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There are those that claim romance between two individuals is truly evident when seen in over-the-top gestures. Flowers gifted every week or two, a lavish display of jewelry bestowed upon one’s beloved, and often overbearing amounts of public affection exchanged between a couple are just some of the ideas that come to mind when people think of these romantic gestures they put on an often-unattainable pedestal. However, those with often the purest, deepest connections to their partner know far differently. Romance, for these couples, is exchanged in those seemingly mundane, seemingly insignificant and inconsequential moments that no one outside of the pair would notice.
Romance is found in those “This made me think of you” moments when passing by a bookstore and seeing a title you know she would love, so you purchase it discreetly to add to her already overflowing collection, knowing how much a new book will keep her enamored for days.
Romance is found in those “I see you beat your previous record today. I’m proud of you” moments when you notice the work, the dedication, the sweat-soaked sheen settling on his olive skin as he surpasses his previous weight limit and yet somehow manages to do more reps than ever before in a single training session.
Romance is found in those quiet moments stolen away from everyone else, the secret and tender kisses shared in the crow’s nest, the lingering hands as you give one another a comforting squeeze following a battle, the companionable silence that overtakes two people when settling into a night of pursuing their own hobbies in the near vicinity of one another, only a few determined steps away from their partner.
That is what romance means between the swordsman and the archaeologist of the Straw Hat Pirates. It isn’t loud, isn’t flashy, isn’t demanding, simply a comforting presence, a knowledge that someone knows you deeply enough to embrace your flaws, scars, and history but chooses to stand beside you anyway, a strong force present at your back against any obstacle or any storm.
It isn’t demanding, where one person takes more than they give, but exchanged in those gentle moments in their own form of currency. She might help alleviate the soreness of the muscles in Zoro’s back and torso after an excruciating fight or an intense training session by using her real and conjured hands to knead the corded muscles whereas he might help hold a precarious stack of heavy, hardcover books that threaten to topple at any second when Robin decides to rearrange her library on the Sunny for what must be the hundredth time. The first mate walks with a purpose ahead of Robin, a firm hand wrapped around her wrist as his keen eye scans the marketplace or city ahead of them, always on the lookout for danger lest someone try to steal her away again. Robin keeps conjured eyes and ears on the lookout for the directionally challenged swordsman. These acts of service show romance’s true devotion.