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Space Is Just a Word

Summary:

"Even though they are now together as a couple, Roronoa Zoro knows without a shadow of a doubt that Nico Robin still enjoys her space to herself."

Early into their relationship, Zoro already understands how he can be a good, supportive partner to Robin.

Based on the drabble prompt "space".

Set after Luffy becomes King of the Pirates.

Notes:

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Eiichiro Oda and the Funimation English Dub series. I just want it to be known that I watch the show in the English dub, so those are the voices I imagine for the characters. Also, this story can work with the live-action cast as well if you’d prefer to imagine them as well. (Yes, I know Eiichiro Oda states that none of the Straw Hats will get together romantically in one of his Q&A’s, but my shipper heart can dream. This is the canon that I am imagining for the world when Luffy will become King of the Pirates and the rest of the crew achieves their respective dreams as well!) This is one of my many Zoro/Robin fics, so please go satisfy your shipper heart with the rest of my works, which can be found as part of my big One Piece series or in the smaller, dedicated Zoro/Robin series. I have placed them in the order I believe they should be read in due to timeline purposes of my own version of canon where there are romantic ships abound!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:


Even though they are now together as a couple, Roronoa Zoro knows without a shadow of a doubt that Nico Robin still enjoys her space to herself. One does not simply live nearly twenty years alone while on the run as Robin did and then suddenly become accustomed to living with and interacting with other people twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for the foreseeable eternity. Though it has been close to four years since Robin first joined the Straw Hat Pirates, Zoro understands the balance Robin still wants, no, needs to remain true to herself. Whether that alone time comes from Robin taking a book into Nami’s new tangerine grove, offering to complete supply runs for Sanji or Chopper, or taking an extended bubble bath in the women’s chambers, the moss-haired swordsman has learned to respect Robin’s time she wishes to spend on her own. Although Robin does prefer to go on those supply runs on her own, Zoro often offers to accompany her to towns simply because the Straw Hat bounties have steadily increased following Luffy’s rise to King of the Pirates. He doesn’t follow her once she’s in the town since he does not wish to appear attached to Robin’s hip like Sanji sometimes appears to be with Nami.


            This agreement is one reason that Zoro and Robin work well together as a couple. While they both adore and love one another, they don’t have to spend every waking moment together in order to feel fulfilled in their relationship. This arrangement leaves the swordsman and the archaeologist free to complete their personal goals and hobbies in addition to building a future together.

“Would you like some company?” Robin softly asks, winding her arms around Zoro’s muscular torso and back as she watches Zoro adjust his weights

“I’d love some, provided it’s from my beautiful wife,” Zoro replies.

“Precisely,” Robin sweetly smiles, grabbing the smaller dumbbells Zoro bought for her where they could train together.


 

Notes:

Author’s Note: I know, I know that Oda says none of the Straw Hats will get together in the canon verse, but Robin and Zoro are definitely my One Piece OTP! I will go down with their ship, as the two of them are easily two of my favorite characters of the entire show. Zoro is, as I have mentioned before, my favorite character because I have a soft spot in my heart for swordsmen, obviously. (Thinks back to Captain Hook on Once Upon a Time and Zorro from Mask of Zorro, etc….) Anyway, I have already written many drabbles for this pairing and have posted many of them already. I have a backlog that I need to post over the next couple days as well as many more ideas that I’d love to write for them. I’d love to take non-explicit prompts for them as well, so if you have any prompts you’d like me to write, then please drop them in a comment below! I hope you will read and enjoy them if you enjoyed this piece. If you enjoyed this little one-shot, I’d love a like, kudos, or comment to tell me what you enjoyed. Until next time, dear readers! Have a wonderful day, afternoon, or night!

Edit 5/18/2025: I changed the timeline around for this entire series, so I went back through all of the 17 posted stories I have written as of today and either edited small details (how many months it had been since Zoro and Robin first get together romantically, when they start having interactions together like this, etc.) or switched the order of a few of the stories. Nothing major is changing, so do not worry! I just want to create a more cohesive story since I have written these out of order and I am trying to create a big interconnected storyline between my ZoRobin, SaNami, Law/OC, and Gen stories.