Another day had passed and Zoro awoke from his bed earlier than usual.
He slept okay, but he was a bit thoughtful of what he said yesterday to Robin.
Looking back now, it sounded stupid...very stupid.
" Maybe she is right...maybe I am immature," said Zoro with a sigh.
He looked at the sun from his window and he noticed the sun was brighter than usual, " From here on out I'm going to do my job in this crew...first mate".
He went outside and saw the sun shine though his face, " If only...I knew what my job meant."
He knew first mate meant being the first person in party... therefore he was second in command sort of like a vice leader.
Funny though... if there was a vice leader it always seemed to be Nami who would boss people around.
Another thing he had to do was ignore Robin...she only made things worse for him and always did distract him.
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That would be the harder task though...but he remembered she said basically that she wanted nothing more from him than a friend.
He knew that if Robin didn't want to be in a personally relationship then he should just leave her alone...ah well at least he tried.
He looked around the ship to see if there was some sort of chore or challenge the ship may need, but everything seemed organized or in good condition.
He shrugged and sat down near the end of the head of Merry.
He grinned placing his elbow on Merry, "Bright morning we have huh ?"
Merry couldn't answer Zoro knew this... but he knew now why Ussop liked talking to it...because it made you feel good to talk without being disrupted or laughed at.
He looked down where the water reflected on what was ahead... he saw an island that was ahead not to far.
"This isn't right...their shouldn't be an island Nami said so...," Zoro murmured looking at the mysterious island.
He quickly went to Nami's room and knocked on the door.
Their seemed to be a loud commotion inside the room and Zoro could swear he heard another voice other than Nami.
Nami stepped forward the door with her T- shirt inside out, " What is it?"
" Uh... their's an island ahead and I just wondered if-
" WHAT?" exclaimed Nami running outside to the galley.
Zoro closed Nami's door, but smiled as he closed it halfway then opened it to reveal Luffy sleeping.
He followed behind Nami who was looking out at the island, " It can't be... its the second time in a row."
Nami looked at Zoro , " I need you to steer the ship's helm towards the right."
Zoro nodded and headed towards the control room.
He pushed it to the right then signaled to Nami that he accomplished the task.
She nodded and looked at the sea, " Okay now when you see the ship get close enough you know what to do... place the anchor down and starboard."
He nodded, " Okay I got it... leave it to me."
Nami looked at the crow-nest, " Odd I thought Robin was under watch why didn't she tell me."
Zoro looked up towards the crow nest, " Uh... I decided to help her out and... I told her to let me take care of the watch."
" Oh...makes sense now, " She said smiling.
" Zoro held the helm to the right slowly as Nami left.
In a few minutes he heard a small noise from up at the crow nest and he saw Robin climb down and head for the rooms.
She saw Zoro and she pointed to the island, " Mr. Swordsman...theirs a-
" I know..." he said looking forward.
" Oh...okay...then I guess your-
" Yes, I got it all under control." said Zoro leaving the helm alone and walked down towards the anchor.
Robin sighed, " I'm sorry, I sleeped just recently... I was just too tired."
Zoro grabbed the anchor, " Well go back to sleep you don't have to worry about the rest, leave it to me."
She smiled, " Okay then."
She walked towards the crow nest and got her blanket and mug and brought it down to the kitchen were Zoro was observing the now reached island.
Robin was washing her cup while Zoro wondered about what Nami had said...
Its the second time in a row... that's what she said thought Zoro crossing his hands.
It was weird how two islands appear out of nowhere...Zoro looked at Robin who was finished washing her cup.
" Hey..." he spoke hesitantly.
She turned to him with a polite smile, " Yes what is it Mr. Swordsman."
Zoro looked back at the island, " Why do you think... this island wasn't recognized by Nami... I mean that women is an expert in these things, and yet she didn't know about this island...or the previous one for that matter."
Robin looked at the island then sat down across Zoro, " Yes, I suppose it's quiet a mystery, but remember Mr. Swordsman...this is the Grand Line... not to much information is known about this section...there are still lands that haven't been discovered yet."
