Chapter 6 - Usopp

AN: i am sorry this took so long to write - there's an explanation in my profile page.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far - i love seeing the kind words :)

Black' Victor Cachat suggested Usopp learning about Sniper King's bounty. Thank you for the suggestion and i hope you enjoy :)

Disclaimer: one piece is not mine, wish i was that cool.

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After fleeing Water 7 and Luffy's crazy grandfather (the man threw cannonballs like it was nothing!) and tearfully re-joining the crew, Usopp got a shock when, while standing on the foredeck getting a closer look at the flower prow, Luffy told him about his 'good friend Sniper King' getting a bounty.

"What?! How?" The sniper cried, disbelief filling him until he remembered what he did at Ennis Lobby. Usopp let out a low groan and put a hand to his head. How could I forget! I shot down the World Government's flag! Not forgetting his friend standing right beside him, Usopp had to put on a mask and pretend he knew nothing. "Oh No! Sniper King is a wanted man now too? How much is his bounty?" The liar cautiously asked, careful to keep the truth hidden.

"Thirty million Beli! And his poster is so cool!" Luffy dropped the bombshell, leaving Usopp to wonder if it was a joke. But no, because the rubber boy pulled out a rolled up paper, unrolling it quickly to show Usopp. The rubber captain was humming a tune under his breath, which the sniper recognized as the song he made up for the role, taking the paper so he could read the writing -and the enormous price on his head- without it shaking in Luffy's grip.

Usopp took deep calming breath and, though he was positively shrieking on the inside and his knees betrayed him with their shaking, the liar began asking all sorts of interesting questions about the King of Snipers, trying to maintain his cover.

"What kind of weapon does he use? Was it a slingshot?"

"Yeah, a big black slingshot - kinda like yours Usopp!"

"Ah, that's because i made it for him! Was he wearing a cape?"

"Yeah a big red one! So flowy, like a hero's."

"How many enemies did he take down?"

"I don't know exactly, but I bet you a thousand no, a million." His voice was getting quicker in direct relation to his excitement, his hands gesturing widely as Luffy answered all the questions with his signature grin.

… … …

Usopp was running out of questions when Luffy suddenly stopped moving, his head swiveling to look at the kitchen. A hungry look gathered in his eyes, and Luffy stayed barely long enough to say "Sorry-Usopp-I-have-to-go-Sanji's-cooking-meat!" before he was sprinting across the wood, down the steps and along the grass, one arm stretching out and grabbing the railing to bypass the other stairs completely, swinging up and through the door.

The smell of food cooking now wafting out through the open door was strong enough that even those with lesser senses than their captain couldn't miss it and Usopp's stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn't had much in the way of breakfast.

Folding up the poster still in his hands, the sniper pushed it into his overalls pocket, deciding to return to it after he'd eaten.

… … … … …

The quiet of the new ship -he had found out her name was the Thousand Sunny- was too noiseless after almost spending almost year on the Merry, getting used to sleeping alongside the creaks and moans of her old boards.

Usopp found it difficult to sleep, what with the memory of Merry burning still present in his mind, so he snuck out of the big cushy men's quarters to roam the deck for a while.

From outside, he could catch the faint clinck of Zoro training with his weights up in the Crow's nest, and the slap of the waves on the Sunny's hull. The flap of the sails from the wind leaving and then refilling the sails quickly made a light snap sound, making the sleepless man jump a little each time.

Still standing by the doorway, the sniper noted the stars and the occupied crow's nest were providing the only light. A rustle from his pocket reminded him that he still needed to examine his poster, so Usopp ducked back inside to grab a lantern. Shuffling up to the top deck, wrapped in his blanket to keep out the cold, he tried to hold the top corners around his neck and light the wick at the same time. Once the flame was steady, Usopp sat down on the hard wooden deck and pulled out the curled up paper, arm poking out from under the warm confines of the blanket.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

SNIPER KING

30, 000, 000 B

The laid out page showed a man with black curly hair wearing a gold painted mask, blue lines and a curled blue moustache giving it a slightly sophisticated look, with red lips painted over his own. A large outer piece snapped off on the left side gave it a battle weary look, his sniper goggles he got way back in Loguetown pushed through the eye holes so he could still use them.

Usopp had decided when standing on that train in the midst of a storm that leaving the crew wouldn't stop him wanting to help his friends and he would never regret it. He might feel a little silly now about hiding who he was, seeing as all but Luffy and Chopper weren't fooled but the lie was there and removing it meant telling those two that their hero didn't exist.

