Work Text
“Okay, I need you two to gather some supplies with us. Do you think you can do that?” The commanding voice of Robin flowed through her shipmate's ears, forcing them to stand straighter underneath her tout gaze. She stared with crystal blue eyes, hair pushed back into a loose ponytail as she continued, “Chopper is looking for different mushrooms and foliage to create different medicines. I’m assuming this won’t be too much trouble.”
“I mean if you want, I can do it myself!” The small reindeers voice made Usopp look down at him, as he peered out from Nico’s legs. He had a different cap that adorned his head, something forest green. It was made to blend into the wilderness of the island they had docked at for the day. This island was covered in an overgrown jungle that would have sent the sniper back into bed for another twelve hours if he could help it.
“Relax,” Zoro chimed in from beside Usopp, “We can split up. Me and long-nose, you and Robin.” He motioned with his head to the two in front of him, barely giving the ‘long-nose’ in question a second glance.
Nami had been adamant they stopped at this island to gather fresh supplies, as she had heard it was overgrown with fruits and vegetables. Maybe Sanji had pressured her into stopping here, or Luffy’s incessant protests that they needed something new to eat instead of the same fish they had been getting for weeks. Usopp didn’t mind gathering for Chopper, especially since the scary Robin had asked,
and
especially if he had help from a strong man like Roronoa Zoro. Although, that wasn’t to say the Great Captain Usopp couldn’t hold his own! I mean, he could forge through these kinds of brush in his sleep!
And this would be a good chance for the sniper and the swordsman to bond a bit. They had known each other for well over two-years, and barely exchanged more than a handful of words. It felt like wherever Usopp was, the green-haired man avoided. Maybe in the beginning they were closer, but something shifted after they were separated, and they couldn’t be in the same room alone without Zoro finding a way out to leave.
Did the brunette stink? I mean, he always tried to shower regularly. And he didn’t snore that loud. Maybe he was too intimidating for the swordsman to handle, so they couldn’t be alone in fear of having a battle to the death? If that was the case, why would Zoro be okay with them searching for mushrooms and other junk by themselves now?
“Perfect,” Robin smiled, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes, widening a friendly smile, “I’ll go ahead down. We can meet back in an hour?” The two crewmates nodded and the other two were off onto the island. Trees hung out over the beach, cascading shadows down onto the sand. It looked dark from here, looming into the blue sky overhead.
Usopp went to speak, opening his mouth awkwardly but he was stopped by Zoro’s rough words, “We can probably get Luffy to come with.” There wasn’t a chance to respond, as it was posed more as a statement than a question. The moss-head immediately turned to walk back into the ship, to find his captain and soil the bonding moment they could have had together.
“Luffy’s probably going to slow us down,” the sniper willed himself to say, feigning confidence. He wasn’t scared to voice his opinions, no! That would be silly. Why would he fear the much taller, much scarier swordsman who slowly turned to face him again.
Zoro widened his good eye, raising his eyebrows along with it. As if to say, ‘And?’
“I don’t want to have to watch out for both of you, you know,” the sniper crossed his arms over his chest, which today was covered by a green shirt [sticking to the green theme of fitting into nature], “And he’s probably busy.”
“Watch out for the both of us?” That seemed to be the only part that stuck to Zoro, making his expression tighten, “You don’t need to watch out for me at all, long-nose.” He pressed his lips together to hold back a laugh, a movement he instantly regretted as the swordsman’s gaze darkened.
“Which way is North?” Usopp asked instead, knowing he’d win the argument.
Roronoa rolled his eye, pointing up, “This way, obviously. Do you think I’m stupid?”
As he spoke, the brunette pulled out the compass he had workshopped himself to look a bit cooler than the bland one he had found on an island a few weeks back. It was fully functional, just boring. He shoved the compass in his friend's face, which showed that, no, North was not upwards.
That settled it, and the two were off on the island. Usopp insisted Zoro go in front, in case he started to wander, which evidently happened a lot. It was like herding sheep, as he kept having to correct his path. There was nothing at the edge of the jungle that looked to be what Chopper was looking for, so they kept going. The sniper knew that there was some mushroom that the deer had wanted to study. It was pink with small red dots adorning the large head, with a yellow base. It was distinct, and with their luck, they could find it.
That wasn’t to say they were going to leave empty handed. Usopp was collecting random leaves and flowers as they went for himself, although he knew the doctor could use them if he shared.
Zoro made a sharp right, and the sniper followed behind him, letting a silence fall over the two. To some it could be described as comfortable silence between two long-term friends, but he would describe it as awkward. Usopp didn’t know what to say that could bridge the gap. Clearly something had changed and he was out of the loop as to why that had been. Did the moss-head realize he secretly hated him and everything he stood for? Were they no longer friends but estranged cabin mates? God, the thought made him a little nauseous.
