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Robin glances up from her book to find herself nearly face to face with a scowling swordsman also known as Roronoa Zoro, his famous three swords strapped dutifully to his side.
“Can I help you, Mr. Swordsman?” the female archaeologist inquires as sweetly as she possibly can.
“Yeah. What are you doin’ in my hammock, Robin?” Zoro questions, nearly gritting his teeth with the emphasis on the possessive.
“I beg your pardon, Zoro. I did not know that it was solely yours,” Robin acquiesces, closing her book and uncrossing her legs.
“Well, it is. Franky designed parts of the Sunny for everyone. Usopp and Franky have a workshop, you and Nami have writing desks, room for her to draw her maps, and a makeup cabinet for goodness sake! Chopper gets his fancy doctor’s lounge and even that lovesick cook gets a state of the art kitchen and galley!” Zoro explains, raising his voice slightly to prove his point. “The crow’s nest is meant to be my place of solace and escape during and after I train,” he continues, dropping back into his normal tone of voice.
Oh. Robin instantly understands now why he is so upset.
The raven-haired archaeologist begins to stand, taking her book under her arm before Zoro’s words stop her.
“Don’t stop on my account,” Zoro says nonchalantly, lifting more weights in the close proximity of the hammock. “At least finish your book before you get up. I know how important that is to you,” he states, his brown eye fixed on both his weights and the woman in front of him simultaneously.
“If you wish to use your hammock before then, there’s plenty of room,” Robin offers, crafting multiple hands beside her to show all the extra room remaining in the hammock. “I would not mind it if you joined me, swordsman,” she admits, blue eyes shining in the sunlight.
“So long as you don’t complain about me squishin’ you or having my feet wind up in your face,” Zoro cautiously says, aware of just how much his relationship with Robin has changed since she first joined the Straw Hat crew after their stint in Alabasta.
“We can find a way around it, I’m sure,” Robin assures, flipping back to where she left off in her book.
Setting his practice weights down, Zoro climbs into the hammock next to Robin, their heads facing the same direction.
“Only this once,” Zoro softly remarks, sleep already threatening to overcome his body as he shirtlessly lazes in the hammock next to Nico Robin.
“But of course,” Robin agrees, her voice a faint whisper when she realizes the swordsman is already fast asleep.
When Usopp comes out on the deck to round the crew up for dinner, his voice startles both Robin and Zoro awake.
“Robin! Zoro! Sanji’s done with dinner, so you better hurry before Luffy eats it all!” the sniper calls before walking towards Chopper’s infirmary to inform the reindeer doctor as well.
Noting the drop in the temperature, change in the sky’s colors, and the fact that Robin’s book is slammed closed at the bottom of the hammock, the archaeologist and the first mate come to the same conclusion.
“We both fell asleep!” Robin gasps, slightly embarrassed as she realizes just how close she had moved towards Zoro in her sleep.
“I wonder how long we were out. Man, that was a good nap!” Zoro reflects, stretching out his neck and the taut muscles in his back.
“I’m sorry. It will never happen again,” Robin promises, knowing how much both she and Zoro like having their personal space.
“It actually wasn’t that bad. We could make that a regular thing if you want,” Zoro yawns, standing up from the hammock and taking her hand in his. “C’mon, dinner’s waiting,” he reminds.
The interaction leaves Nico Robin wondering who this man is and what he has done with the real first mate Roronoa Zoro.