Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece!
AN: AU, pardon unintended OOC. This is a flashback chapter, and longer note at the end.
He could lie and say he never saw it coming, but ever since he saw him drop her off in his moped, he somehow knew. He felt it, like how people can sense storms and tragedies coming.
It all started slowly, like how she would often get a ride with him home. Zoro would watch by the dojo, diligently doing his katas, yet keeping an eye as the moped whizzes by. Then he would take his time to run out, and call out to her just before she gets in her house. She would always wave back, sometimes invite him for ice cream after he's done with his regimen, or sometimes she'd end up sitting by their garden, doing her homework as he continued on. But only sometimes.
"So what do you think of Law?" She asked one afternoon, while they were eating their ice cream. Coffee flavored, not overtly sweet.
Zoro shrugged "Haven't really met him."
He was surprised the following day when the moped didn't whizz by, but Robin was there, waving at him from their gate. He waved back.
"Come over when you're done." she said "I got ice cream, and the everyone is coming over."
He finished his routine earlier, he'd make up for it the rest of the week, but the moped didn't pass by. He found it parked in her driveway.
"Hey Zoro!" It was Luffy, with Chopper and Sanji "Robin said she had ice cream!"
"Yeah!" Chopper's eyes were wide with anticipation. He really did like his sweets.
"Oh I've missed my Robin-chwan" Sanji swooned. He had a basket with him, probably filled with pastries and sweets.
"Is it just you guys?" Zoro asked, keeping his eyes on the moped.
"Nah, Nami is finishing her project with Usopp, they'll be here in a few minutes. And Franky and Brook are already on their way." Luffy said.
Zoro knocked on the door, the three guys behind him.
"Robin-chwan, Robin-chwan" Sanji kept on singing. But it wasn't Robin who opened the door.
"Nico-ya" Law called from the door "Your friends are here."
He stepped away from the door, letting Zoro and the others in. Of course, Luffy was excited.
"Hey you're that Tra-guy!" He said, following Law "I'm Luffy!"
Zoro smirked, sensing the uncomfortable twitching in Law's face. At least he had that going for him. Sanji, meanwhile, twirled all the way to the kitchen where Robin was, singing about Mellorines and beautiful wings, while Chopper followed Luffy with awe in his eyes. Robin had mentioned that Law wanted to be a doctor, and that his father was a surgeon.
Zoro decied to follow Sanji in the kitchen, only to bump into Robin by the hallway.
"Hey" he said, looking up at her. She was still taller than him, annoying him slightly. She had a tray with five bowls of ice cream, three coffee flavored and three that looked like bubble gum.
She smiled brightly at him "How was your training?"
He shrugged "Same."
They sat on the couch, setting the tray on the coffee table, while Sanji came out with a plate of cookies, setting it besides the ice cream.
Luffy and Chopper were still ogling Law, asking eager questions.
"Is it true that your dad is a surgeon?" Luffy asked eagerly.
"Yeah" Law sat on a chair opposite the couch, while Luffy continued questioning him.
"That's so cool" Chopper said, barely a whisper.
Zoro could see Law smile at Robin. He didn't feel like ice cream anymore.
That afternoon was filled with conversation. Except for Zoro who sat beside Robin at all times. He never left her side, instead observed the quiet looks that Robin and Law had. An understanding between them, while he could only look into. Nami was smitten with Law, who, though morbid and mysterious, was charming in a way. Chopper was fascinated with the older student, asking questions about the surgical procedures he has witnessed. Even Sanji seemed to not mind Law's presence among his mellorines. Usopp, though inclined to gag at hearing about surgeries and blood, still seemed to enjoy his company, while Franky and Brook, were enjoying the company of Bepo, Law's Great Pyrenees.
"He's so friendly, yohohoho!" Brook laughed, getting licked by the big white dog.
Robin giggled, then turned to Zoro "You're awfully quiet, Kenshi-san."
"Why is his dog here?"
"They're very close" She said, grabbing a cookie from the table "Bepo gets fussy when Law is gone all afternoon, so he decided to just bring him."
"It's a big dog."
"And he's very soft." She took a bite, chewing silently.
He saw some crumbs on the corner of her lips, instinctively, he reached up to wipe them off. She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. He heard a key slide into the lock, and Kuzan walked in "Yo" he said, several boxes of pizza in his hands "Got your dinner."
So this is becoming far longer than I intended, and I hope the readers are okay with that.
About Robin's family, I don't have a chance to put an in story explanation so I'll just do it here: Olvia and her husband were archaeologists who traveled to a country to study some ancient ruins, along with a toddler Robin. Saul and Kuzan were assigned to be their body guards. That certain country (can't think of a name right now..) was in a civil war. Unfortunately, on a day when Kuzan wasn't around, they were caught in gunfire. Kuzan arrived too late, only able to save Robin. Since Robin had no other relatives, and her only godparent (Prof. Clover) also died in the attack, Kuzan took it upon himself to take care of her.
I tried making their stories as similar as I can to the original, so Olvia is still dead.
So sorry I had to add it as insert instead .
Thank you for reading and reviewing! And being patient, since the length of this was unintended.