Usopp knew the second he woke up that he hadn't done so because of anything happening to him. A rare occurrence by his standards, but very welcome. No, he had simply awoken. On his own.

The second thing that struck him as odd was that he was actually warm for once, a bit too warm, even, especially his… hand…

Sanji. Sanji was by his side! A friend! A human! A person!

Usopp's heart raced alive, adrenaline surging and blood pumping. A smile almost tugged at his lips, but as always, his deeply instilled need to be very very still at all times repressed the urge to show emotion. But even so, his eyes lit up in true joy. In the back of his mind, he could vaguely remember the events that had led him to this unfamiliar place.

He had been paddling along, his third day of sailing since Orenjiarisan died. Why had his third friend died so soon? According to his calculations, he should have had a whole month to get to Sabaody Archipelago. Man, when he set out, Orenjiarisan was only three days old, barely big enough to ride, but… it was necessary. Sure, he didn't know how far away sabaody archipelago was, but it shouldn't have taken more than a month or so, which was just about as long as Orenjiarisan was supposed to have lived, if Oreniarichi was anything to go by.

The thought of his first friend almost brought Usopp to tears, as it always did, but now… Now, he wouldn't need to befriend ants! No scurrying about nests the size of castles, kidnapping larvae to raise and befriend!…

Once more, he glanced at Sanji, warmth filling his heart for his friend.

Sanji was asleep, snoring softly, his upper body draped over the side of the bed Usopp was laying on, and the reason Usopp felt so warm became obvious. Not only was he wearing a blanket (one that wasn't made of leather and/or leaves), but Sanji had successfully fallen asleep over Usopp's right arm.

Curiously, Sanji was also clutching Usopp's hand, although this was probably just done unconsciously. Probably.

Usopp really didn't want to pull his eyes from his friend, his Nakama, but his finely honed survival instincts told him he wasn't in the clear just yet (ever). Sanji aside, he had to survey the situation, where he was. First of all, he was in a very nice bed. Soft, comfy. It was so soft that Usopp felt like crying. He didn't. Secondly, wherever he was, he was certainly on the sea. The boat he was on rocked to and fro, making Usopp feel oddly nostalgic.

Strange as it was, even if he had spent far more time on land than on the sea, he always felt more at home on the latter.

The wooden floorboards and roof clarified that he was, in fact, on a ship. The colouration and unfamiliar swirls of the wood used showed that wherever this ship was from, it was not the East Blue or Grand Line. It was certainly not the Sunny. But, Sunny or not, he did have Sanji, and that was more than enough. The only other detail Usopp could notice was that he was currently in the medical bay of whatever ship he was on. It was large, too. A dozen or so beds were all lined up, swaths of cloth hung in between them. Usopp's bed was the closest to a window.

It was a big ship, a foreign one, with Sanji on it.

Usopp couldn't really make any assumptions, but he could somewhat tell that whoever owned it must have been a big-shot of some sort. Usopp wondered where Sanji had been sent. Maybe he went to a far-off kingdom, where he at first, like Usopp, tried to find a ship, but in his case, had to impress a court of noble cooks to do so? But, after failing to impress them with his divine cooking, they banished him! Desperate, he scoured the kingdom, only to find a paper, stating the situation regarding Luffy. Now motivated to succeed once more, he-,

No.

Usopp shook his head, banishing the thoughts. These are the sorts of stories that left him awake for nights on end. It wasn't the insects that kept him awake those first few nights, no, they came later. It was his endless imagination, that cursed thing. But he didn't need to imagine it any longer. What adventures his friends had gone on. What fun characters they had acquainted with. What gruesome fates they had met, too far away to help.

He was alright.

Sanji was fine.

Where he slept, Usopp couldn't make out any anxiety on his sleeping face. No fear. No huddling, no frowning, no shivering from whatever nightmare he may be experiencing. Nothing like how Usopp had been sleeping for too long. That was all over.

Sanji was right there. His warmth spread into Usopp's arm like life-giving blood. It felt good. Usopp felt happy.

For a while, Usopp simply stared at Sanji, a hidden, unseen smile spreading across his inner face. Nothing on the outside, everything on the inside. Hidden. Safe.

