As the shoreline of Dressrosa grew closer, Crocodile wondered again what he was thinking having decided to meet the other warlord, especially on his own territory. He took a long drag of his cigar and rolled the smoke on his tongue before exhaling in an exasperated huff. He tossed the stub overboard and turned away from the railing of the deck and walked towards his cabin to go over some paperwork until it was time to dock at the harbor.

As he sat at the large desk in his cabin, Crocodile found he could not concentrate on the reports from his field agents. He lit another cigar and chewed the end while running his hand through his dark locks in an anxious gesture. After a few more futile moments of trying to get through the stacks of unfinished work, he gave in and grabbed the envelope Nico Robin had obtained for him prior to making this voyage.

This must be the fifteenth time he was to look through the stack of documents contained within an envelope that had become tattered and wrinkled from being handled so much since coming into his possession, but Crocodile could not find it within himself to care as he angrily pulled the papers from the sleeve. The frown deepened on his forehead as he went over the newspaper clippings, reports, and even an official investigation by the marines of Doflamingo's rise to power in Dressrosa.

It appears there had been civil unrest and political uprising in small measures for some time prior, due to the country struggling financially and random acts of piracy that went unchallenged by the former king while attempting to keep peace within the nation. However, Crocodile noted that most of the nation were loyal until an incident last month when the king turned on his subjects and went on a rampage. He had his military attack civilians, and he himself appeared to have totally lost his mind in all the violence.

It was then that Doflamingo and his crew stepped in and literally saved the day. In the span of around twelve hours, the pink menace had managed to go from a villainous lapdog of the government to savior of a nation and its new king. A deep grumble filled Crocodile's chest and he bared down his teeth in frustration until the cigar snapped and fell to the floor. He did not take the time to spare it a glance as the man spat the broken piece from his mouth and brought his foot down to extinguish the burning fragment beneath him.

His hands began to tremble as he fought himself from becoming completely enraged at the other warlord's success and the sorry excuse for an investigation provided by the marines. He already knew that being part of the Shichibukai provided Doflamingo certain privileges, but somehow this kind of cover up seemed too much, even for being part of this group. 'Just how far does that birdbrain's influence go? Who the hell does he know to do something like this?' Crocodile thought to himself.

He turned to the last page and again came across the news article that led to him calling Doflamingo. The familiar rush of heat rushed to his face, and he felt his heart thump in his chest while looking at that familiar grin on the paper before him. He closed his eyes wearily and brought his hand to his face to massage his forehead while calming the torrent of emotions at war within his head. Crocodile absolutely hated the tall idiot that always seemed to want to get in his way.

He let go of the breath he had not realized he had been holding and opened his eyes to stare at the picture once again. "Except that I do not hate him at all," he said softly while running his fingers gently over the picture of the blond. For a man that has not allowed another person to become close to him in over a decade, since attachments make one weak and vulnerable, it was as close to confessing as he could get. Even to himself.

Crocodile was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of his men scurrying about the top deck and the feel of the ship swaying slightly from being in more shallow water. He sighed deeply and stood while gathering the papers to put them back into the worn envelope as he prepared to go above deck.

If he were truly honest with himself, Crocodile had to admit the flamingo's plan was not that dissimilar to his own. It was perhaps far more haphazard and flamboyant than he preferred, not to mention, the public display of the king's descent into madness was a variable that could have easily been Doflamingo's undoing. Crocodile was unsure of how the bastard managed that piece of this whole thing, but he certainly intended to find out. King Riku's family had been in power for the last 800 years, and though the Nefertaris had ruled Alabasta even longer than that, if Doflamingo had found a way to get the World Government to turn a blind eye to his takeover of Dressrosa then Crocodile planned to use that to his own advantage!

