An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
白昼夢
Fandom: One Piece
Rating: General Audiences
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Usopp, Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates & Usopp
tags: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Usopp-centric (One Piece), on what it means to have a best friend and revel in that while also feeling unworthy in every other way, Mild Angst, there's joy too, however small, bcs usopp is a strawhat
Summary:
Usopp’s palms are flat on the earth and he’s sobbing so hard he can’t see anything, his voice going hoarse when he yells, “PLEASE LET ME JOIN!!!” He sees them, already so far away, and he despairs. It’s his fault, they’re leaving him because he’s stubborn, he’s pathetic, he’s weak, he did this. It’s his fault.
This desperation, this panic, it was buried deeply when he’d quit, when he’d foolishly let them all down because of his hang-ups and now it’s come rushing out like a waterfall, crashing on the jagged rocks at the bottom.
He blinks with difficulty, once, twice, and sees a single palm outstretched, Luffy’s hand, and Luffy’s crying face, snot spilling out of his nose, and Usopp, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he grabs on, crushing Luffy’s hand in his, and the relief that fills him—pure,, all-consuming relief—distracts him from how he lifts off his feet and soars across open water.
A Rant About Fandom and Agenda Piece in One Piece Fanfiction
Disclaimer: This is just my personal opinion about how Usopp is often written in fanfiction. Everyone is free to write what they want, and this isn’t meant to police anyone’s creativity. That said, I wanted to vent some frustrations I’ve had with how certain aspects of Usopp's character are handled. If you’re a fan of Usopp and care about balanced portrayals, this might resonate with you.
A recurring issue I have with Usopp in One Piece fanfiction is how his lying is often portrayed as a negative trait that needs to be "fixed," while the other Straw Hats are rarely called out or "fixed" themselves. I love Usopp angst and enjoy Usopp-centric fics, but I struggle with Water 7 introspectives that depict him as being entirely alone, tearing himself down as if he's the only one with flaws, while the rest of the crew is portrayed as perfectly fine (when they are just as flawed). I also can’t stand fics where the author “calls him out” in hurt-no-comfort scenarios.
Everyone is free to write what they want, but I can’t get into Usopp angst unless he’s treated with dignity, validated, and there’s genuine hope by the end. Especially when Water 7 is brought up, there’s certain wording that needs to be handled carefully. Terms like “wrong,” “weak,” “sorry,” “jealous,” and “deserved it” shouldn’t be overemphasized or even included unless the point is to show how warped Usopp’s self-perception is. His lying doesn’t need to be changed unless the rest of the crew is held to the same standard. He’s a liar—so what? Luffy brought him aboard fully aware of this, and Usopp’s never hidden it; he’s even been upfront about it with Luffy, Nami, and Zoro, openly calling himself a liar.
What really bothers me in fanfiction is when authors claim to be fans of Usopp but then put him through unnecessary hardships or make him apologize for things he doesn’t need to. It often feels like they’re trying to paint him as the only flawed member of the crew, while the other Straw Hats' problematic behavior goes unchecked. This “Agenda Piece” approach frustrates me, because it’s far easier to accept Usopp for who he is than to try and change him just because he isn’t as “perfect” as the others.
If you’re going to write Usopp, please be clear about whose side you’re on. That doesn’t mean antagonizing the other characters, but if you're going to explore these dynamics, do it in a way that’s balanced and respectful. I had to get this off my chest after coming across some problematic Usopp fanfics recently—it’s motivated me to update my own stories.
It's Usopp day!! So here are some quick headcannons I've had bouncing around for a while:
Usopp is, hands down the best gift giver of the crew. One of his main love languages is acts of service, you know he's always ready for the crew's birthdays! If he can't find it, more often than not, he'll make it, so when his birthday rolls around, it's all hands on deck.
Contrary to popular belief, Usopp doesn't drink coffee that often. His anxiety plus caffeine isn't a great mix. He doesn't really have a preference between coffee or tea, he's more of a sweet drinks person.
At least twice a week, he and Robin spend some time caring for their plants together. He's working with Robin and Chopper to see if he can cross-breed pop greens with other plants.
Usopp journals pretty consistently. It's a habit he picked up from his mom when she was bedridden and trying to keep occupied and awake. He likes to write down his to-do list, ideas, and first sketches as they pop into his head. It's always somewhere on him or nearby, but no one is allowed to look through it.
(Its definetly not because he loves making little sketches of the crew as they go about their day)
Usopp's sketchbook is where he drafts out his blueprints and works on complex drawings. That's usually in his workshop, and he and Franky communicate on projects through little notes left on pages.
He and Nami are the most consistent writers of the log book. At first, Nami kept it up to date, but Usopp got involved to add more flare, and now it's their little ritual.
Usopp is a little touch starved, and especially after the whole water 7 debacle, starts seeking out comfort and physical affection from his crew mates. Evening cuddles with Luffy and Chopper quickly becomes a regular thing.
Brook and Usopp have a religiously scheduled time one day a week, dedicated to hair care. Neither usually care too much about the shower schedule, but Wash Day is sacred. They pull out all their products and shamelessly hog the bathroom. Sanji brings them snacks and drinks as needed. Sometimes, Chopper joins them when his fur needs a good clean. Brook and Usopp experiment with different styles on Ussop's hair if they have the time and energy. Both of them will never admit just how important it is to them, but they know.
