Chapter Text
The sun gleamed off the ocean. The Thousand Sunny sailed smoothly, the deck alive with the gentle hum of a crew at ease.
Luffy’s laughter echoed near the figurehead, Usopp and Chopper tinkered with some new trap, while Sanji hummed in the kitchen, the smell of fresh bread across the breeze.
In the workshop, tucked beside the lion-shaped ship’s head, Lilith was in her element. The clang of tools and the hiss of steam surrounded her like a song.
She had a smudge of grease on her cheek and a manic gleam in her eye as she held up her latest creation—a miniature energy core she’d been developing for a compact flight suit idea she’d been kicking around with Franky.
Franky.
Just thinking about their last brainstorming session made her grin.
They’d spent hours bouncing ideas, sketching out schematics, sometimes arguing over whether a combustion thruster or cola-fueled propulsion was the better option.
He always had some ridiculously super suggestion that somehow still sparked brilliant innovation.
He was bold. Loud. Wild. Brilliant.
And today, she wanted to show him her latest tweak.
She wiped her hands, grabbed her blueprint scrolls, and headed off the deck, humming.
She found Franky near the back of the ship, pacing.
Lilith paused at the sight. He wasn’t singing. Or flexing. Or shouting something insane.
He was… muttering to himself?
“…maybe I should lead with the guitar… or no, no, that’s too much… dammit…”
Lilith narrowed her eyes. Curious. She slinked up behind him silently, like a cat poised to pounce.
Then she jabbed him in the side with an elbow.
“Hey, Franky, why you pacing like a broken bot?” she teased, flashing a playful grin.
“WAAAH!” Franky jumped three feet in the air. “Lilith! What the hell!?”
“You looked like you were gonna combust if I didn’t surprise you,” she said, then tilted her head, folding her arms. “Spill it. What’s got your circuits scrambled?”
Franky looked down, scratching the back of his neck with a mechanical hand. “I, uh… I was gonna talk to you about something, but now I feel like a total idiot.”
Her smile faded just a notch. “Try me.”
Franky let out a deep sigh and finally leaned against the railing, staring at the waves. “It’s Robin. I’ve… had feelings for her for a while now. I didn’t wanna make things weird on the ship, but damn it—I can’t keep this to myself anymore.”
Lilith blinked.
The words didn’t compute.
“…Robin?” she echoed. “Like… Nico Robin? Tall, quiet, reads creepy books Robin?”
Franky chuckled. “Yeah. That Robin.”
Lilith didn’t answer for a second.
She should’ve teased him. Or cracked a joke. Or cheered at the drama.
Instead, there was a strange squeeze in her chest, like one of her pistons had jammed.
“…Huh,” she managed, more softly than she meant.
Franky frowned. “You okay?”
“Y-Yeah! Totally! I mean, Robin’s great. Smart. Cool. She’s got that… mysterious archaeologist vibe.” Lilith forced a grin, her voice higher than usual. “You’d make an… interesting pair.”
Franky raised a brow. “You sure you’re not short-circuiting right now?”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly, waving her hands. “In fact—you should tell her. Like, really soon. Don’t wait. You’re all about action, right? Just go for it.”
He looked at her with searching eyes. “You really think so?”
“Absolutely,” she said, even though every word felt like it scraped her throat raw.
Franky smiled, a mixture of nerves and hope on his face. “Thanks, Lilith. You’re the super.”
He turned and walked off, muttering to himself again, rehearsing something. Probably his confession.
Lilith stood there a moment longer, her blueprints forgotten in her hand.
She should be happy for him. He was brave. Honest. And Robin deserved someone like that.
So then why did her stomach feel like it was twisting itself into knots?
Later that night, she sat alone on the lawn deck under the stars, pretending to fiddle with a screwdriver. Her mind wasn’t on her work. It was on Franky.
And for the first time, she wondered—
When exactly had he become her favorite part of the day?
And why did it hurt so much to think of him with someone else?
She didn’t have an answer.
Not yet.
But something inside her had just awakened—and it was far more complicated than any invention she’d ever tried to buil
The morning sun spilled golden light across the deck of the Thousand Sunny as Lilith padded quietly toward the library.
Her tools clinked in a pouch at her side, and her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, still streaked with soot from last night’s stress-building.
She hadn’t slept well.
Every time she closed her eyes, she’d see Franky’s hopeful grin.
And every time she remembered, that tight feeling would return to her chest.
She needed distraction.
Books. Schematics. Anything but her own thoughts.
