AN: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda!

Hello there! This should have been update three for Sunday 28th, but something came up! Anyway, if you didn't realise from the summary, this is an accompanying chapter for 'The Cover of Baroque Works'! Yes, this is the mission that Zoro mentioned in the last chapter I posted! 3XD Bet you didn't think you'd be getting it so soon!

Hope you enjoy this! I had fun writing it! ^_^

He'd been stuck with her for over a year, his so-called "temporary partner". He'd spent that time doing as he'd been told, taking the bounties that she pointed him at with almost no effort from either of them, when she actually bothered to help. He'd actually begun to enjoy the quiet company of Miss All-Sunday, not that he'd admit that to her. She still liked laughing at him too much.

Two months ago, he couldn't have been more surprised when he'd found himself outside a dance class though. Robin had appeared out of the bathroom in some fancy dress, telling him that he was going on his first assassination mission...and it required learning to dance. He hadn't been too happy about it, but what choice did he have? If he didn't carry out his missions, then Mr 0 would make him start all over again. He had to collect one hundred bounties each worth more than fifty million beri. He'd gotten to eighty-nine before, but then he'd been too late arriving to the target's location. The 'Boss' had made him start his count all over again just because some stupid idiot beat him to a bounty! If Robin hadn't talked him out of visiting Alabasta, Mr 0 would have been Mr Ribbons.

Robin had actually been impressed, though, by how quickly he'd picked up the dances – it was easier than developing new techniques! In fact, he'd even taken a few tips from the dance lessons that Robin had been taking him to and incorporated them into his techniques. The Damn Woman had noticed. In fact, that wasn't the only damn thing she kept laughing at him about! She still started giggling when he somehow ended up in the centre of the room when they were supposed to be doing a circle around the outside of the room; he still hadn't worked out how he was managing it.

Robin took to leading...as always.

Zoro straightened up his shoulders, feeling Robin place a little more weight on his arm to make it look like he was leading. Why couldn't she trust him to get them in through the front door? He coughed quietly to himself, catching himself before he let himself get annoyed. He adjusted his black, silken, demon mask, feeling the cool blue eyes of his "mistress" watching him. He gave her a reassuring nod, signalling to her that he was fine. Why was he on an assassination mission? His specialty was collecting bounties, not sneaking around killing people without anyone noticing!

He reached into the inside pocket of his black suit jacket, his fingertips carefully grasping the thick, expensive paper. He pulled out the forged invite, still amazed at Robin's impressive skill. She'd explained that she had obtained an original from the host's cousin though unobserved means. She'd then replicated it perfectly before returning it to its owner. Why was he even needed on this mission? Perhaps it wasn't supposed to be his mission?

He handed over the invite to one of the men at the door. He was glad his cheekbones and nose were covered by the mask as Robin hugged his arm tighter to her bulging chest as she leaned in to whisper nonsense into his ear. She giggled cutely and Zoro was grateful for the cold night air that had likely already turned his ears red. She was really trying tonight! Normally at the hotels and restaurants they'd just talk companionably, making sure to keep up their 'happy' expressions no matter how serious the subject. Everyone usually accepted them as a couple; why was tonight any different?

"Welcome, Kuhatsu Ryo-san. May you and your guest enjoy your night." The man returned, watching them too closely for Zoro's liking.

Zoro thanked him, leading Robin in through the doors before she took over again. She nodded to him, silently letting him know he had passed the first test. He relaxed slightly, glad things were going well. Now he just had to find the target...and somehow get his undivided attention without anyone noticing. His cringed as his right hand went to where his katanas usually sat. Robin would lecture him for that later, but he wasn't happy with her for making him leave them at their other hotel. He didn't like being without his katanas.

...

"Are you not going to ask me to dance, Ryo-kun?" Robin giggled, batting her eyelashes at him from behind her feathered, indigo, she-devil mask.

"Of course." He nodded, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at her since she was only acting like this for the mission. "Sakiiro, my attention is yours and only yours. If you wish to dance, then we shall dance." He continued, trying to sound sappy as he attempted to hide his ridged awkwardness.

"Oh, Ryo-kun~!" She giggled back, swatting his chest and leaving her hand there.

"Am I interrupting?" A male voice mused, gaining their attention.

"I was just about to oblige this beautiful woman with a dance." Zoro returned, nodding his head to their target.

"Ah, perhaps I should catch you after your wife has had her dance." The man offered, smiling to Robin.

"Oh, Saki isn't my wife." Zoro began, watching the mild embarrassment appear across the visible parts of their host's face as he hid behind his strangely plain black mask, lined only by delicate gold thread. "My wife, Sasaya, is at home with our two month old son, Tsuyo. This is my colleague, Mura Sakiiro. She often accompanies me to these sort of things."

