Summary: After losing a bet, Usopp has to pay a visit to the witch who moved in the forest surronding his town and terrorises its inhabitants.
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Usopp lived in a small town where there were no turmoil. The only thing disturbing the peace of it inhabitants being the light birdsongs. He considered his life boring. The only time he remembered seing the village affected was when a certain witch moved in the surronding forest.
All were terrified of her presence and wanted her gone, but still, no one was brave enough to really confront her. Only children were visiting her, wanting to prove their courage and strenght but they always came back telling everyone dreadful stories.
Usopp had never seen the said witch and it was not in his intention to go to her. But one day, as he was going around the town telling the fantastic stories of his adventure; the boss of the grocery store looked at him with an amused smile and said "And the witch ? Do you know her ? If you're so brave you must have had an encounter with her !" he looked at him dumfounded not quietly understanding what he meant "Excuse me?" then the realisation hit "Oh, the witch ! Of course the great Usopp knows her haha, she's actually pretty friendly, well at first she wasn't but my charisma impressed her and-" next thing he knew a package was set in in front of him "If she's so friendly will you take that to her please, she requested ingredient from me, certainly for her spell."
Usopp was getting looked at expetantly as he stared at the package in front of him. He was searching for an excuse to avoid going to the witch, his mind racing as sweat started to form on his forehead. But then he realized he didn't have to shame himself in front of this people that were waiting for him to decline the demand. He just had to go in the forest and hide the delivery at the start of his journey and after, come back to say that the witch was in a bad mood, or even pay himself for the order.
It's not like the witch would allow him to go far in her forest, she would certainly send creatures he didn't even wanted to imagine to pursue him, like the one the children talked about. He would just avoid himself a fright and another reason to be laugh at in the town. So, to everyone surprise Usopp took the package for the witch, that was wrapped in old paper and smiled "Of course ! No problem !"
The rode he took in the forest, was in fact very calm and very normal. No monster thirty for blood on his path and no any weird warning to dissuade him to keep going like a dead sheep. So here was Usopp, hid in a bush and observing the house of the witch. He was sweating abundantly while observing the little cottage in front of him.
From where he was hiding, he couldn't see if she was here or not, the window of the little house were decorate with beautiful flowers -well it would have even more beautiful if it didn't spoiled his view. He could make out a vegetable garden in the side and a lot of variety of plants. It was really peaceful, surrounded by all this nature, Usopp found himself relaxed. But then a crack echoid and he had to repressed the not-very-manly scream that almsot got away from his throat.
There she was, the witch. A shiver ran down the spine of Usopp as he looked at the figure emerging from the wood. She was wearing a dark cloak and tripped from time to time as she walked toward the entry of her house. He tought she really looked like an evil sorceress like that and could only wonder how she looked behind the hood hiding her face.
He heared her huff before a ton of logs of woods appeared to her feets. There were no way, did she just made them magically come out ? His anxiety went a tide higher as he watched her enter her house. So she was really a witch. And he was in front of her house. So she must have feel him coming right ? And the wood ? Why wood ? She must plan to kill him and give him to sacrifice there's no other option. And she was outside to search for an appropriate tool to slaughter him with !
His blood ran cold when he saw the witch exited her home and looked right in his direction. He couldn't move, even when she started walking rapidly in his direction, she must have had casted a spell to him. So he just closed his eyes, at least not wanting to see her evil face before dying, crushing the package he had still in his arms.
"Oh my ! What are you doing here ?!" Still trembling, he looked up to the witch supposed to kill him and was never welcomed by an evil face. In fact, it was a very pretty lady that was towering over him, she looked at him with a mixed of curiosity and perplexity in her eyes. But it didn't change the fact that she was going to sacrifice him, so Usopp did the only thing that came to his mind.
"Please don't kill me !" he screamed at the top of his lungs while bowing in front of her in his hands and knees "Kill you ? Why would I kill you ?" there was a silence before she spoke again, unimpressed "Oh, you're from the town. I'm not a witch don't you worry." he looked up at her again, in desblief " Of course you're a witch ! Everyone in the town say so ! And you just made a ton of wood appeared out of nowhere !" "You mean the logs of woods I had to carry for at least one hour ?!" There was a silence in wich they just stared at each others in defiance "But all the children-" "Oh I can't believe you didn't understand they were making all those stories up, honestly how old are you ?"
He didn't understand what was happening at all, his mind running to find another defense. She had to lie right ? All of this was certainly a ruse for him to trust her and fall in the arms of the beast. He started looking everywhere but at her, her mere presence making him anxious. He was searching for an exit to run away from the danger he was in. But the moment he thought he was ready to go the lady spoke up with an annoyed voice.
