That night, Lydia stayed alone with Buggy. She was thankful her friends were able to find his pieces and save him before he got even worse.

Buggy was snoring very softly, still sleepy from the chloroform gas Cabaji had used on him to get him to settle down and keep still while he had been stitching his wound.

".....pretty fish lady....," he then mutttered softly in his sleep, ".....you look....just like her....my girl.....my Lydia....but no...sorry pretty fishy... I'm taken..."

It seemed he was dreaming of Lydia in her mermaid form in his sleep.

She smiled and whispered, "but I am her. Lydia is the pretty fish lady...Buggy...I'm a mermaid..."

"....oh my god....I always thought that....but wow....you're real. You're....my pretty fish lady..."

Lydia smiled and kissed his nose, "try to relax, Captain, I need you better, my prince."

"....mhmm....," he sighed deeply and then went back to making soft breathing sounds.

Mohji then came to her and brought her some fruit, "you must be hungry, your highness," he then looked at Buggy and sighed with relief, "he appears to be over the worst of the fever, thanks the stars. Oh and you of course," he bowed to her.

Lydia blushed, "I'm just glad he is alright...I love him more than anything. And I would do anything for him...even if it has to do anything with Arlong...," she shivered.

"....right...," Mohji looked surprised by this, but he smiled, ".....that's.....that's incredible. You're a very brave person, your majesty. And we can all see that you have a big heart."

Lydia blushed when he said that, "thank you. Sometimes I don't feel brave...not anymore, but I am glad everyone even Buggy think I am." Lydia took a hold of Buggy's hand.

"Oh he certainly does, he's talked about you for years and how you saved him from those bullies all those years ago. He'll be so proud of you once he wakes."

Buggy felt her hand holding his and gently squeezed it, "Lydia....is that you, baby?"

Lydia smiled slightly. She turned and decided to tease him, "I'm here, but Shanks is holding your hand."

"He fucking WHAT?!" Buggy snatched his hand away, "ew....," His hand then popped off and tucked beneath the pillow so Shanks couldn't reach it.

Lydia tried to hide her giggled, so she pretend to cry, "Buggy that was my hand, Shanks isn't even here..."

"He isn't.....oh, baby, I'm sorry....here...," his hand came out from the pillow and reached for hers again, "I won't ever let you go ever...."

She giggled and held his hand. "I know. I'm just teasing you, Bug'."

Mohji then let them be leaving the fruit by them.

Lydia then sat on the edge of his bed and grabbed a grape to eat. "Bug? You hungry?"

"Hmm," he nodded, his eyes still closed.

She smirked and came to his mouth holding the grape her teeth for him to take a bite.

Buggy cracked open one eye slightly and chuckled, but he then took the whole thing, chewed once and swallowed it, "Thanks baby."

Lydia smiled giggling, "of course, I gotta feed my Captain Prince."

"Prince? Me? Prince disaster maybe," he chuckled to himself. He then looked at her with sleepy, puppy dog eyes, "please may I have another grape?"

She smiled and grabbed a red one this time. She held it in her teeth and leaned over to his mouth. this time Buggy's hands grabbed her face and he kissed her, but the grape flew to the back of his throat and made him cough.

".....that's what I get for trying to be romantic...," he spluttered.

She giggled having him sit up and patted his back. He winced slightly due to his stitches, "thanks baby, you're too good to your captain," he then looked at her, "I didn't get to thank you for putting me back together. For finding my body parts...and for saving my life when I was in the water."

Lydia smiled and hugged him, "I know, and you don't have to, you would do the same with me, Captain."

"I would, but.....I can't swim and I was helpless to save you without my parts. I'm sorry. And you're a princess!! Let's talk about that for a second...baby, I'm a pirate!"

"I know you are. You said so since we were kids."

"Yeah but....," he then busted out laughing, "was that sarcasm? I kinda like you being sassy."

"...kinda. And I guess you made me sassy. You are too~"

He gently caught hold of her chin in his hand, "oof I can see you're going to be a feisty first mate. Are we going to squabble and then have lots of makeup sex afterwards? I hope so," he teased.

She smiled when he said, "Maybe, but you need to rest, Captain," she kissed his nose.

"No fair," he pretended to pout as he lay back down, "still, we have the rest of our lives for that kinda thing, right?"

She smiled and run her hand on his vest, "of course, and I do call you my prince, because I love you."

She then laid him back on the bed and took his bandana off and untied his hair so it was loose and hung down. Lydia smiled down at him playing with his hair, "You had short hair when we were kids, now our hair is longer than mine. So lovely."

He smiled slightly, "I'm glad you think so, because I don't have a choice. I can't cut it. You know I used to be blonde...," he chuckled, "then Gold Roger gave me a potion to drink to change my hair color forever. He said I had to hide my platinum hair."

She looked at him and felt bad for him. She kissed ontop of his head, "he sounds stubborn, why even stay with him, my folks and I gave you a chance to stay with us instead."

"He wasn't stubborn, he was protecting me. Everyone in the Grand line and east blue knows that only royals have light blonde hair. My real parents were royalty...they abandoned me, or got killed, not sure which, and Gold Roger found me and took care of me."

"....," Lydia froze, "Bug...did you just say...you're Royal? As in you're really a prince?"

"Maybe not a prince exactly....my dad could've been a prince. I don't think he was a king. But there was a massacre....lots of the families were killed....or they might've left me because I was born with this weird nose."

"But you're royal...and I'm royal...," she smiled and hugged him once she turned to face him. "If-if you're not a prince, it's perfect. I would still love you even if you weren't royal. I'm just happy because...I know you're perfect for me," she held his face and kissed him.

He smiled against her lips and kissed her back, "you can't tell anyone though. I've left all of that behind me. I'm a pirate and that's who I am......until I become king of the pirates......and you're perfect for me, even with your tail! Your majesty," he teased.

"Or you can be the king of my world, even on land..., I think Luffy would be a good king of the pirates," she smirked.

Buggy chuckled. He took her chin and shook her face gently. He then kissed her gently.

"I love you, Buggy," Lydia smiled resting her head on his shoulder.

"I love you too, my little mermaid. How about you get to be princess of my heart," he put his arm around her and held her close.

She smiled as snuggled to him. He laid down holding her in his arms and she laid her head on his chest as she snuggled closer to him, "my prince Captain~"

"Mmm....my princess, mermaid, first mate— sheesh you have more names than I do...," he chuckled.

She then giggled, "pretty fish lady...," she then kissed his nose, "you try to sleep alright, I will be right here for you, Captain~," she caressed his cheek.

"Pretty fish lady...what?!" he looked confused and chuckled, "okay okay, I'll sleep. Just promise you won't leave me?" he pulled her close possessively, "I need you at my side always."

"I won't, I promise, Bug~," she kissed his nose. She then hum a tune of the lullaby her mother sang to her since she was a child to help him sleep.