A/N: Another update after X weeks...graduation has been hectic. End of Seclusion on hold at the moment. Sorry! No time to say more!

---

Sanji swore that he could feel a thousand eyes staring at him from the darkness. He stalked silently through the garden, ducking for cover under conveniently placed logs—really, he'd have to thank her gardeners one day—and behind sandstone blocks, watching carefully. Every nerve in his body vibrated with tension as he waited to come upon someone in the darkness. He felt oddly conspicuous with the glowing red panels on his suit reminiscent of embers, but knew that he'd be able to see his opponent if they could see him.

Well, he hoped.

A faint sound in the distance snapped him back to attention, and he threw himself to the side as a tiny pellet splattered on the ground through a trajectory that would have definitely shot him between the eyes. He cursed in surprise as he crouched, looking around wildly. As his eyes fell upon the paint that had splattered upon contact with a hard surface, he groaned.

It was a bright neon green color that was almost painful to look at in the darkness.

"If I get hit with one of those things then I'm a goner," Sanji muttered under his breath as it dawned on him. "I'll be a walking highlighter! Now, where's the bastard who was out to get me?"

Another bullet just barely missed his chest as he turned to look around the other side of his shelter.

"Shit."

---

Zoro could hear the yells of the others as they began to contact one another and grinned. "I think I see an enormous hulking figure of a person who happens to practice medicine…" he muttered under his breath as he saw a large shadow tiptoeing timidly amongst the rocks. "Sorry buddy, but I can't just let a target like this walk around unscathed." He pulled the trigger and shot a bullet with deadly accuracy at the figure.

Chopper felt the paint splatter across his torso and squealed in surprise. His attempts to wipe off the paint only served to smear the bright green liquid all over his body, thus making him an easy target for anyone else who happened to walk by. Zoro felt a twinge of pity as he heard Chopper wail in dismay, but shook his head and honed his senses to find the next target.

"That was dirty, Zoro," a voice said right behind him. Zoro didn't flinch, but turned around slowly to find a slim figure pointing a pistol right at his forehead. He wasn't surprised that Vivi had managed to sneak up on him, since he had been distracted with Chopper and her light body afforded a silence that someone like Brooke or Franky would have had trouble imitating. He could see the steely glint of her blue eyes behind the visor as she held the gun firmly with both hands.

"All's fair in love and war," Zoro quoted with a grin. "But do you really think you're safe, holding a gun like that?" Vivi's eyes widened in shock as he squeezed the trigger of his pistol from his hip. A paintball splattered in a beautiful spray of green across her visor, and she shrieked as she moved to try and clean off her mask while shooting with the other hand. He dodged the bullets with a sideways leap and shot her again in the chest. "Have fun avoiding the rest of my team while shining like a beacon!" he called cheerfully as he darted out the door. He grinned as he heard her spouting obscenities that were not fit for a dainty mouth like hers. She must have learned that from Kohza too, he thought in amusement.

Zoro ran swiftly and silently. He was in his element now.

---

Sanji darted around in a panic. The silent sniper had managed to clip his arms and legs, and he had resorted to ducking under a rocky overhang to avoid getting any more of the flashy paint on his body. Panting slightly, he looked out at the ground and inspected the way the paint had sprayed. If it's just one sniper, then…bingo. Taking a deep breath, he sprinted out as fast as he could while taking a look at his surroundings. There! Sanji continued to run at top speed towards his goal. Running up rough steps, he hurled his body through the staircase and through a doorway. He whipped his pistol out with one hand and stabilized his body with the other, taking careful aim.

"Augh!"

"Yes!" Sanji cheered as he blasted pellets at his adversary. "That's what you get for sniping me, you shitty bastard!" He looked down at his cowering opponent and contemplated the huddled figure for a moment before smiling evilly. "Crotch shot."

"No!"

---

Zoro heard someone's agonized and high-pitched scream not far from where he ran. "Sounds like Usopp," he mused. "No one else could sound that girly."

"Yohohohonoooo!"

Brooke? Zoro darted between two trees as he took in his surroundings. That was definitely Brooke…damned tall bastard, he's just a walking target. A burst of ammunition and light out of the corner of his eye pulled his attention to where a slim figure was busy giving Brooke hell. The sheer brutality of the attack shocked even him, and he winced as he saw the person shoot Brooke square in the face before hoisting the pistol over her—it was definitely a woman—shoulder.

"That was sooo awesome!" Zoro looked sharply to the side and saw a bouncing figure run over to the aggressive marksman. "Nami, you're so good at this!"

So it was Nami…go figure. I knew she was evil.

