Disclaimer: One Piece is the property of Eiichiro Oda. Author's notes are at the bottom.

A single, oversized red velvet cupcake was plucked from its place on the kitchen counter by Zoro's gentle grip, ensuring that he wouldn't completely destroy the thing before he could complete his mission. He perched the lit purple and silver in the perfect center of the cream cheese icing, carefully piercing the red-dyed cake until the sides of his fingers only just grazed the white decoration. Zoro then lifted the bright red porcelain plate off the dinner table and eyed the treat closely as he began his trek back up to his and Robin's bedroom. It was the midnight of February 6th - Robin's birthday.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Zoro smirked as he settled into bed beside his slightly stirring girlfriend. He presented her with the cupcake as she blinked the sleep away. "Happy birthday, babe."

Robin smiled, pulling herself up into a sitting position with a satisfying stretch. She rasped, "You remembered?"

"Now, Robin, how could I forget the birthday of the love of my life?" Zoro countered. Motioning towards the cupcake with a head nod, he prompted, "Make a wish."

Robin wrapped herself in the comforter with only her face and frizzy hair visible. She twisted her lips in thought. "Perhaps I should wish not to gain a large sum of weight after eating this. Are you trying to fatten me up, Zoro?"

"It's not like I made it myself. The ero-cook did," Zoro answered. A smug grin inched its way across Zoro's lips. "Besides, your ass is big enough."

"Hush. I'm trying to make a wish."

The swordsman held his tongue, refraining from making a naughty remark about why he enjoyed following her up the stairs. He took to staring at Robin instead. While he was taking in Robin's what seemed to be ageless beauty - she was in her early thirties, if Zoro wasn't mistaken, and he appreciated older women - he found himself being taken back. Taken back by the way the candlelight highlighted and darkened her features at the same time, he was, and it made him consider how fast the time flew by before their eyes. Granted, it looked as if Robin hadn't aged a day since that snowy evening all those years ago, but something about that candlelight and, now, how her bright blue eyes flickered up to him, forced him to remember.

Winter blizzards were uncommon in Zoro's region of East Blue, in which, coincidentally, the Dawn Island Hotel stood. There was one many, many years ago, as described by the news, but it wasn't nearly as heavy and dangerous as this. Therefore, it must have been by utter chance, by some fluke, then, that Zoro ended up stuck with Robin in her hotel room. And as if that wasn't enough, they were in the dark; the high winds forced the power out of its normal task of actually working. The two of them, the swordsman and the archaeologist, resorted to using various antique lanterns with tea candles inside them, causing several patterns to appear on the walls around them. Neither of them paid much attention to these patterns, though; they were too busy partaking in a grand abundance of Chinese food. They would need sustenance if they were to stay there for God knows how long.

And it was driving Zoro insane.

Aside from the delicious taste of the takeout, there was something else that was prominent in Zoro's mind. An issue, rather - an issue he would solve as soon as possible. He decided this in the busy silence that himself and Robin were sharing in that moment as he watched her manoeuvre around her share of foodstuffs with a pair of chopsticks.

"Thanks again for teaching me how to use these chopsticks, Zoro," Robin nodded. "Perhaps I can purchase a pair of my own. I'm thinking ... something in purple."

Zoro shrugged. "Whatever."

The archaeologist, puzzled and just the tiniest bit stung by Zoro's lack of enthusiasm in his reply, paused and set the aforementioned eating apparatuses down on top of a closed container of dumplings. She studied his sombre, bordering on thoughtful expression beneath the light of the star-patterned lantern. She inquired, "Is there something on your mind, kenshi-san?"

"What are we doing here, Robin?"

Zoro's question was urgent and rushed, supported by his harsh stare at Robin. The female answered, "Well, Zoro, we are currently eating Chinese food during a blackout caused by a snowstorm."

"I meant us. What's going on with us, Robin?" Zoro pressed. "Because I don't get it."

Robin held back a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair. Small talk was her specialty; anything too in-depth or emotional made her uneasy. "We're friends."

That word, and hearing Robin use it to describe what they had, made Zoro burn on the inside. "And just how did that happen? It sure didn't seem like the setup for friendship when we first met."

"Zoro, not now."

"It's not like we're going anywhere. Not with this weather." Zoro retorted shortly. He noted Robin's taken aback, if not shocked expression and exhaled slowly, his eye closed. Zoro continued, "Just... let me explain."

Slowly, not knowing what to expect, Robin answered, "The floor is yours."

"Look, Robin. I..." Zoro fumbled, looking for words, but resumed quickly. "I asked you that question because, while I like being your... friend, I just feel so unsatisfied with it. In the sense that we can be so much more."

"Zoro..."

"Robin, please." Zoro cautioned. Staring at the floorboards, he continued, "I think about you all the time. Being around you is always the highlight of my day. I can't even attempt to understand the way your thought process works, and I love that kind of mystery. I feel like... no, I know that I can be really good to you, and I've just been so afraid to say so all this time. After all this time... I'm not scared to say that I really want to be with you. I want to be with you, Robin."

