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After the defeat of Kaido, the Flower Capital erupted into an unprecedentedly lively festival. The streets thrummed with the beat of drums and the laughter of people as they indulged in games and feasted on delights from the food stalls that lined the bustling thoroughfares.
In the heart of the Flower Capital, a vast crowd had gathered in the central square, drawn by the enchanting melodies that wafted through the air. There, amidst the sea of faces, stood Brook and Hiyori, their collaborative performance weaving an unique combination of music that enraptured all who listened.
As Law approached the festival grounds, his keen eyes scanned the vibrant scene with a sense of vigilance. Amongst the crowd, he easily spotted Luffy at the top of a towering structure, his pureness smile illuminated by festival lights. Nearby, Kid strode purposefully towards Luffy, a glint of determination in his eyes.
Meanwhile, on the ground below, Zoro, Franky, and Sanji gathered in the festivities with booze. Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Otama engaged in a shooting game nearby, their laughter mingling with the cheers of onlookers.
Yet, one member of the crew remained absent, stirring a sense of unease within Law as he continued his search amidst the bustling revelry.
"Captain, what are you searching for? Do you want to try the Oden?" Bepo's curiosity asked as he inquired of Law.
Law halted his scanning of the area, coming up with a quick excuse. "No, thank you. I'm just seeking a quiet spot," he replied, hiding his true intentions.
"Ok. We'll go have fun in the festival then. Just join us if you change your mind," Law nodded before departing with the rest of the crew. Though they extended invitations for Law to join in their festivities, they were well aware of his hesitation to join such gatherings.
Law consistently left the festivities, and inevitably found himself engaged in conversation with the Straw Hat's crew member he was looking for. She, too, wasn't one to linger at parties, and thus, it was almost his instinct to seek her out when her crew was busy with festivities. Therefore, he has an undeniable longing to be in her presence once more.
Law thought to himself that if she was absent from her crew, she was likely engrossed in investigating the road poneglyph they had failed to uncover in Onigashima. It was a subject she had been passionately discussing just two days prior.
Law's frustration mounted as he searched the palace, his gaze flitting from one corner to another in search of the straw hat’s archaeologist. Even the newly joined member of the Straw Hat Pirates, Jimbei, was found eating his dinner in solitude. Yet, Law still can’t find the person he’s looking for.
One of the driving forces behind Law's urgency to locate her was the impending separation looming over them. If he couldn't seize this moment to spend time with her now, he feared he might not have another opportunity. However, as he pondered what he would say upon finding her, he realized he was unprepared for the encounter. It was a rarity for him to act without a plan, particularly for someone else.
During his deepening thought, Law's attention was drawn to a voice coming from an open door in the palace basement. He approached cautiously, each step echoing in the quiet space. As he descended the stairs, the voice grew clearer.
"Stairs?" the soft, melodious voice floated up from the depths below.
At last, Law had located his target. With each step downward, his heart quickened its pace until he reached the bottom of the staircase, where he found Robin engaged in conversation with an elderly man.
“Oh, how did you sniff out I was here?” Robin greeted him with a playful smile.
“You weren’t with the others. Of course, I became suspicious.” Law replied, his cheeks tinged with a hint of embarrassment as he quickly came up an excuse. “Don’t talk about me like I’m a hyena.”
Robin chuckled. "Since when did our Heart Pirates captain become so suspicious of us?"
Law adjusted his hat to conceal his shyness, he was ready to counter Robin's teasing. However, Sukiyaki intervened with a suggestion to explore further, effectively halting their banter.
-
The stairs leading downward were covered with moisture, the air heavy with the scent of moss. Robin proceeded cautiously, her ponytail swaying with each step, a lingering fragrance of flowers trailing in her wake. Despite his efforts, Law's heartbeat refused to steady.
“Tengu-san, where does this dim light come from?” Robin's curiosity led her to discover a narrow tunnel with light filtering through from above.
"There's a glass block installed. You can take a look if you're interested," Sukiyaki explained calmly.
Without hesitation, Robin climbed onto the wall and crawled through the tunnel, her fearless curiosity evident to Law. Observing her journey to the tunnel's end, Law used his abilities to transport himself to join her.
Law hadn't anticipated the cramped space of the tunnel. Upon landing, he found himself just inches from Robin. The intoxicating fragrance of flowers enveloped him, causing his heart to race even faster.
"No fair," Robin protested playfully, her gaze meeting Law's. He tore his eyes away, focusing instead on the view ahead. He couldn't risk gazing at her pouty expression for too long, knowing it would only make his heart beats crazier.
After he calmed down slightly, Law retorted, "Well, you can't stop me."
In an instant, however, Robin proved him wrong. A hand appeared in front of him, obstructing his view. Robin using her abilities to create an obstacle. Chuckling softly, she gave him a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Is that fair for you now?" she remarked, her hand still blocking his vision.
Law remained silent and gently pushed her hand away. His mind raced as Robin completed her examination of the underwater Wano. As she prepared to exit the tunnel, Law reached out and gently grasped her hand. "Room," he murmured.
In the blink of an eye, Robin felt herself falling through the air, caught securely in Law's arms in a princess-like embrace. The proximity and his tender gesture caused a faint blush to appear on her cheeks.
"That's fair now, isn't it?" Law remarked casually as he lowered her to the ground and began walking ahead. His actions were impulsive, driven by a force he couldn't quite comprehend.
