𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 ˚ ONE PIECE

TWENTY-SEVEN

"She's more like.. my best friend."

"Yeah well fuck you too." Shiori only whispers her words, not wanting to hurt Usopp's feelings even though he has hurt her own.

"Shi I already told you. I'm your best friend, you don't need that guy when you have me." Zoro nudges his face into the shin of girl sitting above him, his nose tickling her skin.

Shiori flinches away, not expecting such an affectionate action to come from the usually stone hearted man, but Zoro grabs her leg, putting it back into the place it was prior and using it to lean his head against.

"Thanks Zobro. It just hurts my feelings I guess."

"Her parents died a few years ago, and she- she took it pretty hard, and.. and then she got sick on top of that." Usopp's rant makes the mood of the room dark, everyone feeling some sort of negative emotion. "I just wanna be there for her, you know?"

At his last few words, Luffy's eyes catch Shiori's, who sends him a light smile, "Yeah I can relate.. I mean- when Shanks had a cough this one time, I- I didn't know how I could cope.. but I got through it. And you can too!"

Shiori snorts, but Usopp is annoyed by Luffy's words of encouragement, expecting sympathy, instead of mockery.

"Are you joking?"

"No?"

"He was born that way." Zoro corrects.

Zoro stands up, having finished his beverage and taking advantage of the free stay to get another.

"She's gorgeous, and she's super smart. She has the best laugh!" Usopp lists Kaya with admiration, his eyes shining on every word, "I mean.. you don't think she, like, like likes, me do you?" He turns to the least rizzing person possible, the complete opposite of a chick magnet, the woman deterrer: Zoro, or that's how he tends to see himself atleast.

The green haired realises he's the one being asked, and turns around, awkwardly, although a hint of humour is shown. "You're asking the wrong guy."

"Okay. Shiori, you're a girl. If you were Kaya would you like me?" Usopp turns to his old friend, then turns away, chuckling, "who am I kidding? You like me anyway, so I can't ask you."

"Huh?" The three other voices overlap eachother, one with confusion, one with shock and the other with slight anger.

"Yeah, remember? You confessed by writing me a letter." Usopp's chuckles begin to subside, not liking the looks he's receiving from his recently found friends.

"I never learned to write." The girl's eyes shoot to and fro awkwardly, not knowing if she should laugh or cringe.

"Awkward!" Luffy snickers, his voice squeaking.

Usopp's features morph into disappointment, feeling stupid for what he's said. "So- er- Zoro! Would you like like me if you were- er- Kaya?" His eyes flicker towards Shiori, but he quickly turns away when realising she's looking back.

"I already like you!" The straw hat pirate seems to like to help people to cheer up, even if he doesn't completely understand what they're upset about half the time.

"Okay, that's not what I- I- nevermind."

"Lol." Zoro mocks, returning to his seat.

Usopp takes some sort of weapon into his hands, stretching part of it back and, when releasing, it shoots towards one of the pans, then another, then making it into a bowl, making a noisy impact.

"Wow." Luffy whispers, his two crew members already knowing what's going through his mind. "You're a great shot!"

"Got it from my dad. He's a notorious pirate. I don't really remember him that well 'cause he left for a life at sea when I was just a baby, but.. he'll be back one day." The bandana boy shoots another shot, "Yasopp the great."

"His name is like yours." Shiori points out the obvious, looking up down at Zoro to see if he is surprised with the information.

"Yeah- well he is related to me, so, it's not all that surprising."

"My mum's name is Ann."

Astonishment hits Luffy like a tonne of bricks, and he stands up slowly, "Yasopp? He's your dad?"

"Yeah, why? You heard of him?"

"Heard of him? I know him!" The curly haired raises his voice, apparently not caring for the people that could be sleeping in the house. "I- he's apart of Shanks' crew!"

"Wait.. you know my dad?" Usopp doesn't know what to feel, only being able to question the statement.

"Yeah, yeah, I do! He's the best! Always made time for some pirate wisdom."

"So you guys, like.. hung out?"

"Yeah." Luffy speaks like it's obvious, but the surprise in the child of a pirate's expression increases.

"That's.. cool." He almost seems upset, understandably.

"If you guys are gonna talk about feelings, I'm really gonna need a drink." Zoro goes for his 3rd round of the night, not including all the drinks he had at dinner.

"Uh- there's a wine cellar in the basement." Usopp points out.

The swordsman stops, as if he was just told his first child has been born, "why didn't you tell me that before?"

"Naur way, the man's an alcoholic." Shiori shakes her head, walking as fast as she can to catch up with Zoro, to make sure he doesn't overdo the drinking.

"You coming?" Luffy is the last one remaining in the kitchen, which Zoro notices.

"Nope, go on without me my little baby Christmas tree." The straw hat pirate mutters something else to himself, but the trio are already heading off to Zoro's dreamhouse.

"Swear there's something wrong with him."

"He's just got a crush, Zobro, don't mind it."