A/N: Apologies for the delay! This chapter has a bajillion different beginnings and middles and sort of two or three ends but here are all the pieces that deserve to see the light of day.

Please enjoy : )

TW for vague mentions of sexual assault (if you know Thriller Bark then you know what I'm talking about)

But if We Saw the Roles Reversed

Usopp coughs and waves away a dust cloud that puffs up from the shifting wreckage of the battlefield. Sunset colors the space orange and if not for Luffy, humming his island song a few steps behind him, Usopp might have thought it was sunrise again. Sunrise, with the threat of friends burning and Kuma's stark shape looming-

But it's sunset. It's been hours now since all of that. All that's left to do is sort everything out in the aftermath, like usual.

The repetitive notes of an instrument being tuned waft out from the main hall, through the kitchen, and then spread into the courtyard as Usopp leads the way and Luffy ambles behind with a crate in his arms. Each step throws up dust and sends debris crumbling. Robin greets them at the doorway with a wink, a smile, and a finger pressed to lips. Usopp takes a deep breath of air seasoned with barbecue sauce and dish soap.

"Sanjiiii," Luffy calls in a bad stage whisper. "We're baaaaack~" The cook's shoulders stiffen and he turns to greet them with a scowl, an unlit cigarette clenched in his teeth and ice packs taped to his leg where the bruises and swelling are particularly bad.

"I already gave you lunch so don't ask for anything more." He orders.

"Okay, okay," Luffy nods, agreeably. He doesn't even glance at the stir fry simmering on the stove but instead watches Sanji limp gingerly from countertop to countertop. "We got the stuff for Chopper!" He holds up the crate. "And we're gonna bring treasure to Nami next!"

Sanji grumbles and waves them on.

Luffy lingers for an extra moment but Usopp ushers him on to the next room before Sanji can resort to kicking him out. Some Risky Pirates are there preparing for the banquet they're going to have. They're scattered around the dining area, cleaning up tables and sweeping away zombie pieces. Brook doesn't seem to notice his visitor bound across the room. It's difficult to read the body language of a skeleton (which only barely constitutes as a body) but his skull remains angled at the piano keys who refuse to sing in tune. Usopp watches from the doorway as Luffy sets the crate on the floor by the bench and drapes himself over the edge of the instrument lid. That's when the expressionless skull tilts up to acknowledge him, spiderweb cracks surrounding the left eye-socket, and if bone could smile Brook probably would.

"You're supposed to stay with Luffy." Sanji says from behind, but the sniper waves the thought away.

"Brook appreciates the company. And I wanted to check on you. Need an extra hand?"

"Doing fine," The cook grunts and scrapes the diced contents of a cutting board effortlessly into a waiting pan. "'S just bruises and a couple bone fractures."

"Just cause we're not letting Luffy pester everyone about their injuries doesn't mean I'm not going to. Don't forget to sit down sometimes and rest."

"Yeah, yeah. Same to you Whiplash." Sanji gives him a pointed look and Usopp raises a hand to his neck. Perona's hollows had thrown him around like a ragdoll but all Chopper could do was wrap him in bandages to brace the strained muscles of his shoulders and neck. "Be careful and don't let the captain get too worked up again."

"That's my job!" He winks. The tuning notes from the next room shift into a slightly off-key rendition of Bink's Sake and Usopp turns to the doorway, watching Luffy sway serenely next to Brook on the piano bench. "Speaking of which, duty calls!"

"Ah, Usopp-san!" Brook tilts his skull towards him when he notices him coming. "Come join us! Do you have any requests?"

"Sorry Brook," Usopp props his hands on his hips and watches the slim white finger bones tickle the ivories. "Luffy and I are still taking care of things."

"Yes, of course." The musician nods. "Such a diligent captain, taking care of things while the crew recuperates. I'm amazed!"

Usopp winces and Luffy stills slightly but fixes his smile firmly in place.

"Sure!" He says, voice bright but expression stiff. "They always take care of me so I want to help!" He pushes away from the bench and scoops up the crate he's brought with him, the bottles and jars inside clinking together around the rolls of bandages that cushion them. Brook pauses, looking up at them with his expressionless eye sockets in a way that Usopp thinks might be confusion. "We should go! I wanna check on Zoro."

