Title: To Dream a Dream
Characters: Shanks, Buggy. Mentions of Roger and Rayleigh.
Pairings: Buggy/Shanks
Warnings: Slightly out of character.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.
Additional Notes: Title is in reference to Les Miserables, by Andrew Lloyd Webber, specifically Fantine's song, "I Dreamed a Dream."

Buggy roamed the corridor of the Oro Jackson, a rare spring in his step. Captain Roger had taken Shanks out for a night of training the previous evening and Buggy had taken full advantage of his absence to sleep. For once there was no one to keep him up talking, or with other activities, and he had enjoyed it immensely. Not that he didn't enjoy what Shanks could do to him in the night, but he liked to sleep some too. How Shanks survived on so little sleep was a mystery.

Most of the crew had noticed Buggy's good mood when someone had made an off-handed comment about his nose and he had laughed. It was a nice feeling, he decided, to laugh with the crew rather than being laughed at. This had to be what Shanks felt like all of the time and now Buggy felt he could understand the redhead's perpetual good mood.

Surprisingly even Rayleigh had noticed Buggy's rare humor and he allowed the apprentice to take the day off after he completed his usual chores and now Buggy was on his way to his cabin to change clothes. He planned a nice swim while they were docked at a peaceful island. If he was really lucky maybe Rayleigh would join him and they could have a race. There was no way that Buggy could win against the powerful first mate, but it was always fun and Rayleigh always taught him new techniques afterwards.

But Buggy wasn't expecting to run into a cloud of doom in his cabin when he walked in.

"Shanks?" He asked, cautiously. He had no idea how to handle a depressed Shanks because he had never seen him very upset before.

The redhead who was nearly hidden under his brown blanket shifted, but otherwise made no response.

"Shanks, I'm going swimming. Do you want to come with me?" The clown asked.

"Go ahead." Came the muffled reply from the blanket cocoon.

Buggy sighed and sat on Shanks' hammock, leaning into his partner's warmth. It was rare for Shanks to turn down the chance to see him shirtless and dripping wet, especially in broad daylight. A blush lit Buggy's face at the memory of the last time they had gone swimming together, of Shanks' leering face.

"It's nothing. Have fun."

"I was thinking of wearing those trunks you got me." Buggy told the red haired lump. The trunks he was talking about were barely enough to be called such and Buggy had always adamantly refused to wear them…at least in public.

The lump shifted again.

"Please come with me?" Buggy pleaded and then had to turn to avoid being pushed off of the hammock as Shanks sat up.

The clown was surprised to see Shanks' red eyes and the streaks down his face that he had obviously tried (and failed) to wipe away.

"What happened?" He asked, bringing one hand to his partner's face. Shanks leaned into the touch.

"I had a disagreement with the Captain." Shanks murmured.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Shanks admitted, bringing his hand to his cheek to hold Buggy's. His other hand soon joined, sandwiching the clown's fingers between his hands that were beginning to develop the calluses of a swordsman.

"Can we just cuddle?" The redhead asked shyly after a few moments of silence.

"Sure, of course." Buggy crawled into the hammock with his partner. The Captain had once considered just getting them a bed for their cabin, but Rayleigh had vetoed the idea, saying that the squeaking would disturb the rest of the crew. Hence the hammocks they now had.

Shanks curled into Buggy as soon as the clown was settled, wrapping himself as much around him as possible, the top of his head tucked under Buggy's chin.

It felt nice, having their usual positions reversed. For once Buggy felt dominant, although he had a feeling that wouldn't last if things heated up.

"Hey Buggy," Shanks muttered into his chest, the vibrations of his voice tickling.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." A kiss on his neck.

And for once Buggy knew what it was like to be in control and the new aspect of their relationship thrilled him. There was no way he and Shanks wouldn't be together forever.