~Oh I remember the days when this was my OTP _-_~
Disclaimer: I do not own One piece or any character used
The lights of that came from the circus illuminated the dark night. The array of colors dragging in people of all ages with curious eyes to what they may see tonight. They paid for their ticket and looked around in the small booths for the time being.
A group of mischevious boys ran to the entrance of the circus. Each of them taking out some money they were able to gather for the tickets. They present it to the man at the ticket booth and sighed in relief that they were able to buy a ticket for each of them.
One of the boys with red hair decided to go on his own to look around. He stopped beside a juggler who was throwing around three shiny swords. His black colored eyes watched with amazement as the juggler danced around, but at the same time catching the swords that he had threw up into the air, without stopping his little dance.
"Shanks!" One of his friends called out to the redhead boy."Come on! The show is starting"
"Alright!" The redhead boy name 'Shanks' turned away from the juggler and made his way over to his group of friends.
His friends and he followed the other audience into the big top. They grinned as they tried to find a good seat for a good view of the stage.
Shanks and his friends chatted a little before all the lights turned off and one light appeared in the middle of the stage. The Ringmaster welcomed everyone with a huge smile and thanked everyone for coming out to tonight's show.
As usual, the acts that everyone pretty much was familiar with were the first to be performed. But nonetheless, the audience were amazed by them like they've never seen them before in their lives. Shanks grinned when he once again saw the juggler from before coming out, but this time riding on top of a unicycle.
The Juggler with dark green hair and half shaved head, carried out the same swords from before started to throw them around, while at the same time riding around the stage on his unicycle. A smirk playing on his lips as he could see from the corner of his eye at how intently the crowd watched him and his act.
"That's so cool!" Shanks whispered over to his friends, who were just as impressed as him.
After his act was a boy around the same age as the one from before, but this time his act as everyone could tell by the huge lion behind him that he was the animal trainer. Though this animal trainer only worked with a single lion, no other animals. But the odd thing about this boy was the weirdly costume he wore.
Some of the spectators watched with weary eyes. Afraid that maybe a lion that size wouldn't listen to his master, but their worries were erased when the lion happily listened to every command of the boy.
Once the animal trainer was finished the Ringmaster stepped out from the back door and stepped onto the stage to inform that they will be taking fifteen to twenty-minute break.
"Hey, Shanks, can you go buy us some cotton candy?" A boy with dirty blond hair asked, holding out his arm to hand him a couple of crumpled bills.
"Why can't you guys go?"He didn't want to leave in fear that he would take longer than the given minutes.
"They might take our seats. Come on, Shanks"
Shanks softly sighed but nodded otherwise. He took the bills and stepped down the stairs and headed out the big top.
A few others of the audience were also taking this break to buy some food and drinks, while others even played a couple of the available games. The redhead boy walked towards the cotton candy cart and ordered three for his friends.
As he walked back towards the big top, cotton candy in hand. He was stopped in his tracks when someone nearly sent him and the cotton candy to the floor.
"I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT TONIGHT!"A boy angrily shouted.
He glanced at the boy and was surprised to see a boy around his age wearing an oversized clown suit, brown oversized shoes with heels in the back, the red clown nose, a beanie-like hat with a puffy yarn ball at the end. His makeup was professionally and neatly done. From where he stood he could a see a small shade of blue colored hair sticking out from under the hat.
"But Buggy, it's part of the show! Your name was in the flier and besides, it's you turn in a few minutes" A girl with long wavy black hair argued, trying to stop the clown boy from walking any further.
Buggy who's named belonged to the clown boy stopped in his tracks and growled."These flashy bastards better be worth my time" He stated in an annoyed tone.
"Of course they are! Oh, King of clowns" She sarcastically replied, grabbing him by his sleeve and pulling him away to the back of the Big top.
The other young boy was left a bit confused by the scene that just happened, but he was snapped out of his confused state when he heard the familiar voice of the Ringmaster. He shook his head and ran off to his group of friends.
"Ladies and Gentleman I would like to invite you to feast your eyes on a clown act that is rather oddly special and amazing" The Ringmaster stepped to the side and motioned to the Clown boy from before that slowly stepped out with a frowning face."I like to present to you Buggy, the King of Clowns or Buggy the star clown"
A long smile quickly replaced his frown that he was wearing when he first stepped out from the back door. He pulled out eight small daggers, he glanced over his shoulder like he was waiting for someone to step out from the back door.
Some of the audiences craned their necks to see who he was waiting for. They were slightly surprised when the Juggler stepped out now holding two swords, but this time without his unicycle.
The Juggler got in the proper stance with his swords and nodded to Buggy.
Buggy grinned as his started to separate his body parts. His grin grew, even more, when the crowd gasped in pure shock."Ready?" He mounted to the black hair boy, who in return nodded.
