Author's Note: Hey Everyone! This is a very old story that I made for Sanji and Usopp. Originally this was suppose to be story around this Island, where Usopp does his best and saves not only a long term animal friend name Nia, but also proves how strong he really has became over the years, where he is confident enough to defend what he truly want's to protect. I don't know if I'll ever be able to write that story but I hope you will enjoy this one. I apologize in advance for my spelling and my grammar. I wasn't planning on uploading this until it was finish but, I may never get to it. So I'll post what I have on here for you to enjoy. Thank you. :D
Sanji didn't know what to do about the situation. He couldn't understand these feeling for their Sharpshooter. He liked girls, but with Usopp, it was a different story. This guy was a male, and man for crying out loud. He was not even that attractive .But for all that they been through, all the events that happen during their time as shipmates.
"Why? Why?!" Sanji slammed his hand on the table, in frustration. He couldn't actually accept this issue for once in his life. He loved girls. Only girls! Why is he feeling this way for this scaredy cat coward, who tells lies from left to right? However for some reason, he was attracted to this man?
"Damnit!" He scream and slammed the door once more.
Then suddenly, something fell to the floor. He turned around and notice there was nothing there until he looked to the ground near his feet. It was a yellow mask, with half broken edges that was present a long time ago. He picked it up and realizes what it was. It was Usopp's mask, as he wore to not only cover himself from his crewmates, but from his shame and himself, being another person.
But then he remember the sniper's moments, he recalled how much he has changed over the course of him, being with the straw hats. While he didn't agree with Usopp leaving the crew, he still help him, when he was kidnapped by the CP9. He was, of course trying to bring back Robin but for some reason, even though Usopp was consider "dead" to him at that point in time, he still was concern about him. When he found out that the man that was tied up with him was Franky, the person who beat him up, and stole the 2 million beri, he was raged with anger and still wanted to beat the living day lights out of him, even though Usopp had left the crew. This recall made him blush a bit.
"Why? Why Usopp?" Sanji clench his teeth, thinking about hat memory.
Thinking back on that flashback, he realizes something. That even though Usopp really had no, right to even save Robin, even though she left to protect her crew, including Usopp at that time, before the big fight over the Going Merry, he was still willing help save their friend despite Usopp leaving the crew, even if it meant putting on another persona in order to do so. Even though he was no match for this CP9 opponents , Sanji knew that while Usopp may not have been the strongest member in the crew, Usopp could still do things that he or any of his crewmates couldn't do, and with that talent, helped save Robin in the end, and even man up to apologize to the crew. He remember when back in Skypia where Eneru had shocked his body, not once but twice, he remember a faint warm touch as he passed out from that attack. He recalled Nami explaining the situation that it was indeed Usopp, the idiot, who tried to save him from the first attack, and while he told him that he didn't care if Usopp died after they saved Nami, he still was willing to put his life one line to protect the younger generation, as an older brother would do to protect their siblings from any danger, and even protect Usopp and Nami from Eneru's attack once more, Usopp still came back to save him, for the second time.
It funny that even though Usopp is the one that is always negative about himself; point proven by his battle with Perona from Thriller Bark, he seems to be one of the bravest human he's ever known. Sanji even laughed at the thought. This idiot didn't know even before he left the crew, that without realizing it, he has help the crew a lot despite him considering to be the weakest of the crew. He always seems to show his bravest moments with not only when the Going merry was in danger, but for his crew. Usopp tried to fix the Merry even though he wasn't every good at it. He help carried his crew out of safety when they were in danger, and help him get on Eneru's ship with his tools. His not truthful, yet fun stories that he tells all the time. His love for his crewmates. His willing to be brave for his crewmates. He helps in some many ways, whether they were big or small. Usopp was still a big value to this crew like everyone else.
