AN: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda.
Hey! Here's a little Zorobin for you! ^_^ I'm not sure how it went, but I think it did get better towards the end? Anyway! Hope you enjoy it! XD
"I tried to save you, Zoro-san."
Zoro sat silently, not bothering to move. They both knew he wasn't sleeping. Of course he'd listen to her. He didn't even have to ask what she was talking about, they both knew, and she was finally ready to talk about what had happened. He'd asked Sanji about what had happened after he'd been sent flying by Kuma, but not even Sanji knew everything. Franky had told him that there had only been Nami, Chopper and Robin left when he'd been sent flying...and Luffy. Luffy had been last, everyone had known that. Chopper had no memory of what happened...that only left Robin. The Robin they had just saved.
"I tried to save you from Kizaru...if Rayleigh-san...if he hadn't come...Zoro-san, we almost lost you forever. Thank you, for coming back. We all need you Zoro-san, you're our First Mate. Without you, the crew just isn't complete. We all had to watch as you stood in front of Kuma...we had to watch as he sent you away, for what seemed to us to be forever. We'd thought we'd lost you forever."
Zoro stayed still as he felt her sit down next to him. What was she thinking? What was he supposed to do? Did she need him to say something? To do something? No, that wasn't the type of relationship they had. He'd just do what he always did when she'd come read by him. He'd sit quietly and just listen. He wasn't exactly good with this stuff anyway. They were all back, weren't they? What must it have been like to have watched everyone disappear from in front of her? He'd been the first to go. He'd been lucky.
"I had to watch as Brooke-san disappeared...trying to protect Sanji-san and Usoppe-san. Usoppe-san was trying to help Sanji-san run...Luffy-san ordered us to run...we just couldn't believe you were really gone...we couldn't think straight without you...all we could do was run...but Sanji wouldn't...he'd just seen you and Brooke disappear in front of him...he was so upset, Zoro-san. He ignored Luffy-san's order...we had to watch as Usoppe tried to defend himself...but it just didn't work...and then Sanji-san...he disappeared too...Zoro-san."
He heard a tear hit the wooden deck. He lowered his head slightly, casting shadows over his face. He couldn't let her see him struggle. He'd failed them. He'd failed all of them. He'd failed the crew. He'd failed his Captain, and he'd failed her. He'd been the first to go and she'd been the last. She'd had to watch everyone disappear, and he'd been glad to have been the first...once he'd learned what happened to Kuma's victims. He couldn't imagine how Luffy had felt...and what had Love-Cook been thinking?! If Zoro had been there, he would have sliced the stupid cook up for ignoring an order! He'd made everything worse for everyone! If he'd just run...Kuma would have still gotten them...they just wouldn't have had to watch as they'd all disappeared one by one...even Brooke and Franky had tried to fight back to save the others...even Usoppe had tried to fend off Kuma...even if it had been in fear...he'd tried to fight back... He should have been there to protect them...but even Luffy had lost against Kuma...what could he have done?
"Then Franky-san and Nami-san...Franky-san tried to fight...and that's when Luffy-san tried to attack Kuma...I tried to stop him...I knew there was nothing any of us could do...I just couldn't watch anyone else disappear...I thought everything was over when Kuma started to come towards me...I was so scared...I'd just learned to live...and we had only just been about to start a new journey together..."
Zoro glanced towards the woman next to him out the corner of his eye, not looking up. She was smiling. Robin was smiling...a few tears were rolling down her cheeks, but she was smiling. Zoro felt a small smile twitch at the corners of his mouth. They'd all worked hard for two years, and now they were together. They were happy. She was happy. He put his head back again, letting her see his blank face as he pretended to continue dozing. Something told him she wasn't finished. They weren't ones for talking – that was one of the things he liked about her, she never said anything completely unnecessary and annoying, even if she did like to embarrass him – but she was clearly ready to get everything off her mind, and she'd chosen him to talk to about it so he was going to hear her out.
"Zoro-san, I know it took some time for you to learn to trust me...it took me some time to trust everyone else too, but I'm part of the crew now too." Zoro's tensed slightly at her words, "I know you know this, and I wasn't wishing to burden you with my memories...but I had to tell you, Zoro-san. We are who we are, and I shall be with this crew until the end, as will you. I'm not leaving; I'm placing all my hopes and dreams for the future with everyone else's, including yours, Zoro-san."
He felt her head rest against his shoulder, causing his face to turn an impressive shade of crimson. If she looked up now, he wouldn't be able to hide it. She'd laugh at him again. He sat still, trying not to give her an excuse to look at him. He remembered the last time they'd sat like this, much to a very drunk Love-Cook's horror. They'd been celebrating and she'd been sitting between him and Nami. The two of them could hold their drink, which meant Robin had ended up trying to keep up since she'd been in the middle, and had apparently been having fun. She'd certainly looked like it.
They'd been there for a while when she'd started to doze off, still sitting with a tankard in her hand. He'd laughed and made a witty comment aimed at her for a change, trying to return the favour for all her teasing. That had been when she'd leaned on him. Nico Robin had leaned on him. A very drunk Nico Robin of course, but it was still her and very out of character. He'd blushed as he'd heard what she'd whispered, making him barely aware of Love-Cook's shouting or Nami's teasing. She told him that she liked sitting with him, that she loved spending time with her Zoro-kun. Her Zoro-kun. Zoro had let his free hand brush gently across hers for a moment, the movement going completely unnoticed by the others. That had been over two years ago now. That had been before they'd found themselves seemingly separated forever.
Here they were again.
And this time they were sober.
