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While Robin was now sharing a bed behind a closed door, she was still unable to sleep through the night without waking up in a panic. She stepped out onto the ship's deck and stood still for a minute, immersing herself in the moment, the balmy sea air hitting her face as they approached a summer island and the smell of salt in the air. She began to move forward slowly, one step at a time, feeling the clover bed lead to the waxed wooden deck beneath her toes as she made her way to the ship's figurehead.
The slightest creak in the deck caused her to assume a defensive posture, hands up and ready to fight. She took a step back as the figure crept forward. A familiar silhouette of a straw hat stood in front of her. The rush of relief caused her body to relax, causing her to stumble on the rail behind her. Luffy grabbed her hand and pulled her close to his chest.
"Are you all right, Robin?" Luffy raised his head, his face visible in the moonlight. Her face was flushed with embarrassment, even though he couldn't see it. On a logical level, she knew she had nothing to fear when she was with her friends, but her body struggled to realize it. Luffy inquired, "Bad dreams?" because she had not responded. He knew in his heart that this was the reason based on the cues he had picked up before they left Water 7 and the information Robin shared as she began to let them all in.
"Y-yes.
He led her to Sunny's figure head and seated her in front of him. He grabbed her from behind and rested his head on her shoulder, saying, "You don't have to deal with all of this on your own, okay? At least for the time being, you are not in the bad dreams; you are simply here with me." Her body was enveloped in warmth, not only from the sea air or Luffy's embrace, but also from the joy she felt right now. After a while, both of their stomachs growled at the same time, so Robin led Luffy to the kitchen. On the lawn, they shared her favorite food, sandwiches.
In the early morning hours, footsteps pounded up the stairs from the second floor quarters to the deck door. Nami had dashed up the stairs after discovering the other half of the bed was empty. She knew Robin would wake up now and then, having trouble sleeping—she had tossed and turned a lot last night—but she hadn't returned this time. She discovered Robin and Luffy asleep on Sunny's lawn, sprawled in opposite directions but laying face to face. There were signs of their picnic, glasses spilled on the lawn, a half-eaten sandwich—the crusts cut off—the way Robin always liked to give them to Luffy that way (everyone claimed that Luffy was selfish making her do that, but Robin loved having all of the crusts to herself). Nami exhaled a sigh. This moron... It's sweet, though, because Robin is sleeping soundly and he makes her happy. Despite her relief, she didn't want to pass up an opportunity to chastise Luffy. She did, after all, panic. The navigator shook Luffy awake by lifting him by the collar of his vest.
"Nami," Luffy yawned.
"RETURN ROBIN TO BED NEXT TIME!"
Robin rubbed her eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I'm just reminding Luffy to get back to bed so I don't have a heart attack."
"I'm sorry, Nav- Nami; I'll be sure to return." Robin smiled.
Nami dropped Luffy to the ground and led Robin to the kitchen, saying she would make Sanji make them French toast with tangerine marmalade for breakfast (a breakfast combining the girls' favorite foods).
They docked on a small merchant island around nine o'clock that morning to get supplies. The group was split up to get any supplies they might require. Sanji was assigned to find food and water filters, Usopp and Franky to look for scrap metals or gadgets, and Luffy, Robin, and Chopper to find medical supplies, history books, and maps (really whatever they could get their hands on). Nami started surveying the island for map making just off the coast. When the first group returned, Zoro would leave the ship and accompany Nami to the island's center. It was odd that Sanji didn't object; normally, he would be overly protective of Nami or yell at Zoro in a sibling-like feud.
Luffy slid his hand under Robin's, lacing their fingers together as they strolled through the antique market. This lasted until they had gathered everything they needed and were returning to the Sunny. Robin let go of the captain's hand and came to a halt in front of the captain and doctor. Chopper's hoof was placed Luffy's hand, and she grabbed his other hoof with hers. "One, two, three," Robin counted. Luffy lifted Chopper and swung him in time with Robin. Chopper asked to do it again after they lowered him back down, so they did again and again until they reached the ship. The reindeer dashed to the ship once they were back at the dock to see what Franky and Usopp had gotten.
Robin said to Luffy after Chopper was out of earshot, "I always wanted to do that." Luffy took her hand in his and laced his fingers with hers once more. "We can make all of your dreams come true," Luffy said as he turned to face her, "but only good dreams from now on." As they made their way back to the ship, he squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Luffy had joined her in cataloging everything they had discovered. Robin had gotten up to go to the kitchen when he interrupted her, "Where are you going?"
"Don't you want to get some food?"
"No… yes, but let me get it! I wanted you to... to teach me some stuff from your favorite history book," Luffy said, making a puppy dog face. She was surprised, but she smiled and said she'd love that. Luffy returned with all of the ingredients for a high tea. Finger sandwiches, biscuits with clotted cream, macarons, and a gentle rooibos tea were all her favorites.
When she walked into the kitchen for dinner, the crew greeted her with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROBIN!" She burst into tears right away. In a panic, they all rushed to her, asking what was wrong. "I'm just so happy," Robin said as she wiped her eyes. They sat her at the head of the table after she had calmed down, and Sanji brought out a magnificent cake decorated with rosemary and orange slices. "As you like it, a cake made for you- olive oil cake with whipped cream and a tart fruit glaze. It's a dessert befitting a queen who likes things not too sweet," he bowed.
The crew continued to cheer as twenty-one candles were blown out.
"So, what did you wish for?" Chopper inquired. Usopp hit him on the head and told him she wasn't to tell anyone or it wouldn't come true.
Robin laughed and stated that her wish had already been granted because she was with them. From now on, only good dreams.
