Work Text:
I do not own One Piece.
..
Sanji
Being a Straw Hat crew for years had made Sanji quite immune to peculiar and preposterous occurrences that could easily render a normal person speechless. He had seen bizarre things here and there, had experienced enigmatic and mystifying events, and had become a testimony to even the most unbelievable situations. With a captain like Luffy and an unconventional group of people with strong characters as his crew mates, he would like to think that there was nothing much that could surprise him anymore.
Well, he realized soon that it was naive of him to think like that.
With a slim stick of cigarette held between his lips and a mood that soared up in the sky, Sanji watched in adoration as Nami appreciated the refreshing beverage he made specially for her. She was lounging under the shade of parasol in her alluring glory while enjoying the great weather in lieu of resuming her work with her prided maps. Sanji had approved the change of pace as he knew she was fully deserving to take a break.
He sauntered through the railing of the upper deck with a small smile, the wind blowing in his direction and the sun shining above him just enough to not be a nuisance. He could hear the faint sound of ironwork somewhere below and the childish voices of his cheerful crew mates in the distance being accentuated by the splashing of waves. It was indeed a rare moment of repose and peace, something that he cherished more than he thought he would.
He chanced a glance at the lower deck where he was aware of the presence of another beauty the Thousand Sunny was housing. He had delivered her requested coffee just a while ago and left her to enjoy her own relaxation time. Robin chose a spot in the lawn close to where their tree was planted and sat there with a book in hand. She had a serene expression on her face and Sanji felt a sense of fulfillment with how contented the lovely ladies on this ship were.
That was until he spotted Luffy walking straight to Robin.
Luffy only took a few big steps to cross the distance from where he was previously playing with Usopp and Chopper to where Robin was quietly reading her book. There was a grin on his face that Sanji noted was glinting with a purpose. He didn't know what that purpose was but he was intent to witness what their idiotic captain was planning to do.
A curly brow was raised in suspicion as Luffy suddenly lied down on the grass, then it was followed by a wrinkling of both eyebrows as Luffy positioned his head on Robin's precious lap without even asking for permission. Sanji gritted his teeth in annoyance, the butt of the cigarette on his lips getting involuntarily chewed.
He saw Robin becoming surprised by the unexpected action Luffy just did. She lowered her book to check on what was happening only to be met by the grinning face of their captain.
"Yo, Robin!" Luffy exclaimed in greeting and Sanji noticed that she only blinked at him in confusion.
Sanji had half the mind to throw away his damaged cigarette before he grumbled at the stupid rubber they called captain. "Oi, Luffy! What the hell do you think you're doing? Who gave you permission to use Robin-chan's sacred lap as a pillow?!"
His yelling, however, fell on deaf ears. Luffy didn't even acknowledge his presence. He settled himself comfortably on that heavenly paradise that Sanji only ever had the opportunity to fantasize as his unruly hair prickled the soft and smooth skin of Robin's thighs, his beloved straw hat being held in place on his stomach before he stretched his arms outwardly.
Luffy replaced his wide grin with a satisfied smile and said, "It's so nice here." His eyes were closed even though they were under the shade. Sanji presumed he was savoring the moment much like how he would if he was on his place, a thought that was absurd to associate with Luffy before today. "It's alright. Right, Robin?"
Sanji glared at him. How dare he do what he wanted first and ask for permission second? It wasn't like Robin had a choice when he was already settled. She was too kind to even think of refusing him, there was no way she would say no to him. Besides, Luffy was probably aware of the fact that Robin would never deny him anything, which meant that he was taking advantage of her loyalty to him and her unbidden benevolence. Realizing this, Sanji's irked heightened to a dangerous degree.
"Luffy, you bastard!" He hurriedly climbed down the stairs, his glaring eyes never leaving the two as he approached them. Robin's calculating gaze lingered at Luffy's face for a while before she made that mesmerising eye smile that could give Sanji heart eyes.
"Of course it is," she replied to Luffy, briefly glanced at Sanji's way and gave him a smile as if to reassure him everything was fine. Then she went back to reading her book like nothing unusual had happened.
He was so envious, damn it! He had felt wishful before when it was Chopper who had rested on Robin's lap and he had dreamed and envisioned it since then, but for some reason, now that he was seeing Luffy in a spot that he would kill to be put on, there was something more than envy. It didn't help that Luffy was acting so out of his character. Why, out of nowhere, was he doing this anyway?
"Oi, Luffy! Are you listening? You bastar-"
"Sanji!"
Sanji got frozen on his tracks by the roar of Luffy's voice, the force in it stopping his current train of thoughts and effectively cutting his words. If he didn't know any better, he would think that Luffy had used Haki on him, but he knew better. He knew that Luffy wasn't the kind of person arrogant and big-headed enough use Haki to subdue his crew. Nevertheless, it was still oppressive and the impact it emitted was palpable.
Robin surely felt it, too. She turned to face Sanji with slightly wide eyes, questions Sanji didn't even know how to answer evident on her face. Just like her, he was shocked as he was confused. It even got the attention of both Usopp and Chopper as they warily checked on what was happening, the tone Luffy had used probably alerted them for there was a tiny bit of fright coloring their expressions.
Silence permeated the air while they awaited what their captain would say or do next. The atmosphere around him was quiet yet imposing, befitting a king who was about to command. But then, all of a sudden, a hearty breeze blew past the lower deck of Thousand Sunny and with it, took the heavy atmosphere and put in place a light one.
"I'm hungry, Sanji! Food! I need food!" Luffy cheered with his familiar guilelessness and silliness. And just like that, the spell was broken. Gone was the intense note hinted at his voice, so was the suffocating air that had momentarily passed them.
A simultaneous sighs of relief escaped from Usopp and Chopper as they regarded that Luffy was just being himself and there was nothing worrying going on while a soft chuckle was released from Robin's lips, possibly also with the thought of Luffy being Luffy. On the other hand, Sanji wondered what that was about.
He reached for a cigarette stick from his breast pocket and lit it up. He couldn't help but think that Luffy was trying to make his point across and it had something to do with Sanji's reaction to Luffy getting close to Robin. The way he stopped Sanji's threats and blabbering was definitely with authority, and he knew that Luffy seldomly used that manner of speaking, perhaps only in dire situations.
He eyed how pleased Luffy was on his place, emanating in air rather than declaring in words that this was his place. He inhaled a mouthful of nicotine, blew the smoke out after a second, and provided the matter some more thought.
"Sanji! Food!" Luffy exclaimed again, this time, with whining on his voice that led Sanji to relent if only to stop hearing his whines.
"I get it. Just wait here while I prepare it," he replied, earning a grin that he could now tell had a different meaning.
"Yay!"
He breathed in the smoke surrounding him as he walked over the kitchen. He let his hands work in autopilot as his mind busied itself with the introspection of the earlier events. Luffy's sudden gesture... Luffy's satisfied smile... Luffy's territorial act...
Could it be...?
..
Brook
"Luffy? Is something wrong?"
Brook was in the midst of sipping his tea when he heard a mellifluous feminine voice coated with inquisition. He instantly recognized it as Robin's but the confusion behind it was quite uncommon for her. He brought the teacup back to its saucer and took a glimpse at their direction.
They were on the upper deck of Thousand Sunny, on a wide space nigh feet away from Robin's garden and Nami's tangerines. Robin was seated on a reclining chair with a book in hand and Luffy... Well, his arms were placed atop the cocktail table and his chin was resting on his hands. He looked like he was squatting and it was a rather uncomfortable position in Brook's opinion but it seemed the young captain didn't mind as he stared intently at Robin.