The upper hallway was quiet. Most of the crew was still half-asleep or doing their own early morning rituals. She passed the kitchen, the smell of coffee flowing out as Sanji grumbled something about tea leaves.
Just a little farther, past the mast and up the stairs. As she neared the library, a soft noise floated down from above.
Lilith paused. The crows nest.
It wasn’t unusual for Zoro to be up there. Morning training. Naps. Meditation. But this wasn’t sword swings or snoring.
She froze.
A loud moan. A whisper. Bodies moving against each other.
Lilith’s eyes widened.
More moans. Followed by a low voice she immediately recognized.
Zoro.
“If you moan that loud again, you’re gonna wake the whole damn ship.”
Robin’s hushed laugh followed, sultry and intimate.
“You are the one who is making me moan, swordsman.”
Lilith’s feet were glued to the floor.
She hadn’t meant to hear it. She hadn’t wanted to. But the sounds made it painfully clear—Zoro and Robin weren’t just casually close. They were lovers. Intimate. Comfortable.
And Franky didn’t know.
Her stomach twisted.
Slowly, carefully, she stepped back from the mast and hurried down the hall without a sound, her heart thudding in her chest.
The library was dim and quiet, filled with the scent of parchment and leather.
Lilith walked in and shut the door gently behind her, leaning against it for a breath.
She didn’t understand what she was feeling. Rage? Sadness? Disgust? Jealousy?
All she knew was that Franky was walking into heartbreak. And she didn’t know how to stop it.
Trying to shake off the lingering heat in her face, she scanned the nearest shelf. She wasn’t even sure what she was looking for anymore.
Her eyes landed on a book lying on the table, left open with a bookmark resting beside it.
The title read: “Whispers Beneath the Moon: A Tale of Forbidden Love.”
Lilith blinked. That was not what she expected Robin to be reading.
She flipped it open.
Lines of elegant writing filled the page: stolen glances, secret meetings, the ache of love between two people who weren’t supposed to be together.
“…the world called her dangerous, but he saw the hunger for kindness beneath her quiet armor. And though his heart beat for another, it was her shadow that haunted him most…”
Lilith sat down slowly, her fingers tracing the page.
Was this how Robin saw love?
Was it this… complicated?
She kept reading, faster now. If she could understand the way Robin thought about relationships, maybe she could help Franky.
Maybe she could find a way to prepare him gently, to keep his heart from breaking too hard.
But even as she read, another feeling crept in. A hollow ache deep inside her chest.
The kind of ache that wasn’t about Franky or Robin.
It was about her.
She closed the book gently and whispered into the empty room.
“…Super stupid…”
Lilith had barely slept the night before. After flipping through nearly four dozen different romance novels, each one more dramatic than the last, she’d formed a plan.
A wild, slightly unhinged plan.
But she was a scientist, after all. And sometimes the best theories needed a little field testing.
She found Franky in his usual spot near the workshop, tinkering with a new arm-mounted cannon. Sparks flew as he fused a joint together, wearing protective goggles and humming one of his ridiculous battle tunes.
“Franky,” she said, hands behind her back, rocking on her heels.
He looked up, pushing the goggles up to his forehead. “Yo, Lilith! What’s up? You ok?”
She nodded, flashing a crooked smile. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about… Robin.”
His expression changed immediately—eyes narrowing, grin fading into something softer, almost cautious..
“I’ve been thinking,” she began carefully. “And reading. A lot of reading. Romance novels. Psychological studies. Emotional patterns in female behavior…”
Franky blinked. “Uh… okay?”
“And I think,” Lilith said, raising her chin like a confident inventor presenting a prototype, “I can help you win Robin’s heart.”
Franky stared at her.
“You… want to help me?” he said, genuinely confused. “Why?”
She hesitated for a beat.
Because you’re going to get hurt.
Because she’s already with someone.
Because I don’t want to see you crash and burn.
Because… I think I like you and I don’t know how to say it.
But instead, she said with a bright grin, “Because I want you to be happy.”
Franky softened. His usual bravado dimmed a little. “Lilith, that’s… really super of you. Thanks.”
Lilith shrugged like it was no big deal, even though her chest felt like a crushed gear. “So. You want the plan?”
Franky gave a little laugh. “Lay it on me, scientist.”
“Okay,” she said, pacing in front of him, hands moving animatedly as if presenting a battle strategy. “From what I’ve gathered, the best way to win a woman like Robin is… to become unavailable.”
“…What?”
“It’s classic misdirection,” she said. “Every single romance book on that shelf, every one, has a scene where the woman realizes what she wants when she sees someone else wanting it too. Jealousy. Emotional tension. Doubt. It’s all right there in the data.”
