Despite the night of reprieve they spent together, the following days were hard on Buggy, and Crocodile felt the irrepressible urge to abduct and hide him away.
After the episode under the rain outside the tent, Crocodile and Mihawk led Buggy to their designated room in the makeshift cabin. The two knights dropped any form of pretence and both laid in the Duke's bed, deciding that tonight was an exception and that they could authorise themselves the tenderness for a night. With morning come they'd have to share the man with the rest of the world again, and Crocodile hated sharing.
His arm was possessively wrapped around Buggy's waist, his only hand gently caressing the exposed skin of Buggy's stomach under his loose tunic. On the other side of the bed, Mihawk was nosing Buggy's neck, secretly appreciating the feeling of the man's hair tickling his naked chest.
In the centre of their attention, Buggy was half laying on each man, pliant under their soft touch. The soothing caresses of his lovers loosened his tense muscles and made him fall asleep more easily.
Buggy was glad they were here, their attention blocking his thoughts. He was sure that he wouldn't have been able to fall asleep, too busy thinking, if they hadn't been here. It had probably helped that he'd almost sobbed himself to sleep, though.
The first thing Mihawk noticed when he stirred was the man half laying on him. The second thing was the large fingers running through his hair. Cracking an eye open, Mihawk looked at Crocodile despite the darkness in the room.
Crocodile made no effort to greet him, but his look was telling enough. Mihawk basked in the touch, leaning even closer to the hand. Crocodile's movement didn't falter as the man started to talk. 'How are you feeling?'
Mihawk took the time to think it through. On one hand, the battle in itself had been tiring, but nothing he'd never seen or done. He wasn't particularly worn down, and he'd sustained no major injuries. On the other hand, despite not having interacted with him, the sight of Shanks had shaken him. The words in his letter had replayed in his mind the moment he'd seen him, and he had not stopped thinking about how he could have loved such a man ever since. A lapse in judgement surely.
Still, Mihawk didn't consider himself in that bad a mental state. It probably wasn't superb, but it wasn't too poor either. 'Not too bad.' He settled on.
Crocodile seemed to gauge his answer before he looked away. It seemed like he didn't have anything else to add.
'What about you?' Mihawk asked. Buggy and his' afflictions were a given, but he had not thought about Crocodile's feelings in the matter. He had no idea how the man got by the situation.
The scarred man looked his way again, taking his time observing his face nonchalantly. He slowly brought his hook to Mihawk's chin and gently tilted his head up. Crocodile leant down, kissing him slowly. Mihawk was surprised by the gesture, but enjoyed it nonetheless. It was certainly nice to be able to share affection without being pressed by the time or the risk of getting caught. 'I am fine.' Crocodile finally answered as he pulled away and settled back against the bedhead.
Though it could seem like a cold or a lacking answer, Mihawk could read through Crocodile, and knew that the man had been pleased by Mihawk's question. Something having to do with the fear of being left out, maybe. Crocodile always put himself on the line to protect the both of them, voluntarily taking a step back sometimes to simply watch them, thus effectively distancing himself from them. It was Mihawk's role to reel him in and ensure that Crocodile felt loved.
He was about to lean back against the scarred man when his eyes fell on Buggy. He was fast asleep, in the exact same position he had been when Mihawk had fallen asleep.
He reached for the blue strands, and the hand in his hair stopped as Crocodile spoke up. 'Don't wake him. He should get as much sleep as he can now, I doubt he'll have the time for it in the next few days.'
After a pause, Mihawk settled back down, nodding. He would have enough time to touch Buggy once everything would be done, he reasoned.
The Norman troops broke camp at Hastings on the morning of the next day. Led by Osbern, Jinbe, and Alvida, the majority of the men left for Normandy by boat, eager to bring the money they'd just earned back to their families. Those who remained, though they were the most loyal to Buggy, were also motivated by the call to a potential upward mobility, hoping to leave their modest life in Normandy to gain titles by Buggy's side in England. Buggy had indeed promised them a new life here in case they won the battle.
