Chapter Text
The day is more than half over, and they are still not done shopping. Usopp’s arms droop from the weight of everything he’s carrying.
“How many more stops?” he asks.
Sanji looks at him and rolls his eyes. “Just two, and one is for you.”
“Okay good.” Usopp adjusts the many bags on his arms as much as he can without putting down the crate between them. “These bags are staring to make my arms go numb.” He tries to evenly distribute the handles across his forearms, but they keep sliding to his elbows.
Sanji sighs and squints at the sky pace not even slowing. “We have a while before I have to make dinner, we can take a break after the next store.”
“Why can’t we take a break now, then go to the last two stores?” Usopp asks, trying not to whine. Usopp got chosen to shop with Sanji for supplies today and they’ve been out, since breakfast. Sanji had made lunch and put it in the fridge for Nami or Robin to get out before they left. Lunch that they have since missed.
“I want to get all my shopping done so I don’t forget anything,” Sanji answers. He doesn’t seem affected by the bags along his arms which just frustrates Usopp. The two layers of fabric must help.
“Okay what do we need? I’ll remember it. I have the best memory on the crew after all,”
Sanji turns his head to glare at him. “Wanna run that by me again?” he asks, voice low.
Usopp quickly adds, “You know! Other than Robin and Nami I mean!” He’s pretty sure Sanji wouldn’t kick him while he’s holding so much food, but he can never be sure.
“That’s what I thought.” Sanji faces forward again but continues. “We just need to go to the butcher shop.”
“What? No!” Usopp yells. “There’s no way we can carry all that! Maybe we should take this back to the ship first?”
Sanji shakes his head. “We can carry it. We’re only getting things we can’t hunt for. Beef and pork. I’m going to send the mosshead to hunt some bigger things when we get back.” Sanji grins, but Usopp can only see the side of it. “Besides, I thought you were super strong now.”
Ignoring that last comment Usopp grumbles to himself, thinking of another excuse. “Oh! We should still take a break now, because the meat needs to stay cold and if we take a break after that’s just longer it will be away from the freezer.” He nods along with his immaculate reasoning.
“We already have milk, and ten extra minutes is not going to spoil the meat. We would still have to go to your weapons store after.”
Usopp groans out loud this time. “Come on Sanji, what’s the point of taking a break only right before the last stop? We’re basically done by then.”
Sanji smiles at him a little too kindly, “You’re right Longnose, we should just skip the break altogether, since we’ll practically be done by then.”
He gives up on not whining. “Nooo! Sanji please, it’ll be short only like ten minutes.” He gives his biggest, wettest puppy dog eyes. Which surprisingly have worked on the other man a few times before.
He looks back unimpressed, visible eyebrow raised. Their eyes meet and Usopp does not let up until Sanji sighs.
“Okay fine.” He gives in.
“Yes!” Usopp sets down the crate and begins slipping bags off his arms.
“Not here! You’re in the way!” Sanji yells.
Usopp pouts, looking around. They are on what could be considered a main street. Filled with shops, but it’s not crowded by any means. No one paying half attention would run into them. “Not really.” but he knows it’s a losing battle before it’s even started so he gathers up the bags once again.
“If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t take a break.”
Usopp’s pout turns into a glare as he finishes gathering the things. Sanji leads the way onto a side road. One out of the way, with even fewer people. He sets what he’s carrying down and leans against a building. Usopp drops his things carefully, he doesn’t need Sanji on his ass about bruising a fruit or something, and sits on the ground, leaning against his crate.
Sanji already has a cigarette in his mouth by the time Usopp looks back at him.
“You know, you could sit instead of standing, this is meant to be a break. We’ve been shopping for hours,” he says.
Sanji raises his eyebrow at him. “And get my suit dirty? Absolutely not,” he says.
“I meant you could sit on the crate.”
He looks at the offered seat and blows out smoke. “I’ll pass.”
Usopp shrugs. If he wants to be a priss that’s his problem. He leans his head back and closes his eyes. Might as well enjoy the break, it’ll probably won’t be ten minutes but actually only as long as it takes for Sanji to finish his cigarette. He flexes his hands in and out, trying to get the blood flowing and the slight tingling on the sides to stop. He wasn’t lying when he said they were starting to go numb.
Once full feeling has returned to his hands, he lays them across his stomach and lets the sun warm his arms. Today is so nice and when they get back to the ship and have everything put away Usopp plans to take a nap in the sun. He shouldn’t be sent out for anything else, and the good spot will even be free since Sanji plans to send out Zoro.
A tingle crawls up Usopp’s neck and his head jolts forward and out of his thoughts. He spins, looking around. He feels like he’s being watched. Sanji isn’t paying him any attention though and the street has emptied. He looks around carefully. Eyes scanning the street.