“What are we looking for exactly,” Roronoa asked as he pushed aside some vines with his forearm, looking back at his crewmate with a narrowed eye, “So I know.” To get this over with, was what Usopp phantom-ly heard at the end of that sentence.
“Oh! A Nulla Excitatione mushroom. They’re native to thick rainforests and wet places,” he explained, realizing he knew more about this subject than he typically thought, “It’s a small mushroom with a pink exterior and little red dots.”
“So,” Zoro paused, stopping his steps to look at the other, “Like the mushrooms that the fry-cook makes for us?”
“Well
technically
but-” Usopp was cut off with a wave of Zoro’s hand and a dismissive, “Okay.”
The sniper felt himself deflate a bit. He was interested in technology and creating, yes, but plant life was another hobby of his also. Secretly, when Robin had even recruited him for this, he was excited to gather stuff for his own collection to test. No one liked to hear his ramblings, maybe aside from Sanji, but even then, he knew to a degree he was being tuned out.
“You know you don’t have to do that,” he muttered, letting a rock get kicked from the toe of his boot toward a tree to his right.
“Do what?” The swordsman responded, although the brunette was surprised, he even heard him. Well great, now he had to say what he was thinking. But the Great Truth-er Usopp could do that! He could speak his mind whenever prompted! Except, he didn’t really
want
to say what he was feeling at that moment. It wasn’t like the other man would listen anyways.
Usopp swallowed, “Never mind,” he pushed forward, until he was ahead of the green-haired male, brushing past different plant-life to make a clear path. He didn’t hear footsteps behind him, but he realized he couldn’t find it in his heart to care. So, what if that big burly idiot got lost? The sniper knew someone could locate him easily, especially since this island wasn’t that big. Knowing Sanji, he’d probably run into the moss by accident and force him along on his own errands for fruits.
There was another wave of silence, as Usopp continued to push branches and vines away from his person. He wanted to venture deep enough into the wilderness, and further away from Zoro, to get some peace and quiet. But he knew, when the footsteps started up again, that he was being followed by the lug.
This silence was different, it was visibly tense. There were clearly words that needed to be exchanged, but there was no chance any of them would acknowledge it. Zoro was never the feelings type. He never said anything he didn’t have to, or anything that would lead to sappy moments. All Usopp could tell was the only thing going on behind those eyes were thoughts enthralled with sake … and swords.
Up ahead, Usopp could see a clearing. And more importantly, he could hear it, too. Water, fresh water, rushing down from a hill, was what he could sense. As he broke through the last branches of thick brush, he saw it. A small waterfall coming from a mountainous lump of boulders, spouting out clear water into a large pond that seemed to break off into different streams further back. There across the bank were mushrooms, littered with colors, all for him to collect for their doctor. And some for him to take for himself, of course.
It was different from anything he had ever seen before. The sniper had never seen mushrooms growing inside a brook, let alone at least twenty. He found himself rushing to the site, prying off his shoes and rolling up the cuffs on his overalls to step into the water to start collecting. There were purple, yellow, even green mushrooms, but no pink. Well, he didn’t
need
the pink mushroom if he had all these other ones. Which he carefully plucked from the water and plopped into his bag.
“Why did you come if you’re going to do nothing?” Usopp asked, peering over his shoulder, as he hunched over, at the green-haired annoyance behind him. The swordsman stood behind him, grumbling a bit as he sat down onto a large boulder beside the pond.
Zoro let out a huff and got up, smiling tightly, “Happy?” And he turned, going to wander off by the edge of the clearing. At least he had some semblance to know not to wander off too far, but the other didn’t care much if he did.
“This stuff is like what curly cooks for us, right?” Roronoa called out after a bit.
Usopp replied in a hasty, “Yeah sure, Zoro,” as he pulled out a small book with plant names, images, and descriptions. The best thing he could do now as he collected one of each mushroom was identify them to better expand his knowledge.
The sniper flipped through the pages, matching up pictures to the mushrooms he collected. He stepped out of the water and sat back on that boulder, taking his time to make sure he was right in his comparisons. He had to be, and it made him proud. If no one else cared about his interests, at least Chopper would be content with what he found. And he decided to keep at least one mushroom for himself, the green one. Maybe he could dissect it to find out more about its biology…
All of Usopp’s thoughts were interrupted as he heard a loud, “AW FUCK-” Followed by rapid coughing behind him. He jerked his head around to see Zoro hunched over, holding his throat with one hand, while the other pounded a fist against his large chest. Of course, he had to go and do something stupid. Of course, when the sniper was almost at peace.
