Chapter Text
Usopp had had better days. Sanji was missing, they had zero leads, and now Luffy was dismantling the local government. Apparently the king looked too much like a tyrant to leave in one piece.
So there was Usopp, sneaking through the basement of the castle, trying to free any prisoners before Luffy brought the whole place down on top of them.
“Did he even think to check for civilians? Political opponents? Sanji ? NoOo. It’s always punch things till they work out with that guy.” He muttered, shooting an exploding star at a guard from around the corner. He started to unlock the nearest cell and continued conversationally, “I mean, I love the guy. I followed him into a crumbling castle and I’d do it again. But without Sanji here, I have to be the one to do the sneaky side quests. That’s a lot of pressure!” The woman in the cell, twice as big as Usopp and strong enough to use him as a javelin, did not look sympathetic to his plight. He opened the door and moved on to the next. “Go ahead and get out of here. Feel free to help take down the evil dictator or whatever.” Four more cells were opened in a similar fashion. The door opened, the prisoner fled, Usopp rambled.
But the fifth cell was different. He opened the door and started to move on, but no one came out. He was certain that he’d heard movement inside, so why wasn’t anyone rushing for freedom?
“Hey?” He called. “You can go. It’s fine. My mighty crew of ten thousand are laying waste to the guy who had you arrested in the first place.”
“That’s impossible.” The voice was muffled and echoed like it was being bounced off a wall, but the thing that made Usopp’s stomach churn was just how young it sounded.
“Nothing is impossible for my crew.” Ussop said. It sounded so much like the truth that it really might be.
“He’ll kill them. If you don’t want to die too, you should run away. I’ll stay here. He won’t be too angry if I’m still here. He’ll let you run.”
Usopp frowned and knelt in the entrance of the cell.
“Listen, kid. This isn’t the first powerful person we’ve taken down. Not even the first of the week. And I really wish it was because seriously, can we go one month without an epic fight? As a treat?” Usopp shook his head and sighed. “What I’m trying to say is, I know you think this so-called king is the biggest, baddest, most dangerous guy in the whole world. But we’ve fought a lot of guys like that and we’ve beaten every single one. So! What’d ya say? You wanna get out of here?”
Tentative steps moved a little body into the light.
“You mean it? If-if he catches me, he really will kill me this time. And you too.”
The boy was smaller than the Usopp pirates back home. His arms and legs were thin and bruised and cut. His head was hidden under a heavy metal helmet. There was a slot for his eyes, but they were half hidden by shadow. Still, the desperation in them was obvious.
Usopp’s heart broke. Not like a mirror or a sculpture or a rock, but like a flare. Like one of his stars. His heart split in two and red hot heat exploded out of it. What kind of monster would do this to a kid?
Usopp put his hand over his burning heart and raised the other to the square. He did something he rarely ever did.
“I swear, I will get you out of here safely. That man is never going to hurt you again.” He made a promise and he meant it.
A light body crashed into his chest. Little arms wrapped as far around his torso as they could and that muffled voice whispered,
“Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you.”
Usopp hugged the kid back twice as fiercely.
“It’ll be okay. I’ve got you.” He hoisted the boy into his arms and maneuvered back through the stone hallways. The ceiling was shaking now, raining dirt down on their heads. Usopp peaked around a corner and cursed internally. There were more guards. Normally by now everyone was outside dealing with the rest of the crew.
He set the boy down and pressed his pointer finger to his lips. The boy nodded, the weight of the helmet tipping it just too far forward and back. It might have been comical if it didn’t also look painful.
Usopp pulled back on his sling shot and let three stars fly at the same time. Each one hit his targets in the chest. Knocking them down and out.
“The coast is clear.” Usopp whispered. “I’m going to need my hands free in case there’re any more surprises, but you stick right next to me, okay?”
Another almost funny nod and the two were off. Usopp had to keep looking over his shoulder to make sure the boy was coming. Even with uneven floors and the occasional body to step over, the kid’s footsteps didn’t make a sound.
Then they made it to daylight. A little head pressed against his leg as the boy winced away from the sudden sunlight. How long had he been hidden away in the dark?
“Usopp! Where have you been!? A little cover fire would have been ni- oh.”
Usopp waved one hand, the other cupping the side of the boy’s head. Er, helmet.
“I was just rescuing the prisoners! I, the great Usopp, single handedly saved everyone in the dungeon, including this little guy.”
The boy hid behind Usopp’s pant leg, unsure what to make of this new person who could yell really loudly and was so angry and then switched immediately to soft and concerned. Which was real? What made her one or the other? Would she be angry with him?
Nami crouched in front of him and said,
“Hi there. My name is Nami. I’m a Straw Hat pirate too. Would you like that helmet off?”