"Thanks," Nami replied as she looked around warily. "Hush. You don't know who's listening." She turned her head slightly, and Zoro ducked behind the tree again to avoid being spotted. I had best wait until I can pick them off one at a time, he thought anxiously. Luffy alone is hard enough to get…

Zoro decided that this was a good time for a 'tactical retreat.'

---

"So, it comes down to this."

"Aye…that, it does."

"Ready, Franky?"

"You're no match for me, Ace."

Sanji watched the duel with interest. The two men had crossed paths in front of his very eyes, and he was wary of being detected. They were back-to-back, hands relaxed at their sides.

"Five steps…one…two…"

"Three…four…five."

The two team leaders spun around and began to shoot, Western-style. Sanji marveled at how they dodged the bullets with such ease while shooting with such accuracy, but stared in surprise as they stopped.

"You got me," Ace and Franky said simultaneously. "Damn…" Each man bore a splotch of paint on his chest.

"Tie?" Franky offered. Ace shrugged and held out a hand.

Franky smiled. "Just kidding." A jerk of the hand was the only warning Ace had before Franky hit him in the face. Green paint went everywhere, and Franky skipped backwards to avoid the rebounding spray.

"Shit Franky, what the hell!" Ace cursed as he stumbled forward. Franky merely cackled as he walked off whistling while twirling his gun in his hand.

"Woah…" Sanji let out the breath he had been holding. "That was intense."

---

"Tashigi!"

The policewoman crumpled, felled by the impact of over a dozen paintballs lodging themselves into her back nearly simultaneously. "Oh, that hurts like a bitch," she hissed through her teeth as she stood. "Get back, Zoro!"

Zoro jumped as their attackers turned their eyes on him.

"Run, you fool, run!" Tashigi yelled at him. "I'll cover for you!"

He leapt into the air and over a fallen log as he dodged the bullets. He had tried to meet up with Tashigi to take down Nami and Luffy—the policewoman's aim was formidable, and her training made her an excellent ally—but they had been ambushed the moment they had finally managed to meet one another. Nami and Luffy were stalking after him now, although Tashigi did manage to hit them a few times in the thighs and on their torsos.

Alright, who's left, Zoro thought quickly. The ones I know are down are Chopper, Vivi, Usopp, Brooke, and now Tashigi. So that leaves…Franky, Nami, Luffy, Ace, Sanji, and Robin.

"Marimo!" Zoro looked up and saw Sanji waving from the top of a tower. "C'mere!"

Zoro changed his course rapidly and ran into the tower; he could hear Luffy groan in dismay as his prey vanished.

"Thanks, cook." Zoro pulled up his visor to allow more oxygen to flow into the cavity. "What, have you been hiding all this time?"

Sanji snorted. "No, I've been mostly running around while trying to get my bearings."

"You didn't even manage to shoot anyone, did you."

"Shut up, I got Usopp!"

"Oh yeah, really big accomplishment right there. You get a gold star for that!" Zoro grinned as he pulled his visor down again. "I was being chased by Nami and Luffy. They already got Tashigi. Who's left on our team?"

"I haven't seen any of the others except for Ace, and Franky already got to him," Sanji said as he nosed around the tower. "Did you see anyone?"

"I saw Brooke get mauled by Nami and Luffy, too. We've got to break that team up if we want to win this thing. I got Chopper and Vivi in one round too, so it looks like we're even in terms of numbers. Where do you think Robin is?"

"She's probably off killing people," Sanji said nonchalantly. "She seems like the type who would shoot you and smile."

"Oh, she is," Zoro said absently. "C'mon, let's go find her."

The two men snuck out of the tower as they watched carefully for any signs of the others. The bright moon undermined the brilliance of the paint in the open, but the luminescence was very much visible in any shadow. Zoro kept a steady hand on the pistol at his waist at all times as he led the way as he looked back and forth. He could hear Sanji panting slightly behind him from the exertion of running, carrying around the heavy equipment, and high tension. "If you need to rest then speak up," Zoro muttered gruffly.

Sanji looked up in surprise and snorted. "Don't worry, grandma, I'll be fine."

"Oi! I'm just looking out for you!"

Sanji's eyebrow rose in a question that was missed behind the dark visor. "You always worry too much about me."

"I do nothing of the kind."

"Did you hear that?" Sanji grabbed Zoro's wrist and pulled him into a recess between two boulders. Zoro winced at the tight space, but was grateful as he heard Luffy hooting as the hyperactive boy rush past with Nami not far behind. Both he and Sanji held their breaths as they were pressed with their backs against the hard granite and their helmets clacking slightly with every movement. Zoro was only vaguely aware of how inappropriate he would find this position to be as he listened attentively. As the sound of their footsteps died away, Zoro let out a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, this was his undoing.