It’s plain. A few store fronts on the side they’re on but mostly houses on the other. They’re on a corner so he can see down all four ways. Even back to the slightly busier business street they came from. He focuses that way, but no one who passes by looks at them, or looks malicious in any way. The town hasn’t made him feel weird at all today. He spins back to the street in front of them, taking a closer look at the houses. There isn’t anyone in any windows. Most have their curtains drawn.
The feeling of being watched persists, the tiny baby hairs on the back of his neck standing up, but he doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Not that he technically knows what ordinary is for this island. But it’s been very average so far.
Something lightly kicks his leg, and he startles bad enough to jump. Snapping his attention to Sanji who’s giving him a confused look.
“What’s got you so on edge?” Sanji asks. Usopp glances around and once again sees nothing.
He rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Sorry, just felt weird.” He reasons it must just be his anxiety. It’s not like he hasn’t had false alarms before.
“Okay well,” Sanji drops his cigarette butt and grinds it into the dirt, “breaks over, lets go.” He bends to grab his things and walks back the way they came, not waiting for the other.
Usopp jumps up and hurries to grab his things. Jogging to catch up with Sanji. He pushes the feeling of being watched out of his head. There are plenty of people here who could be looking at them after all. That fact even makes him feel more secure in a way.
They walk up and down the street without seeing a butcher shop and Usopp’s arms are too tired for him to care about anything else.
Sanji asks a young woman where they might find the butcher.
“It’s just on the next street, down that way a few blocks,” she says.
“Thank you much! How kind of you to help us. Is there anything I can do for you my lovely?” Sanji asks, full heart eyes. Usopp’s sure if his arms weren’t full, he’d already be trying to kiss her hands.
She gives them an awkward but friendly smile. “It’s no problem really.” she says.
“And it would be no problem for me to help you with anything!” Sanji says. He doesn’t move or stop looking at her and her smile gets thinner. Probably a little weirded out by the cook’s insistence.
“Okay we’ll be going now, thank you again.” Usopp says, shoving Sanji in the direction she pointed. He pouts but complies. Once they’re out of earshot Usopp continues. “Seriously dude? Every time.”
Sanji huffs. “It’s not my fault you don’t appreciate women the way I do.” Usopp snorts and the chef’s head snaps to him. “What?”
Usopp chuckles and Sanji’s glare intensifies. “What?”
“Nothing! I just don’t think anyone appreciates women the way you do.” Sanji’s glare does not let up for a moment. He huffs and faces forward once again.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Usopp doesn’t try to argue with him.
The walk to the butcher shop is short. And it’s obvious what it is from the outside. It smells like cooked meat, and there are taxidermied deer and antelope heads on the outside. Looks like they do much more than cattle and pigs.
“It’s a good thing Chopper didn’t go with you,” Usopp says as they walk up to the store.
Sanji sets his things down and replies, “Yes, this would be unpleasant. Watch our food while I go in.” Usopp nods and sets his down as well. Glad to not go in. He loves meat as much as the next guy. As much as the normal next guy. He doesn’t think anyone loves meat as much as Luffy. But he’s not big on seeing where it comes from. Fush is more his area of expertise.
He’s just getting comfy leaning against the building when a loud bang comes from inside. Causing Usopp to jump and stare at the front for several long seconds. The window by the door is blocked by curtains. No other sound comes through. Probably something falling, or someone dropping something. He relaxes and faces the street again. It’s the same one they took their small break on, just a ways down from there. They really did do all that extra walking for nothing. Not to mention the weapons shop Usopp needs to go to is back up the street. They passed it much earlier in the day. He just needs a few things. Gunpowder and a few chemicals. He relies heavily on his pop greens but prefers to have a wide arsenal. Traditional explosions are always helpful, and he’s running low.
Something slams hard into the wall behind him. The brick building shaking form the force. Something is definitely wrong. Usopp grabs Kabuto off his back and runs to the front door. He doesn’t want to leave their things unless he needs to. Sanji and Nami would be pissed if anything got stollen. He shoves open the door. There’s more taxidermy in here, but no people. He sees what hit the wall. One of the deer heads is stuck. One antler broke, and the other embedded in the stone.
“Sanji?” he asks the empty store front. A loud thud comes from the back through a small doorway on the side. Usopp can’t see through it. He calls out again, louder this time. “Sanji!”
There’s still no reply. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe Sanji just can’t hear him from out here.
Crashing and glass breaking shocks Usopp into motion. He rushes into the store, hand already grabbing ammo as he slides through the small door. Inside is a kitchen. It’s small, not nearly as impressive as their ship’s. Theres a large flat stove. Slabs of steak sizzling on it. Still there is no one here. He goes further in, through a broken door.
