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Sanji winced as he struggled against the shackles at his wrists. It had been a cheap shot, using a little girl to trick the cook, but it had worked. The blond found himself hanging by his wrists a good six feet from the ground. The current week’s enemy, because there was at least one new face in the crowd every week it seemed, was circling him, trying to decide what to do with him.
The day had been so promising. The afternoon had started out so nicely. They’d had a pleasant picnic on the beach of the bay they’d anchored Sunny. Luffy had only had to be fished out of the ocean once, and by extension so had Brook. Chopper had been preoccupied and hadn’t raced to save their captain, for once.
The plan was to head into the village around the cape for supplies then spend the night in the bay before moving on the next morning. It was a simple plan, such a good plan. But, the best laid plans… Sanji wasn’t sure why they even bothered anymore.
A band of pirate hunters had made dock while they were having their picnic, unbeknownst to the crew. When they got to the village, people were on edge and a lot of noise could be heard from a bar near the harbor. It seemed these ‘pirate hunters’ weren’t much better than pirates themselves.
The Strawhats had tried to stick with the plan, but of course, stupid marimo had to go and get himself lost. How he always shook off his babysitters was a mystery, and a downright annoying talent. Even more annoying was his penchant for ending up right in the center of trouble. He was almost worse than Luffy. This time, he’d found himself in the middle of a dispute between the pirate hunters and a small group of marines. Everything had gone down hill from there.
Sanji and Usopp had been in the market, not too far away from the harbor or the noisy pub. They’d heard the ruckus between the hunters and marines but had ignored it in favor of keeping their heads down and getting their supplies. They just needed to get out of town. Maybe, for once, before Luffy or Zoro got them drawn into a mess.
Then, they’d overheard murmurs of Zoro’s name, of a fight near the harbor with him, hunters, and marines. This led to people murmuring about Luffy, about wondering after where the rest of the crew had to be.
The two of them had decided what they had would have to do and began to make their way back toward the bay. They should have known, probably both had been thinking it in the back of their minds, that their luck always had to have it a certain way. They were found before they even got out of the market.
They guy was huge. His arms had to be as thick as Sanji’s torso, if not Zoro’s, and he had legs almost as long as Sanji was tall. One swing of his meaty fist had sent Usopp flying through the stone wall of a bakery before he’d turned his sights to Sanji.
Sanji wasn’t as easy to knock around, he found, and with effort, Sanji turned the tables. Once he’d knocked the guy down, for the moment, he and an injured Usopp made a run for it, most of their supplies amazingly intact.
They’d almost made it out of the village, almost. But, then there was this little girl, crying and blubbering about some mean old man beating up her daddy in the middle of the path. Sanji just couldn’t ignore her. A lady was a lady, no matter her age, after all. He didn’t know if the enemy had known his weakness or just hoped it’d work on anyone, but he quickly found himself caught and bound. The girl, it turned out, was the daughter of the big brute from the market.
Sanji chose to ignore the fact that he was the ‘mean old man.’
Usopp ran when the pirate hunters got the drop on them; he wasn’t much use with only one working hand. The crash through the wall had broken the right one pretty bad, from what Sanji could tell, among the other bumps and bruises it’d given the sniper. Cracked ribs, too, if the way Usopp had been moving was any indication.
Sanji hoped Usopp was able to get back to the Sunny without trouble. No one could run away better than their sniper. He was a coward, after all, and he’d hide even if he couldn’t get away. But, the farther away the better. Usopp’s cowardice had a way of being overcome with bravery, if one of the crew was really in trouble. It would be better if Usopp didn’t see what was happening to Sanji.
The chef shifted against the shackles, again, feeling the skin pull and tear more. Blood trickled under the cuffs of his sleeves and down his arms. If only he could squeeze his hands through, or someone would get close enough to his legs.
So focused on his hands, he didn’t realize what was happening until he heard a loud snapping crack and felt a sharp, bone deep sting along his ribs. The air he sucked in hissed through his clenched teeth, and for a moment the world around him blurred in a white haze.
“We’re going to have some fun with you, pretty boy.” The large brute had joined them at some point, much to his daughter’s glee, apparently. He was sporting a sadistic grin on his face, that Sanji wanted to reshape with a few hard kicks, and there was a whip in his hand. “While the others look for your friend, of course,” he continued. “You guys have a hefty set of bounties on your heads. While I don’t want to give up thirty percent, it won’t be such a loss if you die on us, especially if we can get your whole crew.”
Sanji had to laugh at that. He always did. People really had no idea what they got themselves into when they’d attack the Strawhats. These morons were no different, and the idea that they thought they could beat the crew, beat Luffy … It was nothing short of laughable, so no one could blame him for doing so.
He smiled darkly at the large moron. “Do your worst.” Nothing these petty bounty hunters did would compare to what any of them had endured before.
