#sanuso has taken over my life help

[arttlars]

That one twitter trend but make it sanuso

[dokojuice]

sanji-centered hc because i rewatched WCI and i feel like it also inspired by that sbs where oda said that sanji would be a hairdresser irl (sanuso if you SQUINT)

hc where sora was so far along her illness, she couldn't be bothered to brush her own hair anymore and it got long to the point where the aides would braid her hair so it wouldn't bother her as much. sanji would sit and watch as his mother's hair was brushed to the side, the pattern of three strands being woven together, under and over, burning into his memory

and after being imprisoned by judge, he would try his best to braid the hair on the back of his head so it wouldn't matte under the helmet. he would pour some water from his cup that he would get when the guard came down to give him his meals, into his hand and run it through his hair the best he could, trying to untangle the knots and straighten it out before splitting it into three parts and began to braid.

time passed and sanji grew better at braiding until he escaped and was taken in by zeff, who taught him how to cut his hair properly on the baratie.

fast forward to the time in sanji's life where he is now the Straw Hat's cook and left wing, he was walking out onto the ship's deck after preparing snacks for usopp, who had that night's watch.

he sets down the plate of breadsticks and small platter of fruits between the two of them "ah, thank you, sanji!" sanji nods with a smile and pulls out a cigarette "my pleasure." he lights it and takes a deep inhale before turning towards the sniper, who's struggling with his hair.

"you okay, usopp?"

usopp growls again and curses under his breath when the elastic in his hand snaps "stupid bands keep breaking, i can't keep my hair back!"

sanji recalls how the entire past week, usopp had actually kept his hair out of it's usual ponytail

"thought it was a choice that you let it out all week." sanji mused

usopp shakes his head "no, it's just that I can't keep it tied anymore, i don't-"

snap

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

sanji chuckles before taking a last drag and throwing his cigarette overboard. "here, let me."

usopp seems skeptical, but sanji has already grabbed an elastic band and positioned himself behind usopp. "do you have a brush?"

usopp nods and hands him a large hairbrush along with a spray bottle that had some liquid inside.

"kaya made the recipe for me, water with aloe and a few drops of jojoba oil. avocado oil is good too but I like jojoba more." usopp rambles. "you spray it on before brushing, or else the brush will snap and my hair will just get worse"

sanji nods wordlessly and began spraying usopp's hair and brushing through it carefully, starting at the ends and working his way up to the roots. he brushes through all of usopp's hair and splits it into three.

like clockwork, he weaves, over and under, until he has no more hair to work with. the braid reaches right at usopp's midback, long and neatly tucked.

"is it tight?" sanji asks as he ties the end.

"no actually, it's nice. much more loose than what my ponytail has me do." usopp smiles and stands up when sanji rests a hand on his shoulder, signaling that he's done. usopp, ever the child, runs to the bathroom and goes to look in the mirror with a smile

"WOW! sanji, it looks so good! thank you!"

usopp smiles wide, helping himself to a breadstick happily after sitting back down next to the cook.

"where did you learn to-"

"oy, hana arashi!"

zoro calls out usopp's (much to the sniper's dismay) nickname as he walks out from the barracks, yawning and stretching out his arms.

"my turn to take watch."

"ah, okay!"

he calls back before turning to sanji and saying thanks again before running to bed

sanji feels his fingers dwindle in his pocket before he reaches down and picks up the plates before walking towards the kitchen to cover the remaining fruit from getting spoiled, handing zoro a nashi on his way

cue luffy the next morning going "WHOOAAA USOPP YOUR HAIR LOOKS SO GOOD!" and chopper chiming in with a 'WOW!" as he climbs to sit on the sniper's shoulder.

usopp beams and sanji expects him to make up some story of how he did it himself on a spectacular whim until-

"sanji did it for me!"

he smiles as he's preparing the rest of breakfast for those who haven't woken up yet.

luffy also pesters sanji to give him braids and doesn't accept sanji's rebuttals of 'your hair is too short' and it got to the point where luffy gave him a formal captain's order to do it so now luffy has a tiny braid dangling beneath his hat, sticking right out of his head.

[kazimakuwabara]

8. Concession

summary: Deals are struck to appease the sick and appease the worrying. (one piece, slight SanUso)

***

“His temperature is high,” Chopper sighed stepping outside of his office with a frown. He kept his voice low, in case the patient was listening. “Really high... He needs to eat and drink more, but he’s putting up a resistance.”

Chopper rubbed his chin, concern weighing down his brow, “It’s a simple illness, an infection of the throat and sinuses. Strep throat. But his pain response to it... it’s as if he’s never been sick before!”

“Well... Usopp has claimed to have never been sick a day of his life,” Nami sighs, hands on her hips, and her gaze glaring at the door, “But I thought that was another... tall tale of his!”

“Surely he’s been sick before... at least once!” Brook argued, tapping his skeletal fingers to his teeth.

"I gotta admit... I've seen a lot of us sick, but I don't think I've seen Usopp-bro sick," Franky mused. He chuckled suddenly, before adding, "Well, not something he didn't invent anyway..."