"Ah, well, Mura-san, I am very sorry that I appear to have not recognised you! It must be the mask!" He chimed, clearly trying to avoid approaching the subject of their relationship. "The two of you have chosen very interesting masks! A she-devil and a demon! Perhaps I should be worried!" He jested, Zoro and Robin laughing darkly to themselves at the irony of his choice of words.

"Perhaps." Robin mused, eyeing their host with a look of deep-seated desire before releasing Zoro's arm and leaving them to walk to the bar, her hips swinging deliciously.

Damn, she was good at this.

"Ho-How serious are things between you and Mura-san?" The other man asked, pulling slightly at the neck of his tie.

"I won't give her up without a fight, but I can't exactly stop her from playing with her toys." Zoro smirked, knowing that their target wouldn't understand his true meaning. "How is Edith?"

"Edith? Edith is well...She, like your own wife, could not make it tonight." He nodded, coughing awkwardly. "I am afraid you have caught me, but you cannot say I am wrong to look – you have clearly more than looked! She is quite the beauty...Is she much older than yourself? I do not mean to be rude, but she looks like she may be closer to my age?"

"Is there something wrong with enjoying the company of an older woman? There is nothing wrong with a little experience in the bedroom – just means she's had some practise. My wife could do with getting a few tips from her." Zoro snorted in fake amusement, carefully watching the other man. "In fact, it's a miracle I managed to get her pregnant at all."

Their host nodded in agreement, his eyes focused solely on Robin as she stood at the bar. Everything was going as planned. Robin had told him this particular target was a notoriously lecherous man, but this seemed more than a little extreme. He hadn't met many men this obvious, but maybe that was just his particular dislike to human company? In fact, he probably should try going out drinking on his own again. The only company he'd had in months was Robin's and she was usually reading. She had clearly given up plenty of time to come up with this plan. A fellow lecherous man and his mysterious mistress appearing at his masquerade ball with an invite, even though he didn't even recognise them. What better way to gain just the target's attention? Well, Robin's dress was certainly helping.

She was wearing an indigo, satin dress that fell elegantly down her long, pale legs, stopping just above her ankles that were graced by the top strap of her fine, black, strappy high heels. The dress itself had a single shoulder to it, barely holding her voluptuous breasts in place and a slit that rose to the top of her silky thigh. Zoro coughed again, bringing himself back to the room as he cursed his imagination. Things had never been like that and they never would be. He wasn't interested in her, no matter how much he enjoyed her company and how attractive she looked in that dress.

"I should perhaps let you give her that dance or she might not reward you later when you go up to your room – I assume you are staying?" The other man began again, reminding Zoro of his presence.

"I thought we didn't have a choice? That's what I told my wife, anyway." Zoro smirked, earning a knowing look from their host.

Zoro nodded over to Robin, earning a seductive look in return. Everything was set. She began to walk back over to them, her hips swinging temptingly. Zoro internally groaned, wondering what sort of effect she was having on the other man if she was managing to do this to him. He'd shared a bed with her countless times and doing things hadn't even crossed his mind once. Actually, his thoughts were more fear that she was going to do something to him while he slept so that she could laugh at him even more. She hadn't yet. Although, she still made him nervous when she started giggling while he was in the shower. He couldn't think of a reason why she'd want to spy on him in the shower, but for some reason he'd become slightly paranoid about it.

"Ah, Ernest-san, I bought you a drink as well since you appear to have attached yourself to my Kyo-kun." Robin cooed, handing their target his drink before lacing her arm around Zoro's right bicep once more as Zoro took his drink from her into his left hand. "I'm afraid I finished mine at the bar; I thought I'd leave the boys to chat."

"Well, perhaps we should have our dance then?" Zoro offered, trying to make his voice low and sexual as he once again thanked his mask for covering the heated parts of his face.

His breath hitched as she elegantly moved her entire body to cling to him, the back of her left hand sliding gently down the side of his jaw and down his neck. He felt her release his right arm before her hands slid up his body to loop her arms around his neck. Well, if anyone hadn't realised they'd come here together, they would now. He buried his face into her neck, seeking refuge, knowing that he'd pay for that later. He had no choice but to hide his face – it would give everything away. He shouldn't have agreed to this mission. He wasn't ready for this shit. He'd choose slaughtering a bunch of pirates over pretending to be someone's lover any day.

"Breathe." Robin whispered into his ear, trying to help him relax. "Everything is going perfectly, Mr 12. We just need to manage one dance and then he will ask me to dance. You can go up to the room then to cool down. I won't tease you for this – as cute as you are, I know you're trying very hard and you are doing very impressively. I believe everyone else in the room is completely convinced by us."

