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Zoro could remember being touched, moved here and there. Touches were light as feathers while others pressed into his flesh strongly. He desperately wanted to exercise his Haki to figure out whose voice it was that murmured around him. Wanted to feel his nakama around while continued fighting for his life. Wanted them to pull him from his deep slumber.
The minks didn’t lie when they said the drug's after effects would kill him.
It’s fair to admit that he is dead. The closest he had gotten to death before was against Kuma’s broken power. And even back then, he didn’t feel this lost. The excruciating pain he felt as every organ melted slowly and he had to force them to rebuild over and over again. Each time driving him to the edge of giving up. In front of him, dark hooded creatures with their glittering scythes, stood tall and unmoving. Waiting patiently for him to give up and go to the other side
But he had to do it. He had to survive. He won't be defeated now. Not when they were so close to the end. His crew still needed him. His captain counted on him. If he gave up now, the rest of his nakama would meet premature death–losing their strongest protector. If Zoro lost now, his crew would lose their complete trust in themselves. Why bother to fight, when you’re going to die anyway? Afterall, their swordsman, their unbreakable right hand man, succumbed to death. Everything they’ve been through would be thrown out of the window if the spirit each of them possessed was crushed. Then there’s this matter with his captain. If Zoro fails now, he’ll crush Luffy’s belief in himself completely. His foolish, kind captain, whose scar from the Paramount War still haunts him in his slumber. All this time, the crew had relied on him because their idiot captain above all, never doubted himself.
How would he face Kuina now, after breaking both his promise to her and to Luffy–along with triggering what would probably be the downfall of his crew.
And so, Roronoa Zoro faced death bravely. His single eye challenged the hooded creatures with such cockiness no one should have in front of Death itself. The Grim Reaper was there the entire time, leisurely watching him scrambling for a tiny string of survival. Listened him scream, writhe in pain. Waiting for his body to finally fail his resolve. “I will survive.”
They snickered, death scythe held strongly in one hand, “A fool.” and they swung it at him. But Zoro, the stubborn, idiotic swordsman wielded his sword. The most loyal one, Wado Ichimonji, upon them. Blocking their attacks while feeling extreme pain. But he will persevere against them.
“I’m no fool. If this is hell, then I’ll be the King of Hell himself.” Was all he said before slashing the creatures in half.
“A pity. We shall meet again, young Roronoa.” They said while dissipating. “Live your life. For we won’t be kind enough to give you another chance.
And that's how Roronoa Zoro emerged victorious from Death’s grasp.
//
"Zoro!"
"Zoro!"
His surroundings slowly came to life. His body felt numb all over—which was good. Slowly, his Haki familiarised itself, feeling the people he held dear one by one. Chopper, Nami, Sanji, Franky, Brook, Usopp, Jinbei–and Luffy in the corner—shined brightly but walked out of the room.
"Zorojuro-sama." He whipped his head to the call. Someone cradled his head–a woman. His fuzzy eyes tried to map her features. "You're finally awake! Oh my god, I really thought you wouldn't wake up."
A floral scent and green hair–he felt like he knew the woman, but it was someone whose aura he didn't recognize. He shoved his confusion to the back of his mind. There were more important matters he needed to attend to. Namely, maximising his Haki, despite the terrible state he was in, to sense the missing presence. Where is she?
"What are you looking for?"
Why the fuck couldn’t he voice his question? Zoro's hands moved away in panic, sweat started to pile up as his good eyes roamed, trying to take the room in. “Are you thirsty? Here’s water, Zoro!”
Someone—Chopper, perhaps—must have noticed his poor attempt at speaking and mistook it as a request for water. Which only made him more furious and nervous. Why are they so calm? No, how could they be calm? His heart dropped as his fears rapidly grew. It couldn't be, right?
A sharp sting of pain ran through his body as he tried to stand up, shoving away a glass of water to his right. He didn't have time for drinking! He needed to find her—
"Calm down, idiot," Said the annoying voice he immediately associated with a certain cook. Through the haze in his eye, Zoro could make out the blonde figure. Sanji didn't say anything more, but squeezed his ankle gently. It was enough confirmation for him. If Sanji was here, his voice light and relieved, and not somewhere crying his eyes out or plotting revenge, it meant everything was alright. "Here, drink it. You can talk later," He continued. Zoro nodded, feeling much more relaxed than a few minutes ago. If anything, Zoro knew he could count on Sanji's judgement on their situation—as funny as it sounded coming from him.
Someone helped him drink, and he chugged down the water quickly, realising for the first time how dry his throat was.
"Where's Robin?"
