One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Twenty-One: Hatred

Nova
It has been a few hours since Kuro joined the crew and there is an element of awkwardness to say the least. We are all having lunch, which is a really nice mushroom soup, but it is rather hard to focus on it with Usopp constantly scowling at Kuro, looking tempted to drown him in the soup. Which one, would not be nice and two would be such a waste of such a nice soup! Kuro seems to, for the most part, seems to be determined to ignore Usopp's evident anger, taking small spoonfuls of the soup at a time, not even glancing at the evident glare.
"So Kuro," Luffy says cheerfully, breaking the painful silence. "What do you think of Sanji's cooking?" On that Sanji looks up with an interested expression, probably because cooks like feedback on their food. I guess, anyway. I wouldn't know because I don't cook.
"It's really good," Kuro says. "One of the best things I've eaten." That makes Sanji grin and I'm guessing the path to make him like you is don't be an evil douche and like his cooking. Anyway, who wouldn't like Sanji's cooking? It is so fricking good!

"You know he is probably trying to just bribe you into liking him, right?" Usopp mutters, sourly. Kuro rolls his eyes but doesn't comment, looking more bored than annoyed at Usopp's accusations.
"Usopp, bare in my mind, he did less bad things than I did," Robin points out. "And you gave me a second chance, a lot quicker."
"You did it for History he did it for money," Usopp mutters, disdain dripping into the last word. "He's a monster and nothing will change that." With that Usopp slams down his spoon and storms out of the room, the door banging loudly behind him.
"That was dramatic," Zoro comments, opening his eyes from where he seemed to be taking a half nap. By now we've finished eating so everyone heads off.
"Want some help with the dishes?" I offer to Sanji, figuring it'll give me something to do and it won't be fair for him to do everything.
"You don't mind?" he asks.
"Gives me something to do," I reply, cheerfully. "Plus with washing there are bubbles!" Sanji chuckles, rolling his eyes.
"Fair enough," he says. "You wash, I dry?" I nod in agreement and get on with it.

After I head outside to where Danni is talking to the others and sit down nibbling on toffee bonbons, trying to decide if I can be bothered to do any sewing.
"So are you going to ask Usopp out yet?" Franky asks her with a grin.
"Why do you think I like him?" she asks with an eye roll. "Besides, there are more important things going on right now. Like the Kuro/Usopp situation. Usopp completely hates him."
"Kuro may hate him too," I point out, less than optimistically at the idea because that could make things even more awkward. "Not sure though."
"Good point..." Danni replies. "I'll ask him."
"Really..." Nami comments. "If he does then things could go bad." Danni shrugs and heads off to wherever Kuro is. I think then, possibly, most of the crew and not just Usopp are still wary of Kuro.

I eventually head back into the kitchen to make some mocha where Usopp and Sanji are. Normally mocha has a balanced ratio of coffee and chocolate but I add extra chocolate because why not. Then stir in four sugars.
"Enough sugar?" Usopp asks with an eye roll. I shrug then stir in one more for luck, making him chuckle slightly. Yet again the weather changes drastically, reaching hotter temperatures, and I am pretty sure that is not normal. In books I read back in the faculty there are normally signs weather is going to change. Here though it changes faster than Usopp's mood changes when Kuro enters a room.
"Why is the weather so odd here?" I ask, sipping at my mocha. The sip confirms it needs a tad more chocolate so I shake sprinkles on until Sanji takes the tube with an eye roll.
"Enough sugar..." he tells me with an exasperated expression. "And that is because it is the Grand Line. Things are always confusing here. Lucky we have Nami who knows the signs so we usually know when they're approaching."
"Oh..." I say, figuring that makes a lot of sense. "I'm such an idiot...I'm guessing that it is common knowledge."
"Not all of it," Usopp tells me, which makes me feel slightly better about my lack of knowledge. "In fact they call the Grand Line 'The Graveyard of Dreams' because of how many pirates have died trying to get here." Sheesh that is dark...
"Yup, kinda morbid," Sanji chuckles, pretty much echoing my thoughts.
"It does sound sort of cool in an eerie way though," I say, trying to stay positive as usual because not being happy is a waste of time.