Can there be a scenario where the Straw Hats get a new female crew member that is really sweet, thoughtful, and cheerful during the day time, but over time late one night the crew member can't sleep and walks past her room overhearing her crying to find out even though she seems happy during the day she actually gets bad depression episodes when she's alone at night?
(I added some headcannons I have and some help from Oda from this page. 3rd person and female pronouns)
Monkey D. Luffy: After waking up in the middle of the night, which wasn’t rare, Luffy’s stomach growled and all he wanted was to get a snack from the kitchen. He opened the galley door and groaned at the chained up fridge. If he tried to break it, Sanji would get pissed and he could only think about the meal he would be punished for tomorrow. He decided not to risk it and head back to his room. As he yawned, he heard a muffled sound come from one of the rooms and curiosity took over. Who was up this late at night? He crept over to the door and pushed it open, the ocean and the ship rocking hid the taps of his bare feet against the hardwood floor and the creak of the door.
He didn’t expect to see (Y/N) sitting on the bench with her hands resting on her lap and tears slipping down her face. She was biting her lip but the sobs she tried to restrain were still able to escape.
He had seen this before, a crew member breaking down. He knew the dread and despair that dwelled in the depths of people’s minds. He remembered how he would walk in on Ace crying and how the older boy would rub fiercely at his eyes and grin before going to play. Luffy may come off as naive but he was no fool to despair.
He must have made a noise when he went over to her, or she just sensed that she wasn’t alone anymore, because she looked up with a frazzled look in her eyes. Her form visibly stiffened and she tried to rub at her eyes, all in vain since her captain had already seen it. Apologies flooded out from her mouth and confusion clouded him. He plopped down next to her and took his hat off from where it was dangling around his neck.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know anyone was up right now. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.” He didn’t understand why she kept trying to smile at him. It was obviously causing her pain.
He gently moved to place his hat on her head and leaned back against the cushions that they were seated on. The hat was special to him but he found over the years that it brought the others comfort as well, not entirely sure why but it worked. He could see that her form was still shaking but she was freely letting her tears fall now. He didn’t say anything for now and just tapped at his ankles, as his legs were crossed on the cushions.
He wasn’t surprised when she threw her arms around him and clung onto him, her form shaking. He wrapped an arm around her while the other patted the top of her hat covered head.
“There, there. You don’t gotta pretend so much. We’re your friends. Besides, it’s not like we’re gonna make fun of you for crying. Everyone cries.” He felt her grip tighten around him and he patted her back with the arm that was around her. He doesn’t remember when she had finally dozed off or when his eyes slid closed. He knew that he was no hero, but if he could make his crew member feel safe enough to sleep on him then that’s the least he could do. It’s his duty as a captain and a friend to make sure that she’s okay.
Roronoa Zoro: Again, like his captain, it wasn’t rare that the swordsman would be awake in the middle of the night. He had accustomed himself to survive on a couple hours of sleep. He never really had a good night’s sleep, just naps throughout the day and night. He usually had the ship to himself when on night shift and at around 3 hours into it, he would get bored and walk around. He didn’t expect to hear someone else up, especially at this time so his curiosity peaked. His footsteps made the wood creak under him but that didn’t deter the soft sobs that he heard. He noticed the door that led to the room was slightly cracked open and he peaked in.
He noticed (Y/N) sitting on her bed with her face in her hands in a weak attempt to muffle her sobs. Suddenly, he felt as if he was intruding on a private moment and awkwardness filled his veins. He never really knew how to comfort people, especially a crew mate that had just joined them. He slowly closed the door before she could notice and made his way back up to the crow’s nest. Why was he the one that noticed her distress? He racked his brain for what to do, eventually groaning and laying down.
“Great…”
The next morning, (Y/N) couldn’t help but notice that whenever she and Zoro were in the same space, he would look as if he wanted to say something but he would immediately groan and walk off. The energy of the crew was draining sometimes so she found herself on the back of the boat, leaning against the railing and taking in the sea breeze.
“Oi.” She looked over her shoulder and spotted the green haired swordsman walking up to her. She smiled at him as he leaned his back against the railing right next to her.
“Hey, Zoro, what’s up?” He sighed and silently placed his hand on top of her head. Her eyebrows knitted together and her eyes tried to search his face for answers but he kept looking ahead at the rest of the ship.