It’s a butcher shop alright. This area is chilled, the walls lined with meat hooks, a few cut up cattle hanging. With a metal table in the middle. Considering the weird front of house Usopp expected it wouldn’t be the nicest place, but its actually quite clean. Not including the fresh blood splatter leading past a hanging plastic tarp.
Pulling the sting of Kabuto back Usopp follows the blood. He can no longer hear anything. And the quiet is bothering him. At least he knows what to expect with the sound of battle. This is getting plain creepy. Brushing aside the plastic he sees an older gentleman on the floor.
Usopp lowers Kabuto’s band and crouches, reaching out and grasping the man’s shoulder. “Sir?” he asks, shaking lightly.
The man’s head lolls to the side and Usopp jerks back. The side of his skull is caved in. The kind of injury that he’s seen a few times already on the grand line. It’s gruesome, but Usopp’s doesn’t have time to care about him right now. He stands up fully and turns away.
There is a large hole in the back wall, leading outside. Usopp doesn’t waste any more time and hops through.
“Sanji!” He calls. The street looks mostly normal. The only building messed up is the one he just came out of.
Usopp swings his head back and forth looking for any sign as to where the fight went. Or at least what must be a fight. He still hasn’t seen anything yet.
A man flies through the street, hitting the ground and skidding to a stop. Usopp runs to him.
The man has bright green slicked back hair and is laying on his back groaning. He’s still alive at least but he must have taken quite the hit.
“Are you okay?” Usopp asks offering his hand to help. The man sits up and shakes his head before looking at Usopp, giving him a dirty look.
Usopp’s eyes widen as he sees the mans face. His eyebrows are the exact swirls of Sanji’s
“Are you fucked stupid?” he asks. It shakes Usopp out of his stare. Sanji would kick him for staring at his eyebrows for that long.
“Uhm… No?” The man’s whole face actually looks a lot like Sanji’s, not just his eyebrows. It is wild to see both at once though. He smacks Usopp’s offered hand away and stands on his own. He is much taller than Sanji though.
“Could have fooled me.” He shoulder checks Usopp as he brushes past. Usopp gets the childish urge to stick his tongue out at him as he breaks into a sprint back the way he came flying from.
Usopp realizes that that is definitely where the fight is and runs after the other. They’re heading way up the street. How did the fight get way over here so quickly? It’s only been a few minutes since Usopp heard that first bang.
Also, he’s falling behind the green haired man. Usopp is fast. Has to be to tactically retreat all the time. But this man is quickly pulling ahead. Usopp pushes himself harder and makes the difference less, but he’s still not catching up.
Sounds from the fight reach him before he can see it. Which makes no sense this is a pretty flat road he should have seen it way before. His answer comes in the form of someone crashing through from a house on the right, followed by two more.
Kabuto is fired at the pursuers before Usopp is even consciously aware that the one who was hit through the building is Sanji.
His pop green hits a blue one dead on and bursts into thick spiked vines pulling the man into the dirt.
“Usopp! Glad you finally showed up!” Sanji yells, already back on his feet. He blocks a punch from the third man in red and knocks him away. Usopp fires at him and he gets tangled in spiked vines as well. “Go get help!”
Usopp looks at Sanji. “You want me to leave you here?” he asks. He loves running, but it’s three against one right now. The red one he just hit uses what look like lasers to cut himself out of the plant. The other vines are bursting with electricity, that Usopp would not like to get anywhere near, but it’s doing almost nothing to the vines.
He fires an exploding round, one of his last few, at the red one. It knocks him into the next building, but it doesn’t have nearly the strength Sanji’s kicks do, so he’ll be back in no time.
Sanji is repeatedly kicking the green one Usopp tried to help up. He’s blocking with just his arms, but it seems to be working.
“We need help! I can’t take them down on my own!” Sanji yells, jumping into the air and off the house behind him to avoid a punch. A punch that breaks the wall. Which means Usopp is not going to be able to be much help at all.
The red one is up. Usopp fires a carnivorous plant that swallows him whole. Followed shortly by spiked vines at the green one. Sanji is panting already, and light is pouring out of holes in the carnivorous plant. Usopp turns tail and sprints towards the dock. Zoro and Franky are at least for sure at the Sunny. Everyone else is spread around the island. Hopefully he’ll see someone in town on his way. For now, he fires a flare into the sky. Everyone will recognize the signal for help. If they can see it in the midday light.
Usopp is jerked suddenly to a stop by his stomach. The force knocks the air out of him and almost makes him puke. He looks down and sees a hand wrapped around his torso before he’s jerked backwards.
