Two Sides of a Gesture

[shindahotaru.livejournal.com]

Title: Two Sides of a Gesture

Medium: Fic

Word Count: 310

Rating: PG

Prompt: Wave

Character: Chopper

Note: Kind of set very early during the timeskip.

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Human gestures have always been one of his fascinations. Ever since he has started to adapt human behavior, he’s interested in the meaning of gestures. It’s just so strange, how one simple move of your hand can break a friendly bonding apart, yet that same move can fix another. Sometimes the differences are great and easy, sometimes they are too complex for him to understand. There’re those few gestures he’s somehow familiar with but their different meanings always confuse him.

Very early in his life he learned the meaning behind the wave of one’s hand; it’s a gesture to greet someone, to welcome them. And for a long while, that has been the only meaning of waving for him.

With the limited possibilities of social contact, he had always known that some gestures would remain unknown for him. And how he now wishes that he had never learned some of them.

Now living the pirate life, he’s more accustomed to the gesture of waving one goodbye then to welcome them, one side to the gesture he wishes he had never learned. At some point, he started to hate the gesture, he didn’t want to wave goodbye for the torturous pains of leaving someone. This gesture has two sides; one he likes, the other he dreads.

But then Merry died, and he had felt weird about not waving her goodbye for real. As if to emphasize it, they had parted on Saboady without a goodbye, simply been torn apart without a warning. These haunting scenarios keep him awake at night, as well as the pressuring feeling of regret. He wishes he could’ve waved them goodbye, put proof of his love into a gesture for them to carry to the end of the world.

Since, despite all the sadness it brings, the wave of your hand is a gesture of friendship nonetheless.

Comments

[printfogey.livejournal.com]

Aww, Chopper! It's true, they never had the chance to wave goodbye or anything else at Sabaody. (I suppose Luffy's 2D3Y stunt later on was in a way not just a message but a wave to the rest of the crew, but across such a distance, and with more to come!) Man, the idea of Chopper waving goodbye at the burning Going Merry seems extra sad, though... Basically, this makes great sense to me and is affective writing. Excellent use of the prompt!

[shindahotaru.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you like it that much! I had trouble to fit those events in and had several other situations that made some more sense but wouldn't fit together so I literally sat there putting the pieces together which was difficult (because it's so sad and it's Chopper).

[night-mare-chan.livejournal.com]

Awww! That is bitter-sweet and super cute! There's just not enough Chopper povs out there and I really like this one. It's such a simple gesture but it means so much. X3 Great job!

[shindahotaru.livejournal.com]

Exactly!! I wish there was more of him, too! :(
Thank you so much! <3

[printfogey.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, you win!