It was a dreary, overcast night in Dressrosa. The usually sunny kingdom was drowned in dull tones, even the glow of the moon was shadowed by a screen of clouds. It was just about 11:00 PM, a strange period of time that occurred every night in the kingdom. A sense of stillness and unease as the 12 o’clock curfew dawned upon them. The civilians and toys herd like cattle into their respective homes, no one would dare disobey their benevolent king.
Nero watched from atop the King’s Plateau, on a small balcony they frequented. It was never crowded, spacious, and had a decently good view of the city. One of the perks of living in a castle. A chilling breeze wafted through the air, brushing against Nero’s skin. It was cold, yes, but comforting against the humid night. The occasional winds broke through the thick air, making the weather what they would describe as perfect.
Footsteps echoed down the halls as a tall man quickly approached the glass door leading to the balcony, Nero’s oasis. He stood and examined their demeanor for a moment through the glass. And, after adjusting his fuzzy pink coat to cover up his bare chest, he slipped through the doors. He was forced to push them open with a large hand, unable to sneak through the crack that Nero had. His leather heels clinked against the stone floor, more like a stomp than an elegant tap. He came to Nero’s side and mimicked the way they hunched over the railing, except for the fact he kept one hand pinching his coat closed as the winds tore through it. A few pink feathers came loose and fluttered down into the night like a cherry blossom’s petals. Nero only shifted their aquamarine eyes in response, and he returned the look through his red tinted glasses. He softened at their gaze, loosening his shoulders and leaning in further, a faint smile creeping over his face.
“It's a cold night, why don't you come in?” He asked gently. Normally, he spoke loud, with confidence and a conniving attitude. Therefore, his voice came out raspy from the unusually soft tone he uttered.
“I enjoy this weather.” Nero replied. A short and simple answer, as if they wanted the conversation to be done quickly.
It was clear the dismissive response hurt the tall man’s pride, though he didn’t show it on his face. He kept that arrogant smirk and outstretched his free hand. The length of his arm allowed him to effortlessly capture Nero’s hips with a strong grasp and pull the shorter person into his body. Nero’s shoulder pressed uncomfortably against his thigh.
“Doffy…” Nero growled in warning.
He wordlessly let go, allowing them to readjust themselves to a more comfortable position. Though, they made no effort to back away, which made him smile.
“You have that look on your face,” Doffy commented, “Is there something you’d like to say?”
After a pause, Nero swung their arms over the chiselled stone railing and began to tap their foot anxiously. “I have a question, Songbird.”
Doffy’s eyes grew wider, startled by the pet name. He turned his body and propped his side onto the railing too, holding himself still with his arm. He tilted his head like a curious puppy.
“What is it, Angelfish?” He replied with a grin.
Their tail swished from side to side. Not wagging, but perhaps as a way to calm themselves. “When you first met me, why exactly did you invite me onto your crew?”
The question caused Doffy’s smile to falter, fading into a slight frown. What a moronic question, he thought.
“Was it because of how I look? The fact I’ve got a tail? Do you find it interesting? Am I interesting to you?” Nero almost scowled.
Doffy grit his teeth in irritation, “You are interesting to me. You’d be interesting to anyone.”
Nero turned their head away, simply so Doffy wouldn’t get a taste of their expression. Staring at the back of their head, he took a deep breath.
“You’re interesting to me in a different way. A way that’s… I suppose it’s difficult to describe.”
“Don’t play dumb.” Nero jokingly scorned, still refusing to turn.
“Trust me, I wish I was, Angelfish. You’re interesting to me because it’s hard to understand you. And, I really, really, would love to know everything about you,” Doffy hunched his back and spoke in a whispery tone, almost flirtatious, “Simply put, I needed you on my crew so I could learn about you. Not just your appearance, or your abilities, everything.”
Definitely flirtatious. Though, his words garnered no response from the half-fish. Their expression remained secret, shadowed by their brown hair that only swayed slightly in the breeze. Doffy waited impatiently for their stubbornness to falter, for them to turn around, open their arms and kiss him lovingly on the lips, praising him for his words. What an idiotic fantasy.
While he stared, his eyes automatically shifted downwards, detecting motion. Any opportunity to see past their cold exterior would not be wasted. He watched as their tail began to speed up, lifting fully off of the ground to wag eagerly. It wagged like the tail of a small, yappy dog, excited that its owner returned home.
The sight caused Doffy to erupt into a booming cackle, throwing his hand over his face and laughing hysterically.
“Oh, Nero! You can’t hide anything from me!” He guffawed, planting his other hand firmly on their back. The touch finally made Nero turn, revealing the embarrassed look on their face. Brows furrowed, cheeks red, almost pouting.
“Jeez, you’re obnoxious! You’re going to wake up the whole country with that laugh!” They scolded.
Doffy’s laughter died down and he tapped his finger to their nose, bending down to their level. Even then, he was still far above them, “Me?” He feigned offense, “If anything, it’s your fault for being so entertaining!”
“You’re such an asshole!” Nero laughed in return.
Doffy crouched completely down, almost sitting on the floor, just so his face was level with Nero’s as he spoke. “Maybe so, but you know that you love me.”
He slowly ran his fingers through their hair, brushing it out of their face to give them a quick peck on the forehead. The touch of his lips was surprisingly soft.
“Now, are you going to keep moping around out here, or are you finally ready for bed?”
“I’m not moping,” Nero argued, “The weather is nice, the view is pretty, and I ain’t tired yet--”
Cutting them off, Doffy utilized his position to wrap his arms around Nero’s legs, grabbing them tightly before hoisting them off of the ground and swinging them over his shoulder like a rag. He stood up, lifting them an extra 5 feet from his substantial height. He locked an arm over their back to keep them in place, “How boring! Let’s do something fun instead, Angelfish.”
He began walking back into the palace, practically stomping with the way he walked. Spreading his legs as far as they could go and bending them at the knees.
Nero flailed their legs in protest, “The moment I get time alone you want to play around?! You’re like an attention seeking puppy! How annoying…”
Doffy’s grin was unwavering, but his lip curled in slight irritation and a vein bulged on his forehead just above his glasses. His grip on the fabric of their clothes tightened, the insult had gotten under his skin. “You don't know how lucky you are that I love you.”
“Are you trying to intimidate me, Songbird?” Nero mocked, returning a threat of their own, “I’ll bite you.”
“And I’ll cut your arms off,” he retorted.
“And I’ll eat the flesh off your bones” they replied.
“And I’ll rip out your throat.”
“And I’ll crack open your ribs.”
“And I’ll slice off your head.”
“I love you too, Angelfish.”
Their laughter echoed down the stone hallways, and they knew the entire Donquixote Family would be sick of their asses by the morning.
