I'm probably late, aren't I? :-P

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Hi, this is my first contribution here :-)  If it's too un-yaoi, please let me know...I'm not really sure what the minimum yaoi-ness is to enter a fic in this community!


Title: Storyteller's hero
Rating: PG
Word Count: 300
Pairing: Usopp/Zoro
Topic: Hero

"Put me down, I'll fight him," Captain Usopp growled. His faithful followers valiantly refused, but the light-wielding monster knocked them to the ground.  He hovered ominously over Captain Usopp, stamping viciously on his head, our hero too exhausted by his injuries to resist...

Here Usopp pauses, glancing at the green-haired swordsman who's been the archetype for "Captain Usopp" in every story since Usopp first saw Zoro in action. Usopp knows how this story continues, but there are many other paths the story could have taken...

Scorning the pleas of his followers (Captain Usopp was too proud, of course, to plead for himself), the light monster fired a beam at our hero, boring a hole through his chest, an injury that would prove fatal...

Usopp shudders, and looks again for reassurance in the sight of Zoro snoozing peacefully, proof that this story didn't go down that tragic road. But he knows it's entirely up the whimsy of the great storyteller in the sky, and next time, things could turn out horribly different.

He takes a deep breath.

One of his followers threw himself between the light monster and Captain Usopp, producing a mirror from his trusty pack, reflecting the deadly beam away. The light monster turned human again, howling in rage at being thwarted...

Usopp smiles and scribbles in his notebook. He continues imagining scenarios and reactions, following each thread to its joyous or tragic end, noting which actions led to victory and which to defeat.

It matters little that "Captain Usopp" is not so invincible as he once was. The fact that he occasionally needs the back-up of his "faithful followers" makes him no less a hero. And for the day when his help is needed again, Usopp will be rehearsing his part, watching vigilantly, waiting for his turn to become the hero in Zoro's story.

Comments

[soulacid.livejournal.com]

Awww, sweet, almost sappy, but who am I to complain.
A little unsettling that you kinda wrote down what I thought about for my next story o.O
Weird but well, thats how it goes^^

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Ugh, I hate it when that happens. I'm sorry...

[soulacid.livejournal.com]

nah, don't be 's alright

[dethorats]

Awww, I LOVED this! It was so sweet and adorable and yet really captures just how terrible that one moment could have been if not for Rayleigh's arrival. And I would say this meets the yaoi standards...there's enough implications here, although it could equally be taken for close nakamaship.

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it - and thank you for your feedback regarding yaoi-ness. Without getting into full-blown action it's a rather fuzzy line between yaoi and close nakamaship, as you say.

[printfogey.livejournal.com]

Lovely and a new wrinkle on their relationship! I think it works as a pairing piece, especially with the final line, which I adore. ♥

(But it's also okay to post non-yaoi drabbles and ficlets here - gen & het stuff won't be eligible to win the weekly contest, but they're not banned!)

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was pretty fond of that line myself (it was basically the reason I wrote the whole drabble, haha).

(That's useful to know. Thanks for the info!)

[astrokender.livejournal.com]

I love the Zoro is the basis for Captain Usopp's stories. This is a beautiful look into what might be going on in Usopp's head, and the worries he feels. I liked it a lot.

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Although Luffy is the captain, I felt that Zoro was more likely to fit into Usopp's conception of a hero than Luffy does. Thank you! I'm very glad you liked it!

[mishagirl.livejournal.com]

CUTE!! SO sweet, and I'm not a Zoro/Usopp gal usually.

Yes you can post gen/het stuff here (but I always pretend that stuff here is written in Yaoi-verse and the characters are still in denial).

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad you found it cute...

Okay, thanks! I'm just wondering where gen ends and yaoi starts, but your solution sounds like a good one :-P

[slowsunrise.livejournal.com]

I liked it, I liked it! *waved hand*

And I love it when Usopp is telling a story with a little truth in it :3

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much :-)

I dunno, a lot of his stories seem to be randomly coming true...maybe he "knows" more than he thinks! :-P

[macabreromansu.livejournal.com]

Lovely story, and it makes me really visualise Usopp sitting there on deck, daydreaming. 8DD

Congrats, you're the winner for this prompt!

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[writer-here.livejournal.com]

Brilliantly written, and that's not a compliment that I like to throw around too much, especially on LJ.

Well deserved win, congratulations.

[c-callosum.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! (Though I'm now wondering now where you are more likely to throw compliments around... :-P )