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The crew of the ship bustled with activity as navigational decisions were made on the quarterdeck.
Buggy stood there, gesticulating wildly and swearing like a true sailor, her voice carrying across the ship as she complained about something or other in her usual long-winded fashion.
High above, sailors were perched astride the yardarms, working diligently on the square-rigged mainsail while singing made-up sea shanties that added a rhythmic melody to the day's tasks.
Others were on their knees, scrubbing the deck to keep the wood from turning mossy and slippery, their efforts ensuring the ship remained shipshape.
Near the edge, Mohji and Cabaji sat atop the railing, casting their lines. Every once in a while they'd catch a small fish, which was promptly thrown at a purring Richie.
Leaning against the railing, Crocodile flicked her lighter open and lit another cigar. She wasn't allowed to smoke below decks, so she stayed topside, observing the busy crew whilst tapping a steady rhythm on the wood with her hook. The scent of tobacco mingled with the salty sea air as she contemplated their next moves.
They had left Karai Bari behind about a week ago after their flagship had undergone a few minor adjustments regardings its figurehead; a proud chimera now sat at its helm, consisting of a lion head, bananawani body and spread hawk wings. Its mouth was opened in a roar, flanked by two crossed swords.
What had happened to the previous one was widely speculated upon, as one fine morning the shipwrights had exited their quarters just to be greeted by the sight of their beheaded magnum opus, its figurehead nowhere to be found.
Luckily, Crocodile had graciously granted them some funds to commission a new one, along with some design suggestions.
Eastern currents had pushed them closer to the Calm Belt than previously calculated. They had been sailing close to Doerena Kingdom to avoid Blackbeard's territory, but this area was largely unexplored.
Crocodile exhaled a cloud of smoke, her gaze scanning the horizon.
Ever since they had entered this stretch of ocean, the inexplicable feeling of being watched had latched onto her nape like a stubborn barnacle to the hull of a ship.
The water here was unnervingly still, and the usual sounds of the sea seemed muted. Not a single news coo was circling the sky.
Daz joined Crocodile at the railing, her eyes narrowing as she too observed the horizon. "Something feels off, Boss," she said, her voice low.
Crocodile nodded. "We are in uncharted waters. Best to be on our guard."
"I got one!" Cabaji exclaimed in excitement, her happy yelp quickly turning into cursing as the line pulled taught, straining against its rod.
Mohji wrapped her arms around her middle to help her reel it in, but then both of the women toppled over as the line snapped, sending them both tumbling onto the deck.
A loud splash in the distance drew their attention to the starboard side. Mohji and Cabaji carefully peeked their noses over the railing.
"D-did you see that?" Mohji asked shakily.
"Probably just another fish," Cabaji replied, though she didn't sound entirely convinced herself.
The two women exchanged a nervous glance, and Mohji's grip tightened on the railing.
"Fish don't usually make a splash like that," Mohji muttered, her eyes scanning the water for any sign of movement.
Another, even louder splash echoed from the water. This time, the disturbance was closer, and the water began to churn violently.
Something large was definitely beneath the surface, and it was moving towards the ship.
Panic started to rise in Mohji's chest. "We need to tell the others," she yelped, urgently pulling Cabaji away from the railing. They quickly scrambled to their feet, the unease in the air palpable.
Buggy, noticing the commotion from her position on the quarterdeck, shouted, "What's going on over there?"
"Something's in the water!" Mohji yelled back, her voice trembling. "Something big!"
Crocodile's earlier suspicions proved right as a low rumble emerged from the water below, the deep sound resonating and causing ripples on the water. The crew exchanged uneasy glances, everyone halting their work.
"What was that?!" Galdino shouted, the wax woman's voice tinged with panic.
Before anyone could respond, the water around the ship began to bubble and churn. A massive shadow surged from the depths, growing larger and more menacing by the second.
Daz stood at attention, her stance ready for whatever was coming. Crocodile's hand tensed with power, sand swirling around her fingertips.
The water erupted violently as the creature eventually surfaced, scales glittering in the morning light.
Buggy screamed, tightly clutching onto the railing as the ship was swept to the side, high waves slapping against the hull.
"D-D-D—" one of their crewmen stuttered out, stumbling back from the railing. "DRAGON!" he bellowed with all his might, scrambling away to safety.
Above them loomed a colossal Sea King, larger and more menacing than any they had encountered before.
