A little blurb that popped into my brain and was clawing around demanding to be written... at least it cleared some cobwebs.
rating: T
Denials and Unspoken Truths
He would never admit it even under torture but his denials were not important because she knew the truth.
There were some things, certain feelings and emotions that Zoro preferred to ignore the existence of. For example, he would vehemently deny that he had been attracted to Robin when he first saw her perched on the railing of the Going Merry. He would also deny the tingles of excitement that had coursed through his veins when he had discovered her stowing away.
Stowing away was a bit extreme after all she had walked right out into the open announcing her presence with her trademark calm. Just as she had calmly declared that Luffy owed her for rescuing her from certain death she calmly accepted that there were certain things that Zoro wouldn't, couldn't voice. Robin didn't need to hear the words to know that the sentiments were there.
Back in Water 7 when she was poised on the window ledge ready to jump out and firmly leave her crew and nakama behind he couldn't voice what he was feeling. It didn't matter though, she had been able to look into his eyes and see the hidden emotions. She had seen what Zoro loathed; fear. It wasn't fear of the fight or fear of dying. Zoro didn't fear those things. Standing there watching her drop out of that window he was however scared shitless of losing her forever.
Robin had understood his fear and the reasoning behind it then just as she understood his love and the depth of it without him having to say a word. She could say 'I love you' as many times as she wished and utter a whole bunch of sentimental words but Zoro couldn't bring himself to reply and instead would kiss her passionately and was thankful when that was enough.
He could deny his attachment and initial attraction as much as he wanted. Robin knew the unspoken truths.