"Oh yeah, Chopper is waiting for us!" Usopp pretends to remember and waves at Brook before steering Luffy off in the other direction, his captain's shoulders stiff under his grip as they approach the makeshift infirmary.

When they'd all come to in the empty wreckage of a nightmare, the greatest source of concern had been- as usual- Luffy. But. Instead of them all gathered around their captain, beaten and bruised and trying to smile, it had been him watching all of them with guarded worry. It had been Luffy crouching to lift debris off of limbs; it had been Luffy's fingers hovering a hair's breadth away from scratched and swollen skin.

For once he'd sat still for Chopper's once-over and for once he really had been fine. Relief wasn't the word for it, because suddenly they had another issue.

For all that they'd never thought themselves anything but justified for looking after him, Luffy attempting to take care of them in the aftermath (as opposed to the typical defensive position he took on their behalf during battle) was a different matter entirely.

"Chopper!" Luffy calls in another stage whisper but pauses before going too far into the room. The reindeer's ears twitch in acknowledgement but he doesn't turn away from where he is bent over Zoro's left arm, laying another row of stitches across what had already been sewn shut but kept splitting. Robin sets her book down and waves Luffy into the room without moving from her place in the bed tucked against the back wall of the room.

Usopp follows close behind as Luffy comes up beside Zoro's bed and sets the crate down next to it. Music drifts from the other room into the makeshift infirmary but it doesn't quite penetrate the stillness and quiet.

Zoro has taken on the role that Luffy usually fills. Chopper's biggest problem, all of their biggest worry, the hub of activity as people tip toe around and try to help, checking in before moving off to return to whatever they were doing. Luffy has so far disliked the role reversal.

Usopp drifts over to Robin and digs a hardcover book out of his bag.

"Found this in one of the upstairs rooms." He says. "Thought you'd like it for the library."

"Thank you," She says and takes the book carefully. Her arms are bandaged from the various scrapes they suffered from all her helping hands throughout the battles. Mostly though, she's exhausted. There's a slight tremor to her body and her eyes are puffed with sleep. Chopper thought it had something to do with her lack of time spent unconscious after being separated from her shadow. Sanji was suffering from it a little himself, but Luffy hadn't seemed bothered and Zoro… Zoro didn't really apply in that realm. "Have you read this, Usopp? The tale of Frankenstein's monster? It's fascinating." A smile quirks at the edge of her lips as she flips open the cover, reading the publication information. "Quite fitting that this book was in this very mansion."

"I've had enough monsters, thanks." Usopp says. "And I'm too busy to read anyway. Keeping track of Luffy is a full time job!"

"I'm aware." Robin smiles. "Usually we split up that particular duty. Then again, it's usually a different sort of care he needs, hm?"

Usopp hums and nods but keeps an eye on Luffy where he's talking softly to Chopper over Zoro's chest. His eyes keep drifting down to Zoro's face.

"Yeah," He murmurs. "A different kind of care this time. Hey! Luffy!" He jumps up and digs through his bag again, leaving Chopper's things on a side table and then dropping an arm around Luffy's shoulder. "Let's go! We've got stuff to bring to the ship for Nami, remember!"

"Ah, right!" Luffy says and his face lights up but he's still distracted and hesitates before standing up and turning away from Zoro.

Chopper sets down his needle and looks up at them, tired and withdrawn in the way he usually is in the immediate aftermath of battles like these. He looks to Luffy because he knows what's coming.

"Chopper," Luffy says, careful and quiet and severe. "Take care of him."

"I will." Chopper promises. "I'm doing everything that's best for him."

They've exchanged something like this a few times now. Luffy having to leave Zoro and not wanting to, wanting to know that someone else is there while he's gone. (Of course they are. They're all here, but Luffy isn't used to this aftercare so they give him the allowance of asking). Perhaps it's a good exchange. Knowing that Luffy is fine lifts a heavy weight and Chopper is ready to shoulder this new small burden of a captain's expectation.

"We'll come back later," Usopp promises with a gentle pull on Luffy's arm that the rubber man doesn't resist. Chopper smiles as best he can and then submerges slowly back into his careful work. "Nami'll kill us if we don't hurry up!"