After a while, Usopp didn't know how long, Sanji stirred awake. Usopp, enraptured with staring at Sanji, noticed it immediately. At first, his lips started tugging after a cigarette, one that Usopp had noticed on the ground. Then, the grip on Usopp's hand tightened ever so slightly, and, finally, one eye peeked open. A haze covered his one visible eye, turning the dark grey-blue a slightly muddy colour.

The eye turned to the right, and then to the left, until it finally settled on Usopp.

There, it softened. Much as how Usopp's heart had softened upon seeing Sanji, upon knowing he was safe.

But after a second or so, the haze lifted with a startle, and Sanji jerked his upper body awake, tumbling for a second to find his seating onto his chair. "Haaa," he sighed, closing his eye briefly but immediately opening it when he noticed Usopp was staring at him.

"Oh, Usopp! You're-," he was probably going to say more, but somewhere along the way, he must have realized he was holding Usopp's hand.

A tense second passed.

Eye met eye.

Usopp realized they were both hiding one eye, Sanji with his hair, Usopp with a leaf. Very interesting. Even more interesting was the fact that Sanji was clearly blushing, despite half of his face being hidden. Very impressive. Then again, his whole face was red, so it wasn't that hard to see.

"Oh, I, uh, shit-," a quick tug removed Sanji's hand from Usopp's and back to its owner's side, "sorry, uh. Yeah."

Sanji scratched behind his neck, the air thick and filled with a strange sort of tension. Usopp glanced at his now-empty hand, feeling sort of lonely without that warmth Sanji brought to it.

'Sanji! It's been a while! Where have you been? You feeling alright? A monster like you couldn't have been challenged anywhere, right? Heh!' Usopp thought to himself, stating nothing out loud. His face remained plain and neutral. Sanji, in turn, said exactly nothing, simply staring back.

"So, uh, what were you doing on that ant, Usopp?" Sanji asked, smiling tightly, his one visible eyebrow, that twirly little thing, quivering oh-so-slightly, clearly in some form of exasperation at his situation.

Usopp thought for a moment. It was a long story, wasn't it?

At first, he had only worn the antenna for the pheromones.

If ants thought you were one of them, the chances of a horde of them attacking, maiming and butchering you was smaller by a fair amount. That meant one less enemy to worry about. It was only later that he realized ants might make for a good steed (friend).

The first friend had been an experiment. A test. Check how long they live for, if he can keep them as friends… that sort of stuff.

The second one was to get every detail right, to find out how well it could fly, what he had to do to tame it truly… all that.

The third friend had been the real one, meant to get him where he had to go.

Usopp did not say this out loud. He wanted to, of course, but he didn't. He didn't say anything. Maybe he simply didn't realize he was supposed to say it, maybe he'd gone too long without saying a thing, either way, he didn't speak a word.

When Sanji inevitably frowned at his lack of a response, Usopp could simply feel his heart sink. What had he done? Had he done something wrong? Was his answer incorrect? There was a pit in his stomach, and he didn't know what to do about it.

"Um, Usopp, are you alright? You haven't said anything… Don't tell me you lost your tongue?!" Sanji exclaimed in a show of worry that Usopp found very, very humorous. It was funny, hilarious, even. He felt so much like laughing, but nothing came out. Just a stare. Sanji's face seemed to grow more anxious by the second, but Usopp couldn't really tell. He hadn't seen a human face in two years. Barely even his own.

Silence stretched between them.

Sanji, silently, as silent as Usopp, reached over from where he was, his hand, the one that had held Usopp's, reaching out to move from side to side in front of Usopp's eyes. In turn, Usopp followed the hand with his gaze, showcasing his consciousness. Was that the question? Is that what Sanji was thinking about? Usopp didn't know. He wished he still knew the intricacies of human features.

Sanji leaned back once more. His body relaxing against the chair in posture only. In every other way, he was as tense as a coiled spring.

"Usopp, if you can hear me, nod," Sanji stated, folding his fingers over his chin and mouth. Usopp nodded. Sanji nodded back. "...If you're not speaking because you can't, shake your head. If you aren't speaking for some other reason, nod again." Usopp nodded again. Sanji sighed deeply. "Why?" Usopp furrowed his brows, the first facial expression he had done all day being that of confusion.

Yeah, why hadn't he said anything? He had a tongue, he knew what to say, so… what was stopping him?

Nothing. Nothing was stopping him. So… let's say something! Just a quick thing, like… 'I'm sorry I worried you,' or 'I was on Orinarjirisan because he was a friend,' or 'will you hold my hand again?'

