Bella Noche (Beautiful Night)

Chapter IV

Robin woke with her heart pounding in her ears. This was something she was used to so she didn't think much of it. But as the veil of sleep slowly lifted she made a realization. She hadn't had any nightmares. Then why was her heart beating in her ear? Slowly as she lay there trying to focus she realized it wasn't in fact her heart but Zoro's that she could hear. Her mind now completely free of the cobwebs of sleep Robin remembered falling asleep with Zoro. She lifted her head off his chest and looked at his peaceful face.

"Sleep well?" Zoro asked without opening his eyes. His question surprised her; she had thought he was still asleep. "You're awake" she said realizing the stupidity of her comment. She also hadn't answered his question. "A true swordsman is always alert." Zoro said, still with his eyes closed. Robin smiled; she had heard that from him before. "Oh really?" she couldn't resist teasing him. "Then how come Miss Navigator told me you once slept through a great storm and there was of course the time you were guarding the ship and didn't even realize we had taken it out into the Rainbow Mist."

"That was different" was all he said. Robin smiled at him and put her head back on his chest. "So how did you sleep?" Zoro asked again. She had seemed pretty peaceful and he hoped she hadn't had any of the nightmares she had mentioned the night before. "Actually good, that hasn't happened in a long time." Zoro was glad that she had finally gotten some good sleep. "Maybe everything that happened at Enies Lobby helped you deal with it and get over it." He suggested, running his hands through her silky hair.

"Maybe but I don't think so, they've been more frequent lately with everything being stirred up again. I think it was because I felt safe here with you." Robin replied softly hoping that she hadn't said too much too soon. She didn't know how Zoro would react to her declaration of feelings. Part of her wanted to deny that it was Zoro that made her feel safe. To tell him that if she had been in Luffy's arms, the same thing would have happened. But another part of her knew that wasn't quite true and didn't want to hurt Zoro by pretending otherwise.

"Well anytime you need help sleeping just ask" he said giving her shoulder a squeeze. "After all, sleeping is one of my favourite activities" he added to lighten the mood. Robin laughed, grateful for his response. "I have noticed that. How do you do it?" Robin asked almost in awe.

Zoro couldn't help but laugh. No one had ever been in awe of his sleeping abilities before. In fact most people got mad at the inability to wake him up at times, Nami in particular. "I don't know" he answered truthfully. Robin opened her mouth to say something but before she could they heard a familiar voice yelling "Sanji! Fooood!" They both froze, the others had returned. "I guess I'd better go." Zoro said slowly. He wasn't sure how Robin felt about the situation but he didn't really want everyone to see them like this. Not yet at least.

"Yeah, you go on, I'll be up in a bit" Robin said sitting up so Zoro could get up. Zoro climbed off the bed and picked his katana up. Once they were secure at his waist he walked back over to Robin. He bent down and placed a sweet kiss on her lips before whispering "bye Miss Archaeologist" Robin smiled and watched him leave her room.

When Robin came up Zoro was sitting against the railing sleeping. Seeing him there asleep made her laugh. At the sound of her laughter the others turned around. "Robin are you feeling better? Did your nap help?" Nami asked, concern in her voice but mischief in her eyes. "My nap?" Robin asked. How did Nami know that Robin had been napping? Had Zoro said she was asleep? She cast a furtive glance in his direction, his eyes were open and he was listening intently, waiting for her response. He clearly was as surprised as she was by Nami's question. "Yeah, I was here earlier and went to check on you but you were sleeping." Nami explained. "Oh, yes it helped to refresh me." Robin said her composure regained. Nami knew. She must have seen Zoro in there with her but she didn't seem to want to say anything right now.

Zoro sat watching the interaction between the two women. He hadn't realized anyone had come into Robin's room. The mischievous glint in the manipulative navigator's eye had him worries. There was nothing to be done about it yet though. They'd just have to wait and see and hope Nami would be kind.

"Hey Nami how long till we can leave?" Luffy asked his mouth full of food. "The log should be set in three of four days so anytime after that." Nami replied looking down at the log pose on her left wrist. "Are we staying in town?" Chopper asked. "Yeah I've already booked us some rooms at the local hotel. Sanji, Usopp and Chopper you guys have one room, Zoro and Luffy another and then me and Robin have a third." Nami told them holding up three different keys. "Three rooms? Normally we just have two." Usopp said. Zoro had been thinking the same thing. It wasn't like Nami to spend extra money. It had Zoro a little worried. What was she planning?

"Well they wouldn't allow 5 people in one room and none of you are sharing with me and Robin so I had no choice." Nami said matter-of-factly. "Well we might as well go bring our stuff over now before it gets dark." Zoro said standing up. "Alright everybody. Let's go!" Luffy said about to jump off the ship. "Luffy wait!" Nami said sounding exasperated. Zoro laughed to himself. Luffy was definitely one of a kind. He had completely forgotten about their stuff.

"We still need to get our stuff together before going. We can't just leave everything sitting here on the ship." Nami was explaining as Luffy nodded away. Once she had finished Luffy asked "ok can we go now?" Zoro decided now would be a wise time to leave or risk being sucked into the storm that was Nami's anger.

Eventually Nami calmed down and they made their way over to the hotel. There rooms were three random ones on the third floor. Zoro got the key to his and Luffy's room from Nami. He would have preferred to stay on the ship with the possibility of being with Robin. If she was sharing a room with Nami there was no way that was going to happen. He hadn't even had the chance to speak to Robin privately since he had left her room earlier.

"What's wrong Zoro?" Luffy asked from his bed. Zoro looked up at him; he had been lost in thought of Robin but couldn't tell that to his captain. "Nothing, just tired" he lied with a shrug. The answer however seemed to satisfy Luffy and he soon was lying down to sleep. A few minutes later there was a soft knock on the door and he went to open it hoping it was Robin.

Zoro opened the door to reveal Nami leaning provocatively against the doorframe. The skirt she wore was even shorter than the ones she normally had on and her legs seemed to stretch on and on. His eyes drifted upwards to her unbuttoned shirt, her bra revealed drawing attention to her generous chest. Zoro swallowed hard. "Zoro will you do me a favour?" she asked seductively, her hand trailing down his chest.