Entertain Me! chap. 6
a story by Buggys-boo ⭐
story: You are the princess of an empty island , fearless due to surviving the attack that wiped everyone else out. and desperate to be entertained.
warnings: swearing!
synopsis: you say goodbye to Buggy!
Characters: y/n, Buggy, and Priscilla! (crew member)
reader: is called a woman/princess throughout
wc: 2 k
a/n: this one is a bit shorter than the others! but don't worry next chap will cover a looot more bases, it's not as late in the night as when i usually post. but it'll probably have mistakes anyways 🩷
Masterlist. Prev chap. Next chap. (otw)
~•~•~•~•~•~
Buggy steps out into the garden, the sight of your veggie patch freezing over greets him. As well as the strange flowers that insist on bordering it. The giant tree in the back shades him from the sun’s distant warmth as he shivers slightly into his jacket. It’s fluffier now, everything seems to be. He had the time to wash his clothes and hair, as well as redo his makeup before leaving.
He sees you, crouched by the forest’s edge, grey dress pooling on the pale dirt around you. Along with a red jacket that hugs onto your waist and shoulders. You reach out for the trees beyond the castle, a silvery light stemming from your finders as if there’s a thin wall of illumination for you to brush up against. So you aren’t making up the curse.
He coughs to get your attention, exaggerated and loud, even going so far as to stumble over to the tree swing with the force caused. “AHEM!! AHem! ahemmm…?”
You smirk at him, standing up and dusting yourself off. “Do you need some water, Captain?”
“Huh? No, just something in the, uh, air.”
“The air? It’s never bothered you before.” You hum, walking over and sitting at the base of the tree besides him. The sun’s rays make a bee line for your face, finding you even under the tree’s leaves and setting your eyes aglow.
“It went down the wrong pipe or somethin’, anyways! What did Prissy want from you?” Buggy says, pivoting from his coughing fit and onto his crewmember.
Pricsilla also known as Prissy, was one of the acrobats from the first night. She had conducted her act with her brother and three other performers.
You found yourself growing close to the pair over the week they’ve been here. Prissy being the first person besides the Captain who struck a conversation with you. Her brother, Ozzy, got to know you since Priscilla’s affinity for trouble was not something you were acquainted with originally. He’s helped you get her out of rooms she’s locked herself in. As well as boobytraps she triggered while performing tricks down the halls.
Your face lights up even brighter than before at the mention of your friend, your amused smirk bleeding into a full-fledged grin “She gave me some gifts!”
Huh, he hadn’t thought of that. And! Prissy didn’t mention it to him either! Is she trying to make him look bad in front of you? Is she trying to steal you for herself? You haven’t even left the damn place yet and he already has competition! Oh there will be Hell to pay for this once he finds her!
“Buggy?”
He snaps out of the beginning of his tantrum, struck by how much he’s gonna miss your voice. The pirate feels his angered sneer slide down into a soft smile. Taking in the sight of your mildly concerned face, eyebrows furrowed, grey gloved hand reaching towards him slightly, lips pulled into a painfully kissable pout.
“Uh how nice of her!”
Now, how does he approach this?
“Just for the record,” he starts, twisting a lock of the blue tassel from the side of his hat and digging around the dirt with his boot as innocently as he can muster. “You’d be sad if she died, right?”
“What! Of course!” You all but scream, suddenly interested in holding your hands in your pockets protectively. Hmm what she gave you is small then, that's not too much of a threat.
UNLESS IT’S A RING! No, surely you would have told him if it is that, hopefully.
“Or! If she was horribly injured, but would make a full recovery?”
“Yes!! I’d be devastated! What are you talking about!” You demand, pushing the swing with your boot.
Buggy catches himself and sighs, “Nothing crazy!" He says, waving his hands around to defuse the situation. "I just wanted to see if uh… You care about my crew as much as I do!”
Despite his thinly-veiled threats, the Captain knows that he couldn’t really bring himself to punish Prissy in such a manner. So it's dish duty till further notice instead!
“Of course I do! All of you have been so kind and funny this whole time! I wish I could give you more! The animals even like you enough to have pitched in by providing some of their hibernation harvest before you go!”
Yea, watching a zoo help stock his ship is something Buggy won’t ever forget.
“Good then! And you should know that when we get back, I will give you more gifts than you have received ever in your life! So uh, be ready for that!”
“I’ll be ready, Captain!” You giggle, staring up at the clown.
The look in your eyes not only rivals the adoration from the night before, but knocks it out of the park. Each time you set off these pesky fireworks inside him, he struggles to find a reason to break your curse. As selfish as it may be. He can’t risk the thought of you looking at someone else that way. Or what if someone looks at you with such an expression! What would he do then! What would you do? Goodness Y/n, have mercy on his heart!
He watches you shamelessly now, there's no point in hiding his gaze since he’ll have to call on his memory for the sight of your skin in the sun, your hair done up, your cute outfits, and that fucked up tiara from now on.
Slowly, while sitting under his stare, your smile dips, your hands fidget with something in your pocket (damn you Priscilla!) and your brows pull down again. Before the clown can speak, you begin.
“Well, You shouldn’t leave your crew waiting much longer… Prissy said that you’re leaving before it gets too late, and the sun won’t linger forever.” You murmur, casting your gaze onto the pirate's boots.
