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“Hm, do I feel like wearing purple, or green?” Never had Crocodile been as puzzled as he was at that moment, using his magic to hold up the two different colored fabrics towards his form as he tried to make a decision. He had been at this for hours, trying to find the perfect colored shirt for his date.
“What do you think, Luffy?” The man turned towards his apprentice, hoping the small boy would have some type of input towards his problem. Instead, the child just sat in the corner, coloring on a piece of paper with an annoyed glare on his face.
“They're both ugly.” He muttered, angrily scribbling away on the blank sheet, and coating it in bright red. Right then and there he knew something was wrong with his little boy. The man sighed, allowing the fabrics to disappear into thin air, and slowly moving so he could take a seat next to Luffy. The boy tried to avert his eyes, ignoring the presence of his father figure completely. His magic had even begun to act up a little, growing his little straw hat until it was large enough to cover his body like a dome. Crocodile just rolled his eyes, his apprentice truly was a dramatic child. The man just lifted it up, and peeked underneath to catch a glance at the boy, smiling when he saw his tiny form.
“So, anything you want to talk about with me? Maybe we can start with what's bothering you.” Luffy stared at him with wide, and shocked eyes; the expression making the man chuckle do to the sheer childishness of it all.
“How did you know!?” As usual Luffy was unable to believe the man could read him like a book, and like always he had no clue that he wore his emotions on his sleeve. He was just an emotional child, and Crocodile refused to punish him for such a thing, nothing wrong with being empathetic after all.
“Magic, now spill.” The little boy shuffled in his spot, trying his best to not say a peep. He mostly was hoping the man would give up after a while, but a few minutes of silence, and with no budge from Crocodile, the child gave up.
“W-What if you like him more, and then leave me behind. I don't want to be all alone again.” The child began to tear up, choking on his words as he tried to hold back his cries, and the room quickly began to shake from the emotion fueled magical outburst. Crocodile had to calm him, and fast.
“It's ok Luffy, I promise I will never leave you.” He meant his words as well, loving the young child with all his heart, and pulling him into a hug to comfort his apprentice. The room stopped shaking, and soon Luffy was calm enough to talk.
“R-Really?” Big brown eyes stared up at him, and they were filled with so much hope. The child was abandoned once, and he could see the fear that he held at the possibility of it happening all over again.
“Yes, really, you are not going anywhere no matter what some man may think.” This was just a fun date after all, nothing from there, right? It wasn't like the two of them would get married, or become serious. He shook away those thoughts, focusing on the problem right in front of him instead. “I took you in, and have no intention to throw you out.” Once again, that was the truth, and Croc promised to hold himself to his promise.
“O-Ok, just don't leave me.” Luffy buried his face into the wizard’s chest, needing the comfort now more than ever, and Croc couldnt withhold a hug even if someone tried to force him.
“Never, now go finish up your homework.” He ruffled up his curly locks, smiling down at the boy to try and calm him. A firm pat on the back to send him on his way, and make a small chuckle escape his lips, running off throughout the house with his hat now fitting perfectly on his head. Crocodile could only shake his head, Luffy was an optimistic child as always, and nothing could make him upset for long.
“Now, what color?” He snapped his fingers, the fabrics reappearing with a poof as he did so. He thought for a little longer, before nodding to himself, the eggplant shade would have to do. The wizard snapped his fingers again, and this time his robes had changed, swapping for a modern looking purple dress shirt and black pants. Crocodile looked himself over in the mirror, satisfied with how absolutely handsome he looked. Of course, he knew he was an attractive man, but that didn't mean he couldn't dress up.
“Luffy, i’ll be off! So behave yourself!” He didn't get a verbal answer, but he knew the boy would be ok, he trusted him after all. With that taken care of he snapped his fingers, disappearing into thin air, and reappearing within an alley of the city. The sound of bustling cars, and happy voices reaching his ears the moment he gained his bearings. There was still some fuzziness in his brain, but he did have a date to get too, and he rather not be late.