Zoro kissed her neck shyly, hoping she'd take it as his answer. He didn't trust himself to speak at that very moment and they'd been using silent signals all night anyway. She'd work it out. He bit his lip as he felt something tug on his earrings. He certainly wouldn't have been the last person to admit to her being attractive, but this was taking things a little too far. He seriously shouldn't be this turned on. What was he supposed to do? He knew if he shifted back from her, the bulge would be as obvious as it was becoming painful. Maybe if he was lucky a slow dance would come on?

"Sa-Saki, I can't move." He murmured to her, hearing a false giggle escape her.

"I know, but it looks like you are whispering things into my ear, so I do not think anyone is questioning our standing like this." She mused, keeping her voice so that only he could hear her. "We can stand like this as long as you need, as long as you can hold yourself as you are?"

"Can we not do another mission like this? Shit. I'm not- not normally like this." He groaned quietly, feeling his face becoming hotter at the sound of his own voice.

"The first time is always the hardest, Mr 12." She explained, a reassuring tone to her voice. "I was once as uncomfortable as you are with things such as this, but I was much younger when it had to become second nature."

Zoro stepped back and spun her into the middle of the dance floor, keeping hold of her right hand. He twirled her back into him, holding her in his arms, pressing her back against his chest as he leant his head forward, his lips next to her ear. He gently kissed her neck just behind her ear, before spinning her in his arms and smirking at her surprised expression. If it wasn't for the mask, everyone would wonder what he had just said to her, but as it concealed half her face, only he could recognise the glorifying expression.

"Give me the names and I'll slice those bastards to pieces." He smirked as if he had just said the sexiest thing possible, his fury at the thought of men touching his Robin in ways she didn't want to be touched instantly freeing him of his overbearing lust.

"Perhaps I have already dealt with them?" She replied teasingly as she began to lead him around the dance floor. "But thank you, Zoro-san." She whispered into his ear, placing a delicate kiss on his cheek.

"May I steal this next dance?" Their host smirked, running his disgusting eyes over Robin.

"Of course, Ernest-san." Robin giggled playfully back, still not releasing Zoro as her lips remained next to Zoro's ear, her voice returning back to a whisper. "Remember the plan, Mr 12."

Zoro smirked his understanding as Robin tugged at his earrings. She pulled back slightly, the fingers of her left hand slowly sliding into his short green hair. He felt her pulling his head towards her gently, watching her nervously as her head tilted. He leant forward slightly, her lips coming into contact with his. He could d- Zoro groaned into her, feeling the passion of her delicious, heated kiss. He felt his brow furrow as he tried to return her passion. He'd never thought kissing would be like this. He could feel his body starting to heat as he pressed her against him. He was starting to run out of air but he just couldn't let her go, not yet. He bit the inside of his lip as she pulled away, fighting the urge to pull her back against him as he stood with his eyes closed.

"Well, I wouldn't mind a kiss like that; I'm not surprised he's cheating on his wife with you." Their target sneered, taking hold of Robin's hand to lead her away.

Zoro watched them begin to dance, resisting the urge to slit the bastard's throat right here in front of everyone. It was probably just as well Robin hadn't let him bring his katanas or their target, and likely more than half the room, would be lying in a nice, crimson pool of blood right now. Zoro growled as the bastard squeezed Robin's ass. He regained his neutral expression and nodded to Robin, silently telling her that he was going up to the room as he was supposed to.

...

"I thought he'd never stop." Robin sighed as she slipped into the room. "He's ingested plenty of the sleeping drug. I'll go finish the job in an hour; I told him I had to come satisfy you and wait for you to fall asleep before I could come visit him."

"Hm, why can't I do it?" He grunted from the bed, his eyes still closed as he yawned.

"It would be suspicious if you went to visit him, Zoro-san." She giggled, her weight shifting up the bed, the image of her crawling up it playing behind Zoro's eyelids.

"I suppose. I do want to slice him to pieces for the way he was looking at you, never mind the way he was touching you. Maybe I could go slice his dick off before you kill him? Maybe he'd learn to use his brain." He growled, finally opening his eyes only to find her face inches from his.

"You are very sweet, Zoro-san." She smiled softly, her left hand rising off of the bed to reach across him, stroking his cheek lightly.

"I'm not sweet, Woman." He huffed, feeling his cheeks begin to heat slightly.

"To me, you are." She giggled and leaned in to kiss his right cheek.

"Robin!" He snapped, falling out of the bed in his flustered embarrassment.

"Perhaps I should just go see him now? I could tell him that you were already asleep when I got here and that way we can get this mission finished early so we can go to bed." Robin suggested over the side of the bed, a coy smile across her lips as he looked up at her from the carpeted floor.

"Why can't we just go the second the bastard's dead?" He grunted, looking away from her playful blue eyes.

