Work Text:
Sanji had nice hands.
Not that Usopp stared at them too much-- no not at all. He admired the small things about his coworker, like his smell, the slight stubble on his chin, or the way he always manicured his hands. They were perfect and clean, something that was charming. In a way it charmed Usopp to see how delicately Sanji cared for himself, especially in the ways he thought no one else saw.
Well, he was sure no one else but himself noticed the subtle ways Sanji shifted in his seat before speaking, as if he were mulling around in his head if it was worth it to even make a sound. He noticed how Sanji would press his lips together in deep thought before blurting out an idea. And he noticed the things Sanji would look at on his phone when he thought no one else was looking. Dresses, lipstick, curlers.
They were the kinds of things Usopp began to picture his coworker in when he knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help it. He knew that the blonde would look so good all dolled up, especially if it were for him. But not in a weird way! No! Like bros. Bros who wanted to touch and caress each other when no one was around… Feeling nothing but their longing embr--
“Usopp?” The voice pulled Usopp from his thoughts, letting his eyes flit from his blank computer screen to his blue-eyed friend. Sanji always sat across from him and he always wanted so intently, almost intensely, every time he would speak.
He cleared his throat, “Yeah?”
“What’s better: red or pink?” Sanji asked with an air of casualness to his voice. But the nonchalant aura he tried to present felt forced and stifled. It felt almost too stilted to be genuine, rather something he was putting on to mask the true intentions of his words.
“Hm.” Usopp looked away to collect his thoughts. Sanji would look good in a nice deep red. Something that contrasted the blonde in his hair and the paleness of his skin, making him blossom like pure drops of snow against a dark blue sky. He would be the stars that fall during a shower and sprinkle-- no, bless , the Earth with its presence.
“I like dark red,” their eyes met, “Like, crimson, maybe? Like, if I had to pick a color for, uh, you , for example, I’d say dark red,” he paused and pressed his lips together, “...Crimson.” Usopp shrugged his shoulders and attempted a cool smile, which parted his lips awkwardly and made a nervous chuckle escape his mouth. But Sanji seemed to relax at his words, finding the answer he needed that satiated whatever itch he had.
“Thanks,” Sanji then said after a moment, looking back to his computer screen, before adding, “You’d look good in green.”
The brunette gaped for a moment and tried not to let out another laugh but, fuck, he couldn’t help it. He would look good in green. Sanji could have said green would complement his skin, or maybe his hair, but no, he would look good in green . Would he look better to Sanji if he wore more green? I mean, he always leaned towards a more muted nature palette. But adding greens wouldn’t hurt. Something more saturated.
“Thanks,” Usopp replied and went back to his own screen. They let silence fall back over themselves and continue to work or at least pretend to work. He couldn’t help but sneak glances at Sanji every chance he got, pulling himself from whatever cataloging he needed to do, and instead thrusting him into blue eyes.
Sanji’s eyes were blue. They were the kind of blue that stuck with you, that meant something. They were bright and crystalized; his eyes were the blue that formed in the cracks of stained glass and cut deep into the sides of clear. His eyes were memorable. A bright outer edge that faded into something slightly dull toward the center, although it never lost that sparkle.
His eyes were staring down at his computer screen as the blonde clicked aimlessly. Usopp couldn’t resist quick stares. Black eyes fluttered back to blue eyes just to see if they’d connect even for a moment. But every time Sanji would look up, Usopp darted his eyes back to the blank document he was supposed to be filling with mindless information he couldn’t seem to care about.
When he looked back up, he found Sanji looking at him with a small smile, his chin resting in the palm of his hand. It was delicate and soft, kind of smug. “What?” He asked, raising a curly eyebrow and letting the smile widen, “Why do you keep looking at me?” He proposed the question almost rhetorically, as if he knew the answer already.
A dark red blush burned at the apples of Usopp’s cheeks and nestled deep into the meat of his forehead. He was caught, and he was turning absolutely bright red. He attempted to play it off and blow some air out of his mouth, feigning a shrug and mumbling something incoherent. But Sanji’s stare never let up, his head tilting and strands of blonde hair falling across the bridge of his nose. If only Usopp could reach across the screens and fix it; push the loose hairs behind his ear and smile at seeing nothing but Sanji’s face.
T-Totally platonically!
“Um,” the brunette finally caved, biting on his bottom lip to try and stop the question from coming out. It was something that poked at his mind when he thought about Sanji in those feminine clothes. When he thought about how his friend would look. How he would smile in dark red lipstick and giggle when it would smudge. How he would twirl with a skirt or even a dress on as it hugged his curves and accentuated his legs, his long legs.
“Do you think it’s weird if guys dress up?” That wasn’t entirely what he meant to say, but it came out so strained and hasty he couldn’t clean it up, even though he tried, “I-I mean I don’t, I actually really like a fe-fem fem bo- feminine man! I think they’re charming! Uhm… But like, do, um, do you think,” he looked away and tapped the tips of his fingers together, “Do you think that’s weird if I like it?”
Sanji narrowed his eyes for a moment then let his face soften. He couldn’t help but smile and he couldn’t help but shake his head. The blonde leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms back, letting out a soft groan at the stretch, “Not at all, long-nose,” he leaned forward and pressed his fingertips to the top of his computer, as if he wanted to close it, “It’s not weird to like that stuff. And I don’t think it’s weird to, you know, dress up,” he shrugged, “It’s all personal preference,” then he paused and looked up to Usopp, “Why, would you dress up?”
