Chapter Text
Little Buggy woke up at around 7am. His whole body felt numb, the meds acting on his tiny body to keep the pain away.
He looked at the ceiling, thinking. A part of him couldn't care less about the way he tried to kill a human, they made him suffer after all, they deserved it. Another part of him made him remember that, that one specific human never did anything to hurt him, he actually kept him alive and took care of him. He was a doctor.
He stopped his train of thought when his belly made a loud growl. Hunger took over. It was overwhelming. When he was trapped he wasn't allowed to eat much of anything. His body had started eating itself, he could feel his organs in his body because of how much weight he lost, and how the bruisies on his stomach somehow marked his naturally purple skin.
Hunger was an awful feeling he didn't wish upon anyone. Not even humans...
He ripped out the tubes that kept him hydrated, not caring about the liquids falling on the ground as he destroyed the nurse material. He slowly sat up, planting his feets on the ground. He managed to get up on shaky legs. Grabbing the door handle, he popped his head out of the nurse room. The blood from the guy he attacked yesterday stained the ground in front of the nurse's office... The moon was shining for the last time, as the sun only started to set.
Buggy kept a hand on the wall and dragged his painful body to the door with "Kitchen" written in big letters on it. Certain he would find some kind of edible thing in the kitchen.
Luckily for him, the door wasn't lock. Now he just had to find the food. Where did humans keep food ? Was it the same as a fishmen kitchen ? He couldn't know, he's never lived with humans before.
He opened every drawer, found some thing, but nothing to his liking. The kid ended up in front of a big grey box, the fridge. He tried to open it but the door was too heavy and he wasn't in a state to use his strength right now. Guess the clown would have to find food somewhere else.
«Is someone in there ?» Buggy startled when he heard a high pitch voice talking behind him.
«Oh it's just you. What are you doing ?» Another kid, a bit taller than Buggy, was looking at him, smiling, from the entrance of the kitchen.
Buggy stayed back, in a kind of fighting position. He wouldn't let his guards down just because the guy was a kid. He knew kids could be real demons.
«I'm not going to hurt you.» The red head chuckled. «You're Buggy right ?»
Buggy looked at him in confusion. He hadn't told his name to anyone on the ship...
«I'll take that as a yes. I was trapped with you remember ? I'm so glad I finally get to see you !» The taller kid says, bright smile on his face.
«S-Shanks ?» The clown's voice sounded rusty. Certainly from not having touched water in so long. He is a fish after all, he needs water.
Buggy remembered that voice, the voice he last talked with before fainting and waking up here.
“So I'm not on a random pirate ship, his father actually saved me ?...”
«You remember my name ? That's great ! Yeah, I'm Shanks. Is my looks up to your expectations ?» The kid in pajamas asked the fish child.
«I-I didn't really have expectations. I thought I died.»
«I told you my dad would save us right ? I'm not a liar haha !» Shanks laughed. Buggy didn't answer.
«I'm guessing you're hungry ? If you're in the kitchen.» Red hair asked.
«Yeah...»
«I can wake up Seagull he'll make us breakfast.»
«You don't have to. It's fine. I'll wait.» Buggy didn't sound please at the idea of the big man waking up...
«Not to be mean, but you look like you could eat something...» Shanks says, looking up and down the thin body in front of him.
«I can wait.»
«Fine if you don't want to wake up Sunbell, let me make you breakfast !»
«You can cook ?»
«No... But I'm pretty sure we have like, biscuits and juice around here. You like biscuits right ?» Shanks asks, his head already deep in a drawer, searching for biscuits.
«I'll eat anything.»
Five minutes later, both kids sat alone at the big table, with different kind of biscuits, milk, and chocolate bars. 7 year olds breakfast.
«Is it good ?» Red hair asked, eating his own chocolate bar.
Buggy didn't bother answering the question, stuffing his mouth with food. Shanks smiled, happy to see his friend eat.