Nami tried to keep her voice soft and unthreatening, but it was hard when she wanted to barbeque someone and then stomp on their charred corpse until the skull gave way under her heel. This poor kid, kept in a prison for incomprehensible reasons, brought back memories of a grieving little girl, chained to a writing desk. Arlong park was a prettier prison than this, but that didn’t change what it was.
Hitched breaths told her the kid was panicking so she raised her hands, stood up, and took a step back.
Usopp lifted the boy up and the metal covered head buried itself into his shoulder.
“Uh, there there?” Usopp said awkwardly. He gave Nami a bewildered look that she returned.
“It’s okay.” Nami assured. “We can leave it on for now. Until you’re okay taking it off. For now, let's get you away from here.” They could return him to his home later. Maybe he had an older sister waiting for him too.
They passed several other crewmates on their way to the ship, each saw them and then fought with renewed determination. Jinbei especially seemed determined to sink the once towering castle into the ocean. Nami didn’t blame him.
The Sunny was a welcome sight, as always. Just standing on the warm deck helped to shake off some of the ghosts of her past. They wafted away from her like steam from a hot spring.
“Usopp? I’m going to get him some juice and a straw. I don’t think he’s had anything to eat in a while.”
The marksman nodded and sat Sanji down on the edge of the grassy area, in the shade of Nami’s Tangerine trees.
“While we wait, how about I tell you a bit about our crew? They can be...a lot. But they’re all brave warriors of the sea!”
“Like you?” The boy asked softly.
Usopp was momentarily stunned. Then he smiled, wide and proud and so so happy.
He told the kid that Luffy was loud and had no concept of personal space, but that he was the strongest person he ever met. If anyone was going to be king of the pirates, it would be him. Robin was generally quiet but sometimes made grim comments. He shouldn’t worry about them though because that’s just her sense of humor.
Chopper, their doctor, was a reindeer, not a racoon dog, and really liked being complimented. Zoro was strong and had a temper, but he’d sooner fight off a hundred armed warlords than accidentally hurt any of them.
Brook was a skeleton. That was fine.
Usopp made sure to emphasize that because otherwise the kid would have nightmares. Still might actually.
Franky was a cyborg and really big, but he was the most likely out of all of them to cry when they left an island and said goodbye to any new friends. Jinbei was a fishman. They treated fishmen like equals here. Nobody should ever be treated as less than human because they were born a certain way.
This seemed amazing to the kid, which was concerning, but given where Usopp had found him, maybe the sharp shooter really shouldn’t be so surprised that he was so surprised.
Nami could be angry sometimes, but only when one of them was being stupid. She liked money a lot, but her Tangerine trees even more. The fact that she was making juice to share with the boy made him very special. He ducked his head in embarrassment.
“And then we have our cook.” The kid’s head shot up. Usopp grinned and embellished, “He can cook a feast for a hundred- no, a thousand people with half a cart of ingredients! In under an hour! He knows everything about food and how to make it. I saw him slice up and portion a dinosaur once. A dinosaur !” Huh. Usopp really didn’t need to embellish. Sanji was just that impressive.
“Can, can I meet him?”
Usopp’s smile faded. He swallowed and saw Nami’s eyes droop. He hadn’t realized she’d been listening in.
“We, lost track of him yesterday morning. Don’t worry though! He’s got a great sense of direction and we’re all looking for him too! He might be on another island too. There are three all clustered together within a day of here. We’ll have Sanji back before you know it!”
The boy stilled at that. Probably disappointed that he wouldn’t get to meet the super cool battle chef.
Nami stepped forward and held out the juice.
“Would you like any help with the straw?”
He shook his head and whispered,
“No thank you.” He slid the straw into a small groove under the jaw of the helmet that Usopp hadn’t seen before. He must have been getting all his meals this way. That meant the helmet was meant to be on long term. That, made him want to punch something repeatedly.
After sipping his juice gone, he held the empty glass out and said,
“Thank you for sharing your treasured fruit. It was really yummy.”
Nami smiled at him warmly, took the glass, and said,
“I’m glad you liked it. These animals eat them all the time now. Our cook is the only one that still thanks me.” She sighed with a hand on her cheek. Like she hadn’t yelled at them all that they didn’t need to thank her every single time they ate a Tangerine any more than they needed to thank Fanky every time they used a toilet on Sunny.
“My mom told me I should always say thank you. Even if somebody is just doing their job.”
Nami said,
“Your mom sounds like a very nice lady. I’d love to meet her.”
“She died. I’m sorry.” He sniffed. His hands started to rise to rub his eyes, but dropped halfway. The helmet wouldn’t allow him to wipe away his tears.
More people came on board, but they weren’t loud and wild the way most of them usually were after a good fight. Robin must have advised them to keep calm so they wouldn’t scare their guest. Usopp said,
“I’m sorry. We know that hurts. Can we take you home?”
The boy panicked.
“No! But- I-I’m sorry! Please don’t send me back! I can be useful, I swear I can! You need a cook right? I c-can cook! And my name is Sanji too! I can- please don’t-”
Usopp hugged him, confusion and horror on his face.