“Magic, reveal!” He held open his palm, revealing the small form of Doflamingo as he stood idly in his palm. Revelation magic never fails to show what you are looking for, and this time was no different.
The man was wearing a pink vest over a white shirt, and paired with orange pants to complete the gaudy look. Crocodile just rolled his eyes, well, at least he didn't get stood up. He took a closer look, and picked up on a sign in the background, specifically a restaurant sign. Good, Crocodile can make it there quickly.
He briskly walked out of the alley, garnering a few stares from some people just enjoying the night, but Crocodile just took it in pride. Yes, he was indeed a handsome enigma. Thankfully the restaurant wasn't too far away, his transportation spell worked better than he expected, and like a bright pink becon he was able to spot Doflamingo. The man stood out in a bad way, and looked nervous as he checked the time on his phone every few seconds.
“Doflamingo!” He called out to the man, waving a hand at him to catch his attention. The blonde looked shocked at first, but then it quickly melted down to relief. He couldn't tell what he was thinking behind those shades, but he had his suspicions that the man was afraid he was going to be stood up.
“Hey, Croccy! I was scared you got cold feet, and left me here all by my lonesome!” His face scrunched up with that impossibly large smile, long arms raising before they settled around Crocodile’s shoulders. “Also, it's Doffy! No need to be so formal around me, hot stuff!” Did he have to call him by a slew of nicknames?
“Alright Doffy…..So, what do you have planned for tonight?” It still felt strange on his tongue, calling the man by a casual name, but he supposed it couldn't hurt. The blonde seemed excited, pulling him closer until they were practically embracing.
“I got us a nice dinner reservation, and I made sure to book the most romantic table they have!” He cackled to himself in joy, sounding more like a bird than a man at this point. “Come on now, we got a lovely evening ahead of us!” He quickly ushered him within the restaurant, and Crocodile had to admit he was impressed by it all. Nice ambiance, happy couples, and the delicious smell of food that almost made the man drool. Now that he thought about it he had no idea if he had ever been to a restaurant before to begin with.
“Reservation for Doflamingo!” The man smirked, and used his free hand to hold up to fingers to the hostess. She looked at them, at first sending a smile their way, but the moment she saw Doflamingo her face fell to one of worry.
“O-Oh! Yes sir, I'm so sorry for the wait! Here, we have your table ready. So just follow me.” The poor thing seems traumatized as she scurried off into the restaurant, taking no time to even send them a glance as she instead kept her head down. Was she scared of Doffy? That was odd, why be scared of him? Was it because he's a walking pink monstrosity, or something else?
“Here you are, your waiter will be here soon.” She timidly muttered, and then left as fast as she came. How odd? His thoughts were interrupted though when the blonde tore himself away from his side, and then loudly pulled out one of the chairs at the table.
“For you my handsome date.” The man snorted, but then gently took his seat, watching as Doffy then quickly took the one across from him.
It seemed he had reserved a private area for them; the table sat in its own little corner, lit with fairy lights, and bordered with a gazebo looking overhang that was decorated with red roses. It was lovely, and Crocodile couldn't ask for anything better.
“H-Hello, is there anything I can start you off with?” A young boy had then entered their private little world, shaking like a leaf as he clutched his little notebook like a lifeline. What was up with all the staff being so timid?
“Yeah! Get us the most expensive wine you have, and maybe some calamari. Yeah, that seems to be good.” The waiter nodded, and then began to scribble it all down on his notepad before he ran off to who knew where. “Heh, he seems like a good kid.” Doffy on the other hand seemed completely oblivious, flipping through the menu with a smile on his face/
“I don't know if I can pay you back for the wine….” Crocodile can do many things with magic, and turning money from his world into non magical currency was not one of them. One would have to ask a money official to trade it out, and the fact he was not on the best terms with the magical community meant he had no access to one.
“Dont worry about it, i’m paying for everything tonight. Gonna pamper you to the best of my ability my lovely Croccy.” He let out another strange laugh, and sent a smile his way. Obviously enjoying himself, and Croc had to admit he started to do the same. Doffy was not that bad of company to be around after all.