Usopp opened his mouth. Just a single word would do. It was okay, he was out of danger, his friend was right in front of him, he couldn't be hurt here. And yet, the idea of speaking brought him back two years, to when he had just landed on what he liked to call "Murder Star Island".

Days where his only companions were figments of his imagination dressed like his Nakama.

Luffy would stand hunched over him, asking if that odd plant he was holding was poisonous. Chopper would sit squatted by his side, inspecting the leaves and colourations, saying that it didn't seem dangerous. Robin would laugh her little laugh, Zoro would grunt from where he was training, Brook would play a familiar, jovial tune, Franky would join Brook by playing the guitar, Nami would inspect the clouds above, and Sanji would be examining the flowers and trees and everything too, wondering what was edible and what wasn't.

Usopp realized pretty quickly that talking out loud was a very good way of giving away your position to potential predators.

Breaking that old habit wouldn't be easy. But it was possible. Usopp knew that.

His mouth hung open like a fish bereft of water. A hissing noise escaped, hardly even a sound. More alike the whisper of the wind than the words of any sentient creature. Something kicked in, something told Usopp that it took more than sound to make a word. His mouth twisted, lips contorting, jaws closing, until he finally found a form to his liking.

A sound escaped.

"I-," Usopp said, and that was all.

Just a single word, 'I'. It didn't have any meaning, any reason for it. It was all Usopp knew how to say, all he could say, at least right now. Sanji lit up. A smile pranced about Sanji's lips. Usopp wanted to return it. Instead, he opened his mouth once more, readying his vocal cords for another burst of activity.

What escaped his lips was not a pleasant noise, but instead a hiss that clawed at his throat.

Buckling over, Usopp squeezed out a raspy cough, his throat and mouth turning dry and sandy. Beyond the terrible feeling in his throat, Usopp noticed, if only barely, how Sanji stood up, sliding his calloused hand over to cradle Usopp's back. It felt warm and good, Usopp knew that, but somehow, his focus laid more in his coughing-fit.

"Oh! I've got something for you, just wait a moment," Sanji said in a chipper tone, a grin enveloping his face in joy, hiding the worry with excitement. Usopp could barely hear it, barely see how Sanji bolted out of the room, his heels clicking faintly on the wooden floor.

After a few seconds, Usopp finally got his coughing under control. It seems his prolonged sleep had dried him up a fair bit.

Back on Murder Star Island, he used to mainly drink the blood of insects, since it was both filled with nutrients and also one of the few sustainable ways of getting any liquid. He only got access to the sea after a good few months, and changing his habits at that point had been too bothersome to try. Sure, there were plenty sweet and carbonated fountains and waterfalls in the inner sanctums, but he knew not to step a foot in there.

Not after what had happened his first few weeks.

Just the thought of it all made Usopp feel like puking. He had almost died so many times, but that had been his closest encounter with death.

Less than a minute passed, and Usopp sat there in silence, staring at a wall. His senses were spread wide and sharp. They were out in the middle of the sea, that was correct. The boat was filled with a few hundred well-built men with strong wills. Sanji, along with two others shone exceptionally bright. Usopp couldn't help but focus in on Sanji in particular. Like the moon among a million stars. Bright and encompassing. Warm, and right there.

Just being near that warmth made Usopp feel good. Better than he had in so long.

The light got closer at a rather quick rate. It seemed Sanji was returning.

A few more seconds passed, and the door to the infirmary burst open, Sanji practically jumping down the stairs to greet Usopp with a big, warm smile. Usopp stared back, a smile hiding behind paralyzed features. Realizing he might have been a bit too excited, Sanji straightened his back, cleared his throat, and took on a serious expression.

In his hands, he held a tray, where Usopp could see a steaming bowl. A strong smell enveloped the infirmary, and Usopp wasn't sure what he thought about it. Somehow, he felt repulsed.

Sanji stepped forwards, walking slowly, with all the dignity of a former waiter, his back as straight as a ramrod. Once he came up to Usopp's bed, he gingerly placed the wooden tray atop Usopp's lap, revealing exactly what was on it. Namely, a bowl filled with a hazy, oil-spill looking stew, a glass filled with some milky white liquid (probably milk, but what did Usopp know?), and a small bowl filled with a sickly sweet pile of defecation-looking goop.