Contrary to when he arrived, Rayleigh left in a cart, offering Buggy to join him, which the latter gladly agreed. Though the offer had only been made to the Duke, Mihawk had joined the party, neither of the two knights, and the Duke as well, feeling fully comfortable with Buggy being out of sight. It didn't seem to disconcert the older-man, who had simply smiled upon seeing the knight climb inside the cart after his master. Rayleigh was sitting alone on his side of the cart.
Though Buggy had also offered to Crocodile to join them, the latter had refused, arguing that he disliked confined spaces, which was true. He was also not at ease with the idea of leaving their surroundings unmonitored, despite the presence of the two distinctive armies. The presence of Rayleigh was also a deterrent, as Crocodile could not be sure that his issue with Whitebeard was completely unknown to the Dark King, and he did not intend on finding out.
Rayleigh's serenity was enough to put Mihawk at ease, and he answered the older man's questions rakishly, not feeling as interrogated as he could have in any other context.
The sound of their courteous exchange drowned out Buggy's thoughts, and he watched the two men talk with a soft smile on his lips. He wanted to reach out for Mihawk's hands, but he felt slightly bashful at the idea of showing any sign of affection towards his lover in front of his father. He also didn't want to tell Rayleigh about his relationship without both of his boyfriends being here; he couldn't possibly exclude Crocodile from the discussion.
The Duke also felt self-conscious. He knew that Rayleigh would see no issue with his relationship, seeing as he had been with Roger, though maybe a little bit surprised by the fact that there were two men, and that they were significantly different from himself. The thing was that he had no idea how Mihawk or Crocodile would react if their relationship was to be disclosed to someone. It wasn't something they had actually discussed, and Buggy didn't want to break his lover's trust by saying or doing something he shouldn't have.
So he kept his hands to himself. Now and then, his eyes strayed from the two men, landing on Crocodile outside. He never left his sight, Crocodile always looking back at him after a few minutes of looking, as if he sensed Buggy watching him. None of them made any signs or said anything, they simply stared at each other for a few seconds before looking away. Buggy remained at peace for the rest of the trip.
His mood shifted as the procession reached London. It felt surreal being here, with so little time having passed, and with so many things having happened. Next to him, Mihawk and Rayleigh's conversation had wound down, Mihawk observing the city over Buggy's shoulder.
As the troops entered the city, onlookers left their homes, watching as the two armies marched inside the capital.
'You should show yourself, make your presence known.' Rayleigh said as the crowd in the streets increased.
Buggy turned his head towards Rayleigh, unsure. 'You think so?' Flashes of his investiture as Duke flooded his mind, the crowd silent, some people booing, and a sense of shame reddening his cheeks. He did not want to relive another humiliation.
Rayleigh's soft voice calmed him. 'Of course. You ought to show them how much you've grown. How their future King has changed.'
Buggy's eyes widened, but he nodded. He steeled himself, and with a knock to the roof from Mihawk, the cart stopped.
Crocodile was waiting for him right outside, frowning, his shoulders tense. He was quick to understand, though, and he called for a horse for Buggy.
Once he was settled, Buggy headed the way, leading the horse ahead of the cart, Crocodile close behind.
At first, the crowd was mostly silent, but as they progressed inside the city, eyes started to widen in recognition, and the whispers about the young Buggy's return spread quickly. Silence was soon replaced by cheerful exclamations, and Buggy found himself waving at the onlookers, haranguing the crowd spiritedly.
He looked, if not at home, in a familiar place, and at ease. He did not appear as tired as he really was, refreshed by the encouragement.
Buggy kept waving until they reached the castle, sending a blinding smile to Crocodile as they crossed the threshold. Crocodile's eyes easily found the few figures gathered at the front of the castle.
Buggy's eyes widened as he took in the sight, seemingly recognising the group of people. He barely waited to get close before he jumped off his horse and immediately dashed towards the group. Crocodile had to stop himself from jumping after him, though he dismounted and walked closer to Buggy.
The blue-haired man was scooped up by two men as they embraced him, the rest of the group greeting the young man with more reserve. They were all older than Buggy by a decade or two.
Silently, Mihawk came to stand next to Crocodile, observing the scene with guardedness, not wanting to overstep, but also refusing to relax entirely. Buggy might be at ease in this environment, but neither of his knights considered the castle as safe yet.