“Well, I must be the luckiest man, having such a courteous date and all.” He picked up his own menu, looking it over only to quickly realize that he was clueless when it came to non magical societies cuisine. Hamburgers? Lobster bisque? The only thing that seemed somewhat familiar was steak, a treat for people like him as beef was expensive to buy from the meat vendors.
Those of the magical community normally ate what they could grow; vegetables, baked bread, eggs from a chicken coop, and the rest were stuff they only could get if they could pay a fee. Sometimes, on special occasions, he would venture into the mystical marketplace to buy some meat from the butcher. He always had to endure the stares from his fellow wizards and witches, but if Luffy was happy to have a feast then in the end of the day it was worth it; though his money pouch was always crying afterwards.
“H-Here is your wine, and calamari sirs.” The waiter had returned then, placing their bottle of wine, and food down with ease. Crocodile couldn't help but just stare at the plate of….something. Circular pieces of golden brown breading? He honestly had no clue what it was.
"Hey, thank you! Now give us love birds a few seconds to think of our order." The waiter couldn't have run off fast enough, obviously wanting to get away with his life intact. The wizard couldn't complain though, as it allowed him time to think of what the hell he was ordering in the first place. "So, do you like calamari? I forgot to ask before ordering, sorry." He actually seemed a little flustered, pink dusting his cheeks as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
"O-Oh, never had it before actually." He wasn't lying, but he also left out the part of not even knowing what it was made of. He squinted his eyes, trying to pick apart the dish in front of him. Maybe it was a breaded fruit?
"You're in for a treat then! Lucky for you this is the best restaurant to get calamari, and I will die on that ship!" He watched as Doflamingo stabbed one of the mystery rings with his fork, dunking a little bit in the red sauce cup, and then plopping it in his mouth. A loud moan or pleasure resounding throughout the little area as he did so. Was it really that good? He copied the man, grabbing one of the rings with his fingers, and then plopping it in his mouth; his eyes widening in shock the moment he got a taste. It was seafood, and good seafood at that! He had no idea how they got the crunchy breading on it, but he loves it!
He shoved more calamari in his mouth, paying no mind to how the blonde was watching his every mood. Face soft as he twirled his wine, and enjoyed the show in front of him. Crocodile couldn't tell, but he hoped that was a look of endearment.
"Enjoying it?" The brunette just nodded, and washed down the fried goodness with a sip of wine; which was also very delicious. If the man was truly paying then the wizard will gladly enjoy all of these commodities.
"Yes, thank you. I don't normally get such extravagant meals, so this is a treat for me." He coughed, covering up the bits of breading he got on his face so he could quickly wipe it away with his napkin. "Seafood especially. I used to be able to fish a while back, but I had to move from that place, so now I mostly stick with the garden." That brought back a good memory for Croc, sitting down in front of the ocean with his fishing pole, and allowing the sea breeze to blow through his hair. He was just a kid then, but someday it felt like yesterday.
"Well that explains why you were at that tiny garden shop! Though what is it? You can't afford to just shop at a store? If so, I can pay for your groceries! Won't bother me at all!" Despite the rude approach the man seemed absolutely excited over the idea of helping him shop, but for Croc it only made him freeze up in shock. Shit! He began to choke on his wine, clearing it out of his throat so he could answer.
"N-No, I just prefer to live that way. I promise I'm fine." The last thing he needed was the man catching on to the truth. He never really thought about what the non magical community may think of him, but now he was thinking of every little thing he said. Thankfully the waiter had returned before Doffy could question him further.
"Um, are you ready to order?" He nervously shuffled, trying to not stare the blonde in the eye as he awaited his orders. Doffy didn't mind it seemed, just smiling the moment he saw him, and then whipping out his menu like a dramatic child.
"Yeah yeah, just get me the New York strip. Rare." He spoke with tact, and with enough practice to let the man know he had done this before. He was probably a regular at this place, and the mere fact made Croc slightly embarrassed to be so clueless.
