I'm really sure Cavendish wants attention and love because he didn't get them when he was little. My main fundaments are:
1) He got kicked out his kingdom for Hakuba. At first, it seems normal. He killed people, right? But then, you start to think about it.
The DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) is developed as a survival mechanism to cope with severe, repeated trauma during early childhood. Maybe Hakuba was a way of defending himself from something. For sure, he wasn't having an amazing time back home.
Bartolomeo figured how to contain Hakuba in LESS THAN ONE DAY, tying up Cav. But his parents solution was just... kick him out? That doesn't scream parental love to me.
2) Oda usually makes characters want something they didn't had in their childhood. Whitebeard didn't had a family, so he started yearning one. Usopp didn't have anyone that cared for him for some time, so he started yearning attention. Nami didn't had money of her own bc she was saving it for paying Arlong, so she wants money for herself.
So it makes sense that Cavendish wasn't loved in his kingdom. Sure, maybe his beauty was admired, maybe girls found him pretty, but he wasn't truly loved. Maybe he learnt to take that admiration as love. When someone "steals" his spotlight, he gets mad because they're stealing his chance to get love.
3) How much he loves his horse Farul. This might be just my weird brain, but hear me out. Animals love you for how you treat them. Not for your looks, neither your reputation. Besides, he had him since he was a little kid. He probably was his only friend, the only being that loved him no matter what.
Sorry this got so long hehe, but this has been on my head for a while
Written for the @opmlmzine 🤍 Hakuba's gonna need a good night of wine and murder after this
Last chance to grab the zines! Store closes on July 1 🌸
Also, check out the amazing spot art done by @majoraop!!
[ READ ON AO3 | KO-FI | COMM INFO ]
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Hakuba was a simple man with simple needs. With Durandal by his side, he only needed enough humans in his hunting grounds to keep him happy.
He was a simple man with simple needs—needs which did not, however, involve bouquets of roses sprinkled with sugar ‘for better flavour’, wine, candles, snarky little notes, or oh-so-romantic walks on the beach during sunset.
Okay, maybe the wine he would accept but everything else? Absolutely not.
So why exactly was he stuck here, cursed to watch from the actual front-row seat as Cavendish prepared to go on yet another stupid ‘date’ with his idiot little boyfriend? He was sick of it. So, so very sick of it.
Literally; Hakuba felt like he was going to puke the next time the two of them kissed.
As if on cue, Cavendish reached the meeting place, the horse themed fountain in this island’s largest port city. To no one’s surprise, the annoying, ugly mess of green hair was already there, shining like a beacon and letting everyone know to steer far away from the pirate. But them, oh no, of course not.
“Cavendish! You’re three damn hours late. Again,” the pirate, Melonomeo—or something like that—hissed the moment he noticed Cavendish strutting towards him.
Cavendish sighed dramatically, tossing his long, voluminous hair over his shoulder. “I keep telling you that beauty can’t be rushed, Bartolomeo.” So that was his name. Close enough.
Bartolomeo rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah, your favourite excuse, I know.”
Huffing, Cavendish looked away—seemingly in offence… but Hakuba knew it was to hide his embarrassment. After all, he did spend two absolutely agonising hours picking an outfit and then another two hours doing his hair. To be ‘his most beautiful yet’.
The giddy lovesick fretting was downright sickening and Hakuba would have jumped out the window of the captain’s cabin if he could have.
And here he thought Cavendish with his beauty and popularity obsession was bad before. Now, Hakuba would give anything to go back to the days when Cavendish’s delusions were the only thing he worried about. Since meeting this guy… it was all about what he might think or say. Not all the time—or even most of the time—, of course, but on days like this one, it was like no one else’s opinion mattered.
As if Bartolomeo was capable of higher thought or cared about his or anyone else’s appearance, as proven by the absolutely godawful pants and the ugly Straw Hat pin on his coat.
Suddenly, warm fingers wrapped around Cavendish’s wrist, making Hakuba hiss like an angry cat.
“It’s a damn good thing I know your slow ass and booked a table for four hours later than you said,” Bartolomeo announced with a smug smirk before pulling on Cavendish’s hand, forcing him to a walk. “Come on, Cabbage, we’re gonna be late ‘cause of you.”
“Don’t pull me, you brute!” Cavendish scoffed… but frustratingly made no effort to break free of his hold.
“What, should I offer you an arm like you’re a damn princess or something?” Bratolomeo threw a look at Cavendish over his shoulder, his eyebrow raised in a mocking fashion.
This little shit.
Hakuba knew the look wasn’t aimed at him but oh, how he was going to enjoy dicing this guy into little pieces… eventually. For sure. He’d get an opportunity any day now.
Not for the first time, Hakuba cursed the way these two met. Why did that trip to Dressrosa have to deteriorate into a bloody war? If they just met casually over coffee or something, Hakuba could have had killed him the first night but as it was… Bartolomeo was all too aware of Hakuba waiting for the first opportunity to take control of their body. Going so far as to have his underlings tie him up in sea prism stone chains.
The humiliation.
Oh, revenge would be sweet.
Cavendish clicked his tongue, dragging Hakuba back to the harsh reality. “Most people would thank me for gracing them with my dazzling presence, you know,” Cavendish said with slight annoyance.