«I like your teeth. They're spiky. It's so cool.» Shanks says as he watched the biscuits being crushed under the numerous teeth.
«Chank Kyu ?» Confused, mouth full, Buggy said. It feels weird to be complimented by a human. Or to be complimented at all actually. Even other fishes used to be scared by his spiky teeth. He's half shark, half clown fish, it's not his fault. But people always ran away from him. Having a random kid compliment his teeth felt so... Weirdly pleasing...
«I-I like your hair, I guess...» The clown compliments back.
«Thank you !»
They talked and ate for around forty minutes before a new head entered the kitchen.
«Uh, so that's why the lights are on. I thought I forgot them before going to sleep yesterday.» Scopper says as he looks at two kids, Rayleigh right behind him.
«Hi Scopper ! Buggy, this is Scopper, and behind him is Rayleigh. They're both really nice, but Rayleigh is a bit strict...» Shanks whispered that last part. Buggy softly chuckled. He couldn't say he felt comfortable around humans now, but he did feel comfortable around Shanks. And if Shanks said they were nice, they certainly were.
«So he is Buggy ? Confirmed ?» Rayleigh asks, walking to the back of the kitchen to start and make tea.
«Confirmed ! I'm sure of it !» Shanks almost jumped in his seat.
Scopper smiles.
«Ah, I'm glad to hear it. So kiddo, how do you feel ?» The darked hair man asks the little fish.
«Could be better...» Buggy hid in his long untied hair. Still feeling a bit shy and uncomfortable around adults humans.
«Shanks gave you everything you needed ? You're not hungry or thirsty ?» Rayleigh asked, his soft voice filling the room.
«I'm fine.»
After that, Buggy stopped taking, feeling content enough by just listening to Shanks and both adults talking. He was never a big talker, Rayleigh understood that.
Soon enough, the rest of the crew filled the kitchen, everyone was taking, laughing, eating. “Kinda like a family...” Buggy thought. For the first time in his short life, the clown felt happy around other humans...
And even if he hadn't said a word during the whole breakfast, the small smile on his face showed how truly glad he was to be here.
«Shower time.» The first mate says as he opens Shanks's cabin's door. Two days passed. Buggy still slept in the nurse room, to make sure he healed correctly. But he was told that at some point he would join Shanks's cabin. He was starting to get used to everyone's presence.
«Noooo can we skip it ? Please Ray-San ! We're playing right now...» Shanks begged.
«No, you dodged shower day for three days. Ever since Buggy arrived. Your hair are all greasy and you smell. Shower, now.» Rayleigh firmly points in direction of the shower room.
«Ughhhh. Fine.» Shanks got up and carried his body to the shower rooms. Getting ready to hop in the bath, waiting for Rayleigh to arrive before doing so.
Rayleigh stayed behind.
«Buggy ?» Rayleigh crouched down to be at Buggy's level. Trying to look less intimidating. «Do you want to join Shanks for bath time ? Sunbell said fishmen didn't really need to shower but, it could be fun don't you think ? And we could clean your wounds at the same time.» He softly smiled.
«Hmm, yeah ? We can try.» Buggy answered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Rayleigh and Buggy walked together to the shower, Shanks was rolled in a towel.
«Buggy ! You're joining me ?»
«Yep.»
«Yeah !» Shanks jumped, letting his towel fall down, not caring about everyone seeing him naked. Suddenly stopping his sulking, feeling really happy to take a bath.
Both jumped in the water. Buggy feeling obviously happy, as a fish he could only be glad to have such a big bathtub. Shanks feeling happy to spend time with his friend.
The red child felt some sort of admiration when he watched Buggy swim. It was like water was his home. Technically it was, but he never saw him swim before. He hopped Buggy would heal soon, they could swim in the sea together. Buggy's long blue hair floating in the blue water, his fit body swimming fast like a flash, his yellow and green eyes becoming almost fully blue, his face switching from neutral to happy and concentrated. The clown looked ethereal. Water was Buggy's element. The sea was calling for him. Buggy was a child of the sea, it was fascinating.
