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Maybe Robin should have said something when she noticed how Sanji started smiling at Luffy as he piled extra servings onto his plate without being asked, or when he began asking their captain to come into the kitchen late at night, to try out new desserts he was working on.
She knew she wasn't the only one who noticed Sanji licking his thumb and then wiping off sauce from Luffy's face, then placing the thumb back into his own mouth to suck on. The others tried not to look at Zoro, feeling his haki slip out, like the room had suddenly lost all its heat.
Luffy only stared at Sanji's mouth, unaware that everyone was carefully not looking at him or Sanji or the first mate.
It was a collision in slow motion. Robin understood some of her nakama were hoping something would change, that one of the pieces in play would back off and then it could be avoided. But she knew ever since the cook had returned from his family, this outcome, or something much like it, had been inevitable.
One night, Robin's woken up by the sound of banging and swearing, followed by a door slamming and Sanji yelling, "What the fuck? Mind your own god damn business - "
There's a bang and a crack. She looks over at Nami and they're both out of their beds heading for the deck.
Franky and Jinbei each have one of Zoro's arms. Sanji is standing off, by the main mast, shirtless and shoeless. Luffy is off to the side, his arms wrapped around himself, only in his boxers, unable to look at anyone.
"You jealous fucking asshole," Sanji seethes. "Do you even care what you've done?"
"Do you care?" Zoro shoots back, trying to free his arms. "Do you fucking care? I care about making sure Luffy achieves his dream. I care about my nakama. I know that can't happen if everyone doesn't trust and respect Luffy completely."
Sanji tries to step towards Zoro, but Usopp grabs his shoulder. "This has nothing to do with that. Don't pretend you're trying to protect him when you really just want him and can't have him."
"Sanji, please, stop," Luffy calls over to him, his voice trembling. "Please don't say that."
"No, Luffy. It's not for Sanji to stop. You're the captain. You can't be doing this stuff with your crew. It'll mess with your head. The rest of us, maybe not on purpose, but we're gonna wonder if treating him like your favorite. If you make decisions because of him and not because they're the best ones for everybody. Or if they're even really your decisions," Zoro butted in.
Sanji drew in a breath. Zoro's words were unfair. So unfair, it took him a second to realize he had actually said his real name. He turned his head to look at Usopp for validation that Zoro was off base, but Usopp's face was grim. Luffy had his hands over his face.
"But he needs me," came out from between Luffy's palms.
"Your crew needs you too," demanded Zoro. "And do you remember the promise we made to each other in Shells Town?"
"Zoro, why are you doing this?" asked Luffy, pulling his hands from his face. "I promise I won't get in the way of your dream. And Sanji is so sad. I make him feel better."
"Your promise is empty if everyone can't trust you to be a captain first. This is just like with Usopp. You can't choose one allegiance over the good of your crew."
"Is it just like Usopp? Will you leave if Luffy doesn't make the decision you want?" Robin asked if only to clarify what was at stake.
"It's not about what I want. It's about what we need," Zoro answered.
"Luffy, don't let him bully you into a decision. He's just - " Sanji started.
"Why's this different? You were fine when I had to leave," Usopp interrupted. "At least he's consistent."
Sanji and Usopp started arguing while Zoro stared at Luffy waiting for his answer. Luffy looked especially vulnerable standing there in his underwear while everyone else was mostly dressed.
"This isn't fair, Zoro. Sanji needs me. His family made him feel so bad," Luffy finally spoke.
Zoro sighed, "Well, that's my answer then." He shook off Franky and Jinbei's hands and headed to the guy's cabin. "Nami, how soon until you can drop me off someplace?"
Nami, stunned by the events unfolding before her, took a second to answer. "There's an island with a port about five hours away. But Zoro, are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. I'll take the last watch after I pack my stuff."
All went quiet and then the silence was pierced by the sound of Chopper bursting out into tears. "Please, Zoro. Don't go. Please!"
The little reindeer ran and grabbed hold of Zoro's leg as if to stop him. Zoro paused and put his hand on top of Chopper's head. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead peeled Chopper off his leg and then knelt down to give him a hug.