“You’re not getting help,” the green one says. Usopp wraps his arms around Kabuto, grabbing the hoop and pointing the end behind him
He feels the end connect before his body “Fuck!” is yelled right behind him and the arm around him retracts. It’s not very unlike Luffy’s or Franky’s. He spins around, facing the battle once again.
Sanji and the red one are hitting each other. They look almost evenly matched. Sanji was right. There is no way the two of them could fight all three.
The one who grabbed him is holding his side where Kabuto must have hit. He’s glaring daggers at Usopp who backs away enough to fire. The man lets go of his side and lunges at Usopp. Getting too close to effectively shoot, so Usopp throws the impact wolf between them.
It bursts forth, knocking them both on the ground before grabbing the green man in its mouth and chomping.
“Go!” Usopp yells, pointing inland. Impact wolves are hard to control but they follow basic commands. It runs off with the green one still in its mouth.
That will at least give them a little time. Yelling is coming from the electrified bundle of vines. As well as the sounds of tearing. It’s not going to hold for much longer. Usopp aims another of the same to cover it when something smacks into him.
He’s stopped by slamming into a wall and falling to the ground.
“God damn it!” Sanji cusses from next to him on the ground. Looks like he’s what slammed into him. Usopp’s ears are ringing, he shakes his head. The red one is running at them. Usopp panics and throws down three smoke bombs. He grabs Sanji’s arm and pulls him around the side of the building. He can’t see anything and navigates by touch.
“What- “
“Shhh!” Usopp cuts Sanji off. He turns around and fires a bamboo cage where he thinks they were. Hopefully the red one will think they’re hiding in it.
Sanji lets himself be dragged out of the smoke onto the next street. Once Usopp can see again, he looks the other up and down. Sanji is pretty beat up. Much more so than he is. Usopp sticks close to the buildings, dragging Sanji behind any cover he can. They slowly make their way down the street.
“Where the fuck did he go?!” one of the men yell from somewhere behind them. Too close for comfort.
“I don’t know, maybe if you could get out of a simple plant on your own you could have helped me.” They cut into an alley between the streets. Usopp peaks out at the street they were fighting on. The red and blue ones are arguing and thankfully the green one isn’t back yet.
“You know I can’t electrocute plants! Just cause your abilities work perfectly against them doesn’t mean you're better than me!”
Usopp and Sanji duck back and head down the next street.
“Let me hold them off while you get help,” Sanji whispers. Usopp looks at him confused.
“What would you hold them off for? We don’t need to fight them if we can just leave,” he whispers back. Sanji’s eyebrow furrows and he doesn’t reply. Usopp can call him a self-sacrificing idiot later.
For now they just need to sneak away. Usopp can still run but Sanji’s not as fast. His slow is still a good pace though. The yelling from behind them stops and Usopp pretends it’s because they’re just that far away.
Sanji shoves Usopp forwards. He stumbles but stays standing. A large hand slams Sanji into the building they were running along, wrapping around him. The green one is back. Usopp shoots a firebird at him as Sanji gets pulled in.
The bird makes him let go and Sanji’s leg lights on fire “Diable Jambe!” for the kick he lands before the bird has even made it out of range. Usopp lines up a shot but Sanji is in the way, so he waits for an opening.
He doesn’t get the chance to though as he’s slammed into the ground. Losing all the air in his lungs once again. He reaches for his bag on his left, but a foot pins his hand to the ground.
“You are not putting me in another plant.” Usopp looks over his shoulder. The blue man is standing on him. He picks up his foot and stamps it back down on Usopp’s wrist. He cries out and instinctively tries to snatch his hand back to his body but he can’t move. It takes all of his force just to drag it a few inches.
He glances forward and Sanji is in a similar position. Put there by both the red and green ones.
“Let us go! Why are you even here? You can’t take me back to the Big Mom pirates they hate you!” Sanji struggles to get out from under them. Trying to kick with his chest pressed into the dirt.
“We know, we don’t care about those pirates anymore anyway. We’re just here for you, failure,” the green one says smugly, his hand wrapped around Sanji’s legs keeping them clamped together.
Usopp reaches for Kabuto with his free hand and swings it behind himself. He smacks the one on top of him but a sharp kick to his head makes everything go black.
Pounding in the side of his head wakes Usopp up. He’s face down in the dirt, nose bent at an odd angle. Groaning, he pushes himself up. Gently raising his hands to check his nose. Not broken. Still hurts though, but not like his head. Or his back.
Usopp cracks his sore neck, and it does minimal help.
“What happened?” he asks himself. He grabs Kabuto and his wrist twinges. It floods back to him.
“Sanji?!” He stumbles to his feet, sweeping his gaze around. The sun is still high above, it can’t have been that long.