-
After leading them to the road poneglyph and explaining the ancient weapon - Pluton, Sukiyaki excused himself, leaving Robin and Law to copy the road poneglyph. After obtaining two copies, Law is preparing to copy the third.
"For whom is this one?" Robin asked curiously.
"Eustass-ya, they deserve one too," Law replied while rolling the ink on the poneglyph.
"And I thought pirates didn't do good deeds," Robin chuckled.
“I just don’t want to feel like we are cheating.” Law tsk.
Robin assisted Law in completing the copy of the third poneglyph. With three large poneglyph copies cradled in his arms, Law was prepared to return to their ships.
"I can hold one of them, you know," Robin said guiltily, noticing Law carrying all the copies.
"Just follow me." Law used his Shambles skills to transport them back to the port in Wano.
The shipwrights had departed for the party earlier in the day, leaving the port deserted. Under the moonlight, only the three ships were moored closely together, creating a tranquil scene by the water.
Following the placement of the copies in their ship, Robin and Law settled on some boxes near the port. Both of them had no intention of joining the party – a routine they often followed.
Law breaks the silence. "Nico-ya, do you know how dangerous it is for you to wander off alone?" Law's tone carried a hint of lecturing.
Another reason Law sought Robin was because he was worried about her. He knew CP0 had been in Onigashima, and their target was none other than the demon child - Nico Robin. She was perpetually pursued by those seeking or hiding the knowledge of the poneglyphs. Nekomamushi had predicted it in Zou.
"How is it dangerous?" Robin genuinely wondered.
"You know who's after you in this land, and we're not entirely sure if they're gone yet."
"Thank you for worrying about me, Torao, but I can take care of myself. Plus, I have friends who will protect me." Robin replied faithfully without a doubt.
"Friends who are busy partying and drunk." Law murmured.
"You're cute when you care about others," Robin smiled at him.
Law didn’t reply but blushed, and tipping down his hat slightly. He recalled one more thing he intended to give before parting ways with the Straw Hats. Retrieving a small piece of paper from his pocket, he extended it towards Robin.
"Is this?" Robin asked, surprised, as she took the paper from Law.
"My vivre card," Law replied, avoiding eye contact by staring at the sea as his face turned a deeper shade of red.
Back before going to Punk Hazard, Law made a vivre card, ensuring Bepo and the rest could determine if he is alive or not. During that period, he held a grim outlook, genuinely believing he might not survive the plan he had. The primary focus was on defeating Doflamingo, even if it meant sacrificing his life. However, circumstances have evolved, and now he has another motive for staying alive – a reason to live, even after he achieved his other goal.
Robin held the paper tightly, she obviously understood the significance. Although she lacked prior relationship experience, she had encountered people with romantic feelings for her. She just never felt the same way as them and was busy just to survive. But this time felt different – her heart tingled when Law was near, and warmth spread across her face in their proximity.
Despite knowing, she buried her feelings deep, convincing herself that his actions were only for the poneglyph. With the looming end of the alliance, she hesitated to attach herself to someone destined to leave.
However, when Law handed her his vivre card, Robin realized he shared her sentiments. He trusted her enough to entrust his "paper of life." It seemed like a coded message, urging her to find him once everything concluded. She carefully put the paper in her palm like a precious treasure. She felt touched, another person that was willing to put his life entrusted to her. Something that she never imagined before.
"I gave it to you just in case-" Law saw Robin stare at the paper for a while without saying anything, he began to make excuses, but Robin interrupted him.
"Thank you, Law," she said, looking at him sincerely. "I'll keep it carefully."
Law, observing the woman in front of him, thinking what she said. Not Torao-kun, not Trafalgar – she called him Law.
"Do you have a pen?" Robin asked.
Law swiftly summoned a pen with his Devil Fruit powers and handed it to Robin. Law subconsciously moved towards Robin and watched her closely as she carefully inscribed "Law-" on the paper, carefully placing the paper inside her kimono.
As she looked back up and turned towards Law, their eyes met instantly. Their faces unexpectedly drew close, both surprised by the sudden proximity. They stare at each other like they exist solely in the present moment. After a few seconds, Robin instinctively moved back a bit, but Law quickly placed his hand behind her waist, pulling her closer, and planted a kiss on her lips.
Amidst the distant sounds of the party, the waves crashing on the shore, all that echoed were their beating hearts.
Law became acutely aware of the impulsiveness of his actions and promptly withdrew.
"Ah, I'm sorry," Law stammered, his face growing even redder. He stood up, intending to distance himself before any more impulsive acts transpired. This wasn't characteristic of him; he was the epitome of rationality, always planning ahead. Yet, tonight, he had acted solely on impulse.
In an attempt to escape the embarrassment, Law initiated the use of his Devil Fruit powers. However, before he could vanish from the awkward scene, he heard Robin's voice from behind.
"It's fine." she said calmly. Robin found Law's nervous demeanor rather endearing, but she understood the gravity of the situation. With their goals drawing near, recklessness could have dire consequences, involving multiple lives.
"Law, I know when we part ways in this country, our alliance will officially end, and we'll become enemies again. I don’t know when we will meet again, but you, even as an enemy, you are someone that I dear, so just promise me..." Robin paused, holding back her emotions. "Don't die."
Law hesitated to turn around, fully aware that meeting Robin's gaze would make it even more challenging for him to leave.
"I promise you." Law declared sincerely, and with that, he vanished from Robin's sight.