His voice sounded raspy and it hurt his throat. But he really needed to know why he couldn't sense her with his Haki. His head was still spinning like crazy, but he gradually felt better. The rational part of him started to analyse the situation. Sanji was here, calm and not trying to suppress any negative emotions. It meant that she was alright and alive. But damn it, where had that woman gone while he was battling death?
"Ah, she's—"
"Are you in pain? How do you feel?" He ignored that woman again. She must be one of the Wano occupants, not important enough. Sanji shrugged his shoulders when Zoro glared at him, demanding the continuation of his answer, before his attention was pulled elsewhere. It was Luffy, his bright aura just entering his observation range, along with the woman he had desperately searched for a couple of minutes ago. The sense of relief he got almost knocked him out, but he forced himself to keep sitting, even if things still hurt all over the place. He needed to see her with his own eyes, as if he didn't believe his own Haki.
"Shishishishi, Zoro! How are you doing, buddy?" His captain, being himself, barged in and threw himself at him. Luffy, the insensitive bastard, hugged him so tightly, unaware of the unhealed wound he pressed on. But alas, not only him—Zoro himself didn't exactly register the pain in his body.
His one eye had been fixed on the figure behind his captain the entire time. She stood at a respectable distance from him, but enough for him to fully bask in her presence. She was bandaged here and there, yet she didn't seem to have sustained life-threatening injuries. Though she looked visibly tired, her stunning blue eyes glimmered with profound happiness at his revival
For a while, he felt the world had stopped as they looked at each other. Both were expressing things he couldn't name yet.
Then, Nico Robin smiled, leaving him in awe at the pretty display. "You're a mess, swordsman," Was all she said. Like magic, it was enough to release all the remaining tension from his body. Falling back on the futon, Zoro took a very deep breath. He forgot the last time he was that worried about someone.
She's alive.
That's good. No, that's extremely good. He had successfully escaped hell, yet Zoro swears he would personally go down there again to drag her ass out if those fucking Grim Reapers managed to steal her from him—and from Luffy.
"Yohohohoho, my heart almost beat out of happiness—though I don't have a heart to begin with!"
"This calls for a party! Sanji! Meat!!"
In the familiar manner of things, Zoro found himself in the middle of a traditional Straw Hat party. One by one, he recognized their friends and allies. A swell of pride filled him to the brim at the realisation that they had defied the impossible by defeating the strongest creatures in the world, with no significant damage on their part.
Ignoring the heaviness in his heart, Zoro tried to enjoy the celebration to the fullest.
//
It’s been four days since he woke up. There is still lingering pain when he moves in certain positions but overall, he’s ready to kick gears. That being said, his nakama keeps him on a close watch. And they were hell-bent on it, going as far as putting sleeping pills in his food when they found out he had started training again on his first day.
“Idiot! Then you shouldn’t have taken the Minx drugs!” Was their reasoning when he furiously stomped around. “You were dead, you fucking moron!”
“I’m not! I've never been dead!”
After the first attempt, the crew literally strapped him in the room with sea-stone cuffs. Zoro shrugged them off as usual, happy with the free training regime of breaking them, if not because of Robin. She had come up one morning, standing behind Nami as the witch lectured him on the meaning of complete rest. The woman barely talked at all, letting Nami do all the talking for her. She just stood there, looking extremely dejected at his wounded body. When their eyes met, he could feel her silently pleading. Could feel her sadness when her eyes followed the evidence of him trying to break the cuffs. Zoro was sold at that point. Didn’t try to break the cuffs anymore, much to everyone's surprise. Instead, he spent his days meditating and sleeping. The witch thought she had finally put some sense into his thoughts, but he knew better.
Zoro simply didn’t want Robin to be sad. Considering what he’s been through, he allowed himself to slip up a little. As a result of his resolve, his body regained its strength quicker than usual.
“Heard you died, Luff.”
“So did you.”
“Meh, I didn’t. Almost, yes. Died? Absolutely not.” Chugging down a glass of sake, Zoro snickered at his captain's statement. They were sitting side by side in the palace’s backyard. Their friends and allies scattered around the venue. Leave it to Luffy to hold a banquet four days in a row. “It’s ridiculous that you think some drugs could kill me.”
For a moment, Luffy's cheerful demeanour subsided. His gaze turned serious, calculated, one that Luffy seldom showed to his Nakama under normal circumstances. Somehow, Zoro felt cornered at his captain's silent accusation. It was as if he could see through his lie making Zoro shift uncomfortably in his heels.
A minute later, he returned to the idiot everyone knew. “Oh, right? Good then. I’m glad Zoro’s not dead.”