"Is that package for me ? If it is, I hope for your safety the things I ordered are in good shape." Usopp looked down very slowly to the paper bag in his hand; crushed and soaked from his sweaty palms. Realising the package was, in fact, not in a good shape and remembering the words of the witch about his safety, he lost it. And the young woman could only watch astonished as the stranger in front of her fell on the ground with a heavy tud. "Oh my, it was just a joke... What's wrong with him !"
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To be continued !
requests are still open don't hesitate to send one :)
Are You Afraid of the Dark? // Usopp x gn!reader [feat. the Strawhat crew]
CW: none--just some silly, fluffy, mildly spooky fun with your crush Usopp
WC: 2.4k // Fictober Masterlist
“It was a cold, dark night on a deserted island somewhere in the middle of uncharted ocean—an island that, come to think of it, was a lot like this one…”
And so begins a long and scary tale, told with boundless flourish and flawless acting by Usopp as you and the rest of the crew sit around the campfire, huddled close together in the chill night air. You had docked on the island with the intent to stay a night or two, hoping to explore the unknown topography and restock supplies with whatever you could find to tide you over until your next major stop; your task was to help Usopp identify some native flora and fauna that he could possibly use for his ammo. You were a little disappointed, however, when your attempts to cozy up with him and impress him with your extensive knowledge of poisonous plants (thanks to Chopper’s vast library) was met with only nervous chatter and him staying at least a few paces ahead of you at all times.
At least now, as he regales you all with another scary story of vengeful ghosts and spooky skeletons (much to Brook’s disapproval) you have an excuse to get close; it is awfully cold, after all, and Usopp just so happens to be sitting beside you—by your design. Every so often you scooch just a little closer, carefully avoiding his flailing arms as he lets out a monstrous growl, imitating the great beast that stalked him through the deep, dark woods, ducking as he mimes shooting at a looming specter with his slingshot to send it straight back to the hell from which it came.
It’s not until he finally takes what seems like his first breath of the evening between stories and reaches down to grab his canteen that he even notices you’re beside him, your thighs touching and your hand resting between your hips. Usopp’s eyes widen and he makes some babbled excuse that Luffy needs him to help with something (much to Luffy’s confusion) and quickly scrambles off, leaving you alone and a little bit confused.
“What was that about?” Sanji asks, sitting down next you and offering you a cup of something piping hot.
“I don’t know,” you shrug, sipping your beverage and settling your chin in your hand. “Guess something scared him.”
As the evening carries on and the fire begins to dwindle, you can’t help but still be crestfallen at Usopp’s rejection—you tried to be subtle, you tried to be sweet, you even tried to be a little bit snuggly, yet he still seemed shaken by the attention almost as much as you were by his tall tales. You start to clean up around the campfire, collecting errant cups and plates to bring to Sanji, when Nami taps your shoulder. “Hey, do you wanna go see if you can find some good branches and wood scraps? We could use some more to get us through ‘til morning.”
“Why can’t you send Zoro?” A chill runs down your spine at the thought of exploring the woods alone, and you feel pinpricks forming on your skin. “You know—since he has a sword?”
Nami gestures behind her; you glance over her shoulder to see Zoro reclining against a log, passed out and drooling, a few empty liquor bottles beside him and his swords nestled snugly in his arms. “That’s why.”
You shrug and let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “Fine. Can someone come with me though?”
“Why?” Nami’s eyes sparkle with a familiar deviousness you’ve come to fear. “Are you afraid of the dark or something?”
“No, of course not!” you quickly protest. You aren’t afraid of the dark—at least, not that afraid, you lie to yourself as you glance off into the inky blackness that surrounds the camp. It’s not your fault that some of Usopp’s stories were so vivid that they sent chills down your spine and goosebumps across your skin, no matter how much you were certain they were all just bluster. “It’s just, there could be anything out there! Besides, more hands mean I can carry more wood.”
“Honestly,” Nami says, rolling her eyes, “I don’t see why you can’t—”
“I’ll go with you!”
You both turn to see Usopp jogging towards you, bundled in a warm jacket, a lantern held in his hand.
“Oh, are you sure?” you ask hesitantly, recalling how distant he seemed earlier that day. “I wouldn’t want to burden you or anything. You know, since you were so busy helping Luffy with…whatever.”
“Of course I’m sure.” He places his hands on his hips and grins, ignoring your snide jab. “I mean, clearly my stories have you a little scared, the least I could do is accompany you.”
“I wasn’t scared of your goofy stories, Usopp,” you fib unconvincingly, trying to contain a shiver thinking about that one he told about the were-bears. “I could just use an extra hand is all.”