“… You don’t have to fake being happy. It must be exhausting.” He mumbled, loud enough for her to hear and he lowered his hand from her head. He missed the widening of her eyes and her surprised expression but he heard a soft sniffle come from his side.
“How… How did you know?” He instantly panicked at the shakiness from her voice and he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Oi. I didn’t mean to make you cry. I just can tell sometimes.” He cursed himself at his fumbling words but it was the best excuse he could come up with. It’d be way too awkward to bring up the night before. She looked down and rubbed her eyes, trying to hold back the dam that was about to burst. Even though he didn’t know how to comfort someone, he stayed by her side, letting her be vulnerable with him. He may have had an odd way to show it but just from his words, she knew that she met people that actually cared for her.
Cat Burglar Nami: After hanging out with Robin for a little while, Nami decided to head to bed first and let Robin finish up her chapter. She stretched her arms above her head and yawned, walking towards the girls’ room. The door was slightly cracked open and there was a faint light peering through. She figured that (Y/N) was still awake, which was a bit surprising since all three of them usually went to bed at the same time. She pressed her palm against the door but stopped when she heard soft muffled sobs.
Her eyes widened and she pushed the door enough to look in. It was an odd feeling to see the usually bubbly and happy crew member slumped over and tears falling from her (E/C) eyes. Nami, having grown close to the crew member, felt her protective instincts kick in but she knew she couldn’t just burst in. She gently knocked on the door and pushed it open without waiting for a response. (Y/N) quickly rubbed at her eyes but she knew that Nami saw already.
She ducked her head down as Nami sat down next to her. A sense of shame and embarrassment waved through her.
“Nami… I….” Nami gently placed her hand over her crewmates’ and held (Y/N)’s hand in both of her own.
“Hey, you don’t have to explain.” She smiled at the teary eyed girl and squeezed her hand. “Just know that whatever you’re going through, whatever you’re feeling, everyone feels it at some point. You’re a part of our family now and we all understand.” (Y/N) felt her tears stream down her cheeks and she ducked her head down. Nami took this as an okay to gently wrap her arms around her and hold her close.
They stayed like that for a while and eventually, feeling safe and comforted, (Y/N) began to tell Nami what was wrong. How the night brought out so many negative emotions for her and how, even though she showed her happiness in front of them, she was honestly suffering. Nami stayed silent as she revealed her sorrows. Her empathy for the young crew member growing as she had felt the same way not too long ago.
A soft couple of pats on her head made (Y/N) look up at Nami’s gentle smile and her voice was more comforting than what she was used to. Nami was known for mostly yelling at the boys in the crew or having a rough edge to her tone but this was different. (Y/N) could feel that the woman in front of her was truly concerned and cared for her.
“(Y/N), I know it’s hard. Keeping all this inside, however, isn’t healthy. Hiding the truth from us will only make you more emotionally exhausted and make us worried. You’re a part of our crew, our family. If we can help you feel better, we’re determined to do that, okay?” Nami ran a hand through the (H/C) strands of the crying woman and squeezed her again. “Even if it’s just sitting in silence and giving you a hug, we’re here for that. I’m here for that, okay?”
Robin was surprised when she came into the room and noticed the tear stained cheeks of the new crew member when she came into the room only a couple minutes later. She noticed how close she and Nami were and a soft smile graced her lips before climbing into bed on her side.
Sniper King Usopp: Usopp was already an awkward and easily flustered person so when he found the new crew member curled up in the corner of the deck, sobbing silently to herself, he didn’t know what to do.
Her curled up figure hit something within himself that was like a haunting memory. He remembered how he would curl up when no one was around and let himself cry back in Syrup village after his ‘crew members’ went home. Those days were rare now that he had his friends supporting him and he knew that he was with family.
Gathering the courage he had, he stepped over to the crew member, his bare feet ruffling the grass on deck and alerting her of his present. Her body stiffened and there was a hasty movement of her arm rubbing her eyes. Neither said a word as Usopp sunk down next to her. The sound of waves crashing against the boat and the creaking of the ship’s wooden boards were the only thing that stopped utter silence to overwhelm them.
“Something warm is good for when you’re trying to feel better.” (Y/N) looked at him with such bewilderment that, for a second, he thought he grew another head.
“I-I’m sorry?” Usopp rubbed the back of his head and felt his cheeks heat up slightly.
“You know, like tea or coffee or something warm. It always made me feel better.” Another moment of silence filled their ‘conversation’ and Usopp wondered if he should have just let her be. He opened his mouth and almost let a spew of apologies flow but was interrupted by her small voice.
