Chapter Text
Silence creeped through the room. Nami, Zoro, and Usopp paused their game and started staring. Franky felt himself turning pinker than his apron. He looked at Robin and she held her gaze, tipping her head to the side a bit.
“I could swear you were romancing me at least a little. But of course if you don-”
Robin was cut off by Franky blurting “I do! Can we please not talk about this in front of the kids?” Nami's eyes were pingpong-ing between the two. Sanji gulped.
Robin nodded and raised an eyebrow: "As you wish."
The group floated in awkward silence for a bit, the kids getting back to their cards and Sanji stepping backwards out of the small kitchen. The adults went back to washing the dishes, but the distraction was finished in a few short minutes. Franky dried his hands on a towel, then headed to the living room, looking wordlessly to Robin for her to follow. She did.
"Come on kiddos, It's 8. You all have school tomorrow. Gotta get the extra strength so you can be SUPER by morning!" Franky slapped Zoro on the shoulder while he spoke, earning a glare in return.
"Ugggghhhhhh..... I want to stay up for once!" Usopp complained, falling backwards onto the floor with his hands in the air, head landing on Luffy's belly. The other boy had started napping a few minutes ago and was now out cold.
Nami began shuffling the cards. "Just send the rest of these lugs to bed." She waved a hand at Chopper who was fighting to keep his eyes open.
Robin wordlessly walked over to the little boy and scooped him up, causing him to weakly swing his arms at her and mumble "Hey, put me down..." The other kids tensed, Usopp reaching into his deep overall pockets and finding purchase on something, Nami reached under the couch she was leaning against and her arm tensed, gripping whatever she found. Zoro raised an eyebrow and Sanji stretched his legs. Luffy just opened his eyes and observed.
Franky rolled his shoulders, a mix of nerves and preparation to either fight Robin for hurting Chopper in any way, or hold back his kiddos from murdering an innocent woman. Franky decided to follow Robin's lead and just take kids to bed, and decided to lighten the tension by grabbing Luffy's legs. He gave them a quick yank, then wove him through the sitting kids until Luffy was off the carpet. "Come on guys." Franky kept walking, Robin following quietly, as they went into the kid's room. Franky swung Luffy on an ottoman, Robin gently set Chopper in a hammock. Zoro had followed them in and, at seeing nothing was wrong, lumbered into a hammock.
"I'm saying like- Elvis is not that great dude." Nami's voice bounced down the hall.
"Franky's gonna kill you for that one." Usopp responded.
"I'm standing by that. He's too-" Nami paused for a moment, Franky thought she was probably making jazz hands. She had made these opinions about Elvis VERY clear before.
"Well you listen to Frank Sinatra and keep a flyer with Marilyn Monroe under your pillow so actually-"
"So what if I like a good yearn! Can't a woman do anything?"
Usopp started laughing and Franky heard the bathroom sink turn on. They were still arguing through brushing their teeth, garbled comments sliding down the hall and into the bedroom. Sanji was still in the living room, Franky could see a faint haze in the hall from him smoking. /Must have been a rough day at work./ He thought. He was glad he couldn't smell anymore.
Robin tapped him on the shoulder. "If you don't mind, I'll be going now. It's awful late."
"Well I wouldn't leave a lady to walk home on her own." Franky smiled softly at her. "If you don't mind, of course."
Robin touched his arm lightly. "I'd love it if you walked me home."
"Oh, we're not walking." Franky led Robin out of the kids room, down the hallway, past Nami and Usopp, who were still arguing while washing their faces and putting their hair up for the night. "Nami, Usopp, You better be in bed when I get back. I'm giving Robin a ride home." They continued into the wood paneled living room, Sanji placing Tupperware in the fridge with a cigarette between his teeth. "Sanji, you can stay up until we -I mean I- get home. Make sure everyone's in bed."
Sanji nodded and continued his work. "Got it boss man."
Franky shrugged on his coat and Robin grabbed her purse. Franky held Robin's coat up for her and she gracefully inserted an arm in each sleeve. Franky grabbed his hat from the coat rack, adjusted his collar, then swung the door open. "Shall we?"
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Robin followed the loud man outside and around to an alley. There she saw an old Ford, at least it must have been an old Ford at some point. It had undergone major modifications. The hood was struggling to stay down, tensed with trying to cover a massive engine. She could see pipes running over the back wheels. Robin supposed this was simply an American hobby. She had heard they loved their cars. Franky stomped over to his car and nearly slammed the passenger door open.
"I know it looks a little scrappy, but she runs super!" Franky grinned and his metal nose caught the street light and shone.
"I suppose I'll trust you." Robin stepped into the car, using Franky's outstretched hand as a brace. Franky closed the door and ran around to the other side, jumping into the driver's seat and shaking the car. "What a gentleman" Robin tipped her head at Franky.
Franky bashfully looked to the side. "Aw, you flirt." There was silence: "Wait, no I didn't mean it like-"
Robin chuckled. "It's fine, I know what you mean."
Franky started the car and the engine came to life, the car slightly shaking. "Well miss, where do you live?"
Robin gave street names and directions and they eventually reached her apartment building, a fog settling over the city and obscuring the upper floors.
"Well, this is it." There was an awkward silence after Robin spoke.
She began to get out of the car when Franky blurted "Wait- Uh, do you want my number? You don't have to call it or anything..."
