Porcelain Cougar[One Piece x Reader]

Buggy

Requested by jojocircus96

Buggy pushed his way through the crowded streets of Loguetown, grumbling under his breath—angry at himself and at the world for letting Straw Hat get away. His boots smacked against the cobblestones, his painted grin slipping into a frown, when suddenly—thud.

He stumbled back, blinking as his eyes rose to meet a tall woman's. She was almost his height, only a little shorter, and her steady gaze broke him out of his muttering.

For a moment, it felt like the marketplace went quiet. The woman carried herself with a calm strength, as if she didn't quite belong to the noisy crowd or the shady alleys. Buggy's nose twitched, his mouth opening before words tumbled out.

"Oi—watch where you're goin', lady!" he barked, though his usual loud confidence wavered.

He puffed out his chest, spreading his arms in his usual over-the-top style, ready to rant about how he, Captain Buggy, deserved respect everywhere he went. But before he could begin, the woman lifted her chin. Her eyes were sharp, her expression timeless. A faint smirk tugged at her lips as she leaned forward and said, calm but firm:

"Watch your tone, boy. That's no way to speak to your elders."

The words hit Buggy harder than a buggyball. His grin twitched. He blinked, staring at her confident stance and the steady gaze in her eyes. She had no gray hair or wrinkles, yet there was something about her that felt older than years could measure.

He tried to snap back but faltered. "E-Elders?! What are you, some kinda hag in disguise?!"

Her smirk only deepened, her gaze cool and unshaken—like a still pond hiding unseen depths. Around them, the sounds of Loguetown seemed to fade.

A chill ran down Buggy's spine. Her skin was smooth, her figure graceful, but the weight of her presence was heavy, like she carried centuries of secrets. She gave off an aura beyond time itself.

"Don't confuse looks with age, clown," she said softly. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried with cutting clarity. "I've watched suns rise and fall long before your name stained a wanted poster."

Buggy's painted grin twitched. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. The crowd bustled on, but her gaze pinned him like an insect.

He flailed his hands, trying to hide the unease rising inside him. "W-well, don't think you can scare Captain Buggy the Clown! I've stared death in the face—execution even!"

But his voice cracked, showing the fear he tried to cover.

Buggy froze mid-rant, one gloved hand raised. He squinted at her face—those eyes, that calm, that strange pull he couldn't explain.

Something stirred in his memory, faint but insistent. He swallowed hard.

"Wait..." he whispered. "I've seen you before..."

The woman tilted her head, her smile almost amused. "Have you?"

Buggy's breath caught. A vision flashed in his mind—years ago, when he was just a boy in Roger's crew. He remembered the grand ship they had sailed, the dusty hall lined with hundreds of paintings. One portrait stood out: a tall, striking woman, calm and mysterious. Even then, the image had unsettled him.

He pointed a trembling finger at her, voice cracking. "Back when I was a kid—How are you still—?!"

Her smirk didn't fade. Her eyes gleamed with quiet triumph, as if she had seen this moment many times before.