Please note this chapter contains spoilers for Film Red. If you haven't seen it I advise you watch it, it's very good. You have been warned! This could be considered a sequel to Ch. 2 Scars, but I'd rather it be its own thing. Enjoy!
It had been a day since the Strawhats had left Elegia. A full day since they all stopped Tot Musica. One full day since Luffy found out about Uta's death. The young captain had been locked in crow's nest, not coming out for anything, not even to eat. Everyone was worried, none more so than Robin. She knew that he went through a lot with Uta as children and seeing her again had made him happy. Yet, the girl was lost in her loneliness and let it consume her. As the crew gathered to eat dinner, the head of the table empty, they all had the same gloomy expression.
"I'm guessing Luffy isn't going to join us then?" Usopp asked. Everyone seemed to agree with his statement.
"This is bad. It's not good for him to skip meals! Who knows if he's even sleeping. I'm worried about his condition" Chopper worryingly stated. He was a doctor first and the health of his friend's mattered to him.
"Has anyone tried to coax him out of there?" Nami asked.
"I tried to get him out by leaving some meat I prepared for him but he never came out. I even left thinking he'd take it with me gone but it stayed outside." The cook said as he took a drag from his cigarette.
"I tried asking him to play with me and Chopper but that didn't work either." Usopp said as Chopper nodded his head confirming his statement.
"I told him I wanted him to hear a new song I had written after being inspired by his dear friend, but alas that didn't work." The musician felt shame at not being able to help his captain.
"What about you Robin, have you tried anything?" Zoro looked at the woman hoping to confirm she would at least get something out of the young captain. She shook her head.
"I have not" Robin looked to be in a worse state than the others. She looked tired and had a sullen expression on her face. Granted her fiancee had locked himself away and hadn't come out.
"I believe I can help in this situation" Jinbe spoke from the other end of the table. "I have dealt with him before in this situation. It was after the death of his brother Ace." Some of the Strawhats winced at the mention of the name. They had met Ace before back in Alabasta and were shocked to see how different he was to his little brother. The other Strawhats had known only that he was Luffy's brother and had perished in the War of the Best. Still, they knew about losing someone close to them and could relate to their captain.
"If you would allow me, I will help him come back to us. It is the least I can do for my promise for Ace and as a crew member." The rest had no objections and nodded. Jinbe began to rise and head to the crow's nest when he felt a pair of hands sit him down.
"No, I will go Jinbe" Robin spoke from across the table. She looked up and made eye contact with the fishman. "You've already saved his life twice, allow me to handle this"
"Robin are you sure? Wouldn't Jinbe be better suited to handle this?" Nami tried to protest. Robin turned to look at he navigator and sent her a stare that stopped her protest on the spot.
"No, I will go. I wasn't there for him when Ace died, and I couldn't save his life back on Fishman Island. Please allow me to help in his time of need" Robin then had a morbid smile on her face. "After all, what kind of wife and Queen would I be if I can't console my husband and King?" Robin then stood and headed out to where her Luffy was. The rest of the crew stood silent, processing the words that she said. Usopp decided to break the silence.
"Jinbe, we know what happened with Luffy on Fishman Island, but what happened to him after Ace died?" The fishman got as serious expression on his face.
"I will tell you the same thing I told Nico Robin, it is not my place to tell you. That is for Luffy to tell you." Nami was confused by his statement.
"Yeah, but don't you think as his crew and friends we have a right to know?"
"Be quiet woman" Zoro shouted as he downed his remaining sake.
"Hey, don't yell at Nami-Swan you mosshead!" the cook shouted, ready to fight the resident swordsman. Zoro only scoffed at his remark.
"It's something personal for him. If he only wanted Jinbe and Robin to know than that's his choice. We won't go prying into his personal matters unless he tells us" he pointed at Nami. "Or did you forget when we first met you, you also had issues you hid from us." Nami cringed at the memory of trying to trick her now friends out of their ship in order to free her island. It started at first as her using the pirates and running off but then became genuine fear of her friends dying.
"All we can do is wait and hope Nico Robin can bring him out of the state of mind he's in." Jinbe said as the dining room got quiet again. They all had the same thought running through their minds.