"C'mon, let's go," Zoro murmured as he turned to leave. Tried to turn to leave.

"What's wrong? Move it, you caveman, you're suffocating me," Sanji groaned as he pushed Zoro. Sanji was very aware of their position, and it wasn't just his face that burned with mortification. Every inch of his body, from his thighs to his hips to his chest, tingled and flared with a peculiar sensation as he felt Zoro's body pressed up against him more firmly with every breath.

"…I can't."

"You can't? What do you mean, you can't?" Sanji hissed. "Just go!"

"I'm, um, stuck." Zoro was glad that he wore a helmet as his face flushed. "As in, I can't bloody well get out."

"You're such a bastard."

"Who's the one who pulled us into this hole?" Zoro snapped. "It's not my fault I was pulled in before I could see that we wouldn't fit!"

"Who's the one who saved us from being detected by Nami and Luffy?" Sanji shot back. "Just take a deep breath so we have more space, and then you'll be able to move."

Two voices interrupted their squabbling, and the two men froze once again.

"I must say that seeing you in this kind of vestment gives you a dangerously attractive air."

"Oh, this clothing does nothing of the kind to you. You're so gorgeous already. Of course…if I had my way you'd never wear anything at all."

"You silver-tongued rogue," Robin laughed as she chucked Franky gently under the chin. The two lovers ambled out from under the trees, and both Zoro and Sanji were disturbed to see that their gear was rather disheveled, as though it had been put back on in the dark. "Eventually when someone sees us, we'll have to start shooting at each other."

"We can just shoot them so they can't see anything," Franky proposed with a shrug.

"I love it when you're brutal."

"And I love you, period."

Zoro averted his eyes as Franky pulled Robin's helmet off and brought her closer to him for a kiss. Sanji grimaced as he saw both Franky and Robin's hands roaming freely over the other's body, teasing and massaging. Oh, get a room, Sanji thought darkly. He could hear Robin moan gently as Franky ran a hand down her neck. Zoro quivered against Sanji's body as he took in the sight.

Sanji felt Zoro suddenly take an enormous breath and tear himself out of the crevice, guns blazing. "That idiot!" Sanji growled as he stumbled out of the small space and after the rampaging swordsman. "Get back here!"

Both Robin and Franky looked up with shock etched on their faces as Zoro pulled his pistol up.

Bam. Bam.

Luckily Franky had kept his helmet on, or the bullets that collided with his face would have hit him in the eyes. Franky pushed Robin away from him to keep her from getting sprayed with the paint, but was subsequently exposed to the handful of slugs that bit into his torso as Zoro shot again and again. Franky clutched his chest; in such close proximity, the dense paintballs were as solid as rocks.

"Zoro," Robin said softly as she looked at the harshly panting swordsman. Sanji couldn't see Zoro's face under the helmet, but he could see the way that Zoro's shoulders were stiff and raised, and the way his body heaved with every laborious breath.

The hand that gripped his gun shook violently.

Before anyone could say another word, they heard someone crashing through the bushes and skid to a halt. "Shishishi, so this is where everyone is!" Luffy laughed. Nami dashed through the path he had made for her through the undergrowth and took her position beside him, holding a pistol in each hand—she must have looted Brooke or Tashigi after taking them down.

Everyone stared at one another for a brief moment. Robin slowly knelt and picked up her helmet before fastening it firmly on her head. With the click of the clip, everyone was jolted out of their reverie.

The next few minutes were pure mayhem.

---

"Wow, that was so much fun! Let's do it again!" Luffy grinned widely as he pulled off his paint-drenched clothing and dropped it into the bin that had been set aside specifically for that purpose. As he wriggled out of his jeans, Sanji smacked him across the head.

"Not in front of the ladies, idiot!" Sanji growled. "You can do that once they leave."

"That was an intense game," Usopp agreed as he dropped his helmet into the bin and gingerly pulled off his outer layers. "But that was uncalled for, Sanji." He gripped his crotch tenderly. "I mean, really…"

Sanji merely shrugged. "Sniping people was a bitch move." Zoro coughed slightly at these words; it was best that Sanji not know that he had shot Chopper from fifty feet away.

Ace glared at Franky as he pulled his gloves off. "Traitor."

"You're too naïve kid," Franky chortled. He helped Robin out of her vest as Zoro looked away, one hand rubbing his mussed-up hair.

As everyone cleaned up, Sanji looked at the grandfather clock that sat against the wall and gasped. "Holy…it's already two in the morning? Where did all the time go?"