"Nope! Nothing's wrong!" The reply was lively and pleasant, something Brook was used to hearing from him.
Brook had forgone his favorite lounging spot, the seat around the main mast, in favor of luxuriating in the cool summer breeze. He was on another set of reclining chair on the other side of the deck and he could see how bright Luffy's eyes were and how wide and genuine his grin was.
"... Do you need something from me?" Robin asked uncertainly and it sounded as though she was at loss of what their captain might want.
"Nope!" Luffy's energy seemed to be limitless as his responses were as merry as his expressions. "Am I bothering you, Robin?"
Brook took another sip of his aromatic black tea. Even in summer, it was still the drink that could soothe his soul. He watched as Robin pondered for a fleeting seconds before replying, her stance still somewhat speculative.
"No, you're not." She paused to regard the difficulty of Luffy's chosen ground. "But are you okay staying like that?"
"Mhm! I'm okay like this!" Luffy's grin didn't even waver as he dismissed Robin's concern, urging her to go back to her reading and not mind him. In Brook's eyes at least, that was the expression Luffy was sending her. He didn't have eyes anymore, though. Yohoho.
Robin gave him a smile and went back to her book. She really could be glued to her books when she wanted to, not even their young captain's unusual behavior could stop her from enjoying her highly-valued hobby, unlike Brook whose interest had been piqued the moment he comprehended the clear intensity of Luffy's gaze. He hadn't known the captain and rest of the crew for long, but even he had believed that this was an intriguing development for him. If only he had a pair of lips, he was sure that they would be smiling knowingly towards Luffy.
"Luffy-san," Brook called out and tried to get his focus. He could tell that he got it by the hum that he received but his gaze was still fixed in one spot. He decided to stand up, taking his teacup and saucer with him, and walk over to them. He leant against the railing of the upper deck and took another sip of his tea. "Do you have a crush on Robin-san?"
"Crush?" Luffy tilted his head on the side, his grin getting expelled in the process. All at once, his immaturity and innocence came back with his questioning eyes.
"Are you smitten with her?" Brook attempted another approach, though it was no more helpful than the first one.
"Smitten?" he repeated, very unsure of the term.
"Do you like her?"
"Ooh! Like, huh?" Luffy's gaze that was briefly on Brook averted back to the prospective object of his affection, then his grin stretched so widely again, were it not for him being a rubber man, Brook was sure his cheeks would be hurting by now. "Yeah, I like Robin!"
The declaration was serendipitous, yet it sounded loud and lucid to Brook's ears, though he didn't have ears anymore. It had a beautiful ring to it, too, and he could tell that it was as genuine as it could get. Robin smiled at him warmly, but other than that, there was no apparent change in her demeanor. It seemed like she didn't hear what Brook had heard, though that was fine for it was obvious Luffy, himself, wasn't even aware of it.
"Yohoho. How endearing. It's no wonder you can't take your eyes off of her."
"Shishishi. Yeah, I like looking at her like this," he said without any trace of bashfulness in him.
Looking at him right now, Brook couldn't help but be reminiscent of the time when he, too, got infatuated by a young lass. Back then, he had wanted to simply gaze at the beauty being possessed by the other person, to commit to memory her unique features and to learn all her quirks and mannerisms. He had also longed to stay at the her presence even without them doing anything special, so he could understand why Luffy was so adamant to stay in place and why the luster and determination on his eyes had never faltered even for a second.
Brook wanted to smile so badly, Luffy was growing up and experiencing a youthful love when probably all the Straw Hat crew had already given up on the idea of him being attracted to someone. This revelation had caused a tilt to the equilibrium but in a manner that Brook hoped to be positive rather than the opposite. Though ultimately, the notion that their young captain was slowly maturing into an adult had always been a good thing.
With this thought, Brook extracted his violin from where he left it earlier. He put his teacup on the cocktail table and proceeded to ask the young captain. "Well then, Luffy-san, shall I play a music for you?"
"Oh sure!"
"Do you mind, Robin-san?"
"I don't. Please go ahead." Robin smiled at him. Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind that she was constantly getting disturbed.
Brook started with a lighthearted note, a little bit of peppy and chirpy but still a saccharine melody. It was a lot like Luffy's current mood, he shined with a happy personality but brimmed with a sweet sentimentality. Without thinking too much, he upped his ante with the music he was producing. He made it cacophonous enough to resonate through the Thousand Sunny yet not enough to be offensive to the other occupants.
Intentionally, he didn't make it a romantic one. No, it wasn't time for that yet. The young captain was just starting to bloom, there wasn't any need for complexity as such. They were only light notes and rendition of bouncy steps and new beginnings, of wide grins and pleased smiles. Brook made it so his music would not interfere but instead guide whichever Luffy opted to display.
With his delighted expression, it seemed Brook achieved his goal.
"Woah, woah, what is this? Luffy is acting like a lovestruck teenager. Am I seeing this right?"
Brook heard Usopp's voice as he stalled in the stairs. It was followed then by another set of footsteps that he assumed were from his other crew mates. Perhaps they were enchanted by the music and would like to join him with his secret celebration?
"Yohoho." Brook laughed softly, indicating he had heard Usopp, but his hands were still focused on the violin.
"He is a lovestruck teenager," Sanji replied with an emphasis, which to the ears of many, sounded quite bitter. Brook didn't have any ears, though.
"What?!" Oh, it was Nami. Her yelling was loud but filled with shock and disbelief. He was certain Luffy heard it, too, but maybe he was used to hearing Nami's voice that he had learned to distinguish which was urgent and which was not. "Luffy has a crush?! On Robin?! I can't believe it!"
"To see is to believe, is what they say, Nami-san."
"Right right, I wouldn't believe it, too, if I'm not seeing Luffy's expression right now. Look at him, I didn't even know he knows how to have a crush."
Brook smiled to himself. Luffy's charmed expression hadn't changed since earlier. He was looking at Robin not like how Sanji was looking at the ladies, he was looking at her also not like how he looked at meat or food in general. The way he was looking at her was incomparable to anything, it was sort of ineffable, it was new and and unprecedented but in a way that still so much alike to him. Which was why it was only to be expected that the three newcomers were able to decipher it right away.
"That's true! This is Luffy we're talking about, after all. And to Robin, too? When did this even happen?"
"Hmm, I think it's only natural that it's Robin whom he gets attracted to, though. Between Nami and Robin, he was more likely to go for Robin."
"Wait a minute, Usopp! What are you trying to insinuate here, huh?"
Brook could imagine the sweat that had formed on Usopp's forehead as Nami's tone turned threatening and for some reason, Sanji was remained quiet. Perhaps he was debating between Nami and Robin, too.
"Relax, relax! I'm just saying that Luffy is more likely to choose Robin because one, unlike you, she never hit Luffy. Ow!"
Oh, that sounded like Nami had hit Usopp for that comment. Yohoho.
"And two, Robin is always willing to go along with Luffy's plans without any complain. For a simple-minded like our captain, of course that's very appealing. Don't you think so?"
Brook agreed wholeheartedly, but he didn't want to anger Nami so kept his lips sealed. He didn't have lips, though. Yohoho.
"Well, I guess that makes sense."
"Don't worry, Nami-san, you are still very charming and enticing, and I have a veeeery big crush on you."
Yohoho. Sanji seemed to have regained his senses.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Sanji-kun."