Franky squinted. “So you’re saying I should… ignore Robin?”
“No!” Lilith said quickly. “You still be nice. Still be you. But… you show her you’ve moved on. That you might not be available anymore. You need to make her think that if she doesn’t act soon, she might lose you. To someone else.”
Franky scratched the back of his head, still clearly confused. “I mean, I guess that makes sense, but who—”
Lilith cut in before he could finish.
“I’ll be your fake girlfriend.”
Silence.
Total silence.
Franky blinked once. Then twice.
“Wait… what?”
“You and me,” Lilith said, pointing between them. “Totally fake. Super casual. Public enough to get Robin’s attention, subtle enough to avoid making it weird. We hang out more, act flirty, maybe drop a few well-placed hints. Then we wait.”
Franky stared at her like she’d just suggested turning the Sunny into a submarine powered by seagulls.
“You’re serious.”
“As a heart attack.”
He looked at her for a long beat. “You’re… okay with that?”
Lilith forced the brightest, cheekiest smile she could muster. “Why wouldn’t I be? It’s just data. Social science. Plus, I’m a hell of a fake girlfriend.”
Franky chuckled, rubbing his neck. “You’re kinda crazy, y’know that?”
“Only in the most attractive way,” she said with a wink.
Franky laughed harder at that, the tension in his shoulders finally releasing. “Alright then. What the hell. Let’s do it.”
He held out a fist. Lilith bumped it.
As they turned to head below deck for dinner, Lilith glanced sideways at him—his smile wide, his spirits high.
And for a second, she let herself pretend it was real.
Just one second.
Lilith and Franky didn’t waste time.
The next morning, Operation Fake Super Romance was in full swing.
It began with something simple: Lilith casually tugging Franky down next to her at breakfast.
Normally he’d sit by Usopp or Chopper, but today he dropped right beside her, shoulder to shoulder, as she offered him a bite of her food.
Her fork hovered in front of his mouth.
Franky blinked. “You sure?”
Lilith grinned. “What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t feed my man?”
The room went still.
Mouth full of meat, Luffy pointed with a greasy bone. “Huh? Wait—you guys are dating now?” He grinned. “That’s super cool! Franky and Lilith, the power couple!”
Then he reached for more eggs and forgot the conversation completely.
Nami’s eyes narrowed slightly over her coffee. “Since when?” she asked slowly.
Lilith shrugged. “Just recently.”
Franky gave a nervous thumbs-up. “Yeah, we figured—why not?”
Nami sipped her drink. “Hmm.” She said nothing else, but her eyes flicked toward where Robin usually sat.
“Whaaat?!” Usopp nearly choked on his toast.
Chopper gasped. “Is this why you’ve been hanging out so much in the workshop?”
Lilith leaned into Franky’s arm. “We’ve been building more than inventions,” she said with a smirk.
Chopper blushed. “W-Whoa…”
Usopp jabbed an elbow into Franky. “You sly cyborg! What’d you do, upgrade her heart or something?!”
Sanji stopped mid-spin with a plate of croissants. “WHAT?”
He looked at Lilith, then Franky, then back again.
“…I—I didn’t even know you liked—” He cut himself off, composed himself dramatically. “Very well. If Lilith-chan is happy, then I shall respect it… though it breaks my heart into a million mechanical pieces.”
Brook clasped his bony hands together. “A beautiful woman and a metal man… sounds like a romance novel!” Then he tilted his skull. “May I see your panties, Lilith-san?”
Franky immediately threw a wrench at him. “NOT WHILE I’M HERE, BONEHEAD!”
Jinbe gave a calm nod. “As long as you treat each other with respect and honesty, I wish you both happiness.”
Lilith blinked. “…That’s it?”
He smiled. “You’ll find I’m not one for dramatics.”
The only one who hadn’t reacted?
Robin
She hadn’t been at breakfast.
Zoro had shown up late and alone, sleep-heavy and silent, a faint red mark visible beneath his jaw. Lilith noticed it. And tried not to.
Later That Day, the pair kept up the act with surprising chemistry.
In the garden, Lilith dragged Franky by the hand, pointing out flowers and laughing loudly as he made jokes about “cola-fueled fertilizers.”
On the deck, Franky lifted her like a barbell during a “playful training” session. “My girl’s light as a feather and sharp as a circuit!”
Usopp gagged. “You guys are nauseating.”
Lilith gave Franky a wink. He winked back. He was clearly enjoying the attention.
The plan was working.
