OP Usopp x Reader - Little Talks
This is a belated birthday gift to my dear friend, @usopps-devotee. Happy birthday Kush, I'm sorry this took so long to get out! I hope you like it!
Summary: You just wish Usopp would let you sleep.
Warning: angst, major character death, platonic!brook x reader, immortal!reader, sad, tragic!romantic!usopp x reader, survivor's guilt, death wish, clairvoyant!reader
The ship rocked feebly as the waves controlled its hull, the dingy, cartoonish lion figurehead cutting through the thick mist. You leaned against the rail, looking out to the bleak sea with somber eyes, searching for any ray of sunshine, only to find drab clouds staring back. "Come back from the railing, my dear," a calm and pitying voice called from a good distance behind. "You'll catch cold in this weather."
"I wish," you retorted coldly. "Maybe I'd get sick enough to-"
You sighed, pushing away from the railing and turning to face the only companion you had. "I'm sorry, Brook. I'm just..." you trailed off, unsure what you'd intended to say.
"Lonely, I know." he soothed, pulling you into his slender and uncomforting arms. "Immortality is the loneliest privilege one can have."
"I'm not lonely," you corrected, glancing up into his void sockets. "I'm surrounded by people, but I still miss them."
His bones shifted as if to convey surprise as he withdrew slightly. "You're seeing things again?"
Your eyes widened as you violently pushed away from him, fists clenched with sudden anger. "Brook! I already told you, I'm not seeing shit! They're there!"
The man stepped back a bit, taken by your short fuse as he raised his hands defensively to disarm you. "Now, now, I didn't mean to offend you, my dear. Let's just have a cup of tea and-"
"No, Brook!" you shouted, seething, feeling unseen eyes trained on you. "Why can't you see them too, why don't you believe me?!" Hot tears streamed down your cheeks as you stared at the musician desperately, eyes occasionally darting around the ship to your other crew mates.
"I-I'm sorry, I-I-" he sputtered, hurt and unnerved by your outburst, which had begun to become a more frequent occurrence. "I wish I could see what you see-"
Unable to stand another second of Brook's excuses, you stormed off, sprinting down the rickety stairs and disappearing into the lower decks. Crossing over the threshold into the dining room, you froze in place, seeing a tall blonde man with his back to you, cigarette smoke lazily floating in the air. There was a light glow around him that you desperately tried to ignore. The chef, seemed to take notice of you as he turned around to get something, giving you a gentle smile. "(Y/N), hi."
Tears welled in your eyes as you whispered his name, crumpling as you ran to him, needing a hug now more than ever. "S-Sanji!"
"Woah there!" he laughed, smoke billowing over his luminescent teeth. "You look pale, how 'bout I fix you something to eat?"
"Yes, please! Just stay here with me!" you sobbed, stuck to his chest like a wet shirt. "Please don't go away..." You could feel his fingers ghosting over the back of your head, as he shushed you, thinking up what snack to prepare you. You become so soothed by his comfort that you hardly even noticed that he'd stopped petting your hair.
Glancing up, you found yourself totally alone, dumbfounded, and glancing around for any sign that your interaction with Sanji had been real. It had to have been; smoke still hung in the air, and the kitchen smelled distinctly of tobacco, garlic, and expensive French cologne.
"Come back, godddamnit!" you screamed, folding to the floorboards, weeping in an ugly way. Your fist hit the wood as you spilt your woes to an empty ship, only silenced by cloven footsteps.
You didn't even see him, at first, but you could hear him getting closer, feel the frigidness in the kitchen giving way to a hospitable warmth. Suddenly, the presence spoke.
"You better get up off the floor, (Y/N)," the voice was echoey and childlike, and filled with true concern. "You're gonna get all dirty and covered with germs!"
You couldn't even force your vocal cords to make a sound, but you still silently called out to him with arms outstretched. "Oh, Chopper..." you cried, pulling the plush boy close, tears wetting his furry shoulder. "I miss you so much..."
"Miss me?" he asked, befuddled. "I'm right here! We've been out to sea for weeks, I couldn't have possibly gone anywhere!" His cheery tone did nothing for you, only reminded you of the aching truth, and what you had to do to hide it from him.