Rayleigh joined them as an observer, arms behind his back. 'Buggy was raised here, many have known him since he was a child, he's a celebrity.' He provided.
Both men nodded. 'I won't be able to convince you that he is safe here, but our security is tight, and each face is known. Teach has very few sympathisers here. And if it is of any consolation, your quarters will be next to mine.' His statement did not require any answer, so the three men remained silent, simply watching Buggy being the centre of the attention, showered by praises and admiration.
After assuring everyone that Buggy would not leave anytime soon and some more convincing, Buggy and his knights were finally able to progress past the front stairs and to enter the castle.
Rayleigh himself led them to their room, and Mihawk suspected that it was an excuse for the older man to spend a little bit more time with Buggy. The older man had not voiced it aloud, but the blue-haired man's presence was an evident relief.
Rayleigh had no choice but to leave them after they reached the door, though he informed them that servants would bring them a light meal, and that they could rest until dinner, where it would only be the four of them.
Buggy thanked him, having trouble himself leaving the older man's side, but he resigned himself as he thought about the warm bath waiting for him in the adjoining room.
The Duke called dibs on the bath, to which neither Mihawk nor Crocodile contested. While the blue-haired man left, both knights got their shoes off, leaving them by the door, refusing to dirty the room. Slowly, they started peeling their clothes off, the cloth sometimes sticking to their skin from sweat and dried blood.
As Crocodile struggled to get his shirt off, Mihawk stretched out his hand. 'Come here, let me help.'
Crocodile's first thought was to dismiss him, to remind him that he was a grown man and knew how to undress himself, but his anger vanished as quickly as it had come, and he let go of the fabric he was holding.
With a huff through his nose, he walked to Mihawk, showing his back to him. It wasn't something he had ever done with anyone else. And here he was, doing it unprompted.
Slowly, Mihawk untied the strings of his shirt behind his back, peeling the top off Crocodile's shoulders, over his head, and through his arms, deftly avoiding the tip and crook of the hook.
He dropped the piece of fabric, and wrapped his arms around Crocodile's middle, palms resting over his hips. Slowly, he left kisses along the skin of Crocodile's back, his nape being, with great regret, too high and thus inaccessible to him. Finally, he rested his head against Crocodile's back. The scarred man said nothing, basking in his lover's touch and attention.
This was how Buggy found them, standing in the middle of the room, holding each other. Unsure of how to make his presence known without breaking their moment, he crossed the room tip-toeing, sitting carefully on the bed, trying to get a look at Crocodile's face.
He almost startled when he met Crocodile's eyes fixed on him. Silently, Mihawk detached himself from the other man, taking a good look at Buggy's almost-naked form wordlessly before saying 'I'm going next.'
He wasn't surprised, when he entered the room, to find three large basins filled with water. Considering that they all had towels on the handle except for one, he attributed it to being the one Buggy used, and chose another one, smaller than the last one.
In the bedroom, Buggy dried himself, not caring about being butt naked in front of Crocodile, who seemed to take pleasure in ogling him. Buggy felt his gaze everywhere, his ears reddening.
He quickly slipped on his underwear and a large tunic, and laid on the bed. He squealed as a large hand grasped his ankle and pulled him closer to the edge of the bed.
'Let me go, you brute!' He huffed petulantly, exaggeratedly struggling to get out of Crocodile's grasp.
The scarred-man snorted, letting go of Buggy. He didn't step back, though, and he let his hand wander, grazing Buggy's knee, his thighs, and lifting up his tunic to reveal his chest.
Buggy sucked in a breath, and was startled by Crocodile's sudden attack on his ribs and hips. Crocodile was…tickling him? 'Fuck-' He tried to roll over, but he couldn't measure up to the stronger man. 'Com- come on-' he wheezed, resolving to kick around blindlessly, hoping to get a good kick in Crocodile's chin.
He stopped moving at the sound of Crocodile's laughter, opening his eyes, greeted with a sight of a smiling Crocodile.
Buggy rose from his position on the bed, linking his arms behind Crocodile's neck, yanking him closer and kissing him open-mouthed.
Crocodile let out a surprised huff, but welcomed the kiss happily, quickly picking up.
