Where Did This Come From
What happens when Zoro is confronted and challenged by Usopp of all people to a drinking competition, and can Usopp hold his grog better than anyone ever expected, even Luffy? And what if Zoro stops seeing Usopp as the annoying little scrawny teen that he used to see him as? Also, what would happen if Zoro actually starts respecting Usopp, and let's himself become better friends with him because of this?
It was a clear and sunny day on the Thousand Sunny, all was well with the Straw Hats, and everyone was doing their normal busyness. Nami and Vivi were sun tanning in lawn chairs on the deck, Nico was reading a book under the mass of the ship that Franky was currently residing to check for any approaching enemies. Sanji was making snacks for everyone, Zoro was sleeping in his usual spot by the railing. Luffy was sitting on the lions head, and Chopper was trying to stop Brook from peeping at the girls, or asking Robin to see her panties.
Usopp on the other hand, had different plans for himself that day for some reason, and it wasn't to invent something, or to go fishing alone again, Usopp wanted an actual challenge this time. Usopp knew that Zoro had lost a lot of respect for him because of what had happened back in the Gally'La, nut he was determined to make him see otherwise, and he was going to do it today in the one way that Zoro knew how too.
"Hey, Zoro." Usopp called, surprising everyone in to glancing over at Usopp as he made his way over to the, now awake, swordsman.
"Hmm, what is it long nose?" Zoro asked, getting into a more comfortable sitting position as the marksman finally stopped right in front of him.
"I challenge you to a grog drinking competition, right now." Usopp challenged, having a very determined look on his face. All Usopp wanted was to make Zoro trust him as much as he use to before Water Seven happened. Everyone was now fully looking over at the two, completely shocked.
"You're challenging me?" Zoro said, looking a bit annoyed and surprised himself about what Usopp had just said.
"Yeah, I'm challenging you to a grog drinking competition, right here, right now." Usopp said, repeating what he just said, and looking even more determined than before.
"Alright, but it's your funeral if you die from this." Zoro stated, hoisting himself up to go grab a few barrels of grog for this competition, thinking that it wouldn't be taking too long.
Sanji helped position the barrels to be even on both sides of the table that Franky brought out onto the deck. Nico had produced hands on either side of the table to count how many drinks that both of them finish. Chopper jumped up on top of the table with a little referee outfit, and a flag to call the start and end of the competition. The rest of the crew gathered onto the stairs next to the table to watch how the competition would end up. All of them were exited, and were waiting to see how badly Usopp would lose to Zoro. Nami was taking bets for how long everyone was expecting Usopp to last here as well.
"Alright, are both of you ready now?" Chopper called as soon as both men had gotten their mugs filled to the brim with the first of their grog. Chopper got a grunt from Zoro, and a nod from Usopp, as their eyes never left each other's glaring gaze. "Alright, let the competition, BEGIN!" Chopper yelled, waving the flag, then jumping off the table as the two immediately started to drink their first mug full.
-4 hours later, the time is now 6 in the afternoon-
Everyone was genuinely surprised that Usopp had made it four hours against Zoro of all people. By now, the crew was starting to wander off and doing other things that seemed more entertaining to them. Chopper had stayed so that he could continue being the referee, Luffy stayed to cheer for both of them, and Nico had just returned with a few more books so that she could be there when the competition ended.
Both Usopp and Zoro continued to glare at each other while they were drinking. Nico's hands had shown that Zoro was just finishing up his 123rd mug, and Usopp was finishing his 120th mug of grog. All in all, even Zoro was surprised by how well Usopp was keeping up with him. Soon enough, Zoro had set down his mug, declaring that his stomach was starting to get upset, which earned a sigh of relief when as Usopp finished the mug that he was currently drinking.
"You're pretty good, long nose, we should drink together more often." Zoro said with his trademark smirk playing on his thin lips. Usopp had gotten a large smile on his own, extremely full lips, and chuckled to himself.
"Yeah, we should, shouldn't we?" Usopp replied, and then pondered for a moment. "Now that I think about it, we could probably make some money together with Nami if we were to start doing this at some of the islands that we land on." Usopp said again, with his hand still on his chin, as if he's still pondering the idea himself.
"Or," Zoro said, walking around the table and putting his arms around the younger males shoulders and pulling him in, "we could leave Nami out of this and pocket the money for ourselves to buy our own stuff without worrying about paying Nami back, ya know." Zoro stated as he started to walk off, leaving Luffy and Chopper's jaws on the deck, and Nico in a giggling fit at the whole situation.
-Later after dinner-
"Hey Usopp, come with me, I wanna talk to you." Zoro called to the younger sharpshooter as he ran to catch up with him, and swung his arm around his neck again, and pulled him off to the training room.
"Yeah, what is it Zoro?" Usopp asked, very curious about what was going on, and why Zoro wanted to be alone with him in the first place.
"Look, that challenge earlier made me realize something." Zoro said, closing and locking the training rooms' door once there were both inside, and making sure that nobody had been following them. "Your determination reminded me of an old friend of mine, someone who had meant a lot to me." Zoro said, gripping his white sword tightly in his hand.
Usopp was surprised by Zoro's current statement, and by the sudden tightness in his hand on his beloved sword. Usopp reached a shaky hand out, and placed it carefully on Zoro's shoulder in a comforting manner. That action caused Zoro to pull Usopp into his chest, giving him a tight hug and saying Kuina's name as he hugged Usopp even tighter. Very surprised by this, Usopp hugged Zoro back as tight as he could, feeling that the swordsman needed a hug at that exact moment in time. And what had surprised Usopp the most was when he had felt a sudden wetness on his shoulder, as he quickly realized that Zoro was now crying.
After a few more moments, Zoro had calmed back down, explaining the sudden break down to Usopp, and the younger sharpshooter was rubbing the moss heads back. Usopp felt that in order to make Zoro more comfortable about just opening himself up, Usopp had decided to tell him about his own mother dying, and that he only really knew his father from the stories that he had heard of him.
Usopp cried a little bit as well as he told his own story, getting Zoro to pull him from his position behind the moss head, and to the left of Zoro, with his head on the first mates shoulder. Both of them just sat there, telling each other stories from their pasts, and realizing that they had more in common than they had ever thought. Eventually, they both fell asleep together, with Zoro's arm still around Usopp.
-The next morning-
Both Usopp and Zoro were startled awake by Luffy and Brook cheering and yelling about going fishing, and calling out for Usopp to come out from wherever he was to join them. Both of them were even more startled when they realized that they were still in the same position as the night before, causing both of them to jump away from each other in surprise.
"We never speak of this to anyone. Got it?" Zoro growled, clutching his swords that he just picked back up from the ground.
"I was just about to say the same thing." Usopp stated, still looking panicked about their situation. "I'll leave first and make it look like I was coming from workshop, alright?" Usopp offered the suggestion out to Zoro, who nodded and grunted to Usopp in response.
Usopp had made a skillful entrance, making it look like he came from his workshop just like promised, causing Zoro to smile down at the young marksman as he watched him start fishing with the musician and captain. He watched them laugh for a moment before doing his stretches and a few exercises before going down to the deck to sleep. Nico had giggled as she saw Zoro smile over at Usopp, who had turned around to get more bait from his bag, noticing Zoro's smile, and returned it before Zoro fell asleep on deck.