His cursory look at the area doesn’t show much. The building behind him has cracks in the wall where Sanji was slammed against it. There are a few people walking down the road, but it’s not any of their attackers.
Turning and running the way they came from, Usopp continues to call for the cook. He slows as he comes up on the evidence of their fight. People mingle around the broken buildings, a few poking at what’s left of his plants. He hopes they haven’t found the presumed butcher yet.
Usopp runs back down the street again still calling for Sanji. A few people give him looks, but no one answers.
He’s exhausted but books it to the shore. His head pounds harder as his lungs burn but he ignores it all.
“Zoro!” he calls when he hits the pier. “Franky!”
Nami pokes her head over the railing as he runs up, stopping at the side.
“Usopp? Why are you yelling?” she asks. He rests his hands on his sides and takes a deep breath before answering.
“Sanji- We were fighting, someone attacked him, I don’t know where he is. They’re all gone!”
Zoro lands on the wood planks in front of him and he startles backwards. Catching the swordsman’s hardened gaze almost makes him flinch.
“Take me to where you last saw him,” he demands. Usopp nods and straightens. Turning to run back.
“Hang on! I’m coming with you bros!” Franky shouts, jumping from the ship.
“I am too!” Nami yells, climbing over the side.
“You gotta watch the ship!” Franky tells her. Zoro turns and runs off.
“Why can’t you stay?”
“Wrong way!” Usopp yells. Zoro doubles back and Usopp takes off in the right direction, leaving the other two to argue.
He’s tired and in pain, and normally faster than this. It frustrates him and he pushes himself harder. Looking back every now and then to make sure Zoro is following. He’s right on his tail, brow furrowed, looking frustrated himself.
They sprint through town and Usopp is relieved he remembers the way. It’s easy to find the ocean, not so much a random place in a town he’s never been to before.
More people mingle on the streets than earlier, nothing that would stop them, but enough to slow them down in the busier areas. So much so that Franky catches up with them. Usopp is good at weaving though people, making himself unobtrusive. Zoro is the opposite, used to making room, and Franky is basically tiptoeing through the crowd.
Usopp slows down to make it easier for the large man, but Zoro pushes him onward. “He’ll catch up, just go,” he says. Usopp nods and rushes through.
Finally, they arrive on the street where their fight ended. Usopp bends forward, hands on his knees as he catches his breath. Zoro stops behind him.
“Here?” he asks. Usopp nods as Zoro starts looking around. There’s no more evidence than when Usopp woke up. In fact, there is probably less with people traipsing through. Zoro stalks off, searching the next street when Franky jogs up.
“Where’d Zoro go?” he asks. Usopp waves his hand vaguely in right the direction. Franky picks him up and drapes him over his shoulder, one hand holding him on, and runs after. Honestly, Usopp is glad, being in a fight, knocked out then running to the shore and back has taken it out of him.
They find Zoro on the roof of a nearby building looking out across the town. Franky pulls them up and Usopp taps his arm to be let down.
“I can’t see him even with Haki,” Zoro says, spinning in a slow circle. “Anywhere.”
Usopp doesn’t want to tell them he was knocked out. That he was asleep while his crewmate was taken, but they need to know. And if they find out later it will only be worse for him.
“I don’t know how long it’s been,” he starts. Both men’s attention turns to him. “I was knocked out before they left.” They don’t reply and he hurries to explain. He shades his eyes with a hand and looks at the sun. “It wasn’t very long though. Sanji wouldn’t have even been making dinner yet. Maybe 20 minutes? It’s probably only been about half an hour now.”
Zoro turns away, softly glowing eyes searching the horizon. Usopp continues, “We were trying to get out of there. An-and everything was normal before the fight. He had just gone into a butcher’s shop when I heard it start.“
“Where?” Zoro’s eyes are back on him, demanding. Usopp shuts up and points to the half-ruined building. Zoro jumps down. “Take us to it.”
When they get there, townsfolk have already found it and are congregating. A few people are crying and the three of them watch as a covered body is carried out. Zoro makes to move towards it, but Usopp stops him with a hand on his shoulder.
He whispers to him, careful not to disturb the people around. “When I got in there, there was dead older man. They just attacked Sanji here but were already outside by the time I got there.”
“What’s with all the stuff?” Franky leans over them to ask, gesturing to the crates and bags Usopp left.
Usopp jolts, “Oh. That’s ours. I left it there when the fighting started. I forgot all about it.”
Zoro walks to the pile. “Well grab it. We can’t start a search party until we get back to the Sunny anyway. And I don’t need Nami griping about money on top of it all.”
All three of them move to grab stuff. Franky taking both crates which Usopp is glad for.
“What are you doing?” he turns around at the question. One of the townsfolk asked, and more turn towards them to see what’s happening.