Then when the thought came to mind of what happen on this island. Usopp, saying goodbye to his crew, to not only save this Island but to protect not only his crewmates but his long lost little fox friend, that he forgotten. That idiot, that left on his own, not willing to tell his crewmates, his family, and tried to take on the leader of the crew by himself, and almost died in the process, made Sanji's own heart sank. For some reason, when he was in the hospital, finding out about Usopp's condition, he couldn't help scream in sadness if Usopp had died. Usopp was their Sniper, their friend, their family, the savior of this Island that he wanted so hard to protect, even if it meant, leaving his friend's behind, made Sanji want to kick him so hard and kick him good, for not counting of his friends to help him. When Nia, the sniper's fox friend, brought him back to life in exchange for her life, he felt somewhat relieved that he would be able to see Usopp back but was sad by the fact that his best friend had to do that in exchange for her own life. Even though Nia got reborn by Usopp, the chef somewhat felt that in his life, there was nothing he could have done to protect them. But somehow in his heart, seeing those two together all the time after Nia's arrival to the Straw hats, made his heart bounce everywhere to plain happiness to pure jealously and he couldn't come to terms to that concept until now.
Then, thinking about his sharpshooter's face, Usopp smile, everything about him, made his heart race.
"What?" Sanji felt the beating of his heart as he never really felt this way towards anyone before. Not even for Nami, or Robin.
"What is this feeling?" he thought as he used his left hand to clutch his heart in place. It wouldn't stop for some reason and when he thought of Usopp calling his name his heart beat even faster. Thinking about him, made him realize that his desire to want Usopp was starting to form. He wanted him all to himself. He wanted to share all these special moments with him along with the crew till the end. He understood that he would have to share him, not only to his captain's crew but to Nia herself. He didn't want to walk up and discover that Usopp would never appear in his life again. Seeing him disappear would not only bring his crewmates to deep despair but Sanji's heart as well.
"Usopp…" For once, Sanji put down his cigarette, and made a gentle smile as he cling to the mask, over his heart.
"I understand now. I understand why I love our bastard sniper!" Sanji thought to himself, finally accepting these feelings for the sniper.
"I love him."
Suddenly, a loud creak in through the door. Sanji finally, got his mind together and turned around to see a familiar creature peeking in through the door.
"Mew!" The strange green fox with a flower tail, meow, happy to see him.
"Oh. It's you, Nia." Sanji sighed as he picked up his cigarette and relit it again as he sits down on the couch.
"Mew! Mew!" Nia walked up to Sanji's legs, and smiled at the cook. Seeing her face made him remember what happen earlier in the past few days and realize that he had done something wrong, not only to Usopp but Nia as a friend.
"I'm so sorry!" Sanji shouted in regret. He took out the cigarette again and bowed down to the floor. To Nia. This would be the second time that he has bowed down to someone, for first one being his fellow chef mates back in the Bariette. Nia was shocked to see him behaving like this as she never really have thought that he would be that type of guy to do this sort of thing.
"I'm really sorry! I've done some terrible things while I should be truly grateful that you saved Usopp's life! Our sniper's life! Thank you so much, Nia!"
Silence was in the air for the pass seconds and not a thing was done. Sanji kind of felt stupid for bowing down to a creature but he was very grateful to her for what she had done, and he was acting like an idiot earlier saying some unnecessary things.
"Mew. Mew!" The fox purred as she put her small little paws on top of Sanji's head. Sanji looked up and saw that she was making a gentle smile as she stared at him.
Sanji noticed a familiar glow as she started to change into a more humanlike form.
"I know your feelings very well, Sanji-kun…" Nia whispered as she took her hand of his head.
"Huh? Really?" Sanji was shocked as he sat up with her.
"I knew it very well. Usopp spoke to me about you as well." Nia closed he eyes and smiled.
"What? Usopp has told you…about me?" Sanji asked, seemly shock for some reason by that idea.
"Yes. He told me about everyone else too, but he talks mostly about you."
"W-What….Did he say…about me?" Sanji seem very worried for some reason. Since when did he care about what people had to say about him, beside his talent in cooking?
"Maybe you should ask him yourself, and apologize." She opens her eyes and stared at Sanji.
"But what should I say to him? He might not feel the same way that I feel right now and where is a good place to even talk to him alone?" He said in frustration. Nia watched him as she never heard or seen him struggle with words before. Even though he loves almost every woman he meets, he seems totally shy when it comes to actually falling in love before.
"Ha ha. I think I can help you with that." Nia giggled, before returning to a smaller chibi like fox form similar to Chopper's form. Sanji looked to see that Nia was smiling again, pretending as if that whole incident between her, Usopp and Sanji never happen as she held out her paw to Sanji. Sanji was astounded by her presence as she was the guardian to this island, as she was in a whole other world of her own, before slowly taking her hand as she led them out of the Thousand Sunny, to the place somewhere around the Island.