Work Text:
Grandline Location: Unknown Island
Time of Day: 7:28 a.m
And as the strawhats landed on the thousand Sunny again, another adventure had ended for them, sailing into the sunset for another, but first, it was time to rest.
The day had moved on and the sun was setting in the sky, dancing across the horizon in deep yellow and orange colors. The sun was setting and so were the strawhats settling into their usual evening routine.
Sanji was prepping the food and sobbing after the beautiful ladies who couldn't join them and had to stay behind, while Luffy used those moments to steal some snacks. Usopp and Franky were tinkering and hammering away on the ship working on new ideas from their new experience Nami and Jimbei were working on maps and setting the course where to go next, taking into consideration that the island needed to be exciting enough for Luffy. On the other hand, Brook and Chopper were restocking on some bandaids and bone jokes as they used most of them up daring said last adventure.
And in the most silent corner, there were the last two strawhats, as they took away from the trouble on the ship deck. Zoro per usual with a bandage over his torso that he got yelled at for, snoozing off into the afternoon. Next to him, Robin was working on historical papers, notes, and other things she had written down for her study.
Soon there would be voices screaming out for them that dinner would be ready and their peace and quiet would be over until another adventure ends, which would lead to more chaos, bounties, and eyes on them from the government.
It was these moments on the ship that made Robin value her crew of chaotic messy laughing family. She viewed them as her family that pulled her out of the never-ending darkness of her past. It was hard not to get swept up by their energy and jump overboard into every cave and island that existed. One Person was anchoring her though, a strong force that was allowing her to be as carefree as she wanted to be because if she wasn't the voice of reason, Zoro would likely step up.
“Can you turn those pages quieter?” he mumbled from his sleep. She was aware that he didn't mean what he had said, what he means is please enjoy the silence that would not last for much longer. She looked over to the horizon as the sun was rising from the other side of the Island. The sky dances in red to blue through purple and oranges. A few drops of white clouds break up the patterns.
Sitting near him and looking up to the sky always reminded her of when she started to crush on him, Skypiea. Her first time feeling this warm sensation in her heart.
The clear memory of that day, when the lightning shot through her body ripping her in half and falling back awaiting the ground, but she was caught and in that moment she let go of her consciousness, feeling safe for the first time. In the muscular arms that had caught her, she fell in love at the moment that the guy who mistrusted her the most, would still come for her simply because his Captain liked her.
That fierce loyalty was the initiating spark that had started her dilemma.
She wasn't sure if she could ever build up the courage to tell him how much she valued his everything, truly. The Skypiea accident was only one of a few moments that pulled her towards him. Punk Hazard was another, she didn't need to ask for his help he knew when she wanted it.
It seems like he could read like a book. She enjoyed it oh so much.
As he sat there next to her with his eyes closed and his lashes softly twitched when a few rays of sun hit his face, she could kiss probably not too soft lips right now. She tilted her head to take in more of his features, he was handsome and had strong lines of features on his face. His skin was tan with a few traces of old battle scars.
“Stop looking at me like that woman” he said.
“Apologies, I never knew you had a few faint freckles” “Just don’t mind them”
Her eyes lifted off his face and back to the rising sun on the horizon, her back starting to hurt from the position she was sitting in, she stood up to stretch out that pain. After she switched from one pain in the back to another, Zoro shifted next to her. He had moved from sitting cross-legged to having them stretched out long in front of him. He had placed a small piece of cloth, a cushion. He padded it suggesting for her to rest her head on it.
Even now he knew what she needed. As she rested her head in his lap he started playing with a few strands of her hair, it had proven to be useful that she had grown it out. From her low position, she noticed that he was watching the sky with her. “Do you still remember Skypiea?” He asked her to live through the same nostalgia, unaware of how often it lay on her mind.
“I do. It was a beautiful Island beside the pain we went through”
He went silent again as his eyes met hers. She wished that he would lean down and kiss her, but it didn't happen.
They sat together under the slowly blue-turning sky. Waiting for the adventure to either make them the most infamous pirates or die trying on a pretty good run.
It didn't matter at the moment.
They would have each other and hopefully retire somewhere, maybe the beautiful Sabaody archipelago, where he can drink and both retire from their old pirate lives.
Being alone together and able to watch the sky every day and night, the changes of colors dance across reminding them of their life.
Adding this moment to her collection of nostalgic memories to go through.