The whip cracked again and burning hot pain lanced across Sanji from his lower leg. The bastard wasn’t as stupid as he looked, his next several blows all cutting into Sanji’s legs. Even if Sanji somehow got free, this guy didn’t want him able to fight.
Yet again, the blond pulled at his bound wrists, an instinctive reaction to get free when he knew it was hopeless. A half moment later, the whip sliced across his fingers. Sanji froze any struggles, eyes wide in horror. Looking up at his hands, he blinked as blood dripped into his eye.
“Can’t have you thinking you can escape, can we?” The mammoth of a man questioned, tone rhetorical and snide. It almost dared Sanji to keep struggling. The bastard was getting off on this.
Again the whip snapped against his fingers, then wrapped around his hands. And he pulled back his arm for a fourth blow, but it never landed. Suddenly vines were coming out of the ground and attacking the man, his daughter, and the handful of others in close proximity.
Sanji’s eyes looked around, searching for the sniper, but Usopp had to have a good vantage point where he couldn’t see him. The sniper had been pretty banged up, but he was nothing if not clever. Still, he should have run away, like a good coward, even if Sanji was also glad he hadn’t. You had to admire how Usopp went against his fear to protect his nakama.
The next shot broke the chain holding Sanji off the ground. It hurt like hell when he landed on his legs, like someone had stabbed them with a white hot poker. He was free, though, and that was enough to make up for it. He could ignore the pain, or at least endure it, long enough to get away and regroup with the others. It was nothing he hadn’t done countless times before. Then he was going to kick some ass. He was pissed .
“Sanji!” Usopp called from above. Looking up, he could see the sniper in a tree not far away. The younger man jumped down, doing a good job of smothering the pain it caused him, and ran over to the chef. “Sanji, come on. Nami can get those cuffs off and Chopper…” He trailed off, eyes on Sanji’s hands.
It hurt when Usopp took hold of one of his hands, though the touch was exceedingly gentle. “No, we have to make sure these guys aren’t going to follow us.” Between them, they had one good hand and two good legs. They all just happened to belong to Usopp.
“But…” Usopp looked toward the vines. The hunters were starting to get the upper hand. “Okay, but let me do it.”
“Are you crazy? They’re going to pay for this !” Sanji held his bloody hands up.
“Yes, they are.” The hard edge to Usopp’s voice drew Sanji up short. He swallowed. Usopp rarely looked so serious, and the murderous intent was unsettling.
“Usopp…” The blond didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t familiar with this Usopp. This Usopp reminded him too much of an angry Luffy.
The sniper offered a smile. “Go, Sanji. You can’t fight. Get out of here.” The hell he couldn’t! He opened his mouth to inform Usopp of that, but the younger man swung him around and pushed him in the general direction of the bay. “Go!”
Sanji stumbled for a few steps, pain and fire thrumming through his legs. He turned to look back, but Usopp was turned away from him. The sniper really couldn’t plan on doing it all on his own!
“Go, Sanji! I can’t protect you if you’re here! Now go!” Usopp’s voice ordered, and in that moment, Sanji could do nothing but comply. He couldn’t be a distraction to the sniper. Sanji knew how this worked. How many times had he been the one to say those words?
Just… Usopp had never been the man left to deal with the bad guy. The role reversal left him disoriented.
The trip back to Sunny was uneventful, though a bit long. His legs burned and hurt more than imaginable, and he did his best not to even think about his hands, or what was going on behind him.
Once to the ship, Sanji collapsed on the grass. It was cool and soft against his cheek, and he felt safe there, even when he knew on some level anyone could come along and attack him. Sanji didn’t care, though. The pain was easing since he’d stopped moving, and the breeze off the sea felt really nice and soothing. He’d rest, just a little while, then try to help the others, somehow.
He must have passed out, because the next thing he knew Chopper was fussing over him and Brook was moving him to the infirmary so the small doctor could see to his injuries. The jarring hurt, and he roused enough to try to ask after the others. All he got was a smile and assurance that everyone was fine before Chopper sedated him.
The doctor said he had to so Sanji would keep as still as possible. Before he could ask why, he could stay still on his own, he wasn’t Luffy, the world grew fuzzy and distant around him, voices like a faint echo to his ears, and then Sanji was no longer aware of anything.
When he woke again, the infirmary was quiet and filled with dim light. It must have been late. The crew would be hungry, especially Luffy. The captain always needed meat after a fight. Sanji tried to sit up, to go see to his duty to his captain, to the crew, quickly realizing there was a weight low on his chest, his legs felt confined, and his hands wouldn’t move at all. Panic set in, and he struggled to move, to sit, to do anything . His rushed breath echoed in his own ears, along with his heartbeat, which thudded faster and louder by the second, and the roar of his blood as it was pumped through with each thump of his heart.