“Whatever you have to tell yourself, I guess,” he smirks.
You narrow your eyes—where did this brash Usopp suddenly come from, when only a short while ago he was slinking off into the dark corners of the camp, trotting away from your flirtatious gaze and your warm touch? Wherever he’d come from, you admittedly don’t mind—you’d rather not be alone in the darkness of the strange forest, and Nami seems insistent that you’re the only person deemed worthy of finding firewood. With a raise of your eyebrows and a shrug of your shoulders, you let Usopp take the lead and you traipse off past the clearing, into the darkened canopy just beyond.
It’s alarmingly hushed in the stillness of the forest, only the sounds of rustling leaves in the light breeze and the sound of your own heart pounding in your ears as you trudge through the undergrowth. Usopp silently holds up the lantern as you search for suitable sticks and twigs, tucking broken branches under your arm while he hums approvingly. As you bend down to pick up a particularly hefty piece of bark, a loud cracking noise from some distance away breaks the silence, and your head snaps to find the source of the sound.
“What was that?” The panic that immediately settles in your voice is almost palpable, and you chew on the side of your tongue trying to calm yourself.
Usopp turns and holds the light out in front of him, taking a few steps in either direction to peer through the trees. “Probably just a rabbit or something.”
Your back stiffens and you stand straight as another sound rings through the woods—heavy footfalls over crunching leaves, twigs snapping and vegetation being moved.
“Usopp, that sounds bigger than a rabbit,” you whisper through a shivering breath. There are certainly no were-bears—not to the best of your knowledge—but islands like these are notorious for being home to strange and unusual creatures of all shapes and sizes, and it seems as though one of them may have found you.
“Aw come on, I’m sure it’s nothing,” he teases, softly punching your upper arm. “Have you always been such a scaredy-cat?”
“What? I’m not a scaredy-cat!”
“Coulda fooled me.” He snickers and leans in close, holding the lantern up so you can see the smug grin that stretches across his lips. “What, are you afraid of the dark or something?”
“N-no, of course not!” you protest, your brow furrowed and your jaw jutting out. “I’m just trying to be careful, that’s all.”
“Well, no need to worry,” he says reassuringly, wrapping a hesitant arm around your shoulder. “You have the greatest sharpshooter in the world at your side to keep you safe. You just worry about finding firewood—I’ll take care of the rest.”
You feel assured, if only for the moment, and settle into the comfortable warmth of his arm around you, pulling you against him. The further you travel into the woods, the louder the sounds of something—or someone—following you grow louder and louder, and you cling to Usopp, dropping your armful of kindling altogether to grasp at the fabric of his jacket. Deep, guttural noises that sound like the call of something wild, something big, echo in the darkness, and a subtle green glow seems to illuminate the forest floor, dappled by the slivers of moonlight that manage to make it through the canopy.
Perhaps Usopp wasn’t lying about were-bears and other unsavory creatures after all, you think as a cacophony of thuds and bangs start to unnerve you, a crash and a boom like the felling of a tree—or two or three—hitting your ears. A low, haunting moan fills the air and suddenly it seems as though the whole forest is alive, creatures lurking just beyond the clearing where you and Usopp stand, a being that must be mystical or ghostly tinting the darkness in neon and calling out for something, a melancholy cry that chills you to the very marrow of your bones. Usopp keeps you close and hushes you, tells you to stay quiet, to keep your footfalls light—he would protect you, and the two of you would survive this hellish encounter to survive another day.
As you cling tightly to Usopp, arms wrapped around his firm torso, face buried in the fluffy collar of his jacket, you swear you hear a soft laugh that sounds familiar to you among the chaos and the terror that awaits you in the dense thicket. You still your quivering breaths and raise your head enough to hear more clearly, and lo and behold, there is it again: a telltale titter cutting through the discordance that can belong to only one person—or, sort-of person.
“I know that damned voice,” you murmur, breaking your embrace and walking towards the thick stand of trees as Usopp tugs at your wrist, his insistence to wait, to stay away from the trees lest a terrible tragedy occur falling on your disinterested ears. “Brook? Is that you?”
The booms and thuds come to an abrupt stop, and a soft “yo-ho” can be heard from just beyond the thick cluster of trees ahead. and Brook slowly pokes his head out from behind a large bush, waving weakly and mumbling “hey.”
You set your hands on your hips and shake your head, almost in tears from how utterly absurd you feel right now, having been bamboozled by your own friends. “Chopper, you can come out too. I know it’s you.”
“No, it’s not!” you hear in a small voice, quickly followed by “Aw, darn it.”