He put on his coat and reached into the pocket to pull a cigar, more from habit than from desire to smoke. Crocodile walked the familiar path to the deck of his ship, nodding at passing crewmembers but not even taking note of their faces while thinking of what he planned to say to the other warlord he was about to meet up with in a matter of moments. Crocodile frowned at his own slight shake when he reached for the brass handle to the exit.

He dropped his head, closed his eyes, and clenched his fists for a few moments while calming his own racing thoughts. He was known throughout the Grandline as a heartless bastard that would run you through as soon as look at you. In fact, it had taken quite a bit of effort to overcome that reputation in Alabasta to cement his current standing as its protector in his plan. So why was he acting like this now? How had this pink monstrosity managed to thaw feelings in him that he hadn't realized even existed anymore since he was forced to flee Shimotsuki after…

Slate-gray eyes snapped open, and he angrily grasped the handle to tear back the door. He refused to allow his thoughts to travel back to that time in his past. There was nothing good there, as decisions were made, and he was left as the fool. Never again would Crocodile allow himself to be used in such a manner, and as he stepped out into the bright sunlight of the Dressrosian harbor, he felt a cruel smile settle onto his thin lips.

Perhaps thinking of him- of them- was the reminder he needed to not allow whatever this was turning into, to go too far. Doflamingo had never been subtle about what he was after, and for Crocodile to even begin to entertain the thought that there may be softer feelings behind his intentions, was setting himself up for another round just like that time so long ago.

As he stepped to the railing at the portside of his vessel, Crocodile saw a glimpse of pink feathers rippling in the ocean breeze. Despite his previous oath to remain aloof towards the other warlord, his breath caught in his throat and warmth filled his chest at finding Doflamingo had personally come to meet him rather than sending a subordinate. Then as his ship slowly made its way further into the dock and shuddered when the hull grounded against solid mass, he too felt a shiver make its way through his core when Doflamingo came fully into view.

Crocodile was careful to keep his ever-present look of disdain firmly in place, but as he swept his face to scan the shoreline for keeping up the appearance of watching the activity of the wharf, he made sure to always keep the blond in his sights. It appeared Doflamingo was pleased to see him, but that usual grin was always plastered on the other's face, so it made it difficult to discern whether he was sincere in his emotions.

This was one of the things that had set Crocodile on edge from the beginning; his inability to read the other man. Being burned in the past had taught Crocodile the importance of reading the underlying motives beneath a suave exterior. Would someone such as this idiot continue running such a game for all these years if his only motivation was sex? Despite the past with them, part of Crocodile held a flicker of hope that he would not, and his words were true, at least on some level. This realization ached in a way that the warlord refused to allow himself to dwell on while he headed towards his crew as they finished docking the ship.

Once the massive ship had fully come to rest at the dock and the anchor was dropped, Crocodile began calling orders to his men in preparation for heading to port. Though he knew that his men could use some time to blow off steam, he also wanted them to be ready to leave at a moment's notice if necessary and made sure they had their instructions for the time he planned to spend with the new king of Dressrosa. He turned to leave the rest for Mr. One to ensure the schedules were set for guard rotation to ensure everyone had the chance to depart the ship, when Crocodile suddenly found himself being lifted airborne and flying towards the harbor.

At first the raven-haired male was too stunned to respond, and his gaze met the confused eyes of his first mate as he was forcefully pulled from the deck of their ship. The speed and unexpected tilt in his perception as he was tipped around to face the harbor caused Crocodile's stomach to take an unwelcome lurch and he found himself regretting having not partaken in much except a few glasses of bourbon the last few hours. It wasn't as though he was not used to traveling in the air with the aid of his devil fruit, but this was an altogether different experience, and he was not pleased in the least.

The moment his vision cleared as his body was brought back into an upright position, he caught sight of what was the force behind this onslaught upon his person. That damned bird was smirking as he maneuvered his slender fingers in intricate movements, seemingly to beckon Crocodile forward.

