Title: Light
Theme: #03 - Light
Pairings: No pairings, but Zoro/Robin if you want to see it that way.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews on my previous stories :3
"How many times do you have to lift that?"
Perona sighed as she sat on the dirty steps of the ruined patio. Beside her were two cups of hot tea, one for her, one for the muscular swordsman in front of her, who was lifting enormous weights. For a normal girl, it would be an astonishing view, something worth watching a little longer with some fangirling thoughts involved. But for the pink-haired lady who floats in air half of her life, she would have left him to his activities alone, and enjoyed tea parties with adorable stuff animals.
But this is a deserted island – or rather, a deserted kingdom on an island – and except for that particular swordsman in front of him and the Spaniard-like sichibukai who carries a large bejewelled sword on his back, Perona had no one else to keep her company. And those human-copying apes aren't exactly a choice either.
"The bastard monkeys are nowhere to be seen today."
"That's because they know how to take the day off, unlike you," Perona replied. "I made tea, let's drink!"
Roronoa Zoro stopped, putting his weights aside. "You made tea? Since when do you make your own tea?" He said, walking towards Perona and sat with her beside the tray.
"Since you and Mihawk are too lazy to be gentlemen enough to make me tea."
Zoro took a sip, and smiled a little. Gentlemen. Something Sanji would actually lecture about for half a day. It has been months since he last saw the blond cook and the rest of his nakamas. He wondered how are they, and where are they?
"Oi, are you even listening?" Perona said, slapping his shoulder. "Ew, you're sweaty and sticky."
"Then don't touch me."
"What are you thinking about anyway?"
"My nakamas."
Perona met the Straw Hat Pirates before, they used to be her opponent back at Thriller Bark. In fact, Perona herself stood on the same battlefield as the mosslike-haired swordsman sitting beside her. "Oh. Do you miss them?"
Zoro did. He missed the adventures, he missed having his captain and their long-nosed sniper making imitations on the deck. He missed their noisy, demanding navigator and he missed the ero-cook who would spend his time impressing their dear navigator and annoy his nap. He missed the man made out of bones and their half-man half-machine shipwright. He even missed their tiny little furry doctor and the lovely, raven-haired archaeologist.
"Do you miss Hogback?" Zoro replied. Seeing the frustrated look on her face, he laughed. "What's that face? Relax, Robin."
Perona turned towards Zoro, raising her eyebrow and giving him a suspicious look, smiling slightly. "So the name of your girlfriend is Robin, eh?"
Zoro choked his tea, his face turned pink. "Wha-what? No." He scratched his head, pretending to be calm and ignorant. "Eh nothing nothing. I was thinking of my nakamas."
"Then why would you say Robin? Why Robin first? Which one is her? The sexy lady or the ferocious ginger one?"
"Ghost lady, you're noisy."
"Is it really her? The sexy lady in your crew. Is she really Nico Robin, the one with 80 Berries bounty?"
"It's 80 million Berries now. And yeah, it's her."
"Isn't she dangerous? I heard she alone destroyed many marine ships when she was little."
"She's a woman. A kind one, but scary. She's also brave. I guess it's because she got used to dangerous situation while growing up. She had a horrible childhood, but that's okay. Because now, she had a family. " Zoro held his shoulder, sighing. "She tried to save me before Kuma sent me here. I wasn't conscious, but I remember her… hands. And a bright light."
"Light?" Perona smiled. Ever since they found themselves stranded at Mihawk's place, he had never heard Zoro talked about his nakamas. He clearly missed them, she could tell it in his voice. "She sounds lovely. So! Tell me about the adventures you guys had with her!"
Zoro took another sip of the tea, and spent his evening telling Perona their adventures at Skypiea, with Perona being the listener, enjoying the fact that Zoro actually smiled about something other than being the victor over battles with soldier-apes.