Thick scales covered its serpentine body, crusted with coral and seaweed tangled in the massive wings that protruded from its back. Its scales shimmered with an eerie mix of green and blue, yellowed teeth exposed into a wicked snarl.
"Tch," Crocodile grimaced, mourning her peaceful morning as she stubbed out her cigar. "We must've trespassed into its hunting grounds."
The creature's growl echoed across the ship, shaking the very air around them.
"Prepare for battle!" Crocodile shouted, her voice cutting through the fear that gripped the crew.
A heeled boot kicked open the door to the Captain's cabin with a forceful 'bang', revealing Mihawk standing in the doorway.
Disheveled hair framed her face, deepening her resemblance to a befuddled hawk. Insomnia had deprived her of peaceful rest these past few days, and the dark circles under her eyes only underlined the murderous gleam in them.
Her hand was clenched tightly around Yoru's hilt, promising swift retribution for anyone who had dared to disturb her nap.
The crew was frozen for a moment, caught between the terror of the Sea King and the sheer bloodlust radiating out from the swordswoman.
"Glad you could join us, dear," Crocodile said dryly, her eyes never leaving the beast in front of them. “Seems like we've got company.”
"So we do," Mihawk muttered, her eyes locking onto the winged serpent as she stepped forward.
Buggy, still trying to maintain her false bravado in front of their underlings even though her knees were already knocking against each other, shouted, "Y-yeah, let's show this overgrown lizard who's boss!"
Not waiting for another cue, the Sea King promptly lunged at the closest target, which just so happened to be the noisy clown on the quarterdeck.
Buggy screeched and, in her panic, hurled a Buggy Ball at the Sea King.
It exploded against its face with a clamorous 'BOOM', causing the beast to recoil and roar with fury.
Buggy blinked and had just enough time to voice a triumphant 'ha!' before the smoke cleared, the sea king seeming completely unharmed and now very, very angry.
"Shit!" Buggy squeaked.
"Duck," Mihawk advised.
The tail of the beast slammed into the deck with terrifying force, splintering wood and catching on some of the ratlines. The ship gave a sickening lurch, knocking crew members off their feet. Mihawk kept her balance, nimble as she was, twirling Yoru around and poised to strike.
Buggy yelped as she was unceremoniously hurled to the lower deck, shielding her head with her arms from the falling debris with an ear-piercing shriek.
"You are a liability. Get inside," Mihawk ordered curtly as she strode past the heap of clown, dashing forward to join the fray alongside Crocodile.
Above the surface, the sea king proved even more menacing. In the water it possessed an elemental grace, when whilst trying to drag your ship to the bottom of the sea. Hovering menacingly above, it was just a damn big animal.
The winged serpent lashed out once more. Mihawk dodged nimbly, while Crocodile used her sand powers to form a protective barrier, deflecting the powerful blow.
It all melted into a blur, everything else fuzzing at the edges as her Haki honed onto her target.
Mihawk launched herself towards the sea king with incredible speed, Yoru slicing through the air with deadly precision. The creature retaliated, swinging its massive tail towards her, but Mihawk deftly dodged, her blade cutting into the sea king's hardened scales.
The crew scrambled to keep their footing as the ship rocked violently, some taking up arms to aid in the defense. A fog of gunpowder began to surround the vicinity and the sound of cannons and flintlock pistols filled the air. Shots were fired, one after the other—but only a few found the target.
Buggy, realizing that she was thoroughly out of her depth here, stumbled to her feet with a squeaky little "Eek!" and turned tail to hurry below deck as instructed.
The once calm sea was now a chaotic battlefield, the water churning with every twist of the serpentine beast. Sailors yelled and pushed each other out of the way to get to safety, bare feet pounding against the deck.
The sea king unleashed a torrent of water from its maw, attempting to flood the deck and dislodge its adversaries. Mihawk instinctively yammed Yoru into the deck as the men screamed, tightly holding onto her hilt as the wave of seawater crashed over her while Crocodile redirected the water with a sweep of her palm, turning it into sandy sludge that sloshed over the side of the ship.
"Focus on its weak points!" Mihawk commanded, now soaked and even more vexed, her voice cutting through the chaos. She targeted the creature's eyes and gills, her strikes precise and unyielding. Daz also joined in on the fighting, her hands creating razor-sharp blades that sliced through its thick hide.
