Archive of Our Own ^beta

It’s been weeks but now Crocodile was sure of it. Mihawk and Buggy were preparing something. Crocodile could feel it to his bones. 

Mihawk, Buggy and he had started dating months ago and now Crocodile could feel something had changed. 

It wasn’t a big change and that’s why Crocodile hadn’t noticed sooner but now he was sure of it.

His partners were avoiding him. 

They started to change a couple of days ago. Mihawk spent less time in bed and wouldn’t spend time with Crocodile nor read in his tent. Mihawk didn’t talk but Crocodile liked feeling his presence next to him. Every time Crocodile tried to invite him, Mihawk simply refused or said he had other plans. 

Buggy on the other hand kissed Crocodile less than usual. At first, Crocodile had appreciated it but now he found himself craving for the clown’s lips. Buggy touched him less too. Usually Crocodile at always a part of Buggy with him. Either one of his hands and an ear. Now and for a couple of days, Buggy was reticent at letting a part of him with Crocodile.

At first, naively Crocodile had thought his partners were just busy and everything would come back to normal but he felt the distance settle between them.

Today was the last straw. Crocodile was tired and would talk to his lovers. He first thought about asking if something was wrong in bed when it was just the three of them but his plan had brilliantly failed. 

He had slowly woken up from the eventful night they had passed making Buggy cry and beg for orgasms. Usually after those nights, they eat breakfast together. Mihawk only drank a coffee but he would do it while petting Buggy’s hair or braiding them. Buggy would sleep until noon and complained about his sore muscles and back pain. 

This would be the perfect time to talk.

But this morning was different. This morning Mihawk quickly drank his coffee and left for training. He only gives them a quick kiss before leaving making Crocodile raise his eyebrows. Mihawk loved making Buggy moan and took every opportunity to do it. 

And then Buggy woke up rubbing his eyes, he absently kissed Crocodile on the cheek and left the bed leaving the man alone in bed. 

Crocodile didn’t know what to do or say. The bed felt so cold without his lovers. Maybe this morning they were in a hurry and will talk to them later. 

He spends the rest of the morning lost in his thoughts wondering if his partners are okay. 

After eating breakfast alone, like usual, he went to his office and read the newspapers Mihawk had first read. Mihawk always left a little paper with notes on each article that was important. Today Mihawk only wrote two words. “Nothing interesting.”

Crocodile was about to start reading the journal when he received a call from his personal den den mushi. 

“Boss? I found her. She doesn’t want to come with me.”

Crocodile sighed. After Cobra’s death, Daz on Crocodile’s order left the Cross Guild to look after Princess Vivi. A part of him was relieved when Daz said he had found her. It’s true Crocodile had tried to kill her in the past but when he looked at her disappearance poster, Crocodile could only see the little seven-year-old asking for his help with homework. 

It wouldn’t be the first time Crocodile had tried to kill a person he cared about.

“She’s injured?”

“No.”

“Alabasta isn’t safe for her.”

“I already told her that. She wants to go with Straw Hat.”

Crocodile sighed again. “Accompany her and come back once she’s with them.”

“Got it. I’ll try to be back in time.” and Daz hung up

Crocodile slightly frowned. In time? It was weird but Crocodile had stopped worrying about Daz a long time ago. At least Vivi was safe and soon enough she would be with Straw Hat. Maybe if Crocodile was lucky, he would be able to see Luffy again. 

Crocodile started reading the journal but as Mihawk noted, nothing important happened. He started working on reports but since he couldn’t focus he left his tent to walk. 

He started to walk to Mihawk’s training area but found it empty. He went to their personal tent in case Mihawk had decided to go back to bed taking a bap but it was also empty. 

Back in the clown’s city, Crocodile walked toward the library tent. If Mihawk wasn’t in bed or the training area then Crocodile was sure he would be reading a book. He was about to enter the library tent when Mr. 3 ran to him. “Boss! It’s been such a long time since you hadn’t spent time with the bananawani! I’m going to feed them, you should come with me!”

Crocodile raised an eyebrow. Mr.3 was clearly nervous and uncomfortable. “Are you giving me an order Mr.3?”

Crocodile saw a drop of sweat rolling down Mr.3’s forehead. “Of course not boss! I was just wondering if you would like to come with me.” Mr. 3 tried to smile but for Crocodile, it looked more like a grimace.

He tried to make a step toward the library tent but Mr. 3 put himself in front of him. “Please boss just come with me. The bananawani miss you a lot, it would be good for them to see you.”

Crocodile narrowed his eyes and sighed. “Fine but you’re better not waste my time.”

He spent the rest of the morning with Mr.3 and the bananawani and every time he tried to leave, Mr. 3 would glue himself to his arm and show him something pointless about his crocodiles. 

Something was happening and Crocodile would find what. 

— — —

Crocodile looked at his plate full of food but didn’t have the heart to eat. He was alone in his office for lunch and he hated that. 

Usually, around lunch Buggy came bothering him in his tent, claiming Crocodile needed to take a break and eat. Then they would eat together, the three of them after Mihawk had cooked a delicious dish. But today it had been different. Today, it’s Crocodile who went searching after Buggy. He found the clown talking to his men but stopped talking the second he saw him. 