“Easy! Easy, Sanji!” The weight lifted off his stomach and a hand came to rest against his cheek. “Hey, it’s okay,” Usopp’s voice filtered through the pounding and roaring in his ears, soothing and reassuring. Gradually, he began to calm down. “That’s it.” Usopp’s face came into focus, and Sanji realized his eyes were open and seeing, that he’d been darting his gaze all over the infirmary without seeing anything.
“Usopp?” Usopp was okay. That was good. And back to normal, it looked like; not taking into consideration the bandages around the sniper’s head and throat, the ones encasing one hand and the ones wrapped around his torso. He’d seen Usopp looking like more of a mummy, in the past, more than once. Usopp was going to be alright, he was sure.
“Hey.” The sniper smiled, warm and happy. “How are you feeling?”
Sanji had to think about that for a minute. His mind was a bit fuzzy. His body felt a bit numb, disconnected from him. Chopper must have given him something really strong. “O...okay.” He answered, voice rough from a dry throat.
The hand on his cheek disappeared and a moment later a cup was pressed to his lips. Slowly, he sipped the cool water. “Wanna try that again?” Usopp asked with a smile as he took the cup away.
“What happened?” Sanji asked instead.
“We won.” Usopp smiled. “The villagers were grateful, so we’ve stayed in the bay, but the marines will come for us before long, probably, so we’ll move on soon.”
Sanji frowned. “How long?”
“A few days. Chopper wanted to keep your hands still for a while before he let you wake up.” Usopp gave him a small smile.
The chef turned his head to look at one of his hands then the other. They were both wrapped in thick bandages and felt heavy and tied down. His hands… It felt like a tight band was squeezing around his chest and he couldn’t breathe.
“It’s okay, Sanji.” Usopp slipped his own bandaged hand under one of Sanji’s before resting his good hand over the blond’s “Chopper said they should be fine, he just doesn’t want you using them right now.”
“But…” Who was feeding the crew? What did ‘should be’ mean, exactly? “How long ?”
“At least another week or so.” Usopp stroked the hand under his, but Sanji barely noticed. “You deserve a break.”
“Who…” Oh god. Someone else was using his kitchen, his tools ! “Who’s feeding you?”
“The villagers have done a lot, but Robin’s been doing a lot, too. All her hands come in handy.” He smiled crookedly at the small joke, but Sanji didn’t find it funny at all. “Nami and Brook have been helping, too.”
Sanji made an unhappy sound, closing his eyes. “Robin-chan… Nami-san...” The princesses were having to dirty their hands because of him! How could he live with himself? This wasn’t right! He couldn’t just let them do it all for ‘another week or so.’
“It’s fine, Sanji. It’s not going to kill them.” Usopp told him, voice sounding a little.. strange, frustrated, maybe, or annoyed. He opened his eyes to look at Usopp, but the sniper was standing up to get more water. “I’ll let Chopper know you’re awake once you sip some of this.” He held the cup to Sanji’s lips carefully.
Something suddenly seemed off, but Sanji was too addled and upset to truly notice. He sipped the water then watched as Usopp left without another word, only a faint smile as he slipped out the door and into the galley.
Sanji was only alone for a few moments before Luffy came crashing through the door, a ball of happy energy. “Sanji!” The captain crowed. “You’re finally awake! I’ll have Usopp bring you meat! You need to get better so you can cook again. No one cooks as well as Sanji!”
It probably should have been upsetting that it was his food Luffy seemed most worried about, but Sanji knew it for what it was. Yes, food was a major part of Luffy’s life, it was very gratifying to know Luffy liked his best, but what Luff was really saying was Sanji was going to be fine, there’d never been any doubt. Once Luffy made up his mind about something, the very universe seemed to do it’s best to bend to the captain’s will.
“Luffy, not so loud.” Chopper admonished as he came in. “Sanji still needs rest.” The small doctor came over to the bed, taking his human form to better be able to look Sanji over.
“I’m going to get meat!” Luffy rushed out before anyone could say a word. The captain couldn’t get to the meat, so neither worried too much about the declaration. They were all used to Luffy’s insistence of meat being a cure all.
Chopper shook his head at their captain. “How are you feeling?” He asked Sanji, ignoring the sounds of Luffy arguing with someone about Sanji needing meat.
“A little dazed but alright.” Sanji watched the doctor prod lightly at his bandages on his legs, wincing only a little. For the most part, it didn’t hurt, just every few light pokes would find a sore spot. “How long will I have to stay in bed?”
“I’d like for you to try for ten days, other than short trips to the toilet.” Chopper moved his attention to Sanji’s ribs, which hurt even less than his legs.
Ten days? Sanji would go mad if he had to lie there for ten whole days. “Chopper, I can’t lay around for that long. Who’s going to do the cooking? Robin-chan and Nami-san shouldn’t have to wait on all of you!”
