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It’s extremely late on the Sunny when Robin jolts awake. She can still feel the punches, the hits, the yanking of her hair. She can practically see Spandam in front of her, that sick grin on his face as he torments her, haunting her dreams. Everyone else is asleep, tired from the day's events, the excitement of Franky joining and getting the Thousand Sunny tiring everyone out. Robin looks over to the bed next to hers, at Nami sleeping peacefully, the navigator's mouth opening a bit as she snores. Robin gets out of bed slowly, not making a single sound as she slips up and out of their shared bedroom.
Out on the deck of the Sunny, alone, she allows herself to cry. Robin never thought she’d make it out of Enies Lobby alive, never thought her crew would come to save her, she had been ready to die. Robin’s been ready to die for a long time, and coming to terms with the fact that her crew actually cared about her, loved her, is hard. Especially Franky, who after not even 3 minutes of knowing her was comforting her, protecting her, keeping her safe while they were captured. More often than not, the cyborg had jumped in between Robin and Spandam, taking the punches, the hits, the kicks, so she didn’t have to. Franky would look at her when they were alone, telling her that he’d never leave her, that he’d keep her safe. It had shook Robin to her core, having someone protecting her so selflessly.
She finds herself going downstairs and through the aquarium, heading to the cyborgs ‘weapon development room’ as he called it. Robin doesn’t realize she’s there until she reaches the door, the telltale scraping of metal coming from the behind, signaling Franky is inside and still awake. Robin doesn’t knock, instead opening the door and quickly closing it behind her, drawing Franky’s attention immediately. He looks up from the project he has in his hands, setting it on the table when he sees the look on Robin’s face, in her eyes. The cyborg just looks at Robin, not saying a word, waiting for her to speak. His gaze on her snaps Robin out of the daze she's in, and she can feel her eyes begin to water again. “I need to stay with you tonight.” She says, her voice low. Franky nods slowly, fully turning around to face her. “‘Course you can, Robin sis.” Franky replies almost comfortingly, talking to her like she’s a terrified child. Robin honestly feels like one at this moment, walking over to Franky and standing in front of him. close enough that he has to tilt his head up to look at her.
“I can…” Robin starts, the tears welling in her eyes finally spilling out, rolling down her cheeks. “I can feel him touching me, Franky. It won’t stop.” Robin looks down when she says this, staring at Franky’s hands. She steps back a bit due to reflex when Franky suddenly sits up and reaches his arms out to her, muttering a quick apology when she sees the sympathetic look on his face. “Is it okay if I hug you?” He asks gently, the usual gravel in his voice gone. Robin doesn’t respond, instead stepping close enough to Franky that he can wrap his large arms around her. He does so slowly, not wanting to scare her, which Robin appreciates wholeheartedly. Franky gently pulls Robin closer to him, the archaeologist ending up with her face tucked close to his neck, her arms pressed against his chest.
Robin feels so safe, almost cocooned in a protective barrier. It takes her back, her mind going back to when she was a little girl running away from Ohara, Saul shielding her from harm as they run away from the fires, the cannons. She feels hot tears rolling down her cheeks, sees them dripping down onto Franky’s shirt. It’s too much in the moment, her thoughts bouncing back and forth, from Ohara to Enies Lobby. She buries her face into Franky’s neck, finally allowing herself to fully cry. Franky pulls her closer when he feels Robin begin to shake, the harsh sobs racking through her body.
“I’ll never let him, or anyone, hurt you again” Franky tells her, leaning his cheek on the top of her head. His voice is filled with truth, with promise, with conviction, so much so that Robin finds herself believing him. She tilts her head a bit, enough to look up at him. “I believe you.” she whispers, and Franky smiles down at her, gently tightening his hug. “Good, because you and the others are stuck with me now.”