“What did you do?!” Usopp sneered, hopping off the boulder to fully assess the damage.
He was horrified to look upon the scene and see a half-eaten Nulla Excitatione mushroom lying on the grass as Zoro gaped over it, “Are you serious,” he blinked slowly.
“You said it was like what the cook makes us you-” Zoro let out a cough and a strained, “Oh my god-”
“I didn’t! You didn’t let me finish my explanation or I would have said they’re both mushrooms, but one you shouldn’t ingest!” Usopp balled his fists by his sides as he continued, “This is why you- This is- This is why I
hate
being around you!”
It was something he didn’t mean to let slip. Something he didn’t realize he felt. Something he knew wasn’t a lie. But something he wished was, as Zoro looked over at him with a tense expression.
“Zoro…” Usopp tried but he was cut off with a glare.
“What’s gonna happen,” Zoro coughed into his hand, attempting to stand up straight but falling forward onto his slacked knees, “To me?” Another round of rapid coughing escaped his lips as sweat began to build on his forehead.
The sniper knew that this mushroom wasn’t good to ingest due to some kind of side effects, but he wasn’t entirely sure what the side effects were. So, he opened the small booklet and flipped around until he saw the name in giant letters before him. The picture almost identically matched the mushroom rotting on the ground, and the description made his mouth run dry.
A nervous laugh left his mouth, and he closed the book, “Nothing bad.”
“You’re lying you-” Zoro wheezed, “-Goddammit- Tell me what it said!” His face was growing warm by appearance alone, although the other didn’t doubt, he was probably burning up.
Usopp knew it would do no good to omit the truth and lie, as the swordsman was probably already feeling the effects by this point. And he knew if he was transparent, the quicker he could leave the man to … deal with it.
“You ate the Nulla Excitatione mushroom, or as it translates to: The Arousal Mushroom. Ingesting it almost instantly puts your body into a full blown ‘arousal attack’ and it won’t let up for at least thirty minutes,” he inhaled, “To an hour.” A tight smile appeared on his face.
“Why the
hell
did Chopper want this?” Zoro spoke through gritted teeth, leaning forward to cover his face and hide the apparent erection straining through the pants he opted to wear today.
“Probably to use it in medicine to help blood flow,” Usopp shrugged and looked away, “I should probably leave-”
“No,” Roronoa rasped, looking up to make intense eye contact with the sniper before him. There was something in his eye, something artificial. It looked like he wanted Usopp there for one in his life, whether that was in
that
way or just to be there as comfort. It was sweet for a moment, but turned to bile in the brunette's throat. His friend didn’t want him there, he wanted something to use through his heat. It was understandable, sure, but it threw salt in the wound that he wasn’t wanted before, and he was only wanted due to a messed-up mushroom.
“You’re not in your right headspace. It’s better if I leave you and wait at the ship for an hour. Then I can come back,” Usopp dismissed the look and turned to head back to the brook, so he could grab his shoes and leave.
The green-haired male made a strangled noise, “Just… Stay. I need you here…” He spoke in a loud whisper, as if it was becoming painful to speak.
From reading the effects of the mushroom, Usopp knew it was plausible. When someone's body was sent into that kind of mode, it was hard to do nothing but … complete. He tried not to think about it too much, to think of Zoro in that light.
“No, you don’t,” he exhaled, grabbing his shoes and fitting them back onto his foot, “That’s the mushroom talking.” Usopp turned on his heel and peered over at his friend again, seeing him leaning forward on the grass with his elbows resting to the ground. His head hung low, hidden by shuddering shoulders, forcing himself to breathe through his increasing pain.
He hesitated for a moment, before heading back to stand before him, “Just trust me-”
“Long-nose-” Zoro croaked as the brunette continued.
“-It’ll be better if you handle this on your own-”
“Sniper-”
“-That way you don’t embarrass yourself with stuff you don’t mea-”
“
Usopp
.” His voice was a cracked plea, something that sounded hollow. It didn’t sound like Zoro, no, it sounded like a shell of himself. It sounded like he wasn’t the strong man who could handle anything, but someone who had lost everything and needed a friend. But as much as the other wanted to believe it was genuine, he knew it was because he was the only one standing there.
Zoro raised his head, locking his dark brown eyes with Usopp’s lighter colored ones. His iris was covered with a blown-out pupil, that only a faint rim of color was enough to discern he was human. There wasn’t any lust behind his eye but rather pain, embarrassment, even some shame.