Chopper sighed and stood up straighter, looking down at Sanji. It made the chef feel very small. “I’m sure we’ll manage. Usopp offered to take over the kitchen, when he came to fetch me. He’s asked Robin to bring you soup while he makes sure our supplies are good.” The doctor examined Sanji’s hands next, taking his time and being extra gentle.
Sanji watched him like a hawk. These were his hands , after all. If they didn’t heal right, if he couldn’t use them the same… He’d manage, he knew he would, but they were his greatest tools. The thought of anything happening to them, scared the hell out of him.
Once he was finished with Sanji’s hands, Chopper returned to his hybrid form and moved to sit on the seat by his desk. “I figure something light on your stomach today will be good. Tomorrow we can try to return you to regular meals.”
Sanji gave a small nod. He didn’t much care what they fed him. He was more worried about what was going to be fed to them. “Okay.” There wasn’t much he could do about any of what was going on, though. “Everyone else is okay? Nami-san and Robin-chan?”
Chopper stared at him a moment. It made him feel a little uneasy. “Only you and Usopp were hurt. You worse than him.” He looked at Sanji’s hands. “But you’ll both be okay, now. I was worried for a while.”
That was a little disconcerting. Sanji wasn’t sure how to take it, but he supposed all that mattered was now. “When will I be able to use my hands?”
“Two weeks, you can start doing small things. I’ll have you do some light exercises in the meantime, starting in a couple days. Your legs, like I said, should be good in ten days. The movement to the toilet will help keep them strong, and there are some exercises I can help you with. The cut on your ribs looks good. It shouldn’t take too long for it to finish healing. Right now, you just need to rest and let us take care of you.”
A knock preceded Robin coming in with a tray of soup, forestalling anything else Chopper might say. She smiled as the small doctor hopped down so she could move the seat to Sanji’s side and sit down. It was then the cook realized she was going to have to feed him. It was a dream come true, and he could feel his face warm and his heart beat faster. But, it was also a bit embarrassing to have to be fed.
“How are you feeling, cook-san?” She asked as she smiled down at him, the small smile she reserved mostly for the crew.
Sanji beamed back at her. “Better now that I’ve seen your beautiful face, Robin-chan,” he answered, only half aware that Chopper was returning to the galley. He felt warm inside as she began to feed him. It was nice to be fussed over.
“I’m glad you’re awake. We were all quite worried.”
Sanji thrilled that she would worry about him. “It warms me to know you worried about me, Robin-chan,” he told her happily. Being reminded he was cared for, especially by a sweet and beautiful woman like Robin, was always nice.
She smiled her small smile and continued to slowly feed him, beginning to tell him about what all had happened the day they’d gone into town, starting with just after the picnic. He was so focused on her, listening to her soothing voice and hanging on her every word, that he didn’t notice Usopp was in the room until his arm was in view, hand setting a steaming cup on the tray beside the soup bowl.
“Thank you, Usopp.” Robin looked up at the sniper with a smile. “Chopper left the herbal tea on is desk.”
The sniper gave a small nod and got the mix to stir some in the hot water. He then moved over to the door to the galley. Sanji spared him a glance then quickly turned his attention to the tea Robin was stirring with an extra hand, curious what was in it and how it’d taste. The smell was minty and warm, and just a little floral.
Robin let the tea steep for a few minutes, going back to feeding him. She took her time, telling him about what all had happened the day of the picnic and since them. Eventually, though, the soup and tea were gone, and she stood with the tray in her hands.
“Thank you for the soup, Robin-chan, and the tea, but most of all your precious company.” Sanji smiled up at her.
“All I did was give it to you. Usopp prepared it all.” She gave him a small smile.
Sanji gave a small nod, still smiling at her. She’d gone out of her way, taken the time to sit and feed him and keep him company. He couldn’t help but be grateful.
“He worked hard on this soup the last couple days, when he wasn’t sitting with you,” she added as she turned to leave.
Sanji frowned. Why would Usopp have gone to so much trouble. A simple broth would have been sufficient for a single light meal or two, not that he wouldn’t have gone to an extra mile if he were the one cooking, but he’d be cooking anyhow. It’d be simple for him. “I… see.” He wasn’t sure what to say.
Robin glanced back with a small, secretive sort of smile. The one she often wore when she knew something the other person didn’t. “I’m not sure that you do.” She slipped out of the infirmary and into the galley, leaving the chef to ponder over what that meant, too.
Stomach full and mind and body soothed by the tea, Sanji began to doze, putting the whole conversation out of his mind.
He didn’t see Usopp for four whole days afterward. He noticed, because Usopp was the only one he didn’t see. Even Zoro came in to sit with him for a while, though Sanji was convinced it was more to irritate him than anything else. No one was as good at that as the baka marimo.