Something clenched and twisted in Robin's chest. Every nerve ending in her body was tingling, evident by the way her fingers twisted between each other into a neat fold in her lap. Her cheeks and ears felt hot and she shifted in her spot on the floor. With a quick shake of her head, Robin stated, "No, you don't."

Zoro bristled. "What the hell do you mean, 'no, you don't'? I pour my heart out to you and you reply with something like that?"

"You don't get it, Zoro."

"What's not to get?!"

"If you would just listen!" Robin barked. Just as Zoro had, she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh. She turned her head and looked out the window. "All of my relationships end in chaos. You're a really good guy. I don't want you getting hurt that way."

"It won't be that way with me, Robin," Zoro confirmed, staring at her until she met his gaze. "I promise."

"And I would love to believe that, Zoro, but promises were made to be broken. I learned that the hard way." Robin insisted. Her eyes were fixated on the lantern between her and Zoro. "If things were different, then..."

"Don't let your past dictate your future."

Robin looked up. Zoro smirked and held up the fortune from the freshly cracked cookie, saying, "Well, would you look at that? The cookie's on my side."

Robin couldn't help but smile. She giggled as she chided, "You're such a child, Zoro."

Zoro studied the rectangular slip of paper. "This has gotta be some sort of sign. This fortune with my confession. This snowstorm making it impossible for me to leave. Looks like you'll have to give me an answer."

Robin didn't avert her eyes this time around. She felt she couldn't - not with such a display of what she had to call destiny before her. "Perhaps fate ordained this meeting."

The intense stare, void of any potential awkwardness, continued. It was silent; with both of their brains - and, perhaps, their hearts - on overdrive, it was hard to find anything to say. It was an energy exchange, of sorts. Robin was the first to break this stare. She leaned over the lantern, clasped Zoro's face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. When she did this, she noticed how honest Zoro really was about the entire affair. He kissed back eagerly without a moment's hesitation, reaching out to grasp Robin's waist. He wrapped his arms around it soon after, pulling Robin in - thankfully, she evaded the lantern in her descent.

As they gasped for breath, Zoro demanded, "Don't tell me that you didn't feel something just now."

"I did," Robin answered. "And I may be willing to take a chance on this... whatever this may be."

Zoro's heart filled with a childlike glee. He smiled. "Damn straight, woman."

"What are you smiling about, kenshi-san?"

Robin's voice brought Zoro out of his nostalgic state. He noticed that he'd been staring at her and he blinked rapidly, answering, "Ehh... nothing."

"It's my birthday, Zoro." Robin hinted. For dramatic effect, she nibbled on her cupcake.

"Yeah, yeah... I was just thinking about the big snowstorm." Zoro replied. He blushed. "And us."

With a hum of recognition, Robin added, "Ah, yes. The day it all started."

"I still have it, you know." Zoro informed vaguely. He specified, "The fortune."

Robin's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "You're lying."

The swordsman shook his head briefly. He retrieved one of his four katanas, unsheathing the blade and setting it aside. He turned the sheath itself upside down, shaking it until a single, small slip of paper, slightly worn and ripped, tumbled out onto the sheets.

Robin snatched it up without a moment's hesitation. She read it once in her head, and then a smile softened her features. "This is it, huh?"

"Yeah, it is." Zoro confirmed. "I always keep it with me. Whenever you're away, I just take a look at it and I feel a little less lonely. Or whatever. Something like that."

Robin interrupted Zoro's rambling with a kiss. As she stroked one of his cheeks with her fingers, pulling back to look at him, she whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?" Zoro asked softly.

Robin shrugged gently and shook her head. "Just... thank you, Zoro."

With one of his eyebrows arched, Zoro remarked, "You're weird, woman. Now, get some sleep, Grandma."

"Not with all this sugar in me. I'm wide awake," Robin sighed. She perked up slightly. "I think I'll read."

"Yeah, yeah. Make sure you take your vitamins in the morning, Grammy." Zoro joked, joining her under the covers.

"I'm not that old." Robin pouted.

"You don't look a day over twenty-five."

"Thank you."

Zoro grunted in acknowledgment and rested his head on the pillow nearest him. Before he drifted off to sleep, he mumbled, "Oi, Robin."

"Yes, Zoro?"

"Thanks."

Readers, for the fact that there was no update last week, gomen nasai. I had a pretty shitty night last Friday and a pretty shitty week, both personally and inspiration-wise. I couldn't figure anything out for the prompt "sound". Usually, if I can't figure anything out for one of the prompts, I just replace it with something else, but I really want to do "sound". Therefore, readers, I must inquire: what would you like to read here pertaining to the word "sound"? I would love to hear what you think. :')

- Angela