Robin smiled. "If you would like to share it."
Franky haphazardly leaned into the backseat and found purchase on a sketchpad. He brought it up to the front and tore off the drawing of a young girl Robin didn't recognize. He grabbed a pen from the floor of the car and scribbled some numbers before passing it to Robin. "Here. Call me if you need anything or you wanna meet up again or anything..." he turned away shyly.
"You're sweet." Robin said, and kissed him on the cheek. His face immediately turned a bright red and he started giggling softly. Robin tucked her black hair behind her ear. "I guess you were right." She lifted her head to look Franky in the eyes. "I am a flirt."
Robin softly closed the car door and walked into the apartment building, waving to the doorman. Well, he was supposed to be the doorman but he never worked the door, he only sat at the front desk and waved practically anyone in. She took the stairs up to the second floor, creaky wood hall floors betraying her presence to anyone in the hall. She slid her key into the doorknob and jangled it a bit before the door came open.
Robin softly closed the door behind her and walked over to her bed and sat down, immediately emptying her purse. A pocketknife, notepad and pen with three sheets packed with writing, an empty cigarette box filled with pills, and some makeup. Robin sifted through it till she found what she was looking for. Franky's number. She couldn't let her associates know about him. They'd make her use him. They'd admonish her for wasting time. Robin set the paper next to her phone, fingers playing with the cord. /Maybe tomorrow/ She thinks.
Remembering her report, Robin slid open the second drawer of her bedside table and pulled out her typewriter. The woman rolled her shoulders and typed out her whole day, leaving out certain details about her evening.
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Robin threw on her coat and grabbed her report, rushing out of the apartment. 6 minutes to twelve. Feet hammering down the stairs. Her breath and heartbeat heavy in her ears while she ran. She composed herself before rounding the corner. There sat a bar with a closed sign hanging. 'Spider's Cafe' read the awning.
She opened the door without knocking, sliding into the back of the room, trying to fade into the peripheral. Agent Doublefinger stood behind the bar, flexing her fingers and cracking her knuckles while reading a report. She looked at Robin and her posture went straight.
"Miss All-Sunday. It's a pleasure. I took the liberty of collecting some reports for you." Paula seemed cold, but Robin could sense shyness. She was the top female agent, Paula had no choice but to respect her wholeheartedly, but they had gotten along like friends in private.
Most of the agents were there, except Mr. 0 and Mr. 5, the latter of which was in another city for the time being so it was excusable. Mr. 0 never came to these meetings, but always demanded their happening. Robin would bring all the reports to him via dropspot tomorrow. Of course, she was in charge of doing evaluations on everyone lower than her, part of her being agent in chief. Mr 0 was the only one in communication with their homeland, he evaluated Robin's report and chose the best parts from everyone to get sent in the month report, but all the daily reports were finally filed somewhere no one knew except Mr. 0.
"Thank you, agent Doublefinger." Robin said, but her gaze was focused on the tanned sixteen year old in the back, sitting on a school watching Mr. 9 and Mr. 2 play cards. Mr. 3 was walking around them and judging their moves, giving hints to Mr. 9. Mr. 3 had always had a slight animosity towards Mr. 2. But the girl watching them, Ms. Wednesday, was pinching her knuckles. She was the one who rolled the rock and alerted Robin to the meeting in the first place. Typical of Mr. 0 to make the lower levels be messengers. Robin didn't care, spared her the time, but Miss Wednesday? As messenger? Ms. Goldenweek would be better, she would also be 16, but she was much higher rank, more efficient, and a better liar. Was this a test?
"Ms. Wednesday, could we talk?" Robin strode over to the card table. Ms. Wednesday and her companion immediately froze, but Misters 2 and 3 remained enraptured in the card game. "Just you Ms. Wednesday."
She nervously rose from her seat and gave Mr. 9 a pat on the back to show she was okay. Agent partners were trained together, deployed together, the same skill level, and so the trust they built with each other was immense. What was interesting was that Mr. 8 stopped talking to Ms. Merry Christmas and walked over, standing behind Ms. Wednesday.
"Now, what's this about Ms. All-Sunday?" He injected.
"Nothing that concerns you. This is a matter between an agent and a subordinate."
"She's my subordinate as well."
"And you're my subordinate."
Mr. 8 then took Robin's hint and backed away, but Robin could tell he was still trying to listen in. To sabotage that, Robin wrapped an arm around Ms. Wednesday's shoulders and led her to the cellars of the bar. "So, Ms. Wednesday. I have a... mission for you."
Ms. Wednesday stood at rapt attention. She always was a suck-up. "Yes officer."
"This must remain a secret. Keep the information about it at the back of your report, so Ms. Doublefinger doesn't see it when she starts looking through."
"Yes officer."
"Good." Robin began leaning back on the wall of the cellar, lightly kicking the door closed and wrapping them in darkness. "Now, I'm going to hand you some sketches. You are to find these people and keep tabs on them. They attend your school and will be important to watch after." Robin found Ms. Wednesday's shaky, soft hand and slipped her drawings of Franky's kids in. "You can do this, right?"
Robin heard a gulp in the dark. "Yes officer."
"That's what I like to hear." Satisfied, Robin opened the cellar doors and walked up, pulling a cigarette out of her jacket pocket and popping it in her mouth. "Anybody got a light?"