“I didn’t want anyone to see me like this… At night, it just gets so bad…” Usopp looked at her and noticed the tears filling her eyes again. Oh boy, did he understand. He placed his hand on her knee and patted gently.
“I know. I was like that too.” Seeing the confused look in her teary eyes, he cleared his throat and explained further, “I hated when the sun would go down. Back at home, my only friends would go home and I’d be greeted by an empty house. It hurt a lot. Nights like those now though…. They don’t happen much anymore.” The confusion in her eyes changed to attentiveness as she gently placed her hand over his and squeezed.
“How did you do it?” Usopp looked at her with wide eyes before fully comprehending.
“Accepting it and looking for help. I know the crew seems silly and mostly independent but when I need to talk to someone or need comfort, any of them will stop and help.” He gently squeezed her hand back and smiled. “So, if you need any help or just need to talk with someone, I’m here.” The soft smile on her lips made him smile and he looked up at the stars.
“… Can we talk now?” He peaked at her and smiled.
“Of course we can. Tell Captain Usopp what’s on your mind.”
Black Leg Sanji: Sanji carefully placed a cup of tea in front of (Y/N) and sat across from her in the galley. He let his own warm mug heat up his hands while she took a sip of the tea. Silence filled the space between them, (Y/N) because she was still embarrassed and Sanji because he was trying to put his thoughts together.
He never imagined seeing her in such a dark mood since her cheery and usually positive demeanor hid it well. He had only showed up to the kitchen to check if the locks on the fridge were actually locked just in case Luffy got up in the middle of the night to steal food again. When he saw the girl, he almost twirled in and lost himself. He noticed that her shoulders were shaking, however, and immediately stopped himself. He glanced at her form, which was still hunched over in front of him.
“Do you like the tea?” (Y/N) looked at him, surprised, and glanced back at the mug in front of her.
“I um yes… Thank you…” She paused before looking up at him. “Um… What type is this tea if you don’t mind me asking?” She asked, ducking her head nervously. He smiled and tapped the mug gently in his palms.
“It’s chamomile tea. I added some honey to sweeten it up a bit.”
“I don’t think you’ve made this one before…. The taste isn’t familiar.” He nodded and took a sip before answering.
“I don’t make it often. I usually make it to calm down after a rough day.” He smiled, a hesitant pull on his lips, and tapping against the mug again. “I hope it helps you feel better. Why…. Um what were you upset about if you don’t mind me asking?”
She looked down at her tea and watched the steam disappear once it was exposed to the air outside of the mug. She took a breath and vaguely explained her situation with the night. Silence filled them and, from her body language, Sanji could tell she was getting uncomfortable. He noticed that her tea was low and got up to grab the kettle. Once he did, he filled her mug up again, using this opportunity to respond to her.
“You know you can trust any of us. I know I can be… a bit eccentric but, if something is genuinely bothering you, I’ll be here to listen or, at the very least,” he turned to smile at her while putting the kettle down, “make you tea when you need a pick me up.” At her slight smile and small nod, he sat with her and listened to her troubles for the night until she bid him a goodnight.
The next night when (Y/N) figured that all the members went to bed already, she felt her cheery facade fade and the overwhelming need to just mope around. She walked across the deck but the kitchen caught her eye. Curiosity got the best of her and she decided to see if Sanji kept his word, the craving of tea leading her way to the door. She pushed the door open and, there on the table, was a kettle and a teacup next to it, steam visibly floating above the teacup. Her eyes stung a bit but smiled to herself and sat down, gently holding the teacup and sipping at it.
Tony Tony Chopper: Chopper was a lot more observant than people gave him credit for. He loved the new crew member’s positivity and cheeriness but he knew about the sad smiles that lifted her lips or the way her eyes spaced out with dullness. His suspicions were confirmed when he went to bed later than usual and heard sniffling from the girls’ room.
He couldn’t burst into the room especially since he had a third of a chance that he was right. The next day, however, he noticed the slight puffiness under (Y/N)’s eyes and he knew. That night when everyone went to bed (except for the person on night watch) Chopper quickly caught up to the new member and tugged on her shirt gently. When she looked at him, she smiled and tilted her head in question. He pointed his hoof to the infirmary.
“Can I talk to you before you go to bed?” She reluctantly agreed but, since the sun was still going down, there was no harm in talking with the small doctor. He climbed onto his spinning chair and she sat down on one of the infirmary beds.
