Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You were sick. Well, to be more specific, chronically sick. That is one of the reasons the infamous Sir Crocodile married you, you supposed. You weren't from a ridiculously well-known family, more of the ones just below being understood as "Well known". He came to your parents, as one of the only suitors wanting a hand in marriage, and assured your parents you would be well taken care of.

Your sickness came in spurts, where your muscles ached horribly in small periods, and your heart was frail. Your lungs were good, if you didn't tire them out that is. The doctors warned the periods would grow longer as you grew older. That was essentially a sentence that you wouldn't live a very long life as well, since your heart was in danger of having cardiac arrests if your blood pressure went high.

When Crocodile married you, however, you were more in awe of his attitude. That and the fact that he looked more regal than any of the other nobles and ridiculously carried himself as such. You shook your head though, he must want a spouse just for the image. Simple as that, and he confirmed it when he told you so. So that was that.

At some point you couldn't understand, he started being there. You started seeing him present for some of your appointments, getting you looked at by top doctors, he even started reading up on your disease, sometimes surprising you at appointments by asking questions related to your disease. He anyway took you to events and galas but made sure to stick to you.

Once, at a party, a man was trying to get your husband's attention. When you walked back from the restroom you approached Crocodile, only to be edged out by the man who didn't see you. You caught yourself with a hand on the pillar beside you. Crocodile who saw this pushed the man aside, coming to you.

"You okay?" He said, hand coming to support your shoulder.

You waved his worries away.
"I'm fine."

The man, realizing that you were Crocodile's spouse, was now paling.

"Ah! My deepest apologies, I did not see you there ha ha....." He chuckled nervously, his face turning slightly pale.

"It's fine, really," you said, with a slight smile.

"If you don't mind...what er...sickness do you have?"

You told the name and watched as he cocked his head to the left.

"Ah, that! Isn't the mortality rate high for that disease?" Said the man before slapping both hands over his mouth, realizing what he said.

Crocodile shifted, his eyes growing darker, lifting his hook you stopped it.

"Yes, it is. However, I shall do my best to outlive you, sir." You smiled sweetly, teeth in your smile.

The man froze, mouth dropping open before Crocodile huffed, fixing him with a glare.

"You done making a fool of yourself? Get lost before I change my mind" He snapped.

When you went home you could feel his eyes on you. As you stood in front of the mirror, removing your jewelry, you felt a hand on your shoulder, and you met his eyes in the mirror.

"You handled yourself quite well tonight."

"Thank you" you smiled.

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"I'm used to these, I'm afraid" you sighed, taking a wipe to remove your makeup.

His hand traveled to your chin, cupping it as he tilted your head backward, making you look up as he looked down at you.

"You shouldn't. Tell me if it happens again." He said quietly, his thumb gently drawing circles on your cheek.

"But I can-"

"No. Say it"

You sighed, giving him an unimpressed look before agreeing.

"Fine"

"Good" He left your chin, but took his cigar out of his mouth, placing a kiss to your crown.

You blinked, jaw slightly open as you watched him leave. He'd never done that, never in your relationship was there that closeness. That affection.

Two days later, you were eating some oats at the breakfast table when you noticed the article on the front of the newspaper he was reading from, cigar smoke rising from behind the open newspaper, almost looking like chimney smoke.

It was the picture of that same man at the event, with the headlines, "GUTHRIE SIMMONS DEAD BY HONEY ALLERGY, FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED"

You paused, and read from the newspaper, reading how he was served a dish with honey glazing, even though the kitchen was told not to serve him honey. However, the waiter who served him was unaware of how it happened, so the cooks were being blamed.

You snorted, shaking your head, as a small smile played on your lips.

"Did you-?"

"Hm?" He hummed, not moving to look at you.

"Never mind," you said, going back to eating.

You didn't see it, but Crocodile bent the newspaper corner, his eyes watching your face as you smiled softly to yourself, a pleased hum escaping him.

Chapter Text

Some years later, this newfound closeness between you two grew. So did your sickness. One of the doctors recommended a medicine that was particularly harsh in terms of side effects. Vomiting, and fevers, it was one of the worst you had. What really surprised you was the fact that Crocodile had appointed some people to help.

"You know I can handle myself, no?" You said, having strode into his office to confront him.

He eyed you, then puffed out a cloud of smoke, before taking out the cigar.

"I got them, so that it's easier for you. Not for babying you. I know you can handle it." He stood up suddenly, walking to come beside you placing a hand on your shoulder.

"We both know how it feels to be babied. I wouldn't put that feeling on you of all people."

He walked off, leaving you to wonder if maybe you'd just hallucinated it all.

Not long after, it was winter. That night you were shivering in bed, having woken up due to the cold, and no matter what you did, you were just so cold. So you did what felt more comfortable, and that was to pull the blankets over your head curling up into a little ball.

It seemed to work, till the blanket got pulled off you by a bemused Crocodile.

"What are you doing?"

"It's cold," you said, with chattering teeth as you stared up at him. You felt and assumed that you looked like a wet, pathetic kitten. You definitely felt like one anyway. You tucked your feet underneath you now, unable to suppress the shiver from the rest of your body now no longer under the blanket. Your arms were wrapped around you. You suddenly thought of a hen....

Crocodile watched you for a few more seconds then wordlessly moved to the closet to start changing into his daily sleepwear, and you just reached for the blanket again. Both of you gave each other space when it came to changing, an unspoken rule of not staring at the other.

But what surprised you was that when he got into bed, he tugged you close to him, his hand snaking around you to tuck you close to him. You froze, but let out a sigh when you felt his body heat, your hands splayed over his side. You felt him hum at the sensation, watching as he laid his stump over his abdomen. 

"Thanks." You whispered in the quiet of the night, you hear him huff.

"Go to sleep."

The next morning you woke up curled into him entirely, with his face inches away from yours upwards. You blink slowly, watching him. At some point, he'd turned onto his side so he was facing you, also somewhat curled into you. His hand had curled underneath you to rest on your hip, and you could feel its warmth seeping through your clothes. His other arm was behind your back, resting on the bed behind you. Thus both arms were effectively caging you in. You could feel his breath tickling your hair, your legs tangled with his.

You watched him for a while, before starting to wonder whether to get up. On one hand, you were quite comfy and warm. On the other.....you had to get up to probably not make this more awkward, also take your medicine. You tried to gently pry his hand off, trying to wriggle away, when you felt the arm behind you push you close. So that his chin was touching your crown.

"Stay" He said, his voice was more rough having just woken up.

You shifted slightly backwards so that you were now looking up at him, eyes meeting his.

His hand, famed for causing sandstorms able to destroy towns and cities, destroying all that came in the way of his sand, came up, cupping your cheek. It was somewhere between rough and smooth, but the main thing you focused on was that it was positioned on your skin as if your skin was something delicate.

You didn't break eye contact with him, but closed your eyes when he shifted you closer to place a kiss on your forehead again, before tucking your head under his chin. 
"I know that you have to take your medicine in an hour. So just sleep, I'll wake you."

You sighed, allowing yourself to melt into his warmth, closing your eyes and drifting back into the warm sea of sleep.

And so things changed.

There was a certain flame slowly growing. Something small was in the process of blooming.

Chapter Text

When he was angry, usually you stayed away—giving him his space. It made sense to you, why trouble the man much stronger than you?

This time, you were going to the kitchen, head in a book. You had an idea of making a soup, which sounded good to you. Thanks to the help and the better doctors, your health was much easier to manage allowing you to do some tasks which earlier you wouldn't have done without help. Cooking you could do normally as well, but Crocodile had agreed on not having the nurses' constant presence due to you feeling better.

As you walked to the kitchen, you bumped into Crocodile, namely his side, as he was standing turned to face the window in the passageway. You paused, looking up at him.

"You okay?"

"Not in the mood." He said curtly. Ah, something had happened.

You nodded and walked off to the kitchen, where you put your book on the counter, hearing him walk to the bedroom. Maybe you could offer him some of the soup? Yeah, that seemed good.

40 minutes later, you'd made a pot of soup, with a few chunks of bananawani meat added in. You poured a medium-sized bowl of the same and added a spoon. You carried it to the study which is where he usually stayed for a bit after coming home. You peeked a head in and saw him smoking a cigar, with a disgruntled look on his face as he stared off into the distance.

"Hey"

His eyes met yours. "What is it?"

"Can I come in?"

He took the cigar from his lips and exhaled a breath. No response. You went anyway.

"What's this?"

You put it on the table, the aroma wafting around the room.

"Soup. I made it"

"Why are you giving it to me?"

"I thought it would cheer you up. I added Bananawani meat to it"

He raises an eyebrow at you, then looks down at the soup before closing his eyes and letting out a puff of smoke.

"You can go"

You pause, half awkwardly, and then nod, leaving.

An hour later, you're doing some origami at a table in the library, trying to make a dragon for a cousin. You hear someone clearing their throat and look up. It's Crocodile, who's looking up at you with an odd expression on his face. You've never seen that before.

"I....wanted to thank you. For the soup" He speaks gruffly. Then it clicks, he's bashful. 

You blink and then shake your head. "Ah, it's okay. I mean you help me a lot anyway so..." You shrug "It's the least I could do. Plus, I wanted someone to share with anyway"

He nods stiffly, the smoke making a few turns in its path as it does. His eyes fall to your little project.

"What's that?"

You look down and pick it up to show him.

"I'm trying to make a butterfly. The process is called origami" After you said that, he eyed it carefully. A few awkward moments went by.

"I see. Good luck with that"

You nodded, watching as he turned and left.

A few hours later, you joined him in bed, turning on your side away from him as usual.

"Why....didn't you pry about why I wasn't in a better mood?" He asked, his voice quiet but clear in the dark room.

You slowly turned, facing him. Your eyes meet his lavender.

"Well, two reasons. One, I didn't want a situation where you might take that anger out on me. And two....." You trailed off, watching a furrow grow between his eyebrows. "Everyone needs some space when they're angry to process it and to calm themselves down. Like a small bubble of peace, you know?"

"You could never make me angry." He spoke, in the softest voice you had ever heard him speak in. 

Your eyes went wide slightly as he reached out a hand, settling it again as he did on that night months ago, on your cheek, stroking your skin with the back of his fingers.

"You don't have to be scared of me. I don't want this to be that kind of marriage." He continued, and you felt like cheering oddly enough.

Eventually, when you woke up, this time you were cradled to his chest, your hands around his neck, and you didn't want to move. This was.....good. You didn't even want to leave. He became more touchy with you after that. He'd find little reasons to touch you, to pat your head, or to just be next to you. You, on the other hand, didn't mind this. You were quite sure you were probably enjoying this slightly as well.

Chapter Text

The first time you saw him drunk, you hadn't gone to the same gala as him, since you felt slightly weary and a wee bit ill. He went, telling you to get well soon.

You'd taken some meds, and were in bed, a little too engrossed in the cheap porn novel your friend had given you. 

Most of your friends were slightly tensed about Crocodile being your husband but they kept it under wraps. Which meant they asked you polite questions about him and regarded him with suspicion if he came even remotely close to you in their presence. Crocodile, however, either didn't care or didn't realize it and never asked you anything along the lines of, "Why do your friends look like an angry bunch of Marines around me?" (Which you were quite thankful for.)

They'd given you the book on account of how truly ridiculous it was. It featured a pillow coming to life (which was more alarming than anything) and falling in love and lust with the owner. You were lying in bed, half wheezing, half cringing at some of the more steamy scenes when you heard a very loud thump.

You froze. Of course, it could have been Daz, or someone else but at this hour of the night? You checked the clock, which showed 2:45 AM.

Way, too late for someone to be awake. You got up, grabbing your book and a den-den, just in case. Opening the bedroom door, you peeked out seeing a clearly very drunk Crocodile with a hand on the wall, right outside the bedroom door.

"Oh! You're....drunk?" You said, baffled. You were also uncertain of what was he like drunk given that you'd never exactly seen him drunk.

He blinked at you a few times, unspeaking, before reaching out with his hook and tugging your collar. Pulling you forward, waiting till you were close, then he bent down and kissed you.

Now, yes he had kissed you at your wedding, and yes he had kissed you on your head and cheeks occasionally but lips? Not really. Plus, you didn't want this. This felt wrong and really not the right time. So you did what anyone would do, and that was lightly slapping his shoulder a few times, making muffled noises against his warm mouth (and was that his tongue? Yep that was his tongue) till he pulled back, panting. 

"Stop. Just-Just stop, you're drunk" You said breathlessly, hands cupping his cheeks. 

He didn't speak, just looked into your eyes with a look that spoke of wanting more. However, you knew that he wouldn't. Not if you didn't want it, for that was what he had proved to you all this time.

"C'mon, let's get you to bed, okay?" You murmured, one hand moving to pat his shoulder. He grunted, standing up straighter and walking if not very slightly swaying, and moved to the bed, settling down on it heavier than usual. You followed behind and tugged at his coat.

"Alright, let's just take this off first," You said softly. He shrugged off the coat, complying. When you came back, you tapped his hook.

"Can I take this off? You can't sleep with it on" He scowled at that before removing it, letting you take the metal piece off his stump.

You placed it on the table in the room before coming back to him, only to yelp in surprise when he suddenly grabbed you, pulling you to himself again. This time, he just held you, arms crossed over your front, seated on his lap, back to his chest where he buried his face in your hair. 

"Are you....angry?" He whispered into your hair. 

"Angry? Why?"

".....For earlier" 

You reached up a hand, to his jaw, caressing it. "No. I....enjoyed it. But not when you're like this. I would enjoy it more when you're not like this."

