Hello again! Sorry for the long wait but I had a really tough time with this chapter. I know it isn't an excuse, but it's the truth. I feel like Robin and Luffy were too OOC in this so I hope I don't disappoint anyone too much with this chapter.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed and has hearted/followed this story. It means a lot to me! So what should I do for my next chapter? Do you guys wanna see everyone with Luffy as he tells his story (which I won't write out because I won't do it justice and because it's so heartbreaking, so you'll mainly be getting reactions as he finishes talking) or do you wanna see another character? If you wanna see another character, who do you guys wanna see really bad?
Robin had been keeping a close eye on her captain for the past few weeks, worry and sadness churning away at her stomach. She had seen him suffer so much in such a little amount of time that she wondered how he hadn't gone insane yet, because really, anyone else would have. Was it because he used to be so strong? Or perhaps because of his stubbornness? Or, and this thought was the one that dampened her spirits so much it took hours for her to cheer up again, was it because he was still in a small amount of denial?
Robin didn't know what had happened to Luffy after the war, but she knew for certain that he had either not given himself a chance to grieve or those who were with him did not give him that chance. He would not be the way his is now if that were the case.
She knew that she needed to give him a chance to properly mourn the loss of his brother, away from the eyes of the others, and get him to open up to her, but how could she do that when she knew that it would cause him to suffer?
It only took a quick look at her captain for her to decide that she had no choice and that she would help shoulder his pain when it came. He was so broken and weak looking, two things she had never before affiliated with Luffy. He had always been more than whole and the strongest of them all. So it was with a heavy and burdened heart that Robin walked over to her shattered captain and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"It's a beautiful evening, isn't it, Captain?" she murmured and Luffy looked at her in surprise before a soft smile, one she had never seen before, spread across his face.
"Yeah. Shouldn't you be in bed, though?" he asked and Robin chuckled.
"I thought you had realized that I always take watch duty with you, Captain. I don't want you getting lonely," she teased, a smile gracing her own features. Luffy laughed and leaned against the railing, content to just stand with his nakama for a little while.
Robin looked at him and steadied herself. It was now or never, she supposed.
"Luffy...after the war, where did you go? Who were you with?" she asked quietly, pretending she didn't see his small flinch.
He didn't answer for a minute and she feared for a moment that he would push her away and refuse to talk to her any more for the rest of the night. Just when she opened her mouth to persuade him he needed to talk about it, he began talking.
"It doesn't really matter when I went, but I was with Rayleigh for the most part. Traffy was the one who saved me and he stayed there for awhile, but Rayleigh was the one who trained me and kept me from injuring myself," he whispered and Robin blinked. Out of everyone she had been expecting, Trafalgar Law and Rayleigh had not been at the top of her list.
"And did they let you mourn?" Robin asked, trying her hardest to keep her voice steady for the sake of her captain. He took a shuddering breath before he turned to her, a sort of desperation gleaming in his eyes.
"A little. I think he knew that if I thought about it too long, I would…" Luffy trailed off, unable to finish his sentence and Robin took the opportunity to wrap her captain in her warm embrace.
"It's okay, Captain. It's okay to cry now. Sometimes it's better if you let it all out," she assured him and suddenly he was clutching her, sobs wracking his lean body and tears cascading down his handsome face. She closed her eyes and let her own tears fall. It hurt to hear and see her captain like this but she knew it was needed.
"Let it out, Captain. Take as much time as you need," she whispered, stroking his hair gently. He collapsed into her and she softly brought them to the ground, murmuring words of comfort every few seconds as he continued to hold her as if she were his lifeline. And maybe she was.
It took nearly five hours for Luffy so relax and soften in her arms and Robin pulled back slightly when he did. His eyes were red and tear tracks covered his face, but no more were shed. He gave her a grateful smile and she felt her eyes soften.
"Do you feel better now, Captain?" she asked and he gave a short nod before he leaned into her again, liking the warmth and comfort she oozed.
"I know you don't want to, but will you tell me what happened, Captain?" she asked and he stiffened for a moment before letting out a sigh that was more of a sob.
"Okay...okay...Just...can we do it when the others are awake and I'm ready? I think you should all know…" he murmured and Robin smiled, relieved he wasn't putting up a fight. It would do them all good to hear the whole story. She gave him a small squeeze and jerked slightly when he pulled back.
"Of course we can, Captain. And I'll be with you the entire time," she assured him. "You've been so strong and I'm so proud of you," she said and a dark and strange light entered Luffy's eyes. She studied it nervously, not sure of what brought it forward.
"I'm not strong, Robin. Ace died because I was weak and I won't blame you, any of you, if you decide you don't want to be with me after I tell you guys everything. It might be for the best," Luffy whispered, stunning Robin beyond words. With that, Luffy stood and walked away, leaving Robin sitting there in shock and no small amount of pain.
"Oh, Captain," she murmured, eyes looking in the direction he had walked off in. Did he really believe they would abandon him, just because he thought he was weak? Tears sprung to her eyes as she recounted each incident Luffy had had over the past weeks, each injury he had inflicted onto himself, and she let out a sob of her own before she covered her mouth and stood. She walked to the railing and slumped against it before she let her tears fall and her thoughts loose.
It was her thoughts of death and Luffy's fears that destroyed Robin that night as she wept under the stars.