And just like that, a play match began between them. Sword clashing with the daggers, while the crowd watched with wide eyes. They couldn't believe what they were seeing as Buggy was able to move every part of him normally. Most knew that if they were to tell someone of this, then they would most likely be called insane and little to none would believe a word coming from their mouth.
As the unusual clown act went on, Shanks could see that the grin and at times the smile on the blue hair boy's face wasn't as genuine as most would think or believe. It's as if he was forcing his face muscles to create the illusion of such expression.
Out of everyone in the room, he was probably the only one who could see behind that happy smile the King of Clowns wore.
Finally, all performances were shown and every Artist and the Ringmaster stepped out from the back to bow to the audience. The Ringmaster once more happily thanked everyone for coming out that night and he hopes they will be able to make it another time before they have to head out.
"Hey, Shanks, before we go we're gonna play a few games"
He nodded not really paying attention to them."I'll catch up to you guys later" He said, before walking away from his group and trying to find a way to meet the King of Clowns.
Shanks made his way out the Big top and carefully as possible, trying not to be seen by anyone in the back of the Big top, made his way into the back yard where all the trailers of the Artists were stationed in.
With a quick glance around the place, he made his way towards the trailers but was suddenly stopped in his tracks when a sword blocked his way.
His black eyes wondered to his right where he saw the Juggler from before holding the sword.
"This place is off limits to the audience"He stated through gritted teeth.
The redhead nervously laugh."Sorry about that...I...I just wanted to congratulate the King of Clowns"
"Tough luck. Any other day he would've liked some praise but at the moment the king isn't in the best of moods" He waved his sword a little."I think it's better if you turn around now and walk away"
"Cabaji, I think Buggy would be angered by the fact that you won't let a fan meet him" A familiar girl's voice stated matter-of-factly."Besides I'm sure if someone comes over to praise him a little, it'll change his mood"
"She's right, Cabaji" Added a boy around their age.
Shanks turned to the voices and as he had guessed, he saw the girl with long wavy black hair from before and animal trainer and the huge lion standing beside him.
"Shut it, Mohji! No one asked you!" Cabaji shouted, moving away from Shanks and walking closer to the animal trainer.
The girl chuckled and turned to Shanks."Why don't you follow me?" She motioned with her head to the trailers
"Of course!" He stepped towards her, but stopped in his tracks when he heard an argument coming from the two forgotten boys."Should we leave them here?"
She glanced at them with annoyance."Yup. They can be pretty annoying with their bickering but they're fine, and I'm sure they can handle themselves for a few" She turned on her heels and began to walk towards the trailers.
He took one last look at them before running over to catch up with the girl."By the way, does the pretty girl have a name?" He asked, falling into step with her.
The girl smirked, pushing a few strands of wavy hair over her shoulder."The name's Alvida" She said in a false flirtatious tone."So, any particular reason you want to see Buggy?" She asked, looking at him from the corner of her eye.
He nervously scratched the back of his head."Well...I just wanted to meet him"
"Hmm..."She hummed in response to that."Hold on I need to pick up something" She saunter over to a group of older men and women to talk with them.
One of the men handed her a bouquet of flowers and that's when she took her leave and made her way back to the redhead.
"Sorry about that. These flowers were chosen for Buggy by everyone to see if his mood would lighten up"
"Has this been going on for a while?"
She nodded."Something like that...It started up a couple of weeks ago and now it's getting harder for us to make him come out and do his act"
"Yeah I saw you guys"
"No wonder you looked familiar"
After that silence fell upon them as they walked to Buggy's trailer. Alvida loudly sighed when they finally reached his trailer and he wasn't there nor inside.
"That idiot clown..."She mumbled."All this stress is not good for me" She turned to Shanks."He usually likes to go to the nearby woods that's not too far from here" She outstretched her arm and pointed to the front."If you fall that path, it'll surely lead you there"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. He tends to wander into it to be on his own for a while" She held out the flowers to him."Mind giving him these for me?"
"No...are you sure that I should just show up alone?"
Alvida nodded with a little too much eagerness."Yeah. Just tell him that you were amazed by his ability and that'll surely get you on his good side" She explained, turning on her side and walking away from the redhead.
"Thank you!" He shouted to her as she got further and further from him.
With a nodded, Shanks made his way down the path that she had pointed out. He had a feeling that King of Clowns wouldn't be thrilled to see him at first, but maybe once he talked to him that would change.
The wind softly blew through the trees as the woods was filled with different sounds from the insects. Shanks held on tighter to the bouquet in fear that the wind would blow on the flowers out from the wrapping. He picked up his pace when he saw a small bonfire in the center of the woods. He walked towards the person, who was most likely Buggy, and tried not to break any of the branches in the process, but failed when a dagger flew past his cheek, cutting a small skinny line on his cheek.