Chopper assured him that Usopp did come in, Sanji just happened to always be asleep when the sniper found the time. True to his word, Usopp was keeping the kitchen running smoothly. He kept the crew fed, the galley clean, and the supplies guarded. He also found the time to work on his own inventions and ammunition as well as help Franky with anything the cyborg might need.
According to the doctor, Usopp would come in around two and sit with Sanji for two or three hours before going off to sleep for about the same. Sanji hated it.
He wanted to see his friend, to talk with him, but most of all… He was doing this to Usopp. The sniper was taking on the cook’s responsibilities as well as his own, and from what Luffy had implied, he wasn’t letting anyone help. He kicked people out of the kitchen, and had started going so far as to make sure Nami and Robin had special snacks during the day, like Sanji always did.
That wasn’t who Usopp was. Sanji doted on the girls because he’d had it knocked into him that you treated women with respect, that they were precious creatures that men were lucky to be allowed to exist with. Women gave you life, women raised you, fed you, clothed you, taught you, nursed you… Far too many men took advantage of them, looked down on them, mistreated them, or worse, beat them. They could even be quite cruel to one another. If Sanji could brighten the day of a woman, then he’d die a happy man.
It wasn’t that Usopp didn’t like women, that he didn’t respect them, he just… Sanji knew that no one really took it as far as he did, that he might be a bit over the top with it, but women were beautiful creatures, soft and hard, weaker yet far stronger than any man. The cook just couldn’t help how he was around them. It was so ingrained into him, he probably never would be able.
He didn’t want Usopp to change who he was. And the girls would be alright without him for a while. As long as they had regular meals, it’d be okay, especially if it meant that Usopp might have a little extra time to rest, or come see Sanji when the cook was awake.
After four days, he was determined to stay awake until the sniper came to visit. And after four days he could kill for a cigarette. Chopper wasn’t letting him smoke in the infirmary. He was sorely tempted to make a small break for it, step into the galley and have a smoke as well as see Usopp at the same time, but sure as shit he moved from the bed and he’d be set on by not only Chopper but Luffy as well, and likely some of the others, all ready to give him disappointed looks and or order him back to bed.
“Keep frowning like that and your lips will be as curly as your eyebrows,” Zoro’s voice startled him. His eyes moved over to the door leading out to the deck, narrowing into a scowl as the landed on the swordsman. The other man closed the door then took a seat on the floor beside it, his swords resting on his shoulder as was typical and his eye sliding closed.
Sanji stared at him for a moment. It looked like Zoro was settling in for a nap, in the infirmary, with Sanji. “What the hell do you want, shitty marimo?”
Zoro didn’t answer for a moment, and Sanji was about to throw something at his head when the swordsman’s eye slowly opened, staring back at the cook. For a moment, it was like Zoro could see clean through him, see all his thoughts and secrets. “Nami says we’re going to be to an island soon. Figure I’ll be staying back with the ship, more than likely, and this is as good a place to rest as any. If I’m the only one here, you can let me know if you need something better if I’m in the room.” The eye closed again, Zoro leaning his head over against his swords.
The cook blinked. That was… Zoro was never that thoughtful, certainly not to him. “Maybe I don’t want you in here, being a pest.”
“You’re bored and lonely, just admit it. Luffy will want the ship, and you, watched over, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
The blond knew there was no arguing with Zoro. If it was for Luffy, the swordsman would not be swayed. The staunch loyalty they all had for their captain was undeniable, but Zoro seemed to always take it one step further than the rest of them. Sanji found that very admirable.
“Fine. Do whatever you want.” Sanji closed his eyes, not wanting to look at the annoying swordsman. It just made him want a cigarette all the more. Once the others were off the ship, he’d try to get the baka to help him outside so he could have one.
Falling asleep, like Luffy and Zoro, was starting to get annoying. Sanji had no idea how long he’d dozed off, but when he woke up, Zoro was no longer where he’d been and the door to the galley was open. Sanji could hear someone moving around in there, so he assumed it was the other man. Pushing himself upright, wincing as it made his hands hurt, the blond swung his legs off the bed. “Oi, marimo, come help me up,” he called into the kitchen.
Footsteps came toward the door, but it wasn’t Zoro that came into the room. Usopp looked at him while awkwardly drying his hand on a towel. His single hand. Fuck, Sanji had forgotten Usopp had a broken hand. Bandages were still wrapped around his neck, and while the ones wrapped around his head were gone, there was a still a small one stuck just below his hairline on his forehead. “Zoro went with Luffy to hunt down some meat,” he told Sanji. “You need the toilet?”
Now that it was mentioned, he realized he did. Giving a small nod, he watched the younger man. “If you can help me. I’d like a cigarette, too, if you don’t mind standing out on the deck with me.”