“We’re taking our things,” Zoro answers.
“Did you do this?!” someone else demands.
“No.”
“Then why is your stuff here? Unless you’re stealing it!” the same man yells. They have the attention of the crowd now.
“We’re not stealing it, we just left it here,” Usopp says. He really doesn’t want to deal with this.
A woman chimes in, “You’re pirates! Who’ve obviously been in a fight! Who else would kill Mr. Buckley?” The others seem to be in agreement.
Zoro growls, “We didn’t kill anyone, we’re taking our things and leaving.” A few people stand in front of him, blocking the path. “We don’t have time for this.” he shoves through them and stalks off. The people let him. Usopp and Franky quickly follow. Sometimes Zoro’s intimidation really comes in handy. Even if it’s terrifying to be on the receiving end of, as he’s sure he will be later.
They walk to the docks in silence. It’s a quick journey with Franky carrying the big things.
Nami runs up to meet them before they’re even at the ship. “Where’s Sanji? What’s with the stuff?”
Zoro walks past her, and her gaze turns to Usopp. He swallows. About to tell of his failure once again.
But Franky beats him to it. “We don’t know where he is. We’re going to start a search party. This,” he raises the crates, “is the stuff they bought before they got attacked.”
Nami nods, and heads after Zoro onto the boat. Usopp and Franky follow to the galley where Nami inputs the code on the fridge so they can put the food away.
“You bought this before you were attacked right?” Franky asks. Usopp nods. “It’s still pretty cool, must not have been very long.” He looks pointedly at Usopp.
He knows what the man is doing. Trying to make him feel better about his failure. Usopp can’t bring himself to agree though. If he was stronger or faster, or anyone else on the crew, Sanji would still be with them right now.
Once the food is away, Usopp goes to sit at the table but jumps at the sight of Brook. “How long have you been here?” he asks automatically.
Brook tilts his head and answers, “Only shortly before you lot arrived. Nami told me what happened.”
Usopp doesn’t know what to say. That he’s sorry. Gods he is. He doesn’t get the chance because Nami pushes him the rest of the way to the table and into a chair.
“What-?” He looks up at her and flinches when she touches his head. “Ow!”
“Hold still, I’m just cleaning your wound. Chopper’s still out with the others.” She’s holding a wet washcloth and dabs again at his head. It hurts but he forces himself to not jerk away this time.
“My wound?” He knew his head hurt but he didn’t know it was hurt. He reaches up to touch it, but she smacks his hand away, wiping again with the cloth.
“Yeah, you're bleeding. It’s on your shirt as well. He looks down and his shoulder does have blood on it. He goes to touch his head again.
“Stop! Before I really hit you!” she threatens. He lays his hands in his lap. Nami would make it worse just to turn around and help.
“Have I been bleeding this whole time?” he asks, gritting his teeth so he doesn’t make noise as she cleans it.
“It’s dried, so you probably stopped actively bleeding a while ago, but you were when you first got here. You were busy running off again though.” She moves away from the wound directly and starts whipping his hair and neck.
Which only makes him feel worse. It doesn’t hurt, but Sanji would be so jealous. Nami treating his head? He would probably end up with more blood loss from a nosebleed than the actual wound. Nami walks into Chopper's office for a minute and comes back with bandages.
“Chopper will probably want to fix it later, and you’ll want to wash your hair too. I got most of it out but its still there.” she bandages his head as well as she can. Probably not as well as he could do it, he is very used to getting banged up after all. But it’s perfect until Chopper takes a look later.
“Thank you,” he says as she sits next to him.
“Of course.” She must actually feel bad for him. Normally she’d charge him for assistance like this. Though she still might later. Especially if they do find Sanji and everything is okay. Usopp really wants to be charged for this later.
Once his head is taken care of Zoro leaves the galley, probably to watch for the others return and not get himself lost as well. Not that Sanji got lost. He was taken. And Usopp couldn’t do the one thing he was told and get back to the ship for help.
No one speaks for some time, and he prefers it that way. They stare at the table in silence. He glances at the clock. It’s around the time Sanji would normally be starting dinner.
Should he do something? Try to make dinner? It’s his fault their cook isn’t here so it could be expected. Usopp isn’t great at cooking, but he can make a meal. He’s never made one for this large of a crew before. Most of his life he’s only had to cook for himself. And he hasn’t cooked for the crew since Sanji joined. He’s helped out, chopped some vegetables, pealed potatoes, boiled a few eggs, but that’s the extent of his food work on this ship.
Brook, notoriously unable to stand the quiet speaks up, “What exactly happened earlier? I just heard that you got in a fight and Sanji is missing.” Usopp dreads having to tell it again, but meets the other’s eyes, or, lack of eyes.