"That would be very suspicious, Zoro-san. We must appear to breakfast tomorrow as if we have no knowledge of his death. If they discovered that it was our doing, as you do not have your katanas, I'm afraid we would likely end up hanging by the neck in the town centre. With neck muscles as thick as yours, I believe it would be a very slow, painful death. I, on the other hand, would likely die instantly as my neck snapped." She replied thoughtfully, tapping her chin with a single, delicate finger.

"Robin, no-one in here stands a chance against you." Zoro snorted in amusement, sitting up onto his elbows.

"Thank you, Zoro-san. Even when you are unarmed they do not stand a chance against you either with your strength, however I feel such large numbers may overwhelm us." She continued, seemingly watching him unnervingly closely.

"Whatever, Woman." He smirked, reaching up to push a black tendril back behind her ear.

"Thank you, Zoro-san," she smiled, leaning down closer to him, "for your help on this mission. I usually do these alone, but I have truly enjoyed your company."

"We're in this together until the end, remember?" He grinned, cupping her cheek with his right hand. "I'm going to help you achieve your dream and you're going to help me achieve mine."

...

"How are we supposed to make everyone think we've spent all night having sex?" Zoro frowned as they approached the breakfast room.

"First of all, by not asking questions like that." Robin lectured, glancing around her. "We just have to behave exactly the same as we did last night, only we shall have to yawn as well. We both know you are perfectly capable of the last part; anyone would believe that you never sleep from how often you yawn."

"You make it sound like I'm constantly yawning." Zoro huffed, turning his head away as he refused to look at her.

"Only when you are not focusing on something." She mused as they reached the door. "I find it rather cute."

"I'm not cute." Zoro growled quietly as he wrapped an arm around her as she nuzzled into his neck.

He nodded to the people who turned to look at them as they entered the room. They had just taken a seat as someone appeared in through the door, shouting for help. Zoro stood up instantly, positioning himself between Robin and the door as planned. The servers all disappeared out of the room, leaving the guests alone in breakfast room. Zoro looked around the room as if he were completely confused, catching the attention of the other men in the room and carefully checking that no-one was looking at Robin.

This was the bit he'd been nervous about. Without the mask, it was possible that someone would recognise her. Her wanted poster may have been from when she had been eight years old, but even he could recognise her from it. Getting into the room had been easy; hide her face against his neck. Breakfast was supposed to be relatively easy. They had chosen a table near the edge of the room and she had sat with her back to the room, leaving Zoro to be on watch. Once the alarm was raised, he was to suddenly appear between her and the rest of the room as if to protect her, only he was hiding her as she 'looked to see what was happening'.

"Can everyone please return to their rooms? I'm afraid there has been an unfortunate accident." The manager called out as he suddenly appeared in the doorway, clearly trying to remain calm as everyone began throwing questions at him.

...

"Have you got everything?" Zoro grunted as he did a last sweep of the room.

"Yes, Roronoa-san." She smiled, a hint of laughter to her eyes.

"Back to that, huh?" He sighed, moving to follow her out of the room.

"We cannot have Crocodile-san being suspicious." She replied, kissing him on the cheek, looking very pleased with herself as his face flushed.

"Whatever, Damn Woman." He shrugged, looking away from her as she giggled.

"We must hurry if we wish to take advantage of the confusion of the others – the staff will eventually realise they should be stopping people from leaving." She smiled back over her shoulder as he shut the bedroom door.

"I ain't planning to hang around." He snorted, rolling his eyes at her. "If you hadn't noticed, I don't have my katanas with me. Don't expect me to leave Wado in a damn hotel room alone over night again; I don't like it."

"I know, Mr 12, but you would have been too conspicuous with your special style. I promise I have been checking on them regularly all night." She replied sympathetically, leading him along the corridor.

"Thanks...Miss All-Sunday."

Hope you enjoyed this! ^_^

*additional notes:

Kyokuhatsu = Green Hair (So, split to Kyo Kuhatsu and then moved to Japanese layout to give "Kuhatsu Kyo", suggesting his parents have a terrible sense of humour, much like mine ;P )

Murasaki no boshi = Purple Hat (Took the first part and split it to Mura Saki, then decided the idea of Zoro calling Robin 'Saki' as a pet name rather than an actual name was amusing, so added 'iro'. 'Saki' not only sounds like Zoro's favourite drink, the name actually means 'rare blossom' ^_^ )

Yes, I will be reusing these names in any other accompanying chapters! They can't exactly use their real names and 'Mr 12 and Miss All-Sunday' isn't exactly inconspicuous! XD You may throw ideas at me for more missions, but this one was supposed to be a 'key mission'. I was going to put it in 'The Cover of Baroque Works' but it didn't quite fit :P