This one was hard to write, mainly because I've hardly seen UsoRo (much less nakamaship for those two...)
He didn't know what to make of her, those first few days.
She was a better liar than him, easily swerving her way around more personal questions.
She was a recluse, never joining in their boisterous festivities or loud parties.
She was a killer, on a spring, tense and ready to betray again if the situation demanded it.
Usopp didn't know whether he should have been curious or afraid. Probably both.
But when that shield of hers started to crack, giving way, letting the tears flow out, Usopp suddenly saw Robin. She was human, not a cold lethal machine. She had fears, and hopes, and dreams. She was just like all of them, if not more reserved and quiet.
The problem was bringing her back from the depths of resignation. She couldn't give up just yet, she couldn't.
Not when she finally found home.
So Usopp wiped away his own tears, dabbed at his blood with bandages, and put on the mask. Even if the others weren't going to let him back, damn it all to hell, he wasn't going to let Robin die because there wasn't enough nakama to fight for her.
Every fight counted. Every nakama counted.
She was a child, scared and lonely and in want of nothing more than someone to love and someone to love her back.
She was a victim, beaten and abused to the point where she couldn't hold up her resistance much longer.
She was human, crying and shouting for their help, finally accepting that they were all nakama.
All this time, Usopp thought, they were both afraid, just afraid of different things.
And maybe they both could finally see that there was nothing to be afraid of the entire time.
