sir crocodile drabble (proofread where??)
His ambition was a mistake. He had lost long before the Straw Hat thwarted his plans. A rare admission of defeat from Crocodile.
Here he was, on the cold cobblestone floor, chained like an animal. Had he been told that Eternal Hell—the deepest level of Impel Down—is where his ambition for Alabasta would have brought him, he would have laughed. Killed the person too, perhaps, for his ego would not tolerate such disrespect, but he would have laughed no less.
That is if he had not lost his true treasure before the fall. Though, he did. And he never bat a lash.
"Seventeen years of being your partner and this is what you reduce me to... So be it."
If only he hadn't been such a fool. If only he had stopped you from walking out the door.
Perhaps he wouldn't even be here in the first place had he simply looked your way.
Impel Down had given him time to think. Time to realise. Time to regret. It was only yesterday his daughter was born. Now, he can only see her in his memories and the few rare dreams he has of her.
Yet, even the dreams have no mercy to give. Her innocent calls for "Papa" unanswered while he turned his gaze never failed to wake him with a racing heart. It was only when the torment of those dreams began did he become familiar with the gnawing ache of guilt. He hated it.
He hated knowing that his daughter roamed an incomplete household, that any questions about Papa would be met with sugarcoated lies.
So, when Straw Hat breached Level Six and sought an ally in him, he accepted. He only accepted because he needed to return to his treasure. He needed to return to you and your child. He needed to let you know how wrong he was. He had to let his precious know how much his world revolved around her.
divorced but still in love has me in a chokehold. I couldn't resist.