His eyes widened. He hadn’t really thought of dressing up himself, just Sanji dressed up. With rollers in his long hair, dangly earrings, and a long necklace. The necklace would have to be cut from the finest diamonds just for him, made with care and patience. Made to fit only his neck, dripping down into the caverns of his chest.
“Ehh,” Usopp finally replied, “I don’t think it’s for me. But I wouldn’t hate it if a guy I was dating did that stuff. I think I’d like it. Like,” he inhaled and adjusted his position in his seat, “If he had nice hands like yours, I’d like it!”
“I have nice hands?” Sanji parroted, tilting his head to the other side.
Usopp felt his world crash around those few words. He didn’t mean to say that. When did he even-- I mean he did, but-- OH GOD! He felt a lump form in the back of his throat and sweat begin to bead against his forehead. Why of all people did he have to tell this person, Sanji, that he had nice hands? It wasn’t wrong. Not in the slightest. Sanji was so well groomed and manicured it was almost infuriating as it was attractive- well not attractive just, um, inviting!
“Um,” Usopp looked away, “Did I say that?”
The blonde nodded in response, “You did.” His voice was quiet and subtle, something that wanted to broach the subject with care.
The man laughed and let his eyes dart away to something far more interesting like a stack of books in the corner, “Oh well, you know, I just like my men- my friends well groomed. I mean I guess I do like my men well groomed…” He trailed off before catching his falling expression and smiling awkwardly, “But not like you! I mean, not not like you. I mean , if a guy I liked, who’s not you, was like you, then I’d like him! B-But not because he’s like you. But he is! But not like you-- An-And not you!” He pressed his lips together and stood, clasping his hands, “You know what? I think I need to use the bathroom.”
“Usopp--” Sanji began but he was cut off with a loud, “BATHROOM!” Usopp pushed his chair in quickly and turned on his heel, rushing toward the exit to go to the hallway. His hands slipped on the doorknob a few too many times, leaving him exacerbated-ly attempting to open the door, before he was finally able to open it and flee.
Sanji sat there for a few moments and stared blankly ahead, trying to process what had just happened in that moment. One second, he was having a nice conversation and the next Usopp was darting out of the room as he too often did when he stuck his foot in his mouth. Was it him? Was he doing something to make Usopp uncomfortable-- so uncomfortable he had to run away? I mean, he didn’t smell, Sanji was sure of it. And he didn’t stare too much, although it was hard not to with such a cute man sitting in front of him, who pursed his lips in concentration when cataloging.
God! He leaned back against his chair and put his head in his hands. He was probably so obvious that it was making Usopp on edge. Sanji was giving himself away and showing the deepest parts of his desire without even trying. And in turn, pushing away the object of his affection.
After a moment of wallowing, the blonde knew he needed to get up and talk to Usopp. Maybe apologize if it called for it. Apologize for staring, for yearning, for wanting to brush hands and press a soft kiss to his neck. All of it. Sanji shook his head from those aching thoughts and stood, making his way to the bathroom where he knew his coworker would be. From the door he could hear muffled voices-- well, one voice, speaking with haste. Kind of hushed whispers of annoyance he made out, before opening the door and peering inside.
Usopp stood before the sink, glaring into the mirror with intensity. His black eyes were wide and narrowed as he spoke, trying to keep quiet, “...Stupid, stupid, stupid!” He raised his voice and promptly smacked himself in the forehead with his palm, “He’s gonna think you’re creepy, idiot!” Usopp closed his eyes tight and dropped his palm, before exhaling and opening them again, “Why would you say that? Oh, you have nice hands! What could he even say to that? That’s weird, Usopp!!! Weird!!!” The brunette then let his head hang low, shaking it and murmuring something in defeat that Sanji couldn’t quite make out.
It wasn’t creepy in the slightest. In fact, to Sanji, it was endearing. It was the kind of compliment he wasn’t going to stop thinking about, stop fantasizing about, stop picturing over and over again. Usopp thought his hands were nice. What else did he think was nice about Sanji? Did he think Sanji’s calves were nice? Or his nose, his lips, his eyes, his hair-- even his freckles? What else about the blonde was nice?
Slowly Sanji crept into the bathroom, placing a hand on Usopp’s shoulder and opening his mouth to speak, all to be cut off with a loud shriek. Usopp yelped and jumped, eyes wide and hands up as if he had just been caught in a dastardly act of something downright heinous.
“I CAN EXPLAIN!” Usopp shouted. His chest rose and fell in rapid succession, his eyes blinked every few seconds, and his lips were parted in fear. All before he realized it was Sanji and he deflated. There was a mixture of relief and distress in the way his body relaxed; instead of tensing he leaned back against the countertop and exhaled. It was something soft. Something quiet.
Sanji smiled small, kind of awkward, as he began, “I didn’t think it was creepy.”
A blush formed on Usopp’s cheeks and ran down the bridge of his long nose, “Oh you heard that…”
“I would’ve said thank you,” Sanji continued. His delicate hands came together and took Usopp’s, by his fingers. Using the pads of his fingertips, Sanji traced small circles against the brunette’s knuckles before letting their fingers intertwine into something more intimate than before. “No one’s ever said my hands were nice, you know. It really means a lot to me.”
Usopp swallowed; his eyes were wide and blown out with something that was riddled with pure affection, “Really? It wasn’t creepy at all?”
“No, idiot,” he laughed quietly, “I like your stupid compliments like that. I want you to keep saying them for as long as I live,” then he paused, “...Was that weird?”
Usopp smiled and squeezed Sanji’s hand, “No… Idiot.”