Painted Hearts | Buggy the Clown Fic

- uncertain expectations

"You want me to do what?" Niko stared at the man before him, pissed beyond words at the idea - and utterly baffled. Doing acrobatics above a flaming net for an audience that would be killed anyway? Did that sound like something he would willingly do?

Cabaji crossed his arms in front of his chest, "It's not that bad, alright? I've seen it done a million times, there's no real danger. Plus, if you fall, Buggy will come right to your rescue." He snarked at him, only triggering more anger. Niko took a step closer, fury burning in his eyes.

"You wanna say that again, circus freak?" He snarled, nose to nose with the pirate, who didn't flinch, only staring back with a similar cold anger.

Just as Cabaji opened his mouth to respond, a familiar voice sounded from their right, and Niko snapped his head to look. "Just what is going on in here?" Buggy asked as he strolled into the room, looking between the two pirates with his eyebrows raised, "Woah, settle down, guys! If either of you get hurt, you'll ruin the show." The mere words made his eyes darken.

Niko scowled, the fire dimming as he took a step back from Cabaji, though he still glared daggers at the the crew member. Cabaji didn't say anything either, the infuriatingly mysterious mask returning as he looked at Buggy. Eventually, Niko let himself look as well. The clown was examining them with an intrigued curiosity, his crystal gaze flicking between the two.

"Circus freak?" He finally echoed Niko's last words, cackling a little, "Low blow for someone who's performing in one of the shows, sugar. Cabaji, what's going on?" Niko turned his fiery glare to Buggy, who seemed to disregard it without a second thought, still looking at Cabaji expectantly.

"I was suggesting a role for our prisoner to play in the show, like you wanted. But he didn't like your idea." Cabaji explained quietly, "I think he's scared."

"My prisoner," Buggy corrected with a warning glare at the striped haired man, "and he'll do it whether he likes it or not. Isn't that right, sweets?" He fixed Niko with a hard stare, but Niko met his gaze unwaveringly, lips curving into a frown as he scoffed, "Absolutely not, are you insane?" He spoke incredulously, "I've never done acrobatics in my life, and now you want me to jump over a net that is literally on fire? I'd rather get fed to the sharks."

"Ooh, a tank of sharks, not a bad idea!" exclaimed Buggy, his face lighting up as if it was the most genius idea in the world (it probably was, to him). Niko only stifled a growl, turning on his heel and stalking towards the door, back to Buggy's temporary room.

Ever since he bathed and slept there, Buggy had allowed him to spend his days in there, though Niko still refused to spend another night in the bed with him. Nothing had happened (to his knowledge) when he'd spent the night with the clown the week prior, but when he'd woken up, he'd been sleeping on his chest, face pressed into the crook of his neck. Whether Buggy had done that, or Niko himself had done it in his sleep, he didn't know, but he'd left only minutes later and refused to address it.

A hand secured to the back of his shirt and Buggy chimed, "Where do ya think you're goin', cutie? We have so much to talk about!" He reached around for the hand, scrabbling for it irritably as the clown continued, "Don't get your panties in a twist. Alvida will show you how to do it. I expect that you'll be in the show tomorrow, hmm?" Despite not being able to see Buggy, Niko could hear the way his jaw grew taught, the forced patience. A threat, if he'd ever heard one.

Dear god.

"Just jump!"

"Are you sure this will hold me?"

Niko looked skeptically at the thin ropes holding up the white bar he was meant to hold on. Far below, a net waited to catch him. He was standing on a small wooden platform on one of the circus tent-poles, holding onto the trapeze bar with white knuckles.