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It's the kings, Buggy will think later on, once his tears dried and he could think of Shanks and Captain without breaking down, It's how much they want and take and don't care about anything else.
Because that's the thing with kings, isn't it? They want and want and no is not an acceptable answer. It's how they latch into things, into people, no matter how many times they are denied. It's this way with any kind of kings, even pirate ones.
It's the way Edward Newgate decides that you will be his family and your opinion doesn't matter. It's how he looks at you, smiling like I love you and you will love us. After all, you'll stop fighting after a while, and doesn't that mean he's right?
It's the way Gol D. Roger decides that you are his, my first mate this is fate you are mine don't you see, even though you're just a teenager barely afloat, trying to survive after losing everything you ever knew.
It's the way Gol D. Roger decides that you are his, you will be my legacy even though you're just a child who won't understand what it means until the world screams for your blood, until children recoil in fear at your mere name.
It's how the Pirate King looks at the world and decides that he will be the one to conquer it and anyone in his way will burn.
It's what happens to those who stand in the way of kings, after all.
It's how they don't care that you run and scream and bite, they just laugh and laugh and laugh because they decided that you are theirs now, because they like you, and sometimes it's a curse, sometimes there's nothing worse than being liked.
(It's how Shanks started to look the same, this amazing boy already too much like Captain, how he started to laugh and laugh and laugh and no longer listens to Buggy's “silly” fears.)
(It's how Buggy woke up one morning on the Oro Jackson, while everyone slept, and realized that the growing feeling he had when looking at his brother was dread.)
(Because he may not be the strongest, may be young and surrounded by legends, but he isn't stupid. He sees how Captain looks at Shanks, keeping a close eye on this growing king while the young clown faded in the background. And it used to anger him but-)
(But.)
(Kings are Monsters, and for all Buggy loves Shanks and Rayleigh and Captain, he doesn't want to be one.)
And it doesn't matter how much you love them, these kings who stand above everyone, because love can become a cage itself, even if it's a pretty one.
There's desperation in Shanks's eyes as he holds Buggy's arm, as he asks -almost begs, even- him to come with him, to be a member of his crew.
And a part of Buggy wants to say yes, because for all his yells and complaints, for all he proclaims to whoever is listening his hatred, he loves Shanks, loves this boy who he grew up with, this stupid red head who became his brother.
He loves him, but he isn't blind to his faults, to the fear and desperation and anger in his brother's eyes. There's something possessive in the way he grabs Buggy, possessive like Captain, possessive like I-chose-you-my-friend-my-crewmate-mine-
And Buggy loves Shanks, but he doesn't want that.
So he looks at Shanks, at his brother, at this growing king so much like the one who raised them, at this boy already on a path of greatness, at this future Emperor who will tear the world apart for those who are his.
“Never.” Buggy says, and pretends he doesn't see the way Shanks' face crumble.