Buggy ran to him and quickly kissed him. “Croccy? What are you doing here? You never came here.”

It’s true he never went to that part of the Buggy’s town but because it was Buggy’s space and Crocodile respected it. 

Crocodile looked at Buggy’s men behind him and they all avoided his gaze. He looked back at Buggy and softly spoke so no one besides the clown could hear. “It’s lunchtime, I thought we could go eat together. I hadn’t seen you or Mihawk since we left the bed.”

“Oh.” Buggy blushed and avoided his gaze. “Well, I already ate and Hawky too, you could ask the chef to make you something.”

Crocodile felt his stomach torn apart. They had eaten without him. It shouldn’t be important. Both of his lovers could eat with or without him but still, it hurt. 

Crocodile turned his head and started to walk away. “I will, have a good afternoon clown.”

It hurts even more when Buggy doesn’t do anything to stop him.

— — —

Buggy was like the sun, always shining and giving Crocodile hope their plan would work. Mihawk was the moon, the only one in the darkness, the one Crocodile knew would watch his back and protect their clown if Crocodile couldn’t. 

Crocodile didn’t want to think about it but what if his lovers didn’t want him anymore.?

What if Mihawk and Buggy were disguised by him? By his actions, his personality? His body?

No, they wouldn’t do that. Buggy said countless times he loved him and even if Mihawk wasn’t vocal, he always showed him through his actions. 

They loved him. Crocodile was sure of it. 

Or was he?

— — —

After lunch, Crocodile needed to fight something. He had enough of reports and sitting behind his desk looking at papers. 

He tried to look after Mihawk to spar together but the swordsman was nowhere to be found. After an hour, Crocodile finally found his lover. To his surprise, Mihawk wasn’t training or cleaning Yoru. The swordsman had his nose buried into a cooking book. 

Crocodile slightly frowned and tilted his head. He tried to read the recipe but Mihawk abruptly closed the book.

“Darling.”

“Buggy told me you already eat.”

“I did.”

“Then why are you reading a cooking book?”

Mihawk blinked. Sometimes Crocodile caught himself thinking Mihawk acted like the vampires he read in books he borrowed to Iva or Bon Clay. “I was just looking for something.”

“And did you find it?”

“I did. Were you looking after me?”

Crocodile nodded. “I was, do you want to train with me?”

Mihawk glanced at the book and back at Crocodile. “I would want to.”

Crocodile tried not to sigh. “But you prefer to read your cooking book.”

“I do, we could train tomorrow together?”

Crocodile looked away. “Yeah, unless you’re busy again with your cooking book.”

Mihawk frowned and pinched his lips. “I promise we will spend time together tomorrow darling.”

“If you say so.”

Mihawk advanced and softly captured Crocodile’s lips. “I promise to you, tomorrow I will only belong to you. We will spend our day together.”

“The clown will be busy.”

“Believe me, darling, our lover will stay with us.” Mihawk kissed him again. “Don’t worry about anything. Tomorrow will be just about us.”

Crocodile tried really hard to believe his lover but somehow he couldn’t. Because of his past, Crocodile learned not to believe in beautiful promises.

— — —

After Crocodile left Mihawk to his cooking book, he walked into Clown’s town. Then suddenly 

he caught a conversation between Buggy and Mohji. Buggy was trying to whisper but Crocodile could still hear everything.

“You’re sure everything is ready for tomorrow?”

“Yes, Captain Buggy! The ship is finished and ready to sail!”

Crocodile swallowed the lump in his throat. Was Buggy planning to leave? 

No. Buggy wouldn’t leave without telling them or his men. Maybe he and Mihawk had a plan and Crocodile didn’t know about it yet. But why wouldn’t he know? Every time Buggy was about to do something reckless and Crocodile didn’t know, Mihawk would take great pleasure in warning him. 

Buggy could get himself lost in his own pretty head and both Mihawk and Crocodile made sure to be there and catch him before he would go too far.

Crocodile stepped out from the shadows and growled. “Everything is alright?”

Both Buggy and Mohji jolted. Buggy tried to smile. “Croccy! I thought you were in your office.”

“I was but I needed some fresh air. What you and Mohji were talking about?”

Buggy’s eyes widened. He looked away smiling nervously. “Nothing important don’t worry Croccy.”

Crocodile narrowed his eyes. “I heard you talking about a ship. Is something wrong with the Big Top Blaster?”

Buggy panicked even more. “A ship? Of course not, I would never talk about a ship why would I?” he looked at Mohji. “Right? Why would we talk about a ship?”

Crocodile felt his blood boil. “Do what you want I don’t care clown.”

Buggy flinched. Crocodile started to walk away and unlike early in the day, Buggy tried to stop him. “Hold on, Croccy if something is wrong?” he caught his arms. “You look angry Croccy.”

Crocodile violently pulled out his arm from Buggy’s grip. “Leave me alone clown, I don’t want to see your face anymore.” and left Buggy alone with Mohji. 

If Buggy wanted to lie to his face it only proved Crocodile he was right. 

He couldn’t trust his lovers.

And fuck it hurt.