“Don’t worry Luff, I—”
“Aye, aye! I’m glad I still have the chance to play with you.” He wasn’t as serious as minutes ago, but now his tone held that dignity he rarely had. “Death is final, Zoro.” Then he left without further ado, joining Usopp and Jinbei on the other side.
Of course, he knew. He had experienced it first hand during his childhood; it is the final entity. A curtain that will separate them forever. No grey areas nor chance to go back. That’s the very reason why he fought so hard against Death. But, of course, his pride wouldn’t admit it blatantly in public. He brushed it off, feigning ignorance on the deadly experience he faced deep in his consciousness. Nobody needed to know that he was, at some point, dead.
“I’m ashamed to face you, Kiku-san.” Out of the blue, Zoro became aware of the conversation next to him. Apparently, Brook, Marco, Robin, and Kikunojo had joined the party, lounging leisurely beneath the moonlight. He rarely saw Robin nowadays, always out exploring the historically rich country. She hadn’t talked to him since that first day he woke up. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be near her either. It’s hard enough to accept his current predicament, and Zoro didn’t need a woman to add onto his pile of problems. But he joined them anyway–-out of boredom. Absolutely not because he missed hearing Robin’s voice, he argued with himself. ”But I’ll be forever grateful to your older brother.”
Ah, they’re talking about Izo. Zoro heard the ex-Whitebeard pirate didn't make it alive. A shame. But what did Robin have to do with that?
“It’s okay, O-robi.” The younger woman answered gently, no sign of sadness in her voice. It seems like she had already accepted his death. Like a true swordsman would. “My brother made that choice himself. You had nothing to do with it.”
“What exactly happened to Izo-sama?” A voice piped in, belonging to a certain princess. Hiyori in her usual attire came closer, the pervert cook treading behind her. “Is it okay for me to ask how he lost his life, O-kiku?”
“It’s okay, Hiyori-sama.” The younger sibling answered casually. “He died fighting CP0, a world government agent.”
“CP0!?”
“Why were they here?”
Both the cook and swordsman spoke simultaneously in shock. Zoro’s gaze immediately fell upon their archeologist, mind conjuring connections between their previous conversation. These past few days, he was locked up in his room with minimum visitors. Chopper had strictly forbidden people from bothering him and wanted Zoro to fully rest. And he can’t say he’s angry. Because deep down, he appreciated the gesture due to the fact that the lingering pain didn’t subside until three days later.
“We don’t know the exact reason they are here.” Marco answered his allies. He looked at Zoro, who hadn't broken his gaze on the Devil Child. “However, during the Raid, they were ordered to kill Luffy and capture Nico Robin alive.
“They did-WHAT!?”
Leave it to the pervert cook to exaggerate his response. The blonde immediately pampered Robin, saying shit about how he would protect her. The woman in question smiled, her hands reaching Kikunojo’s shoulder, patting her. “Apparently, Izo stopped them from tailing us. And died trying to protect us.”
“Why are they after you , specifically? I understand if the World Government wanted Luffytarou, but you’re just another member of the Straw Hats, no? Why not O-Nami? Or Sangorou? Or Zo–”
“She’s not just another member,” Zoro cut off the princess' condescending tone sharply. Anger coloured his voice, though others might accept it because Hiyori made it sound like an insult to their nakama. But only he knew the exact reason he’s so angry. “Robin is the only one in the world capable of deciphering the Poneglyphs, the key to Laugh Tale.”
“Oi, shitty marimo, that’s not how you talk to a lad–”
“I’m gonna shit talk to anyone who talks to Robin like that.” The swordsman groaned in annoyance. Hiyori, thankfully, had the decency to look ashamed despite obviously being shocked by Zoro’s harsh response to her delicacy.
“This is a war. Casualties are bound to happen on both sides. We should be thankful that the majority of us survived the raid.” The phoenix user mediated the incoming fight. One of his hands on Zoro's shoulder, trying to ease the younger man's growing anger. But Marco’s eyes lingered coldly on Hiyori, as if trying to remind her that more than anything, Izo was his nakama. “I’m glad you made it out alive, Robin-san. Whatever the circumstances, I strongly believe Izo would be glad that he had at least saved you.”
“Rest assured, O-Robi-san. I don’t hold any anger towards you. You’ve fought so hard for our home; it would be unfair to blame you for my brother’s fate.”
The woman in question bowed her head in respect to the younger sibling. And Hiyori, mostly uncomfortable by Zoro’s villainous gaze, finally relented. She walked to Robin, probably apologising in whispers.
