Robin loved the crow's nest. Ever since she first joined the crew, climbing up to the small basket of the Going Merry felt like a welcome escape from the people below who all had the usual trouble trusting her. Up the mast with a book and a lantern when she needed it at night, she was away from the swooning cook and the other rambunctious boys. The only person she ever felt actually comfortable around was the navigator but even with that, Robin never felt comfortable enough to be social with anyone for long.
The swordsman always spent much of his day up here. On the Merry, if he wasn't training or eating, he was usually up there sleeping. If he was up there napping when Robin wanted her alone time, she never bothered to find another spot. If she didn't bother his nap, it would be as though she were alone, just with someone.
So much changed after the events at Enies Lobby, but her love of the crow's nest never did, even on a new ship. She finally felt she could trust her crew, her nakama. But even then, the crows nest still offers that chance to be alone. But with more time, Robin learned that the crow's nest was an excellent place to be alone with others.
On the Sunny, he was always up here training and resting. Robin could still retreat to the nest if she wanted to read undisturbed because the whole crew knew not to distract the green hair's training. As long as she didn't disturb him, she felt welcome to share his space. However, she did not always go up just to read anymore. Sometimes it was nice to just watch the man lift and practice. The rhythm of the weights; up and down; was soothing to watch, and the man wielding them was not unsightly either.
She could honestly say that she loved no one on the ship as anything but family, but a woman has her needs. She needs to be held sometimes, she needs to feel connected in that special way only romance brings, and she had certain other needs that needed protection from prying eyes. Luckily no one seemed to enjoy the sanctuary of the crow's nest like her frequent 'alone with someone'.
The only change was since that one night, that one snap decision. She found herself in his lap and him suddenly awake. She found their eyes locked. She found her arms around his neck. She did not find her normal defenses, discarded by her own sudden advance. Nor did she find his arms returning the embrace. And love and lust were no where to be seen in the swordsman's eyes. That did not seem to deter what came next though.
It never seemed to deter what came the other times either. It didn't happen every time, in fact it rarely happened at all. It was always at her advance, and always ended when she was done. And as quickly as it began, the swordsman got up and returned to his training.
It may not be love, but she figured it was the closest she was capable of getting. It was the only time of her life she was in control of her own body when things got 'intimate'. She got what she needed when she needed it and she was never denied. But it was always her going to him, never him going to her with needs.
It didn't happen every time, she didn't want it to. The crow's nest was a place to be alone or to be alone with someone. It may not have been a relationship, but it was something, and she didn't want any more or less than what they had.
The crow's nest always meant work for Zoro. Being there usually meant he was on watch, and that meant that he wasn't supposed to nap. It may not have stopped him, but it was a bother to be responsible. If he wasn't on watch, he was resting so that he could do watch or training later. So even his napping in the quiet crow's nest meant work in the future. Still, there were worse places to work. Stuck in the kitchen with the dartboard face, or making sure they were going the right way. He'd stick to his crow's nest where it was peaceful.
Even when that new woman came up there while he was napping or on watch, it was still peaceful. He didn't want to talk to her; she didn't want to talk to him. They both just wanted to be alone. But alone gets lonely, even for a loner. Sometimes its nice to be alone with someone.
A lot changed at Enies Lobby. Higher bounties meant new and stronger opponents would be chasing them. He needed to spend less time resting and more time training if he wanted to be strong enough to defeat his enemies without being pushed to the limit. The crow's nest became even more a symbol of work because the crew forced him to take all of his weights up there. So on watch, resting, and now training too, he was always up there. But at least it was always peaceful. He enjoyed fun sometimes, but he couldn't afford to always be playing like Luffy or to be swooning after women like the ero-cook. People didn't bother him up here; they knew that he was in more a mood for their fun if he was down among them. He was always busy, but at least it wasn't often lonely.
That woman, Robin, still came up to the nest to be alone too. She had warmed up to everyone, and everyone, even himself he had to admit, had grown closer to her. It wasn't just that she was quiet when he needed to rest or focus. She was nice to have around. It was like being alone with someone just like Merry's nest, just with more work and less rest.
Some things did change with their time alone together though. She wasn't always just minding her own business as days passed. Sometimes she came up just to watch him train. She didn't talk to him, didn't interact at all, and didn't work out herself. She just sat on the sofa or the floor and just casually glanced in between pages. Sometimes she didn't bring anything with her at all, she just watched the weights; up and down. As long as she didn't bother him, she was nice company.
Things got a bit less peaceful starting that one night, but it wasn't entirely a bad thing. He woke up suddenly from a nap while he was on watch do a weight landing in his lap. The pair of large, fleshy mounds and lace fabric in his face was quite a surprise. He looked up and saw Robin's eyes fixated on his own. He'd never seen that look in her eyes before but he knew what it was. He was a man; he had those feelings, those desires. But he didn't have time for them. If he wanted them 'taken care of' he easily could have on any of the populated islands. But that would usually cut in to training, napping, or occasionally partying time. There was no time for something that went away when he started something more important. Still, when face to face with those thoughts and their subject, not necessarily Robin, just a woman, he knew that sometimes you just have to indulge and get it over with to get back to what is important.
Her arms were around his neck, and he knew how he should respond. But he didn't. She was nakama, much older nakama. Its not that it was wrong, he had just never though about it, at least not as serious option. He honestly felt nothing for her but, oh well, the longer he thought the longer before he could get back to something important like sleep or training.
He let her do what she came to do and he helped her when she needed it. When she seemed finished, he squeezed her tight for a second, got up, got dressed, and went to lifting. That didn't quite last given the lack of strength he discovered in his legs. By the time he set down his weights and noticed the sun rising, she had already redressed and was heading down the ladder. It definitely wasn't his worst night; it was like a cardio workout without working, he could count it as stamina training.
And it was relaxing. It was growing old, being alone together. Just being together was a satisfying change of pace. He just hoped that it didn't happen too often, he didn't have time to waste hours not actually training and being too tired to train after.
It didn't always happen, in fact it was quite rare, and that's how he wanted it. He had enough work in his life without having to work to satisfy Robin's needs. Then again, a little cardio isn't a bad thing, nor is a break from routine, nor is feeling connected without being distracted. He wasn't entirely sure what was going through that woman's head about this, but for now it was more work, but enjoyable work. And they could continue being conveniently peacefully alone together. And when she needed, they would just be together.
It was their crow's nest; their home above home; their place to be alone, alone together or together alone.