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The staircase that led from old Wano to the basement of the castle was dark and clammy—which tempted Law to wrap an arm around Robin and use a Room to transport them to the top of the staircase—but it was quiet as he, Robin, and Sukiyaki ascended the stairs. Law liked quiet. It gave him time to think, which was a privilege that had become increasingly rare since entangling himself with Luffy.
He snuck glances at Robin as they made their way behind Sukiyaki. Her blue eyes were blank; Law could almost feel the gears of her mind turning as she worked over what Sukiyaki had shared with them. He admired the way her mind worked. Later he would ask her what she was thinking. Right now he wanted to enjoy the silence that had settled between the three of them.
After walking up the “hundreds of years deep” staircase, they found themselves back in the basement of the castle. Sukiyaki regarded Robin and Law solemnly, nodding at them. “I’ll leave you two to it,” he said. He left them behind, murmuring something about returning to the festival.
Robin was silent, her eyes passing over the rows of kokeshi dolls. Her mind was clearly occupied, so Law cleared his throat to get her attention.
“Should we follow his lead?” he asked her. He wouldn’t mind walking the grounds of the festival with her.
“I would love to, Law.”
He offered her his hand. It seemed like the gallant thing to do. Robin placed her hand in his and Law used a series of Rooms to transport them out of the basement, then the castle, onto the festival grounds. The grounds were alive with light and sound. Paper lanterns glowed from stands; the smell of sulfur from sparklers mingled with the smell of street food; and people milled around, talking, drinking, and laughing.
Robin was smiling.
“What?” Law asked her.
“This is my first proper festival,” she said, her eyes following a pair of children, a boy and a girl, who ran by with their candy apples.
Law looked at the children as they came to a stop to enjoy their apples. The boy, the taller of the two, smiled at the girl as he asked her if she liked her apple. She nodded enthusiastically. Their similarly shaped eyes and noses suggested they were related, perhaps brother and sister. Watching them, Law saw himself and Lammy in the pair, and he had to look away.
“Law?” Robin said, worried.
With grief’s familiar grip on his heart, Law forced himself to look at Robin. She regarded him patiently, waiting for him to explain himself, but Law found it hard to breathe with the weight in his throat, much less speak. He grabbed her hand and led her away from the kids, putting distance between them.
As they walked, Law took in the sights of the festival. Two old men drank and sang songs together, arms around each other’s necks. Two teenage boys played with fire crackers. A group of people danced in front of the stage where a band played, their clothes swirling around them as they whirled around.
Law considered Robin’s hand in his. It was warm, and though it wasn’t the reason why he’d grabbed her hand at first, it was comforting. He liked the way their hands fit together.
“Those two kids reminded me of myself and my sister,” he said when the weight on his heart had finally lessened, breaking the silence between them. The weight was still there, but Law was used to that. At least he could breathe now.
Robin’s only response was to encouragingly squeeze his hand.
“It was actually at a festival when Lammy first exhibited symptoms of the Lead Poisoning,” he continued.
Robin was silent, giving him the space to breathe, to think. He was going to miss that about her.
That afternoon had changed the trajectory of Law’s life, but in a way, it had eventually led him to this night with Robin, and he didn’t want to spend it picking at old wounds. “Anyway,” he said, remembering that she’d said this was her first festival. “Was there anything you wanted to do here?”
“I’m happy to walk around with you,” she said, smiling at him. The sincerity and warmth of her smile made his head fuzzy and his insides melt, though he would not readily admit that.
“Okay.” Law nodded.
They wove their way around the festival grounds, watching strangers enjoy themselves, and running into allies and comrades. Everyone around them was free, pirate and citizen alike, and it was this freedom that allowed them to eat and drink and laugh with abandon. Law and Robin were content to watch and digest what they’d learned an hour ago.
Robin’s feet grew tired from walking in her sandals. She lifted her feet one at a time when they came to a stop, wincing.
“I could bring us to the castle,” Law offered, glancing at the castle in the corner of his eye. They weren’t so far away that a Room would sap his energy. “We could sit down and see if we can find any records about the old Wano.”
“I’d like that, Law,” Robin said, wrapping her arm around his.
Law transported them inside the castle, coming to a stop before the great doors. It was quiet inside with the inhabitants either partying or passed out drunk somewhere. The servants were either asleep or partaking in the festivities, leaving Law and Robin alone in the castle.
He looked at her as they made their way through the halls by candlelight. He admired the sleekness of her black hair, the way it hung in gentle waves around her face. He reached out and grasped some of her hair between two of his fingers.
She looked at him and smiled.
They passed the time in companionable silence. Law followed Robin to the room she had in mind, but he stopped her when they reached the door. He grabbed her by the wrist with one hand and used the other to tilt her chin up so she looked up into his eyes.
Robin looked at Law with half-lidded eyes. “Law—”
“We don’t have much time left, Robin,” Law said. “This could be the last time I’m able to do this.”
Robin smiled at Law. She wrapped her arms around his neck, meeting him halfway.
Law wouldn’t consider Robin an enemy after their crews left Wano, but they would be competing for the One Piece. It would be some time until they could see each other again on friendlier terms. They’d agreed to swap Vivre cards, but Law didn’t know when was the next time he’d see Robin or when he’d get another private moment like this with her. Make the most of it now, he told himself, removing his hand from Robin’s wrist and laying it on her waist.
He grinned when they separated for air. “I’m not so interested in studying anymore,” he admitted breathily. All he could think of was her mouth, her hands, the way she looked at him.
Robin’s eyes gleamed playfully. Keeping her arms around Law’s neck, she summoned an arm from the wall and used it to slide the door open. Walking backwards, she led him into the room, the arm on the wall sliding the door closed behind them.