With the music going over its second verse, Brook reverted his attention back to the young captain. By now, his head was lying sideways on his arm, still on that difficult position though, and his eyes still fixated on Robin. She was oblivious, in a way, because the weight of that stare must have been hefty and yet, she could ignore it like a background, like she wasn't on the center of someone's universe. It amazed Brook, honestly. Plus the kind of smile that Luffy was now sending her, it was warm and sweet and gentle, it could easily melt hearts.
"Still, to think that I'll see the day that Luffy will become like this."
"Oi, guys, what are you doing there?"
That voice must be Zoro, it was coming from the lower deck, probably wondering what the commotion was all about.
"See for yourself, Moss Head," Sanji replied with his usual challenging tone.
"Shut it, Curly Brow," came the retort, yet Brook still sensed him approaching. "Captain? Heh." He smirked, amusement clear in his voice.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
And that adorable voice must have come from Chopper, partnered by the cute sound of tiny hoof against the floor. He looked around them, checking with puzzlement what was amiss.
When no one had answered him, Brook took the liberty. With his music reverberating a malleable melodious note, he said, "It's the joy of youth, Chopper-san."
From the distance, he could hear a faint cry of "Super!" and when he looked up on the crow's nest, he saw Franky doing his signature pose with tears in the corner of his eyes, undoubtedly being moved by the unforeseen development of the young captain.
"It's super, indeed. Yohoho."
..
Nami
Nami was admittedly not a very light sleeper. With the comfort of Thousand Sunny and an unspoken promise of security from the people she was with, she was able to attain a good rest most of the nights. But of course, she had enough of sense of danger to not sleep like a log and completely close off her defense even in her unconsciousness. Years of practice from living a hell under an evil ruler had taught her how to be vigilant with her surroundings. Which was why she was immediately on alert when she discerned something that was not supposed to be here.
The women's quarters was a guaranteed sanctuary for only her and Robin. It was off limits to others and that was absolute. And yet, as she tossed around her side of the bed and flung her arm, she felt a soft, warm and springy texture that she knew, at the back of her mind, was very out of place.
She had snuggled with Robin before and had hugged her a few times so she was well-informed that this limb wasn't hers. The smoothness of her skin wasn't as springy or rubbery like this, the warmth was different, too, not to mention the lean muscle that was unmistakable.
Nami opened her eyes abruptly, only to be met by a naturally raunchy dark hair of a man. She could recognize that hairstyle anywhere so her fright for danger had subsided a bit, but her brows were still furrowing with what she had woken up to.
"Luffy!" She sat up, whisper-yelling to the intruder. "What are you doing here?"
Luffy looked as if he wasn't trespassing on the women's quarters as he nonchalantly made himself comfortable in Nami and Robin's shared bed. He was lying on his side, in between the two women, with his back on Nami and appearing like he was here some while ago. No wonder she had thought it was moderately cramped.
"Oh, Nami, did I wake you? Sorry," he replied, unbothered and laid back without even a hint of guilt. Nami bristled.
"Idiot! Why are you even here? This is the girls' room, who told you you can sleep here?" When Nami's eyes adjusted even further in the dark, she saw how Luffy had an arm wrapped around the sleeping Robin, the sight causing her to gasp in astonishment. "Luffy! Are you molesting Robin in her sleep?"
She yanked on the idiot's shoulder and attempted to stop whatever she thought he was presently doing. Nami had long accepted that their captain had no delicacy and tact with almost every matter, but this was such a foul move even for him. To her rising irk, however, Luffy struggled to keep his arm on Robin's person as he faced Nami with a dumbfounded look.
"Molest? Nami, what are you talking about?" he asked. His expression was positively confounded as his tone was dripping with innocence and simplicity.
But as Nami turned to peer at the limb clinging to Robin with its hand dominatingly perched on her waist as though he was asserting ownership with her, she couldn't help but be filled with pronounced suspicion. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Your hand, idiot."
"I just want to hug Robin." He whined.
"That's exactly what I'm talking about!"
Luffy had turned his back on her again and as if to spite Nami, he tightened the embrace he had on Robin. She couldn't see what kind of expression he was making but she knew that even if she did, it was certainly a hard to read one. Sometimes, Luffy would act surprisingly enigmatic and even Nami would have a hard time deciphering it and figuring what he was desiring to achieve. This was probably one of those moments as he suddenly quietened amidst Nami's berating.
Ever since the Straw Hat crew had found out that their captain had developed a crush on their archaeologist, Nami had started to see him on a new light. For the most part, he was still the idiot boy they all had learned to admire and trust, whose mind revolved mostly around his goal to become the Pirate King, fun and adventures, and of course, meat. He was still as carefree and blissful as he usually was, with an occasional seriousness when it was called for. He still fought anyone who got in his way and battled those who had pissed him off and still would easily succumb to his childish curiosity and impulses.
The only instances that reminded the crew of the changes in him were the times when he would catch a sight of Robin and realize that he had a crush on her and then he would proceed to show his adoration.
Nami would muse by herself that it was perplexing in an adorable way. Luffy was never shy or embarrassed as he approached Robin, he was very open to what he felt and he would blurt in earnest what he thought. Though in honesty, Nami had surmised that Luffy wouldn't be the Luffy she knew if his way of displaying his affection for others wasn't as strange as he was.
As the silence extended between them and Luffy stayed silent and unmoving, Nami thought he had fallen asleep.
"Luffy!" she called, her hand prepared to tug at his shoulder again.
But then Luffy stretched his other arm and urgently clamped a hand to cover her mouth. "Shh, Nami, you idiot! You're so loud, you'll wake Robin up."
A couple of angry ticks had manifested on Nami's head as a response. Of all people, she didn't want to be called idiot by this idiot captain the most, not to mention the audacity of him to scold her. She swatted his hand away and bumped her fist on his head, earning her a muffled cry of pain.
"Who the hell are you calling idiot, you stupid rubber?!"
"Shh, Nami. Shh," was all he said, pointing a finger on the sleeping person with them.
Robin, to her credit, was still soundly asleep despite the minute of uproar. Nami recalled the times when her roommate was so easy to stir in her sleep, even the tiniest sound could wake her up. Now though, she could fall into slumber just as peacefully as Nami could.
"Robin was such a light sleeper before, now she can sleep even with you here. She really had changed ever since that time," she mumbled in consideration, her scramble with Luffy taking a pause.
"Shishishi. Isn't that a good thing?" Luffy smiled. He always did when he was looking at Robin. "That only means she feels comfortable and safe here. She knows that she has us to protect her."
To some extent, Nami was similar to Robin. They knew that they had to be vigilant even in their sleep because of how dangerous and precarious the lives that they had lived. She could only picture how it was more so for Robin when it seemed as though it was her against the whole world. Everyone was an enemy to her and she only had herself to defend her from any harm. Fortunately, Luffy had found her and provided her a home.
Nami understood what Luffy was trying to say, she could relate with it and could agree with an open heart. It truly was a good thing. But this was this and that was that. She still wanted an explanation why Luffy felt the need to bombard their room and hold Robin without permission. She thought before that it was a blessing Luffy wasn't well-versed with how to show affection and that his advances were innocent enough because with his selfishness partnered with his stubborn way to demand something, his future partner would undoubtedly have a hard time dealing with his pace. With what was occurring tonight, she was worried that her fears were coming to light in a steady beat.
She sighed. This idiot was really giving her headaches. To get her petty revenge, she struck another hit to his head with her closed fist without a word.
"Ow. Nami, what was that for?" he murmured with a pout.
"You're still not allowed in here, idiot. You may not know it but there's this thing called privacy that you have to follow no matter how much you want to see Robin. Even if she doesn't get mad at you, it's still wrong." She noticed after a while that Luffy was deliberately tuning her out. Her brows wrinkled even more with irritation. So much for teaching him about manners, there really was no hope for him. "Listen to me when I'm talking to you!"