Zoro gave her a half interested look, " So...are you saying this could be a undiscovered island?"
" Oh this island? I don't think so." said Robin opening her book.
Zoro waited for her to finish, but instead she just went straight to reading.
Robin looked up at him, " Uh...do you need something Mr. Swordsman?"
" No nothing." he said getting up from his chair and walking towards his room.
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Zoro decided to sleep a bit more until he heard a knock on his door.
He opened it to reveal Franky all covered in red paint.
" Uh...Franky what happened to you?" asked Zoro scanning franky's body that was all red.
Franky pretended like he didn't know about it, " Oh this...oh I was just helping brother Ussop on making his weapon inventions...until he got a breakthrough...and well...you can tell what happened."
Franky looked back at Zoro, " Oh yeah uh I have a message from Nami she wanted me to give you this."
Franky using one of his gorilla sized fist smashed Zoro in the head.
" W.T.F!" said Zoro holding his head as he layed on the ground.
Franky then looked at Zoro, " and she also asked for me to tell you to get your lazy ass to the galley pronto."
Franky then helped Zoro up, " Uh sorry about that...it was part of the message, I didn't want to do that...but my god sister Nami is pure evil...she threaten me that if I didn't tell you the complete message, she would take away my cola and force me to drink grape juice."
" I HATE GRAPE JUICE!" yelled Franky angry and emotionally.
" Wow calm down man it's okay...I guess we're both victim's in this." said Zoro leaving his room with Franky.
" You know when I joined you guys I thought from then on it would be easy ville, but now I have realized I miss my family." said Franky.
" Franky we are family," said Zoro.
" I know, I mean my friend's back in water 7...I promised I would fix it my home," said Franky.
" But your friends back home said they would take care of it." said Zoro.
" Yeah, I guess your right...well it's not so bad here," said Franky with a smile.
" Actually brother Chopper just told me that I'm the only one that has ever stepped inside brother Ussop's workshop,because it's so confidential," said Franky putting his hands behind his head.
Zoro smiled as he opened the door to the galley.
Everybody was outside ready leave the ship and explore the island.
He looked at Luffy and Robin who were wearing something that looked like a robe.
Luffy's robe was sort of like the one he wore in alabasta, but darker and had a hood.
Robin had a velvet color robe with a hood as well.
" Oi what's with the get up?" asked Zoro as he looked at Luffy uncomfortable scratch his robe.
" Ms. Navigator says that since both of us have a big bounty,the odds of us being spotted by someone will increase, and because of such event's we must wear these to hide ourself." said Robin looking down at herself.
" Ah too bad Luffy," said Zoro patting on Luffy's back.
" Oi that's not fair if I have to wear this so does Zoro." said Luffy looking at Nami.
Nami had another robe on her hands, " of coarse he's going to wear one."
" What! Why?" asked Zoro.
" BAKA! You also have to be careful," said Nami trowing Zoro his robe.
"I don't need this..if someone wants to try to capture me I'll just take them down." said Zoro with a confident smile.
Nami sighed, " Insolent fools like you won't live to see another day, because of stubbornness."
Zoro looked at Nami then Nami looked back... it was a test of strength...a test of strength Zoro had lost.
He sighed and looked at his robe, he was going to ask if he could at least wear the cool robe he wore in alabasta...but it would have sounded childish and immature.
" Fine I'm wearing it." he said putting it over himself.
Nami widened her eyes looking at Zoro with his robe...it fit him perfectly it made him look more taller and older.
Zoro looked down at his robe, " It's not so bad I guess..."
" See what did I tell ya?" said Nami walking towards the end of the ship.
He looked at Franky who was sitting on the upper deck.
" Oi Franky aren't you coming." asked Zoro.
Franky shook his head, " Ah no thanks brother Zoro I don't feel like exploring the island, besides someone has to stay and guard the ship."
Zoro shrugged and looked at Paulie, " What about you?"
Paulie gave a wide laugh, " Ah I still feel the effects from the last Island...I think I'll have to call it quits for now."
Zoro sighed, " Oh well more drinking for me then."
Sanji looked at Robin and Nami, " Allow me to help you get off my dears."
