Like A Dream That Fades Into Dawn, an one piece fanfic

Author's Notes: As noted in the summary, this shortfic is in the same continuity - set at an unspecified later time - as my earlier, four-part fic "Sparks". Back when I wrote it Oda still hadn't finished the Marineford arc in the manga.

[SPOILERS FOR MARINEFORD ARC AND BEYOND]

Spoiler

In this divergent continuity, both Ace and Whitebeard survived Marineford, and the Strawhats all re-united not long afterwards, with a separation of a few months rather than two years as in canon. (Logically this should mean that they'd probably all be killed by the next enemy they meet, being all much weaker, but never mind that! *handwaves frantically* ;)) [end of SPOILERS]

This shortfic is a bit melancholy and earnest. The title was stolen from a line in the English version of the old French song Plaisir d'amour.

Betaed by Tonko. As always, I am most grateful for her perspicacious feedback. However, all remaining faults are my responsibility alone. On that note, nitpicks and other types of concrit is much appreciated.

-x-

Like A Dream That Fades Into Dawn

A One Piece fic by Elin B

Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to its creator Eiichiro Oda, mangaka genius. Its settings and characters are used here without permission for entertainment purposes only.

-x-x-x-x-

Whenever he stays over at the Thousand Sunny, Ace always likes to sleep in late, soaking up every long lazy minute until the breakfast calls reach him. Any hope Usopp may harbour of quality Alone Time with him will, without fail, have to wait until a good deal later. To be fair, though, Ace tends to make up for it by then, as they sneak away to the workshop or some other private corner on the ship.

Always, that is, until the day he leaves. Then he's up and gone long before breakfast, vanished even before Usopp rubs the sleep away from his own eyes. No goodbyes, no see-you-laters; just the fuzzy half-conscious recollection of a hand that touches his face ever so gently, and the very soft touch of a kiss on his cheek or nose. A warmth that's soon dispelled in actuality, though it lingers much longer in memory.

Then Usopp wakes up and there's no Ace around anymore, the whole ship conspicuously lacking in igneous narcoleptic boyfriends.

Maybe that's just how it is, when you're on different pirate crews. And it's not like Usopp doesn't hate telling people good-bye, too.

But it still feels so empty. Haunting, even. And more...

That's when he'll wander around the ship looking for two things. The first is Luffy, if he's in the right mood, then Usopp might just ask him for if he's got any funny stories about Ace when he was a kid. Luffy doesn't seem to mind - in fact, he seems to welcome the chance to talk about old, silly stuff, as he's often rather quiet, too, in those hours right after Ace has left again. He talks about fun memories that still make him laugh, and if he ever lets slip something that makes Usopp pause, something hinting at old hurt, Usopp takes care not to follow up on it. He doesn't need to know everything, not right now. That's not what he's after.

(Though at the same time, it's neat to hear more about what Luffy was up to at that age, too. Luffy and Ace sound like they'd have been pretty cool playmates as kids, if sometimes terrifying.)

The second thing he looks for is more tangible. Back when Ace first stayed on the Sunny, they were attacked by a big shoal of giant vicious jellyfish who could fly. Ace helped taking care of them, but happened to put the main sail on fire in the process. It was soon put out, and the sail has been replaced by now. But there remains a few small scorch marks from that day left on the main mast.

In those quiet moments when he feels cut off from his moorings, Usopp looks closely at these marks, his fingers tracing their contours on the wood. He doesn't care about how silly he must look. That's not important. The touch of the singed wood helps anchoring him, then, offering real proof beyond what the memories in his mind and body can offer. Just like Luffy's stories anchor Ace into a real person with a real past behind him. Not just an enchanting dream-figure.

No, not just a dream. He was here. One day he'll be back.

It does help. Afterwards, it's easier to slip into the regular routine of ship life, even if he migt not be the most cheerful guy around for a while. He's still there, now. Thankfully none of the others raise the issue with him; he's not sure what he'd say if they did. There doesn't seem to be much of a point in talking about that kind of haunted, unreal, empty feeling. It's neither sensible nor cool.

But sometimes, late in the evening, as he stands by the railing with his captain next to him, a faraway look in Luffy's eyes as they watch the dark waves together – sometimes, he thinks Luffy would understand.