“What did you want to talk about?” Chopper suddenly grew nervous. Of course he was worried for her mental wellbeing but he could also come across as being nosey and putting his business where it didn’t belong. He cleared his throat and decided that this was the best.
“I… As a doctor and your friend…. I’ve been worried about you.” He finally spit out. At her confused gaze, he quickly turned the chair around to face his desk and looked through the papers that littered across the surface. “I-I’ve done research on depression because I wanted to see if I could help! There’s a medical way of doing it, like taking medicine but that’s not for everyone.” He spun around, scanning the paper he finally found and reading off of it.
“There’s also other ways, however! Like doing exercise or playing with the crew. Oh! And also getting a lot of sunshine helps a lot because of the chemicals in your body reacting positively to the sun! Um… The one thing I found in common with all the research I did was-” He looked up when he heard a sniffle and he stiffened at the sight of tears welling up in (Y/N)’s eyes. He silently put the paper down on the desk and slid down the chair. He walked over to the crying girl and gently rested his hooves on her knees. “The one thing everyone has said is to talk with someone…”
(Y/N) couldn’t look away from his soft smile and she gently reached down to hold his small hooves in hers. A warmth spread across her chest at the expression on Chopper’s face.
“… Can I hug you?” He blushed but nodded.
“O-Of course! B-But don’t think it’s an every time thing!” Although he said that, he climbed up the bed and hugged her waist. When she hugged him back, they both knew without speaking a word that Chopper was looking out for her and would be there whenever she needed him to be.
He made it a routine to find her before bed and give her a quick hug and asking if she was alright. As the doctor of the ship, of course he was concerned but, as a friend, he wanted to help even further.
Nico Robin: Robin is actually the first person to notice (Y/N)’s depression because she used to be like that. Around the people she cares about, she will put on her gentle smile and silently stay positive. Of course, she’s improved since then with the help of her friends but she understands the pain. The night used to bring her the darkest thoughts and make her question her own existence. She knows very well the gaze that (Y/N) has during the day and how she almost starts to crumble as the sun goes down and the crew heads to bed.
One night, she stayed awake in the aquarium room, reading one of her books by candlelight because the harsh ceiling lights would disturb the fish and the ambience that was created by the night. She heard creaking footsteps getting closer to the aquarium and had already guessed on who it was.
The door creaked open and a small gasp escaped (Y/N)’s mouth when she spotted the raven haired woman. Before she could apologize, Robin smiled at her and gestured for her to come closer.
“Join me? It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” She hesitated but she made her way over to the empty spot next to Robin. She cleared her throat and shrugged slightly.
“I-I guess so…” Robin flipped the page in her book but glanced up at the (H/C) girl beside her.
“Is it a rough night?” (Y/N)’s (E/C) eyes widened and she turned her head to face her. After a moment of silence, she ducked her head and squeezed her fingers together.
“… Almost every night is a bad night…” Robin sighed softly before moving the blanket from around her shoulders to drape it across hers and closing her book.
“I understand. I don’t miss those days.” She could feel the girl’s wide eyes staring at her.
“You… You know what it’s like?” Robin nodded and smiled at the younger crew member.
“We all do. They don’t seem like it but they do.” After a shaky breath, the (H/C) haired girl ducked her head again.
“… How do you get it to stop?” Robin gently placed her hand over the girl’s shoulder.
“It’s going to take some time which I know you don’t want to hear but it’s true. It becomes easier when you accept it and then you can learn to deal with it and control it. It also helps to have people on your side. You have this crew with you.” A soft smile graced her lips and she moved her hand to grab her book again. “I’m usually up at this time if you ever have anything on your mind that you want to talk about.”
The younger girl sniffled and nodded before glancing at the book in her hands.
“W-What are you reading?” Robin smiled again and moved closer to her before explaining what had happened up to that point.
Cyborg Franky: It was an accident when he stumbled upon her but he couldn’t just leave her like that. He tried to be quiet but his size made that difficult so when she looked up at him with her tear streaked cheeks, he blushed lightly and almost stumbled over his feet.
After a moment of silence, she was far too embarrassed to start a conversation with the cyborg after being caught and he didn’t really know what to say. Eventually, he moved over to plop down next to her. Silence once again before the blue haired man cleared his throat.