The serpent, now realizing it was outmatched, made a desperate attempt to drag the ship down. It lunged forward, jaws wide open, aiming to crush the vessel in its maw.
"Don't even think about it," Crocodile snarled, her hand transforming into a massive sand claw. She grabbed the sea king's jaw, holding it open with sheer force of will. Mihawk seized the opportunity, driving Yoru deep into the creature's maw while Daz slashed at its eyes.
With a final, agonized roar, the sea king thrashed one last time before retreating into the depths, blood mingling with the water in its wake. The crew watched in stunned silence as the sea calmed once more, the monstrous threat vanishing beneath the waves.
"Good work," Mihawk acknowledged, her voice steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Daz bowed her head in thanks, the morning light catching on the peachfuzz of her shaved head.
Avian eyes swept across the vicinity to assess the damage.
Most of their crew were soaked to the bone, and a huge chunk of their railing was missing. Ropes had ripped, and their main sail would need to be mended, if not completely replaced.
Several crates and supply barrels had gone overboard, their contents now lazily bobbing on the waves. Crewmembers slowly began to untangle themselves from where they had clung to railings and ratlines in fear of being swept overboard.
Crocodile took a long drag of her cigar. "Fix this," she grunted out to the nearest shipwright, rubbing her temple in annoyance.
Every seafarer knew how to repair ropes and fix broken pulleys, so they quickly nodded and got to work, shakily helping each other back to their feet and beginning to clean the deck from debris.
Mihawk made to return to her cabin to lay down again but then stopped in her tracks, the thin hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge.
A flurry of activity and sound bustled around them, but something was amiss.
There was no ear-piercing shrieking assaulting her senses anymore.
Mihawk stood quickly, trying to push her Observation Haki range out in an attempt to sense Buggy. Though she remained level, a sense of urgency began to course through her that felt strange and unfamiliar.
"Hawkeyes?" Crocodile also seemed to catch on that something was wrong, watching her closely before she began to look around as well.
"…Where's the clown?" Crocodile's eyes swept across the carnage, fur coat swooshing around her ankles as she sought any sign of their Empress.
"Where's Buggy?"
The question echoed in the air, heightening the tension as other sailors began to look around as well, searching for the missing presence of the eccentric clown.
Mihawk's expression didn't change, but the muscles in her chest became bedrock, calcified by dread. She hurried over to the railing, quickly followed by Crocodile, scanning the surface of the water.
There, next to the ship, floated Buggy's pink ascot.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU IMBECILES?!" Crocodile roared at their useless underlings as the realization sunk in, and in all the years that they had known each other, Mihawk had never heard her this furious.
"MIHAWK—" Crocodile turned towards her partner, but the swordswoman had already pushed Yoru into Daz's arms and climbed atop the railing. She quickly shrugged off her coat and let it fall in a mindless heap onto the deck.
Mihawk inhaled a sharp breath of air and held it, jumping headfirst into the water below.
The chilling embrace of the sea enveloped Mihawk as she plunged beneath the surface, her powerful strokes propelling her through the bloodied water. Her keen eyes scanned the depths, searching for any trace of Buggy.
The shipwrights and crew, now aware of the urgency, watched in silence as Mihawk's silhouette disappeared beneath the waves. The usual chaos of repair work came to an abrupt halt, replaced by an air of tension.
Seconds felt like an eternity as Mihawk tirelessly explored the cold depths, determined to find the missing clown.
Above the waterline, Crocodile remained on deck, her gaze fixed on the spot where she had last seen Mihawk. Her flesh hand clutched onto the railing so tightly that her knuckles turned white and the wood began to crack and splinter beneath.
The swordswoman could feel her ears pop from the pressure, fighting against the strain as she dove even deeper below.
Where was she?!
Mihawk swam forward with powerful strokes, heart pounding as she scanned the murky depths.
There was a glimpse of color in her peripheral vision and then she saw her, floating motionlessly, suspended in the shadows of the water. She quickly swam towards Buggy, cutting through the current to reach her side.
Buggy's eyes were closed, looking as though she was merely asleep.
Her body seemed weightless, ethereal, with her water-soaked clothes billowing like seaweed and her long hair floating around her face like a veil; or a shroud.
It was a hauntingly beautiful vision, and so deeply wrong.
Buggy was lively, vibrant — not motionless and cold and painful to look at.
