AN/ Do you know who deserves a standing ovation? My beta, the lovely laconic edge, for kicking my ass and making this chapter about thirty times better than it would have been had it been left to my devices. Seriously. All the props.

Also, quick shout out to Star Josherson and scatteredPhilosopher for giving me someone to ramble at and discuss with in the time between this chapter and the last one. They're both great sports!

Finally, I've put a link in my profile to a playlist of songs I listen to while writing, that I made specifically for this story 'cause I'm a massive dork. It's right at the top, if you wanna listen while reading!

Robin notes the clouds rolling back in the September sky with a feeling of self-satisfaction. The weather is falling in nicely with her plans. Earlier that morning it looked like there would be rain, but now the sun is shining and the air is crisp.

She's walking from the library after a fairly pleasant day of work - only two people had seen it necessary to make use of Prinville's smaller book collection this fine Monday, so she had had a leisurely time of it. It allowed her to relax and reread a James Joyce novel she hadn't partaken of in years. She'd been about halfway through it when she had noticed the time, checking out of work rather cheerfully, smirking at her bemused coworker's faces.

Today is a special day, and Robin intends to celebrate it.

It's seven blocks from Prinville's second library, where Robin is employed, to its largest elementary school. Robin had actually selected the city for its medium size - after living in uncivilized small towns and booming industrial sprawls, she thinks she prefers a middle ground. Prinville she had seen as a prime location for her, as she had never moved in circles in this area of the country. Besides, while having harsh winters and warm summers, Pennsylvania has a very pleasing climate in the spring and fall. Robin breathes in deeply while strolling ever closer to her destination.

As of today, Luffy has been enrolled in first grade for one month. Robin is happy, and proud. Although he has a hard time concentrating, and she's gotten several reports of "unruly and disruptive behavior," Robin is pleased with his progress. Luffy needs to be able to read, and he's well aware of this himself, though he expressed it in his own way. (The leader of a gang has to understand threatening letters from other gangs, right?) So she knows he's trying his best, and she understands that her priorities may not be the same as his. However, she will always insist any child under her care be literate and have a basic concept of history, and that is the end of the matter.

As far as how Luffy has been doing socially, Robin has her concerns. He seems perfectly happy, and when she asked, he's replied that he wasn't lonely because he had her. While that was more than gratifying to hear - though she has grown used to the unbridled affection Luffy is liable to throw at those around him - she imagines he's still feeling the loss of his brothers. She thinks it would do him well to make some friends his own age, but he is both a year older than the other children in his class, and also considered an oddball.

Finally approaching the school, she spots her charge, who flashes her a smile and barrels toward her, before skidding to a stop and hopping in place. "I can write my name!" he exclaims, exceedingly proud.

"Very good," she replies, reaching down to pat his straw hat indulgently, amused when he fusses that he just got it back. (Undoubtedly, Luffy's least favorite part of school is the dress code that disallows flip-flops and hats.) As a matter of fact, his class had begun to learn how to perform that particular task the second week of school, but progress is progress. "I wonder if you could master my name next," she muses, taking his hand to lead him away from the other children.

She doesn't bother asking how his day was, knowing that he'll share everything he's willing to. And indeed, he prattles on about this and that, complaining that the teacher cut recess off five minutes early because he'd wanted to get back to the lesson, and showing her the earwax collection he's been building up during the so-called nap time.

When she turns left where she would regularly turn right, Luffy doesn't seem to notice, making her glad - this will truly be a surprise.

When Robin sees the purple sign, she comes to a stop, watching Luffy look up at her in confusion. "Hey, Robin, why aren't we home?"

"Did you know, you've been in school for a month?"

"That's the one that's longer than a week, right?"

"Yes. So I thought we could get some ice cream to celebrate."

"Awesome!" Luffy runs past her, over to the counter. "Do they have meat flavors? Come read the menu to me!"