Upon catching sight of the source of his current situation, Crocodile felt heat begin to settle on his cheeks and embarrassment bloom in his chest. His first impulse was to look away from the pink menace, but then he noticed that he had become a spectacle for the citizens walking along the streets. Some of them graciously averted their eyes when he saw them looking, but most of them either openly gawked or chuckled softly while murmuring to each other about the two warlords.

Instantly all tender feelings were extinguished, and his self-consciousness turned to anger. Slate-gray eyes narrowed dangerously, and a low rumbling began deep in Crocodile's chest. Faster than anyone could react, his physical form dissolved into dust on the wind, leaving Doflamingo standing among his new subjects, arm extended towards nothing at all.

The blond's lips turned downward as he stepped once, and then twice in the direction of the other man's vessel when said man reformed directly in front of him looking ready to kill. Crocodile shoved the taller male's chest, causing Doflamingo to stumble a couple of steps. "What the actual fuck did you think you were doing?" he demanded, the rage practically rolling from him in waves.

At first Doflamingo looked taken aback by Crocodile's anger, and though he couldn't see the other warlord's eyes behind those irritating sunglasses, he would have bet his casino that he saw the taller man attempt to subtly glance behind Crocodile towards his remaining crew members left on the ship. The shock of this realization caused him to mentally pause though outwardly he was still seething. Was there something on the ship that made Doflamingo uneasy?

Despite the unusual episode of apprehensiveness, it only took a matter of seconds before Doflamingo gained his usual smug confidence and the grin returned to his handsome face. "Why my dearest, Wani-chan, I was so very lonely standing here all by myself and just couldn't help myself. How can you blame me for becoming impatient when such a beauty is flaunting himself so temptingly in front of me, hmmm?" the larger man leaned over to push into the dark-haired man's personal space as he dragged out the last of his statement practically into a purring sound.

Crocodile rarely felt overpowered by another individual, even ones that happened to be larger than himself, but somehow this pink monstrosity always found a way to make him feel far smaller than he was. It was in these moments that he warred the most within himself over his feelings about the bird. He found himself simultaneously wanting to lash out and cling to the larger male in response to such an overwhelming aura… and he hated it.

He hated that this man could draw such powerful responses from him. He hated that he couldn't stop thinking about the interactions and how to best the man next time. He hated how his heart raced and heat pooled in places he couldn't control at the slightest word or gesture from this damned fool. He hated that he lost control at all. Most of all, he hated how much he truly loved it.

The shorter man sneered at the blond and squared his broad shoulders, bringing himself to his full eight-foot three-inch height and staring down the other as if he were the smaller one. He had always been good at running a gambit, and never more than when he felt cornered. Be damned if he would allow this fool to know the effect he was having! "So, you think that gives you the right to start a pointless contest here in front of your new subjects? Is that the impression you wish to give during the first month of your conquest of Dressrosa? If so, I would be happy to oblige you," Crocodile hissed as he narrowed his slate-gray eyes and drew his hand up to form a small spiral of storming sand in his palm.

Doflamingo stepped back, the smile wiped from his face as he watched the movements of the other warlord. Again, his head made the slightest of twitches, giving the indication that he was looking behind Crocodile and towards the waiting vessel in the harbor. The vein deepened on his temple and his jaw clenched as he appeared to weigh his next words.

When Crocodile could not wait another moment to see what had that idiot's attention, he turned and looked at his ship. Nothing out of the ordinary. His men were docking the boat as instructed, and the only one not actively moving was Mr. One, who was watching the scene between himself and Doflamingo. Daz Bones had been with him for years and always watched out for his safety, even though Crocodile was more than capable of handling any situation that arose. Perhaps Doflamingo was perceiving him as a threat? Does he think the Crocodile's right-hand man will attack?

He then turned back to the blond, ready to mock him for such ridiculous thinking when he saw the frown had been replaced by a pout. For a moment in time, his mind went blank as he did not know what to think seeing a thirty-one-year-old man stand there like someone had broken his favorite toy. However, once Doflamingo became aware that he had noticed the look on his face, it was instantly transformed as if it never existed. Once again, he held the sultry look of someone fully assured they will get what they want.

