Day 12: Hobbies
Franky was carrying a load of boards across the deck, when he spotted his favorite person sitting at a table drinking coffee.
Her dark black hair delicately framed her face. Her brown eyes were pensive, as if she was bothered by what she was looking at. The object of her distress seemed to be a notebook that was on the table in front of her. Franky glanced over it as he passed by.
In the notebook was a crude sketch of a person with very long arms. Luffy maybe?
"Oi, a Robin," he said, drawing a startled reaction from the woman.
"Oh. Franky," she said quickly regaining her composure.
"You draw that?"
Robin frowned placing a finger to her lips. Her eyebrows were furrowed, deep in thought.
"Yes," she replied. "But I can't seem to get the proportions right?"
Franky placed the boards against the rail and came closer. "Well who are you trying to draw?"
"Well, I was attempting to sketch Usopp-"
Franky choked on his own spit. It was the only way to keep from laughing. Robin glared at him, causing any humor to suddenly fade into fear. He took a deep breath and straightened up.
"Ah , I see it," he said, with an overly cool air.
This did not elicit a much kinder response from Robin. "You aren't a very believable liar."
Franky could feel sweat beginning to pull on the back of his neck; this was a risky situation. A wrong answer could mean his chances of seeing her in his bed ever again could plummet through the floor.
"You just need some practice is all," he said.
Robin sighed, taking a sip of her coffee.
"That's easier said than done," she replied. "Everyone moves too much on this ship."
Franky laughed. "Yeah, you got that right."
Robin scratched out the picture of Usopp. The was a slow melting in his chest. Franky hated seeing her frustrated. She never got frustrated, well, besides at him. Then he had it.
Franky leaned on the chair next to hers.
"Hey, I've got it," he said, pointing a thumb at himself. "Why don't you draw me?"
Robin's eyebrows shot up, in question. "Wouldn't that get in the way of your duties as shipwright?"
Franky waved the question away with one large hand. "Pssh. Most of what I'm doing is moving stuff around right now."
Then he winked at her.
"Besides, I could sit around for your all day."
Robin chuckled, covering her mouth one hand. She flipped the page in her notebook.
"Very well," she mused. "Stand against the railing there and flex your arms for me."
He struck a pose and stayed there. He stayed there for almost an hour, all the while just watching her sketch. By all means the pain should have been unbearable, but the feeling of her eyes tracing his every contour filled him with a sense of pride which could numb him to any pain.
When Robin finally finished, the sun was beginning to set.
"I think I've finished," she said, putting her pencil down.
Franky collapsed onto the ground, suddenly feeling the soreness in his joints. He rubbed them while Robin strolled over to his side.
She knelt down, showing him the picture she drew.
Staring back at Franky was what looked like a weird monkey. He could recognize his hair and glasses, though he wasn't sure about the rest. He gulped.
"Oh, wow, that's great," he said.
Robin studied his face and then her picture. She smiled and sighed. "Guess I need more practice."
Then she sat back down at the table and flipped the page.
"Perhaps seeing the full anatomy of the body would help… we should move this to somewhere private."
Franky thought his heart might explode. He is face had to be just as red as the waning sun.
He gasped. "What?!"
Robin shot him a dark grin, stood, and waved to him as she retreated towards the cabins. "See you after dinner..."
Franky watched dumbfounded as she left, both too thrilled and shocked to speak. He had truly picked an amazing woman, and, if that's the way she wanted to practice, then he was willing to be her model until she was Picasso.