"No, no meat flavored ice cream - not at a Six Cones, anyway," she says while walking over to catch up.

"Aw." Luffy pouts.

"Hm..." Robin makes a big show of thinking. "If you want meat that badly - "

"I always want meat!"

" - then perhaps we could go out for some tonight. What would you say to steak?"

"Yay! Robin's the best!"

"You charmer." She turns to the person at the register. "Let's get you some ice cream."

Many would consider taking Luffy to a fancy restaurant a mistake, but Robin thinks the night was a success, in that she was amused and her charge was happy. Sure, he might have destroyed a plate or two, and spit up food in their waitresses face, but the girl had been tipped well and Luffy's bottomless pit for a stomach had been filled by the end of the night.

So of course, the night after such enjoyment, things would go wrong.

"Luffy! Where are you?" Everyday, he waits for her at a lamppost right near the bus stop. (She'd let him ride the bus his third day of school as an experiment, and by the time she'd gotten home, he'd eaten all the food he could find and brought several snakes in the house. She prefers to pick him up herself, now.) Today, he's not where he's meant to be at all, and he'd promised to always head straight to the spot when school let out. She trusts his word.

Her first idea is naturally to ask the teacher, a laid-back but somehow smug looking man named Trafalgar, if he has any idea where Luffy could be. The man just shrugs, entirely too relaxed, and Robin internally curses.

She begins to walk away from the school, formulating several plans of action, when something catches her eye. Directing her eyes to the movement, she sees a trash heap being waded through.

Is that... green hair?

"I know it's around here somewhere..." A young voice drifts to her ear - not Luffy's, so it must have been the green-haired child, a boy who appears to be ten or so. "Dammit, why does this school have to be so goddamn confusing... I used to always have a hard time finding - " Abruptly, the voice cuts off.

Luckily, Robin spots Luffy, sparing her having to attempt to understand what the other boy is saying. She calls out, "Luffy!" and he turns towards her, tugging on the other boy's dirty shirt.

"It's Robin! Oi, Robin, here I am! Sorry I wasn't in the right place!"

She jogs over to them, frowning. Luffy looks perfectly fine, as does the other boy, which raises some questions. "Why weren't you on the corner, where you usually are?"

"Shishishi..." Luffy laughs sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his head. "I don't really understand."

Robin narrows her eyes. Now that the concern is wearing away, her sharp edges are emerging. "I'm sure you'll find a way to express yourself."

"You see, I was waiting where you told me to, like usual, when some older boys came up to me. I was singing 'Yellow Submarine,' 'cause that's Sabo's favorite song ya know, and I don't think they liked my voice." He pouts. Robin does not like where this story is going.

"They asked me, 'What kinda freak are you?' I was gonna get mad, but Shanks says that kinda thing's not worth it. So I remembered what you told me, Robin! 'Cause I wanna tell my brothers, remember? I just told them I'm a homo! And they made funny faces, and then I remembered that everyone's a homo because that's what human means and I said that too. Then they grabbed me and said we were gonna go on a walk and pulled me behind the school. I don't really know what they were - "

"They were gonna beat the shit out of him," the other boy says. Robin takes a moment to look at him. Along with the green hair, he cuts a striking figure. He has well-defined muscles for a child his age, and an impressive height as well. Obviously of Asian descent, Japanese if Robin had to wager a guess, he is wearing an intense glare.

"What?" Luffy exclaims. "But they said they were taking me on a walk!"

"How are you even alive?"

"Huh." Luffy laughs, ignoring the question. "I wondered why you beat them up and made them run away! Thanks Zoro, I guess you saved me!"

"Whatever," the boy, apparently named Zoro, huffs.

"Oh yeah, Robin, this is Rororo Zoro! Isn't it a funny name? He's from Dragon Ball Z country, so his last name comes first."

"How do you do?" Robin says, smiling. "I'm Robin Nico. Thank you for looking out for him."