Brook plays a fun musical trill when they walk past, though it is a little off key, and Sanji gives them a guarded look and half closes the fridge that he's elbow deep inside as though expecting Luffy to make a try for it. Luffy stalls in front of both of them, the same way he did before finally turning away from Zoro.

The straw hats are only human (with some metallic and skeletal exceptions); Usopp knows that better than most. But Luffy takes in the battered and broken and reminds them that they're strong. He believes in the people that hold his life together the way that he holds them.

It must be hard to see them dressed in all the same hurt and pain he sees when he looks in the mirror. He's taken on the world to protect them and now, faced with his inadequacy, he doesn't have so much as a bandaid to show for it.

Risky Pirates wave at them as they make their way across the island, calling out greetings and impromptu thanks. They've made themself available all over the island, filling all the empty spaces so there's never one far off if any of their 'saviors' need a helping hand. Usopp does his best to convince Luffy not to step on any of the corpses dotting the estate.

They hike through the still very creepy forest and when Nami's voice carries, screeching, to reach them from beyond the trees he laughs at Usopp's sigh.

(Luffy-sitting isn't easy, but it is something Usopp is good at.)

"Finally!" Nami exclaims when she notices them coming up the gangplank. "Did you bring more treasure?" She claps her hands at the sight of Luffy's load and ushers him quickly to the appraisal corner. Luffy crouches beside her as she digs through the bag, pulling out the most valuable pieces and explaining how important it is that they not let anyone else have her- sorry, their- treasure. Usopp drops his own money bags (actual money bags. He doesn't have the strength to carry bulging sacks of gold like Luffy but paper money with large bills has a lot of value without so much weight. Nami doesn't discriminate.) in a pile of like objects and stretches out his shoulders carefully.

"Nami, you're dirty."

Usopp straightens, ramrod, and whips his head around to watch this exchange carefully. His neck twinges painfully in protest but he slaps a hand over it to rub it into submission and keeps quiet. Nami has stilled, her hands still buried in the bag. Luffy reaches out with a careful touch and tugs lightly on a loose strand of orange hair, knotted and stringy with grease.

"You shower way more than me." He says. "You like to be clean."

"I've been busy. Luffy." She excuses and reaches up to swat his hand away. But it's light, uncertain. "I haven't gotten a chance to shower."

(The people who call Usopp's captain dumb don't see him like this.)

"You always shower right after fights!" Luffy argues. "I've brought back three loads but you haven't taken any breaks! The treasure will still be there. I'll watch it for you. I want to help."

Nami stares at the golden chalice in her hand, mouth set in a grim line. It's true that her skin is painted over with a fine layer of grime and dust but Usopp hadn't noticed that anything was wrong per se. By the usual time that Luffy wakes up from injuries Nami is absolutely showered. Still, it's not unusual for her to prioritize other after-battle tasks as the tension starts to drop back down. Still, Luffy's picked up on something and Usopp isn't about to tell him not to do his job.

"Thanks Captain." Nami says and stands up. "Maybe I will."

"Good." Luffy nods.

"Good." She repeats lightly. "But if you want to help you'll come take a shower too!" She grabs his arm and Luffy immediately squawks in protest. "I don't need you to watch the gold. But standing next to you makes me gag, you smell horrible!" She laughs as Luffy scrambles off to another corner of the deck and her grip on his wrist stretches his arm across the length of the ship.

"I don't wanna shower!" Luffy protests. "You always yell at me when I come in while you're using it!"

"You wait at the door until I'm done." Nami says. "And then, when I'm ready I'll make sure you take your turn."

"Come on Luffy," Usopp smiles. "You want to help don't you?"

He grumbles something low and sullen but Nami just rolls her eyes and releases his arm so it smacks into him on the rebound.

"I'll get a change of clothes. Don't go anywhere!"

She disappears into the ship and Usopp takes the cue to usher any of the lingering Risky Pirates back towards the mansion proper and away from the ship.

Usopp remembers, after all, the last time Nami asked someone to wait outside while she showered. (He's sure that Sanji gave that invisible shadow a good stomping, but just to be sure he'll be a little extra vigilant. For Nami's peace of mind as well as his own.)