It's not a grudge, per say, but Usopp definitely has some repressed anger towards Yasopp. He loves his dad, respects him, and looks up to him. He also socks him across the face before hugging him when they finally reunite.
It takes Usopp a few hours to wind down if he pushes his observation haki too far. His haki is strong, and it backfires a little, leading to a painful case of sensory overload. He has to lie down in the dark and built himself a wieghted blanket just for occasions like this.
Once, when he got a little too tipsy, and had spent a little too long staring at Kabuto upgrades, Usopp may have considered - very passionatly, out loud - how well Luffy's skin would work as a last ditch replacement for the rubber straps of his slingshot. It took them an hour to convince Luffy to come down from the rigging.
Usopp is not allowed to experiment with explosives on the Sunny unless he is manning the cannons. This is absolutely because of an incident when Ussop was on watch, sleep deprived, and experimenting with new ammunition. Luffy, Nami and Zoro have a pact to ensure Usopp and Buggy never interact with each other.
Speaking of sleep deprivation, when Usopp gets like that, he scares the crew and never even ends up remembering it. All of his intrusive and unhinged thoughts take over, and he loses any filter he has. He's tried to collect Chopper's fur to make a coat, made Jimbei sit still so he could colour match the exact shade of his skin, watered Zoro's head in the middle of his nap, started debating the worst ways to die and why with Robin and made a detailed plan to kidnap and train a news coo to get Nami free newspapers.
“I don’t… right?” Sanji looked pale and almost small, the opposite of how he’d seemed before while pummeling the shit out of Luffy.
The energy in the room shifted slightly towards something Usopp couldn’t really name. From an outside perspective, this was a perfectly normal conversation between two roommates just getting to know each other. It shouldn’t have felt as tense and foreboding as it did now.
“You don’t what?”
“I don’t cook - I’m not a chef, right?”
___
Or, Usopp moves into a seemingly normal living arrangement. It's only once the illusion starts to crumble that he begins to question his supposed reality.
i've been working on a scary fic!! its been a lot of fun and has gotten me back into a writing groove
Yeah this is what it was. I'd forgotten the details until now. Oh this is worse than I'd thought.
Usopp thinks everything will be better again when pirates come to the island, cuz that means his dad is there and his mom is okay. It's not the weird projection thing that I explained at some point several posts ago, its this. And this is worse on...a few different levels.
And holy shit, how old was he...?!
One more thing. A few pages ago, the townspeople were waiting for usopp to come into town shouting about pirates, just like he does Every Day. He didnt do it this day, though, because he was packing to leave the island instead. I think him leaving is a change he needed in order to finally be over the death of his mom. Hes been doing that routine for years, and now hes finally letting it go. Not only is Usopp pursuing his dream, he is also HEALING.
Head High | Chapter 23 excerpt (not yet published)
“Do they always do that?” Luffy asked. “Did they start doing that now?”
Usopp laughed. Just lie, Usopp. He doesn’t need to know how much of a whimp you are. You’re a burden. “That was a one time thing.”
Luffy wouldn’t let go of Usopp's hand. His eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.” He'd seen everything.
“No, I’m not.”
“You’re lying!” Luffy’s grip was hard; an iron-like (almost) death grip. “I should’ve done more than break his ribs.” He meant it. He really meant it.
“No, Luffy,” Usopp insisted, his hand started to throb. But if Luffy needed to hold his hand to not go and get into another fight. So be it. “You taught them a lesson, and I’m pretty sure they won’t be hurting me anytime soon.” Usopp laughed.
“But I didn’t notice when I should have,” Luffy said frustratedly. “I’m so stupid.”
Usopp shook his head quickly. “No, no you aren’t,” he adamantly said. “It’s not your job to protect me– “
“But you’re my friend,” Luffy insisted. “I’m not gonna stand here and do nothing.”
Maybe if Usopp really took the time to think about it, he’d finally understand that people’s definition of friendship was a lot more simple and nice than others. Why couldn’t he wrap his head around the fact that people genuinely took the idea of friendship seriously; with their full commitment? Of course, he’d never want to stop hanging out with Luffy and the others, but he didn’t have as much of a big head to think they’d want to keep him around for long. Maybe…maybe they’d start to realize he was an imposter. Or maybe Heracles was still paying them to be his friend. He’d never asked Heracles if he’d paid Nami–
“Wait,” Luffy said, even more pissed. “You don’t think I want to hang out with you?”
Usopp blanched. Was he that readable?
He could hear the bell ring in the background. Maybe that was his cue to leave. “No, it’s not like that…” He turned to walk off, but Luffy wasn’t having it. After all, he was still holding his hand.
“C’mon, talk to me.”
Usopp laughed nervously. He needed to divert his friend’s attention. “Luffy, um, if Heracles paid you and the others to be my friend…um, you can just lie to him. You don’t have to keep doing this if– “
“What the hell are you talking about?” Luffy pushed him. His facial expression was beyond angry. “Is that how you see us? Me?”
I enjoyed this newly published Usopp-centric one-shot found on AO3
The fic is titled, I’ll Do What You Can’t! by AlwaysFanfiction.
Please give it a read. I had an absolute ball. It depicts Usopp in a sniper battle and it’s bad AF. He’s protecting his loved ones and does a d*mn good job!
Fic found here.
(I’ll ask the author if they’re here on Tumblr to guarantee I’ve given them enough credit of course 😄)