"It wasn't anything special." The boy looks away and clears his throat. "And the name's Roronoa Zoro, just so you know."

"Good to know." Robin looks around. "I don't understand something," she says, speaking to the both of them. "If Zoro stopped those boys, why are you in the trash? Did they throw you in?"

"No." Zoro is blushing slightly, and Robin wonders if her theory was correct.

"He's taking me back to the school!" Luffy says brightly.

So she was right, the older boy was indeed lost. She raises her eyebrows at him.

"Shut up!" he growls in response, and starts to walk away.

"Zoro!" Luffy calls. "Where are you going! Come back - I wanna talk to you about how you knocked those boys over!"

He looks back for the briefest of moments, before turning back around and raising his hand. "Maybe we can talk some other time. See you."

Luffy stares as he leaves, before taking Robin's hand. "He's so cool! I'm gonna be his friend."

"I'm sure you are." She purses her lips, watching as the lean figure disappears from their line of sight, and tries not to worry. "Come on, let's go home."

The day after the incident with Luffy's bullies, when Robin went to pick him up, Zoro was standing right next to him, grim-faced and commanding as a bodyguard. She couldn't say whether or not she was surprised, though now in retrospect, she should have trusted Luffy's instinct.

For he was correct. Luffy is Zoro's friend. More often than not, he'll be waiting with Luffy at the corner after school. If he isn't, he'll later be slinking around their street as if in apology, and offer to teach the boy to defend himself (Zoro is a self-proclaimed swordsman), to which Luffy will enthusiastically agree. In general, Luffy's boundless energy seems to balance out against Zoro's level-headedness, and they clearly enjoy one another's presence immensely.

While Robin is more than pleased that her charge has a playmate, she's felt her concerns shift towards the green-haired boy. He's a solemn child, though he smiles often enough in Luffy's presence, but often, she'll catch a glimmer of grief in his eyes.

Also, over the course of the past couple weeks, she's noticed several details that led her to believe he doesn't have a home. He seems to be fed regularly enough, and neither does he appear malnourished, but when she'll say something innocuous like, "Shouldn't you getting home? I'm sure you're family is worried about you," he'll grumble that no one's gonna miss him anyway. However, if she tries to pry more deeply, he gets defensive and announces that it isn't any of her business. She manages to do little things for him, like buying him treat along with Luffy, but he won't let her get close. It's troubling.

All of her worries come to a head several days later, on a gray Tuesday. The boys have found an open field near the park to practice in, and Zoro is showing Luffy defensive stances. Robin is sitting comfortably on a bench, devouring a book on the history of Mongolia, only looking up occasionally to check on them. The third time she does so, she spots Smoker, who's presumably going to the park, judging off the young girl with him.

Smoker is an... acquaintance. Robin is good at blending into crowds, at not being seen as a threat, but he's a police detective, and a sharp one at that. He lives only a street away from her. They've only spoken a handful of times - Prinville is not so small that it is a regularity to bump into neighbors. Still, every time she sees him, she feels a certain weight from his eyes, as if he knows everything. Of course, that could be paranoia, or simply how the man looks at everyone.

It's surprising to see him with a child - she's fairly sure he lives alone. But indeed, there's a raven-headed girl with glasses running ahead of him, giggling. Interesting.

She hadn't been planning on speaking to the man, but Luffy has gotten distracted and seems to be introducing himself to Smoker's child, who seems a little shy. She steps backwards and trips over a rock, sprawling out on the ground and losing her glasses.

Zoro walks over, rolling his eyes at Luffy, and picks them up. "Here you - " Half-way through handing them to her, he stops talking, and his eyes widen. Robin observes with interest. "You - " he chokes, before straightening and looking around wildly. "Shit," he grits out, and ignores it when Smoker calls him out for his language. Robin sees his body tense, and suddenly, he takes off, running away from the park.

