Love's Treasure Map (Buggy Fanfiction) [One Piece]

Captain

Claire steps onto the lively deck of the pirate ship, embraced by the golden rays of the sun and a gentle breeze that tousles her hair. She baths in the warmth for a brief moment before starting to scan the deck for Buggy.

Quickly, she finds him standing on the quarterdeck, a raised deck at the stern where he has a clear view of the entire ship, the crew, and the surrounding sea, allowing him to give precise orders and navigate the ship effectively.

She makes her way through the sea of pirates, each focused on their duties, and approaches Buggy, who hasn't noticed her yet, his eyes sharp and commanding, solemnly focused on his busy crew.

"Starboard, you lot! Move it, move it!" Buggy's voice pierces through the commotion, a blend of authority and urgency. He lowers his gaze on the patched-together map, his finger tracing the course they've set.

Claire smiles fondly at the sight of Buggy's straight posture and the air of confidence surrounding him. It makes her remember the days when he was just another deckhand on Gold D. Roger's ship, wide-eyed and eager to follow his captain's commands.

Now, as a captain himself, he wears the mantle of authority as if it is tailor-made for him. With his hat and long coat, Claire can't help but see a little bit of their old captain in Buggy's appearance. "This position suits him quite nicely," she muses, dodging one last crewmate as she finally reaches Buggy's side. "Roger would be proud of him."

Without looking away from the map, Buggy eventually senses her presence. "About time you join the party," a wide grin tugs at the corners of his painted lips, "We're not on a pleasure cruise, you know." He chuckles at his own joke, glazing at Claire to see how she reacts, but quickly refocuses on the map again after seeing that there is indeed a smile visible on her otherwise stern face.

Claire shakes her head amused, and decides to step even closer to casually lean against the railing, acting unfazed by his comment. "I wouldn't dream of it, Buggy." She turns her head to look over her shoulder to observe the bustling crew below them. "They're eager to please you."

Buggy chuckles happily that Claire seems to have noticed how much his crew loves him and enjoys being part of his crew. He straightens his posture a little bit more, making himself taller as he speaks, "Of course! All they want is for me to succeed, right?"

"Yes, Captain Buggy!" the crew echoes in union, causing Claire to giggle again and shake her head in amusement. "Well," she focuses her gaze at Buggy again, noticing how he smiles wide and his eyes sparkle with genuine excitement, momentarily erasing the years and adding a youthful touch to his appearance.

As Buggy basks in the acknowledgment, Claire's heartbeat quickens, and a wave of warmth overcomes her, causing her throat to suddenly tighten up. However, a quick, deliberate throat-clearing quickly manages her to control her physical reactions again enough to continue speaking, "How can I help?"

Still, the image of Buggy, with his infectious smile and youthful radiance, lingers in her mind even after it is no longer visible on the pirate's face.

Her question seems to surprise Buggy. Apparently, it didn't occur to him that Claire might want to work under him too. "No need," he answers, replacing his smile with a frown, his brows crashing together, making him look concentrated and focused again. "My crew is excellent. All I want is to keep an eye on you. That's why I called you here. Sit back and enjoy the ride, sweets."

Claire smirks at Buggy's confident response, her eyes dancing with a mixture of amusement and defiance, sensing an opportunity to tease him. "Sweets, huh? You're not getting soft on me, are you, Bugs?"

Buggy feigns offense, hand on his chest. "Soft? Me? Never! I'm as tough as they come. But, you know, a captain has to keep morals high. Calling by the crew by nicknames just happens to be part of my leadership charm," he lies, and he knows that this is a blatant lie, sensing his cheeks reddening under his thick layer of clown make-up.