Walking back inside the bedroom, already dressed in a tunic, Mihawk did not waste time to talk 'Don't dirty the bed with the mud and blood on your skin, go and get cleaned, Crocodile.'
The two men on the bed kept kissing a little bit longer before Crocodile finally pulled back, clicking his tongue. 'You didn't seem to mind earlier.' he said.
'I had not cleaned up yet.' Mihawk answered.
Crocodile got up from the bed and stopped Mihawk from walking to the wardrobe, pulling him in a deep kiss. 'You always have an answer for everything, huh.' He said between two kisses, before finally pulling back.
Though Mihawk had kept his features cool, the slight red on his cheeks betrayed him. Crocodile slicked his wet hair back for him, adjusting the strands with one hand before he finally stepped back and headed for the bath.
Free, at last, Mihawk climbed on the bed, laying on the left side, Buggy immediately scooting closer, snuggling into him. Mihawk said nothing as he let the other man get comfortable.
Crocodile came out of the adjoining room some time later, the towel wrapped around his waist, his hair loose, not having been styled yet. His arrival caught both men's eyes, and though he pretended not to see it, Crocodile made a show of dropping the towel, parading around naked, and languidly pulling the tunic over his head.
Finally, he took his place in the bed, to the right. His arm immediately slid over Buggy's shoulders, his fingers reaching for Mihawk's hair. He had left his hook on the bedside table.
They enjoyed the comfort of the bed they laid in, and the presence of one another. But soon enough, Buggy started to fidget. Wondering about the movement, Mihawk cracked an eye open, watching Buggy wring his fingers nervously.
Not wanting to startle him too much, he asked softly, 'Buggy?'
The other man did not start or stop his movement, but Mihawk caught the fluttering of his eyelashes and his lip-biting.
'I… I'm thinking about tonight's dinner with Rayleigh.' Buggy said, tone low.
'What of it?' Mihawk asked.
Hesitantly, Buggy said 'I know we said we'd wait until the end of the whole thing, but… about us.. He'll ask, I'm sure of it.'
Oh.Of course, Mihawk thought. He straightened up, turning towards the centre of the bed while on the other side, Crocodile seemed to do the same.
Buggy's eyes widened by a fraction. Not in fear, but in apprehension.
'What of us, then, Jester?' Crocodile asked, his eyes fixed on Buggy's face. Had the blue-haired man not been used to Crocodile's usual intimidating presence, he probably would have shied away.
'Well, you're my knights..' Buggy started.
'And?' Crocodile asked.
'I-...I need to know about your plans, once all this is over. I hired you because I needed protection from Teach, but once I'll be crowned, your job will be fulfilled… I don't want to hold you back more than necessary.' Buggy declared, biting his lower lip, looking at his hands on his laps.
'Is that really what you want? For us to leave once the job is done?' Crocodile asked. Buggy did not answer, so Crocodile brought his hook under the man's chin, making him look up. 'Buggy?'
Buggy's mouth opened slightly at the sound of his name coming out of Crocodile's mouth. He could probably count the occurrences on the fingers of one hand.
'I don't want you to leave.' He answered finally, firmly. 'But I don't want to shackle you to a position you wouldn't want. I don't want to be selfish like Shanks was, I don't want to be like him. I want you two to have the choice, and to be the ones taking the decision.'
Mihawk's left hand came to cup Buggy's cheek, forcing him to look him in the eye. 'Buggy,' the swordsman started, 'you're not like Shanks, you'll never be. You never broke my trust, you never made me feel like I was simply being used, something you could have fun with. You're not like him.' Mihawk insisted firmly.
The swordsman pulled back slightly, though his hand did not move. 'Now, you want us to make a choice, we will.' His eyes flicked to Crocodile quickly, and the scarred man nodded faintly.
Mihawk's right hand came to grab Crocodile's hook, trapping it inside his palm and bringing it to Buggy's cheek, holding both men firmly in his hand. Without hesitation Mihawk leant down and kissed Buggy deeply.
Pulling back, he searched Buggy's eyes, 'I love you, Buggy,' he locked eyes with Crocodile, 'I love you too, Crocodile. I have for a while now. I don't see myself without one of you.' He paused. 'I don't see myself serving another Duke, and I never want to fight alongside anyone but Crocodile. This is my choice. I want to be your knight forever, Buggy, as a King, and as a peasant, even, if it ever came to it.'
