The halls of Cross Guild’s headquarters were unusually quiet this late into the evening, save for the distant sound of footsteps echoing against wood and stone. Most people had long since learned not to linger around the lower levels once Sir Crocodile was making his rounds. The atmosphere alone tended to clear rooms before he even arrived.

Your own quarters, however, were far from quiet.

A soft growling chirp echoed from the corner of the room followed by the muffled thunk of something rolling across the floor. The tiny Bananawani sprawled halfway out of its makeshift nest of blankets and pillows, large jaws clamped carefully around one of the cat toys you’d found for it earlier. Its thick little tail smacked lazily against the floor while the strange banana-shaped growth atop its head bobbed with every movement.

Honestly, it was kind of adorable. In a horrifying future sea-monster sort of way.

You’d found the thing by complete accident not long ago—small, soaked, and angry enough to bite through wood despite still being young. Bringing it back had seemed like a good idea at the time. Crocodile had raised Bananawani before back in Arabasta, used them as guards even. Surely he wouldn’t care if one stayed in your quarters temporarily. It was harmless... enough..

…Probably.

The little creature suddenly perked up before you heard it too.

Thunk.

Thunk.

Thunk.

A heavy knock suddenly echoed against your door before it creaked open without waiting for permission. The familiar scent of cigar smoke drifted into the room first, followed shortly by the tall silhouette filling the doorway.

Sir Crocodile stood there with his fur-lined coat hanging from his shoulders, golden hook glinting faintly beneath the light. His heavy-lidded eyes swept slowly across the room before landing on you with immediate irritation.

"You've been hiding in here for days," he said flatly, voice rough from smoke and disinterest alike. "People are starting to think you died."

The door clicked shut behind him as he stepped further inside, still speaking before his gaze shifted downward.

Silence.

The tiny Bananawani froze mid-chew.

Crocodile stared at it.

The Bananawani stared back with the cat toy still hanging from its mouth.

A long, painfully quiet pause stretched through the room before Crocodile slowly exhaled a stream of smoke through his nose.

"..."

"You brought a damn Bananawani into the base." His tone remained calm, but there was an unmistakable edge beneath it now as his eyes narrowed slightly.

The baby creature gave an excited little rumbling noise instead, immediately abandoning the toy before awkwardly waddling toward him.

And, somehow, that seemed to make the situation worse.