Or at least, she hoped it was.
But every time she caught Robin watching from behind her book—face unreadable, lips unreadable—Lilith’s heart sank a little lower.
That evening, just before dinner, Lilith and Franky shared a “quiet moment” on the balcony. Not for the crew—but just to practice.
“You’re really going all in,” Franky said, leaning on the railing.
Lilith smirked. “I’m not one for half-measures.”
Franky gave a soft laugh. “You’re something else, Lilith. Really.”
Her breath caught, just for a second. She looked up at him, smile faltering, but only briefly.
“You better remember this when Robin falls in love with you,” she said, nudging his elbow. “I’m doing serious girlfriend cosplay here.”
Franky laughed again, a deep, genuine sound. “You’ve been a real friend. I owe you.”
Lilith nodded, forcing a grin.
And deep down, where the circuits didn’t reach, she wondered just how long she could pretend.
The soft creak of the library door was the only sound that broke the quiet hum of pages turning. Lilith stepped inside, expecting the room to be empty, but paused when her eyes landed on Zoro and Robin near the far wall.
They were standing close.
Too close.
Robin’s fingers brushed his wrist as she murmured something, and Zoro’s lips curved in a half-smile. Neither of them noticed her at first.
But then the door clicked behind her.
Both heads turned.
Robin took a small step back. Zoro cleared his throat.
“Lilith,” Robin said calmly, her usual serene smile sliding into place. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
Zoro glanced at Lilith once—then nodded curtly and walked out without a word. His swords clinked softly at his hip.
Lilith stood in place for a moment, feeling like she’d just caught two people unplugging a secret system.
Robin gestured to the chair beside her. “Would you like to stay? I was just taking a break from reading.”
Lilith hesitated—then nodded and walked over, her boots clicking softly on the wooden floor. She flopped into the chair and slouched a little, folding her arms behind her head.
“Don’t mind me,” she said casually. “Just figured I’d get away from all the new couple attention.”
Robin chuckled gently. “You and Franky are quite the topic today.”
Lilith smirked. “You mean we’re killing it.”
Robin tilted her head, smiling. “You do seem to be getting along very well.”
“We are,” Lilith said, a little too quickly. Then she leaned forward, arms on her knees. “I mean, it’s Franky. What’s not to like? He’s bold, creative, hilarious, and ridiculously strong. We’re basically the most super couple on the sea.”
Robin gave her a soft, unreadable look—but her smile didn’t falter.
“I’m glad to hear that,” she said gently. “Franky… he’s one of my closest friends. A very special person.”
Lilith nodded slowly, the words catching her off guard. “Yeah. He is.”
Robin’s gaze wandered to the books for a moment, then returned to Lilith with that same warmth. “He’s cared deeply for people before, but… he’s never really been in love. Not like this. It’s good to see someone return that kind of affection.”
Lilith’s mouth felt dry. Her throat locked up, just for a second.
She swallowed. “Yeah, well… he deserves it. Everything he gives—he should get back. Times ten.”
Robin’s smile grew, soft and real. “Then thank you. For making him happy.”
Lilith blinked.
She felt it again, that twist in her chest. Like something fragile pressing against metal.
Because Robin’s gratitude was genuine. Pure. And completely unaware of what Lilith knew.
Unaware that she saw Zoro had his hand on Robin’s back moments before she entered. That their intimacy was subtle but passionate.
And unaware that Lilith was protecting Franky… but was starting to realize she might be falling for him.
“I’m just doing what anyone would do,” Lilith said lightly. “Giving a great guy a chance.”
Robin reached over and squeezed her hand briefly. “Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
Lilith smiled.
It was the kind of smile that a true friend would give.
It was just after sunset when Franky found Lilith fiddling with loose wires near the ship’s upper deck rail.
The ocean shimmered in the dying light, casting long reflections over the polished metal of her tools.
“Lilith,” he said, voice lower than usual, serious.
She turned, squinting. “Yo, cyborg. What’s up?”
Franky rubbed the back of his neck. “Can we talk? Like, seriously?”
Her heart skipped. She forced a smile and set down her tools. “Sure. You okay?”
Franky exhaled slowly, eyes flicking toward the horizon before he looked back at her. “I’ve been thinking… this plan of yours, the one to make Robin jealous?” he began, his voice a low rumble, "I don't think this 'make Robin jealous' plan is working."
Lilith's heart sank. She had been dreading this conversation.
"What makes you say that?" she asked, feigning surprise.
