Hey guys! I'm out with a new story! I know, I should be working on Captain's Mate, but this idea just hit me and... well, it just happened. I'm not sure if anyone's ever done this before, but if they have, well then. Uhm. Oh well.
This takes place in Skypeia, though it doesn't expressly state that anywhere in the story. But yeah, Skypeia, Usopp x Zoro bonding, Nakamaship, religious pondering.
Enjoy!
His fingers tapped nervously on Merry's rail and Usopp looked around once more before clearing his throat.
"H-hey... mum. I... I don't know if you can hear me right now or not but, I just thought I'd try it anyways, y'know?" He said nervously, fidgeting and rocking back and forth on his heels as he stared at the sky. "I... I'm part of a pirate crew now, the Strawhat pirates. It's... It's not like most pirate crews..." He chuckled lightly, scratching his head. "B-but, it's not bad I guess-" Usopp was cut off as he heard a snort behind him.
Spinning around, he came to face Zoro, leaning against the mast with his arms crossed. "Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Zoro! W-what are you doing here?" The long nose shrieked out, waving his arms. "I-I mean you should be w-with the rest of the crew, partying and stuff-"
"I came to get some peace and quiet, since I thought the ship would be empty. Imagine my surprise when I hear someone else talking." Zoro's face was carefully blank, giving no hint as to how he felt about what he'd just witnessed. Usopp panicked.
"I-I wasn't- I mean- It's not, I just..." He wilted sadly under Zoro's steady gaze. "... How much did you hear?"
"Pretty much all of it I think."
Usopp winced, wringing his hands as his eyes darted around, determined to look at anything except his crewmate. "I-... I'm not... It's just..." His shoulders deflated and he meekly brought he eyes to meet Zoro's. "It's just that... this is probably the, the closest we're ever going to be to heaven, you know? W-without dying, I mean." He explained hastily, face turning red. "Go on, say it."
"Say what?" Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow.
"... aren't you going to mock me?" He asked quietly in return, hunching down slightly. How could he not mock him? He'd heard Usopp talking to- to his dead mother. That was... pretty ridiculous.
"Why would I? I talk to the dead all the time." Usopp's mouth dropped open as he stared at the swordsman in disbelief.
"Seriously? B-but... Who did you see die?!" He blurted the question out, then winced. "Wait, no, don't answer that, I'm sorry, don't hit me!" He squeaked, throwing his arms up just in case. A few seconds later, when Zoro hadn't moved, he peaked through his fingers to see him staring back with an amused smirk.
Zoro shook his head slowly, hand absently strong the hilt of his white katana. After a few minutes of silence, when it was apparent that Zoro was neither going to answer nor retaliate, Usopp hesitantly spoke again.
"But... you said you don't believe in god right? So, you don't believe in heaven either then and if you don't believe in heaven, do you just think the dead hang around as ghosts or something? Cause you still talk to them so..."
"Actually, I don't care if god exists or not. maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. It doesn't really affect me either way." Zoro said, making his way across the deck, leaning on the rail Usopp had been at merely minutes before. "But... I'd like to belive the dead go to heaven, or somewhere nice, I guess..." He trailed off, a smile ghosting his face.
"Oh..." Usopp whispered, looking at the odd expressionon Zoro's face. It almost felt... like he was invading by seeing that face... Even though he had been her first. "... so you don't... think it's stupid to... to do this?"
The marimo snorted and gave him a look. "Well, that'd make me stupid then wouldn't it, since I do it too?" He shook his head again. "Nah... it's not stupid."
The pair were quiet for a while more as they both stared at the dark Skypeian sky, stars they had never seen before, twinkling merrily. Usopp was the one to break the companiable silence.
"Do you think they can hear us..? Up in... in wherever they are?" He asked faintly, voice wistful.
"Maybe... we don't really have any way of knowing either way." Zoro's gruff voice replied, just as quietly.
"Do you... do you think she'd... be proud?" His voice was barely even audible now as he whispered into the wind. Zoro had heard him talking to his mother anyways, so it wasn't really a secret now.
Looking at the reedy boy beside him, covered in bandages, who was normally so cowardly but had fought against a God, Zoro gave him one of his rare smiles.
"Yeah Usopp," He clapped him on the shoulder, grasping it comfortingly. "She'd be proud."
So, what do you guys think? I'd love some feedback on if I've improved or gotten worse. I got a review a while back telling me that I use too many fancy-shmancy words, so I've been trying to cut back a bit. Did I succeed, did I fail? Tell me!