Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.
Setting: Aboard the Thousand Sunny. Robin and Law have an established relationship.
If that green-haired crewmate of hers didn't step a respectable distance away from her within the next thirty seconds, Law was going to use his room to scatter his insides. Alliance be damned. His fingers twitched where they rested over Kikoku's sheathe. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose in an attempt to master himself.
Why am I even getting upset over this? he reasoned. I'm not a child.
They had a platonic relationship. Robin had assured him of that—along with the very helpful fact that she was single—long before they got together. Zoro was the Strawhat crew's first mate. It was only natural that they'd grow close, especially with a crew as small as theirs. They protected each other against countless enemies. Robin probably wouldn't be able to recount them all if she tried. Together, they went through hundreds, if not thousands of dangerous and just plain ridiculous situations.
Of course they do… facing the world as it comes is a natural part of being on the same crew.
But it still infuriated him how they got to make new memories with each other every single day. No matter how banal they might've been, experiences like that accumulated. It created an unyielding bond between them whether they liked it or not. Law doubted he could ever stand between them, simply because he knew exactly what type of relationship they had; it wasn't just platonic. He could say that with certainty because he had the same exact relationship with the members of his crew. It was a connection built on trust and hardened by blood.
Zoro and Robin got to live their lives together on the Thousand Sunny. Law sailed out his own path aboard his submarine, where he faced the world with his own crew. He thought he understood that; thought that he could live with it. But there was always that lingering thought in the back of his mind: what would it be like to experience this unforgiving sea with her?
He wanted to know.
Ocean's spirits, he wanted to know.
But he was too proud to join another crew. Neither did he want to give up his dream—and the dreams of his mates—for the sake of a woman. It didn't matter how beautiful or how utterly smitten he was with her; it wasn't an option. Law doubted Robin would approve anyway. He could already imagine the troubled look she'd send him if he so much as suggested it. But that didn't change the fact that it drove him up the wall to know that Zoro could see and speak to her so easily. Law had to hoard every moment he spent with her. He had to safeguard them like a dragon over a pile of gold. While they were able to speak and see each other with the help of transponder snails, it wasn't the same as actually being beside her. It would never be.
Law continued watching them from the corner of his eye. He paid particular attention to the way Zoro shot her a disgruntled look that she wasn't at all deterred by. Law respected Zoro. He had no problem admitting that—to himself and to anyone that asked. As a fellow swordsman, it was impossible not to. But respect didn't equate to like… not really. Law appreciated how Zoro went out of his way to include him in gatherings and how Zoro would drag him out to drink when he wasn't with his crew. But Law would sooner bite his own tongue before admitting that.
Zoro was kind, if not a little dense. Anyone with half a brain could see that.
When it came to Robin, however, Law tended to get a little crazy.
Zoro was a lot younger than her, but age didn't really matter when the green-headed swordsman looked like that. And although they met long after she became a full-fledged archeologist—and even long after she'd fully matured as a woman—Zoro still knew sides of her that he didn't. He got to see them every single day after all.
That's the real problem, isn't it?
It wasn't that they got to see each other whenever they pleased or even that they got to experience sailing the world together. It was that, in part because of those things, Zoro naturally knew all of the different sides of her that Law didn't. He understood things about her that would take Law months, perhaps even years, to fully comprehend. He could very easily point out each and every change within her in a way that Law would never be able to.
It was as simple and, at the same time, infuriatingly complex as that.
This can't be healthy, Law thought, while lowering his cap to rid himself of the sight of them. Robin's bright eyes at the moment really weren't helping him collect the splintered threads of his damaged heart. Her eyes seemed to twinkle more the longer she spoke with him. Even the smile on her face widened. It was a wonder that her cheeks weren't aching.
After seeing that, who wouldn't be jea—concerned?
I only see her in person, what, four times a year? Maybe less?
They always made new memories to replace all of the ones that ached whenever they were able to meet, but even those new ones hurt after a while.
"What are you doing back there?" Zoro suddenly asked. Law looked up just in time to lock eyes with the swordsman. "You need something?"
"I do," Law drawled. "Your absence."
"Hah?"
"I need to speak with her. You're in the way."
Zoro fully faced him then. His hand hovered over the hilt of his favored blade. "Are you looking for a fight?"
"Are you deaf?"
"I'll cut you."
"You can try." Law's grip tightened over his nodachi.
They both turned when Robin suddenly laughed. She leaned back against the ship's railing like none of this concerned her. "Don't break the ship," was all she said.
"Don't encourage them!" Nami shouted from above. They all looked up to see her sticking her head out of the crow's nest, where Zoro usually holed himself up in.
"What are you being noisy for?" Zoro yelled back. "We're not going to break anythi—"
"Shut it! You always say that. Since you have so much free time, come up here instead. I need you to move these weights. I can't believe you took up all of the space!"
Zoro clicked his tongue, shot Law another glare, and then begrudgingly made his way up the mast.
"This isn't over," he said, while climbing.
"Clearly. I'm not delusional," Law said back, though he doubted the swordsman heard.
Behind him, Robin laughed again. He heard footsteps coming closer and before he knew it, a pair of long arms were wrapped around his torso. While not as tall as him, Robin was still able to comfortably press her lips against his ear. A feat, considering most women barely reached his collar. She kissed his earlobe twice, making the dual rings clank together, before leaning against his back. Her chest pressed against him, and he had to fight the urge to groan.
I suppose I should count myself lucky that only Zoro-ya was with her, Law thought, while subtly flaring his Kenbunshoku Haki to see where that love-struck cook was. Thankfully, far away. But what about… Law could just make out Luffy sitting atop the Thousand Sunny's lion head. He had to admit, he liked the color of it. It was almost as garishly yellow as his submarine. He's preoccupied, too. Good.
Robin hummed in amusement, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Somehow, he didn't doubt it. She was just as observant as him. Perhaps even more, considering the way she liked to eavesdrop on people.
Law inhaled her lingering scent. Despite being behind him, her flowery fragrance seemed to envelope all that she touched. Was she trying to seduce him? Smelling so sweet…
"What are you doing?" Law asked, while using his free hand to caress her arm.
"Comforting you," Robin said.
"Do I look like I need comfort?"
"You looked troubled earlier." She smiled mischievously. "And I thought you'd walk away from me again if I tried talking to you."
She had him there. But that didn't mean he wanted to be seen hugging her in broad daylight either. Sure, he might've been a little troubled about Zoro being so close to her, but only because, as far as he was concerned, that was his place. Zoro had over three hundred days out of the year to be with her. When Law was around, he wanted that scant amount of time reserved for him—and him alone.
If that was incredibly selfish of him, then so be it.
"Thank you," Robin suddenly said, dragging him away from his thoughts.
"For what?"
"Always coming here, coming to see me. I know how… maddening it is for you."
Law stepped out of her arms, so he could face her. "You should come to the submarine next time."
"You'll need to take that up with my Captain."
"I'm not going to steal you." Maybe.
Robin smiled. "I doubt even Luffy will believe that."
A/N: Please review.