"Well the party was started an hour late because someone failed to bring Luffy in on time," Usopp said, jumping to the side as Zoro jabbed him in the ribs. They all stood and made their way to the front door to go home, stretching sore muscles and tired limbs. "But you'd be surprised how much time we spend paintballing."

"Did everyone have fun?" Vivi asked, hovering worriedly.

"Oh, you were a wonderful hostess," Nami reassured her with a smile. "So you have my number, then? Let's get together sometime!"

"Ready to go home, Nami?" Sanji asked as he held out his hand grandly. "I'll give you a spin in the Sanjimobile!"

Before she could respond, Luffy suddenly appeared and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You could come with me," Luffy offered with a wide smile, shuffling his feet slightly. "I've got a Nissan GT-R, just out of the shop." As he spoke, one of Vivi's valets drove up in the sleek red vehicle with a purr. Nami's eyes practically popped out as she saw the expensive model. She hooked an arm around Luffy's with a sly smile, waving goodbye to Sanji.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll get to know—Luffy, right?—better. Goodnight!" As she stepped daintily into the passenger's seat Sanji sighed morosely.

"I'll take these kids home," Ace said, gesturing to Usopp and Chopper. Chopper was being (unsteadily) supported by Usopp as he dozed on his feet. "Poor guy, he's wiped out. He must have had a hard time of it tonight."

"Might I accompany you home, miss?" Brooke bowed to Tashigi. Sanji looked at his rickety limbs and gaunt face in interest; he was sure that he had seen this man before. Brooke twirled his cane and adjusted the bowtie on his oddly formal tuxedo. "By the way, may I see your panties?"

As Tashigi punched Brooke in the face, they all knew that the two of them would get along just fine.

Sanji looked around and saw Robin touch Zoro lightly on the shoulder, gesturing to a dirt path that led back to the gardens. "Come talk with me," she said softly into his ear. Zoro nodded silently, following her. "I'll be right back Franky."

"Take your time," Franky called as he took a seat on the curb. "Waiting for Zoro, Sanji?"

"Yeah," Sanji sighed. "I guess I am. He'd never find his way home otherwise." He settled down besides the older man. "So…you and Robin, huh?"

Franky grinned as he fiddled with his sunglasses. "Yeah. She's like dynamite."

"When did you guys get together?" Sanji asked nonchalantly. I wonder how much he knows about Zoro and Robin?

"We've been together for about six months," Franky said. Sanji's eyes widened. "Yeah, we've been hiding it pretty well haven't we? Even Zoro didn't know, and he's pretty perceptive especially when it comes to Robin."

"So, Zoro…" Sanji hesitated as he struggled with how to word his next question.

Franky smiled thinly. "Yeah. I know, Sanji. They used to be a thing."

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Nah." Franky rubbed his neck wearily. "It used to, especially when I would come over and find him in his boxers after he had stayed the night—even after Robin and I had started going out. Of course Zoro didn't know so I didn't have any right, but I was just a bit envious of their connection, you know? It's not like they actually did anything after they broke up…physically, they didn't try anything."

"I think I know the feeling," Sanji said with a nod. "What do you know about them? I didn't want to ask Zoro, because he always looks so odd when we talk about her."

"You sure you want to know? It might be better to ask him directly," Franky warned. Sanji paused, before nodding.

"I want to be prepared."

Franky took a deep breath. "Don't tell them that I told you anything. They don't like to talk about it with outsiders—meaning, with anyone except for the two of them. They met when Zoro was first 19, and she was 23…"

---

Zoro allowed himself to be led by Robin into the gardens until they found a stone bench under a pair of intertwining trees. He sat beside her, staring morosely at the ground as she watched the full moon in silence. Still, he knew that she had something to say so he waited for her to speak. The air was warm and the cicadas chirped noisily in the background.

"Zoro."

Here we go…"Robin?" His voice was as deep and firm as ever, but she could feel the imperceptible quiver from the break in emotion at merely uttering her name.

"You have to stop this." Zoro looked down at where her hand still rested on his as a warm and soft contrast to the cold, hard bench.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He turned his head to stare at her lips, unable to look into those dark eyes of hers.

"You were one of my brightest—if least motivated—students. You know what I'm talking about. You…you knew about Franky the moment you saw us interacting six months ago."

Zoro knew what she was talking about very well.

"Hey Robin!" Zoro ran up the driveway eagerly swinging a plastic bag. "I brought your favorite—cucumber sandwiches and mocha tea cakes!" Digging into his pocket, he pulled out the spare key she had given him; he knew that she was home after seeing her car in the driveway. As he stuck the key into the keyhole, he stopped and looked back. He didn't recognize the car, but that wasn't unusual; she often had visitors with questions on her research.