Without the strangers and Nami's meticulous counting and calculating the ship is quieter. Quiet enough to hear what Usopp couldn't hear before- metallic banging from down below. Luffy hears it too because his grin widens from the pout Nami had left him with. He jumps up and beelines to the door to Franky's workshop, Usopp only two steps behind.

"Ow!" Franky yells when Luffy throws open the door after pounding down the steps. "Luffy-bro! Uso-bro! What's happenin?"

"Whooaaaa!" Luffy exclaims.

"We should be asking you that." Usopp breathes, staring at the array of equipment and mechanisms surrounding Franky's thoroughly defleshed (and deboned, demuscled, and deveined) leg. "What are you doing?"

"This?" Franky gestures at the limb with a wrench. "Aw just some routine tune ups. Can't say I didn't get tossed around a bit and I thought I'd poke around, make sure nothing got knocked loose."

"What's that?" Luffy bends over the limb and jabs his finger into something that looks delicate and breakable. Usopp swallows his protest when Franky waves him off and intervenes on his own.

"That's a circuit switch. And this here is a pressure gauge." He runs down a quick list, naming all the most interesting looking parts and Luffy oohs and ahhs at all the right times. "Wire bundle, steel reinforced skeletal frame, snack nook-"

"What are you fixing?" Luffy interrupts. As he had with all the rest of them his eyes skate over Franky from head to toe, but it's harder to tell what's going on with Franky. All of the pilot lights are on the inside.

"Nothing in particular." The cyborg shrugs and works a screwdriver into a crevice and starts twisting. "Just gotta tighten anything that came loose. It's like stretching after a workout but for machinery." He pauses and looks up at Luffy, whose neck is bent at an unnatural angle to peer directly into the cavity of lights and wires. "That doesn't make sense to you either, huh Luffy-bro?"

"Ah? Why not? I stretch all the time!" Luffy beams.

"Can't argue with that!" Franky laughs and then offers his captain the screwdriver. "Wanna gimme a hand?"

"Ah Franky," Usopp starts. "I'm not sure that's the best idea-"

"Yeah!" Luffy snatches up the tool and gives it a vehement twist. It doesn't seem to bother Franky. If anything, he looks relaxed, leaning back on the workbench to give Luffy a better angle.

They go on like that for a few minutes. Franky points and Luffy cranks, adjusting whenever the shipwright specifies new instructions, like turning left instead of right. Nami calls for them and Usopp is grateful for the excuse to pull Luffy away.

He's glad Franky trusts Luffy to help, but Usopp has seen him break a few more things than Franky has.

Earlier, as Chopper had buzzed with all the steps he wanted to take and things he wanted to prepare, Luffy had been wholly incapable of helping. It just didn't make sense to put Luffy's rough touches in the close vicinity of freshly blooming bruises and still stinging stitches. But Franky isn't fragile in that way. Anything Luffy breaks in his excitement or lack of expertise can be adjusted later and replaced with new parts. Luffy probably realizes that too, a little, and throws all his exuberant care into the crewmember he can't break so easily. He's happy to help.

When they're back upstairs, Nami is standing with her bathrobe wrapped tightly around her shoulders, tapping her slippered foot. Usopp starts out with an apology but Luffy brushes past him and tugs Nami out of her ready-to-scold pose and into a flustered stumble up the stairs toward the bathhouse. Their mixed laughter and shouts fill the empty air ringed with fog and dread.

This adventure has gone a little different than the others. The end seems a little out of order. But here, standing on the deck, listening to his friends remind each other (no words required) that the fight is over... it seems like it's gotten to the same, hopeful end as all the rest.

Usopp follows close behind and adds his laughter to the reassurances.

A/N: Hopefully, this was a nice addition to the story as a whole : )

Unfortunately, I'm here to announce that the next chapter is the last one for a little while. Post time skip chapters are more complicated- like this one- and that means they take time and balancing.

See, in the beginning, I can set a straw hat after Luffy and they make him take a nap but after Marineford... things get a little intense. There are a lot of hurts and a lot more people involved in the adventures. I hope to come back with new content but I'm not about to put a timeline on it. Also, I want to stretch my writing muscles in some other directions : )

So! Next chapter = Last chapter! Please lemme know what you think of the both of them!