Mihawk didn't dwell much on the topic of mortality. The path of the blade ran over the corpses of those who had laid down their lives in pursuit of greatness. You didn't go into this job expecting to live a long, happy life. You didn't go into this job expecting to live at all.
One day, she herself would be killed by the sword. People like her didn't die in their beds, having grown gray and feeble. But Mihawk had chosen this path.
The mortality of those she had grown to care for wasn't something she was willing to accept so easily.
Mihawk sealed her lips over Buggy's lifeless ones and squished her nose shut with her free hand. She tried to force the remaining air from her lungs into her mouth, but Buggy didn't react, and as Mihawk released her, the gifted air only escaped her painted lips in a cloud of bubbles.
Mihawk cursed.
She quickly wrapped her arms around Buggy's waist and began to furiously kick her legs, dragging her back up towards the surface.
Mihawk's muscles strained against the resistance of the water as she ascended, carrying Buggy's limp form. It felt like dragging a wet sack of sand, as though the sea itself was trying to pull Buggy further below, into her waiting embrace.
Mihawk grit her teeth and kicked harder. She was the World's Strongest Swordsman — she had sunk countless battalions, sent countless sailors to their watery graves.
One stolen soul in exchange for the thousands given.
Black seemed to close in on her vision, her lungs screaming for oxygen, talons closing in around her throat.
The sparks of dancing light on the surface seemed maddeningly far away and for one horrible moment, Mihawk thought she wouldn't be able to get Buggy there in time, but then they both broke through the surface.
Cold air rushed in, mingling with the saltwater streaming from their hair and faces. Mihawk gasped, sucking in greedy gasps of air as she angled Buggy's face away from the water.
She was vaguely aware of the shouting in the distance, but her entire focus was on the woman in her arms.
Buggy remained unresponsive, wet lashes clinging to the soft lines of her pale cheek. She hung limply in her grasp, head lolling to the side, wet hair framing her features like a cerulean curtain.
Mihawk kept one arm around Buggy's waist and the other went to cradle the back of her head, fingers tangling in the curls at her nape as she held her above the swell of waves.
"Breathe," Mihawk urged breathlessly, the words caught between an order and a plea as she shook her. “You need to breathe!”
For several terrible moments, Buggy made no response at all, but then the younger woman's chest suddenly convulsed, and water began to reverse its path through sinuses and mouth; emerging with pained hacking and coughing.
Mihawk quickly maneuvered her to the side to try and help dispel the water from her lungs.
Buggy gagged and sputtered around a breath filled with saltwater, finally opening her eyes.
The swordswoman didn't even notice that she had been holding her own breath until Buggy sucked in a shuddering gulp of air through her mouth, then another, and another, her chest heaving against Mihawk's.
Buggy's fingernails dug into her shoulder, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.
"M-Mi—" she croaked, a weak and guttural sound, but gloriously alive. The clown seemed disoriented, distressedly trying to cling onto her arm from fear of going under again.
"Don't talk, preserve your strength," Mihawk ordered curtly, but her golden eyes had softened with unspoken relief.
"Mihawk!"
Crocodile's voice rang out from the ship which had drifted further away, sitting in a lifeboat that had been lowered onto the water.
Mihawk maneuvered them around and began dragging herself and Buggy towards the ship with her free arm.
Once they had reached the boat, Crocodile was quick to loop her hook and hand under the clown's armpits, hoisting her out of the water. Mihawk made sure that Crocodile had hauled Buggy safely inside before she climbed in herself.
The clown weakly collapsed onto the floor of the lifeboat. She looked like a drowned rat, messy wet hair everywhere, make-up running down her face in streaks. A bit of snot dribbled down her mouth as she shivered and cried.
Mihawk's wet boots touched down on the planks and she sank down onto the floor next to her, finally allowing herself to catch her breath. Her clothes were waterlogged and her white shirt was hanging off her like cloth from a sail, sticking uncomfortably to her chest and arms. The soaked clown robbed over to her, weakly latching onto her for warmth and comfort.
Crocodile quickly pulled off her fur coat and draped it around them both.
"You idiot," Crocodile hissed, rubbing her large palm up and down over the fabric to warm them up faster.
"L-l-like that was my fault, y-you stupid reptile!" Buggy cried between coughing as she curled further into Mihawk's side, teeth chattering.
"Quiet, both of you," Mihawk snapped, her usual patience with her partners thinned as the exhaustion and cold began settling into her bones.