Zoro moved his hand to rest on top of hers as it lay palm-down on the wooden deck between them. She didn't even flinch. He could feel his face heating again – it had only just started cooling down! He felt her hand turn under his, their fingers interlocking. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. This was fine wasn't it? They weren't doing anything wrong. He was comforting his crewmate, his Nakama. She was upset and needed him, but he had no idea what to say. He hoped that she understood him, but he could feel her smile against his arm. He sensed an approaching threat and let go of her hand, putting it back on his own lap, far from hers. Love-Cook instantly appeared alongside them with a treat for Robin. He didn't even say anything about how he'd found them before he left again, but he had been encouraging Zoro for some time, maybe he really was okay with this?
"Zoro-san...do you miss her?"
Zoro looked at her in surprise. He had no idea where that had come from, but now she was sitting up eating her ice-cream with an elegance that suited her perfectly, the relaxed atmosphere gone completely. Love-Cook had ruined the moment, and he was going to pay for that later. It had taken so long for them to get back to where they'd been before being separated, and now the distance was back, and Zoro had no idea why. Why would she suddenly ask about Kuina? And why would that make her distant? Maybe it was because of that copycat? He'd told her about Kuina before...she'd asked about his past so he'd answered her.
"I never defeated her, but you know that. I'm going to achieve our goal, and she's helping me to do it. How can I miss her? I carry her weight every day."
"The two of you really did become close then. I had been a little surprised to hear of her...I hope you thanked her properly, Zoro-san."
"...I carry our dream, but I can't thank her. I can thank her father, but I can't thank her. I'm not a believer, Robin, I thought you knew that."
"Her father, Zoro-san?"
Zoro could hear the confusion in her voice and opened his eye again to look at her. She had stopped eating, the spoon less than an inch from her mouth, her lips parted slightly from the expectation of receiving more ice-cream. She knew of Kuina's father...maybe this wasn't about her? Who else could she be talking about? There had been no other girl that had played a big enough part in his life for her to need to worry, and it had never been like that with Kuina. She had been his friend and rival. Now she was being copied by that stupid marine woman! ...marine woman?
"I thought you were asking about Kuina." Zoro rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, a small blush on his cheeks, "were you talking about her copycat? That marine swordswoman? I barely know her so I can hardly miss her. I just get frustrated because she looks and sounds just like Kuina. I know she isn't her, and things were never like that between me and Kuina anyway." Zoro gazed up into the clear blue sky, an unreadable expression on his face.
"Marine swordswoman? Are you talking about Marine Captain Tashigi, Zoro-san? And I knew things were never 'romantic' between you and your childhood friend...I was referring to Perona, Zoro-san. You spent two years with her, and she helped you when it was time for us to all meet again. I was asking if you missed her."
Zoro looked back at Robin, registering the well-hidden sad expression in her eyes, hidden behind the rest of her unreadable facial expression. She was worried about Perona? That annoying girl with the ghosts? Zoro looked down at Robin's hand that still lay on the deck between them, which now held the glass still as she took another delicate scoop of ice-cream. He reached out and touched her hand that held the spoon, causing Robin to pause and finally look at him. She'd been avoiding his eye the whole time, but now he had her attention.
He took the spoon from her and placed it in his mouth, eating the scoop she'd just taken. Her eyes widened in surprise. He'd never stolen anything from her before, never mind one of Love-Cook's special treats. He lowered the spoon back down to the glass, not breaking their eye contact. He took a scoop and raised the spoon, slowly moving it towards her. She moved to take the spoon from him but he pulled it away. He started to move it closer again, and this time she just held her hand out to catch the ice-cream it fell. She opened her mouth hesitantly; if Nami-san caught them, Zoro-san would be in trouble. Robin had thought that just leaning on Zoro-san had been bold – she enjoyed embarrassing him, but intentionally getting him into trouble was another matter, and she certainly hadn't expected him to feed her! It was so...unmasculine...and...so cute! Robin smiled as Zoro slipped the spoon in her mouth.
She was almost disappointed as he pulled his hand away, leaving the spoon in her mouth. She could just make out his cheeks as he'd turned to face the other way, and from where she sat she had a perfect view of his vibrant ears. This was the adorable Zoro-san. She took another scoop and tapped him gently on the shoulder. She smiled as his flushed face turned to meet her. She was surprised that he'd actually turned around! She held the spoon up to him, making it clear that she wanted to return the favour. She watched as his entire face changed colour before he nodded, opening his mouth wide. She giggled as she placed the spoon in his mouth and it shut around the spoon like bear trap closing on its prey. She gently pulled the spoon out of his mouth as if she was feeding a toddler, and placed it back into the glass, taking another scoop for herself.
She leaned her head against his shoulder again, eating the small scoop of ice-cream, happy that they'd had that moment. That was probably the most they could ever have, but that was all she really needed from him. She wasn't used to the idea yet of being attached to anyone. She'd become used to being part of the crew, but she doubted she'd ever become used to how Zoro-san made her feel. She loved seeing such a big, muscular man acting so cute, but yet still being so strong, and even protective of the whole crew. He had his duties, and she wasn't about to ask anything unreasonable of him. She was happy that they could be like this together. She smiled quietly to herself. She heard Zoro inhale slightly as if he was about to say something, but never would she have expected what he said next.
"I like being your Zoro-kun."
So, how was it?! ^_^ Hope you liked it! ^_^
Hehe, I have a little announcement here, as of next Monday (27th?), 'World Champion of Kendo' will no longer be a one-shot! ;D I hadn't planned to continue it, but I was sitting (completely sleep deprived) writing my essay for uni and an idea came into my head, and...now there is a second chapter for one of my Zorobin one-shots O:) Anyway, hope you enjoyed this! ^_^