Right, Buggy still hasn’t figured out how to say goodbye yet. He had thrown a party yesterday evening and it's not like there is much he can do besides that.
He’s performed damn near all his tricks, used most of his prepared jokes, and pulled pranks on you till you figured out how to retaliate. He doesn’t have whatever Priscilla gave to you, and he doesn’t want to know either. Whatever it is, it’s enough to make you this happy and- Fucking hell, if he can’t even stand the idea of you receiving a present, how could he manage to watch you brush hands with a street vender? Or meet a kind stranger! Or someone flirts with you!!
No, no, he can’t keep you here and he made a promise. The thoughts still swirl within him, blending with his insecurities and doubts till he musters up the courage to talk again.
“Walk me to the front?” He whispers, voice cracking just slightly. He is just about to scold himself for feeling this worked up over someone he’s only known for a week. But the meek nod of your head as you stare up at him with tears glistening among the beautiful hue of your eyes against the sunlight makes him almost entertain the idea that you might feel the same.
You force your sights onto the ground. Standing and brushing yourself off. Deciding to simply scold himself later, Buggy follows you silently into the chilly castle.
The walk is slow and quiet, suddenly the clown is aware of just how much you gave him. When he first wandered through these same stone hallways, there were landscape paintings and gold tables with matching vases to plot on stealing. Now he’s met with the dull sound of your boots on the carpet, painfully aware of how much louder the sound is without the objects in the way.
Finally, when you jump up onto the lever and open the castle doors, he looks at you. Voice stubbornly hiding in his throat, even though the move you pulled to do that was ridiculous and he wants to say as much. To say that he could have done that for you, to say he’d do anything for you.
Instead, his hands twitch ever so slightly, eyes only able to stare into yours. Maybe he could break the curse through pure yearning power alone. No, if that is the case you’d be off with someone else by now. You wouldn’t have even been here to host him if that was a possibility.
“Thank you,” You start, glancing up and taking your tiara off to grip it in your hand.
“For everything. I thought all I wanted was a night at the circus. And it was, but I ended up with more than that. The entirety of what you provided, laughter, performances, food, company, and then some… The treasures I’m sending you off with, more than pale in comparison.”
As you speak you approach the pirate further, till you're less than an arms length apart. You take your dress into your free hand and curtsy deeply.
“So, if you ever find yourself wondering how much I appreciate and cherish the time spent with you, Buggy The Clown. Think of this castle and all it possesses, then double it, and double it again, and again, till you can’t think straight. Then triple it six times, and add five.”
When he sees you extend your hand after speaking, he simply watches as his own pops off and floats into yours. Bowing again, you press a kiss to the white leather of his glove.
“Sail safely, Captain!”
Yeah. He can’t possibly let you leave.
~•~•~•~•~•~
Bonus!
Priscilla is standing against one of the many stone walls of the castle, arms behind her back and mischief spread across her face. Her coiled black hair is pulled into two cornrows that go down to her shoulders. The gold earrings in her ears complement her dark skin as well as the light blue shirt she wears and her denim shorts. It seems as though she is indifferent to freezing.
In the morning light she looks rather similar to Princess Lyra, the thought stirs an ache from within you. Swapping it for a smile, you curtsy slightly as you approach her.
“Your highness! Glad ya found me!” She pulls you into a one armed hug and you gleefully sink into her embrace.
“Me too, what do you need? Some more fruits from the hibernation harvest?” You tease, knowing that the acrobat has a sweet-tooth that was being sedated by the spare fruits that the animals could spare to give the crew.
“No no silly, I have a parting gift!” She says, leaning back.
“A gift? But I don’t need anything truly, I already told you-”
“Ah ah ah- I insist! I demand! I uh, implore! That I get to give you something for all you’ve given my friends and I.” She leans in, smirk widening “As well as for keeping our Captain in the best mood I’ve seen in ages.”
You shove her shoulder lightly and she breaks into a cackle.
“It's true! So for all that I offer you this!”
From behind her back, Prissy hands you two things, a small purple cloth bag and a box a bit larger than your hand.
“And this is…?”
“A thumb piano! And some seeds!”
You tilt your head.
“I noticed that you either don’t have any instruments here, or you didn’t want to play them! So I’m giving you my little piano, there are instructions in the box. Learning how to play isn’t hard, and there are some songs in there too! In the bag are smaller bags with seeds. I wrote down which ones to plant and when. Along with some caretaking instruct-”
You cut off Priscilla’s rambling with a hug. She smells fresh, like she pushed off washing her things till a few hours ago. Her hair radiates the smell of high quality oils and months of good care. Her warmth makes you remember the princess without restriction. If not for all the ways it’s impossible, you’d think she was Lyra herself. It takes a bit of strength, but you manage to pull back, but only enough to look into her bright brown eyes.
“Thank you Prissy, I don’t know how to-”
“No no, this is me returning the favor, Princess. I should be thanking you.”
You nod and squeeze her one more time before fully stepping away.
“You’re very very welcome!” You beam, holding in a sniffle of tears.
“Haha! That’s the spirit, now I should go. Don’t wanna keep everyone waiting too long, now do we? The sun will set eventually!”
She winks at you and you scoff, shaking your head. “Okay, bye Prissy! Tell everyone I say thank you again!” The acrobat shoots you a thumbs up before sprinting through the halls, with a few cartwheels for good measure till she’s out of sight.
