⚔️👒The swordsman and his captain👒⚔️

Nightmares💔🩹💚 (Fluff/angst)

(Hola, hope you are all doing good, ima try and keep up on posts and updates on the stories I make, I'll have even more time due to summer coming right around!! I hope you are all enjoying!! And thank you for reading ❤️❤️❤️🫶)

/no one's pov/
It had been nearly 2 years since aces death, nights and days spent avoiding sleep, Luffy didn't wanna be trapped again.
The nightmares, those same nightmares that constantly plagued his dreams both day and nights, endless torment on his mind.
Luffy had finally gotten his crew back together, it had been the first night in a long time he had spent with them, but he was worried, he didn't want them to think he's weird or insane due to his light terrors.
Some nights he couldn't help but wake up screaming, clawing at his hands in attempt to clean the blood staining them, it would take him a moment to realize it wasn't real, it was all just his mind.

Endless nights filled with dreaded nightmares, the cold sweats he bolted away to.
Nights that seemed so long, so dark, and so alone.
He used training as a way to cope, a way to think of anything other than the truth lingering in his mind.
He knew ace was dead, but it was a living hell, every day waking up knowing he would never see his brother again, never say hello, never say goodbye, never say he loves him.
Luffy will never speak to him again, never hear his voice or feel his warming touch, the simple hugs and head pats that seemed to make Luffy bounce in joy.

It was all gone, it had died along with ace, Luffy felt utterly alone, sabo- ace.
Luffy was all that was left, if he died- no one would be left to really remember them, to remember them for the kids they where, the large dreams they carried, the innocent moments, the joyful laughs.
Even the dreadful moments they shared, no one would know of those moments, would never know of their promise, the sake they had drank together, and the packed they made with one another.

The very idea of losing it all truly shook Luffy, he was strong, but not enough.
He needed to be stronger, smarter, less careless.
Luffy knew he couldn't do it again, to lose another one he held so close to his heart.
The very idea of it shattered him, after all, by now his memory started faltering, sabos voice, it was faded out like a shallow whisper of forgotten sounds.
The way he looked, how he acted, his existance, it had all grown dim, vague in Luffy's memories.
Luffy dreaded the idea of the same thing happening to ace, to forget someone who had gave his life.
Luffy body shook in fury and sadness, his emotions swirling in his stomach and mind as it became clouded, what if he did forget them both?
The way they laugh, their smiles, their voices, what if he forgot it all, it all just fades into the times.
He would only be left with the knowledge that he HAD brothers, but nothing more.

This night was like any other night really, Luffy had stayed up later then most of the crew, his mind dwelling on those dreaded nightmares that shook him awake, the feeling of his heart pounding in his ears, his breath hitching as he felt like he was choking on the vary air that kept him alive.
He felt helpless, restless, and agitated.
He could only think of all the ways he could've done better, if only he had been stronger, smarter.
Luffy tucked his head into his hands as he sat on the head of the sunny, he squeezed his knees closer, his fingers digging into his arm in attempt to suppress his emotions, a attempt to distract himself by using pain.

He choked down his tears and anger, he didn't wanna worry his crew, he didn't want them to feel shame or guilt, it was for him to grief alone, and only him.
Luffy let out a deep sigh as he lay back looking up at the sky, his fingers still dug into his arm as he did his best to clear his mind.
That's when zoro face popped in blocking the view of the sky.
Zoro:you alright Luffy? I got some booze if you wanna share
Luffy sat up, zoro hopping up and sitting right beside his captain.

Luffy shook his head, his gaze lost as he looked out at the water, the moonlight bouncing against the water lighting it up gently.
It stayed silent for a moment before zoro suddenly spoke.
Zoro:do you wanna talk about him?
Luffy head whipped over to zoro, his eyes wide, how could zoro know what he had been dwelling on.
Zoro:you've seemed bothered, and the others might not notice, but I can hear it when you suddenly bolt awake, you always seem like you are panicked or distressed, you try and be quiet, but I can hear you..I haven't mentioned it to anyone, no one else seemed to notice anything odd anyways.
Luffy eyes were wide as he listened to the swordsman speak.
Luffy remained silent, his head turning to look down at his hands.