Brook and Chopper sheepishly walk into the clearing, both chuckling nervously as they start to talk over each other.
“It was Nami’s idea!” Chopper quickly blurts.
“It was his idea first!” Brook announces, pointing a long, bony finger in Usopp’s direction.
“Wow, selling me out that fast?” Usopp mutters under his breath, his eyes glued to the ground. “Thanks, guys, you’re real pals.”
You sigh and offer your crewmates a soft grin. “I’m not mad or anything—you both were very scary.”
“Really?” Chopper’s eyes light up and a blush dusts his furry cheeks. “Aw, come on, telling me that won’t make me happy or anything.”
“I think maybe it’s time you two went back to camp, don’t you think?” Usopp says through gritted teeth, glaring at them with raised eyebrows.
A chorus of “right” and “sure” and “of course” are nervously spoken into the air before the pair quickly scurry off back in the direction of your campsite. You dig the toe of your boot into the ground and sway back and forth, waiting for Usopp to say something, anything at all, but instead he stands with his hands in his pockets, seeming to find something very fascinating on the ground. He’s sweet like this, you think to yourself—brave, strong Usopp always seems to be reduced to awkward silence in your presence, whether you’re tagging along on a hike or stopping by his workshop to ask for help with a project of your own. It’s hard to be anything more than a little annoyed with him—there’s something he clearly wants from you, just as you do him, but he’s finding it impossible to say.
You walk towards him slowly, a pace fit to approach a nervous animal, acquiescing that perhaps it is you who needed to be the brave and strong one for a change. “Listen, Usopp, if you wanted to get close to me, you should’ve just said something.”
He crosses his arms over his chest and gives a small shrug. “I guess, I just didn’t know what to say.”
“Maybe something like ‘hey, do you wanna take a walk with me?’ Or ‘wow, look at this cool rock I found?’ Those would’ve totally worked.”
He quickly glances up at you. “Really?”
You smile and move closer, placing your hands on his arms. “Really. Try it.”
Usopp bristles at your touch, then stands up straight and puffs out his chest, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat. “So, uh…would you like to take a walk with me?”
“Why, how kind of you to ask.” You lean up and leave a chaste kiss on his cheek. “I would love to.”
A profound blush settles across his face and he grins so hard for a moment before composing himself that you think his jaw might be sore tomorrow. “Then let’s go.”
You take a few steps into the woods before you wrap your arm around his and pull yourself close, resting your face against his arm. He stiffens at first, a surprised noise pushing past his lips, but then settles, and he pulls you in close.
“Good thing you have me here to protect you, you know,” Usopp says, that familiar confident tone returning to his voice as the two of you saunter through the decaying leaves and soft moss beneath you. “These woods do seem like they’re pretty spooky.”
“Guess you better hold me close then,” you coo, and you can practically feel his body vibrating at your touch. “I am afraid of the dark, after all.”
cw: it’s just fluff with a little classic Usopp self-doubt
wc: 1.2k
Usopp couldn’t stop his hands from shaking as he carefully placed them on yours, his palms pressed into the tops of your hands, fingers almost interwoven. You’d asked and asked and asked for him to teach you how to make things—you didn’t care what, you’d said with that sweet smile of yours that made your eyes crinkle at the corners, the one he always tried to coax out of you with every exaggerated story, the one that he saw every night in his mind’s eye as he drifted to sleep. It made his heart ache and his tongue prickle every time he said “no” or “not now” or “perhaps another time”; he just couldn’t find the words, couldn’t puff his chest and muster the courage to tell you he always turned you down because he was petrified to be alone with you.
He couldn’t make himself do it—brave, strong Usopp was anxious down to the marrow of his bones at the idea of being in his workshop with you, the door closed, the daylight fading into evening outside, the rhythmic sounds of waves lapping at the Sunny filling the room. And why shouldn’t he be nervous? Your eyes glimmered like jewels in the sun, your laugh sounded like a familiar melody, your body looked so soft and inviting to touch like a blanket he wanted to wrap himself in—you were, to him, perfection, and while he would have given his left arm to so much as kiss you, his heart thudded with fear at the thought of having you all to himself in that room. What if he ruined it? What if he said something stupid that didn’t manage to make you laugh and you both had to suffer in the strained silence of failed comedy?
But worst of all—what if you rejected him? What if you turned him down and there was an impenetrable wall of awkwardness suddenly built in between the two of you? Usopp would have gladly spent his days creating an arsenal of inventions to keep you safe, watching you throw your head back and laugh at the dinner table, quietly admiring you on the deck as you gazed out at the shimmering seas—he’d gladly do it all just to make sure you would always smile, even if it wasn’t only for him.