He stepped into the house and called out, "Hello?" He didn't want to interrupt if she was having an interview. Closing the door quietly, he scuffed off his shoes and stepped lightly into the kitchen. He saw Robin leaning on the table with her elbows on the wooden surface while propping her head up with one hand under her chin and the other on the table. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped short when he saw a broad-shouldered man quickly pull his hand from the table and turn to wave at Zoro.

"Hey bro, what's up?"

Zoro felt something twist inside of him as he replayed that instant in his mind. He could still see Franky's rough hands resting gently on Robin's soft and elegant ones as he dropped the bag on the counter and left with a curt nod.

---

"I heard this all from Robin after the fact, but apparently he was forced into taking her class," Franky said as Sanji listened intently. "She was teaching a class on Native American folktales and how they're related to the Poneglyph inscriptions found all over the world."

Robin tapped her papers lightly to neaten up the already-straight stack of handouts she had printed for her class. She looked around at the faces of the many students taking her class; after all, it was rare to be able to hear about Poneglyphs from someone who could read them, and Navarone University had a bright and involved student body.

Of course, she was perceptive enough to see the student who had already flopped over and fallen asleep in the very back. She could see a tuft of green sticking out from under a black hood and she smiled in amusement. "Good morning, class. My name is Professor Nico…"

After class, she walked up the steps and tapped the slumbering student lightly on the shoulder. "Class is over," she said as the young man sat up groggily and blinked unsteadily. "Mister…?"

She was shocked by the color of the man's eyes. At first they were dark, almost black, as he blinked into awareness. When he looked up at her with his full focus, they were revealed to be as flashy a blacs opals—flecks of green would flicker with every blink. When he realized that she was waiting for his name, he coughed slightly before rumbling, "Zoro. I'm Roronoa Zoro." He showed signs of vague recognition, but she didn't expect him to be able to recognize her yet.

"Well Mr. Roronoa, class is over. I'll be expecting a paper on the subject matter discussed in class today by next week," she said with a small smile. His eyes widened in dismay as she smiled at him and turned, walking the rest of the way up the steps and out the door.

She could feel his eyes on her, following the swaying of her hips and the swish of her hair.

"He never meets anyone on good terms, does he?" Sanji wondered out loud. He wondered if Franky knew that Zoro had tried to steal from Robin. Franky laughed.

"I'm just surprised that he can keep anyone on good terms. He's a great guy, but…"

"I know what you mean. Just not a people person. How'd they get together?"

---

"It…doesn't bother me. You and Franky," Zoro muttered. "You're entitled to your own happiness."

"Aren't we all?" Robin hummed slightly. "Especially you. It's been a long time since I've seen you be truly happy, Zoro."

"I'm fine with the way things are. I've always been fine."

"You weren't fine the day that we first met…"

Zoro lurked in the alleyway, watching the University students walk to and fro on their way to their classes. He knew that he was playing a dangerous game to steal this deep in Water Sector, but he was desperate.

When he saw the raven-haired student walk by while digging her car keys out of her purse—Gucci, he was sure—he knew that this was his target. Her head was bowed in distress as she blinked away unbidden tears. As he snuck out of the alleyway, he froze and leaned against the wall to try and look nonchalant as she stopped and looked around. He was suddenly reminded of a nature program he had seen in the window of an electronics shop; a female lion had been shown sniffing the air for danger…or for prey.

…

"Put your hands behind your head." Zoro put his knife gently against the student's neck as an extra warning. His practice swords would be no good in a holdup. "Drop your purse and take a step back." Was she smiling?

The next few seconds flew by in a painful reminder of why he should scope out his targets before mugging them. She moved swiftly and grabbed his wrist. Although she had little power to speak of, she was well-versed in the art of manipulation of momentum—aikido, perhaps. He surged forward, but felt himself flying through the air. Shit.

He glared at her as he stood back up and patted his waist for his knife. When he looked up, he saw her twirling it between two fingers with a devious smile.

"What's your name, young man?" He would never forget that voice—it was smooth and melodious, and as charming as a valkyrie's lullaby.

"My name is Roronoa Zoro," he stated firmly. "Are you going to turn me in?" He showed no fear; if this was the end, then this was the end. She regarded his angry face and strong features steadily. For one so young, the lines were cut deep into his face and his eyes seemed to be weary. They both knew that he was powerful enough to overpower her, but were both also aware that he would not touch her—he would not sully his stolen goods any further in Kuina's name.

When she invited him home for a hot meal and to chat, he shrugged. He had nothing to lose; he had already lost Kuina.

He was only sixteen years old at the time. He didn't know that three years later, he would meet this mysterious woman again under very different circumstances. No one else knew about this encounter, not even Franky.

