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"My treasure? If you want it, I'll let you have it." They're captain chuckled as he smiled proudly, fear of death.
Those words sent thousands of people running to the sea, hoping to make a name for themselves.
"Buggy?" Shanks called out, his eyes red from crying. They had escaped during the commotion and hid in a nearby alleyway.
Buggy sucked in a sharp breath as he faced away from Shanks. "Your not gonna be pirate king?" He said in a shaky breath.
Shanks scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "I changed my mind....for now at least. I'm not ready to get it yet."
"I'm leaving" he said with his head down, he wasn't sure if it was the rain making his face wet, or his tears.
The redhead looked at him confused, "well obviously Buggs, we can't stay. The marine-"
"No I mean, I'm leaving. Me. Alone"
Shank's eyes widened and he chuckled nervously, "c'mon Blue" he said, pulling out the nickname. "This isn't funny." Roger died, and the others just left, he couldn't lose anyone else. Not Buggy, especially not Buggy.
Buggy clicked his tounge, "it's not supposed to. Don't you remember? We promised to have our own crews." The promised they made when they were younger, Shanks of course took it back a few years later and practically dubbed Buggy as his first mate, ignoring the others whines.
"Buggy!" Shanks said, angry and irritated, "Look I get it, I can do all the preparations on my own. Haha, I'll do all the work! So just..." Shanks said as he desperately reached out to Buggy.
Which only resulted in his hand getting slapped away.
"Captain is dead, the crew left. Shanks, I have nothing to do with you anymore." He said emptily. "Don't bullshit me with childish dreams."
"Buggy I can fix this! I-I'll get us a ship, then we can be co-captains! Heck you can even be the captain and I'll be your first mate. You want that right? We'll find that treasure you always wanted, make a name for ourselves!" Shanks continued to ramble, a fake smile plastered on his face.
Buggy hated that, hated how Shanks thinks he can fix this, how Shanks believes that he always has to protect Buggy, to smile for Buggy. Hates how Shanks is stronger. Hates how Shanks isn't trying to fight to be king.
"Shanks!" Buggy shouted, stopping the red head from his rambles, Buggy was gonna hate himself for what he was about to do, but he knew that this was what he had to do.
"Blue please...." He said brokenly. "I get it your angry-"
"Of course I'm fucking angry Shanks! You know what? I'm not even gonna argue, we're done. Next time we meet Shanks, you and I are enemies! I don't ever want to see your stupid face, ever again!" Buggy said, he felt betrayed, how dare Shanks not honour Roger's dream. He was supposed to be the next king.
I misjudged you Shanks.
"...Alright then, Do what you want to do Buggy."
And with those words Buggy left, he left Shanks. That day the Roger pirates were no more....Blue and Red were no more.
______________________
Shanks was on the verge of becoming a Yonko, of course he was, he was red haired Shanks. Although he may be recognised as a Yonko, he still had a few years to prepare before actually gaining the title.
That didn't stop him and his crew from deciding to party about it. Unsurprisingly enough only the senior members of his crew were sober the next day, so he was tasked with restocking the booze.
He hummed through the streets of Louguetown, feeling nostalgic as he took a look at the surroundings.
He wasn't that small cabin boy anymore, he was a real threat to the World Government, Red Haired Shanks. Still, it pained him that there wasn't a certain blue haired clown with him.
The last he ever heard of Buggy after their.... disagreement, was on a newspaper. Shanks wasn't surprised to see Buggy with a low bounty, well lower than what he could've been.
Buggy was smarter, more cunning than Shanks, sure Shanks involved himself in world politics and other stuff, but Buggy was a survivor. He knew how to wait and play his cards right. Buggy preferred to live a quiet life, he was a coward, cunning, but a coward. The red head laughed fondly as he recalled Buggy...
Buggy...
Buggy....
"Captain Buggy!"
Shanks blinked and turned his head so quickly that the civilians next to him looked at him with worry.
No it can't be....
As he used his observation haki, he saw him, Blue. It was his Blue.
Okay he totally wasn't panicking.
'I don't ever want to see you stupid face, ever again!' He recalled Buggy's last words to him.
Shanks, Red Haired Shanks, the man even the World Government feared: was hiding behind barrels of booze from a small time East Blue pirate.
Okay so maybe Shanks was a little scared but how could he not, he hasn't seen Buggy in 5 years, 7 months, and 18 days.
And no he is NOT obsessed or down bad. He just really missed his Blue.
So what if Shanks followed him around town, feeling jealous of Buggy's new crew, and maybe he did use his Haki to trip any guys that were getting a little too close to the clown. But in his defense, what kind of crew mate would look at his captain while blushing?
Shanks followed Buggy to an abandoned bar, why did he go here? Shank's asked himself. But before he could react the Clown threw knives at his direction, luckily he was hiding behind the door at the entrance of the bar, so he didn't get hit.
"Show yourself you asshole." Buggy said as he sat down begrudgingly, although the bar was abandoned, there was still some good looking booze, which Buggy happily opened.
"Hey Buggs." Shanks said sheepishly, acting cool.