“Yohohoho! She fought hard, indeed. Black Maria was absolutely strong!” Their musician, in his attempt to cheer up the sudden spike of tension, spoke cheerfully, “Honestly, that giant woman is monstrous; at some point, I doubted we could win against her! Thank God because Robin-san managed to push herself to the limit. Or else, all that’s left of us would be bones, yohohoho!!”
Robin hurried to clarify the accusation. Aware that her nakama were not calming down at all, and the skeleton made the wrong move by telling her earlier circumstances. Because now, not only was Zoro fuming with indescribable anger, but Sanji also fell into a tense silence. “Brook-san is exaggerating too much, really! It was an extremely tough fight, but it would be foolish to face Kaido’s crew without an ace up my sleeve.”
“That’s right! Robin-san bloomed this giant version of herself when cornered! Black Maria didn’t stand a chance at all, yohohohoho!” Brook picked up on Robin's efforts, vigorously adding to her explanation. He nervously threw his glance towards the swordsman who shot his sharpest glance to the damned skeleton.
Sanji, seemingly able to control his own emotions, tried to salvage the situation. He twirled up to Robin, effectively shielding Zoro’s line of view with his body, “Oh my divine goddess, your power is as strong as your heart! The whole world is grateful for the chance to keep seeing your beautiful smile!” However, Zoro’s heart sank deeper and deeper, unable to catch the cook's hidden warning. That he should be grateful that Robin still managed to survive all the chaos. But his own anger has turned off everything around him.
Putting two and two together, he drew the conclusion from their entire conversation. So, after she was pushed to the limit, probably facing certain death by Black Maria, the motherfucking World Government decided they wanted to kidnap her, again. And where was he when all that shit happened? Oh right, struggling against a Haki-sucking sword and hallucinating a Grim Reaper.
Fuck, what the hell has he been doing? Why couldn't he finish his fight sooner? If only he defeated King sooner, she at least wouldn’t have been threatened by CP0. Robin had exhausted all of her power to defeat Black Maria. She wasn’t in the right condition to fight the secret agent, let alone win. If not because of Izo's interference with the chase, she could've been kidnapped.
“It was a given, Sanji-san,” Her melodious voice brought him back from his self-loathing pit. “My strong friends have given their all in this war. Naturally, I’ll give my all too.” And when she said that, she looked directly at him. As if she was trying to say that she’s not scolding him for giving his all, almost giving up his life to fight King. And so, he shouldn’t be angry that she has given her all too.
Robin had a point.
But she also missed the whole point.
It’d be okay if he died, but if she died–all of their efforts would be in vain. Luffy could always find another swordsman, but there is only one Nico Robin in the entire world.
Frustrated, Zoro stood up. Deciding he couldn’t be in the same space as her. The simple thought of her dying has effectively choked him up. He needed to calm down, or else his Haki would be out of control. Brook and Marco simultaneously sent their uneasy gaze to him, burdened by the weight of his emotions in the air.
The uneasy feelings from the day he woke up rapidly came back. That short, terrifying moment when his Haki couldn’t feel her presence taunts him. The woman wasn’t as physically strong as him; therefore, if she died–then she died. There’s no way she had enough strength to challenge death like he did.
Zoro could wake up three days ago or many, many days later in the future and not feel her warm presence. He could plot the most devious revenge plan and yet, she would never come back. He would never see her again, forever. Like Luffy had said before, death is final.
She could’ve died.
She would die.
She is dead.
Zoro's legs gave up from the heavy thought.
How foolish of him to think that she would be there, at the end of his journey. How arrogant he was, assuming all’s well as long as he’s fighting the strongest commander–forgetting the fact that at any moment, she was in constant danger. How stupid he felt to dream about a future but not live in the moment.
How naive of him to take everything for granted.
//
It must have been past midnight when the party finally ended. During this time, Zoro had hidden himself somewhere in the castle, not wishing to rejoin the festivities. He needed time to rearrange his mind and sort out his problems. Most of the time, he tried to calm himself and not urge Luffy to wreak havoc at Mariejois. It seemed like the best solution for his problem and for many parts of the world, actually. Basically, if there were no World Government, Robin wouldn’t be hunted. Yet, even he knew that was a very extreme measure to keep her safe. If it were that easy, she wouldn’t have had to suffer for 20 years. They were getting there, he assured himself. He would personally pitch the idea to Luffy. But of course, they needed to be careful and not rush into things.
“Zoro.” Speaking of the devil, and the devil had come. From his peripheral vision, he spotted Robin in her dark green yukata coming closer. “Need help getting to your room?”
Having no power left to retreat from her incoming teasing, he decided to play along, “Yeah.”
She, however, frowned when spotting empty glasses. He didn't get lost. “How long have you been here?”
