Holy Grail
Title: Holy Grail
Prompt: Collection/Proposal (oooh, a double whammy!)
Media: Fic
Characters: Usopp, Kaya
Rating: G
Word Count: 663
Oh look, it's about Usopp again.
Obviously out of contest. For multiple reasons, lol.
It happened at the end of the day, with the sun making the sky rose-colored and Usopp in the midst of yet another wondrous tale about his adventures as the Pirate King’s number one sniper, perched on the branch outside for old time’s sake.
Yet, there was something on her mind that kept her from enjoying the moment.
“Usopp-san?”
“-And, uh, yeah?” He stumbled, surprised by the interruption. He even looked behind him - since the last and only time she had ever done so had been when Luffy had fallen from the sky.
The nostalgia it brought within her ached.
“Pardon me if it is… much too forward,” Kaya began politely. “But there is something you haven’t said a word about that I just have to know.”
He tilted his head some, reminding her of just how long his hair had grown as some of it spilled past his elbow. How much he had grown. “Huh, what?”
She settled against the sill of her window. “Well, with all the places you have been and all the people you have met, did you ever… meet a special someone?”
“A special someone?” He repeated, cautious.
“Like, a woman? Or well,” She fidgeted, blushing hard. “I would not judge you if it were a man either.”
His eyes widened and he flailed his arms, spluttering, “W-W-What are you saying Kaya?!” He tried to worm out something creative, nothing but nervous fragments, “Though I’m sure many would - n-not that there’s anything wrong with - just, no. No men.”
“O-Oh.” She smiled briefly. “But women?”
He scratched the tip of his nose and said, “It would only be natural on my brave warrior adventures that I would meet hundreds - no, thousands - of women, many of which may or may not have declared their love for me.”
“Of course.” She nodded, trying to keep disappointment from her tone. She blinked as a boot landed by her arm, Usopp climbing back inside.
He settled in the corner of the window, asking earnestly, “Want to see a magic trick?”
No. “Alright.”
“Yosh! Give me your hand.” Over her smooth, nearly unblemished one, his was callused and rough.
Around her pinky, Usopp deftly tied a string, firm but not tight. He started to speak, voice steady and deep. “I’ve traveled from East Blue to the New World. Climbed from the bottom of the ocean to the top of the sky. I’ve seen every kind of plant, run into any kind of animal, and met so many people - the strange and profound, the terrifying and the amazing, the ugly and the beautiful. And over time, I have met many women who have willing given me a collection of things.”
Usopp slowly rolled back the string, “Gold from a clever thief.” Despite her disdain, she couldn’t prevent the surprised gasp that slipped passed her lips when a shimmery gold coin suddenly glided between the sniper’s fingers, tied there like a charm bracelet.
With each sentence, a new item appeared.
“A gem from a desert princess…” This was a pretty jewel, shaped like a peacock feather.
“A drawing quill from a wise Archeologist.” The white feather unfurled.
“A shell from a sky angel,” A blue zigzag scallop caught the fading light and glittered.
One after another, more treasures appeared, until there were at least two dozen trinkets between them.
Hopelessness swelled inside of her.
“But,” Usopp continued, “Of everything I have obtained there is one thing I would never have allowed myself to collect. And that is a woman’s heart.” He smiled, meeting her eyes. “Because there is only one I will ever want.”
His fingers opened for the last time, revealing a diamond ring.
“And if she is willing to give it to me, it will be the most precious thing I shall ever own.”
Eyes watering and smile wider than the ocean itself, Kaya threw her arms around Usopp, a string of memories between them - and a love that had surpassed them all.
~
A/N: Fun fact about the title - for collectors, the term 'Holy Grail' basically means that there is an item that is so rare and hard to find, that it could take years to obtain. If at all.
Kind of like love, huh?
Prompt: Collection/Proposal (oooh, a double whammy!)
Media: Fic
Characters: Usopp, Kaya
Rating: G
Word Count: 663
Oh look, it's about Usopp again.
Obviously out of contest. For multiple reasons, lol.
It happened at the end of the day, with the sun making the sky rose-colored and Usopp in the midst of yet another wondrous tale about his adventures as the Pirate King’s number one sniper, perched on the branch outside for old time’s sake.
Yet, there was something on her mind that kept her from enjoying the moment.
“Usopp-san?”
“-And, uh, yeah?” He stumbled, surprised by the interruption. He even looked behind him - since the last and only time she had ever done so had been when Luffy had fallen from the sky.
The nostalgia it brought within her ached.
“Pardon me if it is… much too forward,” Kaya began politely. “But there is something you haven’t said a word about that I just have to know.”
He tilted his head some, reminding her of just how long his hair had grown as some of it spilled past his elbow. How much he had grown. “Huh, what?”
She settled against the sill of her window. “Well, with all the places you have been and all the people you have met, did you ever… meet a special someone?”
“A special someone?” He repeated, cautious.
“Like, a woman? Or well,” She fidgeted, blushing hard. “I would not judge you if it were a man either.”
His eyes widened and he flailed his arms, spluttering, “W-W-What are you saying Kaya?!” He tried to worm out something creative, nothing but nervous fragments, “Though I’m sure many would - n-not that there’s anything wrong with - just, no. No men.”
“O-Oh.” She smiled briefly. “But women?”
He scratched the tip of his nose and said, “It would only be natural on my brave warrior adventures that I would meet hundreds - no, thousands - of women, many of which may or may not have declared their love for me.”
“Of course.” She nodded, trying to keep disappointment from her tone. She blinked as a boot landed by her arm, Usopp climbing back inside.
He settled in the corner of the window, asking earnestly, “Want to see a magic trick?”
No. “Alright.”
“Yosh! Give me your hand.” Over her smooth, nearly unblemished one, his was callused and rough.
Around her pinky, Usopp deftly tied a string, firm but not tight. He started to speak, voice steady and deep. “I’ve traveled from East Blue to the New World. Climbed from the bottom of the ocean to the top of the sky. I’ve seen every kind of plant, run into any kind of animal, and met so many people - the strange and profound, the terrifying and the amazing, the ugly and the beautiful. And over time, I have met many women who have willing given me a collection of things.”
Usopp slowly rolled back the string, “Gold from a clever thief.” Despite her disdain, she couldn’t prevent the surprised gasp that slipped passed her lips when a shimmery gold coin suddenly glided between the sniper’s fingers, tied there like a charm bracelet.
With each sentence, a new item appeared.
“A gem from a desert princess…” This was a pretty jewel, shaped like a peacock feather.
“A drawing quill from a wise Archeologist.” The white feather unfurled.
“A shell from a sky angel,” A blue zigzag scallop caught the fading light and glittered.
One after another, more treasures appeared, until there were at least two dozen trinkets between them.
Hopelessness swelled inside of her.
“But,” Usopp continued, “Of everything I have obtained there is one thing I would never have allowed myself to collect. And that is a woman’s heart.” He smiled, meeting her eyes. “Because there is only one I will ever want.”
His fingers opened for the last time, revealing a diamond ring.
“And if she is willing to give it to me, it will be the most precious thing I shall ever own.”
Eyes watering and smile wider than the ocean itself, Kaya threw her arms around Usopp, a string of memories between them - and a love that had surpassed them all.
~
A/N: Fun fact about the title - for collectors, the term 'Holy Grail' basically means that there is an item that is so rare and hard to find, that it could take years to obtain. If at all.
Kind of like love, huh?