“Usopp, is everything okay?” you inquired as he haphazardly directed your motions and you watched the flame at the end of the blowtorch jiggle in the air.
“Yep! Uh-huh! Everything’s great!” Usopp said a little too loudly, trying to mask the tremble in his voice. “My muscles are just shaking from how tense they are—you know how it is when you’re as strong as I am, can barely control them sometimes!”
“Sure, I guess that makes sense,” you muttered, turning your attention back to the piece of metal in front of you. “But… why are your hands so sweaty?”
“Oh! Well. That’s because…”
“Because?”
He mumbled and stuttered and croaked, trying to make himself spit out words, any words at all. “B-because the blowtorch is too hot, and we should stop for now and let it cool off!”
He quickly reached to turn off the torch and snatch it out of your grasp, bounding across the small room to set it down. He leaned against the worktable, and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to hold himself together and hide his heaving breaths.
You shoved your hands in your pockets. “Usopp, you weren’t even touching it, I was.”
“Well it’s because of how heat transference works, you know.”
“I don’t—I don’t think that’s how it works.”
He couldn’t handle this. He felt himself coming apart at the seams, sweat beads starting to form at his temples, his hands quaking even as they were firmly tucked under his arms. “Maybe—maybe we should do this another time. Or—or wait I know—we could ask Chopper if he wants to help too! He’s always saying how much he wants to learn to weld; why just the other day, he said to me—”
“Usopp, what did I do wrong?”
He snapped out of his momentary spiral and looked up to see the glimmer in your eyes fading, your eyebrows knitted together in confusion, a half-frown on your lips. You looked utterly crestfallen, and it was all his fault.
“Nothing! You didn’t do anything, why would you think that?”
“Because,” you said, voice quavering slightly, “you won’t ever teach me how to do any of this. You always tell me no, and when I finally just show up out of the blue and tell you I want to learn or else, you start acting all weird and get all soggy in the hands, and I just feel like I did something wrong. Or that—that you don’t think I can learn this.”
“What? No! That’s not it at all!” He quickly crossed the room to stand in front of you, even if it made his knees start to buckle being this close to you. “I think you can do anything you set your mind to.”
“You think so?”
“Of course I do,” he uttered softly, placing one trembling hand on your forearm, trying not to think of how warm you were or how nice your skin felt against his palm. “I think you’re one of the smartest, most capable and special people I’ve ever met. And I’ve met a lot of people on my adventures, so that should tell you something.”
“You think I’m special?” you grinned, that glimmer that he adored shining in your eyes.
Usopp took a deep, unsteady breath and steeled himself. “I—I think you’re very special.”
You smiled—that perfect, special smile—and placed your hands on his upper arms. “I think you’re pretty special too, you know.”
“Oh? You do?” His voice cracked and he felt a burning heat blooming in his cheeks as he started trying to back away from you, but you only followed, your hands still firmly planted on him. Your soft body was mere inches from his, he could almost feel the heat radiating from you like a crackling bonfire.
You nodded eagerly. “Now, can I tell you a little secret?”
Usopp’s back bumped into the wall; he had nowhere else to go to escape you. “Uhh, sure,” he croaked.
You leaned up and whispered in his ear: “I really did want to learn how to make weapons, but mostly I kinda wanted to be alone with you.”
“W-why?” he sputtered, his eyes darting back and forth between your eyes and your parted lips.
“So I could do this.” You leaned forward and gently pressed your lips to his, and let out a sigh that was the most charming noise Usopp thought he had ever heard in his life.
He felt himself disintegrating at your touch, his heart thrumming so quickly he could almost feel it careening out of control, his skin prickling and burning all over. And yet, you were so perfectly soft, and sweet, and gentle—what could he ever have had to have been afraid of? Perhaps, he thought as he placed his hand on the back of your neck and pressed his lips more hungrily to yours, perhaps he should have invited you to his workshop a little sooner.
"I'm so glad Franky installed a heating system on the Sunny." You say while wrapping your throw blanket closer around your shoulders.
You're currently sitting by the window in Usopp's workshop, watching the rain fall on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, as you keep him company while he finishes his latest star.
" Yeah! It's so cold today." Usopp complains, silently wishing he could tuck his nose into the collar of his turtleneck. You huff a breath and take another look around the workshop, appreciating your effort. Usopp had recently said that you should decorate his workplace because you're always there, and you had taken your new job seriously. The place had a cozier vibe, now that you had added some warm string lights and a few resting areas. You had even added a little record player by his desk, that was now playing a jazz instrumental that Brook had orchestrated.