Zoro:I just- wanna know if you are alright. You smile and laugh and joke like everything's fine, but I can tell something's off, when no one's looking you always seemed out of it, you stop smiling or talking, and you just stair off into nothing- I'm just worried is what I'm saying, if you wanna talk about it, just know I'm here, if not then it's fine- I'll act like I don't know anything
Zoro shrugged and sighed as he took a large drink out of the liquor he had.

Luffy remained silent, zoro was worried but then heard small hiccups, his head quickly snapped to his side to look at the smaller male beside him.
Luffy eyes were dripping with tears, his face scrunched up as he hiccuped and dug his fingers into his knees in attempt to keep himself from being too loud.
Zoro heart shattered at the sight as his body responded without thinking, he gently pulled Luffy into his chest, Luffy's head met the swordsman chest, he didn't care, he leaned into the embrace as he scoot over before moving to sit in the man's lap facing him to hide his face in zoro chest.

Luffy hiccuped and sniffled, small whimpered cries spilling from his mouth ever now and then as he let himself finally just crack, allowing it all to spill out as he gripped tightly to zoro shirt, almost afraid to let go.
Zoro didn't question it, and remained silent, he pulled Luffy closer, letting his hands wrap around his waist as he muzzled him closer, Luffy only seemed to cry more and more, his cries muffled into zoro shirt.
Zoro gently pat through Luffy hair, Luffy felt himself calming, something felt so familiar about it.

Luffy remembered ace, how he would sometimes play with Luffy hair, how he would play with Luffy hair when he was upset or scared during really bad storms, or when Luffy had a bad day.
He remembered sabo voice again, how he would sit with them comforting and just telling Luffy stories.
Ace had always been mean as a kid, but sometimes, in those rare moments, he was someone gentle, someone so caring and adoring.
Luffy only assumed he did it as a way to provide Luffy with something he never had.

Ace never had comfort, someone to hug and hold him when he felt at his lowest, it wasn't until Luffy and sabo that they had all felt complete.
Those nights were always Luffy's favorite, he felt at home, he would just lean into ace or sabo, listening to their heartbeat as they comforted him.
Luffy felt his body lighten as his breathing became more paced and calm, the tears fell less, his body feeling heavy and his eyes feeling droopy as zoro played with his hair.
Luffy gently nuzzled closer, listening to the man's heartbeat as it gently thumped against his chest,

Luffy felt himself grown sleepier and sleepier, but for some reason, he knew, in this moment, the way it was now, he didn't have to worry, the nightmares wouldn't get him.
With that he finally allowed himself to slip into a deep and unrelenting dream that wrapped around him.
That night, the nightmares were nowhere in sight or mind, he felt warm, he dreamt of times, times where everything was ok.
The innocent times, when the world hadn't hated and hinted them down.

Luffy understood it wasn't real, but was content with it, because for a moment, he got to see a piece of himself he had felt like he lost when he lost them.
He had them back, even if it was for a moment, a dream, it was them, and they were ok.
That was enough for Luffy, he could finally rest easy.

Zoro allowed the boy to fall slump and into a deep sleep, zoro nuzzled him closer, letting his hands play with the boys hair.
Zoro knew now that Luffy just needed someone, he needed what he lost, even if it was small.
Zoro knew he needed to be there for Luffy, he loved him so deeply, and since he couldn't help before, he would do anything in his power to help now.

Just like that, the night slipped by, and every other night like that, Luffy would come to zoro, they would sit together, Luffy would nuzzle close and close his mind, and zoro would play with his hair as he slipped into a peaceful sleep.

(Hope you enjoyed, love you all!! 🫶🫶❤️❤️❤️❤️)