Of course none of them could blame the boy for lying to try to save his own life. Sanji wasn't exactly a common name, and definitely not one you’d coincidentally run into when a temporary vacancy had just popped up. Not that they were looking to replace Sanji at all, but kids aren’t the most rational liars.
“It’s okay, kiddo, it’s okay. Please breathe for me? I have no idea how we’d help you if you passed out in that thing. Do you think we’d send you back to the dungeon? We’d never, ever do that.”
“But-but y-you said you’d ta-ake me ho-ome!”
The air was suddenly thick with power. Every member of the crew was so angry that it rippled over the side of Sunny and across the island like a turbulent sea. Like an Aqua Laguna.
Luffy stepped forward, hat tipped down over his face. He crouched down like a frog and looked up at the boy with total seriousness.
“Hey. Join my crew.”
Nami growled,
“How many times do I have to tell you? You can’t just-”
“Yes!” The boy shouted. He winced and his shoulders hiked up. “Please. I promise, I can be good and useful and I’ll even fight if you want me to-”
Luffy laughed, smile wide and eyes closed.
“Don’t be ridiculous! When Sanji comes back, you can be his helper chef!”
“Sous chef.” Robin corrected politely.
“Now I have two cooks! How great is that?!”
That night, after ‘Sanji’ had cried himself to sleep and was tucked into the lowest swinging hammock, the Straw Hats talked.
“I wish I had the chance to examine him.” Chopper said nervously, wringing his hooves. “That helmet, living in unsanitary conditions for so long, he could be really sick.”
Nami said,
“He’s got some sort of twisted attachment to that thing. Like keeping it on is going to keep him safe. I offered to take it off for him and he spiralled faster than Usopp contracts ‘I-need-a-break-from-new-islands-itis.”
“Hey!” Usopp protested.
“Given the nature of the helmet, and where he was found, I believe it’s safe to say the king didn’t want his identity known.” Robin said.
Usopp heaved a sigh.
“Yeah. He told me to leave him behind so the king wouldn’t be angry. And then, that he’d be killed if he was caught running away. It seemed like the threat was made before.”
Nami glared at the floor.
“I think you’re right. That thing ,” she spat. “Wasn’t made to come off. There’s no keyhole. He was meant to stay hidden away down there, forever.”
“It makes me wish the old king was still alive. If only so I could run him through myself.” Brook mused. He sang, “When someone causes grief and pain, we’ll see to it the monster’s slain, we rescue those struck by despaaaair, from smallest boy to maiden fair.”
Zoro’s arms were still crossed.
“How are we going to take care of a kid?”
Luffy waved his hand.
“Sanji will teach him how to cook. He can stay on the ship when we go exploring.”
Zoro’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m not saying he doesn't have what it takes to make it on a pirate ship, I’m saying that Sanji isn’t back yet. ”
And anything that kept their kind hearted, steel footed chef from fixing the ladies their frilly drinks and stuffing Luffy full of meat, would have to be powerful enough that Sanji couldn’t beat them on his own.
Zoro could admit that Sanji was strong. Not stronger than him, but still strong enough to take out most threats. And smart enough to escape on his own if he couldn’t win a direct fight.
“Yeah. Sanji-bro is counting on us.” Franky said. Zoro agreed,
“We can’t afford to be distracted.”
“So what? We leave him behind?!” Nami yelled, her nose twisted with disgust that Zoro hadn’t seen directed at himself in a very long time.
“Wh- Did I say that Witch?!” Zoro was reeling. He just asked how they were going to take care of him? Because if they were going to focus on saving Sanji they couldn’t be worrying about who was watching the kid.
Luffy laughed.
“Zoro is just saying we need a plan, right? I vote we share little Sanji. He’d be fun to fish with.”
Nami observed Zoro and stepped back, her body relaxing.
“Okay. Sorry. This whole thing is just-” Bringing back old memories, old nightmares, old feelings that led to her stabbing her own arm to try to carve all of those things out of her.
“Oh it’s suuuper messed up.” Franky said, sparing her having to explain. “I think we should Barbeque tomorrow! I can let Baby-bro help season the meat!”
Usopp gawked.
“Barbque for breakfast?!”
“And lunch and dinner! Aw yeah!” Franky shouted, striking a pose.
Usopp and Luffy started arguing about whether or not you could eat that much meat in a day without getting scurvy or clogged arteries. Franky looked Nami’s way and winked. Topic successfully changed.
Nami hadn’t had any brothers for most of her life. Now she more than she could count on one hand.
They were going to find Sanji. They would save him from whatever monster was strong enough to keep him away from them. And when they did, Nami would be able to let all of these feelings out in brutal, primal strikes of lightning. Then, when the dust cleared and her family was whole again, she would show that little boy from the dungeon what a home is supposed to feel like.