After enjoying the ambiance for a moment, your eyes eventually land on the owner of the workshop. Who was all bundled in a turtleneck and gloves and shivered while hunched over his tarp, in the middle of the room. You look at the way the gleam from the string lights cast a warm glow over his skin. It couldn't compare to the way his tan skin looked during golden hour, but it could be a close second. Your eyes finally land on the red fingers that continue to add finishing touches on his project.
" If you're so cold, come sit over here with me." You say quietly and Usopp looks up at you. Your throw blanket was pretty small and it wasn't very thick, so you momentarily worry that your offer may sound dumb. Those thoughts vanish though, when Usopp stands up, dusts his hands off, and swiftly walks over to you. You're a little startled at his amount of confidence as he easily pulls off your blanket and slides in next to you, before tucking it back in around your shoulders. You take a second to compose yourself before speaking up.
"Were you waiting for this offer or something?" You mumble into the cover, feeling your face heat up at the sudden close proximity between the two of you.
" Don't make an offer and then get embarrassed when I take it." Usopp chides softly from above you, where he was looking out the window over your head. You can feel his chin move against your hair as he speaks. Embarrassed, you unconsciously cuddle closer to him, the cold being a natural shipper of you two. Usopp almost chokes when he feels your breath against his collarbone, and he's grateful his cheeks and nose were already dusted red from the cold. You both sit in silence for a little while, listening to the rain patter against the window and waiting for the heat from the vents to wash over you. Although the two of your body's heat is already doing a pretty good job of warming you up.
" So tell me about your latest star." You say quietly, already having a guess at what it might be because of the way he smelled of cinnamon. You can visualize how Usopp perks up before he starts to go into detail about his new cinnamon star. You feel your eyelids start to weigh heavier as he speaks. The rain, the warmth, his warmth, his voice. You being cuddled up in a blanket with him like this.
"Usopp," you giggled, piling Usopp's massive hair in between your fingers. "You're so funny."
Usopp ran his fingers over your spine with a soft smile on his lips.
How on earth did he pull you? Of all people? You were so... stunning. And he was so... Usopp. He was a liar. A coward. A wannabe captain. But you looked at him with loving eyes. With care. With nothing but happiness.
You loved Usopp.
And he couldn't believe it.
"Usopp?"
"Yes?"
You looked into his dark eyes, the golden sun making them shine. "I love you."
"I love you too."
You curled up on his chest, feeling the rhythm of his breathing that could put you to sleep.
The sunset looked more beautiful with Usopp around.
Notes: This one is pretty goofy,no pronouns are used for reader, fic is based on the Merry, so it's pre- time skip Usopp, imagine post-time skip Usopp if it's more appropriate, proof read but there may still be mistakes🦘🦘🦘
Summary:
" What's going on Zoro-san?" You ask with a confused frown as you look at the boy you love sitting on the floor with his arms crossed.
Oh y/n." Zoro says and looks over at you. " It's nothing, this fool just refuses to leave the ship." He tells you, annoyed, and you wince. You might have expected this. There's no way Usopp would willingly walk into a freak of nature like a bright red, orange, and yellow rainforest.
It's a crisp fall day on the Going Merry and the crew has just docked at a lush, autumn rain forest to gather some resources. You're currently packing a small backpack in the room you share with Nami while thinking about it . It'll be pretty exciting to explore something as unorthodox as a rainforest that experiences seasons. It's possible you'll find something to add to your or your boyfriend, Usopp's, collections. You're pulled from your thoughts when Nami suddenly speaks up from where she's standing by her bed.
" It's just so weird! I mean, who's ever heard of a rainforest that changes seasons?" She says wearily while looking through the window at the brightly colored timberland. You just laugh a little at her expression.
" Well we're on the grand line now. We're bound to run into weird things right?!" You hum, trying to reassure her that it won't be that bad. You sigh once she relaxes a bit and then reach for your bag when you hear a loud thump out on deck, followed by angry screaming. You and Nami look at one another before running out of your room and looking down at the deck to see what's going on. Once you do see what the commotion is though, Nami immediately sighs.
" Ugh, it's yours." She groans and you can't help but nod as you look at the sight that is your boyfriend planted on the floor while Zoro and Sanji holler at him . You quickly hop down the steps and walk over to Zoro, who was now just shaking his head disapprovingly, before putting your hand on his shoulder.
" What's going on Zoro-san?" You ask with a confused frown as you look at the boy you love sitting on the floor with his arms crossed.
" Oh y/n." Zoro says and looks over at you. " It's nothing, this fool just refuses to leave the ship." He tells you, annoyed, and you wince. You might have expected this. There's no way Usopp would willingly walk into a freak of nature like a bright red, orange, and yellow rainforest.
