Painted Hearts | Buggy the Clown Fic

- pretty boy

Niko quickly learned that Buggy's circus traveled a lot. They would sail from place to place, and Niko would sit inside his little cage until Buggy visited and "indulged in a bit of serpent-boy time" as the clown liked to call it. Sometimes he would see a show, or talk to Buggy. Ever since they'd kissed (more like made out), Niko was on his toes around Buggy. It wasn't that he hadn't enjoyed it — in fact, he did, quite a bit, but he still didn't trust the clown.

"How's my favorite little pirate boy?" Buggy exclaimed as he pranced into the room, lips spread into a familiar grin, chortling, "Not too bored, I hope?"

Niko snorted, "How do you expect me not to be? All I do is sit in here. You never take me out." It wasn't a lie. He mainly only sat there, or fiddled with the lock, to no avail. He'd developed a bad habit of picking at his cuticles, which resulted in blood crusted around the nails.

Eyes burning into Buggy as he drank in his only entertainment, Niko found that his words fell on deaf ears, Buggy only smiling like a bashful child and continuing on with a little wave, "Awe, don't be like that! I take you out all the time, prince. I mean, I know I've got an addicting personality, but I'm a busy pirate." He pulled the keys out of his right pocket, jingling them, "Priorities, ya know?"

He only scowled, folding his arms over his chest. When Buggy opened the door and paced the opposite direction, Niko didn't budge, watching the pirate-clown continue to chatter as he ran a hand through his shock of blue hair, "Ya gotta give me something to work with, sweetheart! Cant expect someone to prioritize you if you're not entertaining them~" He turned, pausing and staring at Niko, and the open door.

Buggy sidled over, putting his elbows on the cage floor and leaning in, placing his chin in his hands. In a sing-song tone, he called, "Come ouuuut, you were just complaining. I'll make it worth your while."

Niko's eyes flicked over Buggy's enthusiastic face. Reluctantly, he shifted, beginning to get down. Buggy offered him a hand, bowing dramatically, and Niko took it, dryly amused as he stepped down from the golden cage, taking a step away from the other man. Then, he stretched, cracking his spine as he arched his arms above his head, yawning.

A pair of warm arms closed around his chest and waist area and Niko yelped embarrassingly loud, face flaring red as Buggy placed his chin on Niko's shoulder, humming smoothly in his ear, "There ya go, pretty boy! Much better, hmm?"

"Whoa-ooh! Your heart is racing!" Buggy exclaimed, arms sliding as he spun Niko around, pulling Niko's hips against his own with a giddy smile, "And you are bright red!" He tapped his index finger on Niko's nose to emphasize, "If you like the nickname that much, just tell me, why dont'cha?"

"God, you really are pretty when you get all flustered, though. I could watch you all day~" Buggy teased, placing his gloved hand on the side of Niko's face and caressing his cheek gently, inching his own lips closer towards Niko's lips. Niko leapt away, burning red, stomach erupting in butterflies as he put distance between them. Buggy pouted, "Aw, no fun! What's up with you, sugar? I know how much you loved it last time."

"Shut up!" Niko managed to sputter out, trying not to be mortified by the memory of how much he'd loved what Buggy had been doing, "I'm not some toy."

"Hmm.." Buggy mused, stepping closer idly as he tapped his chin, "I dunno, you're pretty entertaining." Niko glanced at him just in time to see Buggy looking him up and down, a smile crossing his lips before he added, with a slight frown, "Plus, you're having fun too. C'mere."

Niko frowned. He knew from "subtle" comments here and there that Buggy was only keeping him as long as he was entertaining, but it hadn't crossed his mind what would happen if he got bored. Death, or something worse? He wasn't sure, and maybe at this point, death was better than the shame.