some sleep.”

“I left him…” Crocodile’s tears kicked back up, “I left my baby…”

“Don’t listen to him,” you turned to the doctor, “He’s drunk and delirious and he’s been saying crazy shit all night.”

“I’m sure he has,” the doctor chalked it up to Crocodile’s inebriation and watched as he finished the bag of saline, “Should I do you as well, dear?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” you turned him down, “But could you give us a minute alone?”

“Of course,” the doctor pulled the needle out of Crocodile’s arm and bandaged him up before he left.

“What kind of terrible mother am I?” Crocodile wept, “I left my baby in the hands of an asshole.”

“Dragon’s not that bad,” you pulled the blanket over him.

“Not Dragon,” Crocodile clarified, “Garp. He’s ten times worse than Dragon. And even Garp passed Luffy along. That’s how Mihawk’s ex’s girlfriend ended up with him. Am I a terrible mother, YN?”

“You did the best you could with what you had at the time,” you comforted him.

“I should go talk to him,” Crocodile tried to sit up, but he didn’t have the strength.

“No, you should go to sleep,” you demanded, “You can’t talk to Luffy when you’re tired. You don’t want to fall asleep on him, do you?”

“Didn’t he have a brother that was narcoleptic?”

“Go to sleep, Crocodile,” you gave him one last kiss, “I’ll still be here in the morning, alright?”

“Promise…?”

“I promise,” you cuddled into Crocodile’s side and shut your eyes, “Good night, Croccy…”

“Good night, Princess…”

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