He seemed to stiffen, before squeezing you ever so slightly. "Every time I think I know you...." He seemed to mutter softly.

When he woke up hours later, with a miserable hangover, he seemed to be resting his forehead against a warm and soft surface. Felt hands cradling the back of his head, along with soft breaths blown on his hair. He opened his eyes only to see you curled around him, cradling his head to your chest. He stayed like that for 2 seconds before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

Chapter Text

There were times that you didn't know what to do around him and one of those times, it was his birthday. You didn't realize till Daz told you, hours later. You choked on some water when he told you.

"Wh-what did you say?" You coughed out, as he started to pat your back.

"It's his birthday," Said Daz, half concerned whether he should have mentioned it at all.

You frowned, wiping your mouth as you started to think. It was his birthday, and you didn't find out till what, evening. Odds were, he didn't want you to find out. But why?

You looked at Daz, hands on your hips. "Why didn't he tell me?"

Daz shrugged. If he didn't know, then the reason was before your eyes. You'd have to ask him. Maybe after you figured out what to do for his birthday exactly. Throw a surprise party? No. He didn't seem the type to like that. Birthday sex? .......You'd have to put a pin in that. Daz cleared his throat.

"He likes Tomatoes." You blinked owlishly at that. Tomatoes?

"Really?"

"Yes," Said the devil fruit user.

"What kind?"

"........I'm not sure" 

You hummed in response. You had a plan. And hopefully, it would work. "Are you free for a bit?"

"I can spare some hours yes"

You grinned, and the sword man raised an eyebrow. "I have a plan."

When he came home, you waited till he was in the home office. You poked your head in to see his reaction. You hadn't put any decorations, just a few origami Crocodiles where you had stuck tiny bananas on their heads, making them makeshift Bananawani. They were placed on his desk, surrounding a cake which you had made which had a bunch of tiny tomatoes all surrounding a sleeping Bananawani in the center. You had made Daz buy some frosting, along with the main ingredients for a cake, refusing any help from the chefs since you wanted to do this yourself. You did take their advice though. You had even gotten Daz to buy a nice bottle of wine, and help you with origami along with helping you cut out and stick the tiny bananas on their heads.

You walked through the door, moving to stand beside him.

"I didn't know it was your birthday till a few hours ago, so this was very last minute," You said awkwardly

"Do you like it? You didn't seem the type to particularly like surprise parties or something very flashy, plus I didn't know what exactly to do for a gift so....." You trailed off, now unsure because of the silence in the room. Was he angry? Did he hate it? Oh no, did he find this kind of pathetic? What-

"I like it" He finally spoke, turning to you.

You froze, staring up at him. "Really? You don't have to lie-"

He bent, cupping your jaw in his hand lightly squeezing your cheeks together. He kissed your forehead. "I don't lie to you."

You blinked and a relieved smile broke on your face, albeit a little squished due to his hand still squeezing your cheeks.

He smiled slightly and left your face, patting your head. "Let's have some cake shall we?"

He picked up one of the origami crocodiles in his palm and inspected them. "Interesting. They're all bananawani." 

You nodded, grabbing the bottle of wine you had Daz buy and two glasses. "Stuck bananas on their head especially for that"

He chuckled and something in your chest unfurled comfortably with that sound. You liked that sound.

"You brilliant little thing" He murmured.

Later in bed, as you lay your head on his chest you smiled to yourself. Looks like it was a success. Though maybe next time you will get an actual gift.

Chapter Text

Tonight had to be one of the worst attacks of your disease. You were in the tub, gritting your teeth in pain as the pain just kept ringing. As in it came in waves, and you were irritated. You wanted to stab someone, to be honest.

The warm water helped, but goddamn was this annoying. The attacks didn't come as frequently thankfully but when they did, they hurt like a bitch. The nurses your husband had hired had managed to help you till the tub, filling it with warm water and giving you pain relievers but you had taken some 2 hours ago, and you needed to wait for 30 minutes before you could take it again. You tried not to snap at them but you were pretty sure you had, and you felt guilty. Which wasn't helping by the way.

You were in pain, your hair felt awful, and you were just so angry at the situation. That seemed to be just the time when the Crocodile walked in.

You looked at him and raised an eyebrow, starting to try to grab a towel to cover yourself with. You were naked after all. 

He waved your antics away, eyes looking away. He sat on  the edge, smoking his cigar "Don't move"

"I'm trying to cover myself" You snapped.

He paused, then huffed "I won't look"

He turned away, his back to you.

You left the towel, put it back on the rack, and hissed as you rested back on the wall of the bathtub.

"Motherfucker" you whispered under your breath.

"Never took you for someone who cussed a lot," He remarked, a hint of genuine surprise in his voice.

"Yeah well- oh fuck!" You yelped. The surge of pain passing through you right now seemed to feel like a spark of lighting attacking you. You curled into yourself.

He snapped his head to look at you, concern in his face. "What? Do you-" 

"I have to wait for 30 minutes before I can take my next dose of painkillers" You croaked, pain evident in your tone.

He reached out but hesitated. "Can I....touch you?"

You turned your head to meet him, blinking confusedly. "What? Uh, no."

"Fine then" 

"Is this the worst you've ever felt?" 

"No, but." You sighed, "It's the worst I've had in a while."

You didn't know it, but he felt helpless. He hated that. He hated seeing you this way. He knew you did have similar attacks earlier in your marriage but he had been reassured that it was manageable. But this......

You turned your head to look at him, a bleary sort of look in your eyes. Quietly, you were wondering if he was checking you out since neither of you looked at the other when changing. 

"Why are you here anyway?"

He lets out a puff of smoke, pausing.

"I....wanted to check on you," He says, quietly. You know that he would not be caught dead saying that with an audience, which is probably why your nurses were not checking on you since you sent them out quite some time back.

You raised a hand, catching him and studying it. You needed some distraction, and talking wasn't helping. Your hands felt better, so you took a chance. His hand was much bigger than yours. Along with much more weathered, probably from the sand he controlled. He kept his hand loose, allowing you to study it. It seemed cute to him, the differences in your hands. Yours was smaller and not so weathered. 

You looked at him, then cocked your head to the side. "What's the time?"
He looked at the clock outside the bathroom. "About 30 minutes past 6"

You sighed. "Help me out please"

He nodded, his hand supporting your elbow as he helped you up from the bathtub, you grit your teeth, feeling the waves of pain slightly increase from coming out of the warm water. He hooked your towel, handing it to you as you stepped out. You felt his presence close to your body, and knowing the difference in terms of size between your bodies, you idly wondered what differences would be there. You were aware that he could very well see your whole naked body, and you wondered when that secret wall broke between you. When did you stop having an issue with it?

Helping you outside, you were met with the nurses he assigned and he left your elbow, and you could feel the loss of that warm, weathered, loving touch. You knew he could have very well pushed for something back there. He hadn't and a part of you wondered whether he was as curious yet interested in your body as you were in his.

Soon you were feeling much better, having taken your painkillers, your medicine, and at the end of this attack. You were quite exhausted, perfect time for a nap. But you wanted to try something. So you moved through the house and found him in his study. 

He seemed quite busy, signing paperwork which had a small mountain of the same decreasing at a steady rate. 

"Hey, can I come in?"

He looked up and nodded, before taking a long drag of the cigar. Releasing a cloud of smoke, he asked. "What is it?"

"I'm feeling sleepy" You mumbled.

He blinked, raising an eyebrow. ".....And? I'm quite sure we have a bed"

"Can I sleep on you?"

Now both eyebrows were up as if not believing what he was hearing. ".....On me?"

You huffed and moved forward. Coming over to his side, he automatically pushed the chair a little backward for whatever you wished to do. You clambered onto his lap, leaning on his torso, facing sideways, your legs hanging off his knees, and hugged the hook close. This gave him pause. No one had ever wanted to be close to his hook. For good reason too. Yet here you were, hugging the thing to yourself like it was a teddy of some sort.

When he looked at your face again, you found that you had fallen asleep quite quickly as well. Soft snores emitted from your lips, you looked quite peaceful. 

Later when Daz would poke his head in, Crocodile would flash him a look of caution, his coat slightly draped on you as well. Fast asleep on one of the most dangerous men in Alabasta.

Chapter Text

The first time you were to visit your parents back home for a family event, you felt that something was off with him. He seemed more distant, and just generally displeased. You were concerned...but you had to pack stuff too. On the morning you had to leave, you caught his hand before he left your bedroom.

"Crocodile."

He stopped and looked down at you. You could feel his hand, warm and coarse. 

"Are you okay?" You asked softly.

He stared inscrutably at you for a few moments. You tried not to fidget.

"See, because you've ah.....not been acting like usual" You started to feel awkward, your voice becoming more and quieter.

All of a sudden his hand leaves your hold and your hair is being ruffled. Your nose scrunches up at the sudden action and your hands come up to try and stop it, only for him to leave your head, muttering "Clever little thing" low enough for only you to hear.

Your face is now cupped, with strong, wanting lips on yours and how can you say no? You cup his face and meet it without fear. He pulls back after some seconds. Minutes? You can't tell. His thumb strokes your cheek as he looks into your eyes. 

"I can't see you off, but I'll be right there whenever you call." He murmurs and his sand moves to reveal a den den mushi in front of you. You take it, studying the little creature. 

"Okay"

He places one last kiss on your head and leaves.

As you set off on the ship you stare back at the retreating Alabasta docks only to see a whirl of sand reforming into what you can vaguely see as your husband. You wave and you could swear it waved back at you slightly.

It's a wedding between your oldest cousin and the love of his life. As per tradition, it's up to you and the rest of your cousins to handle it. Having been the only cousin in your family having been married, you were appointed as the general manager of planning the wedding. You loved and hated it, realizing how stressful most wedding planners have it. Calling people, arranging for things, yeesh. You loved it, feeling helpful but also annoyed at some of your cousins and their needs and wants. 

One night you sat on your childhood bed, exhausted after the 3rd day of your planning. Your feet ache, and your belly is full, seems the perfect time to hit the hay. However, your eyes land on the bedside table where you had set down the den den mushi Crocodile gave you. You bite your lip looking at the clock. It's not that late...

You pick up the receiver and hold it to your ear with bated breath. It rings for a few minutes at least and you sigh about to keep the receiver down. Well, if anything at least you could say you tried to call him-

"It's Crocodile"

You yelp and fumble with the receiver as it almost slips from your fingers. You hold it up to your ear again. "H-hello?" Gods, you feel like an idiot.

"....Ah, it's you."

You smile slightly from your end, even if he can't see it. "So it's me. How've you been doing?"

You hear a shift as if he's moving in his seat. "Working. Not much of a change here."

"Really? How are the Bananawanis?"

"They're good" He sighs into the receiver. "What about you?" Did his voice get softer? 

"I'm being made to manage and plan the entire wedding" You sigh with a smile.

"Really? How's that going?"

You tell him all about the work you've done, your struggles, and your hopes for the job. Eventually, you look at the clock and freeze. You've chattered his ear off for quite some time. "Oh, damn look at the time. I must be tiring you huh" You say sheepishly.

"No."

You blink, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You haven't been tiring me at all" He answers. "I like hearing your voice" 

You pause, jaw dropping slightly. "I- wh-" you stutter.

His laugh bubbles from the receiver, and you find yourself smiling giddily at the sound, curling over the receiver, and feeling your heart warm.

"How come you're still awake?"

"Well, I still have work to do."

"It's...late. By now you would have come home."

"Not if I had so much work left"

"Not even if I was waiting for you?" Now a teasing smile comes from your side.

"You cheeky minx" He chuffs.

Now it was your turn to laugh. What a man.

Chapter Text

Puru puru puru.... puru puru puru....

Gachak.

"Hello?"

"Please tell me about your day. I am on the verge of giving up on planning this wedding and running back to you."

"Ku-ha-ha-ha, that bad huh?"

"Horrible. I want to murder most of my uncles and aunts. So I beg you, please talk to me about anything, everything, honestly."

"Well, the casino had a bachelorette party come in, they spent a lot on tables, which made for some nice benefits for this week. Today, some pirates came into the marketplace and tried to start some sort of coup...." A sigh passes from one end of the call to the other's ear.

"Quite ridiculous really. They weren't even properly prepared."

A snort "That bad?"

A grin is almost heard on the other side. "Awful. They had barely started too. None of them had a devil fruit as well."

A pause. "I have a question"

"I'm listening"

"Does it feel funny?"

"What does?"

"When you change to sand and then back?"

"What do you mean, funny?"

"Like er....odd? Like everything and nothing at once? Disorienting?"

"Hmm......at first it did, yes. It feels much more ah....natural now, you can say. Much more easier."

"Sounds like when it first happened you were quite baffled by it"

"Ku-ha-ha-ha-ha, assuming things are we?" Croons one side

No response, but a smile on the other.

"When will this wedding get over for you anyway?"

"We-ell, in a week or two?"

"That's a lot of planning for one wedding"

"Tell me about it, there's so much to coordinate with. Oh, go here! Oh, we need this! We need that! Ugh. How you even manage to do what you do is beyond me"

"Ku-ha-ha-ha comes with practice I'm afraid." 

A yawn comes from the other side. This side checks the clock. It's late.

"You should get some rest. We can talk later"

"No, I'll, I'll stay awake. I want to hear you" the other side whines.

A chuckle from this side "Is that so?"

"Mhmm."

5 minutes later, there's soft snoring from the other side. This side smiles and with a soft tone murmurs, "Good night my dear"

Chapter Text

Hello~" You greeted in a sing-song voice

"Hello to you too. How was today?"