“I don't know,” was all he said as he followed her. She didn’t stop, keeping her pace as she continued, “Not feeling like enjoying the party?”
“Didn’t find any reason to.”
Robin smiled in response but didn't prod him much more. They walked back in silence, with Zoro trying to wreck his brain, again, contemplating his decision. Not realising that they’ve reached his assigned room. He only stopped walking after feeling Robin’s hand on his arms.
“We won against an emperor,” She said kindly. Her lips curved into a pretty line as she phantom-traced his wounds, “Although not unscathed, all of us survived the whole ordeal. Is that not enough reason for celebration, swordsman?”
It was a fact known between the crew not to be offended if Zoro didn’t answer you. Sometimes, he just doesn't feel like it, and a normal person–according to Sanji–shouldn’t bother to understand his idiot way of thinking. Robin, assuming this was one of the many times he didn’t answer her question, simply sighed. “Good night, Zoro,” And proceeded to leave him on his own.
Unbeknownst to her, it wasn’t because he didn't feel like answering. It was because his mind had already taken a journey somewhere else. When she traced his wound, she awakened something in him. He started to get hungry. Not for food, but for her. In that glimpse of the moment when he felt her hand running over his scar, he wanted to feel it on him, completely. He wanted to know how it felt when her bare fingers touched his marred skin. She had touched him before, of course, but not more than a lingering touch to wake him up or a phantom hand grown out of his body. After all, neither of them were very fond of physical affection like their other crewmates were.
But now, he craved more than an accidental touch. He wanted to touch her, wanted to feel her soft body against his. And it was enough to finalise his earlier resolution. Grabbing her hand, Zoro ignored her surprise yelp as he pulled her into his room. They just stood there, hand in hand for a couple of minutes. “Is there something I can help with, Zoro?”
Sighing in defeat, Zoro turned around. No point in holding himself back now. Even if it turned out wrong, he would simply apologise for it, “Forgive me, for this.” Was all he said before wrapping her figure in his arms.
//
Robin didn’t know how much time had passed since his unusual behaviour started. Even a man like Zoro could be tired, mentally. That’s why Robin was more than welcome to help him release his stress a bit. So, she let him hug her, putting half of his weight into her body as long as he needed.
He really didn’t need to apologise for hugging her, she fondly thought to herself. A moment later, Zoro released his grip on her, and the woman fought the disappointment that followed from the now-cold air. Thankfully, he didn't pull away completely. He moved back just enough for him to fully gauge her expression, but kept his hands wrapped around her waist.
Robin could feel his eye on her face, and it made her nervous, rendering her brain powerless. She had never been this close to him before, to the point she could actually count his lashes. Hugging her is one thing, but what is he doing with his face so close to her own?
“I met Death,” He broke the silence, almost breathless. In this dimly lit room, lit only by the moonlight, it felt almost like he had confessed a sin.
Robin put on her best smile, understanding his motive. Of course, it’s normal to be shaken if you realise how close you are to death, including using metaphors. This could explain his unusual behaviour, her logical mind deduced. “Ah.”
The man chuckled, probably noticing the obvious hesitation in her expression. Ultimately, Zoro really had unparalleled observation skills even before he trained his Haki. “There is a grim reaper with a creepy scythe waiting for me, Robin.”
It’s fair to say that she was electrified by his words, forcing her brain to properly work again. She definitely didn’t see that coming. Even if it was just a comatose state hallucination, for Zoro to admit that he met Death himself was enough to make her realise the gravity of his situation.
After he woke up, Zoro became unusually docile. He didn't even try to insist that he was okay and force himself to train. Yeah, he tried once and received a lecture from Nami. Afterwards, he didn't put up too much of a fight. It was as if he didn't have any energy left to be stubborn, and it had bothered her ever since. This was a man who insisted that nothing happened, denied every accusation, and proceeded to train the moment he woke up after Bartholomew Kuma beat the hell out of him. Him being docile and accepting was a major red flag.
That’s why she had tried to stay away from him as much as possible. For the past few days, she’d been secretly hoping that it wasn't serious, that Zoro would come through any moment now. She wanted him to act like usual, so that she could live in ignorance. However, the man who wouldn’t admit defeat even if his life depended on it accepted that he was indeed facing death. Now, she couldn't ignore those gnawing feelings anymore.
Zoro, truly, had almost died, she thought bitterly.
“I’m glad you’re not,” She said after a while. Her smile was forced, fighting tears for his well-being. Zoro must have noticed it because he held her closer and patted her back. He whispered, “Yeah, yeah. I am."