Usopp smiled and moved forward, putting his good side against Sanji and helping him off the small bed. “I don’t mind. I was just making room for whatever meat they bring back.”
Sanji leaned into him as they made their way to the closest toilet. Once that was seen to, Usopp guided Sanji out onto the deck and to one of the lawn chairs, easing the cook onto it. He’d not considered resting out there, but now that he had the sun on his skin and a breeze in his face, he wished he’d thought to ask someone to let him sooner. “Thanks.”
“Sun and air will do you good. Let me go get you something to drink. I’ll be right back.” Before he could protest, Usopp had turned and started walking away. It wasn’t like the long nosed man wouldn’t be right back, so Sanji got comfortable and waited, closing his eyes as he relaxed in the sun.
In little time, Usopp was back, holding a cup with a straw out toward Sanji so the blond could drink his fill before the cup was set aside. The cook watched him as he drank, and once the straw was out of his mouth, he licked his lips. “I wanted to apologize, for you having to do my work for me. It can’t be easy, with just one hand. I should be able to help out, at least a little, in a week or so.”
“It’s alright. I don’t mind doing it and I figured it’d make you most comfortable if it was me.” Usopp gave a shrug.
Sanji frowned a little. “Why?”
“Luffy can’t cook. He thinks raw meat on a plate is cooking. Zoro doesn’t care to cook, and he’d probably not be that good at it if he tried. Franky’s too big to even try to move around the kitchen, not to mention he’d probably just barbecue everything. Brook is almost as hopeless as Luffy, except at making tea, and Chopper doesn’t know a thing about cooking either.” The younger man held the cup out again, letting Sanji take another drink. “And I know you hate the girls doing anything like that. So, that left me.”
Usopp had worked it all out, and it all made sense, but it also wasn’t fair. “You could get them to help you. I… I don’t like the idea of Robin-chan or Nami-san dirtying their hands for me, but you’re barely sleeping. I know Chopper’s worried, so am I.” Sanji watched his friend then looked down at his bandaged hands. “I’ve… I’ve missed seeing you the last few days. Luffy told me how you didn’t really leave the infirmary while I was sedated those first few days. He looked a little puzzled why you stopped, and I was kinda wondering, too.”
“I should have saved you sooner. I never should have run away and left you there. If I hadn’t… If I had been able to get you out of there before…” Sanji looked up when he cut off, seeing the Usopp staring down at the cook’s hands. “You’ve always said what they mean to you, why you don’t use them to fight. I couldn’t stand the idea that you might lose any part of them, that they might be damaged too bad for Chopper to fix…”
He wasn’t sure what that had to do with suddenly avoiding him. “I don’t… It wasn’t your fault, Usopp. I’m grateful you came when you did. I owe you for that.” He offered the sniper a smile.
The younger man shook his head and looked out to sea. “I had the time, then, to sit with you, and Chopper was still after me to rest, too. I know he’s irritated with me now.”
Sanji gave a nod. “Yeah, he’s mentioned it.” The cook took in the bandages on the sniper’s throat and forehead. “No one ever told me what happened with you and that mammoth of a man. I’ve heard everything else but that.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Usopp offered the straw to Sanji again.
After another drink, the blond stared up at him. How could Usopp think what he endured didn’t matter? “It matters to me.” Sanji was sure it mattered to all of them.
“I made him pay for what he did to you. His kid cut me up in retaliation. If Chopper hadn’t been right there…” He shrugged again, seeming to brush off what his words implied, as if it didn’t matter.
Sanji sat up, reaching out for him even though he couldn’t take hold of anything. “Wait. You mean… Why didn’t anyone tell me?!” How could they keep that from him? How could they let Usopp run himself into the ground after something like that?!
“I didn’t want them to. I got a transfusion from Robin. Figured it’d be best if you didn’t know about that, too. I’m not really worthy of her blood, right? Besides, I probably deserved it for killing the kid’s dad.”
“Of course Robin-chan… Wait. What?” He stared at his friend like he’d never seen him before. Sanji was pretty sure he hadn’t. The Usopp he knew wouldn’t just kill someone. Sanji wasn’t sure what to think. He felt like he might be sick.
Usopp looked pained and he turned away from the cook. “Only Zoro and Luffy know. I shouldn’t have told you, but… He hurt one of the crew, he hurt you , Sanji. Hurt you in the worst possible way. I… guess I lost my head a little. Thought Luffy was going to kick me off the ship, but he just accepted it, no questions asked.”
It wasn’t like death hadn’t happened around them before, that they’d never caused a death. They were pirates, and some people you couldn’t save, some people needed to die. But that was what Luffy and Zoro and he were for. It wasn’t supposed to fall to the others. He knew that Brook had probably killed men, there was little chance he couldn’t have, and he doubted it bothered the skeleton too much, when it couldn’t be helped. There was an edge to Brook that rarely saw the light of day, but it was there. Franky had probably killed men, too, and Robin certainly had killed people, but Chopper, Nami and Usopp… They were supposed to be spared that, even though Sanji knew that was stupid and impossible.
