Several hours had passed since the storm - and more notably, the altercation aboard the Miss Love Duck and the ensuing patching up of Buggy's hand incident - now you found yourself trudging the narrow cobbled streets of a tiny port village with your infamous captain by your side - well, several steps ahead at least, and not simply due to his superior leg length. No, his oscillating moods also seemed to have a direct effect on the pace that he set. When in a relatively bright and optimistic mood he walked by your side, as he had when you'd first come ashore. But as he grew increasingly frustrated and irritable, so in turn did the length of his strides, and you weren't exactly keen on hurrying to keep pace.

Actually that felt like a new development for you. Instead of being so eager to not vex him by lagging behind, you preferred to keep your distance, not particularly wanting to listen to his incessant grumbling, and not fearing the risk of him admonishing you. It was odd but... you no longer felt remotely intimidated by his outbursts. Almost like you were finally growing semi-comfortable with standing your ground with him. You couldn't understand it but, it seemed as if something had changed between you both since the storm. You'd both been vulnerable at different points, and in turn saved each others' asses. So no doubt that had affected your dynamic.

And the incident in the cabin.....the way his hand had glided ever so slightly up your leg...... and the way he'd looked at you.....

Well, if it was down to him having consumed too much liquor then he'd sobered up real quick, as there was no visible signs of him being tipsy once he returned from his talk with Alvida. So, you decided not to dwell on what that was all about.

As for your current situation, it appeared that Buggy and Alvida had somehow managed to set their differences aside temporarily and cease squabbling long enough to determine the most appropriate course of action now that the main mast had been broken. Fortuitously, this tiny village named "Port Siren" was located just a little further to the West; so the damaged vessel didn't need to travel too far in order to undergo the necessary repairs. The fact that it was only a few miles off course from your charted destination was also a huge bonus and relief to say the least.

So as soon as the Miss Love Duck had docked, Buggy had harried you along; desperate to set foot ashore before most of the crew were able to. His reasoning for this was basic common sense - the Miss Love Duck would be out of action at least until tomorrow, if not longer, and this was only a small village, so you'd be in need of a place to stay for the night. Of course Alvida would order some members of her crew to stay on board the ship in order to protect it, but the majority of them and Alvida herself would undoubtedly be seeking lodgings in the village.

However, it hadn't taken long before it became apparent that Buggy's strategy was in vain, as each establishment you visited turned you both away with a polite - undoubtedly nervous - and apologetic explanation that they were full up.

You'd come to realize (no, more like you'd been forced to accept) the real problem was that you were pirates, and whilst some Inn's made allowances because they wanted the business, most hoteliers would rather not run the risk of not receiving payment and having their rooms wrecked. Alone, you probably would've gotten away with it - after all you didn't look that piratical. In fact you were seriously contemplating having to bite the bullet and suggest that Buggy hang back until you'd secured a room, and then you could sneak him in later. The only problem there was Buggy's flamboyant nature meant.....he wasn't much of a sneaker. Hell, if his arrival could be announced with fanfares and a red carpet, he would've been totally down for that.

His appearance alone set him apart from the crowd, and it wasn't just his nose. To imply such a thing would be a great injustice to the guy. His entire outfit, the makeup, the hat, the hair.... he was like a colorful, wild exotic bird from some far away place, let loose in a small, mundane setting, and all others were plain simple seagulls in comparison. Amidst the sea of a faceless crowd, Buggy's look, style and overall demeanor commanded attention. The very way in which he carried himself exuded power, confidence, and a certain charisma. To you, you could see why every man in his presence might secretly envy him - not that they'd ever admit to it. And the women....well, worryingly enough you were beginning to see why the women would want him.

But that was not something you'd ever be willing to admit to either. You were struggling enough to admit it to yourself. And besides, it wasn't that you wanted him personally or anything. No. You could just appreciate why other women might lust after him.

But your thoughts were going off at wild tangents again. To get back to your current - and more pressing - problem, Buggy's penchant for always wanting to be at the centre of everything; the acclaim, the notoriety, the chaos, didn't always go in his favor. Causing a commotion more often than not was detrimental to survival, in your experience, and his nefarious reputation most certainly preceded him.