"Now, my dearest Croccy. Stop playing coy, hmmm? You came to Dressrosa to visit the newest king and be spoiled by royalty, didn't you?" he drawled while gliding up to the shorter man and running his slender fingers down Crocodile's arm to impede the building sables. "Wouldn't you rather let your crew entertain themselves and come let me show you what you've been missing hiding away with him all this time?"

The sand began to fall to the ground and Crocodile allowed himself to be led away from the harbor as Doflamingo's words kept running through his mind. The pink menace continued to prattle on, but he was no longer listening as he was trying to piece together the whole incident at the harbor. When it came to him, he stopped causing Doflamingo to stop as well and turn to him.

"You were jealous."

"Excuse me?" the blond's grin became tight.

Crocodile's smile grew wide and sharp. He could see the other male pale slightly, even under the tan skin tone, and the flutter of his pulse at the base of his jaw did not go unnoticed either. Doflamingo had managed to keep him off-balanced for far too long by manipulating Crocodile's emotions. However, he was also a master at exploitation by reading other's cues and body language to get what he wanted, and this was the first opportunity Doflamingo had given for him to take advantage of. He would not allow it to go to waste! It was time for this damned bird to realize just who it was he had been messing with.

"Do not try and deny it, you feather-brained menace. You might as well have a sign hung around your neck that says that whole little display was because you were worried I might like Daz's muscles more than yours," Crocodile taunted before lighting his cigar, inhaling, and blowing a smoke ring at the other's face. As he turned to walk ahead of the blond, he could almost hear the other man grinding his teeth behind him.

Doflamingo clenched his fists and glowered at Crocodile's retreating back. He stood there, his face becoming tinged pink, even to the tips of his ears, until he finally looked away from both Crocodile and the townspeople that were murmuring while continuing to pass them both.

After walking a few hundred feet, Crocodile realized the flamingo had not continued to follow and he turned to see where he had gone. When he found the man standing several hundred feet behind himself, staring morosely at the ground, something tugged painfully in Crocodile's chest. He unexpectedly found himself feeling guilty for having derided Doflamingo over Mr. One, but he honestly was in new territory to admit having feelings at all and sarcasm was his basic instinct.

He took a deep drag on his cigar and tossed the remaining stub to the side. As he exhaled the smoke, Crocodile walked back and took the other's hand to tug him forward. "Hey, birdbrain. Isn't the castle this way? I thought you were so eager to show off your new toys and all the pompous ass, over-the-top royal finery you have acquired?" He gave the taller man a challenging smile and a raised eyebrow. "Besides, you have to prove you got something better than Daz's muscles, right?"

The moment Crocodile took his hand, Doflamingo took in a sharp breath and looked up, but as the other man spoke, he just turned his head to the side and frowned. The moment dragged on to an almost uncomfortable silence, and Crocodile was about to speak again when the other man broke into raucous laughter and leaned down until Crocodile could see himself reflected in the lenses of Doflamingo's sunglasses.

"Oh, my dearest Crocodile, I can guarantee I definitely have something much better and bigger than Daz's that I'd be more than happy to show you tonight if you would let me. I think you would be very satisfied, yes?" he smoothly declared before taking the hand that held his own and bringing it to his lips to gently kiss and then turn to kiss Crocodile's wrist, grazing the pulse-point with his teeth very gently as the grin returned to his face.

The raven-haired man felt an almost electric shock race from his arm and pool into a warm heat from his chest to his groin, as the hated feeling of heat settled on his face, and he knew there would be a tell-tale flush to his cheeks. He quickly turned his head, as to not let the pink idiot see him in such a compromised state and pulled his hand back. "We will never know if you don't get your ass moving, will we?" he grumbled while starting to walk back towards the hill that Dressrosa's castle was located atop.

