Without the Waves to Rock Me

by Chibimono Akuno

The rocking of waves gives Luffy better dreams, but he hopes his heart gives better dreams to his nakama. [Luffycentric with LuZoish shonen ai undertones]

Title: Without the Waves to Rock Me
Author: Chibimono Akuno
Fandom: One Piece
Pairing: LuZo-ish
Rating: G
Word Count: 628 words
Warnings: Fluff.
Disclaimers: Not mine. Just pretending.
A/N: For the LiveJournal theme community, 101-kisses. Theme #68: Lullaby. Finished just in time for Luffy's birthday, though this is not birthday related.

Without the Waves to Rock Me
by Chibimono Akuno

Sleeping was never a difficult thing for Luffy, but when he was on land, his sleep was different than usual. He would dream of restless and disappointing dreams. He would sometimes dream that he was still in his home village, with Shanks leaving him behind, with Ace leaving him behind. Sometimes, he would even dream about never meeting Coby, and then never meeting Zoro, and then never meeting Nami, and so on.

He would rather be on the Going Merry or even on a little dinghy. The waves rocked him to sleep, and he was able to dream pleasantly. He could forget that Shanks lost his arm for him, and that Zoro nearly died standing up to Hawkeyes Mihawk. He could forget what Kuro did to his own crew and forget how Arlong harmed Nami and her village. The rhythm of the waves lapping against the hull would sing him to sleep, helping him to dream of better things then the quiet of the land would offer him. He could dream of Sanji's meals and Usopp's inventions, of Nami's maps and of naps with Zoro. He could dream of battles to come and of anything that would make him stronger in his journey for One Piece.

The waves were a promise, in a way. They would always move, forever and ever, and he would use that promise of perpetual motion to somehow carry himself to his final destination. He knew how easy it would be to die in those waves, though, but that did not stop him from loving them, it did not stop them from rocking him to sweet dreams.

So, when Luffy was on land, he tried to dream of the sea, and sometimes that would help. But not always. When it did not, he would lay awake and think of being on his way again, on the Going Merry and sailing onward with his nakama and their dreams.

Odd, however it was, that Luffy could not sleep at all. It was a quiet night in a tavern several kilometers from port, and Luffy was sitting awake in his bed, staring out the window of the rented room. The familiar snores of the marksman and swordsman were reminders of home on their little ship, but the rocking of the waves were missing, and Luffy longed for them. The window overlooked a flat expanse of land, but there was no ocean in sight, much to Luffy's disappointment.

There was a nudge against Luffy's side, and then an arm flung over Luffy's waist. He turned his head to look at his bedmate. Zoro had managed to rollover from his side of the bed and was snoring rather loudly against Luffy's hip. He chuckled as he laid back down, wiggling a bit to find comfort against his first mate.

Luffy's shifting caused Zoro to snort and then shuffle a little more himself. His arm pulled Luffy to him tighter and Luffy's chest then became his pillow. The captain snickered quietly to himself, not wanting to wake his friend. Returning the sleepy embrace, Luffy put his arms around the swordsman as he listened to the steady snoring and touched a gentle kiss to his soft, green hair.

He hoped Zoro was having good dreams. Perhaps he was being lulled into dreamland by the sound of Luffy's heart beating under his ear? Luffy smiled at the thought, though he knew Zoro was probably too far asleep to even hear it. But that was fine by him a the light slowly broke across the early morning sky.

It was the waves that gave him his best dreams at night on the sea, but he just hoped it was his heart for his nakama that gave them the best dreams on any night.

- owari -