It was a stupid ideal for him to cling to. Usopp was their sniper, and he’d probably already caused deaths of marines and others on their journey many times, but that was different. This… Usopp had done this with purpose. Remembering the look in his friend’s eyes, Sanji knew that there had never been any intention but to kill the man.
Usopp had killed a man, killed him for Sanji, in revenge for what had been done to Sanji.
Usopp had spent three days in the infirmary watching over a sleeping Sanji, he’d spent two days keeping an eye on soup for Sanji, he was going out of his way to do far more than his fair share of responsibility on the ship, for Sanji.
Little things flashed before Sanji’s mind. Looks Usopp had given him, sometimes sad little glances that were forced away with glares or smiles when he noticed the blond looking his way, times the sniper had disappeared when Sanji had been swooning over the girls, or girls in general, the way Usopp would smack him sometimes when he went a bit overboard with it, the way Usopp was always there at his back, no matter what kind of mess they found himself in.
God, he was blind. So very fucking blind.
“Usopp…” He didn’t know what to say to the other man. This was so much to take in, to think about. He had no idea where to even start with it.
The sniper stayed turned away for a moment more then turned around with a smile. “Let’s get you back to bed. You need to rest, and we can’t have you getting sunburned by falling asleep out here. You’re too pale to risk too long.”
Sanji let himself be helped up and then to the infirmary. He felt like he was walking in a daze, mind full of dense fog and unable to really process all the information he was seeing in a new light.
Usopp was quiet as he helped settle Sanji in. But as much as he tried to act like everything was alright, Sanji knew better. He could read the anxiousness on his friend, the fear .
The chef wished he could reassure the younger man. He didn’t know how. The cook wasn’t sure what to tell himself let alone Usopp. He wished he’d seen sooner, how his friend felt. He also wished he’d never seen at all.
Before he could come even close to any kind of course of action, any sort of words to speak, Usopp had disappeared. Sanji hated the slight telling slump to the sniper’s posture, but at least he’d be alone to think.
Another impromptu nap later, he found himself under the gaze of his captain. Luffy’s stare could be a little intimidating, especially when it looked so serious. Luffy took so few things seriously, always seeing the world so simply. Sanji almost squirmed under the rubber man’s gaze. “Luffy?”
Sitting by the bed, Luffy had his arms crossed as well as his legs crossed under him. “Something is wrong.” The captain might be simple and often care free, but he was one of the most perceptive people Sanji had ever met. Luffy’s instincts were eerie.
Usopp would have never said anything, least of all to Luffy. None of them liked to put any extra problems on their captain, least of all personal ones that they should deal with themselves. Sanji was sure this wasn’t about something else, though. Luffy had a knack for always cutting to the heart of whatever was troubling someone, always being there to listen, even if he didn’t understand.
Sanji didn’t want to burden his friend. “Wrong?” He tried to feign confusion. It was easy enough to do, as he was more than a little confused about so much, just not what Luffy’s observation was in relation to.
The captain leaned back a little, eyeing the blond. “Un,” he sounded, not elaborating. It was an order as much as an answer.
The chef sighed. “I don’t know,” he told the captain, voice soft, lost. “Ever since the last island, since this ,” he held his hands up for emphasis, “things have been… I don’t know what they’ve been.”
Luffy continued to stare for a few more seconds, making Sanji fidget just a little. “Yes, you do,” the captain concluded, like it was the most simple thing in the world.
Sanji blinked at him. He sounded so confident, so sure. It was certainly news to Sanji. “No, I don’t,” he insisted. He would know if he knew.
“You do.” Luffy had a stubborn set to his jaw. Sanji knew there was going to be no arguing with him about it. Thankfully, Luffy continued before Sanji even tried. “Seem confused and lonely. All of us sit with you, but even when we do, we’re not who you want. Not really, and he only sits in here when you’re asleep.”
The captain’s stare was steady; it was like he could see deep into places Sanji couldn’t even see in himself, places Sanji didn’t know he had. “Usopp cares a lot for Sanji, everyone sees it, even Usopp. Seeing hurts Usopp. Sanji cares a lot for Usopp, too, but Sanji doesn’t see. Sanji’s blind. Not seeing hurts Usopp.”
The blonde thought about that. Of course he cared about Usopp. They all cared about one another, but did he care for Usopp the way he knew Usopp cared for him? How could he not know if he did?
Luffy unfolded his legs, letting his feet rest on the floor. “Figure it out. I won’t let this tear the crew apart. I won’t lose nakama again, not like Water 7.”
