Talking with @purghhappenings about angsty headcanons and what would happen if a crew member took a hit for Zoro. Especially if it was cause his whole 'scars on the back=shame'. Tumblr wouldn't let me send all of this in asks so uh ya.
Bruh B R U H fuck ya okay so I gotta continue right? Right. Zoro's in shock at first, I think. Split second. Cause this is Usopp, snipers are long range. Zoro's the first mate, the protector. He doesn't need protecting. Like his mind is going a mile a minute to the point where it blanks. And he just kinda watches his totally not dead friend fall, feels blood splatter his clothes while his own runs cold, his heart stop. Everything stops.
Everything goes quiet yet there's ringing in his ears but there's still something he CAN hear: the gasp Usopp let's out when the blow hit.
And then it's the thud when his (not body, still alive, not body) Usopp hits the ground. There's so much blood,so much movement but not enough. Not enough movement from where there needs to be.
Can't stop, can't stop, he has to finish the fight. He focuses. Not on the fight, this is routine now. He runs on autopilot, memory muscle and instinct. It's vicious, a blood bath. He doesn't even see it. He only sees Usopp.
When the fight is done, the battle over, Zoro screams. No words, no names, just raw. He's afraid to touch Usopp because now he can see. See how bad it is. He tries to stop the bleeding but it's already slowed down. This isn't bad. This isn't hell. This is his failure.
Chopper appears, much like the rest of them. Much like the Sunny. The whole world shifts because now he's standing outside the infirmary, listening to the yelling and rushing. There's panic and pleading, demanding of answers (What happened How Why) and lack of responses. He can't answer them. Zoro has his own questions. How could he let this happen?
Zoro doesn't sleep. He eats but only because Sanji won't leave him alone. The whole crew takes shifts for watch. But Zoro never leaves. He says it's because somebody should be there if Usopp wakes up. But they know. Even he knows. It's because he won't fail again. He refuses. He won't let his friend die.
When Usopp wakes up there's a lot of crying. A lot of yelling, gentle touches, lots of promises to party but later. Chopper shoos them out, saying Usopp has to rest now. But one look at Zoro and he nods. They can have a minute (only one!).
He walks over, hands shaking, emotions flickering across his face. Anger, happiness, guilt, relief, fear...regret. He tries to speak, he needs to apologise. Weak! He was too weak and it was his fault! He takes a breath, words ready to spill along with the tears and hurt and anger and...and Usopp cuts him off before Zoro even says a word. "I was pretty cool, right?"
"I was pretty cool, right?"
It's fine, my choice, I'd do it again, we're fine, I'm fine.
There's nothing to forgive so don't you care apologize.
Everything that needs to be heard but doesn't need to be said. So Usopp doesn't. He doesn't need to. The grin on his face, steady gaze that holds Zoro's own. His body is tense but not from pain. Zoro needs to listen. And Usopp will make sure he does. It's only when Zoro grins back, mutters a 'yeah', that Usopp sighs and relaxes.
"That was....scary." Usopp's eyes start to droop, energy spent. He's tired and that's okay. His body has a lot of work to do. Zoro sits on the floor next to him, leaning against the bed.
"It was." Zoro smiles when an arm drapes across his chest and Usopp hums when a hand covers his. There's sniffling and tears with both clutching on to the other as best they can. A lot goes unsaid but so much is heard.
Shortly after Chopper finds them both asleep.
The next few weeks Zoro spends in the infirmary helping Usopp make more bullets. There's a lot of work that goes into it and it's... fascinating. He finds he likes watching Usopp work. But he really likes how excited Usopp gets when he's explaining everything. It's comforting. Too comforting going by the fact Usopp keeps waking him up with an egg to the face.
When Usopp is better, or well enough that Chopper has given up on keeping him confined, he joins Zoro on his work out routines. They spar more, both wanting to be stronger. They spend more time together, both needing reassurance. I'm here. We're here. And we're okay.
