I'm getting a new non-breathing boyfriend this weekend! I can't wait. I had a semi-acoustic one in my mind. I'll have to kill some cash though - guitars here are more pricey than guitars in the city where I was studying.

Chapter Twenty Six
If I Ever Start To Think Straight

Roronoa Zoro is – obviously – the least emotional person Nico Robin has ever met, befriend and dated. He appears almost expressionless – if not, his I'm-not-amused face – most of the time while they sat together and talk. Zoro's smile is as priceless as seeing a polar bear walking in the desert in an orange jumpsuit. Zoro's smile, as he blushed as well, is as priceless as taking pictures with a polar bear in a jumpsuit in the middle of a desert. Zoro's laugh, cries, and singing voice, is even more priceless as taking pictures with a polar bear in a jumpsuit in the middle of a desert, and then inviting the said polar bear for coffee at Starbucks.

Nico Robin was probably the luckiest person on Earth to have seen, and still is seeing, that hidden, priceless side of Roronoa Zoro.

"Don't even think of asking Annett out if you can't even speak to her, you Ero-cook."

"Hello? Marimo? I'm a cook, I'm fairly good with hands."

"It's harder than that."

"Well, well, well. It seems like I've underestimated your stupidity. Couldn't think you could pick up a beautiful lady with just very few words in your vocabulary."

"Get that?"

"Get what?"

"It's a sign for you-idiot. Where is she staying, anyway?"

"She's sleeping in the room where you've dumped your stuff in before you left with Robin for… Where are you anyway?"

"What? She's at your place?"

"No, course not! I'm joking. She's at Nami-san's house. Where are you, anyway?"

"We're going home. My stuff. All good?"

"Yeah. Annett fixed everything up."

"Good. I better get going then."

"Don't worry, you idiot Marimo. No one else knows. Oi, you be good okay. Take care of yourself. Take care of sweet Robin-chwan. I'll see you guys tonight."

"You disgust me. But thanks. Take care of Annett for me."

Little did Zoro knew that Sanji actually smiled when he hung up. He kept his cellphone in his pocket, and stretched on the bench at the bus station, breathing in fresh cold air as tourists in winter clothing and stylish eccentric outfits passed by him – some arriving, some leaving. The lovely lover of his came towards him, smiling, with a cup of ice-cream and two spoons.

"So cold, yet you wanna get ice creams. I'm freezing here, woman. I thought you're going to get some coffee or something."

"I thought I want to skip caffeine today."

"Oh. Okay. Ice creams' okay. What flavor?"

"Coffee."

Laughed.

"What?"

"Robin, Robin."

"Ah, don't mess up my hair please."

"I'm not listening to you."

"Is your favourite food still onigiri?"

"Booze."

"Food."

"Yeah. Onigiri. You still remember. How nice."

"Just remembered by heart. Zoro?"

"Mmh?"

"What are we, now? Best friends? Boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"The second one. You want?"

"The second one is sweet. I missed it."

"Me too. Isn't it so much better like this? But you're an idiot, Robin."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You're mine, now, anyway."

He took Robin's ice-cream cup with his right hand, and he took Robin's right hand in his left hand. They sat there, holding hands for the whole 15 minutes, until their bus is finally prepared for departure.