"You had such a pain in your eyes," Robin said softly.

"I wasn't the only one who in pain," Zoro replied. "You weren't exactly the happiest woman in the world that day, either. Isn't that the day that the University told you to stop teaching about the Poneglyphs?"

"Yes, because they were newly outlawed. But you did manage to ease my pain. Do you remember our first date?"

"How could I forget?" Zoro's face softened slightly. "It was one of the best days of my life."

Zoro listened to Robin lecturing with an erratically beating heart. He had become familiar with the woman over the years he had been taking her classes—he had always made sure to have at least one class where she was a lecturer. He pulled at the stiff collar of the button-up shirt he had donned today. The dark green material went well with his black slacks and the shining leather shoes he had borrowed from Ace.

"…and we'll be conducting a project this week concerning the validity of using hallucinogenic mushrooms for visions. Class dismissed." Robin closed her folder with a snap, and everyone began to file out of class.

"Are you going to lunch, Zoro?" Luffy asked as he leaned against Zoro's desk. "I heard that they're serving this new meatloaf—"

"Nah, I'll meet up with you later," Zoro interrupted. "You can use my meal number again."

"Yahoo! Thanks, Zoro!" Luffy bounded out of the classroom excitedly. "Meeeat!"

Finally, the room was empty. "Did you fall asleep again Zoro?" Robin teased as she pulled on her coat and snapped her briefcase shut. "You only ever stay behind this long when no one wakes you up." She raised an eyebrow at his clothing. "My, someone is dressed unusually well today."

"I didn't fall asleep," he grumbled. "Today was an interesting lecture."

"The sentiment is certainly appreciated," Robin said with a smile. "So, what brings my errant pupil to such a tardy dismissal?" She knew that he had something to ask her.

"Professor…" He took a deep breath as he pulled his backpack over one shoulder and walked slowly down the steps. "You're not involved with anyone, are you?"

"History is my only lover. Why do you ask? I'm afraid that I cannot give you very good advice if you're having trouble with another young woman."

"Well, the woman who's been troubling me is quite…troublesome," Zoro said slowly. "She's very intelligent—almost too much for her own good—and she's the wittiest and … most beautiful creature I've ever seen."

"She sounds like quite a catch."

"Yes. I'm going to ask her out on a date today." He took another deep breath. "Would you like to go on a date? There…there's an exhibit tonight. The Navarone Museum of Natural History just brought in a collection of Mayan pottery that you might be interested in, and I know a restaurant that makes a killer lasagna." He waited, feeling the perspiration gather on his temple and palms. No matter how many times he had rehearsed this in front of the mirror, he was still nervous.

Robin looked up in shock. "I was going to go to that exhibit with the other professors," she said evenly. He looked down in disappointment before turning around. "But." He stopped. "I would love to go with you…on a date."

He didn't learn a thing about Mayan pottery that night, but it was the first time that he had seen her smile with an expression that reached her eyes. He wasn't aware that she was thinking the same thing about him.

She kissed him gently on the forehead after he dropped her off at her house (and after looping around the neighborhood several times). "Goodnight, Zoro."

"Goodnight, Professor."

"Zoro?"

"Yes?"

"You may call me Robin."

---

"Wow, they got together in such a normal way. No weird incidents, just a…normal date." Sanji whistled softly. "Did something go wrong?"

"Oh no, apparently they were getting along beautifully. They even got special permission from the Dean to continue their relationship," Franky said. "The other students and staff used to call them the most dangerous couple on campus, because of their mixed intelligence and strength and the fact that they never seemed to be in contention with one another."

"I thought it was unhealthy for a relationship to have no disagreements."

"Eh," Franky said. "They knew all their flaws, but nothing seemed to faze them when they were together."

"What happened, then?"

"Robin left him."

---

Zoro leaned against Robin's shoulder, and she shifted to accommodate the extra weight. "Robin, why did you call me out here?"

"To set you free," she replied simply.

"You did that two years ago," he groaned. "Don't remind me, please…"

"But when I opened the door of your cage, you refused to leave," she said sadly.

"I couldn't accept your reasoning, your motivation for leaving."

"Can you accept it now?"

He gripped her hand more firmly, as though he was afraid to let go. "Has your reasoning changed?"

"I have one more reason…"

"Quantity doesn't equal quality."

"I love him, Zoro. I love Franky."

He felt his heart stop in the same way it had failed him when she had first told him that they had to end their relationship.

---

"She ended it? Why?" Sanji let his head fall into his hands. "What went wrong?"

Franky jiggled his leg up and down. Evidently, he was not happy that Robin was gone so long with Zoro.