"Zo-ro!" Luffy yells after him, drawing out the name. "Where are you going? You were supposed-ta teach me how to break someone's wrist!" But despite his friend's call, he doesn't turn back around.

"Who's the brat?" Smoker asks, stalking towards Robin, but it's Luffy who answers.

"That's Ronono Zoro!" he says cheerfully. "He's my friend."

"Hm." Smoker narrows his eyes. "I think I've seen you two around. Weren't you two the ones who broke the swing set last week?"

"No no!" Luffy replies, waving his hands around frantically and visibly beginning to sweat. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Luffy..." she says. "We'll talk about this later."

"Crap! How can you always tell?"

"I know you've got custody of this one," Smoker injects, "but who is the other one? Why'd he freak out at my niece?"

Luffy steps towards the girl, and she grabs on to Smoker's leg. "I dunno! I didn't do anything. Don't get mad at me!"

"Ah, I just didn't tell you my name earlier!" he exclaims. "I'm Luffy D. Monkey, you?"

"Oh." The little girl brightens. "I'm Tashigi. Hi!"

Luffy takes this as a sign to socialize, and asks the girl why she fell over. Smoker just looks on in silence, occasionally taking the time to give Robin a suspicious glance.

A few hours later and Robin is trying not to let herself worry.

Luffy's not, of course, as he's under the impression that Zoro is cooler than him and therefore invincible. Robin knows better than to believe anyone is so.

It's started to rain, and she doesn't want to think of where he might be slumped at the moment. Sure, it's not like she thinks he ever has anywhere to go, but after his outburst earlier, she wishes she had assurance he isn't alone.

She's sitting at small kitchen table, acting as she normally would, sipping coffee and reading, but Luffy knows. Somehow he can always tell when she's upset. He's as blunt in this case as he always is.

"If you're so worried," he starts, picking his nose, "go out and look for him." His tone is a little bored, like he can tell exactly what the outcome of this all will be.

"I don't know where he is."

Luffy smiles. "You'll find him if you want to."

She sighs, leaning back in her chair. "You have to promise you won't leave the house, and won't answer the door. I'm taking my phone - call if something happens. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Gotcha!"

The first thing Robin does is think back through all the things she's heard Zoro say. Although the boy has a rotten sense of direction to say the least, he sounds familiar with the West side of the city. If she can't think of anything else, she'll comb the streets there.

What has he said to Luffy? It's usually her charge talking, not Zoro, but whenever he's showing Luffy how to fight, he takes the lead. Where could he have learned the good form he has in the first place? Yes, she remembers one conversation she'd half-listened to, about a week ago. Zoro had mentioned a dojo. In the entirety of Prinville, she can only think of one place that could be termed thus.

She starts heading towards Kaichin's, a dojo she passes on her way to the night shift at the museum. It takes her ten minutes walking fast pace from her apartment, and she's breathing heavily when she arrives, having managed to get soaked despite her umbrella. She wipes her feet on a mat outside the door, knocking and hoping she will find a lead.

An Asian man opens the door, stern-looking, with his hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Hello," he says gravely. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

She may as well cut to the chase. "Do you know a boy named Zoro? Green hair, perhaps ten. He's a little hard to miss."

"Ah, yes." The man sighs deeply. "You should come in."

His name is Koshiro, he informs her while he finds her a place to sit. Zoro showed up at his dojo two years ago and demanded to be taught swordplay. Koshiro still doesn't know where he was from, but managed to learn he's an orphan. Zoro wouldn't let anyone close, and always ran off at the end of the day, but he saw no harm in letting him join the other students, and did his best to make sure the boy stayed fed and out of danger.

"He quickly became one of my best pupils," Koshiro says, a smile gracing his face for an instant. "But he's a proud boy, who always wants to be the best. My daughter Kuina was always able to defeat him. They seemed to have some sort of rivalry, but he took it quite hard when she died."

The man says it so matter-of-factly that Robin finds herself taken aback. "When?"