" Can't go on weird island disease, he says." Sanji chimes in as he comes over and stands next to you. You take note of how close he is with a raised eyebrow before your boyfriend notices your presence. Usopp immediately hops up and wraps his arms around you.
" Y/n! There you are! Please tell these reckless idiots what a horrible idea it is to dock at a place like this! Who knows what kind of things could camouflage in a forest that color!" He cries into your shoulder and you inwardly wince again, since you were one of the reckless idiots interested in checking out this foreign forest. The first thing you think of are bugs, but Usopp isn't scared of bugs, so he must mean other things. When you don't answer and just continue to rub his back, Usopp pulls away and looks at you. When you avoid his eyes and whistle a nervous tune, he gasps.
" Oh no! You want to go too!? Babe!" He screams and backs away, betrayed, and you immediately try to defend yourself.
" Come on bubs! When else will we find a fall colored rain forest! And you might find some cool things for your Usopp's stars!" You complain and try to persuade him, while reaching out for him.
" And if you're worried about what's out there! I haven't heard anything that sounds dangerous since we've docked!" You attempt to reassure him and Usopp finally lets you get close enough to take his hand. You could tell he was swaying a little. That is, until a loud crash echoes through the forest, accompanied by a flock of birds screeching. Usopp almost jumps out of his skin before hopping back onto you, squeezing you tightly.
" See?! I knew something huge was in there!" Usopp hollers while clinging on to you, and you, Sanji, and Zoro start to sweat. Why'd whatever that was have to go off right now? Chopper is spooked too at this point and starts to run around the deck screaming while Zoro goes to catch him. You huff a breath, thinking, before remembering your ace in the hole. You take a moment to appreciate the bicep pressed against your cheek, before pulling Usopp's arms from around you. You pull his face, that was still directed towards the forest, towards you.
" Come on, we can handle that. I mean, we do have the great captain Usopp on this crew." You say with a shrug while caressing his arms. Usopp's face warms at the contact and even more so because of your choice of words. You try not to call him this too often because he tends to get a big head after hearing it, but a little confidence was what he needed right now. Not even a second later, your lover is posing in a confident stance with a confident smirk.
" Ha! You're right my dear! The great captain Usopp could easily conquer something as insignificant as this! Especially with his fearsome lover at his side!" He crows with a determined expression while you root for him in the background. Zoro just rolls his eyes at the silly display while Sanji grumpily chews at his cigarette, jealous of the attention Usopp was receiving.
" Alright! Now that that's over! Let's go!" Luffy, who has been itching to go, says before he leaps off of the Merry's head, Zoro on his heels. You adjust your bag before taking Usopp's hand and hopping off of the ship too.
You and Usopp are only able to enjoy the outing for a short while before chaos breaks loose. You both had been having a pretty good time. You were collecting golden vines and leaves, you both had looked at a few orange frogs from afar, and you both were even surprised by a few critters. One thing that struck you as odd was that you hadn't seen any of the typical animals you'd find in a normal rainforest, aside from the few frogs. Instead you saw animals that have no business in a rainforest, like squirrels and porcupines. Rather than worry about it though, you just shrug it off as the grand line.
The two of you are currently chasing each other around because Usopp was trying to show you a bug when Luffy darts past you and knocks you down.
" Hey Luffy! Watch where you're going, wouldja?!" Usopp shouts angrily as he helps you up and you grumpily dust yourself off.
" Sorry guys! I'm trying to catch that huge stag beetle!" Luffy shouts over his shoulder as he continues to swing from the tree's branches. It's then that you both notice the disturbingly large bug flying away from him. In his haste, Luffy also knocks over a little animal and it tumbles onto it's face.
" Uh oh." You say and start to run towards it to help it up. You're halfway there when you're suddenly held back by Usopp's arms.
" Y/n don't touch it! What do you think it's mom is going to say when she sees us next to it?!" He whispers hastily as he slowly pulls you away from the furry baby.
" Oh yeah, hadn't thought of that." You say sheepishly when suddenly the ground rumbles beneath you both. The two of you freeze as you feel the ground shake and hear something big thumping through the foliage. You both look on in fear as a giant kangaroo slowly hops out of the trees and bushes. You watch as what you assumed was the mother, slowly looks down at her bruised baby and then up at you two. The kangaroo mama then puffs out some air through her nose, and you both gulp when she pulls on some boxing gloves.
" Y/n! Let's get out of here!" Usopp hollers before taking your hand and trying to run with you. Unfortunately though, before you two can get some distance the kangaroo mama makes a giant leap and drop kicks Usopp, sending him flying into the bushes. Your eyes bug out of your head as you watch your boyfriend disappear into the forest.
