The low light in the bar left them both shrouded in darkness, heads down against the wood of the bar, next to the booze they were sharing.
"You know you two, attempting to drown yourselves in the same keg won't take away any pain" An exasperated voice called from behind them.
Buggy turned, rubbing at the raw skin around his eyes, tears still threatening to appear again. Before him stood a tall woman with Peridot green hair curled up into two wing-like tips around either side of her face - wearing an apron – the barmaid.
A muffled "So what" was uttered from the bar where his cre- no, ex-crewmate was face down in his alcohol in denial. The two of them had been like this for a week, spending each day holed up in the same bar, on the same stools, attempting to drink away their sorrow. They were so out of it that they hadn't argued once in that length of time.
"You'll regret it in the end you know, a whole week of drinking gives you one hell of a hangover", she cautioned.
Once again the red-haired keg gremlin raised his head and uttered a quiet few words.
"Who gives a shit", she ignored him.
"I suppose you two were on his crew then. Nearly everyone else has finally stopped their partying or drinking but we still have you two and that bunch of seniors in the corner in every day" She pointed out, throwing the hand not carrying a tray of drinks over her shoulder, gesturing to the older ex-crew members in a single booth in the corner.
Buggy gave a slight nod, not meeting her eyes in case he started crying again.
She gave a small, knowing smile, "Listen, I'll cut you two a deal, let me clock off, then I'll pay for the rest of your alcohol binge if you stop trying to drown yourselves in it, you let me join in and you're willing to just sit down and talk about your feelings" She bargained.
They both stopped to consider for a minute, the head on the bar bobbing slightly and Buggy unconsciously raising a hand to his chin to think.
"Alright" came the reply.
The bar had become quiet enough by this time that she was able to spend all her time with the two.
They had told her the truth behind their late Captain, albeit it was through fragmented and slurred words.
She broke the silence "He sounds like he was a great man- far better than the Marines made him out to be".
"He was" Buggy attested, a sombre smile coming to rest on his face, the threat of tears long gone.
Shanks hadn't quite lost his grip on the keg and his mug, but had at least raised his head from the wooden surface of the bar – seemingly having perked up.
She peered downwards, swirling her drink in the tankard she held. Her sixth since she sat down with the pair.
"I never introduced myself did I" She pondered, suddenly raising her head and moving her free hand out to shake with Buggy's.
"Carina Ducrosse, gymnast, barmaid, odd job completer extraordinaire at your service"
Buggy shook her hand.
Suddenly, he sputtered and made a strange face. "Gymnast!? How'd you end up here?".
"ah" She replied "Long story. Essentially ran away from my shit family, they mistreated the animals and were real dickbags to the other performers that weren't blood-related to us".
He nodded in understanding. Then he sputtered and made the same strange face, Shanks looked as if he was about to poke Buggy, just to see if he'd get stuck that way.
"Performers!? Animals!?"
"Ah." Was the response "my piece a' shit family runs Circus Trinity Aeon. They tour around the Blues buying people to use in a freakshow and mistreating both their performers and their animals. They get away with it because the celestial dragons just love it." Her tone grew angrier as she began to rant.
"Those bastard nobles shot and killed my best friend because she wasn't prepared to do her act on the spot for them and once they did that, one of 'em decided I should be one of his wives– tried to drag me away with him- and all my family did was smile and wave... smile and wave".
She sighed, clenching her tankard tightly with both hands.
"I slipped out of their grip and ran; really I'm lucky to have gotten away. It just upsets me because I can't perform any more- I loved it, but I'm too recognisable, too well-known. If I took up any sort of performance art - Silks, Contortionism, Acrobatics – they'd be on my tail in a second."
She scowled at her drink, swirling it once again.
Not meeting his eyes she mumbled barely comprehensible words. "Even if they were complete shit, I still miss 'em. Miss the family I grew up with, my other friends. Heck, they're still there being mistreated and I'm here sitting on my ass wishing I could perform" She laughed bitterly.
Carina paused, contemplating all she had said.
"Damn. I'm sorry, I'm a talkative drunk" She cursed.
Buggy just nodded in response, patting her lightly on the back.
"We've all been through a lot, lost a lot of people. Maybe we should just be glad we're here".
Shanks raised his mug grimly, "Ain't that the truth".
Thankyou for reading! This is my baby oneshot, please treat her well!
I'm open to all criticism aside from 'THIS IS BAD!' with no reasoning whatsoever.
This is currently only a oneshot, but if enough interest is shown I'd be happy to create a series. If it did become a series it would definitely be a Buggy/OC fic.
Love Faustitas x