Doflamingo's grin lessened by an almost imperceptible degree at having lost Crocodile's hand, but he was still encouraged when the other male was still willing to accompany him to their destination and not back to his ship. He quickly slid next to the object of his affection and threaded his arm into Crocodile's as they walked alongside each other.

"I want you beside me here, Crocodile. It's more than just for a good time or to prove I'm better than that man on your ship. I want to help you with your goals, and I think you can help me with mine. Let's team up and nothing in this world will be denied us. I can offer you everything if you would let me," Doflamingo's face was serious when Crocodile glanced at him as they approached the gate to the palace.

For once, the warlord was struck at a loss for words. It was not the offer itself that had caught him off guard, as it was not the first time he had offered a partnership, but there was usually some dramatic stipulation with it. However, before now, he had not seen the feather bastard look so formal, even if he was looking forward instead of at Crocodile. "I…I have my own plans, birdbrain. I…" he began awkwardly when Doflamingo began to giggle.

"No need to answer yet, Wani-chan. You have just arrived, and I still have so much to show you! I have not even shown you mi obra maestra. There is something that I am waiting for a big reveal tonight after dinner, but first, let me introduce you to my family," Doflamingo was quick to stop Crocodile's embarrassed ramblings as a woman with green hair and thick glasses came to open the door for them. There was a small girl with dark hair peeking up at Crocodile from behind her.

"Greetings, Young Master. Dinner is just being put on the table," she curtsied and smiled as though the odd greeting were an everyday affair for them. Crocodile raised an eyebrow at her and then looked over at Doflamingo to see how he responded to her.

"Good evening, Monet." Doflamingo smiled warmly at the woman. "This is Sir Crocodile of Alabasta. He will be our guest for at least the next few days, so please treat him as family. Croccy, this Monet. She is one of my family members. She has a younger sister around here somewhere, but I'm not sure where she is at the moment."

Crocodile eyed the girl hiding behind Monet but said nothing about it. He simply nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment. Nonetheless, Doflamingo noticed his glimpse of the young girl and his smile grew wider. He put his hand in the air and wiggled his fingers, causing said girl to fly into the air, squealing with laughter.

"Young Master, no!" she yelled out between fits of giggling as he looped and flopped her around like a puppet on strings. She began to turn pink from the exertion and he finally let her back down to the ground, where she began to smooth her skirt and pat her long hair.

"This little scamp here is Baby 5, another member of my family. She is a very important member and I fully expect her to be a high ranking official soon," he smiled proudly at the girl, causing her to blush profusely and become shy.

"Thank you, Young Master. I'm so glad you need me!" she exclaimed, blushing even more and again running behind Monet's skirts.

"A high ranking official?" Crocodile looked skeptical.

"Why not? She has been in my family for several years now and is successful on every mission she is a part of. I trust her not to betray me. She is intelligent, strong, eager to please, and has full control of her devil fruit. I see her going far in the family," Doflamingo frowned as he spoke while trying to figure out why the other warlord would not see the value and raw talent in his family members. Sir Crocodile was known for seeking out talented individuals for his Baroque Works and other endeavors. Surely, he would see the benefits of one such as Baby 5, even if she was still a little on the small side at twelve years old. He reached over to pat her on the head, and she smiled up at him like the sun rose and set on his shoulders, returning the warm smile back on his lips.

When Doflamingo turned to look at Crocodile he was met with a cold glare. "So, it's true then? You weaponize children for your army. If she fails you, will you sell her to the highest bidder at Sabaody?" he spat out.

The air was thick with tension, all playfulness gone in an instant. Monet started to step forward and confront the visitor. "How dare you say that? The Young Master would never…"

"Monet! Enough! I can speak for myself," his face was dark with suppressed rage, and there was almost a red glow to the ruby lenses of his glasses as he spoke. Crocodile would have been apprehensive, but he was angry in his own right. He may be a bastard himself, but his line was with children. When it came to them all he could think of was him. What would he be now? Not much younger than this girl and be damned if he'd be used as a living weapon in an army.