He sighed, running a hand over his gleaming scalp. "She's... she's not jealous at all. If anything, she seems completely indifferent to us. And sometimes," he lowered his voice, "she even looks genuinely happy for us. Like she's relieved I found someone."
Lilith’s mind raced. This was her worst fear confirmed. But she couldn't let him know the truth, not now.
"No, Franky, that's just her act," Lilith lied, forcing conviction into her voice. "Robin's smart. She's not going to show her hand. She's probably super jealous on the inside, but she's too good at hiding her emotions. She doesn't want you to know she's affected."
Franky squinted, clearly unconvinced. "Are you sure? It feels like she's just... cool with it. Maybe even happy for me." He paused, then his eyes hardened with resolve. "I'm going to confront her. I'll just ask her directly how she feels."
Lilith's blood ran cold. "No! Franky, don't!" she blurted out, stepping in front of him.
Panic flared in her chest. If he confronted Robin, everything would unravel. He'd find out about Robin and Zoro, and the pain would be immeasurable.
Franky looked at her, confused. "Why not? If she's so jealous, why shouldn't I just go ask her? What's the problem, Lilith? You just said she's super jealous." His questions, though innocent, pierced through her carefully constructed facade.
The logical inconsistencies of her lie were suddenly glaringly obvious.
In that moment, overwhelmed by the fear of exposure, the tangled web of her own feelings, and the desperate need to stop him, Lilith acted on pure instinct.
She reached up, grabbed Franky by the collar of his shirt, and pulled him down, pressing her lips desperately against his.
Franky stiffened, utterly stunned. His eyes, wide with surprise, stared into hers for a split second before Lilith pulled away, her face burning.
"Lilith… what… what just happened?" he stammered, touching his lips, his voice filled with bewilderment. "Why did you…?"
But Lilith couldn't answer.
The dam of her suppressed emotions burst.
Tears welled in her eyes, hot and stinging, blurring Franky’s confused face.
Without another word, she turned and ran, leaving a bewildered Franky alone on the deck, the unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air between them.
Franky sat alone in his workshop, hands idle for once, the soft whir of machines the only sound in the room.
He stared at the half-assembled project in front of him—a new propulsion system he and Lilith had started together last week.
She’d been excited about it, calling it “The Double Cola Boosted Jet Guster.”
He exhaled slowly, arms crossing over his chest.
“I’m gonna talk to Robin,” he muttered aloud, trying to make it real.
It was what he’d wanted from the start, right?
To be honest.
To tell her how he felt.
But as soon as the thought settled in his chest, it twisted, because all he could think about was Lilith.
That kiss.
That raw, chaotic moment where her lips had crashed into his like a glitch in a flawless system.
And the look on her face right before she ran. Like something inside her had broken.
He leaned forward on the workbench, elbows on the table, running his fingers through his blue hair.
What was that?
She’d told him this was all just a plan.
A strategy.
Make Robin jealous, win her heart, super happily ever after.
But the last few days… they hadn’t felt fake.
He remembered:
The way Lilith had laughed too hard at his dumb puns in the kitchen.
The way she’d leaned into him when Nami was teasing them at dinner, like she didn’t want to move away.
The way she’d touched his arm absentmindedly when they were fixing a gear system together.
The late-night cola run they made two nights ago, sitting on the deck with their legs dangling over the edge, trading ideas and stupid jokes while everyone else was asleep.
The way she’d fallen asleep beside him in the workshop, head on his shoulder, snoring just slightly.
At the time, he told himself it was just her commitment to the act. That Lilith liked to play her part to the extreme.
But maybe it wasn’t an act anymore.
Maybe it hadn’t been, for a while.
He sighed, standing and pacing the room. He still wanted to tell Robin how he felt.
That hadn’t changed. She was graceful, intelligent, mysterious in a way that pulled at him.
But now… now there was this strange weight on his chest every time he thought about Lilith’s trembling voice.
He clenched his fists, frustration rising. He hated not knowing the situation. Emotions were so damn annoying.
What if Lilith had real feelings for him?
What if… he had started to feel something back?
No. No, he told himself. Robin first. That was the plan.
But somehow, the thought didn’t sit as securely as it used to.
He looked back at the half-built propulsion system on the table.
Lilith’s handwriting was still scribbled on the schematics. A tiny doodle of the two of them in the corner—both wearing goggles, grinning.
Franky smiled.
Then frowned.
Then sighed.
“Why the hell is this so complicated?”
The kiss hadn’t just fried her circuits—it had scrambled his too.
And now, walking into Robin’s room to confess felt a lot less like a dream… and more like a decision.
One he suddenly wasn’t sure he was ready to make.