"Um, the burger please." Did he know what he just ordered? No! Yet he supposed today was a good day to be trying new things. He tried to send a kind smile the waiter's way as he took his menu, but the poor kid just stared at him like he grew two heads. His attention though was shifted away the moment he heard Doflamingo's familiar cackle.
"A burger doing a date? How ballsy of you, Croccy!" Ballsy? He had no idea what that meant, or how food equated to it. He breathed a sigh of relief though when he changed the conversation. "So, I've been curious, what do you do for work? Don't think you ever mentioned it the other times we've talked." The wizard just sat there, blinking slowly as his brain drew a blank. Crap, a part of him did not think this far, and therefore he didn't have a cover story.
"Oh, I just make herbal remedies for people. For stomach aches, headaches, and things like that. Some people just prefer more natural solutions instead of over the counter medicines." He was somewhat lying through his teeth, repeating something he had heard his father say many times to non magical people, and no one ever questioned him.
"Hm? Never took you for being a hippie kind of guy. Though with the gardening, and mysterious air around you I probably shouldn't be shocked." He cackled to himself, and then held up a toast to the man. "To us! Hopefully our budding relationship can flourish in your garden!" He had to admit, that did make him smile, and with a chuckle he raised a toast as well.
"You are a cheesy man Doflamingo, but I must admit I quite enjoy it." The air around them had grown a lot lighter now, the happy feeling bubbling within them both as they were filled with smiles. Sadly, that romantic air would be ruined when someone he did not expect made an appearance.
"Alright, how are we doing here people?" Oh no…...you have got to be fucking kidding! The moment the familiar man entered their little area Crocodile panicked, using his nearby wine menu to cover up his face in a desperate attempt to avoid an awkward confrontation. Sadly, it did not work.
“Crocodile? Is that you?” Shit, groaning the man revealed himself, and then slowly turned to stare at the man. There, standing right in front of him, was the form of Thatch; his little brother. “Damn, I can't believe it's you! How long has it been?” He smiled widely, ignoring the pain that Crocodile was feeling as he slowly set down their food.
“It has been a while, and I did not expect to run into you here.” Crocodile loved his family, he really did, but seeing one again while he was out on a date was not the ideal situation. He had many brothers, all who would love a moment to make a fool out of him.
“Yeah, I was wond-” It looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped when he caught sight of Doflamingo. “Actually, we can catch up later. Enjoy your meal guys!” He gave a strained, btur awkward smile, waving to the pair before he headed back to what Crocodile assumed was the kitchen. He knew the man was the chef of his own restaurant now, but just didn't know the name, or location until now.
“I’m going to go to the bathroom.” Quickly, he pushed back in his seat, and made his way throughout the restaurant. He was lost, not used to such a bustling place, but thankfully he wouldn't be wandering for long. He was all of the sudden pulled into a nearby closet, standing face to face with his brother, and his impossibly gaudy pompadour. He seemed happy at least, smiling widely with his hands on his hips.
“I was hoping you would follow! Hey, how have you been? I didn't realize you were even in town.” He didn't hold back any longer, wrapping the other man into a hug, and holding him close like how a child would hug their teddy bear. When he pulled back he gave him a sheepish look. “Just really happy to see you.” Honestly, he couldn't blame him.
“I missed you too, I was wondering what you had been up to. Had no idea you had set up here.” If Crocodile did know Thatch had his restaurant here he would have brought Luffy to meet his uncle sooner, but now that he did know he would have to make a trip out of it one day. The man just snorted in amusement, and then roughly patted the other man’s back.
“That sounds like you! Just going where the wind takes you, eh?” He chuckled to himself, but not before it fell into a thoughtful look. “Though what in the hell are you doing with Doflamingo?” Crocodile had just stood there completely clueless. Was it weird that he was on a date with Doffy?
“Wait, don't tell me you hung out with this guy without knowing who he is!?” At his nod his brother loudly groaned, planting his hand in the palm of his hand before giving him a look of disbelief. “That man is the most powerful CEO in this entire town, rich as hell, and scummy to prove it.” Why did that make more sense than Crocodile expected? For some reason he just didn't think about it until then.