" Oh no! Usopp!" You screech until the mama cuts off your line of sight by jumping in front of you. You look up wearily and prepare to pull out your daggers, when she drops another pair of boxing gloves in front of you. You look at her, confused, until you notice that she's starting to square up. Oh no. She wanted to fight one on one,woman to woman. You shakily put your weapons away and slowly reach down to pick up the boxing gloves. Once you put them on, you breathe out a big sigh and get in a boxing stance. Please. Let something come and get you out of having a boxing match with this kangaroo.
Quicker than you anticipated the mama lunges and swings at you with a right hook. You flinch and right before a gloved paw connects with your jaw, a tiny smoke bomb hits her in the face. You're shocked until you see your lover run out of the bushes all scraped up.
" Y/n let's go! I hit her with a sleeping star!" Usopp shouts to you before getting ready to run, but waiting for you.
"Ok!" You holler back and get ready to run to him. You notice movement out of the corner of your eye though, and stop to turn around. You look and see the Mama's baby hop out of it's hiding spot in the bushes. You watch as it shuffles towards it's mom and nudges her while whimpering. When Usopp calls to you again, and you snap out of your thoughts and run to meet up with him, but not before calling out to the baby.
" You're Mama's ok! She's just sleeping!" You call out to it before Usopp takes your hand and starts to run with you back to the ship.
"Ouch!" Usopp winces as you dab peroxide onto his cheek that was, just like a lot of his body, covered in scrapes. You both had gotten back to the ship earlier than everyone, having not wanted to explore anymore, and decided to tend to Usopp's wounds.
"Sorry." You grumble quietly and try to add a little less pressure. Usopp looks up at your face and feels his heart compress when he sees tears slide down your cheeks. He sighs lightly and thinks for a moment before speaking up.
" There's no need to cry bubs. I'm fine. And you know me! I'm strong as an ox so it barely hurts at all!" Usopp lies and tries to console you by posing. The reassurance falls short though when he winces and curls into himself right after. He chuckles nervously when he looks up and sees you frowning at him pitifully. You exhale and resume patching up his face. The two of you sit in silence for a moment.
" I should've been the one to get drop kicked. I was the one who went to touch the baby, so why'd you have to get hurt?" You murmur with a weary frown and Usopp can't help but laugh. You sniffle and look up at him while your shoulders sag. Once he's done he huffs a big breath and looks down at you. He hums and wipes your face with his thumb.
" That wouldn't have been any better! The only difference is that I would be sitting here crying over you! And you know I would. Really hard too!" He says amusedly and rests his forehead lightly against yours. You huff out a laugh and shake your head.
" Still, I hate that the one to get hurt was you when I did something I shouldn't have. It reminds me of the day you joined the crew." You say with a deadpan expression and Usopp flinches at the topic. He already knows how you feel about Kaya. He quickly hugs your face into his chest and strokes your hair.
" Now, now let's not get into that!" He chuckles nervously and continues to pet your head. You roll your eyes before laughing and dropping the subject. You both rock gently for a while and cuddle closer to one another when a crisp breeze brushes over your shoulders.
" You shouldn't feel sorry for being a great person, anyway." Usopp suddenly says against your hair and you look up at him.
"Huh?" You ask.
" You shouldn't apologize for wanting to check on the baby, I mean!" He reiterates, feeling himself starting to get embarrassed. You hold back a chuckle and let him finish what he has to say.
" All I'm saying is that I'd get beat up by a hundred animals if it means that you stay you! Compassionate, I mean!" He blurts out quickly and hugs you closer, not wanting you to see how dark he was blushing. You laugh into his chest before wrapping your arms tighter around him. Usopp grumbles incoherently into your hair before speaking clearer.
" Don't laugh, I mean every word." He whines a little and you say a muffled sorry into his chest. You lift up a little and kiss his chin before resting your cheek onto his shoulder.
" Thank you, but let's try to avoid the animals if we can, it's not good for my heart to see the boy I love get drop kicked by kangaroos." You laugh and Usopp can't help but mumble in agreement. You hum with content before remembering how this all happened in the first place. You lift up and look at your boyfriend with a serious expression. Usopp looks at you, confused.
" We're going to kick Luffy's butt once he gets back right?" You ask him with a frown and Usopp frowns right back at you.
" Definitely."
The set up for this one isn't the best😭 I don't really like the red and green but it's not that easy to find Usopp gifs, but either way I'm glad that I posted another Usopp fic because I've been starved for one. Thanks for reading🦘🦘🦘