Despite her harsh words, one shared glance with Crocodile above Buggy's head told Mihawk all she needed to know. The logia user didn't know how to show fear, so she masked it with anger.
Crocodile shouted up to the deck to haul pulley, and the lifeboat began its ascent.
Buggy was muttering incessantly, the way she did when she just needed to reassure herself that there was still breath in her lungs.
The swordswoman closed her eyes and rested her cheek against the clown's temple, her grip tightening protectively around the shivering woman as the boat was hoisted back towards the deck.
Her free hand creeped out of the coat in offering, and a warm palm was quick to engulf it, a beringend thumb rubbing little circles across her calloused knuckles.
The sea had nearly claimed Buggy, but Mihawk had fought against it and won. For now, that was enough.
"Chairman Buggy!"
"Executive Hawkeyes!"
Their men were practically falling over themselves to offer clothes and blankets as the lifeboat landed on deck. The air was filled with shouts and the hurried footsteps of crew members eager to assist.
Crocodile unceremoniously swept both of them up into her arms with a grim expression, coat and all, and started carrying them towards the infirmary.
"I can walk," Mihawk protested, ever prideful, but Crocodile only gave her a grunt in response, neither loosening her hold nor slowing her determined stride.
Mihawk sighed in silent resignation to her fate. She rested her head on Crocodile's chest; the uppermost part, where the edge of her collarbone bled into her shoulder. Engulfed by the familiar smell of smoke and sand, Mihawk could admit to herself in the privacy of her skull that being carried like this was rather nice.
Buggy, silent for a change, was clinging to Crocodile like an octopus with abandonment issues, the recent trauma evident in her pale complexion.
The crew watched on with a mix of awe and concern as their formidable leaders were carried to safety.
"Move aside!" Crocodile barked, her voice leaving no room for argument. The crew quickly parted, allowing her a clear path to the infirmary.
Daz was quick to open the door to the cabin, holding it open with a bow of her head before she closed it after them.
Inside, the ship's doctor was already preparing for their arrival. Medical supplies were laid out, and a warm bed awaited them. Crocodile placed Mihawk and Buggy down onto it and unwrapped them from her coat.
"O-oi, I don't need help!" Buggy objected with a yelp as Crocodile promptly began pulling at her clothes with her hook.
Crocodile scoffed and continued tugging at her waterlogged shirt. “You are still shaking like a leaf and clumsy as usual.”
"C-Clumsy!" Buggy retaliated by attempting to elbow her in the stomach, but the effort was pathetic at best, and Crocodile only grunted lightly before pulling the shirt up and over Buggy's head.
The rest of her clothes were pulled off in quick succession, despite the clown's attempts to squirm away.
Mihawk watched on with faint amusement while she undid the buttons of her own shirt. She supposed it was Crocodile's way of showing her regard, this well intentioned manhandling.
She was quick to discard her boots, socks and pants, accepting the warm blanket that was draped around her shoulders by a golden hook.
"Get them warm," Crocodile ordered the doctor. "And check for any injuries."
The doctor nodded, immediately setting to work. Crocodile stood back, her eyes never leaving her two business partners.
As the doctor carefully examined a swaddled Buggy with her stethoscope, she muttered, "You took in a lot of water, Chairman Buggy. We'll need to make sure there's no lasting damage."
Crocodile's jaw tightened, a mix of concern and irritation flashing in her eyes. "Do whatever it takes."
The ship's surgeon then turned towards Mihawk, but the swordswoman halted her examination with a raised palm.
"I am fine, truly," Mihawk argued, her pride struggling against the reality of her fatigue.
"Save your breath," Crocodile admonished from the corner, lighting up another cigar. "You've done enough for today, Hawkeyes. Rest now."
Mihawk locked eyes with her stubbornly, opening her mouth to protest, but then she felt Buggy pawing at her hand and caught a glimpse of Buggy's pleading expression out of the corner of her eye.
She huffed, but ultimately obliged, reluctantly leaning back against the pillows.
The adrenaline that had fueled her was ebbing away, leaving her feeling heavier than she had in days.
Buggy laid down by her side, resting her cheek against her shoulder. Eventually a hand came up to brush a wet lock of hair out of her face, having regained some of its warmth, and Mihawk turned her face into her palm.
She dropped a kiss to the curve of the Empress' wrist, to the place where her pulse ticked against her skin, and finally allowed herself to close her eyes.
Hours later, Mihawk turned another page of her book in the shared Captain's quarters.