Sighing, Usopp starts over from the beginning.
“I didn’t see the flair at all,” Brook says. “I was even in town.”
Maybe if Usopp had something better they would have seen it. He’s already tried to make some that could be seen during the day. Technically they can be seen, but you would already have to be looking. They aren’t bright enough to draw the gaze. He’s made some that make a loud reverberating noise. They certainly get your attention but don’t give any indication where to go. Maybe if he could make a combination of them, something that lets off the loud noise and stays lit in the air long enough for people to look. He hasn’t yet though. Maybe if he had they wouldn’t be in this situation.
He finishes and it gets quiet again. He should has listened to Sanji. If he hadn’t gotten knocked out, if he had gotten away the first time. He could have gotten someone who could have actually helped.
“Do you know which way they went?” he shakes his head.
“Do you know what they looked like?” Jerking his head up he looks at Nami.
“Yes! It was weird! I only got a good look at the green one, but he looked a lot like Sanji. The same swirly eyebrows and a very similar face shape,” he says. He had forgotten how weird it was. Too preoccupied with getting them away, then getting the crew.
Nami’s eyes widen as she goes still. “You said there was a red, blue and green one, right?” He nods. “And the green one looked like Sanji?” nods again.
“Oh my goodness!” Brook exclaims. “You don’t think?”
Nami nods, tapping her chin with her finger. “They sound like Sanji’s brothers.”
Usopp gapes at her. “His brothers? The ones you fought on Wholecake Island?” He remembers the last thing Sanji said before he was knocked out. “Wait! You must be right! Sanji mentioned they couldn’t go back to the Big Mom pirates.”
“Why didn’t you mention that before?”
Usopp raises his hands in defense, “I didn’t remember! It was right before the one knocked me out."
But he should have remembered. He should have just recognized them as Sanji’s brothers. Who else would look like that? He wasn’t told a whole lot about what had happened before they made it to Wano, but he knew Sanji had four siblings. Three brothers who looked a lot like him. Who else could have had such distinct swirly eyebrows?
The door bursts open and Luffy pops in, followed by the rest of their crew. He comes to a stop at the end of the long table looking at Usopp. His shoulders rise as his captain makes eye contact. Only a few seconds pass and Usopp drops his gaze down to the table. He can feel the crew watching him and it makes him tense up even more. This is his fault, and everyone knows it.
Luffy makes a neutral hum before speaking, “Zoro told us what happened. We’re sending out search parties!” Usopp looks at him, but not at his face. “Me, Robin and Nami will each lead one.”
Chopper tugs on Luffy’s shorts until he looks at him. “I should check Usopp before I go since he was knocked out, he probably has a concussion,” he says. Luffy hums and nods.
“You and Usopp can be with Nami then, and you’ll check him first.” He nods again. Usopp’s shoulders drop, with Nami and Chopper? The weakling trio left alone when one of monsters got kidnapped? That’s just two more people Usopp could let get taken.
Zoro clears his throat, getting the captain’s attention. He barely tilts his head raising an eyebrow. Normally only Luffy can read his first mate so well, but Usopp knows what he’s saying this time. They can’t be trusted alone, too weak to stop anyone. Usopp agrees wholeheartedly but it still makes him feel worse.
“Actually, Usopp was in a fight earlier so he should stay on the ship.” Chopper opens his mouth to say something but Luffy continues, “Chopper will stay to take care of him, and Zoro, since he’d just get lost too.”
Of course. Zoro’s strength would be so much better spend doing something, but he’s stuck babysitting Usopp. Zoro who sees every single one of Usopp’s faults better than anyone else. Not to mention that Usopp himself isn’t getting to help search. He was in a short fight. It was over right after he got there, and he did nothing useful the entire time.
“Robin will take Franky and Jinbei, and I’ll take Nami and Brook.” Luffy smiles and turns to head out.
“I could swim around the island and check leaving boats, “ Jinbei offers. Luffy grabs his chin to think.
“That’s a great idea!” he says, “You do that then.” He walks out, followed by almost everyone but Usopp’s group. Luffy gives both teams half the thankfully small island, they leave, and it immediately gets very quiet.
Chopper hops onto the table and grabs Usopp’s face in his small hooves, tilting it up to look into his eyes.
“Yep, lets go to my office.” He hops down and grabs Usopp’s hand, pulling him towards his door.
They head in and Chopper sits Usopp’s on the edge of a bed. Standing on it himself to reach his head. Zoro lingers in the door arms crossed. Is he waiting for Chopper to be done to lecture him? Usopp tries not to look at him. He can’t decide if he’d rather Zoro get it over with, or not. Only if Chopper doesn’t hear it, he’d rather it later. Getting scolded is embarrassing enough without witnesses.