Your ruminating was suddenly interrupted by a shrill, sharp whistle, making you flinch and your eyes skittered ahead to see Buggy stood, finger and thumb in his mouth.

Of course it had been him, whistling to gain your attention. Who else would it be?

"For the love of god, Amby...." he huffed, pale green eyes fixed on you, his mouth set in a tight, straight line, ".....I called to you, not just once, but TWICE. What do you do, completely zone out or something?!"

You bit your tongue, itching to fireback some witty retort, but opted not to. Instead you decided to be bold and attempt to broach the touchy subject you'd been contemplating.

"Actually not completely, captain. I was thinking....." you began courageously, also feeling quite proud of yourself for not having automatically started the sentence with an apology.

"Well, less thinking more moving, come on!" He cut you off, nodding towards the building he'd stopped in front of, "I dare them to say there's no room at this place. If they pull that shit in here, I'll punch them so fucking hard they'll be shitting teeth for weeks!"

Your stomach dropped seeing the establishment was yet another hotel, and quite a fancy-looking one too. A shabby Inn would've perhaps been desperate for the business, but not this place. They were bound to turn you away, and Buggy's expression tightening from a look of tolerance to violence did not bode well at all.

"Uh, captain.....do you think maybe we ought to....uh...."

"Spit it out then, we don't have all day!"

"........maybe it might be better if we take a..... a softer approach?" You ventured cautiously, as the scowl line on his forehead deepened.

"Softer approach? Seriously—?!"

"Ok wait, just hear me out. It surely can't have escaped your notice that your wanted posters have been plastered on the walls of each place we've been in so far...."

The scowl line softened slightly, as he tilted his chin upwards with pride, "Of course I noticed. My bounty poster graces the walls of every ritzy hotel and rundown bar in the East blue! This crappy little village is no exception. What's your point?"

"Well, maybe that's the problem. They know who you are and they're afraid of you"

"And? So they should be"

"And afraid you'll cause trouble"

"Again, AND? What's your point? I probably will cause trouble!"

"But that's the problem, captain. They don't want trouble"

He heaved a soul-weary sigh, one that indicated he was mere milliseconds away from completely losing all patience with you, "It's too bad you can't always get what you want in life"

"But....you can't always scare people into submission either"

"Maybe not but I'm always more than willing to try" he grinned crookedly as his jade eyes narrowed into two slits, "....at first I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, you know, maybe thinking perhaps they don't have any vacancies around here, especially when the threats fail to work, I mean, that tried and trusted method is usually 99.9% effective. But now I'm definitely calling bullshit, they're just being deliberately obstructive. So I'm going to have to use good old fashioned brute violence in order to get us a room!"

His one good hand disappeared into the inside pocket of his coat, and you knew what was coming next. He was reaching for his trusty knives, so you quickly interjected...

"But it might not have to come to that, not if we can reassure them we just want a room, that we won't cause problems"

"So we lie?" He scoffed, sounding part affronted, part genuinely amused, "Something tells me they somehow won't believe us. Even if I cross my heart and swear to die. They know who I am and what I'm capable of. Now I'm going to show them all just how true the rumors are, if they refuse me again!"

He made to head inside but you quickly dashed in front of him, blocking his path - much to his vexation. "Please, captain....just give me a chance, let me do the talking...if we can do this peacefully it'll be better for everyone"

"But where would the fun be in that?"

Ugh. Typical pirate. As if the hotel proprietor having his life and livelihood threatened would be anything less than traumatizing.

Still, you wanted to be a pirate. Admittedly, not the kind who wrecked places for the "fun"of it. But that didn't mean you couldn't get on board with appearing to buy into Buggy's brand of fun. Especially if you kept things playful and made it a challenge for him.

Smiling slightly you stared up at him with fawn-eyes, hoping to pull off the sweet, innocent, butter-wouldn't-melt look that he had perfected. The look that always made you falter, even against your own better judgment. And to your astonishment it seemed to be working, as he wasn't shoving you aside.

