ＨＥＡＶＥＮＬＹ

FEATURING BUGGY : THE STAR CLOWN !

The storm still raged in his palm as Doflamingo said he would be kneeling for HIM, not a king, as if that was any different to Crocodile. Wasn't he Dressrossa's king? Just another royal who thought the world owed them just for being born. Crocodile would know, he was birthed into a world of royals and had denied them the pleasure of his bent knee until he finally left for the sea.

Even in childhood, he refused to be brainwashed into being someone else's thing. No, his destiny was to be greater than that. If anything HE would be KING. Not the other way around.

The storm stopped at Doflamingo's threat. Take everything he has and make him beg for return? Crocodile was a tough nut to crack, but he had to admit this one was pretty funny. So he did the only reasonable thing at the moment, and he laughed, loud and clear, to answer Doflamingo's threat at the best of his ability. Words weren't needed for a delusional fool, but laughter would probably resonate with him.

"Kuhahahahaha!" His eyes closed, vulnerable but uncaring. If Doflamingo thought a threat to his life would matter, would change things, or a threat to his operation would be enough to put him down, clearly he was underestimating the sandman.

"Don't get me wrong," His voice still shook with the echoes of his laughter, his eyes locking back on Doflamingo. "I'll be pretty pissed if you destroy 12 years of work simply for being rejected." There was a slight song in his voice, but it's probably still only due to the laughter from earlier. His next words would be clearer and more serious, his smile faltering as well.

"But begging? Really? If that's how you think I am, I understand your interest in me even less. Even I wouldn't want someone as weak in my team. You want what I have? Take it. I'll just rebuild. You want me?"

Crocodile took a deep drag on his cigar, pondering his next words. He knew very well that what Doflamingo wanted was not Baroque Works, but him. His life. His devotion. And that was never going to happen.

He looked back at his bananawanis in the aquarium. They were magnificent beast and while Crocodile was pretty sure none of them would try to harm him, they were still wild beast. Taming one wasn't an easy feat, it took him years to understand those critters enough to establish mutual respect.

But trust? He had none for them. He knew for sure that a starved animal would always lash out at its master. They would not hesitate for a second to make him a bite-sized snack if the opportunity arose.

In a sense, it would be like that too, if Doflamingo ever brought him under his wing. He'd have to kidnap and break him into pieces, show him just how much stronger he was for Crocodile to follow, and even then, he would never be able to trust him. You can never trust a wild animal.

"Can you trust me?"

He laughed like a fool. Doflamingo could only assume he was laughing at himself, or perhaps he was just trying to play himself out of the situation. How easy it would be to kill him. Make him choke on the laughter. One haki-coated string and Crocodile would be trying to swallow back that laugh. And the blood. But Doflamingo wasn't here to kill him. Crocodile probably knew that, hence his bold nature. It was tragic, Doflamingo thought, that Crocodile wasn't more concerned with preserving what he'd built. He basically said that Doflamingo could have it all, and he would just "rebuild" it. Which was another way of saying that his kingdom was worthless. Doflamingo found himself disappointed. His smile stayed.

You want me? Crocodile asked. The answer was yes - and no. Doflamingo saw immense potential in Crocodile. Something in him that could only grow if he stayed in Doflamingo's radiance. It was a shame that Crocodile would rather hide away from the sunlight. Never to grow. He would waste his life away for nothing, building empires to be picked apart. A fleemarked sale item. It was a bit like seeing beautiful art be stored in cheap cardboard boxes. Instead of framed in gold. It annoyed him.

Crocodile asked him another question. Can you trust me? This made Doflamingo chuckle.

❝ Fu fu fu fu fu. ~ ❞ What a silly question. Trust was only something you needed to have if you thought someone could hurt you. Then you would have to trust them not to. Crocodile was no threat to him. ❝ It is for you to trust me. ❞ Was Crocodile giving himself away by talking about trust? Was THAT the main thing keeping him from taking the leap of faith? Doflamingo supposed he shouldn't be surprised. In the end... Crocodile was simply afraid of him. ❝ A flower that grows through concrete in its desperation for sunlight, begging for its warmth, is not doing so out of weakness. You would rather wither away than bloom. ❞ It was such a disappointment. He really had higher hopes for Crocodile. Why was it that every person he saw potential in, ended up disappointing him? Even with how LOW his expectations were.

❝ Fu fu fu fu fu! You usually don't disappoint me, so I admit I find myself surprised. ❞ He was laughing, but he was not amused. It was the most dangerous kind of laugh.

It was true. The water would definitely be more of a problem to him than it would Doflamingo's- and the beasts? No matter how ferocious, they stood no chance in front of two overpowered devilfruit users. And despite his threat, Crocodile enjoyed those bananawani more than he did most humans and did not want them put in harm's way.

This situation was just not winnable in any aspect. For the sake of not having a vein explode on his forehead, Crocodile also made sure to ignore the eccentric's comment about not giving him an office. Of course, he didn't, because Crocodile did NOT work for him, or anyone for that matter.

When he was asked why he denied him so strongly, Crocodile could not believe this fool. How many times would he have to say it?

"I may be called Sir but I do not bow for kings." For a second, he almost thought this would be enough of an explanation. It was pretty straightforward! Crocodile just didn't bow- but then he realized that there was no way a man who considered himself brighter than the sun and bigger than the universe would accept that.

"You have nothing I want. At least, not desperately enough to warrant my bending over for you." He spat back again, his tone as dry as the sand still swirling in his palm. "Why don't you give up already?" If they're being honest, then might as well ask. Doflamingo could have anyone he wanted, why was he so obstinate about getting Crocodile to bend the knee to him? Couldn't he see it was a fruitless endeavor!? They have been at it for YEARS.

Doflamingo knew this dance as well as he did, so why did he insist? Crocodile would never willingly submit to anyone, especially not someone who considered themselves above him.

@conquiistador

❝ You will not be bowing for KINGS - you will bow for me. ❞ Doflamingo corrected him. There was a big difference. It was not the destiny of all men to bow before a king. It was, however, the purpose of ALL beings to fall to their knees before GOD. Humans desired to serve something greater than themselves. Such as been the case for every man that had lived throughout history. Because humans lives were so insignificant. Who WOULDN'T want to serve something greater?

❝ Fu fu fu fu, I have nothing you desire? ❞ At least not desperately enough. Well, that was simply NOT TRUE. Everyone had one thing that they valued above everything else. Usually, it was their own life. Sometimes ( rarely ) the lives of others. What Crocodile valued the most, Doflamingo was guessing, was his own life.

❝ I could take everything from you right here and now, and make you beg me to return it. Fu fu fu fu fu! ❞ He laughed, flexing his fingers. Playfully. Dangerously. He didn't bring forth his powers though, so nothing happened. He just did it to trigger the other. ❝ Everything you have is mine. Now, do you still say I have nothing you want? ❞ If that was the case, then there was no need for him to be alive, was there? Not surprisingly, Doflamingo didn't answer the other's question. The answer would've been simple - he found him amusing. He also thought Crocodile could be a good asset to him, and that the other was wasting his potential. Doflamingo could make him so much stronger under his wing.