Crocodile worked to control his breathing. He could see Doflamingo was truly riled up, and he knew that could be bad. As mentally unstable as the other warlord was famous for being, it was like dealing with a desert cobra. The strike could be instantaneous and deadly if your guard was down. This might be time for a quick exit. He attempted to dissolve to sand, but his eyes widened in horror as he found strings were digging into his skin. Strings he could not dissolve around.

Doflamingo's lips curled into a razor-sharp leer. "Sweet Croccy, what's the matter? Have you found that you can't just say what you want and run away this time? I suppose you could, but you would have to leave your pretty head and remaining hand with me. I've infused my strings with haki, which seem to make a very nice trap for elusive logia types." He cackled wildly while gesturing at Monet and Baby 5.

"Go tell the family to start dinner. I don't want the food to get cold but be sure to leave plenty for me and Croccy here. We will be along shortly," he said in a saner tone, his smile changing to the genuine one he wore earlier. They nodded, curtsied, and quickly left the room.

Once the two females had made their exit, Doflamingo turned back to Crocodile and the smile dropped from his handsome features, though he did not look angry any longer either. He looked empty. For some reason, this made the other man more uneasy than the blond's rage did. He was back to being unreadable. He was a blank slate, and perhaps more dangerous than ever.

A few silent moments between them passed when Doflamingo sighed and dropped his strings. "If I see you try to leave, I will not hesitate to tie you up again. I just want to talk as companions and not feel like your captor." Crocodile threw the taller man a sardonic look, causing the other to flush and cluck his tongue unhappily.

"Fine! I get it! But still, I don't want to have to keep you in my strings while I explain. Please?" The way the blond's voice cracked at the end of his plea tugged at Crocodile's chest and he rolled his eyes.

"Proceed," he grudgingly allowed before sitting in a velvet lined chair in the foyer and pulling the silver cigar holder from his breast pocket. If he was going to have to listen to the pink menace's drivel, he at least wanted to sit comfortably and have a smoke.

Doflamingo then seemed to perch himself on one of his strings in the air, similar to a bird on a wire. Crocodile would have laughed had he not still been angry at the other man for being such an asshole for dragging children into his dirty affairs. He really was like a giant bird nesting with his feathered coat and long legs tucked in such a manner underneath him.

"I don't weaponize children. I admit I don't give a shit about this world. It is full of filth, and humans…" Doflamingo stopped to look first at Crocodile and then cocked his head to the side as if thinking before turning to look at the doorway in which his family members had exited shortly before. "Most humans are trash to be burned and forgotten. The exceptions are my family and those I love. I hope the ones I love will become family, since they are exceedingly rare. I can only think of a couple that are not able to join my family for whatever reason, and the other… Well, we'll see. I sell devil fruits and weapons, but I do not purposely arm children with them to make them living weapons for war. What countries and criminals do with what I supply on the black market, I cannot say and do not care."

"But that girl couldn't have been over ten!" Crocodile slammed his fist on the table next to him and started to stand. He was willing to listen if Doflamingo told the truth, but to lie when the evidence was standing in front of them both not ten minutes ago was unthinkable!

"Baby 5 is twelve going on thirteen next month, so don't let her hear you say that or she's gonna be really pissed!" he laughed as if Crocodile hadn't been making the point that the blond weaponized her and was just commenting on her age in general. Crocodile growled and sat back down until he was done laughing at his own joke. After wiping a stray tear of mirth from under his sunglasses frame, Doflamingo noticed the look on the other man's face and realized the implication. He stood from his string and stepped down to approach closer.

