I saw these two hanging out during the Drum Island ark. I'm a total UsoppKaya fan, but nobody has done this pairing as far as I know, and I couldn't resist. XD
Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Echiro Oda, not me.
Diamond in the Snow
By Netbug009
He had seen her anger, and grown to understand her more from it.
She was noble, determined, kind, smart...
...beautiful.
She really was beautiful, in every way; inside and outside. Before now, the marksman hadn't really had a chance to simply spend for quality time with the princess, but now that he did he found himself strangely awestruck by her. She was so much stronger than him, and yet at times, it was as if she could read his mind. It was eerie, in a good way.
That was another thing. He felt like he had known her for much longer than the short span of time she had been with them. He felt comfortable around her. He felt like he could just be his normal self; like he didn't have to impress her.
He pondered these strange emotions, this odd amount of comfort and joy he had around her.
Then came the avalanche, and they ran for their lives from a wall of snow. "If you get buried, I'll save you!" He blurted out without putting much though into it. Wait, since when was he more concerned about somebody else besides himself in a situation like this? Why was he so worried about her as to defy his normal attitude? What was wrong with him now?
...Did he want answer to that question? Especially since she was going to be leaving them as soon as possible?
He passed out, and dreamed for a bit, until the princess snapped him out of it later. She had cried, thinking he was going to die. Her sadness as his near demise made him strangely happy.
As they wandered to figure out where to go next, he began to understand the answer to his question, but now that he understood it, he was starting to hope it would just let him go before another problem was created.