Robin mentally scolded herself. She shouldn’t be this shaken. Zoro came to her because he was scared. Because no matter how brave you are, facing death yourself is a scary experience. And Robin, being the older between the two, should be a place for him to freely express his feelings. This wasn’t the time for her to be vulnerable. Besides, there was no point in crying over spilled milk. He was here, with her and the rest of their nakama. How he came to be didn't matter anymore. Zoro is alive, breathing, and looks extremely handsome despite being bandaged here and there. She shouldn’t be afraid; they would learn from this. He would learn from this. Because that’s who he was.
Her fondness for their swordsman multiplied. This is the man who survived a combination attack from two Yonko. This is the man who was forced to fight to the death against King the Wildfire and survived. This is the man who accepted that he had arrived at Death's door but managed to escape it intact. Like a switch, her sadness flipped to one that resembled happiness. If her pretty smile and twinkling eyes were any indication, she was glad to have him by her side. “Magnificent feat, don’t you think? You’re truly one of a kind, Zoro.”
Roronoa Zoro truly had a knack for the impossible.
And it seemed like his impossibilities weren't limited to only escaping death. Never in her time knowing him did Robin ever imagine him pinning her against the shoji doors, holding her face in his palm. It's safe to say that she was utterly shocked, to a point she didn’t realise that Zoro had erased the remaining distance between them. His forehead rested on her own, leaving her grasping for clean air in between their tensed, mingled breath.
“The same applies for you, don’t you think?” His voice was raspy, almost sounding like he had whimpered. “The whole Black Maria business,” He continued, but this time his voice gave out a hint of anger. But at this point, Robin’s brain cells had effectively shut down, for she couldn’t think, let alone deduce his abnormal behaviour.
“Yeah.” Was all she managed to say. If she was nervous before, then she was truly frozen now. She didn't understand this. What was happening? Was she dreaming? How did Zoro end up this close to her? It was frustrating, the tension left between them.
Old, repressed feelings started to seep out, triggering her heart to beat faster at their current predicament. And they were dangerously hanging at the tip of her lips, fueling a dangerous image in her mind.
But this time, Zoro proved that imagination himself. Because he, again, defied the impossible.
In the glimmering moonlight, Roronoa Zoro kissed her on the lips. Its tenderness managed to break her silence as Robin could feel what he couldn't describe with words, what emotions he tried to convey. Anxiety, gratefulness, anger–it was funny that she could understand them all by a simple kiss. A simple peck.
When he pulled away, Robin surprised herself by sighing in disappointment. She wanted more. She wanted him. But she still didn’t say anything. She didn’t demand any explanation from the now-closed eye swordsman. Instead, she savoured his sweet and warm embrace as much as she could. Not minding the silence that engulfed them.
“You have no idea how worried I was waking up without you around.” In this light and their position, his voice sounded so broken. Gone was the strong and reliable Zoro she knew. The man that was holding her so tightly in his embrace resembled a kid. A scared one. “Or how much I hate myself for not being there when you faced impending death.”
The small part of her mind, the one that had started to function again, grasped for understanding. She started to wonder what happened. Or why they ended up in this situation.
“You have bewitched me, Robin,”
“....,Zoro?”
The corner of his lips twitched, eye now opened. He was unusually soft tonight, but his resolve had solidified the moment he embraced her. There was no turning back. “I have suppressed whatever I felt for you for as long as I can remember. It will not do, not anymore. It might sound crazy, but Nico Robin, I love you. Most ardently.”
Now, it was her turn to become breathless. She could feel her legs on the verge of giving up underneath his firm gaze. This whole ordeal had turned into the most twisted turn Robin ever expected. And yet, her stupid heart hadn’t stopped beating so frantically, pooling blood into her cheeks. She didn't expect her silly little crush on their swordsman to be reciprocated after all.
The rational part of her, the part that had dangerously subsided, tried to find a sign of a prank. Foolishly believing he was still not fully recovered from the drugs' effects. She found none. There were no traces of hesitation on his demeanour nor voice. Besides, Zoro wouldn’t joke about something like this. That was the last rational thought she had before her heart fully took control.
They stood in silence for a while, but truthfully, Zoro didn’t wait for an answer. His purpose from the beginning was just to tell her what he felt. He confessed, fully expecting her to smile apologetically after finishing processing his words. Therefore, he didn’t expect Robin to turn the prettiest shade of pink and ask in that coy manner of hers, whispering directly into his ear, “So, aren’t you going to kiss me again? Or shall we stand here for another minute?”
Not wasting any more time, the swordsman grabbed the opportunity like a madman. Nonetheless, this time was a full kiss that painted colourful butterflies on her heart. It was slow, soft, and addicting, as both tried to savour the moment to the fullest.