"Not bad, things are going well and the wedding itself is the day after. Tomorrow will be a hectic ordeal but I'm not too worried about it."

"That sounds good."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead"

"Your hook."

"What of it?" You could detect a slight tone of wariness.

"Why do you remove it before we sleep?" You and he both knew you weren't asking that, but rather how did he come to trust you so easily on it. However, even now there were times between the both of you where neither wanted to reveal things to the other without a preamble. There was trust, but not intimate-based trust. The kind of trust that both sides could revel in, the kind which made both sides feel comfort just by being in the other's presence and being relieved to leave things to the other, that trust was growing sure, but not at a level where this was visible to both sides and if keen-eyed people peered, could see as well.

"......You can't hurt me." Came the short reply. A reply which stung, and had something stutter painfully in your chest.

"Oh."

"If that's all, then I'll need to go. Something came up." He says curtly. Oh fuck, this did not go well.

"Listen-"

"Goodbye" and there's a click. You stare at the receiver for a few seconds as if expecting him to call again with a little, "Hello! That was a joke Ku-ha-ha-ha-ha" But to no avail. You huffed putting the receiver back and setting the snail on the bedside table before collapsing back onto the bed, staring up at the canopy.

Now, there has been some amount of bridging the gap between you two as mentioned before. In fact, all things considered, both of you have technically gotten much closer than you thought you'd ever get. But, once again there are some things that the two of you have never exactly brought up nor discussed. You've never talked to him regarding your mire depressive thoughts and you're pretty sure the man has the trust issues of a skittish deer. That is, really bad. You aren't even sure if Daz knows about Crocodile's past (and you wouldn't be surprised if he didn't) the fact that he knew enough about him to be aware of his birthday was big in your eyes if not hurtful that the man himself didn't tell you at all. 

This is why the idea of giving him space when he was angry had two reasons as you had told him, but there was one more. You genuinely didn't know how he would react. You had understood that somewhere on his mental board of people he interacted with, you weren't an enemy nor an acquaintance. At most you would guess that you were high, almost the level of "like", but you were pretty sure he just had Robin and Daz up there. Maybe his bananawanis as well (not that you would blame him. The man liked his reptiles) 

It's just....you wished he had maybe gotten to that level with you. You did like what you had now with him, but at what point would that become something more? Shit would you have to start at the beginning again with him? Would you even be given a chance with him? Considering his famous moods, you personally were doubtful. You rubbed your hand over your face, this seemed almost as stressful as the planning that you had to do for this blasted wedding (apologies to your cousin)

You turned onto your stomach, lifting your head to look again at the snail. Should you call him again? Would he pick it up? You groaned. Seriously, this was annoying and you were exhausted. Maybe you should drink, and take the edge off for a bit. It would help you take your mind off anyway.

4 glasses of wine which you kind of stole from your family's drinks cabinet while tiptoeing back and forth from your room and back you were at least toeing the line between being drunk and being tipsy. So you did the one thing you thought was best. Calling him.

"....Hello?"

"Crocodile! Baby!" You shrieked into the phone.

"Are you drunk?" Came the reply half annoyed half concerned.

"Not completely isse like line btween ' bein drunk n' tipsy" You crooned.

"You'll have a hangover in the morning. Just go to sleep now." Came his curt reply.

"Noooo, I still wanna talk to youu" You whined

He sighed, and you had a feeling he would be pinching the bridge of his nose right now at the situation. "Fine, let's talk."

"Yay! Now, are you mad at me?" 

"....Angry? Why would I be-"

"Cause, 'cause I asked you that question. N' you have issues, like trust issues. So are you?" You said quickly, bubbly-like.

"I have what-"

"Trust issues! Really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really-"

"Yes I understand, you can stop-" Mild irritation was now coating his tone

"Really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really-" You continued.

"I said you can stop-" 

"Really really really-" 

"STOP IT!" He snapped.

A yelp escaped you. Then you hiccuped. "Bad trust issues" You finished in a small voice.

He groaned slightly. "Look I'm not angry at you, per se. Okay? There I'm not mad at you."

You huffed. "I don't believe you"

He scoffed "Oh really? Why?" He said wryly.

"You, you're, ugh!"

"I'm what? Huh? What are you-"

"You're so defensive all the time!" You burst out.

A pause.

You frowned. "Helloooo, Crocodile? Are you still there?"

"Look. And listen to me now, don't interrupt me." He started, sounding moments away from actually losing his temper.

"Remember what I told you back then? 'I don't get angry at you' and I am not. Understand? The same goes for lying. I said I do not lie to you and I meant it."

Silence.
"Hello? Are you still on the call?"
A snore comes to his side from the receiver and he has to physically stop himself from launching the snail out the window. Good grief, what a spouse he had. Although, he didn't realize how perceptive they were nor how ridiculously blunt they got while drunk. Interesting. He looked at the receiver again, their snores coming slowly.

"Goodnight dear" He murmurs, putting the receiver back on the snail.

Chapter Text

The entire day before the damn wedding you were feeling ready to murder everyone including yourself purely because you had a mild headache that wasn't going away and the next was you remembered every single thing you said to Crocodile.

Seas, you felt awful. What possessed you to say those things?! It made sense that you were aware of them but instead of normally just working around and into it and slowly letting him aware of it (if he wasn't already) you threw it in his face, like a bomb. You groaned, throwing back a glass of water, trying to forget the memories. And on top of that, you even called him defensive! If a time-time fruit could be found you wished you could eat it and go back in time to hide that snail away from your drunken self, awful taste and all.

For now, you have to deal with the last few preparations needed for the wedding tomorrow. The bride's dress was perfect save for the fact that she wanted some pockets at the side to hide her speech in, so you had sent it to the tailor's for altering. However, considering that your general group of helpers (nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, cousins, and their significant others) were all already assigned to either run behind or help with something or the other. Meaning you had to go collect the now-altered dress. Oh well, you supposed that a trip to town would be refreshing. You needed to do quick checks on the preparations for the bachelorette party as well anyway.

Your family had a horse carriage as did most people on your island, so you used that to go to town. Walking into the tailor's shop, you were rummaging in your bag for the receipt.

"Where was it-oomph!" You stumbled into someone's chest. Both your bag and their dress fell onto the floor. The pair of you both immediately bent down to pick both items up already starting with apologies.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I-Paul?" You froze looking at the stranger.

"....It really is you. H-how've you been?" Stuttered your ex-boyfriend. 

Now yes, you had gone through relationships before Crocodile. Kind of helped with understanding him, honestly speaking. But Paul was the longest. He was the longest out of the few relationships you had, where the only reason it didn't work out was the fact that he was very......negative. The man was not in lack of self-respect, he was just never positive about things when it was just the two of you. It was as if he felt that he just had to be when it was just you two even if the situation did not ask for it. It was a problem, but he never put the negativity on you.....until one day when you were anyway quite peeved about the dosage of medicine you were prescribed and he grumbled about your personality. That's when you cut it off. 

Your friends were all supportive, anyway being quite disapproving of him, this just settled the situation in their eyes. But seeing him now was....a whole new experience given the last time you talked to him was 3 years ago. Things did not end well between you two, and you always got the feeling that even though he apologized profusely after that outburst he didn't really mean it.

"I've been fine, actually. Got married" You said, snapping yourself back to the present.

"Married?! To who?" He yelped.

"Sir Crocodile," You said quietly, a tone of satisfaction dipped in.

He looked at you for 5 whole seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Oh...you always did have a great sense of humor! Sir Crocodile, you say. Hahaha!" He bent over and a lick of anger raced up your spine.

In another part of your mind, your brain compared his and Crocodile's laughter. Oh, you did not like Paul's laughter at all. In fact, you kind of missed your husband's laughter.

He stood up again, a dopey grin on his face. "So what brings you back?"

"Cousin's wedding. I have to help plan it as per custom." You said disdain for the man evident in your tone.

"No kidding! Well, that must be a lot of work. You have a plus 1 to the wedding yet?"

You deflated slightly. "No, I was going to invite one of my friends."

"Wel,l I'm free. When's the wedding?" 

"Tomorrow, but-" You started. Like Hell, you would want your ex to come as your plus one.

"That settles it then!" He clapped a hand to your shoulder. "I'll be your plus one"

"Now wait a minute-"

Suddenly a ringing sound pierced the air, placing a hand in his pocket, he pulled out a snail. He lifted the receiver. "Yes?" His brow furrowed. "He did what?! On my way, hold on!" He snapped starting to leave.

As he left, he called back to you. "Don't worry I won't forget!"

Oh, what did you land yourself in, now?

Miles away, Crocodile was smoking a cigar looking at the wedding photo of you two, situated in the hallway between the casino and his office. He had been in a sullen mood for the entire day, your parents had sent it a few months after you were married, and as he gazed at you then, having a polite smile on your face, he had a sudden pang of loss. He missed you.

Looking at the clock he huffed and marched to his office where Nico Robin stood, holding a few documents. "Clear out my schedule till the week's end" He barked, grabbing the snail which you two used to communicate.

"Oh? Going somewhere?" Came her casual but alert reply.

He looked at her over his shoulder. "I'm going to go get my partner back."

Chapter Text

You grinned through the proceedings, feeling joyous at the ceremonies. Your cousin had gotten married and everything was going as it should have. Now was the time for the dancing and eating where some could go to the front and dance or stay and eat in peace. You were walking back to the hall, having finished arranging details with the driver when a hand caught yours, yanking you back.

"Wh- oh, Paul!" You groaned, midway between yelp.

"Yep, hello there. Didn't think I would forget would you?" He grinned back, wearing a suit.

Biting back a comment you gave him an exasperated smile. "Riiiiight, why don't you er....go to the hall? There's food set up and-" 

"Oh no, no, no! With all due respect to your family, I'm not here for them." With a deep breath, he got closer to you. "I'm here for you."

Ohhhh, you didn't like this. You did not like this situation. This was bad. Very very bad. You needed to get out here stat. Not because you couldn't handle him, but because you had a feeling. This would not end well if this continued. There would be a lot more drama which would occur if this continued.

"Paul, listen to me. I'm....pleased to see you here but you need to leave okay? Like right now" 

"What? No! I wanted to spend some time with you!"

You wrinkled your nose in disgust. "Why?"

He sighed and gave you a look. "I know that the last time we met, all those years ago, I screwed things up"

You paused. Oh no, please no, he was not going to-

"So, to make up for that" He leaned forward taking your hand in his. "I would like to start dating you again. I promise that this time will be perfect"

You opened your mouth, ready to yank your hand away when you saw it. The sand surrounding you both. Creating a small bubble moving to create a form behind you. A tiny wisp of soft sand caressed your cheek as it passed and joined the forming sand, revealing your unamused husband, Sir Crocodile. Who looked disgusted, and unhappy at the scene in front of him. A grin grew on your face. "I'm afraid that they're taken."

Paul dropped your hand, mouth dropping in shock as he scooted backwards. "C-Crocodile?! What- hey come away from him!" He beckoned to you looking absolutely petrified. 

You looked at him, taking a step backwards, closer to the comforting warmth of your husband. "Why? Last I checked, I'm married to him after all"

"You weren't joking?!" He screeched.

"I'm afraid not" confirmed your husband. His hook came forwards, placing the side of it against your hip, tip pointed upwards. You sighed, feeling slightly more relaxed.

"Now, could you leave my husband and I alone? We've got some private matters to discuss" You purred, loving the way that your ex tensed. However, he truly started to run when a cloud of sand engulfed him, lifting him, just to launch him into the pushed a little distance off.

You turned to him fully, then. "What are you doing here?" As far as you were aware, none of your family friends had sent an invitation to him owing to his absence due to work.

He cupped your cheek "I....missed you"

You groan, leaning into his hand. "I missed you too, but I did not miss our last conversation."

He laughed and you smiled more, leaning more toward him. "Ah yes, our last conversation. That was new, hmm?"

You close your eyes, sighing. "I'm sorry. Shouldn't have said those things to you. Not so suddenly. Not at all"

You feel his hand travel to your nape before pushing you into his torso ".....hm"

You tilt your head up "Wanna continue this conversation somewhere else?"

An amused huff leaves him. "Yes. I've gotten some luggage delivered to your house but no one was home." 

You blink up at him "Oh. That's, cause of the wedding."

He raises an eyebrow. "Right, aren't you needed?"

You pause, looking down at your shoes "Not for an hour or two no"

"Well then" 

You look up, confused "......Well?"

"I'm your husband and a guest" He exhales. "I'm quite positive that you're supposed to give me a room for the night"

You laugh, maybe you were falling in love.

Chapter Text

A call to one of your less drunk cousins later, you're showing Crocodile up to your room. It wasn't very small, owing to your family's wealth, but it definitely wasn't as grand as the mansion that you and your husband shared. 

You sighed, plopping yourself on the edge of your bed, and kicking off your shoes. Leaning back on your hands you groaned "Thankfully I don't have to plan the next one at least."

Crocodile stood, eyes slowly taking in the room, looking at the notes you put on the walls, the posters, the furniture, the items inhabiting your room, etc. "Good for you then" He answered.

He looks back at you, "Do you not have to go back at all?"

You shake your head "Today they'll stay at the bride's house and tomorrow they'll leave."

"Ah"

You groan "I need a bath."

"Can I join you?"

You look at him, blinking. ".....join me?"

He meets your eyes, an unreadable look in them "Yes."

You nod, getting up and leading the way to the washroom. It had a bathtub, which was built into the wall. It was bigger since your parents had done their best to try and make your disease symptoms easier for you to manage. It was....just right for Crocodile, ridiculously enough. You bent, switching on the tap, letting the water start to fill the tub.

