One Piece 1. Cheer Up for Me

Title: Cheer Up For Me

Theme: #1 – Bad day

Disclaimer: One Piece and its characters do not belong to me.

Kaya woke up that morning calling for her father. The servants and the guards paused when they heard it, and the inevitable crying that followed. They knew it would be a bad day.

She refused to eat; sat with her pillow pressed to her chest. She didn't want to see anyone, and when Usopp tapped against her window, she barely lifted her head to look at him. He persisted, though, and finally she stood from her bed and opened the window. He smiled at her, albeit, a bit confusedly.

"Hey Kaya, what's going on?"

"Today is not a good day, I'm afraid." She felt somewhat silly saying that, almost certain her visitor could see the tear stains on her cheeks.

"Hmm…not a good day, huh?" He stroked his chin thoughtfully and then clapped his hands together with a quick laugh. "I've got _just_ the story for you! Have I told you about the time I—"

"Usopp-san." Her hands gripped at the windowsill as she tried to keep the quiver out of her voice. "I'm sorry, but I just don't want to hear a story today."

A look of disappointment flitted over Usopp's features, but then he nodded.

"Okay. I gotcha."

Before she could say anything else, he jumped down from the tree branch and ran off. She stood at the window for a moment after he'd gone, fresh tears starting to form in her eyes. Turning from the window, she closed her eyes and fisted her hands at her sides. She hadn't meant for him to leave, and now she felt even worse than before.

"Oi, Kaya!" The call from below sounded out of breath. "Don't close the window!"

Kaya turned back and looked down. Usopp was scrambling up the tree trunk, and in his hand was a quickly gathered bunch of wildflowers. Hastily, Kaya wiped her tears away before he was settled on the branch once again.

"Heh." He grinned and held out the flowers. "I'll save the story for another day, and give you these instead. How's that sound?"

"Usopp-san…"

He looked up and rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking embarrassed.

"I just want you to feel better, you know?" He met her eyes again. "So cheer up for me, okay?"

Kaya gently took the flowers from him and held them up to her nose. And hidden against their soft and fragrant petals, she smiled for the first time all day.


	2. Interference

Title: Interference  
Theme: #4 – Guess who's coming to dinner?  
Disclaimer: One Piece and its characters do not belong to me.

It was a mere, fleeting idea that Kaya had one night while she was dining alone. The expansive dining room had not been used for a dinner in quite some time, and she had been feeling so much better lately. She had kept herself from mentioning it to her window visitor for a while, not wanting to seem too forward, not wanting to presume she meant an awful lot to him. But he was so very friendly to her, that really, she couldn't bear not to ask.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

Usopp's eyes went a little wider than usual and, if he hadn't been sitting, he might've fallen out of the tree.

"Dinner? Me?"

"Yes. I've wanted to invite for some time—" She blushed as her voice trailed off. "You don't have to, of course. I was just thinking—" She paused, tried again. "I thought that maybe—"

Usopp grinned, despite feeling as nervous as Kaya sounded.

"That'd be great!" He exclaimed with sincerity. "I'd love to have dinner with you!"

"Really?" Kaya's bright expression matched his smile. "I'm so glad!"

Both fighting the butterflies in their chests, they made plans for six sharp. Kaya quickly informed Merry, who prepared a list of courses for Cook, who set to work right away. Everyone was pleased to hear that the young mistress was feeling healthy enough to have a guest. Everyone, that is, except her manservant Kurahadol.

"That boy is a menace and a liar. How can we possibly allow him Miss Kaya's company?"

Merry shrugged cheerfully as he polished the silverware.

"Miss Kaya is such a sweet girl. I'm sure he's not as bad as all that if she's chosen to befriend him." He looked over his shoulder and smiled at the other man. "Let's give him a chance, shall we?"

Kurahadol's eyes narrowed. He would do no such thing. He didn't want Kaya getting close to anyone. The smallest of things could ruin his entire plan. He would take no chances.

At exactly four o'clock, Kurahadol prepared a refreshing drink for his young charge, into which he slipped two sleeping pills. He brought it o her, nodded indulgently as she asked if this dress or that dress was more flattering, and smiled when she took a long sip.

-

Usopp whistled as he made his way towards Kaya's house, under the slowly darkening sky. He felt a little out of place in his suit, but he tried not to mind, so long as it made a good impression on Kaya. He glanced down at the red carnation attached to his lapel. Ninjin, Tamanegi, and Piman wouldn't let him leave for the mansion without it. They insisted that "it's what you have to wear when you're on a date".

"Not that this is a date," he reminded himself aloud. "At least, she didn't say it was. Although—" He gulped. "—she didn't say it wasn't either."

As it turned out, it didn't matter if it was or wasn't. When he knocked on the door, Merry greeted him in a melancholy way.

"I'm afraid that Miss Kaya has fallen ill this evening. It seems that you'll have to take a rain check. I'm sorry."

Kurahadol smirked triumphantly from the window as the rejected figure walked off the estate. He watched him stop just outside the gate and drop something small and red onto the ground, as if he was throwing down his heart.


End file.

One Piece, Romance