One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Forty-Three: Confessions

Danni
After looking for Kuro along the beach, in the sitting area and in the library I figure the only place to look is his room. If he isn't there then I am honestly out of ideas and it may be time to worry. I knock on his door, hoping he is in there but slightly miffed that he ditched me without so much of a word.
"Yea?" he says and I breathe a sigh of relief. He's here.
"It's Danni, can I come in?" I ask.
"Sure..." he says and I finally realise how lifeless he sounds. Either something is wrong or he got the world's fastest case of being ill. I head in. Kuro is sat at his desk, staring out the window with a listless expression. His head is resting on his hand, posture slumped into the chair, seeming entirely dejected. Something is definitely wrong so the element of being slightly annoyed ebbs away into concern.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask, despite it being pretty obvious that he is not okay in the slightest given he is still so...down. "Why'd you run off?"
"I'm fine," he mumbles with no emotion in his voice at all. "And I ran off because...headache."
"Because of the sun?" I ask. "Do you need some medication?" It was quite sunny out there and he hasn't drank much so it easily could be that.
"No, because I had a shot of espresso," he mutters. I gape at him. He's smart! What is he doing having coffee?
"Kuro, why are you having coffee if you're allergic to it?" I ask, lost and even more concerned.
"It isn't that big of a deal," he murmurs, finally looking away from the window. "I wanted a distraction to get things out my head." He winces slightly. "Didn't work."

I consider that, trying to piece together his statements, trying to figure out what he could have been so desperate to get out of his head.
"Did Usopp say something to you when I left?" I ask. Usopp did seem guilty about something and for once Kuro doesn't have a mask. He just seems hurt and Usopp was the last person he talked to.
"No." The brief reply isn't convincing but I figure pushing it further when he is this hurt will just make him retreat further into himself.
"Do you want some tea?" I offer. To my surprise he shakes his head. When doesn't Kuro want tea.
"Teas overrated," he murmurs. Now I'm lost.
"I...I thought you loved tea..." I say in confusion.
"I do. But some people don't deserve nice things. And tea is a nice thing," he says, shortly. Okay, someone definitely said something and Kuro has taken whatever was said to heart.

"Okay, seriously Kuro, what happened?" I ask, crossing my arms. "This isn't like you. Sure, you're normally cynical and self depreciating but not to this degree. He just glances at me with an unreadable expression and shrugs. I huff. "Wanna go get some ramen?"
"No thanks..." he says, his gaze returning to the window.
"Okay...I'll be back later," I say, resolving to get to the bottom of this. It is likely Usopp said something but given they made up on Kuro's home island I really hope that I am wrong.

I head towards the deck where I'm pretty sure is where Usopp is and as I turn the corner I walk into Nova, causing him to drop several rolls of fabric. I help him gather them up and decide to ask if he knows anything. It is unlikely Nova would ever say anything malicious but he may know what is going on.
"Do you know what's up with Kuro?" I ask.
"Something is up with him?" he asks me. Okay, it unlikely he knows then. I nod.
"He seems really down," I say with a shrug.
"Usopp may have said something to him?" Nova suggests and my heart sinks that he has the same thought process. I really wanted to give Usopp the benefit of the doubt with this.
"I'd better talk to him then," I say, reluctantly. "See you later."

I head over to Usopp with my arms crossed.
"What did you say to Kuro?"
"Huh?" he asks, glancing up from the goggles he's altering.
"To Kuro, what did you say to him?" I notice his expression shift and he gnaws on his lip briefly.
"Did he say I said something?" he asks and I think he is deliberately avoiding the question.
"No," I say. "Actually when I asked he said you didn't say anything but I wasn't convinced." I see guilt make its way into his expression, confirming that I'm right in a very disappointing way. "Okay. What was it?"
"I had a go at him..." he says, quietly. "I thought since you two are dating it may end up in a Kaya situation...So I used that against him. And I used his family situation and insecurities against him."
"You what?!" I snap. "Why? Kuro doubts himself enough as it is and has worked so hard to change! Oh and for the record we aren't even dating!"

Usopp noticeably pales, the guilt in his expression becoming prominent, gnawing on his lip even more.
"So I had a go at him for no reason..." he murmurs. "You two aren't dating? But you spend so much time together!"
"Because we're friends, silly," I sigh. "And I worry about him considering what we found out back on his island. You really got to him you know..."
"How upset is he?" Usopp asks, looking concerned.
"Really, really upset. He isn't drinking tea he had coffee so he'd have a headache to get what you said out of his head...It's bad. I get why you did it...you often seem jealous of him and do have more reason than most to be wary of him but I do wish you hadn't."
"I should probably go apologize to him, right?" Usopp asks me.
"Obviously!" I exclaim.

He nods and heads off. I really hope he makes up for this one and they get along again this time just not briefly. The drama isn't worth it especially with the results that this instance brought.