You started to undress, keeping your eyes away from him, keeping your clothes hanging on the hooks near the towels. You moved forward, stepping into the tub, a slow smile gracing your lips at the comforting temperature of the water.

Once you were in, you turned your head, as he stepped in behind you. He was completely bare now, save for his cigar and hook. Your eyes traveled up his body as he sat in the water behind you. You too, turned, now facing him. You sat in a crumpled, forwards position, with your head leaning on the side of the bathtub, watching him. You'd never say it to him, but he had that sense of regality or elegance to him that just snatched one's attention to him.

He sighed, hand coming to take his cigar away as he released a puff of smoke. Your eyes traced his features, from his hair, usually slicked back, to his eyes, his face, cheeks, scar, lips, to his neck and shoulders. Down to the hard planes of his chest, it was easy to see why he was feared. He seemed and was powerful simply from his form. 

Your eyes fell on his arm, hanging out of the bathtub. You had seen it many times, where his arm was his until the wrist. Where a bulbous base of mental sat, and from it a sharp and uncaring hook was positioned, also of metal.

"Staring is considered rude, you know"

Your eyes traveled back to his, a look of casual confusion in the middle of the vibrant energy of his violet eyes. "I apologize then." You answered.

He looked to the side and saw a tiny shelf built into the wall. Putting his cigar there, he reached out a hand, silently beckoning to you.

You moved forward, sitting on his lap, as he finally stretched out his legs. You lay your head on his chest, feeling his hand come to settle on your hip. This was....nice. You were quite sure that Crocodile was doing this while keeping your earlier words in mind. You had a feeling that the man didn't quite know how to push them away. Probably because not many got the chance to do such things. Even if they did they didn't out of fear for him.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to your head and you couldn't help but look up at him. There was a look of adoration, a look of being taken in by you, your presence in his eyes. 

You reached up a hand, cupping his cheek. He leaned into it and you lost it. You twisted then, straightening yourself, getting on your knees, to be as tall as you could be to kiss him. Your hands cupped his cheeks then, his hand moving to support you with a hand on your back. You broke the kiss then, leaning your head forward onto his, both of you sharing breath. 

"I'm sorry" You whispered.

"Don't apologize" He countered.

Your hands wrapped around his head, fingers tangling with his hair. You were holding him to you, you to yours. Yours to cherish and love. You tilted your face to press kisses along his, leaving his scar, until you pressed a small, barely there kiss to it. He froze, his hand flinching.

You jerked backward slightly, hands almost leaving him. "Are you okay? Did it-"

"I'm fine."

You stared into his eyes for a bit, before nodding and moving to just hug him, content with his answer.

You tucked his face under your chin, into his neck. Maybe the pair of you wouldn't say it out loud unless under various situations but you were quite sure, or at the very least hopeful that he felt the same for you.

Chapter Text

You woke up, groaning slightly. You'd left the curtains open and the sunlight was hitting you right in the face. You shifted, turning your head, only to meet warm, skin. Making a confused sound you opened your eyes, seeing his neck. Looking up, you saw Crocodile's snoring, face. He looked peaceful in his sleep, not under stress or the usual guise of swagger. Just, him. You turned onto your front and observed him some more. Your eyes traced the scar that sliced his face in half and wondered how it happened. As far as you knew, he had never told anyone. Would he tell you? You didn't know, but if he didn't one day tell you, maybe you would ask him just maybe. He shifted then, causing you to stiffen as he rolled to his side facing you. His hand now held your hip and he sighed, hair strands falling and ticking your hands. Your eyes traveled to his ear where one singular gold earring sat, and you reached out, fiddling with it and his ear.

"Restless, are we?" Came a sleep-drunk voice, causing you to stiffen, eyes meeting his one, open, purple eye. 

His hand lightly squeezed your hip as he continued. "I got that when I was a young pirate. I probably should remove it now and then."

You blink. "Uh yeah. I've heard that without letting it air out, it doesn't do too well"

He grinned and a thought came to you of whether he knew that sometimes he even grinned like a damn Crocodile. Should you tell him?

"I can technically air it out, remember?"

Oh. Right. Sand. He's a sandman. Now it's your turn to grin. "Oh yeah, you're a sand man. Does that mean you can 'make me a dream?' Cause me to dream and fall asleep peacefully?"

He pauses, and squints. ""Make you a dream?""

You shoot up on your knees. "Oh, you've never heard of the song? Mr. Sandman?"

He yawns as he slowly sits up, stretching slightly. "Afraid not."

You get up and look for your Music player snail. Taking it, you looked for the correct CD. Waking up the snail, you slid the CD in and switched over to the song. And the song started, and you looked at him grinning.

He listened for a few seconds before giving you a deadpan look, causing you to laugh and come over to his side, placing one hand on his jaw, and the other holding his hand, moving your joined hands as you swayed in your own way to the song, singing it softly under your breath. He was smiling too, watching you, before his hand tugged your wrist closer, hand moving up to cup your nape as he kissed your jaw.

"Having fun aren't you?" He murmured, eyes having a bit of mirth in them. You chuckled. "Surprising, considering you seem exhausted."

You grinned back, leaning on him now, "Yeah, but I don't have to plan a wedding anymore~. Oh, that reminds me"

"Hm?"

"How long are you here for?"

"I have to leave tomorrow. Would you be joining me?"

You paused, thinking. Would you want to go? On one hand, you'd be leaving and rejoining Crocodile back home, and on the other.....nah. it'd be fine. Maybe you'd come a week later.

You kissed his brow. "I'll leave by Sunday. It's been a while since I was home, and I wanted to spend more time with my parents anyway."

He didn't say anything for a while before looping his other arm around you, tugging you into his lap as he held you close. "....Fine."

You grinned, "Why~? You gonna miss me?"

He pinched your cheek "Brat." You chuckled. Curling into him, you just listened to him breathe and felt content.

When you saw him off, he didn't kiss you at the docks, just nodded. However you beamed at him anyway, and as he walked off he let a wisp of sand gently caress your ankle and oh your heart was full.

And a week later when you did arrive at your shared home? You sighed, happy to be at home. Walking into your bedroom your jaw dropped at the gifts. The bouquets, the boxes of what most likely were clothes, and possible sweets flooded the room. Seas, you loved the man. Not because of the gifts alone because you realized he was happy that you were home. 

When he came home that night? You grinned up at him, arms to him and up. Smirking, his sand picked you up and into his arms. He held you to him, kissing your face, smiling against your lips. You felt on top of the world.

This is why, it was a shock and horrifying one at that when you found out his real plan in Alabasta 2 weeks later while wanting to talk to him about having to go back for a family member's medical emergency.

You stared, a devastating hole opening in your chest at the report of the sandstorms, of the bomb, of all this on his desk in his office in Rain Dinners. You had only seen a paper on the floor and picked it up wanting to put it back when you saw the contents. You stared in shock and snapped your head to look at the rest of the papers. Seeing more, your hands started shaking as you saw the rest. What was this? The destruction of Alabasta? What were you seeing? Why?

However, the one thing that caught your eye was your name. It was a report, dated a few years back, when you two had first gotten married. Before he started showing up and being there, before everything. You picked it up and your legs almost gave out.

Termination of partner once the start of the plan.

It was then that you heard the voice you once adored. "What are you doing here?"

Chapter Text

You looked up, and saw him, one eyebrow raised and his hand on his cigar. You looked down at the desk, grabbing some of the papers before stomping over to him, a frenzied, horrified, angry, and petrified feeling taking hold. "W-what am I doing here? What is this?!" You screeched, shaking the papers up and as in his face as you could get. 

"Stop that. What are you-"

"No! No, I will not stop this! What the fuck is this?!" You screamed. You were angry, angry at what you had imagined your husband was, and how you found out he was worse. Angry at how he had used the love and adoration of the citizens in order to fuel this-this horrible plan of his. Angry that you still loved him even after you had found plans of him possibly wanting to kill you. 

He seemingly lost his temper, and his hand, the Hand which had caressed you, which had cupped your face lovingly, which had held you to him,

[ That very same hand grabbed your cheeks roughly and yanked you, slamming the back of your head to the door as he snapped at you. "Never raise your voice at me like that" and all you could do was fight to not sob, which left only one thing which you could do, pain already causing your body to cause tears to come to your eyes. ]

Freezing, with your eyes wide, tears brimming, since you finally saw the famed and feared Warlord you had married. Those eyes brought him out of whatever anger he was in and he left you, turning away, hand back on his cigar.

You crumpled like a doll to the floor, eyes now staring dazed at the back of his shoes, to the floor where the papers you had read earlier were now scattered all over the floor. You felt....empty, terrified, betrayed, angry, and sad. Sad at what had happened and sad with how far your head has been in the clouds regarding your life. This was like how it was all over again. Before your disease had let up slightly, and before your body could take the harder medicines, you were wracked with pain almost a good chunk of the time all over your body and so, so, lonely. Of course, you had your parents and their love but you were so lonely and so sad at what you were afflicted with. Oh, how you cursed the gods. How you were depressive for many years until your parents had pushed for a therapist, for anything to get your spirits up. Was that all for naught? All for a love that was so obviously fake. All those smiles, kisses, that love. What was it really? You felt a wry, painful grin open up on your face. This was so, ridiculous. You really don't deserve anything, do you? No. You shook your head, none of that. You weren't going down that rabbit hole. Not again. You looked up at him then and got up. "Crocodile"

He didn't respond but you knew he was listening.

"I won't....tell your plan. My, uncle is sick so I have to go visit him." You said, hollowly. "I'll be back after a week or two. Maybe we'll talk then after a break."

With no reaction to your words, you watched him for a few seconds before opening the door and leaving. 

You were at home, looking at the view outside from your balcony. It had been about 3 days since your departure and neither had he tried to connect, neither had you.. 

Honestly speaking your emotional state was a wreck. The first few days you were back, you couldn't sob since you were rushing between the hospital and your home. It all came crashing down, however, when your mother one day just held your hand and asked what was wrong. Then you couldn't stop the tears, the anguish from just leaving you. Both your parents and the rest of your close family were horrified, and in reality really quite angry with you. 

"Divorce is the only option we have!"

"Absolutely! Report him to the Marines!"

"On what grounds? Supposed planning of wanting to kill his spouse?!"

"Yes"

"We'll be laughed out of the station!"

"Shut up!"

"No, you shut up-"

"Quiet."

All eyes of your relatives fell on your aunt. The whole group was outside her husband's hospital room door arguing. She glared at them with rage and sorrow in her eyes. "He's gone."

"What?"

"Can't you understand? He's dead."

Your uncle had passed away. 

The funeral was uneventful, and you were guiltily thankful that you weren't thinking of Crocodile. Towards the end, as you sat, your aunt sat next to you, a stony expression on her face, her hands firmly clasped together. She wore sunglasses, but when she turned to you, she bore none of the attitude as assumed from her attire. 

"I heard about your situation"

You snapped your head to her, before frowning. "How did you know?"

She snorted. "Please. This family is good for bartering gossip like it's own market."

You nodded, but more of an afterthought. "Ah, I see."

An awkward pause sat between you two, and you turned to her again. "I'm sorry for-"

She waved you off. "Don't. I've heard enough of that for the past two days."

She looked at you then, a spark of understanding in her eyes. "You still love him don't you?"

Your hands turned into fists. "I......don't know"

"It's fine. He owes you more than an explanation, from what I heard. He owes you an apology too."

You exhaled through your nose, some of that load, that overthinking leaving your shoulders. "Yeah." You muttered.

"You know that your uncle and I had an arranged marriage?"

You blink, before asking. "Really?"

She nodded stiffly. "He was....not interested in me. As far as I could tell, he wasn't interested in anyone. Then one day he confessed to me. He was aromantic." 

You stared at her in bafflement. ".....Wh-really?"

She clicked her tongue in mild frustration "Why else would I mention it." But continued. "Slowly, we came to an understanding. Even if traditional Romantic love wasn’t an option, we came to love each other in other ways. Platonic love, I think you people call it. We had a relationship outside the usual understanding of romance, but people called us lovebirds anyway." 

She huffed but smiled as she recounted. "Whenever I got angry at people for not being okay with what other people of his type were, he would give me that smile all the same. Before joining in the fray."

"Love was never something to be completely understood. I think the beauty of it is when we try to understand it in our own words."

You sat, head spinning. "But he-"

"Loves you."

You stared back at her. "I've seen that look in his eyes when he saw you. I've never really seen nor spoken to him much but that was the eyes of a man in love, child. If I'm wrong, then I'll apologize. But my hunch though? He loves you."

".....You really believe that?"

She reached out, gloved hand squeezing yours for comfort. "I know that."

The pair of you stayed like that, your head on her shoulder as one of her hands held yours.

Perhaps you would take her advice. It wouldn't be a Jumpstart though. It would take time. And during this time, would be you trying to to comprehend and deal with all of these thoughts? Plus with your new rise in depressive mood, your parents were trying to alleviate it as best they could. You assured them that you weren't doing that bad, just had a surge. You didn't tell them the reason though. You'd figure this out. Hopefully. The next thing you knew, you were crumpled in pain again, this time due to your disease. Your mother who came to check on you, helped you to your room before running for your medicines.

Half an hour later, the doctor informed you, that your condition was somehow linked to the amount of stress you were in. And given how you were feeling because of your marriage, you either needed to do things to put your stress down or to just do things that engaged you. So your parents put you to work, handling the accounts of their business. Your parents ran a woodworking business and had dealings with Alabastan Merchants, hence they frequented Alabasta. Here, their usual accountant was happy enough to teach you his work. And you didn't really mind, since you got to take your mind off things. Along with learning something at the very least.

