At some point Sanji had fallen out of his bunk his body naturally reacting upon hearing Robin's sad words . Silently he listened to a conversation somewhere on the ship. Usopp and Chopper waking up to his loud thump. His own heart stirred by the story, but something else squeezed his heart in pain. He quietly walked out of the men's cabin leaving behind a loudly sobbing Usopp and Chopper holding each other. Luffy somehow still seemed to be asleep.
Sanji's eye's widening at two figures in the window of the Crow's Nest, his gaze focusing on the unmistakable raven hair of a female crew member. His own tears began to brim, but for a different reason than most of the other crew.
In the galley everyone's emotions were running high, Nami had pulled her legs up to her body, not since Arlong's betrayal had she really truly cried. Even then at that time it was over frustration and defeat, this time she was crying because there was still pain buried deep inside her much like the rest of the crew. Everyone had some pain buried inside their soul.
The thought to be diamond hard man named Zoro had shed a tear, but quickly rubbed it away claiming it to be something in his eye. Franky was creating a waterfall.
It wasn't just because of a simple sad tale of a tragic past, but almost as if Sano had become the spokesperson defying whatever allowed tragedy to befall innocents. The pain and anger shared and vented to whomever was listening.
As a child you could only cry at your loss and choose to move on or bury it. Now everyone adults they travel back to that moment of loss with a mature mind. Experiencing the pain again to finally release the poison that secretly festered within. Much like everyone had an improperly set bone suddenly snapped to appropriately re-set the bone and allow a clean heal.
If there was anything that could explain that night, it seemed to be a cleansing for the mixed crew of friends.
Somehow Sano had managed to reign in his emotions, his ragged breath slowing down as he stayed nestled in Robin's arms.
Is brain starting to function once again feeling the woman's body shudder in her silent sobs.
"I told you it was a depressing story." voice husky but trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"But that's how I got that scar, it happened on that night."
Sano runs his hand through Robin's trestles, allowing her to cry as much as she needed.
"Sanosuke." Robin had his undivided attention, she was the only one who knew his full name.
"It's not your fault that they died." He could feel anger welling up about to make a rebuttal but Robin beat him to the punch.
"Have you ever thought that maybe your sisters were maybe happy to finally protect the big brother who did it for them everyday of their lives?"
Robin's words had deflated him faster than when he'd been shot in the back. He'd only been angry, angry at the world, angry at that truck driver, angry at whatever allowed his precious sisters to die in a horrid way, and mostly angry at himself for the entire thing because it was his fault.
Not once had he ever thought that maybe they really would have been happy to help him for a change, especially his life. They had loved him as much as he loved them after all.
"It was my duty to protect them, not the other way around." His voice weak, he knew his words were empty, hollow like he was at this moment without anger filling the hole.
"What if your lives were reversed? If they were born before you?" Robin had looked up at him, hands holding his cheeks. "If everyday they protected and watched over you, and you were powerless to do anything for yourself. But if you had the choice to help them for a change, would you?"
Tears still slipped from her deep azure eyes and down a glistening trail on her face, her eyes stared deep into his.
"I know you would, without hesitation. I can see it in your eyes, but I also understand that it's the kind of man you are and the soft heart you carry."
He was transfixed, pinned by her gaze, she was right and there was nothing his mind could produce to bring the anger back to fill the empty void that started about 12 years ago.
The next thing surprised Robin, "You're probably right...too bad you weren't around then, it could have saved me from the self destructive path I started walking on."
Chocolate eyes looked away, "This is the first time I ever talked about this, I never wanted to tell anyone about my anguish and loss...it's sad that it took so long for me to say something, but maybe I just wasn't ready to say or do anything about it...or maybe I just didn't have the right person to talk to."
"Everyone was gone, I convinced my Aunt to let me live by myself. We paid off my parents debt and the house. I started working because I needed something to keep my mind busy, to find a way to exhaust myself so I couldn't think but saying that I wanted to take care of myself as an excuse. It just didn't seem to work. I even went back to martial art classes to see if it would help."
He sighs, "I eventually found an older co-worker who didn't mind buying booze as long as I paid. I did that. Here I was barely 16 when I started drinking, trying to numb what I felt. Most nights I'd get buzzed, I'd binge on nights where I didn't have to worry about work and school the next day."
"It wasn't till much later that I realized what I was doing to myself, I was feeling more horrible as time passed. But it took waking up one day in my own puddle of puke on my sister's bed. It hurt me to do such a thing, I defiled their memory."
"Was another reason why I joined the Army, I think I just needed to get away."
"And that," he frowns at the woman, "Is why I am wary around booze. There are still some days where I do give in to anything more than a few bottles, but those are very few."
Gently he began to wipe Robin's tears away, leaning into his right hand cupping her face, his thumb languidly stroking her cheek. Her tears glistened like diamonds on her face, he couldn't believe how beautiful she looked in the soft moonlight, something in him saying she was crying just as much for him as she was for herself.
"I have met people from all walks of life in my time with the military, but to be honest this is the first place I've ever felt that there were people who could actually understand me. When I look in your eyes, I can feel a kindred spirit."
"Where have you been all this time Robin?" Sano whispers.
"Maybe waiting for you." She reaches up to place a hand on top of his, then reaching out to caress his face with the back of her free hand.
Sano loses himself in his thoughts, silently gazing into Robin's eyes.
"To hell with it, I've wasted enough of my life." He softly growls. "I don't give a damn about if this is reality or not, I just know what I feel and I'm going with that."
"Mind teaching me how to enjoy myself?" Sano raises an eyebrow.
Robin softly laughs, "I don't have that much of a head start, but I'll teach you what I can."
Both looking at each other in confusion at what sounded like some sort of cheering.
Robin shakes her head silently telling him not to worry about it.