Involuntarily, her voice had raised due to how irritated she was. Because of this, even Robin began to rouse from her sleep while Luffy visibly panicked.
"Oh crap, she's waking up."
A wave of guilt had washed over Nami when she thought that she really had successfully woken her friend up, but Luffy was quick to bring a gentle hand to Robin's head and pet her in a soothing manner. He also drew his face near Robin's ear to whisper on it.
"It's okay, Robin. It's just me, you can go back to sleep."
The tone he used was so soft and caring Nami had to do a double take to confirm she was hearing it right. She blinked in surprise, definitely unaware that Luffy was capable of such actions. He was always so loud and brash that it was hard to think he knew how to be the opposite. Though perhaps, he really was different when it came to Robin.
To both of their relief, Robin seemed to have calmed and followed the suggestion of the voice, her face going back to being serene.
"Nami," Luffy said after a while, his voice considerably lower. "I was listening and I know what you're saying. But... just for tonight, okay? I promise it's just for tonight."
Nami sighed again. Luffy was really so complex at times. It was so tiring to deal with him during the day, but it was even more tiring during this time. Maybe she should just go back to sleep, too, and leave the continuation of her scolding for tomorrow.
Allowing him the one night he was asking so sincerely, Nami conceded. "Fine. I'm going back to sleep, don't do anything stupid."
She heard a quiet hum of agreement as a response.
..
Franky
Being one of the eldest in the crew, Franky had formed a sort of camaraderie with Brook and Robin. The three of them were the adults in the group, the mature ones, the experienced ones. They were years older than the rest of the Straw Hats and thus, had taken the responsibility of being their accountable guardians when the need arose. But that wasn't the only reason why he always found himself gravitating towards the archaeologist.
Perhaps it was because of a shared fate, once upon a time, back in Enies Lobby when they had been captured by the same evil hands. Or maybe it was because of what little had been revealed to Franky about Robin's tragic past. At that time, he had been given the chance to know what Robin had been feeling. It was only a small part, a tiny miniscule amount from the entirety of it, but it was enough for him to understand and comprehend the reasons behind her actions. He had seen her on her most distressing moments, on her most languishing times, and had sympathised with her. He had felt protective of her since then, which was probably why, unconsciously, he was always keeping an eye on her, always at arm's distance away and always ready to give her a helping hand.
Therefore, when Luffy and the other people who intended to get Sanji back were bidding their farewell to the rest of the crew and the residents of Zou Island, Franky was there beside Robin.
Luffy had just declined the gracious offer of the Mink Tribe to get them down through a ship, which prompted the rest of them to speculate what his plan was, some of them not doubting that it would be perilous to them. And while they were currently occupied with those thoughts, the Straw Hat captain marched over to where the archaeologist was standing and about to see them off.
His steps were purposive and his gaze was unfaltering. He approached Robin with a clear motive in mind. It didn't bother him that everyone would see. Maybe, he didn't even think about it. Luffy just single-mindedly focused his attention on the sole person in front of him.
"Robin," he called out. "I'm going. I'll see you in Wano, okay?"
In Franky's mind, he visualized a soldier, about to go to a war, saying goodbye to his spouse. The image was not far from what he was seeing right now and the thought made him smirk internally.
Luffy had been so Super! lately. The way he showed affection was charming and it really testified that he was unaccustomed to it, uninformed even. He did it like how he did everything, blatant and without a care in the world. He acted by his instincts and followed what his drive would compelled him to. He didn't even have any sense of shame as he grabbed what he craved and attained what he longed for. He was an inexperienced boy having a crush for the first time in his rambunctious life.
Or at least, that was what Franky had labeled him at first.
The same could be said with the rest of the Straw Hat crew. While they saw this as a startling development and an unexpected change, something that they had thought they would never going to see their whole life, they only treated it as a period that would pass by, a time that Luffy would move on from anytime soon. It wasn't an exaggeration to claim that they were underestimating the strength of Luffy's emotions.
Even Robin who, for her part, had acted very mature about the whole fiasco, only agreeing without protest to everything Luffy had to say and smiling fondly to his antics. As it may be, she only saw him as a little boy idolizing her and entertaining his idea of what attraction to another person meant. Franky hadn't seen her reject him yet, but he knew that all she ever did was to indulge and humor him.
Robin was smiling at Luffy, the corner of her eyes crinkling in goodwill. She responded to their captain in the calm and composed manner that she always did whatever the situation was. "Yes. I'll see you."
Luffy grinned. Then he came closer, stretched his arms towards Robin, and enveloped her in a hug.
In a normal circumstance, this would have touched the heart of many and cause them to swoon. But the Straw Hat captain had never been one for normality and standardness. He was weird all through out so his hug was just as weird.
As his limbs stretched longer, he curled them around Robin's nape, crossed them on her back, curled them again around her upper waist, crossed them again on the flat of her stomach and curled them again until his hands reached her lower back. Instead of saying it was a lovely embrace, it was more like a confinement. He completely and successfully restrained Robin's upper body and prevented her from escaping.
(For a moment, Franky had an inkling that Luffy's way of embracing Robin had a deeper and more shaded meaning to it, but he immediately dispelled that thought because of the obvious brightness the boy was emitting. He wouldn't put Robin on a metaphorical cage, would he?)
Franky heard a few gasps from the onlookers, some of them finding it funny while the others found it ridiculous. Luffy didn't care at all, seeing Robin had only chuckled at his actions. Then, all of a sudden, his grin had vanished as he looked at Robin straight in the eyes.
"Be careful," he muttered, his tone stern yet thoughtful. It was intentionally low, too, and Franky was convinced only Robin and he had heard it, Zoro too, probably, who was standing on her other side. And because of that, he perceived the gravity of Luffy's intentions. He could also see the seriousness lurking behind those dark orbs of his. There was no playing around this, he genuinely wished for Robin's safety.
Initially, Franky had wondered if the Straw Hat captain would ask the archaeologist to come with him, but almost right away, he realized that that wasn't how it worked for them.
Luffy had a goal and he was very determined about it. His adventures and his missions were what comprised his life and he was extremely resolute on how to achieve them. And then there was Robin. He was serious about her as well, Franky could now tell, but she was a separate matter from his life goal. Although he singled out Robin like this for a quick moment, his concentration was still straight towards the path that he chose to take. He was fair and square with all his crew and he knew that the one who needed him now was Sanji.
Besides, he had faith on Robin's ability and his crew's survival skills. He respected their desire to stand and fight alongside him and trusted that they could deal with whatever would come on their way. He cared about them, he cared about Robin, but he acknowledged their will to do what they needed to do and let them recognize what their true strength was.
"You and the rest, too," Robin replied to Luffy. She was also speaking in earnest, no doubt affected by their captain's somberness.
After a while, Luffy's grin returned and finally let the archaeologist go. He carefully pulled his stretched limb back to their place as they unwrapped Robin's body and went back to his companions for the trip.
They said their goodbyes and assurances and a promise to get Sanji back. Franky grinned at him, having fully trusted that they would succeed, while Robin was waving and smiling and the remaining others had uttered their own parting. Luffy, with his enormous back pack brimming with food, gathered his companions in his arms. Then, he beamed so wide it spelled trouble.
Ultimately, as his laugh turned mischievous, the Straw Hat captain made a Super! jump backwards and almost killed his friends with pure fright.
..