Buggy's eyelashes were full of tears, and he was breathless. The confession was unexpected. He wasn't completely dumbfounded, as he had hoped that the knights' feelings were not just fleeting, but he was surprised by the intensity of Mihawk's confession. It was so much better than what he had imagined on sleepless nights, and he couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe that Mihawk was talking to him.
Buggy and Mihawk looked away from each other at the sound of Crocodile's throat clearing. 'I won't do a speech like yours, but I feel the same about staying together. I love you, both, and I don't want anything else.' Crocodile said, looking as if he'd been forced by his parents to make an apology, and not like a grown man confessing his feelings.
Buggy choked out a sob, 'Oh heavens,' he started, his voice cracking. 'I love you, I love you so much, I can't believe it. I'm so happy.' He said, tears now running down his face, sniffling loudly.
Amused, Mihawk opened his arms, beckoning to the crying man, and Buggy didn't need to be asked twice, throwing himself at Mihawk's neck.
Clicking his tongue, Crocodile sat against the headboard, settling himself comfortably with the pillows. He looked at Mihawk, and motioned towards himself, urging the man to lean down. 'Come here' he said, his voice rough.
Mihawk smiled at his bluntness, and pulled Buggy alongside him to lean against Crocodile's torso while the blue-haired man calmed down.
As Buggy's sobs subsided, Crocodile spoke up. 'I don't mind the Dark King knowing.'
Buggy sniffled one last time, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, to Mihawk's disgust. 'Really?'
Crocodile shrugged. 'I don't see the point in hiding it, he'll probably guess it anyway, and I don't mind him knowing. As long as it doesn't affect your position, I don't mind anyone knowing.' He stated, matter-of-factly.
Both men were surprised at Crocodile's honesty. Mihawk added, 'I don't mind either, the only thing I could care about is my reputation as a swordsman, and as Shanks failed to ruin it with his anger, I doubt this could cause anything. I trust your judgement, Buggy.'
The Duke swallowed thickly. He doubted he could ever repay the respect and trust both knights demonstrated him. 'Alright, I'll answer him if he asks, then.' He heaved a sigh, before adding 'You should rest before dinner, I feel we will talk a lot.' The knights didn't need to be told so, their eyes already closing.
As Buggy was starting to fall asleep, a thought crossed his mind, and he couldn't stop the startled 'OH' from coming out of his mouth.
Crocodile and Mihawk cracked an eye open, Crocodile asking 'What?'
'Rayleigh prepared the room for us. There's only one bed. For the three of us.' Buggy said.
Both knights tensed before they calmed down, remembering the nature of Rayleigh and Roger's relationship. 'Well, I guess this solves the matter, then.' Crocodile said, closing his eyes again.
Mihawk did the same, satisfied with Crocodile's conclusion. Buggy shared the sentiment, too, though he was curious about how the news could have reached his father's ears. He was sure they had been careful. He'd have to ask him.
Though they had not discussed it, it seemed that Crocodile and Mihawk had decided to dress in civilian clothes for dinner instead of their usual armour. They were elegantly dressed in the tunics they'd worn for Rasiphe's reception for their first trip to Lisieux. Incidentally, Buggy wore the same clothes as he'd had that same night.
The golden embroideries on Crocodile and Mihawk's were of the same colour as Buggy's tunic, and the sight of his boyfriends' clothes reminded Mihawk of a question he'd been wanting to ask ever since he'd first seen the outfits.
'Buggy.' He said simply, making the other man turn towards him.
'Yes?' The blue-haired man asked as he tied his hair back in a ponytail.
Mihawk gestured between the three of them, 'Were you the one behind the matching outfits?'
Buggy seemed confused for a while, looking at their clothes, before his eyes widened. 'Oh….'
'You never noticed?' Crocodile asked, frowning, looking up from where he'd been tying his belt.
Buggy shook his head. 'I didn't realise, no. Someone must have done it. The seamstresses, I guess.' He groaned, burying his face into his hands. 'Fuck, this is so embarrassing.'
Crocodile snorted. 'Come on, Jester. We've already worn it in public once, it's too late to change now.'