“I’m not sure. I’m going to take a look at his blood for antibodies, but based on his fever and his reactions to the pain, I’m not sure if he's had this illness before. I really think it’s his first time experiencing this... which can be a problem. Mild illnesses are worse in adulthood if you’ve never experienced them in your youth!” Chopper sighed.

“Isn’t he just being a bad patient?” Zoro protested, “He’s just whining.”

“A temperature doesn’t lie, idiot,” Sanji snapped, a tray of soup and water in hand, “If Chopper says it’s bad, then it’s bad!”

Zoro glared at the cook, an insult ready on his lips, but Luffy, his usually cheerful tone subdued, interrupted, “Don’t fight. Usopp’s head was hurting from the noise earlier.”

The crew fell quiet, anxiety twisting in their stomachs over Luffy’s obvious concern. Finding out Usopp wasn't feeling his best, had been a bit of a shock.

In the middle of an escape from the Marines, Usopp had burst into tears over the noise of a canon, before collapsing on the ground. It hadn’t been too abnormal a sight, but his tears were normally from being scared... and not from pain. This had obviously been the latter, and the sight of it had shocked the group. Usopp had been gathered up and taken to Chopper's office immediately. More alarming than any complaint he could have made was his muttering that he was fine, despite his obvious fever, and flushed complexion.

“Usopp was hurting a lot,” Luffy mumbled, folding his arms with a frown.

A crew member falling sick was never a happy occasion, but in their years sailing together, Usopp had indeed, never gotten sick. His boasting over his good health had oddly been a comfort for the crew. He was normally the first to check on a downed crewmate, telling them stories, or encouraging them to take medicine. There was many an occasion Luffy's fast recoveries could be credited to Usopp, for tricking his Captain into taking his gross tasting medicine, thanks to some tale he wove.

And if asked to not get to close to the paitent he would laugh, “I never get sick! Never. While, I’ll have you know...” and then he’d launch into a story about how his family was blessed with good health, or that Usopp had sailed on the sea when he was seven, to do some great quest that caused his good health.

It was clockwork. Usopp didn’t get sick. He faked them. He did not succumb to them.

A cough from behind Chopper’s closed door caused the Straw Hats to jump.

Anxious eyes turned to the door, unease settling over them like a blanket.

“Has he eaten anything?” Robin asked, her voice almost a whisper.

“Not yet...” Chopper admitted, “He’s struggling even taking water right now.”

Sanji, straightened his back, his grip on the tray getting surer. 

“Well, he won’t turn my food down. Water and a light soup. It’s not too much much, and he’ll find the taste to his liking,” Sanji said with a nod, marching towards the door.

“If he could at least drink all the water... I don’t want to resort to an I.v.,” Chopper half pleaded, a brave smile on his face.

“He’s not going to die from this,” Zoro said, brown furrowed with frustration, “He’s going to be fine!” He seemed grumpier with Usopp laid up.

Franky opened the door for Sanji, and offered a grin of reassurance, “Good luck bro!”

Sanji entered Chopper’s office with firm steps. He flinched a little as the door closed behind him, suddenly finding himself squinting at the dimmed light of the room. 

It didn’t take long for his eyes to adjust; Usopp was easy to spot on the bed, his black hair flowing like ink over his pillow. His dark skin was ashen, and his eyes were closed. He was frowning, the pain of his throat most likely the cause.

Sanji hated it when people were sick.

Nami’s brave sick face comes to mind. As does his mother’s. Both thoughts fill him with dread. Smiling while sick... he'd rather no one did that.

He feels cruel to suddenly be grateful Usopp isn’t hiding behind a brave smile.

Sanji sets the tray down on the desk by Usopp’s bedside with an intentional noise. Usopp’s body flinches, as if the noise had hurt him, and he peeks out at Sanji beneath heavy lashes... pouting at Sanji in greeting.

He’s not putting on a brave face, and again Sanji feels selfish to be happy about it.

Moved by relief, and an unexpected surge of compassion, Sanji reaches out to cup Usopp’s face. Usopp is burning up beneath his touch.

“Hey there... You’ve got to eat,” Sanji says, his words slow and awkward. He hadn’t really known what to say, especially now that he's touched him out of the blue.

Usopp makes an expressive frown but remains quiet. His dark eyes are locked onto Sanji, but they are darting over Sanji's face. He doesn't seem to know where to look, or perhaps, even lying down, he is too dizzy to focus on the cook's face.

“Can you sit up for water, at the very least?” Sanji asks thumb stroking Usopp’s cheek. He doesn’t know where the doting has come from, but he doesn’t push it down. They’re alone after all... no one to see what he’s doing.

Usopp nods, his fevered cheek pressing lightly into Sanji’s cool palm. He stays there a moment and then moves to sit up. His arms are trembling. Sanji reaches gently under those shaking arms and helps the sniper sit up, Usopp pressing his forehead heavily against  Sanji’s chest.

His breath is labored from the effort of sitting up.

Is this really just strep throat?

