"I once told you I've kissed a thousand women," Usopp bragged, leaning back on his hands to better view the stars. You sat at his side in a similar position, legs crossed, eyes trained on the sky.
The deck was all quiet, the pair of you on watch duty just passing the actionless time.
"You did," you said, tiny grin playing on your lips.
He smiled and raised a brow. "It was a lie."
So soft he couldn't hear, too wrapped up in tracking Ursa Major across the sky, you murmured, "I know."
Usopp cast you a teasing glance and laid back, declaring, "I've only kissed... two or three hundred!"
Somehow you held back from rolling your eyes. "Oh, have you now."
After a moment of silence, he propped himself up on his elbows, gazing up at you. "Hey, how many people have you kissed?"
You thought carefully, cheeks warming against the chill breeze. Your hands lay in your lap and your voice was soft. "Very few."
Suddenly, Usopp's smile slipped off his face as he shifted to face you completely, taking your hand to have you do the same. He tilted his head, eyes flickering all over your face. "But... you offered me a kiss..."
Just some nights ago, on a watch just like this, under the very same stars. He'd been too cute, too charming for you to stop yourself from leaning close and pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek.
Your shy nod. His increased confusion. "Why?"
You, he, and the stars above knew he'd never kissed anyone. Maybe just one girl you knew for certain was real. Kaya was her name. He might have kissed her, once.
But why had you kissed him? It was a question gnawing at him from the inside out.
"Such a foolish reason, I'm afraid," you chuckled, gaze shying away. "I just... wanted to kiss you."
Usopp too turned away, letting out a soft laugh. "Thanks--I mean, uh! Could you... do it again?"
Before you could sike yourself out, you surged forth to kiss his cheek just as he turned his head--and you jumped away as your lips met. Wide eyes locked on wide eyes, you waited for something terrible to happen, only for the waves to crash against the hull of the ship and ease your panic.
Slower this time, you leaned in cupping his jaw and placed a tender kiss where the sudden one had burned him inside and out.
Morning came too soon, and though you could barely look at each other without smiling like idiots, your fingers linked under the breakfast table, much to the amusement of an observant Nami.
157 notes
·
View notes