“I need you here,” he whispered, barely above a murmur. Barely audible with the flow of water from those rocks behind the two, splashing into the pond below.
“No, you don’t, Zoro, that’s just your stupid lust-filled, mushroom eating brain talking- which by the way,” he pressed his hands together, “Why did you-
Why did you eat it
!? Why in your head did you think it was okay!? You never listen to anything I say! You never- never even let me finish, to tell you
not
to eat it- even though I should’ve known I should’ve said that because you’re you, and, of course, you’d eat it!” Usopp inhaled, “You don’t
want
me here Zoro. You don’t want me- you don’t even speak to me. When was the last time we hung out after Boin Archipelago? O-Or even before that? You avoid me like I have Usopp-is-annoying-and-should-be-avoided-itus, which is
not
contagious-
if
I had it!”
Usopp wasn’t sure why he was speaking, why he was saying all the things he felt. All the things he meant but knew he should have kept under wraps. All the things he thought would fall on deaf ears to be ignored the very next day. But it felt different. Zoro had nowhere to go and nowhere to turn to because of his stupid mushroom eating habits, and he was forced to listen- no, forced to confront something that was probably apparent to everyone. He had to face the fact that he was treating the sniper differently, as if he wanted to throw him overboard the first chance he got.
Zoro simply stared at him as sweat dripped from his brow. Maybe it wasn’t necessarily the most perfect time to say, as he looked like he was struggling to stay conscious. Their eyes were connected, interlocked, with something intense. It wasn’t lust, it was a standoff. The brunette wasn’t backing down from his feelings, feeling that bravery, he almost rarely ever got. And the swordsman was letting him bare his soul, his heart, all his frustrations.
They fell into an overwhelming silence, letting Roronoa’s labored breathing fill any gaps from the small waterfall. Then he looked away, down to the grass where sweat fell from his chin onto blades of green, “I don’t avoid you.” To that Usopp made an offended noise, “I don’t
try
to avoid you.”
“Why? I thought we were, I don’t know, friends,” the sniper's voice was turning unsure, as if he was worried, he had crossed a line with his words.
“You hate being around me and I avoid you like you have Usopp-annoying… whatever,” he huffed and turned his head to the side, “But we’re friends?”
Usopp had to admit it sounded like they weren’t friends at all. He swallowed loudly and knelt, before he plopped down onto the grass and brought his knees to his front, “I guess not.”
Zoro lifted his head and groaned, “I don’t know why I avoid you,” he exhaled and closed his eye, furrowing his brow, “You make me feel weird. Ever since Kuragiana you…ve changed,” he ended that word with a strained voice, as if it hurt him to say that. Which was, again, very plausible.
“Weird? Do I stink?” He raised an eyebrow.
“No. More like I feel like I probably do,” Roronoa finally lifted himself up from the ground, kneeling with his back hunched. His shirt was drenched in sweat as if he had fought ten bad guys with eleven more to go. It hadn’t even been an hour yet, so they both knew this was nothing compared to what would happen later.
Usopp let out a laugh, “You? Self-conscious? That’s not funny.”
“You make me nervous,” Zoro sighed, trying to say what he wanted to say without saying it, “Like,
nervous
nervous.”
“Saying it twice means nothing to me,” the sniper looked away with mock annoyance, “I don’t make anyone nervous, unless you’re talking about my enemies.” A laugh came tumbling out of his lips as he attempted to lighten the mood that wouldn’t lighten.
“I’m serious long-nose,” he looked down at his shaking hands, which balled up on his thighs and dug into his skin, “I think I avoid you because I-”
“Don’t want to talk to me? I already know,” the brunette spoke as Zoro continued slowly, dragging out his words.
“-
Like
you.” He nodded his head slowly, trying his best to don a smile but it looked more awkward and pained than anything else. As if he was struggling to keep sane and the only thing, he could do was clench his jaw repeatedly, to stop those artificial urges from plaguing his mind and infecting his actions.
Usopp stopped, his body turning stiff. He
what
him? He
what
? He couldn’t- The great Swordsman Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro- couldn’t like the- Great Captain God Usopp- at all! There wasn’t a chance in hell that the reason he had been avoided was because there were romantic feelings at play! Especially since that meant he was in control of this situation. Usopp held the cards that could throw off his friend and send him into a spiral of embarrassment or at least a moment of being content while in this situation.
“You don’t,” he let out a nervous laugh, “That must be the mushroom talking! Hello, it’s the arousal mushroom for a reason! Hahahhaaaaa!”
Zoro let out a groan, “God, you’re so annoying, my feelings for you aren’t necessarily sexual, idiot. Maybe I like you
romantically
.”