Your friends, on the other hand, were all in great glee of having been 'proved' that Crocodile was an ass. You rolled your eyes whenever the group met, and when someone started "...like our friend's asshole husband" Oh well. Some of your friends were more sympathetic, willing to sit, and actually give you a shoulder to cry on. Even if they didn't like him. Seas, you loved your friends. 

Your plans of coming back and talking to him were soon thrown out of the window when your father gave you the newspaper which stated that Crocodile was sent to prison due to his crimes in Alabasta. You stared at the picture of his unconscious body, hands splayed flat out, usual slicked-back hair messy and dirty. His body, from what you could see had a lot of bruises and his face had some blood as well. You felt.....worried about him. By the four seas, would you even see him again?

Chapter Text

It would be a week later when you would then find out that he would be sent to Impel Down. Everyone who knew looked at you and immediately started coming at you with the suggestions of:

"Divorce him!"

"Marry someone else!"

"Become a monk!" Okay, that was definitely a joke.

You didn't want to do any of these things anyway. What difference would it make really? The guy you loved had committed treason against the world government and that was after you found out his plans and after you realized he was also planning on killing you too. How the Hell would marry someone else even start to help that? Magically kill off your want to learn and know whether it was all fake? Yeah, you didn't think so. So what you did do, was sit firm during the Marines' interrogation. Affirming that you didn't know anything, you sat, arms folded, glaring at them.

While you hadn't really met a bad Marine, even though you had heard horror stories, you noticed how suspicious they were of you. 'The spouse of Sir Crocodile'  they murmured as you walked through the halls. You scoffed, yeah sure you married the guy who was apparently planning your death. Fun times! Oh! Fall in love with him! Even more fun! At least it was over. Now to get back to distracting yourself, starting with, getting a proper job. 

You were a pretty okay accountant. So next thing? Get a job. See you were well off, but you needed to get through your emotions. That meant doing something that put your mind to the test, that is, using it. So you did. After a whole week of convincing your parents to let you go, you left, for the Grand Line. You took a ship, took the usual amount of medicine, and stayed in your cabin on most times, only coming out for food and nothing else. And so, you managed to reach a fairly peaceful place, known as Watermelon Valley. A valley with watermelon plants entwined all over the place, old, well-rooted ones, and an economy known for resting solely on the watermelons that grew there thanks to the tropical weather. Not too bad. You took up a job with Canny's candles. A candle-making service where they delivered and made candles made especially from the wax of the bees which pollinated the melons. 

He didn't ask questions, you weren't well known, and frankly, you were okay with it. Canny took much more of an interest to you when in 5 months, you realised that one of his employees was actually skimming off some of the profit for himself. You had a bartering business of doing the college-going girl across your room at the house you stayed in's homework for a submission-based subject of hers, getting back home cooked food and many other good foods. That was that. Thankfully Canny and your landlady were sympathetic towards your disease which was still there but the earlier good medicines that Crocodile had provided helped decrease the strength of it. Although the maids he had hired for you were shocked at the sudden news, you paid them their pay before letting them go, wishing them well.

You still did have bad days though, and Canny let it slide sometimes. The worst was when it happened when you were outside and you would collapse for a few moments before being able to take your medicine. (Thankfully, it was usually around people you knew, and you usually had a stash of your medicines in your bag for emergencies)

You even made new friends, who were all so varied and different that you did have some moments of wondering about the morality and ethics of some of the things they said and did. Not anything criminal, but you weren't entirely sure if wanting to piss in Akainu's food and wanting to eat Tsuru out was entirely....legal. 

Of course, you did think about him, but whenever thoughts came about him, you pushed them away. You were trying to be different. You were trying to grow. Not crave something that didn't end up working. And so, time passed.

However, you didn't exactly expect how this would also result in you falling in love again. This time, with a woman whose expressions were open and free, who didn't hesitate to tell you what she was thinking. If you had to compare the two, one was the cold moon of the desert, and the other was the bright sun of the wild plains, free and without hatred in her rays. Minh Nhật. (It took you two tries to get her name down, but once you did she smiled bright as hell)

You met Minh Nhật in a way that most people would swoon at. Bumping into each other while on the footpath. You were hurrying for work, having slept in and bumped into her, causing her files to fall in a heap.

"Oh! Oh man, I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, here let me-" 

"Ah, it's okay, it's okay. I- oh hey, you're the new accountant of Canny yeah?"

You blinked, looking up at her. She had red hair, styled in two Dutch braids, bearing twin moles on both cheeks. Yep, you had never seen her before. Who was she? "Er...yeah?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "I've done it again! Sorry about that." She reached out to shake your hand. "I'm Minh Nhật. Pleased to meet you! I work on the legal side for the mayor and heard about you."

Two days later you found yourself at a lunch with her. She was funny, and a generally smiley person. She was optimistic to a ridiculous degree but also somehow practical when needed to be. She was a very good chess player too, so good that she had memorized the whole history of the game, even going so far as to be able to chatter about it and her love for it for hours on end (You had tried this as an experiment when you invited her over to make pasta with you. Even when you both had finished the pasta she was still going on.) You two were good friends and was shown as such to you when you one day asked why exactly she loved her job of being a legal aid for the mayor.

"My father was a drunkard." She answered you when you two were at a cafe.

"It started once I was born and his pay had docked. At first, it was just nightcaps when it was his turn to stay over at the warehouse."

She sighed then, and you couldn't forget how her usually beaming face looked so melancholic. "Then it grew to an unmanageable amount once I was in middle school."

"What happened finally?"

"My mother left, taking us with her to here. Once she sent him divorce papers, he signed it and sent it back without a peep."

You rested your head on your hand, as she continued. "I could never forget how easy it was. What was so hard to have probably agreed to and done in person was so quick, efficient, and appealing to both sides via some legal documents."

She met your gaze then. "That's why I was so impressed by the power of the justice system, even back then"

"I do my best to keep things appealing for both sides. Especially if one side landed up in the situation with their hands tied."

One time she called you in the middle of the night, with an unmistakable wobble in her voice. "Can I come over?"

You opened your door and you froze as the woman surged forward with a sob, hugging you. You managed to half stumble half stagger to the sofa where you managed to extricate yourself long enough to grab some water and a piece of cake that your neighbor had given you a day before for her. As she sniffled, you handed her a towel, causing her to pause and look at you in bafflement. "Is this-this a towel?"

You shrugged sheepishly "I uh, put everything else for laundry today."

A moment passed before she started laughing, wheezing almost. And you grinned, joining in. That, you felt was a defining moment of your relationship to her. 

Another moment was when some pirate passed by you two and shrieked. "You! You were married to Crocodile!"

Freezing, you panicked internally. What were you supposed to do? Minh Nhật however, proved to have the answer to your question. She pushed you to stand behind her. "Sir! I just noticed that you stepped off the ship. Has you or your captain signed up with the dockmaster?"

The pirate started fumbling out an answer to which Minh Nhật smiled politely and pointed out the office of said Dockmaster. "Please go that way, sir. Have fun in Watermelon Valley!"

She walked ahead with you to the edge of the beach. "I knew who you were the whole time actually."

You balked. "I- what-?"

She removed her shoes and socks, rolling up her pants a bit, walking till the waves kissed her feet and till her feet were submerged. She looked at the horizon. "My job is also to sometimes help with the official comings and goings of the dock and my aunt is a marine."

You joined her and looked at her. "You don't have a problem with it?"

She shook her head and gave you a look that made your heart skip a beat. "People can change, people can grow, and people don't have to be defined by something in their past till the end of their time no matter how far that is."

That was the start of your feelings for her, you figure. In fact, she probably started having feelings for you during the towel incident.

At first, it was casual but lingering for slightly longer touches. Then it became a little more. Where Crocodile still bore a usual mask of indifference as if it came naturally, here you saw before you a person who did not have such a mask. A woman who was willing to show you that yes, she loved. Would you love her too? You told her almost everything about your relationship with Crocodile, telling little about the way you two parted, and she hugged you tight for support. You teared up, pleasantly surprised at the care she showed. There was even a memorable time when you two were standing in front of her door, and you accidentally dropped your bag, causing some of the items to fall out. When the both of you bent to collect the items, your eyes met, and you swore there was something in her eyes, the way the moon caused her fiery red hair to shine, that you reached out, kissing her on the lips. The pair of you only parted when a passing Marine yelled to 'get a room', making you two separate laughing, trying to take in breaths.

You realized, that she was touchy. She either wanted to constantly hold your hand, have a hand on your shoulder, or just hover behind you. She also loved doing things for you, like giving you random pastries or taking you out somewhere. You complied but also tried to do your own best in matching these. By complimenting her, giving her times when you both just sat together and did your work or lounged or even just letting her be there with you on your bad days. She was good at that by the way. She researched your disease thoroughly, and surprised you by talking to one of her uncles who had some idea about this disease, giving you some "home remedies"

Of course, you were mentally torn about this. Would you want to let Crocodile go? Would you want to open yourself up for this woman? You still have nightmares sometimes of your own depressive thoughts repeating, spoken back at you, where the thoughts of loneliness came up and the rays of the new person in your life also come up as well. 

("What does your name mean anyway?" You asked her when she was walking you home one night.

"Bright sun" She answers, an impish grin on her face. "My name means Bright Sun")

Before any of that could come to pass, however, the Battle of Marineford occurred. And while holding the hand of the woman who captured your heart in such little time, you saw on the screen your husband in different clothes, after a year of being in prison. Fighting seemingly everyone and causing chaos. You didn't realize it at the time, but Minh Nhật squeezed your hand when Crocodile saved Mugiwara no Luffy, now with some scant wounds on his face. The stream on your side cut right when Whitebeard seemingly died. You walked back home with her, mind now more restless than before.

"I have a question for you."

You turn your head and see her serious expression. "What?"

"Why don't you divorce him?"

Ah, the million beri question. You didn't have a clear answer for that, what the hell would you even say? "Er....."

"He can still technically sign it. Especially now that he's out. From what you've told me, he wouldn't even want you in his life. So why don't you?"

You look down at your hand. Even though you didn't tend to wear the ring, sometimes you still felt its ghostly presence. As if as a reminder. Of past origami Crocodiles and of warm skin. You looked back at Minh Nhật, and for instance thought about a house just in the valley, of making dinner together, and of unguarded expressions. Of being able to live a life away from crime, of being free to do whatever, whenever. Would you want that?

A sad smile came on your face, and you reached out a hand. As she came close to you, she took it and you kissed her knuckles. Both of you understood each other then. "Thank you. For everything, I promise I won't forget you."

She smiled. "I won't forget you as well." She bent slightly, kissing your cheek, giving your hand a last squeeze, and left.

Chapter Text

You were coming back from the market with your friend when someone brushed a little too close to you, dropping some of the produce you had bought. Pausing you started to bend down only for the girl with tangerine-coloured hair to apologize profusely already collecting them for you, then your eyes caught with her friend, who was an earlier worker for your husband, Robin aka Miss All Sunday. You blinked. She stared for a second before smiling at you, warmly. You bent your head. "Oh, I'm so sorry for everything!"

She blinked and her friend who was now holding your produce tilted her head. "Why are you apologizing?"

You looked up. "Can you both come over to my place?" Excusing yourself, you apologized to your friend and took them both to your place.

20 minutes later, both of them were in your apartment, sipping tea for one other orange juice. The tangerine-colored hair girl was called Koala, and she was staring at you in half concern and half suspicion. Robin only gave you a mysterious smile. "So why the apology?"

You sighed, running a hand over your face. "Do you, by any chance know who I am?"

She shook her head. You gave her a weary smile. "I'm married to Sir Crocodile."

She blinked. A silence sat, and then left to start its new life somewhere else when her jaw dropped and she spilled some of her juice onto her lap "Oh my god! You! You're-!" Her face looked from you to Robin and back again a few times. 

Robin chuckled and gave you a knowing look. "So that's why you felt you had to apologize? How did you know anyway?"

You smiled back. "One of the maids he hired for me had talked to one of the palace attendants. She told me about it." Bowing your head slightly, "I'm sorry for what my husband did to you."

She shook her head, one of her devil fruit hands reaching out to hold one of yours' "It's not your fault."

You squeezed back, undeterred. "I know. I just......wanted to say that to you. Even if it wasn't my fault."

She smiled, putting the cup down. "You were always someone he couldn't figure out."

You gave her a confused look. "What? Me?"

"Yes. He talked about you sometimes, very rarely, as if trying to figure you out. Like you were some puzzle."

You rolled your eyes, scoffing "Yeah well, I found out that he was going to kill me at some point. Yeah. Didn't need to try so hard."

She frowned slightly. "Didn't he change that plan? That's what he had told me anyway"

You tilted your head "What?"

She sat straighter and gave you a look. "He changed that plan a few months after he married you."

You stared, jaw dropped. ".........Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders picking up the cup again to finish her tea. "He didn't tell me. Your part of the plan changed at some point after your marriage and then was never talked about again. He didn't tell me what would happen to you in the end."

You looked down at your table now. What should you think? What would you think? What the hell was Crocodile thinking in all this? Did you really misread the situation? You slumped back in your chair, feeling exhausted.

Koala's eyes drifted back and forth you two, and listened quietly. Your eyes fell on her and you smiled. "Ah, sorry. This can't be the best way to give a first impression, is it? I apologize. Wanna talk about something else?"

"Oh no! No, this is fine! I just uh, I didn't realize that the partner of Crocodile would be so...."

"So.....?"