They both accepted his hand and went down to the island.
Chopper ran with Ussop and Luffy racing each other to the island.
Zoro looked down at his black robe then put his hood on and left towards the island as well.
When they arrived at the small village they each took their own ways.
Ussop and Chopper went to explore the island while Luffy looked around the village to see the coolest things he could find.
Zoro wondered why he didn't want to spent time with Nami...perhaps they wanted to keep their romance hidden.
Sanji followed Nami who shopping with Robin he guessed...but when he saw Nami leave towards the store Robin didn't follow.
Zoro looked at her, " Oi what's wrong... aren't you going to go with her?"
She shook her head with a sad smile, " I can't it would be too dangerous if I were to walk inside the stores...someone would notice me...eventually."
Zoro couldn't stand to look at her sad smile, it must feel bad to not go to your favorite places,because of fear of being caught.
He looked down placing his hood down, " Well...do you want to have a drink with me...as friends." Added Zoro as he looked at Robin's sudden hesitant face.
She suddenly smiled not a sad smile,but a faint smile, " Sure I would like that Mr. Swordsman."
Zoro nodded in agreement and walked towards the village, " Okay...but first things first...we need to find a place to drink.
Zoro looked back at her she didn't have an exact happy smile due to the fact they were going to have a drink.
Someone like her might like a cafe instead of a pub, so he asked her.
" Want to go to a cafe instead?" he said looking back at her.
Her smile grew slightly, " Okay...I would prefer that."
Robin gave him an amused smile, " Have you ever gone to a cafe before?"
Zoro thought about it the nodded slowly, " Once...when I had a bounty job on a man who worked in a cafe."
He gave her a smile, " It's the day I grew found of a cappuccino."
Robin smiled turned into a small laugh...this is what Zoro had to do act normal like he was doing right now...maybe then Robin might be interested in him.
But there is no need for that said a voice inside Robin's head.
Remember you said you just wanted to be his friend nothing more said the voice again that annoyed Robin now.
" Huh," said Zoro stopping near a display window of a store.
" What is it Mr. Swordsman?" asked Robin looking at his glance.
" Look at that," said Zoro pointing to a figure.
Robin couldn't see what it was, " I'm sorry Mr. Swordsman... I cant-
" Here let me help you," said Zoro gently pulling Robin's arm towards him.
" See right there." He said placing his hand on her shoulder.
She looked at his direction and it was cages of dogs inside happily wagging their tails.
" I always wanted a dog," said Zoro.
"Not a small one... a big one...one that could follow me and help me in everything." he said.
Then he chuckled, " But I don't think I could be responsible for it...I would probably end up leaving it to starve."
Robin was having a hard time relaxing, because Zoro was so close and his hand was on her shoulder.
Zoro turned to her and noticed her troubled look.
" Hey what's wrong...you okay?" he spoke softly.
Robin closed her eyes, " Stop that."
Zoro's eyes grew wide in shock then a cocky smile arose and he leaned closer, " Stop what?"
He was so closes she could feel his hot breath, " Stop trying to make me fall for you."
Zoro reached for her face and he gently rubbed her left cheek, " Why is it working?"
" Unfortunately yes," she said relaxing as she leaned towards his hand.
" Good," he said kissing her lips gently.
This time Robin didn't hold back she kissed him back in complete satisfaction.
This kiss felt so good way better than the last one...the last kiss seemed childish...this one was more serious and passionate.
" Hey get a room you two, some of us have children who want to have a decent walk," said an angry man.
But both Zoro and Robin didn't halt at all.
A women shushed the man, " Now Jake don't be like that...remember we were just like them when we were young."
" Maybe Cathy, but not in public," he said embarrassed.
" Jake stop lying you know well we used to kiss in public." she said with a sly smile.
When Zoro and Robin finished their kiss Zoro placed both his hands on her face and he looked at her straight into her eyes.
" I love you...don't you forget that, because I'm not going to want to repeat it again." He said with a smile.
" I love you too...Zoro." she said finally making up her mind.
And they walked towards the cafe no longer as friends...but something even more.
