When they step in, Sanji close the door cause the sniper to jump a bit, as it felt like a ghost was in the air.

"Why are you so jumpy all of sudden?" Sanji asked, as he felt it was werid.

"N-Nothing!"

"Well….I'm…..Just sit down." His was just as nervous too. He couldn't even get the words out.

"O-o-okay….." Sniper did was he was told and sat down on the bed. He looked at the prince as he sat on the bed next to him. He didn't say anything for a bit, causing the sniper to be more jumpy. But he waited to he was ready to speak.

"Now….I'll been waiting for you to get better before I even asked this. It seem like you mostly cured. I want to you to be completely honest with me okay?"

"Okay….W-what is it?"

It took awhile for him to get the words. But when he was ready he took a death breath and asked him.

"Were you at the party that night with the Queen and King?" The prince watch the sniper closely. He blinked a bit but answer his question.

"H-Hai…I was there." He admitted. The cook sigh in relief. He already knew the answer but he had to make sure.

"Why didn't you tell us? The whole crew was fulling guilty for leaving you behind."

"B-Because….You didn't ask me."

"Yes we did!" Sanji counter back.

"No…You didn't!" Usopp looked straight in Vinsmoke's eyes with pure honesty. "You guess apologize about leaving me behind, and I'd told you it was fine! But never did you ask me if I was there or not." Sanji took a moment to remember everything that happen when they return home, and the marksman was right. They didn't think Usopp would ever be there so way even bother asking.

"You right." Sanji apologized. "But you could have said something. You were there at the party, why didn't you try to find us?"

"That's because….." Usopp began but couldn't find the answer to finish what he started. He stayed quiet as his face started to look sad as it looked like he was about to cry.

"I also have another question." Usopp looked up at Sanji as he was afraid what he would be ask next.

"Are you…" Sanji breathed. Usopp closed his eyes, but Sanji told him to look at him as he finally spoke the last word that he been wanting to ask him for awhile now. "..SK?"
Usopp started to lose his breath as he looked down at their hands. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want his friends to know that he was there, even though they never asked him about it. But they know, what would they think? He left the next day without even tell the crew that he arrived there and was having the time of his life without them being there with him. But also felt afraid of how he would act at the party. Would he embarrass them, let them down or whatever the case may be. He loved his friends that he felt it was better for them not to know.

"I….I….was….."

Sanji was quiet for a while, watch the boy struggling to answer. He stare at his soft black curly hair and touch it, startling the poor boy. He slowly bend down and touch his forehead with his.

"It's okay….Usopp. Just tell me the truth." Usopp's eyes widen before closing them, finally nodding his head.

"H-h-hai…" He admitted. Usopp felt hands touching his cheek, lifting his face. He looked at the prince and noticed a small smile on his face.

"Thank you." He smiled. "Usopp."

"Y-Y-you don't seem mad." Usopp whimpered.

"I'm not. Truth to be told I'd already knew that was you." Sanji answered.

"B-But…How do you know? I don't understand."

"Oh….I guess. I've been keeping a secret from you too." Sanji pulled out the yellow book and showed it to him.

"My sketchbook…" Usopp looked at it for a second, feeling confused.

"I found it that day you and Chi went shopping and you got kidnapped by Sugar."

"But…There's nothing that I-!" Usopp covered his mouth as his face turned red. He forget that he wrote that entry in his sketchbook. "Wa-wait? Y-You mean….You? Don't tell me you…?" He tremble as he pointed at Sanji.

"I read, some of the stuff you wrote. I'm sorry." He teased. "I was curious. Me and Nia looked at it. You are a good artist."

"B-But that means…..T-That means….You….You di-didn't….Did you?"

The prince smile, as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I did."

"Ugh! This is so embarrassing! Why! Stupid Sanji!" He flipped. This was like a personal diary to him, which one has read. Seeing the sniper's reacting made the chef chuckle.

"Don't worry." Sanji continued to tease him. "I'd enjoy it."

"But that's not the point! Ugh! That means you saw…You saw…"

"That drawing?" Sanji answered. "Yes I did."

"Stupid Sanji!"

"Don't be embarrass." Sanji smiled. "I loved it!"

"Ugh…Don't say that!" He covered his face.

"But I guess, I should reveal something to you since I did go through your things." Sanji took ahold of the sniper's hand, which felt so hot. Probably from all the embarrassment. Usopp looked into his eyes and say him being serious.

"S-sanji-kun?"

"I'm…. ." Sanji spoke with a very serious tone in his voice.

"M-Mr. Prince?"

"The person that danced with you that night at the party. The person who you hanged out with that night. The person that….kissed you….and told you that he was in love with you!"

"W-What!? No way! You are lying!" Usopp shook his head in doubt. He didn't want to believe it. "You can't be!"

"Come on, Usopp! Look at me!" Sanji demanded. Usopp shook his head.

"No….No way!"

"And…..I wasn't lying back then either." Usopp felt his face being force to look at Sanji.

"I'm in love with you. Usopp." He breathed. "I really am in love with you!"

"No…..You can't be….You love women. Sanji-kun. There's no way you love me."

"That may be true. I do love women. Always have. Always will. But my feelings for you is different than how I feel towards Nami and the others. Touch my chest." Sanji got ahold of Usopp's right hand and press it slowly to the prince's chest. Usopp flinch at first but felt something. Heartbeats. Really fast heartbeats.

"You see? My heart doesn't beat like that women. Only for you."

"No…" Usopp pulled away quickly and got up from the bed. "You can't be him. You can't love me." His face was red as tomato. "You can't!" Usopp ran out the room and out of the house.

"Usopp! Wait!" Sanji called but the sniper didn't listen, as he left the house. He didn't know where to go. But he decided to head to the forest.


Author's Note: A treat for you reader. Another chapter. I seriously don't know how long will this story be. But I guess we shall see.