"Not, scary."

You snickered, before breaking into chuckles. "Scary? Well, I'm sorry. I'm only human. I don't have as many secrets or any real power as my husband does."

"I'm just me. He said he chose me because he knew I wasn't going to live long because of my illness." You shrugged.

Robin who was lifting the cup to her lips paused and gave you a weird look. "I'm.....sorry? That's what he told you?"

You opened your mouth, then closed it. Then raised an eyebrow. "What was the real reason then?"

"You were the only one who didn't have a secret agenda or have anyone pushing you in front of him."

"As in?"

"Everyone else, I saw either was pushing to be with him because of his power or because of another agenda, men, and women, they all tried to get married to him. You hadn't. Your family hadn't even really come to him with you as an option. In fact, we didn't even know you existed as an option till someone had mentioned your name via rumors. About you getting rejected due to your illness."

"..........Huh"

"You seemed the safest option. After he researched you and your family-"

"Why am I not surprised."

"-He was more than okay with probably taking you as an option." 

Well, expected, but not in this way. You get up and run a hand through your hair. You didn't know how to process that. You remembered that he had taken you as an option because he claimed it was because of his image. But at what point during this 'image' did he change his plans about wanting to kill you? Why? You shook your head, clearing those thoughts. Right now, you are focused on living life for yourself. That was specifically what you were going to do, whether you liked it or not.

You looked at Robin and Koala. "Well, enough about Crocodile and I. Why are you two here?"

The pair looked at each other, shared a look, and then looked at you. "We're part of the Revolutionary Army."

You raised an eyebrow, then looked at Robin. "I thought you were part of the Strawhat Crew"

She nods, then places the cup back on the table. "I am. During our altercation with Bartholomew Kuma, he had sent me to an island called Tequila Wolf where I was put to work. The Revolutionary Army saved me. I'm just helping them, staying with them, till my Captain gives me a sign when and where to meet."

Ah, that did explain things, didn't it? Soon it was time for them to go, and before they left, Robin caught your hand. "Listen. I....don't know what he was thinking, the entire time. The closest guess is probably that, he cared for you. However, I want you to know that no matter what, it's up to you, whatever you decide. There's a chance he might be on his way here for you, but it's always going to be your choice. Understand?"

You stared into her eyes, before nodding. "Yeah, I...I get that. It's one of the reasons I moved out here too."

She smiled reassuringly before creating a hand to slip something into your pocket. You raised an eyebrow and she answered. "It's a Vivrecard and my number. If you need help or need a safe place to go or someone to talk to, give me a call or come find me."

You smiled wider and hugged her before she left. "Thanks, Robin."

"No problem."

Chapter Text

Thanks to the earlier meeting with Robin, it wasn't unexpected when a month later you found Daz in a ridiculous disguise of a fake beard and a hat standing outside your door. But to be fair it did surprise you. "Woah! Oh, hey Daz. How're ya doing?"

He bent his head and ignored your question. "Hello. I was waiting for you"

Your brow furrowed and you crossed your arms. You had expected this. "Tell him to meet me at the beach. I'll be there on the far side."

He nodded and then paused. "....Is the disguise that bad?"

You snorted then shook your head. "Nah. I'm just used to you"

He nodded. "It's good to see you again, really."

"You too, big guy."

You had placed your bag and shoes closer to the grass, walking barefoot along the shore. It wasn't long before sand materialized beside you, and you heard the voice you hadn't heard for what felt longer than a year. 

"Hey."

You stopped and turned your head. Behind you, standing with his hand in his pocket, dressed in what was newer clothes different from what you had last seen him in, was your husband. A husband for which you had left a woman who could have given you a life filled with time and peace. Open happiness and unguarded expressions. Of course, you remained friends but there would always be that what could have been situation. 

Meeting that dull purple, you stared back. Searching to try and decipher what he wanted, how you wanted to deal with this. You realized that he still had that guarded look, but something else was in it. Then it hit you, he was studying you as well. You blinked, tilting your head to the side as if asking him that question without speaking. He caught the question in your gaze and took the cigar from his lips before exhaling a puff of smoke. "You've changed."

Ah.

You crossed your arms. Unsure what you should or should not do. Yell? Throw something at him? What would you even throw, sand? Heh.

"You owe me an explanation. As well as an apology." You finally said.

"Hmm."

You raised an eyebrow at him "'Hmm'? What the hell does that mean?"

"Explanation for what exactly?"

"Your real reason for planning all that, back at Alabasta!" You yelled, striding up to him and grabbing the highest point of that damned vest that you could reach. You yanked it down till you two were as close as possible.

His eyes widened a fraction, and out of habit, his hook had moved, curling behind your head, tip pointed to the back of your head. You didn't care, face in a snarling expression. "Answer me! You owe me not just a fucking explanation but also a fucking apology asshole! How dare you pull that shit!"

He just stared into your eyes, letting you rant and yell at him without a peep. His hand was moving now and you slightly winced on that side, unsure if he would hit you or something. Then you froze. He just cupped your cheek. "You never fail to amaze me, do you?"

You scowled leaving your grip and pushing yourself back. "Don't. I don't want that. What I want is for you to tell me...." and you fixed him with a stern glare in your eyes, "...why are you here."

He stared back at you for a few moments, after straightening, and turned his head to look at the sea. You paused for a few seconds before starting to yell again, "Can you just tell me goddamn, ruddy, Lizard, oomph-?!?!" You were now silenced by his sand covering your mouth.

"Then let me speak, would you?" He snapped, fixing you a frustrated look, before exhaling a breath and pausing before speaking again.

"I'm here to ask if you want to come with me."

You blink, throwing your hands up in the air, mouth now un-silenced by sand "Come where?"

"Away from here."

"Again, to where, for what reason"

"Karai Bari"

"......To Genius Jester Buggy's island? Why?"

"He has my money. I'm going to take what he owes me and then start a military force against the Navy."

You stare at him blankly, your jaw dropping open. "Wh-why?"

"Why? Haven't you seen what they have-"

"No, I get that. It's just, why all this? What's the goal at the end of the line? I remember you said something about 'Utopia', but what is Utopia?"

He stared at you for a few seconds then, and the wind blew in your direction, pushing the ends of his coat to his heels. "Utopia is something I'm working towards to create for this world"

"Okay. That's- wow, okay - cool, but why are you coming to me? Why are you asking me to come with you? As in, specifically, what exactly is my role in your 'Utopia'?

He looked away, back at the horizon and you sighed, feeling very tired suddenly. You rubbed a hand over your face. "Look. If you're not going to give me clear answers then I'll just go."

When he didn't respond, you just walked past him into the ocean. Till the waves were up to your knees, you stood staring at the sun which was now starting to set, coming closer and closer to the defining line at the horizon at which it would change colours, gradually disappearing from sight. 

"The more I thought about you, and the more I tried to process what happened, I just got more confused. Did you really hate me? Did you just pretend to care about me? What was your final goal with me?"

You looked back at him then and found him staring at you. He wouldn't tell you, but he would always remember that sight. With you being bathed in the sun's dying light, you looked like a painting, no matter what would happen before and after this view, he would remember it. The way the light fell on the contours of your face, the way the ocean however evil it was to him, seemed to be flowing around you and then back. If he had one, he would have clicked a picture of you like this, to keep it in the inner pocket of his coat. Just for him to look at, to marvel at. The expression on your face as you looked at him, begging him for an answer, but under that tired anger of yours, Nika above and seas below, you were a sight.

You folded your arms, a more vulnerable look in your eyes now. You just stared at him, an internal battle of past anger and hurt clashing with the want and the craving of wanting to just hold, to cherish, and to bathe in that care again because of some inexplicable reason you didn't want to find out.

After a while you ran a hand through your hair, eyes closed, feeling more frustrated. "It's fine. Do you think I'll blab to the Marines? No, no I won't, I don't like them either. Just, leave me alone if you aren't going to give me an explanation. I get it, you don't like me. It's fine, I'll be out of your hair."

"I don't hate you."

You opened your eyes, looking at him, "What?"

He took the cigar from his lips, raising an eyebrow. "I don't hate you. I never have."

You rolled your eyes then, coming back to the shore. "Alright, fine. You don't like me then. There happy? Now-"

"I love you."

You froze, and after a few moments, you looked up at him. He stared at you with a sure expression, a certain one. "I- you do?"

Taking the cigar back in his lips, he cupped the side of your face. "Ever since you gave me a chance, I have."

".....What if, I don't want this?"

"I'll leave." His thumb stroked your cheek, and you swear his fingers slid a little into your hair. Just a little. "I won't trouble you. I'll send you divorce papers the next morning."

You felt your heart drop a little when he mentioned divorce. "What, what if I don't believe you?" Your voice came out softer.

"If you agree, I'll treat you like royalty. You won't have to ask for anything. I'll do anything to make you feel like you can trust me again."

Oh, hell no. Your expression grew colder slightly. "What if you hurt me again?"

He paused, and for a second you thought he would retract his words, and leave, rescinding his offer. "I hated myself for doing that to you. For hurting you. I promised that I wouldn't and I did. I....." He sighed, letting the sand take his cigar away, disintegrating it. "....I apologize." He spoke so softly, you weren't sure you had heard him speak so quietly. Heck, you weren't even sure you weren't dreaming or imagining this. With that pained expression? That, oh. You misread. That was an expression of longing.

Your jaw dropped, but you could hear a voice in the back of your head, doubting everything. 'What if he's lying? What if this is all fake?'

He kneeled, now at eye level with you, and moved his hand to yours. Holding it, he spoke "Please. Hate me, despise me, scream at me all you want. I will take your anger. I'll explain why I planned that. I forever keep trying to show you how sorry I am. How much I want this." He said it all so reverently, that all you could do was stare.

You frowned "Give me the explanation then. Start to bottom. About what the hell was your end goal in Alabasta."

He stared into your eyes then, then nodded slowly, moving to sit, legs folded. He took out a cigar and rummaged in his pocket for a lighter. However, it wouldn't light the cigar, causing him to click his tongue. You rolled your eyes, taking it from him and cupping the flame with your free hand, allowing the flame to light his cigar. He paused, but leaned forward, his eyes watching you for a second before closing as he took a drag. Letting the smoke leave, he started. "There was a myth about a powerful weapon from the forgotten period known as the Pluton. Since I wanted to challenge the World Government's power, I sought to look for its blueprints."

You raised an eyebrow. It was mentioned in whispers, about the forgotten period. Some said it was a dark time, others said that it was a calamity. You had also heard that it was a war. However, no source seemed sure of the period itself. "So you heard that it was in Alabasta?"

"Yes. When I landed in Alabasta, I hired Robin, who was able to translate Polglyphs. I started weakening the royalty's rule in Alabasta, and the country itself. This would allow me to become more liked in people's eyes and less unwelcome. It would also allow me more allowance to get through their defenses."

You turned away, now pacing in front of him. Your mind was racing. By the four seas, you were so blind. Crocodile was awful. He single-handedly tried his best to take over a country, to dethrone and almost start a coup for his own selfish means. You looked at him, your hands in your hair, your face in unhappiness and concern. "You.....really did all those things, huh." 

He stared at you, some part of his usual self now in his shoulders and face. "I've never been a saint."

"I'm guessing you won't change, will you?"

"No."

You sighed, moving to sit next to him, facing the waves. "What if I tell you I don't like this? What if this is just awful in my eyes and I cannot condone it?"

He took his cigar out. "It's up to you, just like I said. I won't push you."

You let a frustrated groan. "This is awful."

His hook curled around your hip. "Can't do anything about that, sorry."

You snorted. "Liar. You're not sorry."

"No, no I'm not."

The pair of you sat like that, now seemingly content to just be next to each other, even without having discussed everything. Both of you knew that the other had missed each other. Even if you didn't say it, or act like it, you missed him. On his side, was the same. There was that comfort at least.

Both would agree that you two lived with each other, but. Would it hold? You leaned your head on the meat of his shoulder. "So. The clown huh?"

"Yeah."

"Why'd you give money to him?"

"Seemed like a good idea at the time. He was opportunistic and had a whole plan and everything."

"I'm assuming you're going to take interest from him?"

"Obviously. What do you take me for?" At this, you chuckled.

You decided to chance it, so why not just get this over with? "You never answered me."

He exhaled a small cloud of smoke, languidly, eyes still affixed on the horizon. "What?"

"What is my role in this idea of Utopia?"

"......" 

You looked up at him then, curious. You found him staring back down at you. You raised an eyebrow, and his hook pushed your body closer to his side, allowing you to feel the warmth of his body to yours. 

"I mean, Robin told me that the earlier plan you had-"

"Robin? Nico Robin? Miss All Sunday? When did you meet her?"

You shrugged, trying not to focus on the warmth. Don't think about how close this is, don't even try to think about- "She was here on the island a few weeks ago. You missed her by a month, actually."

"Hmm," He groused, looking back at the horizon, cigar now between his lips. "So she told you huh."

"Yeah"

"She wasn't wrong."

"So I was supposed to be killed."

"Shut up."

"Oh no, you owe me an explanation big guy."

"Is it not obvious at this point?"

"Maybe so, maybe not. Explain."

"Hmph. No"

"Wow, rude"

"How am I rude?"

At this his hook yanked your collar back, tilting your head back, ignoring your panicked yelp at the sudden action, cigar held between his fingers as he gave you a kiss on the forehead. "There. Now shut up."

You blinked. Then you pushed upwards from your feet on the sand, kissing him back, almost headbutting him in the process. Fuck. Maybe he did something to you all that time ago.