“Yeah, well, you’re stuck with me. Sucks to be you, I guess,” Bartolomeo retorted without missing a beat, that irritating smirk back on his face. Showing off his stupid fangs and all.
A beat of silence passed… before Cavendish burst out laughing of all things.
Seemingly just as confused by the reaction as Hakuba, Bartolomeo stopped in his tracks before letting go of Cavendish's wrist so he could turn to look at him. A frown on his face, he tilted his head to the side questioningly like a dog. “What’s up with you?”
“You’re impossible,” Cavendish let out in between chuckles as he shook his head.
“At least I’m not insane, unlike you,” Bartolomeo said slowly, confusion still apparent in his voice.
“Sure, sure.” Cavendish waved his hand dismissively before he stepped forward again, easily passing by Bartolomeo. “Come on, stop holding us up! We can’t keep my fans at the restaurant waiting.”
“It’s a reservation, not a fanmeet! Also who’s the one—argh!” Bartolomeo stopped himself with a frustrated shout. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath… before burying his hands in his hair and ruffling it roughly, muttering to himself something about ‘annoying princes’ and ‘why the fuck do I suffer this’.
Honestly, Hakuba had to ask the same question—both to Bartolomeo… and to himself.
—————
The day seemed almost never-ending.
By the time Cavendish and Bartolomeo finally finished eating—with candles, to Hakuba’s horror—and left the restaurant, Hakuba was already at his bloody limit. Seriously, there was only so much leg touching and badly disguised, terrible flirting that he was physically capable of witnessing before he needed to murder a person or twenty.
It wasn’t fair. Why was Cavendish the one in control most of the time? And why did Hakuba have to be conscious while he was at it while Cavendish got to sleep while Hakuba had his fun?
What did Hakuba ever do to anyone to deserve this treatment?
Unfortunately for him… the dinner date wasn’t the end of it. Of course it wasn’t. That would be letting Hakuba off too easy.
To be fair, it could have been a lot worse—when they passed through a street that was so full of hotels if felt more like a Red Light District, he honestly feared the absolute worst—but even just the handholding and bickering while Bartolomeo saw Cavendish to the Sleeping White Horse of the Forest was about enough for Hakuba.
“—so then I replaced Red Hair’s flag with Luffy-senpai’s and handed out our Straw Hat Boxes to people. Soon, everyone will know just how awesome the Straw Hats are,” Bartolomeo rambled on, waving his free hand around and clenching his fist in adoration for his idol.
Cavendish, who had only been humming noncommittally the whole time, blinked, turning his head to stare at his companion blankly for a moment. “‘Straw Hat Boxes’?” he repeated.
“Yeah! You want one? I always carry a few on me, hang on.” He started fumbling with his bag, obviously searching for the box in question.
“Absolutely not!” Cavendish refused immediately. “I’m just astonished you successfully came up with a name that managed to take something ugly and terrible and make it something even uglier and more terrible.”
“Are you insulting Luffy-senpai?!” Bartolomeo bared his teeth as he demanded an answer.
No, he’s insulting your stupid ass, Hakuba thought to himself.
“No, I’m insulting you,” Cavendish said at the same time.
Well, there was at least something they could agree on.
At that, Bartolomeo… nodded. “Oh, okay. That’s—” he paused for a second, before the words finally clicked in his empty head. “Man, you are such a bitch.”
“A beautiful person others admire so much it makes them hate themselves? Why, yes, I am that indeed.”
“No,” the green-haired caveman retorted immediately, giving Cavendish a look.
Cavendish only laughed conceitedly, dismissing the denial as jealousy, and Hakuba honestly wasn’t sure if his other half was really that dumb or if he was just deflecting. Not that it mattered that much to him. The only thing that did matter to him was the ship, which was now finally within reach. Very soon, he would be free from this… cutesy hell.
Hopefully, without lasting mental damage.
Hakuba barely finished the thought when the two lovers stopped to say goodbye. With Cavendish getting on his tiptoes, pulling Bartolomeo closer.
If he could, Hakuba would be smashing his head against the nearest wall but as it was… he could do nothing but watch helplessly as the inevitable happened.
The moment their lips met, butterflies began to flutter in Cavendish’s stomach, warmth gathering in his chest. The kiss was so soft and impossibly sweet… It made even the deepest parts of Hakuba’s entire being shudder.
It was in that moment that Hakuba decided. The next time he was in control, he would be killing Bartolomeo first.
In the actor AU, what's the relationship between Cavendish and Bartolomeo?
So far, they're only workmates as this is the first time the two have actually met one another. At first glance it seems like Cavendish doesn't like Bartolomeo too much, but overtime he starts to warm up to him and the duo even share lunch together with Viola and Law during which they talk a lot about health related issues. After all, none of them are strangers to some form of mental health issue and they end up forming a tiny support group.
As time passes, both Cavendish and Viola find that their health has improved a lot.
Cavendish also starts to spend more time with the eccentric Bartolomeo as he finds his presence oddly calming and safe.
So I guess that they're very close friends at this point, their bromance being on the level of people mistaking them to be a couple. Neither of them mind though as this means that they can have a lot of fun on the expense of the theorists.