He still wasn't sure that no one hated him for what he did, and trying to accept that was one of the reasons Usopp was out on the chilly deck instead of in his nice warm cot. He'd silently argued with himself until he was almost blue in the face, needing the simple nature of the sea to calm himself, to shut up the voice in his head telling him-

"We don't hate you Usopp."

The sniper shrieked, hand on his chest as he tumbled backwards in shock. He hadn't noticed it but, listening now, he observed the lack of sound from zoro's weights being thrown around. Looking up slowly, Usopp found himself looking into the usually impassive face of the first mate.

"You didn't have to scare me like that you know." Usopp huffed, sitting back up and folding his legs back inside the woolen blanket.

Zoro grinned, teeth gleaming in the glow of the lantern, which -miraculously- hadn't been knocked over, as he leaned back against the paneled wall. "Sure, I didn't have to. But then I'd have missed out on that manly squeak." His smile dimmed and concern flashed over his face. "Usopp - I meant what I said. I didn't -and still don't- agree with your reason's for leaving. But I do understand."

"You unders- but how could you understand me? A depressive mess that thought his friends all hated him? Who left the crew because the little voices said it would be better?" Voice full of disbelief and self-hate, Usopp couldn't look at his crew mate, turning to look out at the dark ocean.

"I understand the pride and love of your friends that made you want to protect Merry." The swordsman said, sitting on the deck near Usopp and folding his legs, eyes looking at his hands in the dim lamplight. "And the love to helped us protect Robin."

"But I fought Luffy! I challenged my captain and lost-" Usopp began, only to be interrupted.

"And you stood with us in front of CP9. You shot down the World Government's flag. You even fought an assassin with me." The swordsman waved away Usopp's grumbling, something about how pretending to be a sword doesn't count as 'fighting with him'. "You saved Robin by being the greatest sniper this world has ever seen - making a shot with a slingshot your dad probably couldn't with a pistol." Zoro listed the brave things he had watched his friend accomplish, counting them out on his fingers.

Usopp couldn't refrain from the sarcastic reply "Right. And when the building collapsed under me, I'm sure you were real worried then too, right Zoro?"

"Usopp. I won't agree with the shit cook on most-"

"-all-"

"- things, but we were both scared out of our goddamned minds when we thought... we thought you were going to die." His voice cracked at the end and Zoro took a shaky breath. "Seeing you falling from 200 feet in the air like that- I never want to feel like that again."

Guilt invaded the sniper and a little voice spoke up in his mind. "Merry died." He said in a tiny voice, the thoughts clamoring about how he had failed. "I should've saved her, but I didn't and it's all my fault-" Usopp faltered at the glare coming from the sharp grey eyes. He gave up and somewhere in the back of his mind, the little voices gave up too.

"It wasn't your fault Ussop." The stern order gave no room to argue, coming from the black helm. Looking over, Usopp watching as a sleepy Luffy walked into the small sphere of warm light, another of the cabin blankets wrapped around his shoulders. "Merry didn't blame me for damaging her. She wouldn't blame you for not saving her. Merry said she was happy, because we had the best adventures and we all had so much fun" Luffy smiled, feeling a little bittersweet.

"Luffy, I-" Usopp tried, self-blame entering his voice only to be cut off yet again.

"It's ok Usopp. We already forgave you." A soft voice soothes from the direction of the stairs. A pink hat adorning antlers pokes into the light, Chopper padding quietly over to the sniper.

The small form raised his arms and put them as far as he could around the man he considered a brother, the hug small but full of love.

Chopper was soon joined by Luffy, and then a smiling Zoro, the pile of bodies sharing enough warmth to send the younger 3 into a light sleep.

The last person from the boys cabin woke and, after a brief search -checking the kitchen fridge first in case Luffy was raiding it again- Sanji found a pile of snoring bodies wrapped in blankets and lit by a single -almost out- lamp.

With the help of an tolerant swordsman, the two managed to take the sleeping crew back to bed, letting them stay together; Chopper clinging to Usopp's leg in a vice grip and sniper and captain clinging to each other, arms in a tangle.

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AN: thank you for reading :) hope you all enjoyed. This hasn't been edited by my beta yet but i will update this chapter with a bonus piece if there were any major errors. I also felt weird writing 'sogeking' when the everything else is in English, so i apologize for using 'sniper king' instead if that bothers anyone.

Hit that 'Review' button and tell me what you all thought! I am still taking suggestions as well.