Totally Buggin' (Buggy the Clown Live Action Fic)

Olive Branch

We decided to remain docked for the night in the New Croy harbor. Most of the crew chose to enjoy the evening on land, drinking their earnings' worth in one of the local pubs, and soon enough the mood turned festive as the alcohol took effect. Buggy sat in a corner of the establishment, nursing a beer under the watchful eye of Niko, but everyone else was smiling and laughing, their faces tinged with pink.
I came out to the bar and stayed for a couple drinks, but decided to head back to the ship early. "Nooo, staaay!" whined Trixie, who'd been receiving free drinks from an unbashful bartender with a handsome smile.
"Another night," I promised, slipping towards the door. I walked alone down the dark cobblestone road towards the docks, happy to be embraced by the quiet of the night. The air was warm but there was a slight breeze, bringing with it the salty smell of the ocean.
My ship was mostly empty, save for the few crew members who got the unfortunate duty of watching over her. They nodded to me as I climbed aboard, then went back to whatever hobbies they'd come up with to stave off the boredom. I climbed the stairs to the top deck, where my lookout, Yonis, was sitting on the bench near the wheel in his socks, polishing a pair of boots. "Captain Kitty," he nodded his blond head in greeting. "You're back early."
"I'm not in much of a partying mood," I remarked. "Why don't you go take my place? I'm sure they could use another person to help them drink the place dry."
"Well, I don't mind if I do," he replied with a grin. He slipped on his boots and tied the laces then stood, admiring the shine. "Have a good night, Captain," he called behind him before descending the stairs.
"You too, Yonis."
Once he'd left, I took off my captain's hat and threw it down next to the bench, then laid my back flat on the seat, looking up at the stars. My mind had been in a million places this past week, but now I cleared it, focusing on my breathing. I let the chaos in my head float in a cloud above me, careful not to pull any of the fragmented thoughts down into focus. Being a little tipsy made this easier, and my worries slid off of me like water on glass.
I had nearly drifted to sleep when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I sat up in time to see Buggy reach the top deck, his hands already up in surrender. "I come in peace," he said.
I glared, but the usual stab of anger I felt towards him had been softened by the alcohol. "Where's Niko? Wasn't he supposed to be watching you?" I asked.
"Yeah, thanks for the babysitter, by the way," Buggy said sarcastically. He slumped onto a bench near the railing and pulled his gloves off. "A waitress made googly eyes at him and I got the chance to slip away. Not sure what anyone would see in that shithead, but fine by me."
"And you came straight here?" I asked suspiciously. "No kicking babies or setting fires to anyone on the way back?"
"Ha-ha," he replied sarcastically, unamused. "Are you really worried about me doing something like that?"
    "I remember the sick games your crew used to play with prisoners," I said sharply. "I know you find torturing people amusing."
    "Yeah, the crew," Buggy said defensively. "I never cared for that shit."
    "You participated!" I asserted. "Don't play innocent."
    "No no, I am far from innocent," he agreed, chuckling. "But I was the captain, I had a reputation to protect. I don't remember you speaking up about it, either."
    His words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I swallowed the guilt, unwilling to show him vulnerability. Instead I pursed my lips. "Don't think for a second that I buy the whole 'Buggy the friendly clown' bit," I warned. "You're not fooling anyone."
    "What, you mean in the square?" he asked. "I thought you'd be happy I was performing for a non-captive audience."
    "I'd be happier if you were performing at the bottom of the harbor," I remarked.
Buggy threw down his gloves in annoyance. "What did I do to make you so pissed off? I mean, seriously!" He barked a laugh. "You left me on an island, tied to a tree, yet you're still the one hung up on it!"
"I only beat you to the punch!" I barked. "Cabaji told me how you planned to get rid of me when you were 'done with me'. I know that's why you took me to that island."
"I only said that to Cabaji so he'd get the fuck off my back about it!" Buggy demanded. "I wasn't gonna give you up, with what we had! But the crew was up my ass about me being distracted, so I told them that shit to shut them up." He laughed another humorless laugh. "I certainly wasn't going to leave you on an island!" He drew out the words like he couldn't believe he had to say them aloud.
"Then you were going to kill me!" I stated, my voice an octave too high. I lowered it before I continued. "Maybe you didn't have it planned out, maybe it would've even been by accident, but that's the only way it would have ended."
"I would never have hurt you," he insisted, making eye contact with me.
"You were hurting me, Buggy," I implored. My throat felt tight just saying the words, as if his hand were around it now. "Don't tell me you don't remember."
"I..." I thought at first he was going to deny it, but his features changed as he recalled the night on the Big Top. His eyes registered what he'd done and he looked at me with shock on his face. It seemed like I wasn't the only one keeping memories locked up inside.
Buggy hunched over and put his head in his hands. He sat like that for a minute before speaking. "I'm so sorry," he said, finally looking up. "God, I can't even... I should never have done that. I don't even remember why I did it anymore... but I'm so fucking sorry."
I was shaken by his apology but tried not to let it show. "I'm not going to tell you it's okay," I said to him after a moment, my voice tinged with ice. He nodded and looked away.
I took a deep breath and got up from the bench. "I'm going to bed," I muttered, walking towards the stairs to the lower dock.
"Wait, your hat," said Buggy. He hopped up from his bench and grabbed my captain's hat from where it sat on the ground. I turned from the top of the stairs as he reached it towards me.
I gripped the hat, but Buggy didn't let it go right away. I looked at his face and saw his gaze had rested on my outstretched forearm and the purple veins now poking out of my sleeve: the mark of the Ghost Virus. He seemed transfixed by it, even though he had the same pattern visible on his neck. I pulled that hat out of his hand forcefully and he startled. "Um, it suits you," he said. "The hat, I mean."
I searched his face for hidden meaning, but his compliment seemed genuine. Our gazes locked for a moment and he smiled slightly.
"Fuck off," I responded sincerely before heading back down the stairs.