borrowing from tomorrow with no plans to pay it back

a luro fic

Flames soared high and smoke rose into the sky as wolves and man alike danced through the night. Robin watched with careful eyes. She soaked in the blaze of celebration but did not allow herself to hope. Did not dare to. Could not. Would not.

She watched everything through a veil, through a curtain woven from wariness. But she could only be so detached as she basked in the presence of true and utter merriment. Howls and laughter punctured the night. Colored it. Filled the air. The crackling, popping, creaking of wood undercut it all. Singing danced through the noise just as raucous.

There were plans to make and sleep to catch but Luffy and his friends were more preoccupied with the present. They would deal with their problems in the light of day. In the here and now there was a revelry to be had.

Out of the tangle of bodies, Luffy appeared with a wide grin and shining eyes. Two grimy hands grabbed onto and gripped hers. "Robin! Dance with us! Dance!"

She gave Luffy's hands a quick squeeze. Gave him a quick quirk of her lips in imitation of a smile. "You do it so well for both of us."

"Come on!"

He was dragging her to her feet, refusing her protests. His stubborn hands clawed at her elbows, at her arms, at her sides. She could not resist him.

Luffy pulled and pushed her out into the middle of the clearing, tugging on her all the while.

"I don't know how to dance Captain."

"It's easy. Look," and he began.

Around and around and around they spun. They twisted in widening circles. His sweaty palms gripped her slipping hands, not allowing her to fall as they turned with greater speed. When her arms drew taut and his nails bit into her wrists, he pulled her back to his body. And again they started the spiral! Around and around. Around and around. When she reached the end of his arm span, again he caught her up into his chest.

Dizzying circles they danced around the bonfire. And around and around. The world and the trees and the sky and the smoke all spun with them.

"Huphuphuphup!"

Voices cheered and a steady clap kept time to their spinning. Feet in the dirt, hands in his, head thrown back in an unbridled laugh. A wild and free shriek burst from her lips.

They stopped then and the spinning world collided with reality. Panting. Luffy grinning. Robin shaking. The world still careened and tilted and she had to clutch onto Luffy's shoulders to stop herself from losing her legs. They were jelly underneath her body. She leaned on Luffy.

Propping her up with strong, smooth arms- young arms- he shook sweaty bangs from his eyes. Shaggy hair and a shaggier beam. "Again!"

Excitement and joy were heady on her tongue, breaking from her gasping mouth in ragged breaths. "Oh no, oh... I cannot." She squeezed his shoulders. With shaky shoulders, she straightened. Her small smile was genuine and she offered it to him as a gift. A small token of her earnest delight.

"We've just started!" His whine almost broke her resolve.

It was his strong sure arms wrapping around her middle that really did it. He squeezed, lifting her up in a hug. "Eat something at least Robin! Then we can keep dancing for hours. All you need is some meat."

She chuckled. Of course. He believed meat to be the cure to all ails. "My Captain, I am too tired."

"Oh alright." He grimaced but relinquished his hold on her. His arms slipped from her hips. He drew back, frowning at her. One last disappointed look and then Luffy was bounding back into the fray of dancing wolf and man.

Robin really did have to sit down as soon as his supporting arms left. Her body was all quakes and breathlessness and warmth. Sweat beaded on her face and neck. Her shirt was soaked in it.

She leaned heavily against the log she sat on and watched the celebrations with clearer eyes. Something in her chest had pulled free. Dislodged. Fallen away.

She just didn't know what it was.

A/N:

there's this insignificant, small little panel in chapter 253 of One Piece where a beaming Robin watches mid-Skypiea partying. it's just always stuck with me. it haunts me. (or whatever the positive equivalent of being haunted is)