"Ms. Nico?" A masculine voice exclaimed behind her. Robin turned around to see one of her old students, Roronoa Zoro.
"Zoro-san." She greeted, equally surprised to see him at this restaurant.
"Blind date?" He asked suddenly, looking over at the empty chair across from her.
"Why yes, how di-" She cut herself off as she realized what was happening. "Well, this is certainly, odd." She commented. Zoro took the seat across from her, sighing to himself as he found out his blind date was with an old teacher of his.
"I knew a date was a bad idea." He groaned.
"As did I. Still, I don't get out much and dinner with a friend doesn't sound too bad, does it?" She reasoned.
"No, not really." He agreed, glancing through the menu as they continued to sit they in awkward silence.
"Well, I guess, how have you been?" She asked, hoping the small talk of catching up would make this night less painful for the two of them.
"Hm? Oh, good, I guess. What about you?"
"I've been doing well, work is less stressful these days." She told him.
"You still at the same school?" He questioned, closing the menu to give her his full attention.
"I am, classes these days are a breeze compared to when I had you and your friends." She teased, remembering how unruley him and his friends use to be.
"Ha, I bet. I don't think Luffy could ever really be topped in that catagory."
"Are you all still friends?" She inquired, knowing how close they all were it would be strange to hear otherwise.
"Yeah, me and Luffy still live together. Sanji and Nami got a place finally, I'm sure you saw that coming."
"Indeed, I was wondering how long it would take for her to accept such a kind young man. I'm quite jealous actually."
"What? Of Nami? You would want to date a guy like curly brow?" He asked in disbelief.
"Well, no not exactly. I just envy them being together. It must be nice to have someone to share those feelings with." She explained, a slight ping of sadness in her smile now.
"Well, what have you been doing these past two years? Did you ever write that book?" He quickly asked, hoping to change the subject.
"No, I haven't even continued from where I was when you were still in my class." She replied. She had almost forgotten about that book.
"Why not?"
"I just haven't the time. Every free moment I get I just read. I haven't actually thought about writing it for a long time." She confessed.
"You should try, I remember how excited you were about it back then. I'm sure you still can." He assured. She smiled, remembering how sweet the young man was. Not very many people knew that about him. Their conversation was put on hold while the waitress took their orders. She hurriedly brought them their drinks. Beer for Zoro and wine for Robin.
"So, what have you been doing these past two years then?" He continued.
"Mm." Robin remembering he had asked that, "Just working at the school. I've been trying to move to a normal highschool, but even with my PHD, no one will look past my criminal record. It seems I'm doomed to this secondary eduaction." She sighed.
"I forgot about that. I'm somewhat in the same boat, I can only get odd jobs here and there. Bills have really been hard lately."
"What kind of jobs?" She inquired, curious to find out if he had gone back to his old ways.
"Nothing like that." He grinned, knowing what she was implying. "Just manual labor and such. I had to help demo a building last week. Stuff like that."
"Is that how, you got that?" She asked finally, gesturing to his now scarred eye.
"No, ha, remember that time I told you about what happened to my chest?"
"Vaguely."
"I went to a kendo tournament and lied about my age to fight at a higher class. I went all the way to the defending champion, he knew I wasn't off age so he told the officials and had me disqualified. I thought he was chickening out of our duel, so I challenged him with real swords outside the venue. He cut me across the chest since I lost."
"Ah yes, did you do that again?" Not sure if his stubborn attitude was to blame or his idiotcy at times.
"Nah, after school I got community service for trying to leave the state while on probation. The place I was assigned was apparently his land. I asked him to train me to be a better swordsman. He laughed at first, thinking it was pathetic. He agreed when I told him I still wanted to take his title. I trained with him for almost all of these two years. I actually got back into town a few weeks ago." He finished, drinking the rest of his beer and instantly wanting another.
"Still causing trouble I see." She joked, smiling before taking another sip of her wine.
"We all are. Nami is still an insatiable pick pocket and scammer. Dartboard still gets into bar fights over people mistreating women. Luffy is trouble. Usopp can't stop pulling pranks and Chopper, well Chopper never really caused trouble. Trouble just finds him. It's almost like we never grew up." He admitted, realizing he himself hasn't either.
"I'm glad." She smiled.
"Huh?"
"You all were my favorite students. Never a dull moment with your group. I actuall miss having you fall asleep in my class and snoring while I finished grading papers after school had been out for an hour." She reminisced. "Your friends would always come back for you too. Never truely leaving you behind. I do wish you all came to visit me sometime. It'd be nice to see everyone again."