“Cola?” He saw her shake her head but still took one out for himself from his stomach compartment and chugged one down. Before they could fall into another silence, Franky surprised her by talking again. “Being sad sucks, doesn’t it?” She mutely nodded and ducked her head.
“This happens a lot. It’s nothing new.”
“Oh… That must suck a lot.” The corner of her lips twitches slightly at his words, a small victory for him.
“Yeah, it does suck a lot…” As he took another swig of his drink, he placed the, now, empty bottle onto the deck in front of them.
“I hope it’s not rude but you don’t seem the type to be sad easily.” She shook her head.
“It’s normal… I try to hide it but we both know how that turned out…” She mumbled and he raised an eyebrow.
“Why do you try to hide it?” She blinked and looked at him, tilting her head to one side. “I mean, it’s not like we’ll say something about your…. more negative emotions. You’re human too.” She shrugged slightly and bowed her head again.
“I… I’d rather be the cheerful and friendly girl you all know…” She mumbled through a sniffle. Franky held his hand out and his palm opened up to reveal a smaller hand with a napkin between it’s fingers and held out to her.
“Forcing positivity won’t lead to anything. I should know.” She glanced at him, encouraging him to further explain. “I know it seems easy to just pretend that everything is okay but it’s not. It just hurts a lot more. You’ve got friends like us! We want you to be yourself around us and not the person you think we want as a friend.” He noticed her eyes tearing up and the crumpled tissue in her hand. His hand extended again and let out another tissue. “Aww, don’t cry, (Y/N). I don’t have that many tissues and I’ll cry if you start crying.” His voice started wavering as he said that.
(Y/N) let out a shaky giggle and sniffled again, seeing that his own eyes were tearing up. She reached out and gently patted the tissue in her hand to his eyes, rubbing away his tears before they fell. Somehow it turned into trying not to make him cry. Even though it wasn’t the best pep talk, he was able to cheer her up for the night.
Soul King Brook: Brook is actually very perceptive and was one of the first people to notice the sad smile on the new crew members’ lips. She joined before he did and spent some time with her while at Thriller Bark. He kept an eye on her when the rest of the crew couldn’t. He noticed that she was tense the whole time and her head was ducked down the whole time. He was quick to realize that the endless night was starting to affect (Y/N) and was able to empathize with her. He, too, was very familiar on what the night could bring and the sadness that it brought on. His observations continued even after they left Thriller Bark.
(Y/N) had once confided in him that she adored his music and would often compliment his skills or sit on the deck next to where he stood and listen quietly. When the sun went down, he knew that (Y/N)’s mood would reveal itself and always in the darkest of ways. He saw her scuttle across the deck, most likely to find a place to be alone, while everyone headed below deck for bed. he looked over at his violin and picked it up.
“(Y/N)-san.” He couldn’t recall when he actually opened his mouth to call out for her but he smiled when she turned to look at him. He motioned for her to come over with his violin’s bow and she obediently went over.
“Yes, Brook?” She mumbled, rubbing her arm and really hoping that whatever he wanted would be quick. He crossed his bow wielding arm across his chest and bowed slightly at her.
“Would you like to help me with my song?” Her eyebrow raised at his odd request. She didn’t know how she could help. She opened her mouth, a denial ready at her lips, but the words stopped in her throat. It was much easier to deal with her depression when she was focused on something else and in the company of another. After all, she and Brook became very acquainted even before he joined the crew.
That’s when it clicked. Brook knew of the hardship she faced every night. He was willing to stay up with her, despite having had his own issues with the night, and help her forget her depression at least for one night. The thought made her tear up a bit. She cleared her throat and, as steady as she could at the moment, answered the man in front of him.
“I-If I can help in anyway, why not?” Brook let out a soft version of his regular laugh.
“That’s what I like to hear.” He waited until she made herself comfortable on the bannister behind them. He lifted his violin up between his chin and shoulder, a soft tune starting to play, filling the silent night with a beautiful melody. (Y/N) gripped the railing under her fingertips and felt her eyes close as the sound of Brook’s violin calmed her usually racing nerves.
Although the songs he played were upbeat and lively, there was something about them that made her want to cry. Was it because Brook thought about her? Was it because they were songs he never played before? Or maybe it was because his songs were a lot like her? The initial sound was happy and cheerful but, at a closer listen, it was honestly a more bittersweet sound that came from the wooden instrument. Without speaking a word, Brook was able to express his support for her despite not being exactly the cheerful friendly girl everyone on the crew knew.