Tender ZoSopp moment after a big fight with a wounded Zoro resting on Usopp's lap, and he's giving him a light massage to his temples and neck and Zoro wakes up to Usopp smiling at him because he protected them all again
"You look... safe... " Zoro says
And Usopp laughs a little "I am safe, thanks to you"
"I mean... you... safety" and Zoro falls asleep again (Chopper nearby still treating his wounds probably)
And Usopp's words caught up on his throat because being the protector's safe place means so much to him
😭😭 I'm not a writer, if you or anyone else wants to expand on that, pls do, I just always get really emotional to the thought of Usopp being (any of the Monster Trio)'s person they feel safe with, specially after a big fight
Oh this is so😭😭😭 Usopp being Zoro’s safe space is everything to me omg!!! That’s so!!! Just thinking about Usopp never having thought about Zoro romantically until that point not until getting hit with a line like that and being thrown completely off kilter like wtf is that supposed to mean?? That was a joke right right? he was just joking around he couldn’t really have meant that he Usopp was making him Zoro of all people feel safe?? But then he remembers the utter sincerity in his voice as he said it. Zoro doesn’t lie. So what does it mean??
Usopp’s heart is just a mess after that and he cannot stand being around Zoro. It might just kill him. Just a brush of their hands was almost enough to send him into a cardiac arrest and then there’s his laugh.
Usopp fears it might be enough to end him.
You would think a stoic serious guy like Zoro wouldn’t laugh that much if ever but he does and it’s often at the stupidest things. And those stupid things sometimes happened to be him. Usually Usopp wouldn’t stand for that but now he thinks he can afford to be a little stupid if it means he gets to hear Zoro laugh.
Even if it kills him.
So he cannot be around him. And so Usopp does what he does best. He runs away. Not completely. He’s still there at the fringes. Has his foot just inside the room so to speak. He will still see Zoro at the dinner table, in their room and other places on the ship as long as others are around. They just can’t be alone.
That just means that he won’t be working on the grassy deck of the sunny and suddenly find Zoro leaning into him asking him what he’s up to or just falling asleep against him. Nor will they nap together under the shade of a tree. Nor will he let Zoro use his lap as a pillow. Nor will they be shooting the shit late at night looking up at the stars. Nor will Usopp get to laugh as Zoro tries and fails to map out constellations. Nor will he get to tell him how hopeless he is and that it doesn’t matter if Zoro doesn’t know his left from his right because Usopp will always be there to find him.
He will lose a lot of things but he thinks that what he’s protecting is more important right?
It’s after another fight. Zoro is lost again. No one can find him. Usopp isn’t worried because why would he be? This is par for the norm. But then Usopp does find him and his heart drops out of his chest.
“Zoro?”
He’s on the ground looking badly injured completely still. It almost looks like he’s napping. Almost.
Usopp kneels down beside him and tries to shake him awake.
“Zoro?”
He does not answer.
“Zoro this isn’t funny open your eyes…” Usopp’s hair is loose it’s all in his face. “You’re supposed to be the strongest of us what are you doing.” He tries to brush his hair back but it keeps falling back clinging his face. “You can’t just let a chump like that take you out.” Great now it’s getting all in Zoro’s face but Usopp lets it maybe it’ll annoy him enough to make him wake him. “You haven’t become the world’s best swordsman remember? You still haven’t bested Mihawk yet so you can’t just not… Wake. Up!”
Usopp does not want his last words to him to be… when was the last time he actually talked to Zoro?? Had he been avoiding him for so long that he couldn’t even remember?? Was his last words just… nothing?
Usopp doesn’t realize he’s crying until he sees his tears splatter all over on Zoro’s face. Fuck.
Usopp regrets so much.
All the moments they had are overshadowed by all the ones they didn’t get to have because he was coward and so so afraid. Of what? Of being found out? His stupid feelings shouldn’t have prevented him from just being his friend. Just being his friend had been enough and should been enough. But now he’ll never even get that. Now all Usopp gets all the things he is left with are those moments that could have been, the ones that should have been and all the ones that will never be.
He gets nothing.
Usopp crumples. He gathers Zoro up in his arms holding him and placing his head in his lap just like that moment so long ago. And says “please don’t… not yet…”
He feels a hand on his cheek sweeping away his tears and his eyes snaps open and he sees Zoro looking grouchy and confused and so very awake and he screams.
“Zoro!”
“Argh don’t be so loud I’ve a headache.”
“Stupid you don’t get say that after making me think you’re dead!”
Zoro cracks a smile. “Is that why you’re crying? I was wondering who I had to beat up.”
Usopp grabs the hand that still on his face. “Don’t be stupid. You’re not beating anyone up the way you are now.”
Zoro just hums as he closes his eyes and just nuzzles closer and gets more comfortable. “I missed this.”
Usopp ruffles the green his hair and smiles. “Me too.”
“Finally gotten tired of avoiding me.”
Usopp’s grip tightens in his hair but he immediately lets go once Zoro bristles with pain. “Sorry.”
"Sorry for pulling my hair or sorry for avoiding me?"
“It’s not you.”
“What is it then?”
When Usopp doesn’t answer Zoro just pulls him close until their foreheads are almost touching.
“Tell me.”
“It’s stupid.”
“I want to hear it.”
“It doesn’t matter-“
“It matters. To me.”
Usopp twists his lips. But there’s only so long he can lie. So long he can withhold the truth. So of course it comes gushing out when he least wants it to. The dam that’s his lie finally gives. It has been breaking for a long time now. It just takes just one nudge from Zoro and that look in his eye and that hand that’s still wiping away his tears. And he breaks.
“I love you.”
Zoro’s eyes widens and Usopp knows he’s made a mistake but then they soften so maybe not and oh he laughs and maybe just maybe this is worth everything.
“Took you long enough.”
Usopp’s eyes well up with tears again. “I fucking hate you.”
“No you don’t.”
Then he kisses him. And they kiss again and again. Because they’re happy to be alive. To be here together and with each other and in love and because when Usopp isn’t busy being a coward he can brave. Usopp can be brave. And he gets to have this and all the moments that could be, going to be and will ever be. Now and forever.
“Oh before I forget.”
“What?”
Zoro smiles so softly and also so smugly because he’s a bastard and yet Usopp can’t help but love him because he’s stupid and also the smartest man alive.
“I love you too.”
Usopp smiles.
He gets to have it all.
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