"......There would be no fun in that, I agree. But wouldn't you like to try it at least once in your lifetime? You know, the more sensible option?"

"Not particularly"

"Ok, what if....if I try and it doesn't get us anywhere, not only will you get to say "I told you so" and prove me wrong—"

"But I get to do that anyway. That's not exactly tempting or exciting"

"Ok, ok......" you floundered, desperately trying to come up with a suggestion that might appeal to his chaotic nature, ".....so how about if.....if my way doesn't work, then I have to pay a forfeit. But if it does work, then you have to pay the forfeit"

Buggy studied you curiously. He didn't look overly convinced or impressed, but you had his attention. His curiosity had most definitely been piqued, "What kind of forfeit? You mean like a dare? A challenge?"

"Whichever. Anything. That is, I mean...within reason"

"Within reason?" He scrunched his nose in distaste, as though you'd dared to utter a filthy word. "Surely whatever each of us considers reasonable is subjective. It would be open to debate" he shook his head, quickly losing interest, "no, the terms are too vague. Now quit wasting time, sweetheart!"

He made to push past you but you halted him once more by boldly grabbing him by the upper arms, "Ok, it doesn't matter. How's that? If I fail you get to choose whatever forfeit you like...."

His resistance wavered once more. You could see a distinct mischievous gleam in his eyes and the slight curl at one corner of his painted mouth.

Damn that crooked little smirk.

"Hm. Well, when you put it like that.....how am I supposed to resist"

Breathing a sigh of relief, you hastily let go of his arms as he shook you off. Those alarmingly solid arms, which you couldn't afford to be distracted by right now. Or anytime for that matter.

"Thank you, captain. But we need to shake on it"

You stuck out your hand, ignoring the way he rolled his eyes impatiently. Begrudgingly he shook your hand using his uninjured one, then proceeded to gently shove you towards the door. Leaning down behind you, he brought his lips close to your ear; the sudden coolness of his breath on your skin caused you to almost stumble over your own feet.

"This is going to be double the fun now. Hm...maybe I'll have you clean out the bilges once we're on the Big Top"

Your head whipped around to face him, which was a mistake; the action brought you almost nose to nose. And up-close, you found his clown nose to be alarmingly cute.

"Don't panic" he chuckled gleefully, "I wouldn't have you do something as unimaginative as that...no, your forfeit will be much more interesting"

Ignoring him as best you could, you squared your shoulders and made your way to the front desk, feigning confidence you certainly didn't feel.

This was indeed a fancy hotel; all highly polished floors and the abstract patterns were the hallmark of art deco interior design. The style that had always symbolized glamour and luxury, though in actual fact it symbolized expense and exclusivity. But your assessment of the hotel lobby was only brief, as your eyes came to rest on the receptionist. A thin, stony-faced man with sharp, pointed features and graying brown hair, dressed in a black suit and wire-framed eyeglasses. His bleak expression slowly melted away, however, as you both approached, and you could've sworn you saw him visibly pale.

"Hi, we were wondering if you have any vacancies?" You flashed your brightest smile, hoping to reassure the clerk that he was safe.

You were painfully aware of how potentially unsafe he was though, if he refused you a room, and judging by the slow shake of his head, he was about to seal his fate without even realizing it.

"I'm sorry, Miss..." his rounded eyes darted back and forth nervously between you and the notoriously recognizable pirate at your side, ".....uh, regrettably we—"

"Ah, it's Mrs, actually" you swiftly interrupted him, not giving any thought to what you were saying, you just blurted the words out, needing to stall for time. Because all that mattered in that moment was him not trying to turn you away. If he did, you couldn't bear the consequences. 

The man blinked rapidly, clearly confused, "I'm sorry?"

You forced a small laugh and hooked your arm through Buggy's; clutching onto him, but you didn't dare look at him. You already felt his eyes burning into you.

What the hell were you even doing? This was bound to end disastrously for you now as well as the poor receptionist.