Consequences be damned.
//
Robin had no idea how much time had passed since their impromptu confession. Everything happened so fast—kisses, hugs—they couldn’t let go of each other. Any other time, Robin would’ve been taken aback at how much things had escalated from their normal, civil, relationship into this fiery mess of tangled bodies. But the man who held her with such passion didn’t give her enough time to actually think.
“Why now, though? You said, ‘it won't do, not anymore’?” She asked after a comfortable silence filled the room.
“I always felt the Grim Reaper could’ve taken me, no matter how much I struggled,” He confessed, his fingers caressing the outline of her jaw. They were lying on his futon, with her head on top of his chest. Initially, Zoro swore to keep his experience close to himself and not tell the others what he thought about it. But to Robin? He guessed he could admit it. There was no point in hiding it–considering he showed her that pathetic side of him hours ago. “It’s ridiculous, and I hate to admit it, but it actually scared me.”
The blonde cook would never let him live if he admitted he was afraid of such things. It was a funny realisation on his part. At the end of the day, either he won against Mihawk or he died in defeat. Zoro knew that and had long accepted that he was fine dying in pursuit of his dreams. He would fulfil his promise to Kuina, or die trying. It was easier said than done, indeed. Zoro vaguely remembers his resolve back in his comatose state when he was faced with those hooded creatures. He remembers how much he wanted to live.
It bothered him, knowing there’s a part of his heart, apparently strong enough to survive those dark times, that was against his earlier resolve of accepting death. Only after tonight, when he finally had the bravery to hold this woman, that Zoro was glad he had survived. No more doubt lingered in his mind and no more of the confusion his recent encounter had left.
“Hmm,” She snuggled closer to him, arms now wrapped around him completely, almost as if she wanted to spoon him. It brought a chuckle out of him. “Still not answering my question.”
Impatient brat.
How cute.
“A pirate answering the siren's call never ended well,” He continued, trying to keep his simping ass to himself. Robin must have a lot of questions for him. It genuinely surprised him that she managed to hold back those questions for so long. “Then I looked at you and realised I don't want to take my time for granted anymore."
She propped her head on her hands in a questioning manner, looking at him with those stunning blue eyes. Zoro, chuckled, fondly remembered how much he wanted to look at her with this much freedom before. Not stealing glances, but completely looking at her. “My original plan was to have a relatively normal relationship with you—until everything was over.”
The younger man didn’t explain his reasoning, but Robin was smart enough to understand why he had such a plan. If they had started an official relationship—because duh, of course she did feel the same way—Zoro would and could be easily distracted. If he had followed what his heart wanted, the honeymoon phase of their relationship could be the doom for their crew. She understands that much. “So, what changed?”
“The fact that every single one of us would be dead by now if Luffy didn’t miraculously awaken his fruit,” He answered right away. His voice was firm now, showing how much he despised that event. It didn’t matter that they had defeated all three commanders; if Luffy got defeated, they would be dead either way. “This war has made me realise how fragile our time together is, Robin.”
The woman's frown deepened as she processed his explanation, her mouth almost shaped in a perfect O out of shock. How adorable, he thought to himself, not resisting kissing her cheeks affectionately. “Who are you, and what have you done to Roronoa Zoro?” She demanded, playfully jabbing at his cheeks with her fingers. The man laughed, knowing how ridiculous he had been for the past hours. Even so, his ego could fuck itself. Zoro had experienced death and survived to tell the tale. Figured he has every right to be mellow and clingy and be as philosophical as he wants.
“At least I could sympathise with Luffy now,” And then he ironically laughed to himself. Couldn’t believe that he had actually said that. Nobody understood why Luffy did what he did—the whole crew had given up understanding him a long time ago.
“Which was?”
“Him, playing around like that. He has his moments, yeah, but most of the time he simply doesn’t give a fuck about anything,” Even Zoro, Luffy’s fiercest supporter, was sometimes at loss with his captain's helpless behavior. “I thought it was because, he had it easy and because he’s still well, a kid.”
“You know that’s not true,” She relented, genuinely upset that Zoro would have such judgement of their captain.
“Sure. But you can’t deny how overly naive he acts at times. Not captain-like, at all.”
“Well, I guess in a sense that’s true,” She faltered. He could see how much she didn’t like talking bad about Luffy, and it warmed him. ”That’s part of his character. His charm.”
He tapped her forehead tenderly and looked her in the eye. Wanted to reassure her that he would remain Luffy’s strongest supporter. “For a long time, that’s what I thought as well. Now, however, I’ve come to realise that he isn’t naive—at all. Luffy knows that people’s time isn’t limitless—and he simply tries to live in the moment.”
