The Clown's Kiss (Buggy Fanfiction) [One Piece]

Eavesdropper's Dilemma

Scarlet has put in extra hours at her school today, determined to wrap up all her lesson planning and preparations for the upcoming week before heading home.

Lately, she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that a certain clown pirate might unexpectedly materialize at her doorstep, demanding her time and attention. To avoid potential disruptions, she concluded that working late at school was the safest bet to ensure she could accomplish all her tasks.

As the evening sun dips below the horizon, casting long shadows across the empty hallways, Scarlet finally decides that it's time to leave. She gathers her materials, secures her classroom, and makes her way back to her beloved small home.

Yet, as she approaches her front door, an eerie sense of unease settles over her.

Her fingers brush against the doorknob, and she immediately notices something is amiss. The door, typically locked with precision, hangs slightly ajar. Caution tugged at her instincts, Scarlet hesitantly pushed the door open and stepped inside her once-peaceful abode. What greets her is nothing short of shocking.

Her cherished trinkets lay shattered on the floor, their beauty marred by cruel force. Papers and books, which had once adorned her shelves with order and purpose, were strewn around haphazardly, some even partially torn.

"Who would do such a thing?" Scarlet's voice trembles with disbelief and a rising tide of emotion. Her eyes well up with tears as she stands before her front door, unable to comprehend the extent of the devastation that lies beyond.

It took several agonizing moments before she could have the courage to venture further into her home, her trembling hand finally pushing the door shut behind her.

As she steps over the threshold, a heavy silence envelopes her, amplifying the sense of desolation that clings to every corner of her once-happy abode. Scarlet lowers her bag to the ground with a shaky hand, her fingers numb with shock. She surveys the room, taking in the heart-wrenching scene that unfolds before her eyes.

"Everything... it's all broken," she murmurs, her voice cracking under the weight of her grief. Her words hang in the air, a painful acknowledgment of the loss she's experiencing. The first tear escapes her eye, tracing a salty path down her cheek, and a soft, involuntary sob escapes her throat.

Scarlet finds herself standing in the midst of the chaos, her sobs and tears merging with the wreckage of her beloved decorations. Time blurs in that disorienting moment, and she can't tell whether minutes or hours have passed when a sudden knock on her front door startles her.

Sniffing and hastily wiping her eyes dry, she couldn't ignore the telltale signs of redness in her eyes and nose, evidence of her recent breakdown.

Summoning what little composure she had left, she calls out, "The door's open," her voice bearing the faint traces of her emotional turmoil. The door creaks open, and the distinct sound of measured footsteps enters her home.

"Sweets?" The voice, unmistakably Buggy's, slicked through the heavy silence like a lifeline. Scarlet's head whips around, her tear-stained face now locking eyes with him.

The pirate's countenance mirrors her own devastation, his heart aching for her in this painful moment. Unable to restrain himself, he closes the gap between them, his arms enveloping her with a protective tenderness that offers solace.

Scarlet allows herself to sink into his embrace, her sobs subsiding as she finds refuge in his comforting presence. In that fleeting instant, all that mattered was the warmth of his arms and the unspoken support he offered, a sanctuary amidst the ruins of her once-peaceful home.

"Buggy?" Scarlet's voice was soft, causing the pirate to loosen his embrace slightly and gaze down at her while still holding her close. "Why are you here? I mean, I'm glad that you are, but please don't tell me that you want to convince me to do the knife-throwing act again, because I-"