“Oh, I see. What exactly does he do though?” He had given the man some fake version of what he did, but he never heard about what Doffy did for a living. He only grew extra curious by the hush hush, and scared nature people seemed to hold towards him. The man was nice to him, so he didn't think much about it until now.
“He runs some big tech company, turned this town into some capitalist kingdone, and made a lot of the honest to good people close their stores that they've had for fifty plus years! If you can't tell he’s kind of the boogey man of this place.” Anger swirled within his brown eyes, and Crocodile knew right then that maybe he had gotten into something bigger than he originally thought.
“I see, I had no idea.” If he knew from the beginning would he still have these feelings for the man? It wasn't love per se, but there was something there. A little nagging thing in the back of his mind that made him feel drawn to the blonde more than any person he had relations with before.
“Yeah, I kind of figured that. You are the family shut in wizard after all.” He chuckled softly, only for his expression to turn serious not long after. “Hey, you didn't tell him about you…?” Was that, concern? He shouldn't be surprised, even if Thatch had no magic they were still raised together.
“No, I didn't.” He watched as the man deflated in relief, happy to avoid the can of worms that Croc feared himself.
“Good, if you keep seeing him then keep it that way. Don't want him turning you into some freak show.” Crocodile doubted the blonde would do that, but he appreciated the concern. Good to know his brother cared after all these years of not seeing each other. “You know, you should really visit, Pops has been really missing you these past 6 years.” Damn, had it really been six years? Hard to believe so much time had gone by in a flash, and the realization had only become worse when he realized it had been 5 years since he found Luffy.
“Look, i’ll try, I just have new obligations in my life that kind of kept me away.” That was the best way for him to put it, without bringing up the incident at least.
“You can't keep running from the past, Croc! We love, and want to see you at family get togethers. No one sees you as a burden, or a monster, despite what society may say.” The man cringed at the harsh words, moving to grab at the spot where a hand used to be. Normally he would wear a hook, or fake hand to hide it, but today he just felt like going without it. Why? He had no idea.
“I’m not ready.” Thatch just slowly nodded, awkwardly shuffling in the small space of the closet, and sometimes opening his mouth in a way to say something only to close it again. Crocodile decided right now would be best to change the topic. “There's another reason too-” He tore his hand away from his wrist, digging around his pocket until he pulled out a crumbled polaroid picture. “-I picked up an apprentice a while back, his name is Luffy, and i'm waiting for him to be more comfortable until I have him meet his uncles.” If there was anyway to describe how the brunette looked it would be starstruck.
“We have a nephew!?” He didn't have to tell him twice, and he snatched the picture out of his grasps, smiling wide at the happy little face staring back at him. “He's adorable! Though is he?” He trailed off, not wanting to push anymore buttons in case it was a sore subject.
“Magical? Yes. He still lacks control though, and doesn't do well with strangers. He was abandoned, and it took me a full year to gain his trust.” Thatch just nodded in understanding, he even knew how sadly common it was for magical children to get abandoned.
“Damn, poor kid. Though Pops is gonna flip! You have to bring him in a couple weeks for Halloween dinner! Kid needs to meet his grandpa, and uncles!” Crocodile opened his mouth, ready to tell him that there was no way such a thing was happening, but he was interrupted when a new voice cut in.
“Thatch!? Where the hell are you? The tickets are getting piled up!” The man practically jumped ten feet when he heard that, and his face completely drained of color before he handed the photo back to him.
“Looks like I gotta run before Izo skins me alive. We actually met here; he's a server, and i'm the chef. Been dating for a year now, very serious, and I plan to take him to Halloween dinner so at least you won't be alone with the awkwardness. Anyway, i’ll let you get back to your night.” He opened the closet door, ready to get back to work, but not before some parting words. “Hey, I missed you, so make sure you visit more often.” Then, he was gone, disappearing into the bustling atmosphere like a drop of water falling into the ocean. Honestly, Croc was just left speechless, trying to process everything the chef had dumped on him. Well, at least he was still the same old Thatch he remembered.