So you did agree to go with him to Karai Bari. Now until after you have settled matters in your current residence. As you walked back to your apartment, your hand kept rubbing over the hickey he gave you when you two were rolling in the sand, kissing and holding, touching and reassuring, and apologizing. By the four seas, you were ruined for him, weren't you?

As far as the both of you had discussed, he would go ahead to finish up with getting the money back from Buggy. You would join him sometime later, after he called you or sent a signal, and from there, you two would try to reconnect, that is to say, he would apologize as much as he could, and you could try and forgive him. Your hand kept flexing though, since the memory of 'You reaching out with your free hand, to cup his cheek. Him leaning into it.'

Chapter Text

The pair of you had agreed to wait till the meeting at Karai Bari till when he sent a message. However, one evening once you got home you were quite confused when your snail started ringing out of the blue. Your mother and you called much later on in the evening and as far as you were aware, you and your friends weren’t due to call for another few days.

“Hello?”

“I was curious if you would pick up.” And you actually held the receiver away from your face, as if seeing would confirm that yes you just heard your husband’s voice.

“O-oh yeah I uh, come around this time.” You said, still baffled at why would he call you, sitting down on your bed. 

“I know.”

“So uh… how’s the clown doing? You found him yet?”

“I did” the way he answered it sounded like he found the worst marine in existence. Considering who was at the top, that could be a very hard find.

“…..And?”

“He can’t pay me back.”

“Oh.”

Now, here’s where I come in, dear readers. See, to go into further explanation as to why and where the fuck did the damned money go, we’re gonna do a crash course of mild accounting as well as a bit of lore.

Assuming that Buggy got a loan of 500,000,000 Belí, along with an interest rate of 5% (because it’s Crocodile we’re talking about here). This would be a Loan, and the 500,00,000 Belí was the Capital by Crocodile to Buggy.

Then throw in the buying of food, drink, materials, and clothes for the men and their parties. We’ll account for around 810,000 Belí every time they have a party on a semi-weekly basis. This here is known as an Expense . A constant one at that. 

Now we have whatever money they spend for materials for the canons and for the upkeep of the ships, along with the procurement and maintenance of weapons. Quite frequent, considering the constant new hires. 70,0000 Another Expense, yes.

Finally, when it comes to the generation of money from the company itself, Buggy was quite frankly, quite ridiculous at that. His company had seemingly given up on actually hiring an accountant, or arealising that maybe a balance sheet or even a ledge would have gone a long way in trying to figure out whether they were maybe spending a little too much.

What most people need to understand is that Buggy's inventory was: His men, the printing press, the tools held by the men and the word of mouth. Apart from what they were paid for their services, which is, if one were to put a number, say 650,000 Belí. They were quite frequent at the start, but weren’t as reliable as they could have been, especially with the constant costs and spending. Hell, even if they had started pillaging or taking over places just to have them lay claim to territory, they could have possibly stayed on the fair side. Sadly the cash flow had almost completely depleted at this point, and their losses had become the norm for the capital.

Alas, it could not be. With the giants in the crew having left the crew in order to go back to Elbaf, it decreased the power of the services to just ordinary folk who may or may not have devil fruits. 

Sure, the publicity was amazing, but eventually, without the Marines’ update regarding the new Bounties, Buggy would not have been chased after as much, and he would have eventually been forgotten, especially after what shenanigans the Straw Hats would pull.

Also, not forgetting Crocodile’s 5% interest, it would still amount to something-A something which was called “You’re Fucked” if you were the one to borrow from Crocodile.

And now back to our regularly scheduled soap opera.

“…Oh, oh my god.”

“Exactly,” groaned your husband.

“Well, how are you going to get it back? You need it for your new idea, right?”

“Yeah. You haven’t heard the news yet, have you?”

“Uh, no. Nothing about you came today. Why?”

“You’ll see.” Said in an almost weary tone.

The next morning you almost fell out of your chair seeing the new poster of “Cross Guild” along with Big News Morgan announcing that your husband and Mihawk had joined forces under Buggy. Oh boy.

However, your husband cautioned you against coming now. “It’s too soon. Come in a few months.” Well. Alright then. Three months later, you were on your way and already regretting it. You had called your aunt and informed her of your address, telling her to come collect the stuff you couldn’t take with you on your trip to Karai Bari. Wishing you well, she assured you she would bring it back to her place so that you could take it when you could/needed to.

As you saw the islands come up, you sighed, running a hand through your hair at the anticipation of what your life would be now.

Chapter Text

Bits of conversation between Sir Crocodile from Karai Bari and an accountant suspected to be his spouse from Watermelon Valley. Transcripts of pieces of conversation acquired from wiretapping into the connection. To be sent to the desk of Fleet Admiral Akainu.

-Crocodile? Is that you?

-This snail is not supposed to be able to contact anyone else but me, but yes. It is.

-Coulda just said yes...

End of transcript 1.

-Hey, how come your name is Sir Crocodile?

-Excuse me?

-On your wanted poster. It says 'Sir Crocodile'. Were you knighted at some point? Because none of the other warlords seemed to have that designation, as far as I know.

-... I was knighted by King Cobra back in Alabasta. For being helpful to the country as a 'Hero'.

-Oh. Wait, then he never uh, un-knighted you? After the whole Alabasta Civil War?

-Revoked, you mean. Also, no. He did not.

-Huh. Weird.

-Why? What did you think?

-Before I met you, I thought it was just your name.

-Pardon?

-Like, you were born with your first name as 'Sir' and your middle name was 'Crocodile'

-...Pfft-

-Oh, shut up! How was I supposed to know?

-Why would anyone name their child 'Sir' as a first name?

-We have a Navy Fleet Admiral whose name loosely translates to red dog.

-...Touche. Still, this is quite funny, I'll give you that.

-Shut up!

End of transcript 2.

-Can I ask you a question?

-Go ahead.

-Why do you eat Bananawanis?

-That's new. Why do you ask?

-I mean, don't you love them?

-I like them, yes.

-Then?

-A sigh, along with shuffling on this end. Can't adoration also be understood by consumption?

-Eh?

-Understand it this way. Lionesses eat their perished or disabled cubs, not out of sheer hunger, but from the necessity to protect the others from predators. Sometimes, even for getting more nutrients. They love their children, there's no saying against that; however, if it can be to protect, to serve, to give, it can also be to consume, no?

-That's.... certainly a thought.

-Also, I adore them enough to consume them. Can that not also be a form of love?

-I guess?

-Then there you have it.

-......You're one weird guy, you know that?

-If you say so.

End of transcript 3.

-Hello.

-....Hey.

-You don't sound too good.

-Yeah, just. Having another attack again.

-Are they getting frequent?

-No, last one I had was a month before we met. So it checks out that it's a while afterward.

-Do you want me to call you tomorrow?

-No! No, just... a shuffle from this side, along with a pained groan. ... Keep talking to me. Please.

-About what? 

-Anything. Everything. Just, keep talking.

-Have I told you about 'Water Luffy'?

-About what?

-When I was fighting Strawhat, during one of our battles, he realised what I could do.

-Do what?

-Suck the moisture out of someone's body.

-What? You can do that?

-Yes. Now, he had somehow survived from that even after I had stabbed through him with my hook and-

-You did what-
 
-Stabbed through him, now let me finish. He came before me again with a bandage around the wound and held a large water barrel. He then, in a single action, gulped down the entire barrel and then proclaimed this supposed new fighting form as 'Water Luffy'. 

-...Wow.

-He has the gum gum fruit, no? After he drank the entire barrel, he had swelled up like a balloon with all that water.

-A break into laughter.

-Miss All Sunday had the same reaction. It increased when the water even squirted out from his wounds, and he started panicking since the water started leaking out.

-There was no way-

-I guarantee you that every single person he's fought against can confirm how ridiculous he fights.

-Laughter on this end.

-Heh.

-Thanks. 

-No need for that.

End of transcript 4.

-Can I tell you a secret?

-If you want to.

-I was.... hurt when you acted like that.

-...

-The thing is, when we started well, getting to know each other, I wasn't very sure as to what our relationship would be.

-Why?

-Well, when I first heard of my diagnosis, I was terrified. Terrified of the pain, of future pain, of the possibility of dying years before I should. It took a toll on my parents and family, too, but for me, it was even worse because of the pain. I got so lonely.

-Lonely?

-Lonely because I was so young, and they weren't sure that the medicines at the time would be safe for my body to consume. So I spent so much time just wracked in pain. I hated everything and everyone, I cursed the gods... -a sigh on this end- even became more suicidal. More numb, really.

-I see. How long?

-Quite a few years, I'll agree. It stopped, though. Though not really because of the therapist my parents brought me to.

-How?

-Remember that uncle?

-The sick one whom you had to go home for? 

-Yes. He came to my room one day and told me that I had to fight. -A huff of laughter- I got so mad at him in that moment. He explained that it was because the fact that I was still born meant that I was meant to achieve or do something.

-Hm.

-Yeah, it sounded pretty stupid when I heard it, too. Then he explained that he could go on and on about how I was meant to do something, and that I was still a blessing to my parents, and all that, but he wouldn't be able to stand in my shoes. That this hurdle was something that neither he nor anyone currently living in my family could answer. This was something I would have to deal with on my own. All he was asking was that I actually did make an attempt to handle this, to fight for the chance, because even though now didn't have any choices for me, the future would almost definitely have some. That he knew for a fact that my whole family and future friends, whom I most definitely would make, all support me and love me because they loved me. That, while it was very easy to curl in in order to deal with the pain, sometimes branching out to talk and to process the pain would help in ways that people would and would not realise. To give the world a chance because someone out there would fight like hell for me, and who would always be patient and be there always for me, because I was so unique and brilliant, how could anyone not?

-That's....

-Inspirational, right? Yeah I was pretty hyped too. Got me talking at least. And trying things. My parents were so surprised they never even asked what had happened, just too happy to have their kid back. Even if their kid was still figuring things out.

-Quite an uncle.

-He was. 

-Ah, my condolences.

-It's okay. I visited him whenever I could, anyway. Always stuck with him during events. Loved that guy. His wife, actually, was the one who convinced me to keep hope in you.

-Really? She said that?

-Yeah.

-I should thank her then.

-Heh, yeah, you should. She's... fantastic.

-I'm sorry again, though.

-Hm?

-For back then. I just couldn't take the sudden surprise of you finding out what I was thinking of doing before I'd gotten to really understanding you. Then when I touched you... it was because I was panicking.

-Still not okay, you know.

-I know. I don't think I'll ever really forget that. 

-I accept your apology, though.

-...Thank you.

-I will be carving 'I made Sir Crocodile Panic' onto my headstone though.

-Why.

-Now that, I feel, is a real achievement. Dare say that people have been allowed or given the chance to say that. 

-You'll give me gray hair before Strawhat does, I swear.

End of transcript 5.

-Crocodile.

-Hmm? 

-How come you act like this?

-Like what?

-So... jaded. Like, if you didn't cover up or put something in front of you, someone is going to attack you for it. Or you will be under attack. Did something happen when you were younger?

-...I'll tell you when we meet. It's not so safe on the phone.

-Oh, okay.

-I promise.

-What?

-I promise to tell you.

-...Thank you.

End of transcript 6.

-Did it hurt?

-What did?

-After Alabasta?

-...Physically? Yes. It had been a while since I had been pitted against a real opponent, and I had underestimated him.

-I'm sorry.

-For what? You couldn't have been there. I would have gotten you out of Alabasta as soon as I could anyway.

-Wh- Why?

-There was a Civil War going on, if you recall. I'd be more than a little worried if you were there.

-But who was there for you?

-I would have handled myself. Always had, always will.

-Sounds lonely.

-It's become more of a norm, I'm afraid.

-Hmm... can I come in a week?

-To where?

-Karai Bari?

-Ah, yes. Should be fine.

-Good. I've mostly settled things here anyway.

-I see. Excited are we?

-As if you weren't the one asking.

-You were the one who agreed.

-Awful husband.

-So I am.

End of Transcript. 7

End of all transcripts. No more conversations held.

Chapter Text

You closed your eyes, enjoying the cool, quick wind blowing against your face as your hands rested on the side of the ship. Time due was over, and you were all set to come stay again with your husband. You had set off a day and a half ago, pleased at the respect the Captain gave you since you had helped him with his accounts back on Watermelon Valley. A cosy bunk and good food, and you were quite settled. You would reach in about a day's time if the currents were agreeable and if the wind continued like so. 
In the meantime, while you waited, you wrote letters to your friends and relatives back home, even to Minh Nhật. You missed her sunny personality already. Running a hand through your hair, you walked back to your bunk. You were set to reach tomorrow. So why not take a quick nap? The Captain would wake you up if anything happened anyway.

"Buuuuugggyyy Piraaaates! Welcome! Welcome to tonight's circus show! Tonight, to welcome not only our newest hands of the Chairman, we have a new set of performers!! They have come aaaaalll the way from Circle Swamp to greet and perform for us!"

Crocodile scoffed. He was not in a good mood. You were supposed to arrive tomorrow, and Mihawk had likened his restless behaviour to a doggish pacing. He stood, waiting till Buggy arrived so that he could finally sit down and wait till the first 10 minutes were gone to leave. He wanted to give you a room to yourself after all, but it wasn't ready. The bed would arrive tomorrow, and then it would all be set. He was...eagerly waiting for your arrival, if he was being honest. Not to anyone else, but to you, if you pressed on the matter.

As soon as the buffoon Clown arrived, the crowd went even crazier which he scowled even more from. Why they were so crazy about this clown was beyond Mihawk and him. Mihawk even had a theory that Buggy had seduced them. Which was somehow more terrifying than it was disgusting.