Zoro
Luffy's arrival at Wano Kingdom, as everyone would have expected, was not at all hushed and unassuming. Right away, he had encountered an army working under Kaido. They were only a small fry so he didn't take too long to repel their attacks and smash them out of his way even when he had just about arrived at the foreign island.
He had told Zoro and the rest, when they conducted a short briefing, that he had successfully retrieved the ero-cook but got separated with them upon hitting the area of Wano. He had also met a strange girl who liked to feed the animals with her cheeks and had taken to calling him aniki.
He looked animated and thrilled to come across Zoro, excitement clearly flowing through his veins. But when he caught the sight of Robin, his demeanor had a slight change. He was glad to see her, probably relieved, too, yet his gaze on her was inquisitive and demanding.
Robin was wearing an ornamented dark kimono. Her hair was primmed in a neat style and was being held by golden accessories and jewelry. Her face wasn't painted with anything, but Zoro admitted that she still appeared magnificent as she took up the role of a geisha.
Robin's guise and image, in general, had blended so well in this particular land. With the soft features that she possessed, the midnight black hair that she had been born with, and the politeness and refinement that she always carried with her, it wouldn't be impossible to mistake her as a native. She also fitted her geisha role perfectly because of the grace and elegance that she naturally exuded. It probably helped that she was always so demure. (Kin'emon had once referred to her as an Oiran, Zoro now got the idea that the man believed that Robin's characteristics made her suitable to be one.) With this, plus the mysterious air she had on her, it was no wonder the officials and some higher ups would become enthralled by her.
"Luffy?" Robin called when the silence of their normally boisterous captain had started to become deafening, causing Zoro to pay more attention.
"Were you... entertaining those officials?"
Zoro was momentarily taken by surprise. He didn't think Luffy was even aware of what Robin was supposed to be doing. He assumed his captain didn't even know what geisha meant. But it turned out that he had an idea. When and where he had learned about it though, Zoro had no way of knowing.
Luffy was staring at the woman as if he was taking her appearance in, eyes slightly wide and scrutinising. It was different from how he usually regarded her, there was no idiotic grin or lighthearted smiles. He was in serious mode, something Zoro only ever witnessed in hard battles and desperate situations.
Robin seemed taken aback by it, too, but she was quick to regain her composure and stay calm in the eyes of the almost furious captain. "It was supposed to be my role, yes."
Then, all of a sudden, the atmosphere surrounding them had shifted. It became arctic and frigid, a chill running down Zoro's spine with how hard and cold Luffy's voice was with his next words.
"They didn't touch you, did they?"
He noticed that this time, Robin was also visibly shaken, shock and fear replacing her typical calmness, which was to be expected, for even Zoro had felt the intense pressure Luffy was, involuntarily or not, releasing. The shade of his straw hat had conveniently covered his eyes, but Zoro could see how his jaw was locked and his teeth were clenched. He was mad, vehemently so, and it was all due to a mere possibility.
He watched with apprehension as Robin became clouded with uneasiness. She gulped. This Luffy was electrifying to Zoro but much more to her. Even though they had seen him so agitated before, so angry and so enraged, this was the first time he had expressed his emotions this way. It was different from Haki, but with the force it sent, it was no far from it, and his target wasn't Robin, yet Zoro suspected that only she could alter the course of his next action.
"No," Robin said with the tiniest tremor on her voice. "I didn't allow them to touch me."
It took a while of deliberating for Luffy to accept her words and Zoro thought of backing her up and confirming what he knew. But it seemed unnecessary as in that instant, the biting and numbing frigidness around them had diminished and popped like a bubble.
The change was as abrupt and sudden as it had been before. When Luffy raised his head, there wasn't any trace or even a hint that he had just asserted his power and influence as his unrelenting gaze turned back to warm and cheerful and his idiotic grin came back in full view.
"That's good, then!" he exclaimed eventually, causing Zoro to gape at him.
Just then, Usopp, Franky and Brook came back from their impromptu reconnaissance and joined the three on the secluded location they chose to had the meeting. When Luffy spotted the three, he immediately called out and ran over to greet them. Without another word, he left Zoro and Robin to ponder on their thoughts and mull over what had just occurred.
"What the hell was that?!" He turned to Robin, demanding to know. The overall experience was still etched into his mind, the chill he felt still ghosting in his skin, and most likely, it would remain there for a little longer. The woman mildly shook her head, indicating she didn't have any idea. The timid smile she wore and the nervousness she displayed, which Zoro very rarely associated with her, led him to mellow out and tone down his voice. "Has that happened before?"
"This was the first time." She looked distracted yet mindful enough to pay him heed. After a while, a soft sigh escaped her lips and when she faced Zoro again, she was already smiling in a gentle yet reserved way. "Perhaps I should change out of this clothes. I'll be with you guys in a bit."
"Yeah," he agreed. That outfit and appearance might have had an effect on Luffy, after all, and not in a good way, too.
Zoro's eyes followed her until she was out of sight. Then he fixed his focus on Luffy and his other crew mates. They were exchanging stories and experiences, laughing merrily as if the battle had already ended when it was only about to begin. Luffy, in particular, was being a foolish idiot as he asked if they had meat and acted like nothing major had happened where Zoro was standing merely minutes ago.
Truthfully, he already learned to accept Luffy's infatuation for Robin long before the others did. It wasn't like he had strayed from his path and had changed his goal. He was still himself, the only captain that Zoro would follow and the only man that Zoro vowed to make the Pirate King. This was only an addition to his eccentricities, something that didn't get in the way of his dreams and had continued to be an abstracted part of his aim. This was on a different kind of personal level for Luffy and Zoro had opted to not interfere on it.
And yet, after that thing earlier, he wasn't so sure anymore. Luffy was getting dangerous and volatile, his way of thinking becoming even more unimaginable and extremely difficult to grasp. Zoro worried that if it came crashing down, the one who would suffer the most in the end was Robin, and surely, that was the last thing Luffy would want to happen. But as he was now, he might be too caught up with his raging emotions to even realize that outcome.
Zoro should really keep an eye open and keep his captain afloat before he sank at the dark, bottomless pit inside his mind.
..
Usopp
When Usopp's arm was suddenly yanked by a scurrying Nami, he thought he was in for a serious scolding about something stupid he had recently done. However, judging from the expression he received when he asked politely and nervously what was up, he learned that Nami was currently a girl on a mission and needed Usopp's opinion for a second voice of reason.
Since Usopp and Nami were two out of the three (or was it four now that Brook was here?) who belonged to the 'scaredy' team of Straw Hat crew, they always shared their worries and fears for their life with each other. Most of the times their captain had taken on a dangerous adventure, their thoughts would become one and the same as they attempted to change Luffy's mind. Of course, never once did it work.
Which was why it wasn't questionable that Nami took Usopp with her to confront Robin.
The Thousand Sunny was docked behind a cliff of a small island while they seized a temporary respite before embarking on their next journey to defeat another Emperor of the New World. As Luffy was distracted with the food that Sanji was feeding him, Nami had chosen this opportunity to talk to Robin with less chance of getting disturbed. It wasn't as if the captain was always monopolising Robin's time and attention when they were on break like this, but with Luffy's impulsiveness, they really could never tell.
They found Robin in the crow's nest, engrossing herself in a book like per usual. Usopp thought with a bit of remorse that she chose this place due to its quietness and solitude, but now that he and Nami were here, she had to give up on her solace. He also found Zoro on the other side, but his sleeping self went ignored.
"Hey, Robin," Nami greeted and Robin looked up to see two of her crew mates crowding her. It would look outright suspicious to anyone, but the archaeologist only smiled. It was a good thing she didn't get easily annoyed.