"She is not a weapon! Baby 5 is family!" Doflamingo declared forcefully while leaning into Crocodile's personal space. They stayed nose-to-nose for a few moments, each looking at the other until Doflamingo huffed and stood. He turned, running his fingers through his blond hair, causing it to stand on end in a haphazard manner. After taking a couple of breaths, he turned around and flopped onto the ground with his legs crossed in front of where Crocodile sat.

"Baby 5 has been family since she was six years old. Before that her mother tried to kill her. Her blood," he spit out the word in such a manner as if it made him want to vomit, "betrayed her. That's when we found her and saved her life. I gave her a devil fruit that gave her a way to protect herself and to hurt anyone that would ever try to harm her again! We taught her to fight and to be the best at what she does. She can kill with the best of them and will be just as good as any male pirate. No one will ever call her weak because she isn't. She is part of the Donquixote Family. The same goes for Buffalo, Dillinger, and any child I take as part of my family."

Doflamingo stood and walked over to a window before continuing. "Maybe if I had moved faster to give a devil fruit to my son, that sorry ass blood traitor marine wouldn't have stolen him from me. He could have had the power to fight back and come home before the Navy took him. I just wanted him to have the right devil fruit…" he trailed off as if lost in his memories.

Crocodile swallowed, lost in his own thoughts as he listened to Doflamingo's story. Somehow, he could sense every word was the truth. It appeared to be a rare glimpse into the mind of Doflamingo Donquixote, and as twisted as his thinking was, what he was saying was making sense. There was a particular part of his story that caught the raven's attention though. "You have a son?"

A short, bitter laugh echoed through the room. It was a stark contrast to the man's usual laughter and the sound sent chills through Crocodile. "Oh, he wasn't my biological son. Blood means nothing. It was blood that took him from me. He was an orphan that sought me out to join the family, just as the others have joined at different times." Doflamingo continued to look out the window for a bit longer, when his shoulders heaved a few times, though Crocodile could not discern the cause for that motion.

When he turned, the genuine smile was back on his face and the emptiness was gone. "You would have liked him, I think. He was so much like me that I knew right away I wouldn't turn him away. He was dying, but I began teaching him to become my right-hand man. I wouldn't have let him die. It was destiny for him to come to me to be my heir!"

"Then he was gone, stolen by a blood traitor, and given to the Navy. I now know that family is those that you find. The special ones that I choose to love. I put no faith simply because I happen to share bloodlines with someone. This has proven my undoing too many times," he began to laugh wildly again and motioned at Crocodile to stand. "You can go if you want, Croccy. Isn't your crew waiting for you? I'm sure I've ruined whatever chance I had today, so I will try to convince you to come back at the next warlord meeting."

"Well, that is the height of rudeness, birdbrain. Invite me to your kingdom and then dismiss me without even feeding me first. Perhaps I should just let your new subjects know what a boorish buffoon their new king is on my way out if you are kicking me out?"

Doflamingo's mouth opened and closed a few times as he attempted to process what Crocodile had just said to him, but as the other man shrugged his shoulders and turned to head towards the door, the blond found his voice again and quickly rushed to the other's side.

"No, no, no, my dearest, Wani-chan. Don't be so hasty! I was most definitely not dismissing such a lovely creature as yourself. Perish the thought! I was just lamenting that I had surely bored you with so much gossip. Please come and enjoy the feast I had prepared for your arrival," Doflamingo steered the smaller man towards the dining hall to join the rest of the family for dinner, an excited grin plastered on his face. "In fact, I had alligator and tomatoes prepared especially for you in honor of your first trip to Dressrosa!"

Crocodile allowed the feathered idiot to paw him while leading him to the other room, feeling somewhat like a lamb to the slaughter. Somehow, hearing the sensual tones of Doflamingo's voice in his ear, Crocodile could practically feel himself becoming impossibly entangled in the puppet master's strings. As they entered the dining hall, he supposed to himself that so long as those strings did not become a noose around his neck, he would be fine with that.