"Oh c'mon, he's a swell guy. When things aren't so hectic he laughs as loud as anyone else." She elbowed his arm. "He'd smile and drink you under the table in no time."
Usopp stared at the imposing, frowning man with the piercing gray eye. "I think he'd put me through the table, actually," he whispered.
The gray eye turned on him. "Not unless you give me a reason to." Usopp did not squeak, but he did find solace in hiding- no, observing- behind Nami's back.
The man sighed, his frown turning softer. Sadder. "I'm not gonna bite."
Not unless you want me to.
The thought was foreign and abrupt, sliding through his mind without hesitation nor full substance. There one moment, gone the next.
Usopp blinked a few times. "...I didn't know that was a possibility," he said, voice slow and dragging. He shook his head a little, bringing his voice back to its usual anxious pep. "How do I know you're not just tricking this poor girl...?" Something didn't feel quite right about that. Like if anyone was to be in charge of trickery and scams it would be this 'Nami' instead of the scary man.
The man shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling far slower than they should. "You don't."
Nami growled. "Hey-"
"What? He's scared shitless, nothing I say is gonna help." The man turned, making to walk off. "I'll help the cook restock the pantry or something." The pantry was restocked earlier that morning. "Yell if you need me."
Wait, Usopp wanted to say. Please stop, you don't deserve to lock yourself away just because I did something stupid. Come back and try again, I'll be better this time- do better this time- just wait-
Like water through a sieve, the thoughts slipped away.
The man left.
"Zoro's really nice," Usopp said. "Stupid, but nice."
Nami gasped, turning to grab Usopp by his shoulders. "Did you remember something? You remember Zoro?"
Usopp blinked. Stared at her close proximity. "Er, what are you talking about? And who's Zoro?"
Nami sighed, slumping against his chest. "No good, huh? Well no worries on that, we've still got Robin's theory that-"
Usopp hardly heard her explanation, his gaze glued to the galley door. Despite the lack of appetite, he found himself craving a snack.
toshiro is also autistic and clearly envies how much laios doesn't mask and is able to say whatever he's thinking outright (he literally says so after their fight). and he was raised as like a minor lord or whatever in feudal japan so he learned to mask early on and that combination of masking + raised in a high-context culture + being in a foreign land with different etiquette means that he'll go through herculean levels of discomfort to not upset any perceived group balance and only snaps when he's like three days away from dropping dead. which is also something he sees in falin btw and is a big reason why he's drawn to her. imo