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Robin looked fondly over her tablemates. Food was everywhere, limbs flailing and people laughing. She had a sudden intense thankfulness for Franky, who built a table that could fit so many in only a short while.
She subtly watched them all, a small smile that she couldn’t contain peeking onto her lips. Usopp and Nami were laughing and shoving each other lightly, talking about something or ranting, she didn’t bother listening in, content to just watch their joy filled expressions.
Jimbe, Franky, and Brook all sat next to each other, Brook playing a weirdly soulful piece that somehow also fit the chaos around them. They all somehow conveyed that they were having a truly meaningful conversation, filled with wise anecdotes and sage advice. However Robin knew this was not the case, and the subject of their conversation was anything other than what one would consider “wise.”
Chopper clung to Sanji’s hair, pulling it painfully away from his face so everyone could see both swooping eyebrows. Zoro losing it off to the side as he tried to untangle Chopper’s hooves from his bangs didn’t help the slight blush of embarrassment across Sanji’s face, and he snarled and spit at the world. But mostly at Zoro.
Robin’s eyes finally landed on the head of the table, unanimously left for one of the smallest of their group. He watched them all with a fondness that was unusually intense for a young child. There was a bit of sadness there too, and she kept an eye out for him as dinner went on and all the kids somehow got more chaotic. He joined in for the most part, but there were moments where he paused a second too long, gazed around a little dazedly, slowed in eating.
By the end of the night she had figured his energy was waning severely, and it was probably time for all the little children to go to bed. By then dinner was over and Sanji had manhandled the three oldest men into doing the dishes for him. The rest of the kids had gravitated to the living room, spaced out as they ran around playing some sort of game in the open space. She called out for everyone to group onto the couch for a movie, and they all dogpiled into the same corner even though there was plenty of room to sit.
By now everyone had gathered in the pile, bowls of popcorn settled in laps and legs and hands taken off of faces so people could see. She sent a quick proud glance at Sanji, who had somehow anticipated the need for popcorn and had already been preparing some when she asked for it. He turned a bit red and ducked his head behind his hair, but she managed to catch the wide grin that spread over his face.
As the movie started up, she glanced lovingly over her family. She never thought she would get to this point, and she couldn’t stop thinking about it. It amazed her that after everything she had been through, after everything they had been through, they had managed to come together like this. She couldn’t be happier.
A head snuggled into her arm, and without hesitation she brought it up and over his shoulders so he could snuggle into her side. She glanced fondly down at Luffy as he resettled himself. She kept her body language completely relaxed when she noticed the tears swimming in his eyes.
“Are you alright?” she murmured into his hair, pressing a kiss into his temple. He startled slightly but no one else seemed to notice over the movie. He blinked a few times and quickly swiped at his eyes with a sleeve before turning the full force of his smile against her. She couldn’t help the way her own smile grew to nearly match his.
“Yeah, m’alright!” he grinned up at her before burrowing his face into her side again and whispered, “Just glad I’ve got you all back.”
Her heart melted, something she almost thought would be impossible at this point after everything. She gently pushed her fingers into his hair as they both turned back to the movie, though she caught Zoro’s eyes at one point. He gave her a calculating look as she gave him a calm smile back. He narrowed his eyes before also turning back to the movie.
As the night grew into very early morning and all the kids fell asleep Robin watched the credits roll by and let herself soak in the comfort the peacefully chaotic night had brought her. She gazed over the couch, so different from the table earlier as people leaned against each other or fell asleep on top of each other. Or, if you were Chopper, still half tangled in Sanji’s bangs.
“I missed you all too, Captain.”