"I'm actually pretty happy it was you I had a blind date with, rather than some random girl." He confessed.
"Oh, and why is that?" She smiled.
"I've been wondering how you've been doing." He shrugged, feeling nervous suddenly. "I mean, shit."
"Fufufu, not a day has changed. Still as flustered as ever." She teased. Luckily for him, their food came. Effectively, putting their conversation on pause so they could eat.
"Are you sure you don't want any of this?" She asked, bringing another spoonful of ice cream and brownie to her lips.
"I'm not fond of chocolate." He reminded.
"I was hoping that was a phase." She smiled, not at all detered from finishing it herself. He just watched her, thinking how oddly graceful she was when eating her dessert. She had been about to finish the last bite when the check arrived. She was about to ask them to split it when Zoro just handed the waitress a hundred.
"Here, open." She command, holding out her spoon with the last bite still on it.
"I told you, I'm no-" The look she gave him shut him up, and he politely obeyed. Taking the last bite with grimace.
"Fufu, I didn't think it was that bad." She laughed, finding his discomfort amusing.
"I tol mu, *gulp*, ahh. I told you I'm not fond of chocolate." He huffed. Not finding it at all funny.
"Fufufu, I'm sorry."
He walked her to her car. When the arrived, they stood there awkwardly. Not knowing how to end this.
"It's not a school night, would uh, you want to maybe get a drink somewhere?" He suggested, not yet wanting to part ways with her.
"I'm afraid my tolerance for alcohol isn't as high as yours. Those few glasses tonight have already began to affect me." She admitted, feeling more relaxed than usual.
"Ah, well, I was kind of hoping to spend some more time with you."
"You could always come by the school, I already said I'd love to see everyone again." She told him again.
"I know, I was just kinda wanting to be, alone with you. You know?" He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away. Not sure of what kind of response he was going to get.
"Why is that?" She inquired, shifting closer to him, unbeknownst to him or herself.
"I uh, liked spending time with you tonight." He started, glancing at her to see her reaction. When she still looked curious, he continued. "I don't know really, I never thought I'd enjoy going on a date before, but.."
"But?" She pressed on. This time she stepped a little closer on her own and he had noticed.
"It's not gonna be weird?" He asked, his hand gently skimming over her wrist. Reluctant to grab hold if she protested.
"Zoro-kun, it will always be weird." She began, his face turning away in rejection. "But," She continued. "I don't mind it all." She finished, smiling as his head whipped back to face her in surprise. His shock quickly replaced by a smirk, as he pulled himself closer and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"It's not that weird." He commented, before leaning in pressing his lips to her's. Her hands slid over his cheeks and into his short green hair before wrapping around his neck. "I've always had a crush on you." He confessed, turning slightly pink as she smiled.
"So did I." She comforted, leaning in for another kiss.
"Now that's weird woman." Before capturinng her lips again when she pulled his hair at his playful jab.
"Zoro-kun?"
"Hmm?" Zoro hummed, pressing his face into the back of her shoulder.
"I believe your friends are here." She told him. He quickly sat up, looking down at Robin in just her underwear.
"Shit." He cursed to himself. Banging could be heard on his door before Nami shouted from outside.
"Wake up Zoro, we're all going to breakfast!"
"Shit." He cursed again. Remembering that he did in fact have plans this morning.
"Should I go?" Robin asked, holding the sheets to her chest as she sat up. He leaned in and gave her a small peck.
"No. You want to go to breakfast with us?" He asked, standing up from his bed and walking to his closet. Rummaging through several t shirts before pulling one out.
"You think that's okay?" She asked, looking for her bra. Finding it on the floor to the side of the bed.
"Yeah, why not?" He questioned, still rooting through his small collection of shirts.
"It's not too soon?"
"I've been waiting two years." He told her, pulling out a long sleeve shirt. "If you don't want to or if you think it's too much too soon, I can wait." He assured her. Holding out the shirt for her.
"Where are we going then?" She smiled, taking the shirt and throwing it on over her head.
"No clue." He admitted, wrapping his arms around her waist before her head was completely free from the shirt. They kissed while he fixed the shirt on her lower body. He knew it would be big enough to work like a dress. She went in for another kiss before the banging on the door started again.
"Hurry up Zoro! We're all waiting!"
"Sorry Nami, we're coming." Robin shouted back. Smirking back at Zoro as he grinned in approval.
"Wait, who the hell is that?!"