The evening sun shone through the window and gilded the soft edges and angles of her silhouette, casting her into sharp relief against the slow-dying light.
An arm was slung around her midsection, warm breath tickling her stomach. Her free hand petted the lump of blanket by her side, which wiggled at the touch.
"You are clingy today," Mihawk merely stated, but made no attempt to push the other woman away.
"I ALMOST DIED TODAY!" Buggy wailed, throwing off the blanket to glare at Mihawk with big watery eyes.
"I thought I was a goner! I was convinced that my luck had run out and I was going to die! You don't just bounce back from something scary like that, you overpowered jerk!" Buggy sniffed, balled fists battering against the swordswoman's arm. It felt like being repeatedly punched by a mouse.
Mihawk let out a soft sigh, closing her book and placing it to the side.
"It was... scary," she acknowledged quietly, seeking out the clown's face.
Buggy was chewing on her lower lip to stop it from trembling, blue eyes big as saucers. Mihawk reached out to caress her cheek, pulling her closer to rest their foreheads together.
"But you are safe now. We are not going to let anything happen to you again," she assured, knowing that she'd do her damndest to keep that promise. Mihawk had come to the realization that she needed them both, ultimately, after all these years of solitude. Dying was not an option anymore, for any of them.
The Strongest Swordsman in the World had reached her own dream a long, long time ago.
But now there was an island at the end of the world, waiting to be found, and they had promised each other to put their names on it.
Buggy sniffled wetly and nodded. “Uh-huh!”
The door opened and Crocodile slouched inside, having finished snarling and snapping at everyone and everything in the vicinity to get the ship seaworthy again.
Buggy made grabby hands at Crocodile, and even though the older woman rolled her eyes at her antics, she still complied and slipped under the covers after she had finished putting on her night clothes.
Mihawk made space so that Crocodile could settle down in the middle, sidling between her partners. The warmth of their presence was a comforting balm against the harrowing events of the day.
"You need to stop giving me gray hairs," Crocodile lamented, her voice rough from more than cigar smoke.
Unspoken words lingered in the air, but they were heard regardless, plucked from the silence.
A big red nose wiggled into Crocodile's field of vision as Buggy crawled atop the older woman, settling her chin on her chest.
"Aww, did you get worried when you thought that I was gone forever? Admit it, Croccy-baby~♡!" the clown sing-songed with a knowing smirk, kicking her feet.
"Shut up," Crocodile grumbled, although she couldn't quite hold off the fond tone in her voice as she closed her tired eyes. "I was only worried about all the paperwork I'd have to fill out if you kicked the bucket."
"Oi!" Buggy pouted, but her temper deflated as Crocodile pressed her lips to the crown of her head, wrapping her stump around the slim of her waist to keep her close.
The clown's hand reached out to gently hold Mihawk's, and her grip tightened as their fingers entwined.
"We all made it through today," Mihawk murmured, her voice a calm anchor in the quiet. "That's what counts."
It was a minute of silence before Buggy spoke.
"...Just don't go dying on me either, both of you," Buggy whispered, the vulnerability in her voice a rare glimpse into her true feelings behind her flashy stage persona.
Crocodile's expression softened at Buggy's words, and she squeezed Mihawk's hand gently before wrapping her arm tighter around Buggy.
"We are not going anywhere," she promised. "Not without a fight."
Mihawk nodded, her usually stoic expression softened by the dying light as she rested her head against Crocodile's shoulder. "Only together," she affirmed.
Not a lot was hers, but Buggy was, and so was Crocodile, and so were the choices she made.
As the atmosphere in the room loosened once more Mihawk felt her muscles contract: she took a deep breath in and let it out again.
Crocodile twitched and shifted a little bit. Buggy licked her lips, fluttering her eyes shut, and squeezed Mihawk's hand as she settled again. With her face in the crevice of Crocodile's neck, hot and cold, feeling the burn of Crocodile's breath and Buggy's fingertips, Mihawk felt at peace.
Tomorrow, they would set a new course, the end of the world at their fingertips, close enough to brush.
She knew that the journey was only going to become more dangerous from here on out.
But tonight, the world outside their cabin could wait. For now, nothing was trying to pry them apart. Nothing was happening. It was silent. No wind. No grief. No death.
Tonight, they were safe in the harbor of each other's arms, and tomorrow, they would be ready to face whatever the new dawn might bring.