— — —

“Darling?”

Crocodile didn’t look up his papers. Mihawk had entered his tent and was frowning. He didn’t know why but the swordsman looked upset. For once he was without Yoru or his hat or coat. He was simply wearing a white shirt with dark pants. Crocodile tried not to stare at his lover.

Mihawk like Buggy was stunning. 

Mihawk spoke again. “Are you alright? Buggy told me you were upset?”

Crocodile stopped reading Daz’s report on Vivi’s rescue. “Buggy talked to you?”

“Yes, he told the two of you had a discussion and you left angry. Buggy thinks he made a mistake and he’s quite distraught. He’s worried about you.”

He didn’t know why but knowing his lovers talked about him behind his back made his blood boil. They didn’t have time for him but apparently had enough to chatter about him.

For how long they had played with him? Since when they had started planning to betray him? 

Crocodile growled. “He might be worried but not enough to lie to my face.”

Mihawk frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Crocodile raised his gaze. “I heard him talking to Mohji about a ship and when I confronted him, clown lied to my face and said he never spoke about a ship. So now swordsman, get out of my tent.”

“I’m not leaving. You are upset and I want to fix it.”

“There is nothing to fix so back to the clown-”

“Stop calling him that!” Mihawk clenched his fist. “Stop calling him clown and stop using that word like it’s an insult. Buggy is our lover, not an insignificant nobody.”

Crocodile growled. He was hurt. Why was Mihawk defending Buggy and not him? 

Deep down, he knew it was too good to be true. Mihawk and Buggy lightened his world when he knew Crocodile only belonged and deserved the shadow. He deserved to be alone. 

Mihawk and Buggy deserved each other. 

Unlike him, they didn’t need him.

He had made the foolish mistake of trusting them, to love them, to give his heart eyes closed and it was now time to pay the price. 

It was going to hurt intensely but he had to. He had to leave. 

Mihawk and Buggy were trying to push him away gently and when Crocodile was attacked, well the best defense was the attack.

“Well, maybe clown is only a lover in your eyes.”

Crocodile saw Mihawk’s face twisting with anger. “What does that mean?”

Before he could answer, Crocodile was cut by another voice. “Yeah, Croccy what does that mean?”

Mihawk’s eyes widened and he turned his head to look behind him. Crocodile pinched his lips. Buggy has changed his clothes from early on. Crocodile could recognize his green shirt on Buggy’s shoulder and Mihawk’s pants. His hair was also different. Earlier Buggy had tied his hair into two high pigtails but now Buggy had done a messy bun. His makeup had also been taking off but Crocodile could his mascara had run. 

Did Buggy cry? Why?

“I said-”

“I heard what you said.” Buggy entered and started to walk toward them. “What I want to know is what you meant.”

Mihawk took Buggy’s hand in his. “Love, you should go back to bed.”

Buggy shook his head. “No. What did you mean Croccy?” he bit his bottom lip. “I’m not your lover?”

Crocodile saw Buggy’s eyes watering and he hated it. He hated seeing his harlequin sad. 

Buggy as Mihawk deserved better.

“You purposely lied to me. Both of you had been avoiding him for the past few days. I know when I’m not wanted. You’re going to betray me I just know it. If I can’t trust you, there is no point in this relationship. So no clown you aren’t-”

Before Crocodile could finish his sentence, Buggy detached himself from his feet and flew to you. He held him tight and Crocodile could feel tears falling on his neck.

“The ship was a surprise for our anniversary idiot.” Buggy buried his nose into Crocodile’s neck. “Hawky and I made build a ship for you.”

“Our anniversary?”

Crocodile didn’t understand. What did Buggy mean? His birthday was several months later, so he didn’t need a gift. He didn’t deserve them. 

Mihawk softly spoke. “Tomorrow will be our six-month anniversary darling. We wanted to surprise you.” 

Crocodile frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me? I don’t have any gifts prepared for you.”

Did they not say anything on purpose so Crocodile could be like a fool and embarrass himself in front of them?

Buggy sob. “We wanted to spoil you this time. You always buy everything we want. Clothes, jewelry, makeup, weapons. You spoil us so much Croccy, we just wanted to do something for you.” Buggy cupped his face and looked at him. “We love you so much Croccy. Next time something is wrong, please tell us. I promise we won’t lie ever again. We won’t make surprise gifts anymore I swear. Just please, stay with us. We love you, we want you. We trust you so please trust us back. Trust us to love you.”

Mihawk advanced and took them in his arms. “Darling, please listen to Love. We love you.”

Buggy nodded furiously. “No matter the universe we love you.” and hugged him back again. 

Crocodile melted into his lovers’ arms. He whispered. “I love you both too.”

Against his skin, he felt his lovers smiling. Maybe he had the right to be happy, he just needed to trust his lovers.      

They spend the rest of the evening together and as Mihawk promised, the next day, he and Buggy only belong to Crocodile. He spends the day talking, kissing, or cuddling his lovers. They spend most of the day in bed relaxing in each other’s presence whispering “I love you.” against their skin. 

Buggy was right, no matter the universe Mihawk and Buggy loved Crocodile and Crocodile loved them back.