"Uh...Sorry about that"He nervously apologized to the blue hair boy.
Buggy stood up from his place by the fire and pointed a dagger at him."What the hell do you want!?"He shouted in a demanding voice.
"I was one of the people in the audience and I wanted to come out and say how amazing your act was" He admitted.
Black stared in black; Daring the other to look away.
"Tsk" Buggy threw his dagger into the air and disappeared in a light blue smoke cloud. He sat down crisscrossed by the fire and paid no further attention to the other.
Shanks didn't wait for an invitation and took a seat beside him, leaving a small space between them. For now, he set the flowers on his left side."Hope you don't mind that I sit"
"You already sat down..." He replied, twirling a small ball around in his hands.
"Say" Started Shanks."Why are you in a bad mood? shouldn't a clown be happy and always smiling?"
Buggy's eye twitched at that question."Just because I'm a damn clown doesn't mean that I should always be happy!"He replied, looking at him with newly found annoyance.
"So, why aren't you?"
The King of Clowns froze at that question and turned back to the glowing embers that leaped and twirled in a fiery dance."A flashy bastard like you wouldn't understand" He said in a low voice that Shanks almost didn't hear.
"Hey! Maybe I do understand"
He coldly chuckled."Yeah right"
"Come on, tell me"
The blue hair teen grumbled something before suddenly standing up in a flash."Fine! You want to hear why I'm like this!? well, it's because I'm tired of doing this!" He mentally cursed himself when he felt the hot tears gathering at the corner of his eyes."I've been in this circus ever since that flashy bastard discovered my ability! I'm tired of being some damn puppet to him and this place" He balled up his hands and tried to stop himself from shaking.
"But I thought being in a circus was always fun"
He violently shook his head."At first but sooner or later you come to realize that there's more to it than wearing a colorful outfit and prancing around like a fool"
"But didn't you meet friends here?"
"Of course I did!" He snapped."But I want something more!" He shouted, the tears breaking from their confines and sliding down his face. It was a good thing that his face paint wasn't the cheap kind."I feel so damn trapped!"
Shanks silently watched as the King of Clown unraveled in front of him. Who would've thought that someone like him, who was a clown, would feel and think like that? The redhead turned back to the fire and nodded as if the fire told him his next move.
He stood up as quietly as possible and wrapped his arms around the clown boy.
An out of character gasp escaped the blue hair boy."W-What the hell are you doing!?" He said, trying to push him away."I don't need your pity!"He growled, hitting him on the sides.
"If you want something more...then come with me"
Buggy became stiff at his words."What...?"
The red hair boy pulled away from him, arms still wrapped around him, of course."Come with me! You can come live with me and I can help you find that something more that you want"Shanks could see that Buggy was actually contemplating it, but he sadden when Buggy sadly shook his head.
"I can't...as much as I don't practically like the flashy idiots back there...I can't leave them. The Ringmaster gave me a home when I needed it and those idiots Mohji, Cabaji, and Alvida are the first people that I care about to a certain extent." He muttered.
Shanks knew that he was right, but he wouldn't stop there."Then how bout all of you come with me!?" He happily suggested,
"Are you stupid!? We can't just up and leave, you idiot" He said, shaking his head.
"But I really want to see you smile- A real smile"
"It's not gonna happen" He finally was able to pull away from him."Look just tell me that my act was amazing and leave" He ordered in a hushed tone.
"I already told you but I'm not doing that" The other boy crouched down and picked up the forgotten flowers."Here. Your friends are really worried about you"
Buggy briefly looked down at the bouquet and his hands reached out to take them into his own."I know they are" He put them under his arm and stared in Shanks' eyes.
He didn't know if Buggy would try to push him away again, but he reached out and set his hands on the clown's side, and pulled him close."Then change it a least...a least until you truly find that something more"
"Does this mean that you're giving up on that idiot thought of me, a stranger, coming to live with you?"
"Nope" He leaned over and easily planted a soft kiss on his nose."Maybe in the near future, you'll change your mind once you feel like you don't owe your Ringmaster anything"He whispered in a voice that only he could hear.'Then maybe you can come with me and I'll help you search for your true happiness"
That moment Shanks swore that a small trace of a genuine smile peeked out from the mask that the King of Clowns seemed to wear.
Wow! It's been like four years that I've written a story on this pairing. I remember when I was like Elven or Twelve, I use to write handful fanfictions of these two. Unfortunately, all my fanfiction of these two and including others that I had written were thrown away when I got into some serious mess(Not related to my fanfiction, though). But when I got out of that mess I had actually lost interest in Yaoi and writing Yaoi fanfiction. I guess that's why it's so hard for me now to actually write a Yaoi story that I'm truly proud of.
This fanfiction was literally just me wanting to get away from my usual pairings to write something that I once was so passionate of.
Anyway as always thanks for reading!