'The Dark King already knows we are sharing a bed, I don't think coordinated clothes will change anything for him.' Mihawk said, urging Buggy to hurry.
Buggy groaned at the reminder, but didn't add anything else.
Minutes later, there was a knock on their door, and a servant announced that they would lead them to the dining room.
Put off by the formality of the process, Buggy complained during the entire walk there. Rayleigh was already waiting for them at the table when they entered the dining room, a smirk on his face. 'It's been a while since I've hosted a Duke, I forgot how I was supposed to act.' The white-haired man said playfully.
Buggy huffed as he sat to Rayleigh's left, though he was obviously relieved that this had only been but a silly joke. Crocodile and Mihawk seemed to hesitate on where to sit down, before they decided to sit opposite Buggy, Mihawk to Rayleigh's right.
'Were you able to rest?' The older man asked to no one in particular.
Mihawk acquiesced with a nod. 'We had a few more hours of sleep, yes, thank you.'
Dinner passed smoothly, Crocodile and Rayleigh finally having the opportunity to talk. For some reason, Buggy thought the scene to be hilarious, Crocodile being weirdly uneasy during the entire talk when he usually always seemed so bored and unbothered.
The conversation was nice and easy between the four of them, and Buggy had almost forgotten about the things he had wanted to mention by the time they reached the dessert.
Throwing a glance at his boyfriends to seek comfort and encouragement, Buggy took a deep breath. 'Hm, Rayleigh? There was something I wanted to tell you, actually.'
'Yes, Buggy?'
'This probably won't come as a surprise but, huh, Crocodile and Mihawk are more than just my knights.' He paused, looking at his boyfriends, before he glanced at his father. 'The three of us are dating, actually. Thought you'd have the right to know.'
A few seconds passed before Rayleigh reacted, smiling softly as he folded his napkin. 'Thank you, Buggy, I appreciate it. To be honest with you, I already knew, but it is nice to hear it coming from you.'
Buggy frowned. 'We've guessed so with the lone bed in the room, but how? I thought we had been discreet enough.' He said, clearly bothered.
For his part, Rayleigh looked fairly amused. 'It seemed that Rasiphe was eager to share how happy he was for you to his aunt, who loves to bend Crocus' ear. How could you expect him to keep it secret, then? He had to tell Gaban and I.'
Buggy chewed on his lower lip. He had forgotten how attached to his aunt his friend was. He'd have to talk with him about it. 'Okay.' he said, still lost in his thoughts.
Rayleigh didn't add anything else to the topic, didn't ask how they'd come to be together, or how they'd even met. He was a private person, and his curiosity never exceeded those of others.
He also didn't give any word of encouragement or disagreement, believing that Buggy didn't need his assent to engage in a relationship. Blessings were also out of the question, as he couldn't even fathom having any say in the matter and controlling in any way Buggy's sentimental life. The Duke was about to be a King, Rayleigh sure hoped he paid no heed to such conceits.
As they were about to part for the night, Rayleigh held Buggy back by the arm, asking him 'Would you accompany me to the sea tomorrow, Buggy?'
Buggy nodded before he could even think about it, determined to spend as much time as possible with his father during his stay.
I intended for this part of the fic to be in one chapter only but I realised that with this split-up chapter at already 4k words, it simply would have been too long. Only two chapters left!'
The journey in the cart was one of my favourite part to write, I don't know why, I just liked it!
Crybaby Buggy! Poor boy, of course he'd get so emotional after such confessions when he went through so many disappointment in his life! He deserves the love, though. I really don't like to write confessions because I feel like most of the time it's too OOC and such, but it is what it is. I liked to write about the touching part, though, thinking about how they would interact alone and all three together.
And The Talk with Rayleigh! I thought about this meeting between the trio and Rayleigh during the entirety of the writing of the fic. It was a really important section for me because it really illustrates Buggy, Croco, and Mihawk's relationship evolution. After having gone through multiple stages, it has reached its peak, their relationship is at its strongest point, both knights admitting their feelings and accepting that it could be made public one day, and Buggy talking about it to the most important person in his life. The completion of one of the most important aspect of this fic! I'm really glad we've reached this part.
See you on Wednesday!