"It's not Miss, it's Mrs.....I uh, I....I finally made an honest man of this infamous one..."

Beside you Buggy suddenly began to cough; seemingly choking on pure air, and the very thought of being married. Perhaps he was quite literally allergic to commitment.

Grinning like a mad woman, you blindly reached up and began frantically patting him hard on the back, whilst keeping your gaze fixed on the clerk.

"Excuse him won't you, poor thing's just getting over a terrible cold..." you laughed again somewhat awkwardly, then hastily added, "...anyway, we were hoping to find somewhere quiet....and suitably luxurious of course....to spend our honeymoon"

Reaching around to the front pocket of your trusty old rucksack, you pulled out your purse and produced a handful of berry. It was the sight of the berry that finally seemed to snap the clerk from his stunned silence.

"Oh, uh, of course, I am confident we have a room that would be most suitable and to your liking"

"How wonderful!" You exclaimed, the pure relief that flooded you was practically making you feel delirious, "thank you so much, you won't even know that we're here"

For the first time, the clerk cracked a small smile as he reached for a large, leather-bound book, "uh, may I take your name, Mrs D.Clown?"

D.Clown. Holy shit, of course he was bound to know Buggy's surname. It was common knowledge after all. You shot a nervous glance upwards at your captain, who'd fallen suspiciously silent, only to find he looked like he'd been high-fived in the face.....with a brick. It was no exaggeration to say literal  minutes had gone by since his coughing fit, and he was stood staring down at you in stunned disbelief, mouth slightly agape.

"Uh, my name? Oh yes, of course. It's......uh..." you cast your eyes around the lobby for inspiration, finding none. All you saw were the gold and bluish purple lines that decorated the walls.

"Madam?" The clerk prompted, showing a great deal more patience than Buggy usually did.

"It's,.....Indy"

"Indy?" He parroted, and honestly, who could blame him for sounding unconvinced. At this point you realized your brain had obviously shut up shop and ceased working altogether.

"Indy?" Buggy echoed, incredulously, and in sheer desperation you latched onto his arm once more and gave it a firm squeeze in warning.

"Yes, it's unusual I know....it's short for.....Indigo"

"How very unique, Madam" the clerk remarked noncommittally, as he hastily scribbled yours and Buggy's name into his guest book.

Your cheeks were flaming by this point, never having cringed so much in your entire life, you were pretty sure your face was glowing with heat.

But your plan had worked. Buggy hadn't gone on a murderous rampage, and you'd secured a room for the next two nights. That at least ought to have taken the edge off the humiliation.

The next ten minutes seemed to pass by in a blur. You paid for the room, and somehow managed to make your feet work in order to allow yourself to be escorted to the elevator; which was no easy feat given the fact your knees were on the brink of buckling.

The elevator ride was unbearably awkward, with the concierge making polite small-talk about the weather (of all things, the weather) and you had no choice other than to engage and keep smiling and nodding like some stupid ventriloquist dummy, all while Buggy remained uncharacteristically quiet. His usually expressive face gave nothing away. He was closed off, unreadable.

Finally after having walked down what felt like the longest hallway known to humanity, you arrived at your room. It was quite lavish and in keeping with the art deco theme; all angular shapes and geometric lines. The kind that made your eyes hurt a little, in all honesty. There was a huge bed, an en suite bathroom which boasted an ornate free-standing bathtub and separate shower room, but naturally..... only one bed. And no couch, or chaise lounge, just two very elaborate but uncomfortable looking chairs. Of course there was only going to be one bed, you'd told them you were newlyweds!

Typical. Fuck my life

As soon as the concierge left and the door closed you found yourself holding your breath; bracing yourself for the inevitable shit storm that would be blowing your way any second now.

Resignedly, you turned from the door to face the pirate clown, holding your hands up in mock defense, "Listen, I know what you're going to say......" but then your sentence died on your tongue; confusion overriding all else, as you watched Buggy cover his mouth with his left hand; stifling his loud laughter.

Oh. my. god.

He was laughing!

You found yourself hoping that he would think this the