“And why would you do that?” He asked, although he didn’t mean to let those words slip out.
“I don’t know,” Roronoa turned his head to look away, with his jaw clenched unnaturally tight, “Maybe it’s because you’re amazing, and you’re funny, and you’re a damn good fighter when you’re not cowering like a bitch. And you make everyone stuff, but you don’t make me anything,” he looked at the sniper, this time baring
his
soul, “Why don’t you make me anything?”
But he had, fuck he had. The number of things Usopp had tinkered with for the swordsman that he hid away never to see the light of day could [and definitely did] fill a box. A new sword sling, makeshift handles for blades he had come across on different islands he thought Zoro would like. Even a mug he molded from clay to hold his damn sake. All of it was thrown into a box that he pushed deep into a crevice of his workshop, never to see the man they were made for. All because he thought that the man wouldn’t like it, because he thought the man didn’t like him.
Well, this was funny.
Usopp opened his mouth a few times to speak, but all that came out was an awkward giggle that didn’t hint at anything he wanted to say. Zoro’s eye narrowed and the other could sense he was taking it the wrong way. The rejecting way. He didn’t want to reject the green-haired man at all. It was weird. He never wanted to reject him, but he never considered him romantically. Well, maybe that was a lie. The brunette had thought about him like that maybe once or twice but pushed it away to work on anything and everything else.
“You don’t have to laugh,” he grumbled, going to stand up but finding his legs hadn’t found their footing yet. So, he slumped back onto the grass and fell onto his back.
“Zoro,” the sniper breathed out, letting his eyes flutter closed for a moment as he gathered his composure, “I have a box of stuff I made you. I-It’s all stupid stuff, like mugs and new swords. I never gave it to you because I thought
you
hated me, isn’t that funny? It’s like, if we ha-had talked then none of this would’ve happened!”
Usopp opened his eyes to see one brown one staring back at him, the pupil almost a quarter smaller than what it had been several minutes prior. There was a faint blush across Zoro’s face that wasn’t there before, that the other man was sure wasn’t because of the arousal mushroom. And there was a small, just a crooked smile adorning the swordsman's lips as they watched each other.
“Now what?” Zoro asked, breathless, looking up at the sky.
The brunette blew air out of his mouth and fell back beside his friend on his right side, turning to face him, “We still need to wait out your mushroom.”
Zoro looked down at him, “I meant…
not
the mushroom,” a tan hand came between them, motioning to the pair as they laid on the plush grass.
Usopp took his spare right arm and lifted it up, so he could lay just a bit closer. He didn’t care if his friend was sweaty, it was something he didn’t realize he had been longing to do since he heard that confession. The moss-head stared, letting it happen. Like he was made of malleable jelly, for the other to put into position.
“Well, I like you,” Usopp started, but he trailed off, unsure how to finish his sentence.
“Like, like-like, or like?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Like-like-like…?” The sniper furrowed his brows in confusion.
“You like-like-like me?!”
“No! Repeating words means nothing to me!” He sat up, leaning on his left elbow as he smacked the other's chest.
Zoro let out a laugh, and rolled his eye, wrapping the arm that Usopp had forced beside him, around the other man's shoulders. It pulled him in and made him brace against the sweaty warmth that was the swordsman, who needed a shower after this.
“Romantically or not?” The moss-head clarified, stretching his free hand up into the air and clenching his fist, before unclenching it, and repeating the process.
At that, Usopp paused. It felt right to be beside Zoro, to be close to Zoro, to talk to Zoro. As if there hadn’t been any awkwardness in the past. As if the avoidance was just that, in the past. All of it was gone and he was left with a new future that the other man could be a part of all he had to do was confirm.
Instead of speaking, he pushed from the green-haired man and hovered over him, staring down with a softer gaze. The original mission of getting mushrooms was far from his mind. The original plan he had for his entire day was out the window, now he just saw this swordsman below him. Whose hair was matted to his forehead with sweat, and whose skin was flushed from a flame burning inside his body.
And instead of speaking, Usopp leaned down [in an act of rare bravery] and pressed his lips to Zoro’s. It was a quick and chaste kiss that made the tension in the sniper's body release as a faint exhale.
Zoro grabbed the brunette’s shoulders and pulled him back, staring with a wide eye, “Mushroom. Get off. Right now.” His voice was strained, and he looked as though he was fighting demons to keep his distance from the other man.
“O-Oh right!” Usopp leaned back, crawling away to create some distance, “Sorry.”
The swordsman’s eye was closed, as he attempted to steady his breathing, “When this wears off,” he pressed his lips together, “I’ll show you a
real
kiss, that’s all me.”
Usopp was going to hold him to that.