If he felt all those things from seeing Buggy swim in a big bathtub, what would he feel when he would finally see Buggy reunite with the sea ? He was impatient, he couldn't wait.
He had so many questions. Can Buggy swim as fast as lighting ? Can Buggy talk to normal fishes ? Can Buggy fight underwater ? Can Buggy talk underwater ? To him ? Can Buggy manipulate people like mermaids do ? Could Buggy look even prettier than he already does ? Buggy was so interesting. Not because he was a fishmen, but because he was Buggy. His whole person is interesting. Shanks was glad to have him by his sides.
Even if they just met, Shanks would die for the fish child.
Roger loved this kid. He was so particular. So special. So cute. And mostly, a child of the sea. Buggy's haki flared up anytime he got closer to the sea, and the kid didn't even realize it.
He wasn't like other fishmen. Something was different but Roger couldn't tell what it was. He is so glad he listened to Shanks when the kid asked to go search for Buggy underwater even if he was dead. Best decision of his life. Even if he still felt bad he let the kid "drown" in the first place.
Right now, Buggy was sleeping in his laps. A miracle one would say. And Roger would agree. The kid entered his room in the middle of the night, on his own will, and asked «Can I stay here tonight ? I can't sleep...» And Roger couldn't say no to that cute little face. Surprisingly, it only took him 4 days for the kid to start trusting him.
At first, he was supposed to wait for the kid to fall asleep, then he'd go back to sleep himself. But something hit him. The kid's haki sounded so peaceful, soft, and fresh. The clown sounded like the sea. Buggy's haki felt so comfortable to hear and feel. No wonder Shanks liked sleeping in the nurse office lately. His haki was so quiet, he was almost completely unnoticeable, which made it even softer and nice to hear.
But it was only when the kid was asleep. When he was awake, he sounded more like a storm. Dynamic, speed, angry, energetic, thoughtful, smart, salty. You had two distinct parts of Buggy, you could read through his haki. The soft sea, and the dangerous storm.
You could see it on his body. Blue hair wavy hair, light purple skin, dark blue nails, green/blue eyes, spiky teeth scary like a storm. Round orange marks all over his body, like corrals all over his skin.
Roger was convinced if we cut the kid open, his heart would be blue and liquid like the sea. With tiny fishes, corrals and algae decorating it.
Buggy is the sea.
Roger is a pirate.
How could he not love this kid ?
Buggy started getting more comfortable around everyone. Which means his true personality was coming out. And behind that traumatized kid, was hiding a brat. A little annoying brat. A prankster. A clown. Whatever it is that likes making stupid jokes, mocking people, jumping and running everywhere, a really energetic kid. Shanks was the happiest in the world. Having someone else to prank the adults with was delightful.
Buggy was a little devil. A storm running over the ship, one captain might say...
The crew was okay with it. They preferred having an annoying brat then having a traumatized kid no one could approach without getting their hands bitten off. They were glad to see it only took a week for the kid to let out his true personality. Buggy was finally comfortable enough with them. Even if from time to time he went back to being quiet and mute. They guessed the kid was like that, he needed quiet time before causing more chaos.
He could also be cute when he wanted. Sleeping in people's laps. Laughing like a normal kid, and not like a maniac when his pranks worked. A surprisingly clingy and cuddly kid. Crocus said it was the trauma Buggy had from being rejected so much and never having a real family. Now that he had one who loved him for who he was, he was asking for comfort. Who were they to refuse him ? The clown was allowed to get all the cuddles in the world. Asking questions about humans, his childish curiosity making everyone happy. Seeing a traumatized kid acting like a child was the best thing in the world. Buggy deserved a real childhood.
But then again, from time to time, no one was allowed to approach him or talk to him. He would still bite them. Buggy was Buggy. He would never change.
And they loved him just like that. Buggy finally had a real family...