The captain stood, letting his arms drop to his sides. Sanji barely noticed. His mind focused on the mention of Water 7, of losing Usopp even if only for a little while. They’d almost lost him completely, had the sniper not made a desperate plea for forgiveness on the shore that day.
Sanji couldn’t imagine if they had. What if Usopp did want to leave? What if…
Sanji shook his head. He wasn’t going to let that happen. “I’ll talk to him. I won’t let him leave. I won’t leave.”
Luffy eyed him again, with far too serious of an expression. “Good.” The captain put his hat back on before leaving out to the deck.
Sighing a bit in relief of not having his captain gazing at him with those knowing eyes, Sanji closed his own. What the hell was he going to do?
The answer didn’t come to him the rest of the day. Three days later, he still wasn’t sure, but he was finally not sleeping at the drop of a hat. He stayed up late, feigning sleep through the early night, waiting. He was going to try to take a page from Luffy’s book and just go with whatever impulse he had. Whatever consequences came, he’d face them once he had to.
Like he’d expected, Usopp came into the infirmary. It was a little after two when he heard the door quietly open. Most likely Zoro was the only other person awake on the ship, and Chopper had said that it was usually around two that Usopp came in at night. Sanji waited for the younger man to sit, for him to be there for a few minutes before letting him know he was awake.
He didn’t expect the soft brush of fingers across his forehead, his hair swept gently back. It gave him the perfect opening, though. “Usopp?” He slid his eyes open, looking at the younger man.
The sniper snatched his hand back like he’d been burned. “I, uh… I was… I just…”
Sanji reached for him, but aborted the motion when he remembered it’d do him no good. “It’s alright, Usopp. I don’t mind.” He offered a smile to the long nosed teen.
Usopp looked down, face flushed. “I should let you rest.” He moved as if he were about to stand up.
“No, please, I never get to see you. Today’s the first time in days, and only the second time in a week, really. I miss you.” Sanji wished he could touch him, but the most he could do was looking at him with an expression he hoped helped Usopp understand he didn’t want the younger man to leave. He had a feeling it wasn’t working. The sniper was doing anything but looking at Sanji’s face.
“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, after the last time.” His voice was soft, tired… defeated.
“I’ve been thinking about that, and I… Usopp, I’m not uncomfortable. I’d like… I’d like to spend time with you, just you and me. You know, talk and hang out. I think… I think maybe I’ve been blind to more than how you feel. I’ve been blind to myself, too, and I want to make that right. I want try to… to have something more, if you’re willing. It won’t be easy, and I know I’ll screw it up, and I think you could do better than me, but if this is what you want, if I’m what you want, then… then let’s try.”
The other pirate was watching him intently, and he was quiet for a moment after Sanji stopped talking. Then, a rather sudden bubble of laughter exploded from the sniper. Sanji couldn’t say it was expected, or appreciated. He scowled, but before he could say anything Usopp was waving his hand. “Sorry, sorry, it’s just… I’ve never heard you ramble before.” He gave a small smile. “It’s cute.” Pink dusted across Usopp’s dark skin.
Sanji felt his own face heat up at that, and he looked down, feeling a little shy. “Oh.”
Usopp was quiet for a minute or so, and Sanji didn’t dare look up at his friend. Finally, a hand rested over his bandaged one. “I want to try. I know it’ll be hard, that there are things you do that are so ingrained in you, you won’t be able to stop. I’ll try not to let them bother me, as long as… as long as I come first, okay?” His skin was really flushed, but he kept his gaze on Sanji’s, forcing himself to brave in the moment.
“Okay.” He gave a nod, licking his lips. A decision had been made, but what happened now? Sanji wasn’t familiar with what to do once you seriously had someone attention.
“Can I… I mean I’d like to…” Usopp shifted forward on the stool and leaned in, putting his good hand on Sanji’s cheek. “Can I?” He asked softly.
Words failed the blond. He gave a small nod, eyes riveted to the sniper’s lips as the younger man leaned closer. The kiss was light, and Usopp’s lips were a little chapped, but it was nice, sweet even. Sanji found he wouldn’t mind of Usopp did it again.
“I should let you rest,” the younger man said, pulling away and standing up. He smiled at the sound of disappointment Sanji made. “I’ll come in first thing, before I make breakfast, okay?”
Sanji pouted but gave a small nod. “Okay. You need rest more than I do, anyway.” He knew the schedule that Usopp was keeping had to be catching up to the sniper, especially since he was still healing himself.
Usopp leaned down and gave another feather-like kiss before pulling away and leaving Sanji alone.
The chef hadn’t expected things to happen so fast, to suddenly find himself romantically involved with the younger man, but what was done was done. He couldn’t say he regretted it, even if he was scared to death it was going to go horribly wrong, not just for them but for the crew. But… He couldn’t say he’d go back and do things different, either.