Eventually, the crowd's cheer died down, and everyone was settled. He watched the clowns first roll out, jumping and juggling. They all had a theme of wearing something blue, and in very... risqué outfits. They all had a similar colour coding of light blue and white. Either the top part was white with their own different designs, or the lower part was. It all ranged from being borderline revealing, where one man wore a white skin-hugging vest, which had large diamond shaped holes over his torso, showing off his muscles and skin, another lady who was wearing a cocktail dress where the part of the dress below the waist had netting, showing off her tattoos running all over her legs. He could tell they were clowns since they had painted faces and ran all over the ring. Then, from the ceiling, the trapeze artists dropped, forming a chain across two batons, 5 people alternating. One person on either side of the one in the middle was upside down, and they held either the other one's leg or arm to hold each other. The chain broke, and the one in the center fell, causing the crowd to gasp as they fell, fearing the worst, before being caught by a cloth held by some muscled men. The crowd ooh-ed and ah-ed at the display, cheering at the antics, and Crocodile was getting more and more bored. He eyed Mihawk and caught his eye before the pair nodded. Finally, he would get to leave.

He saw more characters come out, such as the stilt-walking women, and the fire-breathing man and woman who clearly looked like twins, figuring that this was more than the perfect time to leave in the chaos. Thankfully for the troupe, they didn't have any animals being used. Crocodile might have actually dried them without a thought if he had seen even a single animal appearing in the ring.

However, just as he was about to leave, his eyes spied a masked figure being pushed into the center of the ring. Their mask had diamonds all over the mask, their top was resembling something like a blue Tuxedo coat whose short tails were alternating between staying still just below the rear of the person and bouncing through the air with every movement they made, paired with a white shirt and a lighter blue (as compared to the coat) vest, while their lower part was just plain white stockings and... boots?. They clutched a staff to their person, like an almost defence, they were clearly a little more than unsure, acting like a skittish deer, running around here and there to avoid being trampled by the stilt-walking girls, or the clowns and their tricks. Unfortunately, they bumped into one of the muscled men, causing the mask to drop. And Crocodile froze. 

That masked character was his fucking spouse.

They were clearly a little more than skittish, now that he could see their face. They looked mildly petrified about accidentally getting in someone's way. Daz, who stood behind him, choked, "Is that-"

"Looks like it. Go get some food delivered to my room. I'll be coming there with a guest," Crocodile scowled. 

"Understood," said the younger man, having collected himself and left from the door.

Crocodile turned to sand, traveling down to the ring, in a messy stream of sand. On reaching, he transformed back into his body, looking at them with a displeased huff, "Hello dear." Around them, the crowd gasped and started yelling as they started recognising the center of Crocodile's attention. Some of the performers stopped, and some continued on. Buggy was now watching with confused eyes. Who was that? Mihawk, on the other hand, merely raised an eyebrow. As far as he knew, Crocodile's spouse was not involved with a circus. An accountant was their profession, according to what he heard. However, as he watched the pair, he understood one thing: Things were going to get interesting.

He watched his love gape up at him and shrink a little under his gaze, mortified. "I-uh, there's an explanation for this, I swear-"

He nodded, "I'll hear all about it in my room," and sand rose around them before moving, leaving the tent entirely.

"In my defence-"

"I'm not angry with you," he cut you off, leaning forward as you cupped a hand around the flame from the lighter and lit the cigar. When you two had reached his tent, you ate the food Daz had prepared for you two, and now you were sitting in his lap.

"I get that, but really, listen."

Raising an eyebrow, he sat quietly, with you still in that outfit on his lap. Continue then.

Taking a deep breath, you started: You were woken up by the Captain, due to a freak storm which caught your boat in the fray. While you managed to get to a smaller boat, you got to the island with nothing but a small bag, containing your snail and some other things. The troupe assumed you were the extra help they got last minute and dressed you up like that. 

"-so that's why," you huffed, crossing your arms.

Crocodile didn't answer, his gaze focused on your torso and in general outfit. You blinked, tilting your head to the side. "What?"

His hook came from behind, yanking your jacket off in one move, and you flinched from shock as suddenly you were now sitting on his lap without the coat. You weren't wearing a vest; you were wearing a corset. Your face, upon closer inspection, had little diamonds painted in white on some parts of your face. You looked gorgeous. Divine, in his words. The corset accentuates your figure, and the stockings are just a little too tight, showing the tiniest bit of fat being squeezed whenever you bend your legs. You, yourself, started to realise what exactly was going on in his mind.

"Oh."

"You look... good in that," he said, voice soft. His hand went forward, cupping your cheek. Automatically, you leaned into his touch, meeting his gaze.

"Thanks," you answered, and your eyes closed as he leaned forward and kissed you.

After that, things unraveled from there. His hand moved from your cheek to your thigh, squeezing it slightly. Your hook tugged at the strings of your corset, till it fell off you, now opened. Your hands, however, went up to his hair and got your fingers tangled between the strands. You moaned when you felt his hand travel up your shirt to lightly pinch one of your nipples, thumb rubbing across the nub. Your eyes fluttered, and you tilted your head up as his lips left yours and traveled to your neck, proceeding to leave a few bites and hickeys across your skin. Your heart was dancing across your chest, sending jolts of excitement. This was happening, and boy, were you ready for it.
You froze when you heard a loud rip, and looked down to find the left leg of the stocking torn, thanks to his hook was in the process of yanking it off your body entirely, leaving you in nothing but your underwear, shirt, and boots.

"Hey!"

"I'll buy you more," he huffed and continued pressing bites into the skin of your neck, making you groan with lust and pain at the same time. His hook was now braced against your back, pushing your front straighter and ahead, towards him, allowing him to control your movements.

You were now looking down as his hand went to your groin, touching your front, making you more aroused. You started to whine, slowly grinding into his touch as your hands undid the buttons of your shirt, letting the shirt hang open. "Crocodile.." you moaned, eyes fluttering.

"Hm?" he answered almost distractedly as his eyes were focused on your front, his nose brushing against yours. Your arms tugged at his hair.

"Fuuuck-"

"That's it, you're perfect," and all you could do was have your eyes roll back in your head as he worked you towards your first orgasm of the night.

Not too long after, you did end up coating his fingers in come, moaning his name loudly, and slumping against him. Pressing kisses against your forehead, he got up and carried you to the bed before settling between your legs. "Pretty pent up, weren't ya?" you joke, still sounding mildly breathless.

He rolls his eyes as he uses his sand to change out of his clothes and grabs a bottle of lube. "Shut up." As he works, you open further, and you swear you almost see white the 2nd time he makes you orgasm. What the fuck was this night turning into and why hadn't you tried this before?

A while later, you're braced on some of his pillows watching as he stokes his dick a few times before slowly entering you and holy shit, he's big. Big enough that with every inch, you're whining, clawing his arms braced around your midriff. It feels like forever when he pauses, now fully seated in your hole, and there might not be much light around you, but you are pretty sure that he's watching your expressions and he's remembering every little microexpression within your normal expressions. That he's committing this to memory because he, too, with you, is also wondering why the hell you two didn't do this earlier in the relationship. Also that the man is waiting for you to give the go-ahead for continuing. So? You nod, and with one responsive nod, he goes. 

An hour later, you're lying with your back on the mattress, sweaty, aching, and feeling good. Crocodile is lying up, eyes closed, but you know he's awake since he's smoking a cigar. Your eyes trace his facial features, and you reach up a hand to let your fingers brush against his jaw. He opens his eyes and looks at you, before reaching up and holding yours in his. 

"I missed you," is all he says, and you can almost see how vulnerable he feels for admitting this out loud. Yes, he had done that many times, in person, over calls, but it was still early days. For him, anyway. Not this relationship.

You smile, "Me too."

"I thought about you."

"Hmm?" You take a peek at him in the bathroom as you wash your face. 

He's seated in the biggest built-in tub you've ever seen. Big enough that the man himself comes up to your midriff if you were to sit on the sides of the tub. You run a hand through your hair and move to join him again, sighing and slightly wincing at the marks he gave you earlier. "Thought about me when?"

"In...there," and you knew what he was referring to. Impel Down. The dreaded prison, where, according to rumours, it had its version of "Hell's" and if you were to be sent there, you were doomed. Or, well, "supposed" to be doomed. You were here talking to someone who managed to get out after all.

"I see." What could you say here exactly?

"I was at first angry, but then it became clearer to me about my situation and about what I had done to you."

You leaned your head to rest on your knee, just listening.

"At first, I was justifying my actions. Then, it changed because I couldn't forget how much your smile and your love meant to me in those moments, and I became very rueful. Of my actions, what I had and had not done. But then, I realised something obvious and binding at that time." As he spoke, his hand curling into a fist. His face grew more and more into a scowl as he spoke.

"What?"

"I couldn't." he looked up at you. Meeting your eyes, he continued, "I couldn't very well just go and meet you, couldn't apologize and beg for forgiveness. I could not, and it hurt much more than the shock of realising the pain I caused you because of my actions."

"Then I became more demotivated. I was lost, listless, you could say. I had almost given up ever trying to even think of possibly meeting you again and seeking your forgiveness. I almost thought about trying to cut a deal with the Government just to leave or send you a letter."

"Demotivated?"

"Yes. My plan had failed; I didn't even know the next location it would have been at. I did not have access to any of my information brokers, my wealth, anything. Even my Bananawani had been lost to me."

"They were released by the way," you cut in.

"Really?" he looked hopeful, almost.

"When they called me in, they also asked about what to do with them. I... couldn't care for them properly, given their diet, so I thought it best to release them in the wild. Last I heard, they were near the Tahiti Islands. just by Sisika Falls."

"That's good, thank you," he smiled softly.

"Anyway, continue. Sorry for interrupting."

"Not a problem. Where was I?"

"You were ah, demotivated?"

"Right. So I was demotivated, and frankly, I did not see what I could have done then. I was left to rot, and I thought I would."

"Buuuut," you drawled, "Strawhat Luffy broke you out."

He nodded. "Yes. That boy was trying to find his brother and found me."

You couldn't stop yourself from letting one end of your mouth curl into a grin. "Musta have been quite ironic, eh?"

He huffed and tilted his head back, "Yes, yes, it was. Jackass."

You squawked, a proper grin now blooming on your face. "Huh?! Jackass? Did I just hear the famed Sir Crocodile calling his beloved a jackass?"

He chuckled. "Maybe I did. Why?"

You came over to his side and settled next to him. "Scandalous, I say. I'm going to tell Big News Morgans"

He cracked one eye open and pulled you closer till you were flush against him. "I'll buy him out."

You lightly swat at his stomach. "Awful man"

He suddenly pulled you into his lap, before burying his face into your neck and pressing kisses. "Maybe I am." He held you tight, head resting on top of yours, peacefully. "I debated getting in contact with you again."

You blinked. "Really?"

He sighed through his nose, and you could feel his thumb stroke the skin of your stomach idly. "Yes. I wasn't sure if you would even want to meet me, or whether you'd have moved on by then."

You snorted. "I don't think divorce can happen without the other person signing off on an agreement," you softly added. "I would have been more pissed off if you didn't even try to contact me, to be fair."

"Perhaps. I thought it might have been a boon for you if I had never contacted you after that, letting you alone so that you could figure out your life, happy with your family."

You wrinkled your nose. "Kind of did that when you were gone, no? Even worked for a decent salary, too."

"So I heard. Accounting, hmm?"

"Well, I had to see exactly what the fuss was, plus, it would come in handy as a personal skill if not for occupational need."

"That makes sense, I suppose."

"Why, would you have hired me as your accountant otherwise?" you teased, a smile in your voice.

"Maybe. I would have put you to the test first, though." 

"Huh? Why?"

"You might be my spouse, but as a worker, I don't know you as well. Do I?"

"Can't take me at my word?"

"With your words only? Dubious in my opinion."

You laughed. "Rude!"

"Only the facts, my dear," he murmured, pressing a kiss to your head.

A silence seemed to envelop the pair of you in the place, a comfortable one at that. Neither of you seemed wont to breaking it, and you could almost find yourself nodding off, the excitement, exertion, and stress of the day taking a toll on you. 

"But did you?"

"What?" You blinked a few times, trying to turn your head upwards to see his face, but he held you fast, not allowing you.

"Think about leaving this?"

"...I did. However, it was hard at first, and the memories of you never really left me, no matter how hard I tried."

"I see."

"When I heard news of you escaping, she knew. She knew what I was thinking and worrying about. So she gave me a choice."

"A choice."

"Between her and you. Between someone who had unguarded expressions, who would make pasta while talking about the beauty of chess, who was more than happy about sharing about her past, her family, and her wishes for the future with me. Between her and you, who was already on this arc of fight, of war. Between stability and spilt blood."

"...And you chose me," he spoke, softly, like it was measured words the pair of you were speaking in that bathroom, in that bathtub with water not so warm anymore, with marks of love and passion all around you two, of an uncertain future outside the door.

"And I chose you," you spoke reaffirmingly.

"A rather odd choice, I would say."

"Well, there was a reason I never played at your casino, dear."

The rich laughter you coaxed from your husband was enough to make you feel at peace, even more than what you already were. 

Not too long later, when you got ready for bed, he gave you one of his shirts, which made you feel like a child again, thanks to how much it was hanging off you. You two eventually fell asleep, feeling more connected than you did before you were separated.

He woke up with both of your bodies curled around each other, his head somehow tucked into your neck while you slept comfortably. He debated getting up and moving on with his day, but if it came to dealing with Buggy's fuckups or you? He would choose you. No matter what.