Chopper gently peals the bandage off his head. Pulling aside his hair to get a better look at it. “I would like to put a few stitches in. Did you bandage it earlier?”
“Nami did,” he answers trying not to move.
Chopper hops down and rummages through his things, grabbing numbing spray and the needle and stitches. He looks at Usopp. “Would it be okay with you if I shave your hair around the cut? It would be a very small spot, but it’s not completely necessary. It would just keep it more sanitary and- “
“Sure,” Usopp cuts in, voice low. He doesn’t want to make the doctor’s job harder. He loves his hair, it’s one of the only things he likes about how he looks but he’s had these small shaved patches from getting hurt before. Chopper grabs a small razor as well and jumps back onto the bed.
Usopp tries not to flinch as Chopper glides the razor around his wound. He knows this is the best way to do it, but it still hurts. Soon he feels the cold spray and shortly after Chopper pats his shoulder and hops down.
“You should be better in no time!” Chopper says, as he washes his hooves. “Do you have any other injuries?”
His wrist twinges, worse than earlier even. It might be sprained, but it’s no big deal. Sprained just means lightly sore and totally nothing to make a deal out of. He shakes his head.
“I’m going to the crow’s nest,” Zoro says, leaving out the door he never fully entered. Usopp watches him go. Maybe his scolding will be even later. He’s not going to question it though.
“Thank you doctor,” he says. Chopper does his little dance and calls him a bastard. Usopp chuckles and takes his exit.
He sneaks down to his workshop. He doesn’t even know why really. Zoro is clearly not going to talk to him right now. But it just felt like he needed to.
Usopp stands with his back to the closed door and just looks at his room. It’s exactly as he left it this morning of course; he was planning on making ammo once he got back. Casings and chemicals on the desk where he left them prepared. They never did make it to buy what he needed.
Crossing the room, he grabs a half finished something and tosses it as hard as he can at the far wall. It explodes and his room is filled with dark smoke. He inhales some and coughs, running back to the door and opening it. He covers his face with one hand and fans the door with the other. It just had to be a smoke bomb. Not one of the exploding kinds that are missing their reactive elements.
Once the room is cleared out enough, he goes to the galley, letting it air out a little more as he gets a bucket of cleaner and rags.
He gets back and the smoke is gone, swept out by the sea breeze. Too bad it won’t take the smudges and residue all over everything with it. Usopp grabs a wet rag and gets to work wiping down his shop.
Knocking at the door startles Usopp enough to hit his head on the underside of his desk. “Ow! Uh, come in?” He sits back on his heels and drops the dirty rag into the water. The door opens and footsteps come up behind him. He uses the desk to stand and turns around. Nami sends him a tight-lipped smile. His heart sinks.
“Nothing?” he asks. She shakes her head.
“Jinbei didn’t even see any leaving boats. There aren’t even any except ours that aren’t regularly here,” she says.
Usopp bites the inside of his cheek. “Sanji’s really been taken?” she nods, sitting on his bench. Usopp sits down next to her and bites harder, trying not to cry. The slight pain actually helps.
Nami leans her shoulder against his. “It’s not your fault,” she says.
Usopp stands, throwing his arms up. “It is literally my fault!” he argues. “He got attacked and I couldn’t help! He told me to get help, and I couldn’t! He was taken and I couldn’t even get help in time to do anything about it!” his arms drop, thudding against his legs.
Nami stands, crowding into his space and pokes his chest rather hard. “So, if I was with him instead of you it would be my fault? Or Choppers? Or honestly, Franky or Brook’s either? None of us could have fought off those three. They are crazy strong. And they were here for Sanji.” She stops to take a breath. Usopp doesn’t know what to say.
“Also… we might not have seen anything, but I have a plan anyway.”
Usopp’s head jerks up and meets her eyes. “You do?”
She nods. “Or course. Who do you take me for? I…” she grins and pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket. “Have his sister’s personal den den number.”
Usopp’s eyes widen. “And she’s the good one, right?” Nami’s grin just gets wider.
Usopp wraps his arms around her shoulders. She laughs and hugs him back. Burying her head in his neck before abruptly pulling away with disgust written across her face.
“You smell like smoke, have you not taken a shower yet?” Well, he was cleaning his workshop first, but she doesn’t need to know what he did.
“No.” he says.
“Okay, well, while I make that call, you shower,” she demands, dragging him out of the room and shoving him in the direction of the baths. “Have fun. Remember to be careful about your head.”
“Yes ma’am,” she rolls her eyes, but is smiling as she walks off.
Usopp takes a deep breath in and releases it. He still feels at fault, but she made it a lot better. She usually makes everything better after all. It’s why she’s his best friend.