"Hello, Nami, Usopp." She turned a page of her book, glancing on it for a second before giving the two of them her full attention. "Do you need something?"
"We just want to talk." Usopp let Nami initiate the talk, he was mainly here for support, after all. They settled on either side of Robin and when she closed her book, Nami took it as her consent. "It's about Luffy and his... you know, infatuation with you."
Robin hummed. She crossed her legs and leaned her back on the cushioned seat so she could have a view of both of them. "What about it?"
"Well." Nami considered what she wanted to say. She bit her lip and looked at Usopp, silently asking for help. Usopp stared back without a word, only furrowing his brows in confusion. He hadn't been briefed with this so he didn't know what to say. "Okay. How exactly do you feel about this?"
Usopp wasn't sure where Nami was going with this, but she needed him as a support, so he spoke, "Yeah. What do you think of Luffy's crush on you?"
"It's flattering, I suppose," was the overly calm response. Usopp studied her facial expression. It was neutral.
"That's it? I mean, don't you feel something else?"
"Like your heart beats faster? Or your brain gets mushy?"
As Usopp said that, Nami suddenly smacked him right in the head.
"Idiot! That's not what I mean." Robin chuckled in amusement. "We all know that Luffy always acts based on his instincts, he doesn't think much. Actually, I'm confident that he never thinks before he acts. Now that you became his... object of affection, his actions might cause you discomfort. I'm just worried about you, you know."
"Oh, that's what you meant?" Usopp whispered to himself while massaging the bump on his head.
Meanwhile, Robin gave the impression that she was aware of what Nami was trying to convey. Maybe she had thought about it, too. Robin was an intelligent person, it was only natural that she would have her own musings regarding the changes on their captain. But she had been acting like a real grown up. Usopp couldn't think of an instance that she had been affected by it. She was always so cool and composed.
"Thank you, Nami," she said, sincerity dripping in her tone. "Though I don't believe there is a need for any concern. Luffy hasn't done anything worth worrying about."
Nami looked thoughtful for a bit, like she was remembering something important but was deciding against voicing it. "Is that so?"
Robin gave her a reassuring smile, but before she could respond, someone else beat her to it.
"Don't lie," Zoro interrupted, causing the three to direct their gazes at him.
"Zoro! Were you awake all this time?" Nami questioned in slight bewilderment.
"Not all this time." He yawned. Then he fixed his stare at Robin. "What happened back in Wano was more than enough to cause for worry."
"What?! What happened in Wano?" Usopp anxiously asked. He couldn't imagine what might happened in there if even to Zoro's assessment, it sounded like a disaster. "Zoro? Robin?"
The two of them had gone silent for a while, possibly recalling the events. Usopp could only look at Nami, who shared the same confusion and uneasiness.
"Robin?" Nami eventually turned to the archaeologist, prodding her for some answers. She was a bit wary, though, as Robin seemed to stagger a bit with the reminder.
"I admit that what happened back there was quite surprising and-"
"Upsetting," Zoro provided.
"Overwhelming," she corrected.
"What happened, Robin? Did Luffy do something?" Usopp asked.
Again, it was Zoro who answered. "He didn't actually do anything, but now we know what he can and will do when it comes down to it. If, by chance, someone dared to lay a hand on you and Luffy found out about it, there's no telling what he wouldn't do to them. You've seen him, he was ready to massacre a whole army with his rage alone and he wasn't even using his Haki. We all know that he has his own brand of insanity, but that, that was different."
Nami's eyes had widened in shock and Usopp could only gaped in horror. He had seen Luffy used his Haki before to crush thousands of their enemies at once and if this was almost as intense as that, then he didn't want to picture it. Their captain was carefree and cheerfully idiotic most of the time, but when he got in a certain mood, even Usopp was scared of him and his astonishing power.
He completely agreed that Luffy could be insane at times, but this? This was bordering madness. They all thought Luffy's crush was just that, a crush. Usopp was starting to think that it wasn't as simple, after all.
"Robin, why didn't you say anything?" asked Nami. "I think Zoro is right that this is a cause for worry. This is what I'm talking about, Luffy can be selfish when he wants to be. He might be already feeling possessive of you."
"While that might be true, I still think this is only a phase. Luffy is still young. As he grow up, he'll gain more experiences and meet more people. Perhaps by then, he'll get to handle and control his emotions better." Robin spoke as if this wasn't a problem that involved her. Usopp couldn't understand why, but he figured this was really where she stood. This was her opinion about the matter and she was ready to disclose it with them to appease their worries. "Didn't you say that he acts on his instincts? Sooner or later, he'll discover a new interest that will occupy his mind. I have faith that he'll move on from this little impasse and get back on his feet."
What Robin said made sense and the way she cleverly explained it convinced Usopp even more. But... was it really alright to think that Luffy would get bored soon and find another entertainment? That this was really only just a phase?
He glanced at Zoro, hoping to get a hold of his reaction, only to find that he already went back to sleep. He faced Nami instead, waiting for her to say something. She sighed, met Usopp's gaze, and frowned. He took it they were having the same conclusion, if they could even call it that.
"If you're so sure, then that's fine. But if it starts bothering you, tell us, okay? I promise we'll do something about it."
"Yeah, yeah. Luffy is hard-headed and an idiot but if we talk to him sincerely, I'm sure he'll listen."
A soft and warm smile spread across Robin's face as she addressed them. "Thank you, Nami, Usopp. I truly appreciate it."
"Of course."
Usopp grinned. "Captain Usopp is always ready to offer a helping hand. Remember that, Robin-kun."
Just as they were about to wrap up their conversation, they heard Luffy's boisterous voice down the Thousand Sunny's deck. It reverberated even through the crow's nest and snatched their attentions away.
"Yo, Tra-guy! You came!"
Usopp hurriedly leaned over the window and peered down from it. Just as Luffy had exclaimed, Trafalgar Law came for a visit. Without further ado, Usopp climbed down the rope to join them.
It had taken them some time, but during the course of their alliance, Law had started to warm up to the Straw Hat pirates. He was still always on guard and a bit aloof, but he was way more friendly to them compared to before. He liked to judge their stupid antics and their carelessness, but that was just his own way of having fun.
"You're still as loud as ever, Mugiwara-ya," he said to Luffy, who only grinned at him while he stuffed his mouth with food.
"Yo, Law!" Usopp greeted.
"Hana-ya," Law greeted back.
"You still call me that? Anyway, I didn't know you guys are here, too. Where's your crew?" he asked as he noticed he was alone.
"Only for a while. They'll come in a bit." Law glanced around the deck as if looking for something. It was only then that Usopp noted the books he had with him. "Where's Nico-ya?"
Usopp looked up from where he left both Robin and Nami and was about to tell Law that, but Luffy quickly interjected.
"Why are you looking for Robin?"
Law raised a brow, Luffy stared, and Usopp felt his knees buckled with an invisible pressure.
Luffy sounded like he was only genuinely curious, but because of what Zoro had told them earlier, Usopp was firm to believe that his short fuse had been lit up and he might explode depending on what he would hear next. It didn't help that Law was eyeing him as if inquiring why he needed to know. With nothing much he could do with the situation, Usopp merely alerted.
"I have some books to lend her," Law answered after the terse staredown.
"Huh? Books? Okay then!" was the nonchalant reply that provided great relief to Usopp's life. Somehow, they had managed to dodge the bullet today, or prevent the bomb from exploding rather.
"Tra-guy-kun!" As if on cue, Robin came out and called for Law. "Here, come upstairs."