Robin was stunned, her confusion becoming real. She knew that fact very well; that’s what makes her respect Luffy so much. Her captain, most of the time, just wanted to live in the moment. It genuinely surprised her that their swordsman, the one that knew Luffy for the longest, just realised that fact. Zoro wasn’t as stupid as people thought he was. Surely, he must have figured that out a long time ago, right? Because that’s generally how any Straw Hat operates on a daily basis. After spending the majority of her life in dark, cloudy ambitions, that was the chaos that she fell in love with two years ago. And that’s what she said in total confusion. “I don’t understand. You—no, in fact, all of you, acted exactly like that, Zoro. What are you talking about?”
“Am I? Well, I guess so, yeah,” He calmly explained. Of course, she didn’t know. For Robin, who joined after the chaos in Alabasta, Zoro had always been like this. “If I asked you to describe me, what words would you use?”
That was a strange question, but she complied anyway, “Fierce. Relentless. Strong-headed. Serious. Focused—everything about you screams old-school warrior, Zoro.”
"Would you believe me if I told you I used to be more like Luffy to some degree?" She nodded, remembering an old conversation with Nami. In her fury with the stoic swordsman, the redhead had expressed that she missed the old Zoro. According to the navigator, Zoro used to be more relaxed and laughed more during their early voyage. Which didn’t exactly sit well with Robin. For her, Zoro was always the focused, stoic swordsman—and his intensity only increased after their two years of separation. That was what intrigued her the most about him when she first joined the crew. On a ship full of kids and idiots, Zoro seemed to be the unwavering, reliable older brother.
"Nami talked about that. I thought she was exaggerating, so I brushed it off," The archeologist answered, still quite unsure albeit the person in question confirming the claim.
"Before, I was less overbearing and actually enjoyed my life—not thinking too much. I could afford that because I was confident in my skills. Until that naive, arrogant Zoro was shamelessly defeated by Mihawk." Sitting up, Zoro pulled Robin onto his lap. Sitting face to face, she could trace the defeat he still remembers on his expression. "Since then, I promised Luffy to never be defeated again. I became the man you know. On my quest to be the strongest, I forgot something crucial."
"And what is that?" She whispered, drowned by their proximity and the fact that Zoro has opened himself to her.
"No amount of victory will fill the void I know I’ll have if I lose my nakama," He confessed in the same whispery tone. But his voice remained firm and it dawned on her the weight of his confession. His hand stroked her back as they drew closer and closer, "Or you for that matter."
"So, what are you going to do now?"
"Live with the rest of you. Actually, live." To other people, that sounded ambiguous. But to Robin, who’s been listening to him all this time, she could perfectly understand what he meant. From now on, Zoro would stop being that stuck-up jerk who watched from the sidelines. He’s done playing the cool, aloof swordsman. "We’re going to win this race or die trying. Either way, I want to enjoy this as much as I can. Hence, if my time comes to an end, I won’t regret anything."
He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell her that he didn't want to face the Grim Reaper without knowing how it felt to have her in his arms. Without knowing how wonderful it is to fall in love and be loved by the enigmatic Nico Robin. He wanted her to know that he refused to wake up one day feeling like shit for not having her around, and regretting the time he foolishly wasted instead of spending every second with her. Zoro wanted to tell her all of that. But he didn’t, in lieu of kissing her with every bit of affection he could muster at that moment.
It doesn’t matter now. They’ve got plenty of time; he’ll make sure of that.
"You’re awfully talkative tonight, swordsman-san," She said in between kisses. In response, the man playfully bit her lower lip, earning him a chuckle. "Either that, or my body is the one that is talkative. Choose wisely, woman."
She pulled back, managing to put her best doe-eyed look on, which is really out of place in lieu of her usual cool demeanour. But he was too greedy to take everything she had shown him. "Can I have both?" In a pleading voice. Pleadingly cute voice.
Fuck, he’s whipped, isn’t he? The words ‘cute’ and Nico Robin don't belong in the same sentence. She is pretty. She is deadly. She is cool, because heck, she’s Nico freaking Robin. But she’s definitely not cute. Only someone whose ass was as whipped as his could find her endearingly cute.
"As you wish, ma’am," And surprisingly, he didn’t care about being whipped. She’s worth it, he thought as he proceeded to kiss her for the umpteenth time. Besides, who cares about pride when you get to call Nico Robin your woman? That was the last coherent thought Zoro had before his mind solely focused on the task at hand.
"And Zoro."
"Hmm?"
"I love you too."
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