Usopp stared at it. His sensitive nose, assaulted with smells he could hardly describe as enticing, scrunched up ever so slightly. Usopp glanced up at Sanji, his brows furrowing slightly, but Sanji only smiled, his eyes filled with pride and consideration.

"This," he gestured towards the bowl of steaming oil, "is a Ragout de boeuf, with a bone-broth and enriching, strengthening hormones. Don't worry, I've been learning how to cook well for two years, this'll taste even better than you might remember! And, plus, it'll strengthen you right up!" Grinning broadly, Sanji turned to the other two parts of the meal. "This is just normal milk, but I added some honey to make it go down easier and soften up your throat. But this, this right here, this is some good shit. It may not look like much, but it's sure to make you feel like you're back on the Sky Islands, I swear it! Dig in!"

Repulsive. Absolutely repulsive.

Usopp did not want to so much as touch any part of this, much less put any of it in his liehole.

The only smell he liked right now, the only smell he actually wanted to smell more of, were the soft notes lingering around Sanji's neck; of his cologne. It was so far removed from this reeking stench in front of him, but he could somewhat smell it still. Soft, welcoming… surprisingly flowery, almost feminine in its touch and feel. Like orange flowers, or black locust blossoms. Soft, indolic notes.

Usopp could tell Sanji had worn the cologne for a while, that this was its dying breath, but it only made Usopp long for what it might have smelled like a few hours earlier.

What passionate beauty had been peeled off to reveal this soft hibiscus scent.

A single visible eye, murky yet clear, like the milky waves of a calm sea hiding the dark depths below, stared back at Usopp, waiting. Why was he looking at him like this? Usopp just wanted to try and pick out his scent from the myriad of filthy tainted air.

Was he expecting something? A nod towards the tray informed Usopp of exactly what Sanji wanted.

Oh. Right. Um. No thank you?

Usopp pushed the tray just a bit away from him. A glance at Sanji revealed a confused expression upon the handsome love-cook. "What's wrong? Eat up while it's hot," Sanji urged, sitting back down next to the bed. If he wasn't so confused, he might have almost seemed worried. Maybe he was. Realization dawned within that deep eye of his, and Sanji turned back to Usopp. "Oh! Don't tell me you've…? I, well, um…"

Sanji tucked a stray lock of his golden hair behind his ear and leaned in closer. His breath grew closer, smelling faintly of cigarettes and thousands of tasted foods and spices.

Usopp would rather have gotten a taste of his lips than of the disgusting things on his lap. Sadly, Sanji did not lean closer to Usopp himself, but instead grabbed the spoon beside the bowl of oil. A quick dip into the bowl filled the spoon with the ominous liquid.

Even while on the spoon, it was still hot enough for a generous amount of steam to rise from it, a putrid, unnatural smell trailing after it. With one hand beneath the spoon to ensure not a single drop was wasted, Sanji raised it towards Usopp's face. Usopp tried desperately to make eye contact with him, since he wanted that goop nowhere near his face, but the man was avoiding his gaze, a faint blush and an embarrassed scowl ensuring that he had not, in fact, understood Usopp's intentions.

The next few events passed so rapidly that Usopp could barely even understand them himself.

His own body twisted, aching muscles springing to life with an angry whimper, hand flying up to slap the spoon away from him, and in the rush of activity, his whole body moving in tandem, everything went flying.

The tray, the oil, the mystery goop, the honeyed lactation… It all splattered on the floor. A single moment passed, a moment spent by Usopp heaving and panting and panicking, and by Sanji figuring out what the fuck had just happened.

The very next second, following a hefty kick to the side, Usopp, too, was on the floor, lying in a heap of cutlery and bowls and oil.

Another second, and Sanji stood above him, fists and jaw clenched so tightly his knuckles were turning white and his teeth were making a strained, grinding sound.

Usopp's chest heaved. The blanket he'd been covered by was now haphazardly thrown around him, twisting around his leg and draping over the ground, where it soaked up a good portion of the spilt oil.

"You-, you dare disrespect a cook? At… at SEA?" Sanji croaked, his voice thick and cracking with the tension of it. Usopp could only stare back, his mouth slightly agape.

He hadn't meant to. He knew what such an action meant to Sanji.

But he hadn't been thinking.

He acted on instinct.