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Nico Robin does not sleep. It is something learned, an ability forged by fear and loneliness. Ohara had burned until not even the ashes remained, leaving her with nowhere to put down roots, no home to call her own, nowhere safe to breathe.
(for all her aunt’s failings, she had allowed her some hours of peace. after knowing the life of a demon, robin wonders what she was even scared of back then,)
Of course, no matter what the papers say, and no matter if she has the powers of a devil’s fruit, she is still human. There are small moments where she can close a single eye, a dead sleep lasting only a matter of minutes. Enough to keep her going until her body betrays her and she collapses, and she can only pray she’s not incapacitated long enough to be killed.
(Once upon a time, she used to sleep longer. Light sleep, waking up at the softest voices and hushed accusations, but true sleep nonetheless. She’s learned better, since then.)
It’s easy to say you’re good at reading people when the world only throws a single type at you. Easy to predict betrayal when your luck gives you nothing else. For she has nothing to offer this world, that buries away truth with practiced ease, covering them with crimes that don’t exist so nobody will even try to look for it.
Until she meets him, anyway.
Betrayal is the law for pirates- Robin didn’t even need her bounty to distrust them. Even if she had been a normal woman, living a normal life, she’d know to keep her distance from pirates. Just like the all civilians she’s known, all the Marines she’s seen, all pirates all seem cut from the same cloth. No matter how colorful and eccentric, they’re still pirates, and greedy to the core.
Crocodile is the same. He is a man who cares for nothing but his own wants, nothing but himself. Unlike most, he at least has the decency to be open about it. Unlike most, he actually knows that Poneglyphs are useful, and that someone who can read them, even more so.
Neither of them are stupid. Their partnership is based on promises, facts- this will end in betrayal. (this will end in death.)
But until then, Sir Crocodile takes and throws away what they don't need. He takes away her name, her past, her fears, anything that could make her less useful to him. What’s left is Miss All-Sunday.
Miss All-Sunday is a crew member of a Warlord. She has no past. Those outside of Baroque Works have never heard, will never hear her name. Her face is of Crocodile’s partner.
She knows there’s a timer on this facade, but until Crocodile doesn’t need her anymore, she’s safe. Safer than she’d ever been. Safer than she ever believed she could be.
At night, Miss All-Sunday lies down her head, and sleeps, deep and dreamless. In the morning, she never thanks him. They’re doing their jobs, making sure their partnership and plans will succeed, nothing more.
(she’s grateful anyways)
(months later, nico robin finds a family. she’s welcomed by her friends, she’s given a home, a ship full of people who chose her over the world. she lays her roots on the sunny, throwing away names she doesn’t need anymore.
Miss All-Sunday’s role is done, and for the first time in forever, Nico Robin sleeps.
She dreams of a brighter tomorrow.)