"I'm sorry, Chopper, I misspoke. I just mean that I've been feeling down and in need of a hug from you. I haven't seen you since breakfast, and I was starting-" you bit back a sob before finishing. "To miss you."
"Oh," the doctor responded, a bit confused by your sudden clinginess. "Well, if that's all-!" The reindeer leaned forward, giving you what should have been a very warm hug, and a peck on the cheek. "I'll give you a kiss too, to speed up your healing! I hope your day gets better!"
Silently, you stood, having no more tears left to shed, and walked past the silver figure. "Thank you, Chopper, you truly were-" you paused for a moment, not even daring to look back to see if he was even still present. "Are- the best doctor on the Grand Line."
Aimlessly, you wandered through the Sunny, passing many crewmates on the way to your room. You passed Zoro, napping on the floor with his back against a wall, and Robin sharing her thoughts on the novel she'd been reading with Frankie in the lounge. They both smiled and waved at you, but you ignored them, spying on them from around the corner. You admired how they both had smiles that lit up a room, and the way that they looked at one another when the other laughed. You used to look at Usopp that way. Now you only wished he'd go away.
Rounding the corner to the dormitories, you ran into Nami, nose buried in a map and ranting to Luffy that he'd steered the ship in the wrong direction. You stood there, stunned as you stared at them.
"(Y/N), look at this, tell him we're going the wrong way, because he won't listen to me!" the ginger raved, shoving a glowing piece of parchment into your face.
"Now listen, it's not about the destination, it's the journey!" the captain argued optimistically. "It'll be fine, (Y/N), tell her!" You simply kept quiet, tearing up with lip trembling. "Hey, what's with you?"
Finally breaking back down, you blew past them, knocking them to the side as you darted to your bedroom. The one you'd shared with your boyfriend. With Usopp.
The moment you crossed the threshold, you winced, recognizing that familiar bite of cold that came with being in a confined space with one of your nakama. In the corner was a small, cluttered desk you'd never been able to bring yourself to clear. It was illuminated by the amber glow of an oil lamp that you'd desperately kept fed, lest the flame extinguish. None of those things bothered you as much as the man sitting at the desk, though.
Once lovely ochre skin had now a tinge of translucent blue, and soft puffs of onyx coils were now little than plumes of white smoke that lacked the substance to even hold together the ends. The worst, however, were his eyes, still shiny and dark and sparkling at the sight of you. Gazing into his eyes, the only original part of him left sent chills up your spine as he turned away from his work to greet you.
"Hey, cutie, headin' to bed already?" he smiled warmly. "It's only six thirty-five." Glancing at the clock confirmed your suspicions. Usopp was wrong, it was nearly four in the morning.
"Just tired." you mumbled halfheartedly. "Mind going to your workshop 'til you get tired? I'd like to be alone to sleep."
"Nonsense, baby!" he dismissed cheerily. "I've been missing you lately, how about I snuggle up with you and we can watch a movie or somethin'?" Without a second thought, he stood, kicking out of his shoes and sliding one of his overall straps down.
"N-no," you protested weakly, tears beginning to prick your eyes. "I-I really just want to be alone, Usopp." You rolled over, back to him and huffed.
"Well..." he began. "Did I do something to make you mad? I'm sorry, whatever it is, just tell me and we can-"
"Usopp, just go away!" you sobbed, the dam finally breaking and unable to contain your grief any longer. "You're dead, don't you get that?! I need you to go, I can't handle seeing you like this!" You continued to berate him, weeping and tugging at your hair for any feeling of control. "And it's not six thirty, and it's not May 12th. It's three fifty-seven in the morning on November 17th. It's been over six months, please just-!"
Throwing yourself back towards him, you opened your glossy and aching eyes to find yourself without company and in the dark. The desk was still messy, sure, and the chair pulled out, but the oil lamp was snuffed out, a light billow of smoke floating above it before disappearing entirely. You'd gotten your wish. Usopp was gone.
"You're gone, gone, gone away. I watched you disappear. All that's left is the ghost of you. Now we're torn, torn, torn apart, there's nothing we can do. Just let me go, we'll meet again soon."