She gave him a light wave, smiling that gentle and sweet smile that reached her eyes. In Usopp's eyes, she looked visibly glad to see Law. She was probably happy to have him around or maybe, she was looking forward to the books he brought with him. Either way, Usopp noted with trepidation that it didn't go unnoticed by Luffy.
"Yeah." Law nodded, glimpsing at Luffy on his way to Robin.
Usopp knew that among all the Straw Hat crew, the one who had gotten really close to Law was Robin. They had the same dark sense of humor and they shared the same passion with books. They were also extremely knowledgeable and... who knew what else they had in common, but they seem to enjoy each other's company a lot. More than that, they have a mutual respect for each other and it seemed Robin was able to gain the trust of the ever 'untrusting' Law. But that was the extent of what he knew about their friendship.
He didn't know if there was more to it and honestly, he didn't want to know. Law was trudging on a dangerous territory here, figuratively and could easily be literally. If there was so much as a single spark... Usopp didn't want to think of the doom they would inevitably fall upon.
He watched as Luffy's gaze was transfixed on the smile on the archaeologist's face that hadn't subsided yet. His expression was unreadable as the meat he was about to bite into got suspended in the air. Even as Robin and Law where out of their sight, Luffy remained unmoving. Usopp didn't know what to do.
"Luffy?" Nami, who came down after Robin, tentatively called. She turned to Usopp when she received no reaction and whispered to him. "Maybe he's jealous?"
"Does he even know what that is?" Usopp whispered back.
"He doesn't know the word but that's probably what he's feeling right now."
"But if he's jealous, wouldn't he show his rage, like Zoro described?"
"Idiot, this is different from that. Luffy is seeing Robin smile like that, do you think he'll get mad at her? He's just wondering why Robin would smile like that to another guy."
Usopp considered it. If it was Law who had smiled to Robin like that, Luffy would be enraged, but now that it was the other way around, he was confused. Apparently, in Wano, he felt possessive, but now, he was feeling jealous, and to Luffy's inexperienced mind, it was presumably a mystery feeling.
"So do you think Robin likes Law?"
His head met Nami's fiery fist again. "You idiot! What if Luffy heard you?!"
He swiftly covered his mouth and prayed to all deities that Luffy didn't hear him. Just then, the door from the dining room opened and Sanji came out. He looked at the captain and asked, "What's wrong, Luffy?"
To all their surprise, the food about to be gobbled was put down by a stretchy arm as Luffy swallowed what was left in his mouth before saying, "I don't feel good. Sanji, save this for me. I'll be back."
The three of them were astonished, never believing they would witness the day Luffy would pause on his meal to do something else, but they refrained from commenting on it. All they could do was stare in heavy silence as the Straw Hat captain marched his way in the direction of the library where Robin and Law had gone to.
Usopp's theory had been confirmed with the startling admittance. Luffy was really feeling jealous but thought of it as a mystery feeling since he didn't really know what it was about, only that it was not good. He tried to recollect his own experience, curious to know if he had some.
With Kaya... Hmm, Usopp was too young back then. There was no way he would understand what he had felt and he couldn't remember if there was even a circumstance that would cause him to become jealous. And with- He chanced a glance at Nami, only to find her gaze already on him. Her eyes were narrowing with suspicion and glinting with irk.
"You're thinking about Lady Kaya, aren't you?" she said, emphasising the word Lady in mock courtesy.
Usopp averted his gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Well, Nami was more prone to get jealous than he was.
..
Chopper
Chopper hadn't really been able to comprehend most of the human emotions. They were a lot more complicated and puzzling than those he was used to know. He found them troublesome, to be honest.
He was told that even humans, themselves, were having a hard time grasping their own emotions and keeping them at bay. So it encouraged him to simply let them flow by nature and to cease from contemplating on them all the time. He shouldn't have to be so fixated on them.
However, as he observed most of his favorite people, he couldn't help but pay attention to the undeniably strong emotions that they were currently giving out. He didn't know why they tried to hide it, but it looked like they had been suppressing these emotions and kept them from spilling out. Yet now that something beyond their control was happening, they couldn't keep them hidden anymore.
Chopper knew that Robin and Law had become friends. He had heard them talk about interesting books, shared some inexplicable theories and conversed about the intricacies of the world. He hadn't really understood what they were discussing about but they seemed to be having fun. It intrigued him.
He had unwittingly showed his curiosity on them and, of course, Robin had noticed it. Robin was always aware of her surrounding, it was amazing. She urged him to join them and as he expected, he enjoyed talking to Law about medicinal practices and intellect on successful operation. He was enlightened and he was giddy with joy.
So when he heard that Law had come to the Thousand Sunny, he was eager and excited to join him and Robin again. Maybe he could also borrow some of the books he had and ask for an advice regarding the new type of medicine he was on the midst of formulating.
On his way to the library, his nose picked up the scent of Robin and surely, that other scent was Law's. But he also picked up another familiar scent that he never expected to come near books. Luffy was here, too? The thought put a smile to his face, nonetheless.
When he opened the door, he saw that Robin and Law were already sitting across each other, a couple of books he had never seen before neatly laid on top of the table in front of them, and Luffy was standing beside Robin. Chopper gave a shy greeting, "Law, hi."
"Tony-ya," Law returned. He glanced at the books, showing them to Chopper. "Take your pick."
He beamed and took a spot next to them. "It doesn't really make me happy, but if you insist, then I'll take up on that offer."
Law only smirked at him, fully aware of his tsundere tendencies.
"Roooobin." Chopper heard the whining that came from his captain, who was trying so hard to make Robin pay attention to him. There was a scant bit of anxiousness in his eyes that the reindeer couldn't place and a desperation in his voice that he had only heard a few times before. "I wanna go to town. Come with me, please?"
He was pleading, too, something Chopper wouldn't associate with him outside food. Maybe he really wanted to go to town? But why couldn't he go by himself or with the others like he had done before? Why would he specifically ask for Robin and go as far as to pester her?
He knew that Luffy liked Robin. But Luffy liked everyone in his crew, as well. Plus, Chopper liked Robin, too, and yet he wouldn't want to bother her like this. How did Luffy's liking to her different from everyone else?
"Yes, I'll go with you," Robin said after a while even though her gaze had always been down on her books. She was wearing her perpetual delicate smile and she appeared to be in a relatively good mood. Luffy's expression brightened as he grinned at her, but it immediately vanished when Robin continued. "In a while, okay?"
"But..." Luffy trailed, the words getting stuck on his throat.
"Oh no, I think I left my book in the crow's nest. I'm just going to go and get it."
Chopper wordlessly watched Robin leave the room as Luffy's attempts went ignored. Well, he wasn't completely neglected, but it was obvious that he didn't obtain what he came to get. He stood in his spot with a weighty air around him and instinctively lowered his head to cast a shadow over his eyes.
Because Chopper was peeking from a lower perspective, however, he was able to see the downcast eyes of his captain as if he had been overcome with sadness and solemnity. It was different from the grief that he had displayed years ago, but the emotions behind his expression was almost as grim as that.
He didn't know what to do but he wanted to at least comfort Luffy.
"Why are you so agitated, Mugiwara-ya?" Law asked without lifting his head as he thumbed through the pages of his book.
Chopper waited for a response. He could do nothing but examined the exchange between his captain and the surgeon. There was a stifling atmosphere that was becoming uncomfortable every second and making his feral instincts go awry. It was alarming to think that these two humans could give him this kind of scare.
"Tra-guy, I'm not a hero." Luffy spoke with a fierce conviction. He said it in a reduced volume, but his tone was laced with animosity and finality. "I don't share."