Buggy rolled his eyes and poured him a drink, "So mind explaining why you were following me around all day?"
"...you know why." He said as he took a sip, "I missed you Blu- Buggy."
The Clown turned away, "Yeah...I know." He said in a empty voice.
Shanks wasn't dumb, no matter how much his former crew mate acted tough, he knew that Buggy was tired, and he didn't know what to do.
"I wanted to go with you."
The red head snapped his neck towards him, eyes widened with confusion and sadness.
"But you didn't cause you were to insecure, cause I was the talented one, the stronger one. Right? Buggy you know I don't care about that, and neither should you." Shanks, as always didn't like beating around the bush.
"Easy for you to say, Shanks look at me. I was part of the legendary Pirate King's crew, and yet I preferred to keep a low profile rather than use that to an advantage and gain a stronger and more adventurous life." Buggy said with a frown.
"...you were supposed to be king, Shanks. Roger choose you."
Shanks have him a guilty smile, "I know..."
"I can't fight. I'm always running. I'm dumb. I prefer tricks from the shadows then being out there on the front lines. I'm a....coward, And you? Your Red Haired Shanks, the man who even the World Government is wary of...I'm nobody-" he continued, Shanks didn't like that. He hated whenever his friend would lower himself like this.
"Buggy oh my seas, Shut up!" Shanks said hitting him on the head.
"Hey what the fuck!? Did you just hit me!? With Haki no less!" He yelled back.
"I said shut up!" He grabbed the collar of Buggy's shirt and pinned him against the wall of the abandoned bar, dust fell on their shoulders as he did.
"So what if your not the best fighter? You say you playing tricks from the shadows is cowardice? How dare you! That's your speciality Buggy! Rouge-san taught you that! Your dumb? Buggs you've been fooling the marines for years, and don't you dare say being dumb was an insult. Look at our captain, he was dumb and he was the best pirate around! And plus, you were always smarter than me. Sure I'm battle smart, but when it comes to other shit it's you who always saves the day! Remember when I kept losing to that one carnival game, and it was you who explained that it was rigged?" Shanks was panting a bit as he slowly let go of Buggy.
"Buggy you mean the world to me, more than any treasure." He said as he tenderly cupped the others face. "don't say stuff about yourself like that."
Buggy could only pull away from his touch and avoid his gaze, "S-Stop saying such stupid shit! Y-You damn Ginger!"
"Buggy c'mon, everyone that meets you knows-"
"What did you say about my nose!?" He said angry and shaking Shanks offendedly.
"I didn't- Geez Buggs. I love your nose, if anything I'd love to stare at it all day."
On cue the Clown turned as red as the shade of his nose. Seeing how this made him shut up and listen for once, Shanks took advantage of the situation.
"I love how red it is"
"Y-You!"
"I love how Blue you hair is." Shanks said, he took a lock of Buggy's hair and kissed it, making the clown even more red.
"It reminds me of the sea, it shows how you of all people are the sea's child. How you of all people are the captain's sworn son. Don't ever doubt yourself Blue." Buggy didn't know how to react, all he did was shut up and listen as Shanks showers him with compliments.
They don't even remember how they ended up in eachothers arms, crying and kissing. The world just for the two of them as time stopped in the little bar they met up in.
"Shanks...." He said as he let himself be held by Shanks, his head resting on the others chest as they both held eachother.
"I'm not gonna ask you to come with me Buggs, but...maybe keep in touch?" He said with a shit eating grin.
The Clown huffed as he wiped a few tears away. "Well obviously you idiot, I'm gonna have to talk to you if we're gonna be dating."
He could feel the way Shanks tenses, his arms around him loosen and he stares at Buggy with wide eyes. "Dating"
Oh shit, Buggy felt his heart drop. "O-Oh, I mean if that's not- oh I- well." He said now flustered and embarrassed.
"Buggy!" Shanks interrupted him by putting his hands on his shoulders while giving him the biggest love-sick smile, heck even bigger than Roger's whenever he was around Rouge. It made Buggy's heart skip 100 beats.
"I love you too!" Shanks said as he wrapped his arms tighter around Buggy.
"H-Hey! Your hugging me to tight you asshole!" Buggy said detaching his hands to try to get away, which of course didn't stop the red head from hugging him tighter.
Shanks then kisses his neck, causing the clown to yelp, "you have to say it back, Boyfriend~" he teased.
Buggy turned red and shut up as he looked away, "I...well..."
"Well?"
"I-I love you to, Red." He saw the way Shanks brightened up and smiled, like a dog wagging its tail happily. Buggy couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Shanks nuzzled his face into Buggy's neck. "I'm really sorry Blue, I wasn't ready. And the captain-"
"Just shut up you stupid bastard, I...I get why. It hurt but I get it." He mumbled as he patted Shank's head.
"Can I kiss you?"
"....yeah, go ahead." He said, his breath stopping as Shanks was only inches away from his face. Before he knew it they were kissing, neither of them willing to part as their tounges dances together.
Yeah, everything was gonna be fine.