Chapter Text
Although he had met everyone back in his hometown under the waves, Jinbei felt that it would still be a while before he got used to the dynamic of his new crew. The other adults were easy enough to get along with despite their eccentricities. That led him to try and reach out to the youth in the group. At least most of them; Sanji still refused to get much closer to him.
Usopp on the other hand seemed to adore him once they started talking. Jinbei had many stories to tell and Usopp loved to hear them. He decided on sharing his experiences first meeting Luffy in Impel Down and the war. A good idea since Luffy didn’t bother to say much about the incident himself.
“So that’s how it went down huh? I never wanted to pry about anything that happened when we were separated so I hadn’t asked Luffy. Thanks for taking care of him in my stead, Boss.”
Jinbei matched Usopp’s melancholy smile with his own. “I can see why you would be especially worried. What with you being second in command I understand why you’d take it to be your responsibility”
Usopp stopped smiling and his eyes widened. Jinbei hadn’t thought that anything he said stepped over any boundaries.
“U-um,” Usopp’s voice cracked a little, “I’m nowhere nearing s-second in command here. We don’t really have one of those…?”
That didn’t make any sense. Jinbei had heard how Luffy talked about Usopp. His captain’s respect seemed to know no bounds for this man in particular. Well, “respect” in the Luffy term of the word. Still, it was different from the rest of his crew. Perhaps he was only imagining it?
“My apologies Usopp-kun, I only assumed by the way Luffy-kun trusts you.”
Usopp looked bashfully at the Adam wood beneath him. “He trusts me… yeah but he trusts everyone here. How do you see it, Jinbei?”
Even after reflecting on his own time as a captain, Jinbei couldn’t pinpoint exactly why he got this inkling. Luffy is a different breed of captain than Jinbei was. Though both of them saw their crews as a family, and a family ought to be equal. It’s true that Luffy had given his everything to each member of his crew, even Jinbei himself.
However, when he saw him with Usopp, there was the slightest hint of something else. Something that tied the two together so close they might fuse into one. Something he felt he may be too old for.
“I can’t say Usopp-kun. All I know for sure is that you’re a special member of this crew. Maybe you should ask Luffy-kun himself.”
“Serious conversations don’t seem to ever go over well between us. I still get shaky when I have to confront him about something.”
The tone in Usopp’s voice told of a history Jinbei could only hope to understand. He wonders if it would clear his misunderstanding if he knew.
Usopp shakes his head, “No I can’t think like that. Running away from him always leads me into a corner.”
He looks up to Jinbei again, feigning confidence.
“Thanks Boss. I’m gonna go find Luffy. Oh and next time tell me more about yourself! It was fun!”
Jinbei can only wave him off as Usopp runs to the other side of the deck and trips over his feet. Laughing softly at the blunder, Jinbei thinks that Luffy has picked a fine young man to trust so completely.