After a few seconds the man left the closet. Though he was finding It to be a lot harder to find the table again than he expected, twisting and turning throughout the layout until he finally spotted a familiar pink vest. Doflamingo seemed to have been on edge, tapping his finger against the table nervously, and staring around the restaurant for any sign of his date. When he saw him, he instantly turned ecstatic.
“There you are Croccy! I was worried you got cold feet.” Though he was trying to seem calm Crocodile could tell that was far from the truth.
“Sorry, I got lost looking for the bathroom.” He rather keep his conversation between him, and Thatch a secret. No reason to air out family drama to a man he met not long ago.
“Hah, you're a weird guy! Anyway, let's dig in, I’m starving!” The man then instantly cut into his steak, juices dripping all over the plate as he shoved the tasty morsel into his mouth. Crocodile supposed he should do the same.
Carefully, he picked up the burger, and he instantly felt a little overwhelmed by the meal. So it was meat in between bread, and filled with veggies? Also, was that cheese? A part of him wondered if he was supposed to use a fork, or not, but one look at the patrons around him said otherwise.
He used his hand to lift up the burger, finding it hard without his second one, and then took a bite. Instantly his taste buds were singing at the deliciousness he just experienced, and he couldn't help but let out a comical hum in pleasure. Burgers were amazing, and he loved it! Crocodile had ended up devolving to Luffy, shoving giant bites into his mouth, and acting as though he had been starved for years. Grease dribbling down his chin, and the veggies scattered across the plate as he devoured as much as he could.
Crocodile had expected his date to be disgusted by this, maybe even mortified, but when he looked up he saw Doffy staring at him. Absolute endearment in his eyes, and a small smile on his face as he watched the man enjoy his dinner.
“Don't mind me, just keep enjoying yourself.” Crocodile just huffed, wiping his fingers off on the pristine cloth napkin. He wasn't some pet to be ogled at for heaven's sake!
“I’m alright now. Thank you.” They finished up their dinner silently, paying their check before exiting the restaurant the way they entered; with Doffy’s arm over his shoulder. Thatch even poked his head out to wave him off as they left.
The pair just silently walked side by side, enjoying the crisp fall breeze as they enjoyed one another's company. It was actually very romantic, walking hand in hand like this. Crocodile had never experienced such a thing as this before, and a part of him never wanted this to end.
“I had a great night, especially since it was with you Croccy.” The man seemed sincere for once. No weird cackling, or cheshire cat smiles. Just a neutral expression on his face as he stared up to the night sky. “I hope you feel the same.” It took the man a few seconds, but he slowly nodded.
“Yes, it was pleasant. Thank you for taking me out, I haven't been on a date in awhile.” Though it was just one step in their relationship he had to admit it was nice, like stepping into a sunny field filled with flowers. It was a good step, a meaningful step, and one he wanted to cherish.
“Of course Croccy! Anything for you!” He squeezed his hand, the man refusing to let go as if the man would disappear if he did. “Is there any chance I can walk you home this time?” He sounded desperate, wanting so badly to spend more time with hsi date.
“Not this time.” Doffy was heartbroken when he heard that. Crocodile wished he could give him what he wanted, but he couldn't, not when there was still a secret he had to keep. “I would like to see you again though, if that's alright?” Now that had perked up his mood.
“Y-Yeah! Let's do it again my lovely Croccy!” The two were now facing each other, something pulling them closer before they were torn apart by their own will. They wanted to kiss, but it just wasn't the right time.
“I have to go now.” It was simple, and to the point. Crocodile refused to give up any bit of the emotions he was feeling. He didn't even wait for a goodbye, walking off to the nearby alley as the blonde was left there speechless.
“Hey, just meet me again soon! Please!” All the man gave was a wave, showing his promise to see the man again.
Though it ended the feeling from their date had carried over, bubbling inside him like a cauldron ready to burst. He gripped his chest with his hand, taking a deep breath in as he tried to steady himself. Yes, it was a good night, but now he had to return to the normalcy of a wizard. Whatever normal may mean.