The reindeer had known the Straw Hat captain could be really frightening at times, but it still sent a shiver down his spine whenever he encountered this side of him. He couldn't even look at him in the eyes unlike Law who, to his horror and awe, had battled Luffy's glare with his own.
While Chopper was sweat dropping all by himself and wishing for Robin to come back quickly, Luffy and Law were eyeing each other with an electricity sparking between them in great intensity. Luffy's brows were furrowing with anger which Law only countered with a cynical look. Chopper couldn't even figure how it came down to this and what they were arguing about. He just knew that it wasn't a good idea to meddle, no matter how much his trembling self wanted to.
Just as the suffocating silence permeated in the room, Law released a sigh that the reindeer read, with an immense amount of relief, as a sign of surrender.
"I get it," he said, turning his attention back to his book.
Chopper didn't get it, but there was a lot of things he didn't get about humans so he didn't really care about that. He was just glad that he gave in. When he looked at Luffy, though, he knew it wasn't over yet.
"No, you don't." Luffy gritted his teeth, his pupils getting dilated with how strong his emotions were. He let out a low growl that reminded Chopper of an alpha asserting its dominance and ownership. He was ready to take Law down and put him on his place. But he knew that Law wasn't barging on his territory, so what was Luffy so threatened about? Was it...? "Robin is mine."
With a final glare to Law's direction, Luffy walked out of the library and left them both in shock.
Chopper's mind was filled with worry. He looked at Law to find him putting a hand on top of his hat to cover his eyes. He noticed that they were closed. Then, he chuckled despairingly before saying, "You have a really crazy captain, Tony-ya."
When Robin came back, the mood around them had lightened again as if they had an unspoken agreement to pretend nothing happened. Of course, Chopper couldn't really forget it, his mind was still going around in circles as he thought about it. The earlier exchange had only lasted for a few minutes but they were some of the most excruciating and flabbergasting minutes of his life. It exhausted his feeble heart.
"Is there something wrong, Chopper?" Robin asked him, probably picking up on his drained energy.
"No," he replied weakly. "It's nothing."
She looked unconvinced at first, but accepted his denial when he buried his nose on a book.
"Hey, Nico-ya."
Chopper listened as Robin hummed inquiringly.
"How much do you trust your captain?"
Robin took a moment to reply. When the reindeer peeked at them, he saw that they were communicating through their gazes, just like Luffy and Law had done. He was glad to note that there was no deadly spark this time, but it made him curious if humans could actually read each other's mind and converse through it. Or was it only a Law thing? Whichever it was, the silence they left him with had caused him another bout of anxiety.
"There is no one else I trust more than Luffy," were the words that came out eventually.
Law gazed at Robin like he was searching for something in her eyes. Chopper had no idea what it was but when he spoke again, it sounded hurting. To him, those words meant exactly how they sounded but maybe to Law, they had a deeper and more profound meaning.
"I see."
Chopper was starting to comprehend a little bit of Luffy's feelings because of earlier. He had seen that kind of behavior before and his instincts had tingled with recognition. It was possible- no, it was mostly certain that Luffy wanted Robin as his mate. That would be the only plausible way for him to explain it and to be honest, it was easier to understand it this way.
He could also discern some familiarity on Law's emotions. The surgeon seemed to like Robin in a different way Chopper did and a bit lesser than the way Luffy did. He could indulge himself to relish on her presence yet he wouldn't risk jeopardising his relation with the Straw Hat pirates. In other words, he was willing to back down.
Robin, on the other hand, was mysterious and gave him the most complicated equation. He couldn't read her emotion past that soft smile she always had on her face. He could never guess what she was thinking.
In the first place, was she already aware of Luffy's feelings for her? What about Law's? And what did she think about all of that?
Chopper's head was starting to ache just thinking about the complexities of human psychology. He could treat any wounds and illnesses, but he could never hope to touch the subject of people's mental and emotional health.
..
Robin
"Hey, Robin."
Robin chose to spend her time relaxing in the bar of Thousand Sunny with a cup of coffee Sanji had especially brewed for her. She was alone at first, but soon she was joined by Luffy after he had dropped a fish in the aquarium and decided to check on it.
She had to admit that Luffy's current company had been rather pleasant. He was quiet beyond his cheerful greeting and had remained reposeful as they basked in the amicable silence. Even when he spoke, Robin was delighted to conclude that the tranquil ambience hadn't been shattered. Perhaps he was being considerate towards her.
"Yes? What is it, Luffy?"
Luffy had his gaze fixed on the aquarium, his eyes following the movements of the multi-colored fishes inside. He had his arms propped on top of the back rest with his chin resting on them. He was kneeling beside where Robin was sitting. When he talked again, she noticed that his tone had an uncertainty on it.
"Before you join us, you said I saved your life even when you don't want me to, so I have to take responsibility."
"I did say that, yes."
"If your life is my responsibility, does that mean your life is mine?"
Robin marveled at his words. The Luffy she was looking at now was in a mood of rare seriousness. She couldn't detect a hint of non-sense in him and couldn't overpass the earnestness and honest curiosity he carried with him.
She did wonder what those words she had uttered in the past alluded to. But later, she realized that it was of no importance what they meant to her, she already entrusted her life to Luffy. It was all in his hands now.
"If that is how you want it to mean, then I suppose it can mean that way."
The captain faced her. She slightly tilted her head on the side in the same way he always did when he was showing confusion. He retaliated it with an unsettled look.
"Your life," he started, the weight of his stare becoming substantial and unyielding all of a sudden. "Your mind, your heart, your body, even your soul... I want them all."
Robin had a difficult time processing what her captain had pointed out. She knew the terms by their definition and yet, she was struggling to comprehend what they pertain to as they came out of Luffy's mouth.
She had to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat before speaking. Luffy's gaze was perforating her with severity that almost willed her to submit. She did her best to compose herself so as to not be swayed by the forced of the boy she swore her loyalty to.
"Luffy, do you understand what you are saying?" she asked and to her surprise, there was no hesitation visible on his eyes. She tried again. "Do you know what you are asking?"
"I do know, Robin. I want everything of you to be mine. Not anyone else's but mine." He shifted on his position, now sitting beside her yet still completely facing her. "I want to have all of you. I can't?"
To Robin, who had been shrouded in darkness and despair most of her life, Luffy's existence was the brilliant light that gave her hope and reason to live. He was bright and mesmerising, someone who radiated with happiness and positivity. Even with the stint of madness that would sometimes emerged from him, there was no better way to describe the Straw Hat captain than a scintillating being.
His actions were mostly based on impulse and he always strived to have fun, but all of them were aware that he also moved with a purpose. His strong will and determination had helped and saved them many times before and even though his decision-making was a cause for doubt, with it, he still led them to victory and freedom.
He allowed Robin to dream, provided her a home with a family, and most of all, Luffy gave her a life worth living. He was the person she committed to devote herself to. Could she even deny him anything after all of that?
The answer came up instantly.
"For as long as you want me to, I will be by your side and follow you all through out your journey, captain."
Luffy stared at her in silence. She could tell he was far from satisfied with her answer. But what could be the right one if she was still uncertain with what the extent of his feelings were and was undecided regarding how she would take his declarations in? Was it possible that she was looking at this the wrong way? What he desired and what she could give him might not be the same, after all.
Those thoughts were quickly dismissed, however, when he showed her the wide grin she was so fond of.
"Okay!"
She smiled. As expected, Luffy was still Luffy.
(Little did Robin know that the consent she granted Luffy already served as the lock of the shackles that would bind her to him for life.)
..
-k-