When Usopp’s breath is evened out, Sanji lets him go and reaches for the glass of water. He passes it to Usopp, who takes it obediently; quietly.

That quiet is so disturbing. Usopp is a small ball of chaos, smaller and more predictable than fluffy, but he's loud and exuberant. The quiet doesn't suit him.

“I know Chopper gave you medicine... it hurts now, but you’ll be feeling better soon. Chopper’s the best doctor,” Sanji says, unable to help but try and console the ailing sniper. Forcing a smile, Sanji continues, “So... so drink up! The water will help. It’ll help you feel better soon!”

Usopp’s pout grows deeper, but he sips the water. He jolts, wincing sharply, a hand going to his throat. He looks so surprised at the pain.

Nami had smiled so brightly while sick. His mother had eaten her food obediently. 

Sanji has one of Usopp’s hands in his own and clings to it. He’s not sure why he’s so scared now.

“Please drink it all. I know it hurts... but I promise you’ll feel better soon,” Sanji says, smiling as wide as he can.

Usopp frowns, and his eyes sluggishly turn to Sanji’s face. His head tilts slightly, and then, he smiles.

Sanji feels choked up at the sight.

Usopp’s feverish hand is suddenly on Sanji’s cheek, and the sniper whispers, “Sanji... stop. It is going to be alright... Don’t make that face.”

Sanji shakes his head, “I’ll... I’ll worry less if you promise to drink this, and have a few bites of soup.”

Usopp nods, head drooping as if it is weighed down. He grunts very softly in agreement. Closing his eyes, Usopp chugs half the water, before his hand goes to his throat. He coughs, his face twisting up from the pain, and Sanji is reaching forward again. 

He feels so helpless.

And then Usopp has his arms around him. 

Usopp is hot and sticky with sweat. His hug is too heavy and uncomfortable. He buries his face into Sanji’s throat, and sighs, his hot breath adding to the uncomfortableness.

“Stop... making that...face. I’ll get better. Just stop. I’ll be alright... Don’t look so sad,” Usopp whispers, voice strained and weak, "I'll have you know... I'm the fastest at getting better..." It's a weak story, and one with no elaboration. 

His strong hands, no longer small like how Sanji remembers them, curl around the lapels of Sanji’s jacket.

“In exchange... feed me. And listen to me complain. But I’ll... get better. So don’t look like... this,” Usopp’s voice is tired, and he sounds concerned.

Sanji hugs Usopp unsure of what face he is making, or how to stop it, so he tells him so.

"I don't know what I look like."

Usopp rubs his cheek against Sanji's hair and mumbles, "Very scared. I don't like... people looking at me like that... about this." 

Usopp is trembling.

Sanji abruptly remembers this isn't even a severe illness, and with a much braver and stronger voice insists, "You're going to be fine. We... I'm looking at you like this... because our sniper can't be down for long. You're going to get better. I just hate seeing you like this."

Usopp sighs, and his trembling calms. Somehow, Sanji has managed to bring Usopp comfort, while also comforting himself.

Sanji’s not even sure why all of this is bothering him so much.

Sanji holds Usopp tight, and thinks only of him. He pushes away Nami’s determined flushed face, and his mother's grateful, relieved smile. Nami is still here. His mother is gone. Usopp will be like the former. He'll get better.

All these things are related, and Sanji’s not sure if he understands how.

Usopp told him once, that his mother died when she was sick.

“Are you afraid?” Sanji asks, arms still tightly wrapped around Usopp. It doesn’t matter how uncomfortably hot everything is.

“Not like you,” Usopp whispers, lips brushing Sanji’s throat. “I’ll get better... didn’t I tell you? So no more...” Usopp’s hot hand covers Sanji’s eyes.

“I have to endure it when all of you don’t feel well... so don’t fall apart on me... If I can take it... you can take it too,” Usopp mutters, voice trying to be encouraging, even if the words don’t quite fit.

Sanji remembers all of Usopp’s smiles whenever they fall ill. He’s a good liar. Good at hiding when something is wrong. He too, lost his mother to illness.

Sanji had been worried about Nami when she was sick.

But not like how he had been worried about his mother.

Sanji is worried more for Usopp, over this nonfatal illness. More worried than he ever had been for his mother.

A disconnect in Sanji’s heart, and head--click.

“Ah...” Sanji whispers suddenly understanding something he had been trying not to look at for some time.

He looks down at Usopp in his arms. He’s asleep, his glass empty and bowl of food untouched. Sanji will try again when he wakes up. Usopp promised to get better. And he will. The whole crew, and not just Sanji, will see to it.

Sanji sets Usopp back gently on his pillow, releasing him very carefully. 

There’s a lot to think about, but Sanji will deal with that later. Every other thought and feeling is packed away, neatly tucked back inside Sanji for him to deal with at a later time. He’ll go make more soup for Usopp when he wakes up.

Usopp did promise to get better if Sanji stops making whatever face he’s been making. It’s a small price to pay that Sanji will agree to pay while Usopp’s eyes are open.

But if Usopp’s eyes are closed, Sanji decides to worry all he wants, and there’s not a thing the sniper can do about it.