'Please Robin, bring back Luffy'
Robin stood outside the door to the crow's nest. She gathered her bearings. She knocked on the door.
"Gummy, its me" Robin had hoped the pet name she gave him would let him lower his walls just a bit. "I wanted to know if you were, ok? Can I come in please?" she heard the door unlock. She turned the knob and walked in. The room was dark, the only light coming from a lamp that was in the center of the room. She could see an outline of Luffy in the corner. She guessed he used his stretching abilities to unlock the door. She approached his figure and sat next to him. "Luffy, we're worried about you. You haven't left this place since yesterday. We are here for you Luffy, I'm here for you." She reached out to touch his face. She caressed it as she felt tears falling down his face. "I'll always be here for you, my Gummy" Luffy suddenly let it all out as he leaned into Robin and let the tears flow.
"Why? Why does everyone I love die? WHY!" Luffy asked with defeat in his voice. "I lost Ace and now I lost Uta. Why does everyone I love leave me?" He hugged Robin closer to him as he tightened his grip on her. "Robin, please don't leave me too. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too." That broke Robin as she too had tears in her eyes at his statement. She hugged him tighter as well and planted a kiss on the top of his head.
"Never Luffy. I won't ever leave you."
"You can't be sure of that" Luffy said with a serious tone. "Ace said the same thing and he died in my arms. Uta and me were gonna change the world and she's gone too. How do I know you won't leave me too? How will I know you won't leave me like everyone else I've cared for? Like my Gramps leaving me behind? Or my father who never even was around for me as a kid?" That last one stung Robin. In her two years of training, she knew she had spent more time with Dragon than Luffy ever did. It was still something that ate at her conscience. Him not know his father did care for him, but couldn't be there with him as his stance as the World's Most Dangerous Man.
"Because there's one thing I have." Robin said, trying to compose herself. "I have the backing of the world's best crew. They will always be with me to make sure I keep my promise to you. I won't stop til I know what the Rio Poneglyph is and I make you the King of the Pirates. You have my heart in your hands and I have yours. I promise I won't leave you." She looked at the man in her arms, a fiery determination in her eyes. Luffy knew she meant it and would keep the promise. He could only bury his head deeper into her neck as he cried. Robin held onto him as she patted his head and comforted him in his time of need.
After about 10 minutes he stopped crying and enjoyed the presence of the woman that would be his queen.
"Robin" He spoke as she leaned her head down on top of his. "Uta was the first girl I probably loved." Robin was shocked at this. When she confessed to Luffy, he said he didn't really know what love was but he wanted to find out along with Robin. "I told myself I'd tell her I like her when she came back the next time. That was when the incident at Elegia happened, and she stayed there." He laughed a little at that memory. "When she left I decided that I wouldn't allow myself to fall in love again, I focused on just getting stronger and hope to achieve my dream." He then turned and looked at Robin. Their eyes meeting each other. "That changed when I met you. I was stubborn to let my feelings get to me but in the end I'm glad I did. You've been the best thing to happen in my life and I'm grateful because of it." Luffy leaned in and kissed the shocked Robin. "Thank you for being by my side, my Hana." Robin smiled at the nickname Luffy picked for her. She loved it and always got a heartskip when he said it. Luffy suddenly felt the hunger of not eating for a day and was hungry.
"Let's go Robin! Maybe I can still get Sanji to make me food for missing out this past day!" the captain grabbed his future bride by the hand and dragged her back to the dining room to eat. All the while Luffy had a single thought running through his mind.
'Don't worry Uta, I'll make sure to make a new era. As the Pirate King, I'll make sure this world is free; just like we always dreamed about as kids.' The return of the captain caused the crew to have their spirits rejuvenated as the dining room was filled with the same commotion as always. Robin sat on Luffy's lap as she fed him his meal and laughed along with everyone else. These were the moments that she cherished, the ones besides her friends and the love of her life.
Two uploads in one day!? Had this running through my mind after watching Film Red. Loved it a lot! This one probably wasn't my best one, but I wanted to write it out before I lost the thought. I'm gonna be gone for a week coming up soon. Some friends and coworkers are taking me to a Hokaido getaway for a week for my birthday but I'll try to update some of the other stories before I go! Please leave a review if you loved it! See you all soon!