"Robin has never been the type of woman who truly opens up to others," Franky said gloomily. "Even after she agreed to enter a relationship with me, she has always been unwilling to be really natural, you know? She wanted to keep the fact that we were a thing a secret to protect Zoro…at least, that was the reason she gave me. But I think she also didn't want the others to be affected in case the same problem came up between us as it did with Zoro."

"What problem?" Sanji kneaded his knuckles together. "C'mon, stop beating around the bush."

"Hold your horses, jeez! Why do you want to know so much, anyways?" Franky demanded. Sanji stopped short.

"I…I don't know," he said slowly. "I just feel an urge to know why he's in so much pain."

Franky looked at him sidelong for a long moment. "You see it too, huh? Most people just think that he's naturally gruff and grumpy…but he's not. He actually used to be a very chipper kind of guy when he was with Robin."

Zoro opened the door to his apartment to find Robin already waiting for him. He smiled brightly at her as he kicked off his shoes and dropped his keys on the table. "I didn't know you were coming today," he said happily. She put her tea cup down with a slight clinking sound. When her visits became more regular, he had invested in a small tea set for her use; it was lavender pottery with a simple wave design on the cups and pot. He grabbed a chipped mug—all of his dishware was in similar condition, but he refused to wash her dishes with anything but the utmost care and thus her cups were still in pristine shape—and poured himself a cup of tea. "What's up?"

She looked at his intense expression with a sad smile. He was so happy.

"I'm going to have to break up with you, Zoro." As always, she was precise and to the point. It took a moment for the casually expressed words to sink in.

"What?" He put his cup down to keep himself from spilling the hot liquid on his hands. "What are you talking about? Is it something I did—wait, why? When did you decide this?" He forced himself to revert back to his meditative stage to stop the sudden hyperventilation that was seizing up his lungs. The white teeth that had been exposed by his grin were now gritted.

"Zoro, I…don't love you anymore." She said the words flatly and left no room for argument. "I certainly do hold a certain measure of affection for you, but the love is gone." She left her empty cup on the table. "Don't try to make me change my mind. It's over, Zoro." She turned and left, swiftly putting on her shoes and leaving the apartment. As the door clicked shut, he snapped back to reality and stared at the empty room in shock.

"She's always been so straightforward," he said to no one in particular. He looked at the cup she had been drinking from. It was still warm, and there was still a smear of lipstick on the rim. He thought of the curve of her lips, so often smiling with a mysteriously amused expression; her eyes that betrayed no emotion; the soft lines of her body as he embraced her.

In the hall, Robin leaned against the wall with her hand clasped to her lips to muffle the sound of her sobs. She heard the crack of shattering porcelain as Zoro flung her cup against the wall.

"That's harsh," Sanji said in alarm. "I mean, woah. She really said that?"

Franky nodded. "She never told me why she did it. I met her through the other kids at the University, and it never seemed like there should have been a reason for her to end it like that. Zoro was just devastated. To this day, she has never told anyone her reasoning. From what I heard from the others, he continued to go to his other classes, but he never attended any of hers and she gave him a passing grade regardless."

"Yeah," Vivi said, curling up between the two men. They jumped in shock—they hadn't heard her coming—and she smiled wanly. "I was wondering why you guys were still loitering out here. Robin and Zoro, huh?"

"Do you know anything about it?" Sanji asked curiously. Vivi shrugged.

"A little. Everyone seems to know bits and pieces of the story, but no one wants to talk about it. After the whole Robin affair, it took him a long time to heal at all. Tashigi and I did date him after that, but we ended it…we knew that we were just hurting him by being with him."

---

"I don't believe you," Zoro said flatly. "Or rather, if you love him, how long will that last? A few more years, maybe, before you leave him like you left me?"

"Don't say it like that, Zoro."

"Did you really not love me anymore? Is that why you left?" He gripped her shoulders and turned to face her face to face. "Look me in the eye and say that you weren't lying that day."

She gazed into his eyes. They were so dark that even the moonlight seemed lost in them.

"The past is not important," she said. "What matters now is that you must not come between me and Franky."

"I haven't done anything for the past six months. I set that incident behind me and moved on, and we never lost the friendship we had. Why should I do anything now?"

"The reason I brought you out here is to tell you to set yourself free," she repeated. "You must look for love elsewhere, because I have no more to give to you." She looked at him sharply. "There's someone out there for you and that person is moving as fast as possible to meet you, but neither of you know it yet. But the only thing I can say for sure is…"

"…I have to set myself free, huh?" Zoro released her and rubbed his face with his hands tiredly. "I can't do it unless I know that the open world is safer than the cage."

