Chapter 6: A day with a Bodyguard: Under the maple tree

It is in the old maple tree behind Galley-La where they first hanged out. Not probably hanged out but stayed for awhile. Under the tree, Robin was there sitting while turning the page of her book. Above the tree is where Zoro relaxingly napping on the branches with a bandana covering his face.

"Still reading, huh?" Zoro intruded at the same time, removing the bandana on his face.

With a frown, Robin creased the golden brown page of her book and flipped it closed. "Did a bodyguard suppose to be sleep during his working hours? She asked teasingly.

He gave a sly smile. "Hey! What do you think I should do? Looking at you while you're reading? I really don't have any idea why someone forced themselves to read for them to gain knowledge. Though, experience is still the best one. But, as I look at it, it's really boring."

"Mr. Swordsman, I just wanted to clarify that I'm not forcing myself to read. It is my will to read for me to gain knowledge. If someone forces himself to do a particular thing, he will surely fail to attain his goals" she said and sighed.

Zoro refused to reply and refrained on doing something else. He just sat on the endured steady branch and looked intensely at Robin's eyes.

"Can you climb down? I have something for you" she said.

He did climbed down, without any hesitation, because he believed that if someone is offering something good, why you'll refuse it? But the question is, it is something good?

While Zoro is climbing down, Robin grabbed the bag beside her and looked for the proposal that she's saying.

"Please sit beside me" she offered, smiling.

Zoro can't decline her, he think she's too cute to ignore. With a big question mark on his head, he sat beside her. Their arm touched.

Robin blushed but she's trying to hide it but somehow, Zoro noticed it.

"Hey! Nico Robin, You are turning red." he said as he moved his body closer to her to check if she's really turning red. "Nico Robin, you are burning"

Robin, not knowing how red she is, stayed away a little bit at him. "M-Mr. Swordsman, please stop" she pleaded.

"Well. Okay. I just noticed. I never seen you before in that way"

Robin blushed again but now, she's completely hiding it by looking far away when she's red then looked back at Zoro if she felt that her face backs to normal. Such a mysterious girl.

"Please see this book. If you want, take it." She offered the book in her hand.

"A book? I just said that books are real ennui. It bores me" he said while scratching his head.

"Why don't you see the book first than complaining? It is good, Im sure you will like it".

She surprisingly took Zoro's hand and transferred the book on her hand on his. Zoro glared on the red covered book. The art of the samurai. He excitedly flipped the page open and started on reading the page one of the book. He is grinning while reading it inside his head. Robin stared at the reading Zoro and smiled. "Handsome" she whispered.

Zoro seemed to overhear it. "What?"

"Nothing. I just said that I hope you will like the book"

"I LIKE IT! NICO ROBIN, YOU ARE THE BEST!" Zoro answered with his eyes dazzling.

"I'm happy you liked it, Mr. Swordsman"

It ends up being right back where his journey began, under the very tree where he had the prophetic dream years before. He digs and finds a beautiful chest full of gold and gems. His next and last journey will be back to the desert to be reunited with the woman he loves.

Robin closed the book as she finished it. The last paragraph of the story, The Alchemist, rang on her head. "This story is really good" she mumbled. I hope my ending of being a pirate ends like this. To get the greatest treasure and to reunite to one I loved. And the tree,huh? The treasure is already there, under it?

Suddenly, she felt something warm that fell on her shoulder. When she turned, she found Zoro's head peacefully resting on her shoulder. She wondered why he's not snoring. She knew he snore during he sleeps. Is there something wrong? He probably went sleepy because of reading. It is an hour after he started. Not bad as a first timer, she concluded.

Thinking that is an illegal move on taking advantage, Robin moved away her shoulder. She felt her heart skipping a beat.

"Roronoa Zoro" she whispered his whole name.

"I'm afraid of falling in love in you, Zoro" she continued while talking to the sleeping Zoro.

I just hope he's not pretending to be asleep. The back of her mind warned.

"Zoro" she repeated.

As Robin opened her eyes, she saw the chirping birds on the maple tree's branches. She turned her head and slowly, she found out that she's actually resting on Zoro's shoulder!

She's the one who fell asleep on someone's shoulder.

She screamed. "WHA?"

"Hey Nico Robin, I didn't do anything to you. Moreover, you should thank me for letting your head in my shoulder." He said in a low tone of voice. Probably, he is blushing deep inside.

He closed his new book and faced Robin. "You just collapsed in there."

"What there?" Robin asked, not paying attention.

"There. In my shoulders" Zoro replied as he pointed his shoulder.

"I-I-Im sorry. I didn't know I slept. I'm having a bad sleep these past nights so… uh, I probably didn't notice that I fell asleep. Sorry for making you as my temporary bed" she said, forcing her smile.

"Temporary bed,huh? Not bad. Anyway, Nico Robin, Do you normally talk while sleeping?" he asked, with a smile on his face.

Her body trembled. "N-no. Did I say something?" she asked trying to be polite.

Did she just say what's on her dream? About falling in love at him? Robin tried to be calm but on the depths of her, there's a 'panic' hiding. I HOPE NOT! She screamed inside.

"Did you just dream about me?" Zoro asked in a teasingly way.

"NO!" she defended.

Zoro stood up and put the book inside of his bag.

"When did you ever call me on my name?" He asked again. But now instead in a teasingly manner, he made this one serious.

"What? I did not understand what you were saying. Mr. Swordsman"

"Well. You just called me on my name, Robin."

I knew it, I spilled it all.

She refused to reply. Panic and Shock conquered her feelings. Trying to be polite in such a way is meaningless. She all spilled what she is feeling. She's not into this. Because of her mysterious and dark past, she is used to keep all what she feels in the bottom of her heart with no one knowing. Her eyes suddenly closed in a second. When she's about to open it, a hand waiting for her came into her sight.

"Grab my hand, Robin" Zoro offered.

"He called me in my name" she thought.

Robin blushed and felt her nerves burning. She tremulously gave her hand at him. Zoro picked her up making her to rise.

"What if I will fall for you too?" Zoro whispered in her ears.

After a minute waiting for her answer, Zoro wrapped his arms on her body and pulled her closer and closer until they are really closer making their nose touched. Zoro's lips reached hers' and kissed it softly. Robin's lips are soft and wet but it didn't respond on Zoro's kiss. Instead, she pulled her head away. Zoro's eyes opened in disappointment. But then, at the same time, Robin quickly pulled him very near at her. She held his cheek as her lips hungrily kissed him. Their heads moved in the rhythm of their lips.

Hi! This is Skarizza, the author!

Credits to my friend Tare-Chan!

Thanks a lot for the tips!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading. I didn't know I used 1,380(somehow close to 2000) words here. lol. I'm only in 900 plus. but really thankful to Tare-Chan!

Just hope i'm always inspired. XD... I'll try to update as soon as possible. :) Have a nice day!