Then he stood up and walked into the cabin, leaving a sobbing Chopper behind.
Usopp scooped Chopper up and headed to the infirmary while Nami and Jinbei left to go chart the new course. Franky wrapped an arm around Robin and ushered her away.
Only Brook remained, his empty eyes left to witness the awkward resolution of Luffy fumbling into his shorts and Sanji pretending he had work to do in the pantry.
"You're not going to try to fix this?" Brook asked his captain.
"If Zoro thinks I broke the promise, then I can't," answered Luffy, unable to look Brook in the face.
"Do you think you broke it?"
Luffy raised his head. There were tears running down his face. "Maybe. My feelings are really mixed up right now. I thought I was doing the right thing making Sanji feel better and now it doesn't feel good. But I don't want anyone to feel bad."
Brook sighed. "Sometimes when you're the captain you can't always make everyone happy."
Sanji made dinner but no one was hungry.
He covered the food and put it in the refrigerator for later.
It was the longest and shortest few hours the crew had experienced. The silence made the minutes drag, but all too soon the lights of the port city came into view and Chopper's crying could be heard again.
Zoro dropped down on deck, with a rucksack over his shoulder. He stared at the shoreline, sometimes closing his eye whenever Chopper cried particularly loud.
As the Sunny grew nearer, he called out to Jinbei "You don't have to dock. I can swim from here. There could be marines."
Nami came up behind him, putting an arm around his waist. "Idiot. Take one of the lifeboats." Zoro felt her hand slip in his haramaki. She wasn't even trying to be careful. It was a small belt full of berries. She tiptoed upwards and whispered in his ear, "Don't you dare tell anyone, but I've wiped out your debt."
"I wouldn't dream of saying a word, witch."
Chopper was next to say goodbye, though he had trouble getting his words out. Zoro rested his forehead against his little nakama's and then took off the black bandana tied around his arm. He slipped it around Chopper's neck.
Luffy stood to the side, head hung in shame. Zoro looked over at him and took a deep breath. "I don't regret following you."
This made Luffy look up, hopeful.
Then Zoro finished. "But I would have regretted staying."
As the lifeboat was being lowered, a voice called out, "Wait for me!" and Usopp came running out of the guy's cabin with his own bag.
The rest of the Strawhats turned to look at Usopp.
"When the rest of us didn't have enough faith to trust Luffy, Zoro always did. When everyone else was afraid to tell Luffy the truth, Zoro always did. And if Zoro says this is wrong and wants to leave, then I'm going too."
"Usopp!" Luffy took a half step forward, but Jinbei put his hand on his shoulder and shook his head no.
The remaining Strawhats, minus Sanji, watched Zoro and Usopp row for shore. Once they knew the boat made it safely to port, they set off.
Luffy didn't eat for the next two days, but his appetite gradually came back as Sanji plied him with his favorite meals and decadent desserts. Brook took more and more of the night watches and made fewer and fewer jokes.
There were days when he didn't speak at all.
If anyone paid attention, there seemed to be more messenger birds flying back and forth.
A month later, they arrived at a midsized island and Nami announced she was leaving. "There's a passage heading to Arabasta and I'm taking it. JInbei knows how to navigate."
She didn't need to tell Luffy why. She could barely stand to be in the kitchen anymore and she barely ate any of her meals.
Three weeks later, Brook asked permission to leave.
Two days later, Chopper snuck off.
Luffy sat on the deck of the Sunny, his legs hanging through the railing and over the side. Robin took a seat next to him.
He smiled at her, but it was a tired smile. There were dark circles under his eyes and a growing roundness to his belly where Sanji kept trying to fill Luffy's emptiness with food.
"Are you going to ask me if you can leave too?" he asked.
"No. I owe you my life. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you," she answered back.
Luffy nodded and then spoke again, "I really messed up and I'm stuck with it. He was a king and he chose to walk with me. And I gave that up."
Robin leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.
There was nothing left to say.