"I never took you for an insecure person," Robin said quietly. Zoro snorted.

"Do you think it would be easy to open up to another person after what you did to me?" Zoro asked. She saw his shoulders stiffen and his hands seize, but his voice was even. "You were the only one I trusted, after my first savior died. You…you helped me fulfill my dreams, and I thought I was something special to you too. But then you give me a half-ass reason for leaving," Zoro continued as his voice began to rise, "and you expect me to be able to just say, 'oh well, that's life, let's move on!'? I know you're not a fool, so why don't you tell me why I should open up to someone after being treated like crap by the only person who has ever mattered to me? I tried…with Vivi, and even Tashigi. That was torture. Am I Prometheus, to have to suffer again and again for all eternity? [1] It would be better for me to wallow in this pit of hell rather than go out into the unknown and suffer from a dozen other torments with each new encounter!"

"Zoro, the decision I had to make was between two evils." Even Robin's voice was beginning to grow with passion as she spoke. "If I had stayed with you then you would be in far greater pain than what you are in now!"

He laughed darkly. "How can you possibly know what I've been going through?"

"Because it has happened to me as well!"

Zoro stared, caught off of his guard. Robin's face was flushed with agitation as her breath hitched in her stomach, and her hands were fluttering on her chest in an attempt to calm herself down.

"Robin…" He cupped her face in his hands, watching her bite her lower lip and look to the side. "Look at me." She looked up with tears welling in her eyes, and he leaned over.

---

"Should we go get those two?" Franky proposed as he checked his watch. "Not that I mind waiting, but it's late and I don't think Vivi will go to bed unless we're all safely gone."

"I'm not tired," Vivi yawned as she rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes. "Give them time."

"Maybe we can just…push the process along a little," Sanji mused. "Let's go." He stood, and he and Franky helped Vivi to her feet. "Do you know which way they went?"

"If they've been talking for this long then there's a bench with a lovely view of the moon on that side of the house," Vivi said as she pointed in the right direction. They set off in search of their friends.

"How can you possibly know what I've been going through?"

They all heard Zoro's bleak utterance; Sanji frowned at the misery that dripped from every word.

"Because it has happened to me as well!"

"Robin!" Franky broke into a run. "She never gets that worked up unless…" The two others followed him until they found Robin and Zoro sitting on the bench; Robin was looking up as Zoro cupped her face and brought her closer for a kiss. "Zoro Roronoa, what the hell are you doing?"

Zoro pulled his lips away slowly, taking a long look at Robin before turning to Franky. "Is there a problem?" he asked coolly as he stood to face the larger man. Sanji shuddered; Zoro's spirit exuded in waves and torrents, threatening to overwhelm everyone present. It was not a good feeling.

"Tell me why you kissed her," Franky demanded as he strode over to Robin and pulled her to her feet.

"She was in distress," Zoro said flatly. "Why don't you tell me why you haven't been taking care of her properly?"

Franky's face broke into a snarl until Robin touched him lightly on the arm. "Please…you won't understand," she said softly. "Let's just go home."

Franky looked between them as his anger boiled and finally broke. "Okay." He put an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll explain…" she told him. "Goodnight, everyone." They left without a backward glance.

Sanji nodded to Vivi, who understood that right now was a good time to let the blond man deal with Zoro. She crept off quietly, putting a hand to her ear in a motion that said Call me later!

They stood there for what felt like hours. Zoro put a hand to his lips, staring out into empty space. Finally, Sanji stepped in.

"Come on, big guy. Let's get you home." He nudged Zoro, who numbly followed him to where Sanji's car had been left by the valets. Sanji knew better than to ask Zoro if he was alright.

They drove in silence for a while as Sanji drove slowly through the streets. He knew to be careful at this time of night, because this was when most bars closed and sent their drunk patrons out to terrorize the streets.

"We're here," Sanji told Zoro quietly as they rolled to a stop in the special garage allotted to business owners on the street. He tapped Zoro on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

"Why are we here?" Zoro asked dully as he looked at their location. They were in front of the Paris Baguette.

"I'm not letting you go home until I'm sure you're not going to do anything insane," Sanji informed him as he locked the doors and pulled Zoro to the café. "At times like this, you need help. We don't have to talk if you don't want to, but I want you to stay the night. Do you have work tomorrow?" Zoro shook his head as they walked through the back door. "Good. You're spending the night here and I'll take you home tomorrow."

---

[1] Prometheus is the man in Greek mythology who stole fire from the gods and was consequently sentenced to being chained to a rock for eternity. Every day an eagle would come and eat his liver, and every day it would grow back. Yeah. Sucks to be him.