She can see the traces of sadness around his eyes now. Maybe he is just the sort of man who faces reality for what it is. "Two months ago now; she fell down the stairs. So senseless." He looks down. "Zoro was very broken up, and kept repeating that they'd made a promise. After that, he stopped coming in. I presume he made your acquaintance since then?"

"Yes," she replies. "So, he wouldn't have come here then."

"No." The man leans forward. "But if you're trying to find him, he's probably in the clear space of the small woods to the left of the dojo. It's where he and Kuina would fight when they didn't want me to know about it."

"Thank you." Robin stands up to walk out of the building, casting one last look at Koshiro, who looks tired. "I'm sorry for your loss."

He only nods in reply.

The man must know Zoro well, because Robin finds him quickly. He's standing in the rain, yelling something indistinguishable at the sky and using training katanas to bash against trees. She doesn't approach, and stands watching him for several moments.

Eventually, he collapses to the ground, although even then the line of his back is rigid, his fists clenched against his thighs. She inches closer until she is holding her umbrella over him, shielding him from the weather.

"She looked just like her," she hears him say, quietly over the wind. Robin doesn't reply except to put her hand on his shoulder and wait for him to compose himself.

After what feels like ages of silence, she says, "Do you want to go somewhere dry?"

He shakes his head violently. "I - I'm fine on my own. I don't need help from you."

"I'm sure Luffy would be very happy to have a friend sleep over," she coaxes.

"Yeah... Luffy would." He sniffs. "I guess so. But don't think I want your charity!"

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Luffy, as predicted, is thrilled, when Robin returns with a sopping wet Zoro in tow. He vibrates with excitement and starts to show his friend around the place, despite him trailing water over everything. Robin, meanwhile, goes about making Zoro a comfortable floor bed in Luffy's room.

Despite the fact that her charge is a very early sleeper, his friend gets tired almost immediately, yawning hugely as Luffy drags him to look at the bathroom. It's only seven in the evening, but Robin quietly steps in to suggest they head to bed. Zoro looks suspicious, but Luffy just giggles and drags him towards Robin's old guest bedroom, excited to have someone to share it with. She nods to herself and starts making plans for the next morning.

"Luffy! Zoro! Time to get up!" she says, enjoying the sight of Luffy with an arm full around an unaware Zoro. (He must have rolled off his bed in his sleep.) Robin wants to make this sort of occurrence regular.

Luffy's head shoots up immediately as he takes in his surroundings, but his friend remains stubbornly asleep. "Up time!" he yells, causing the green-haired boy to grumble.

"Get the hell off me," he says, his voice muffled through his pillow.

"You'll miss breakfast," Luffy whines, tugging on his shirt. (Zoro had borrowed one of his own, and it's rather comical how much it doesn't fit him.) "Wait," he realizes, "that'll mean there's more for me! Robin, take me to the food!"

"Oh no you don't," Zoro growls, flinging his pillow in Luffy's face.

"Yay! Pillow fight!" And they dissolve into play fighting from there.

"Well, when you're ready for food, come and get some," she says with humor in her voice, walking down the hall away from them.

Muffled curses come from behind her as both boys rush to the kitchen. "Feed me now!" Luffy demands. Zoro doesn't say anything but his expression speaks for him.

"Yes sir. Pancakes and bacon, coming right up."

"Yay! Isn't Robin the best?"

"She's okay."

"Such high praise." Robin sets two plates before them. "Dig in."

Luffy does so, but surprisingly, Zoro thanks her.

So far, she'd say the day is off to a good start. It's only Zoro's stubbornness she has concerns about now.

And sure enough, after eating, Zoro says he's going to leave despite Luffy's protests.

"Zoro, would you take a moment to talk to me first?" she calls. He looks at her warily, but complies.

"How would you like to live with Luffy and I?" she says directly.

"What are you, some kinda witch? You gonna keep me here forever and ever or somethin'?" he asks suspiciously.

"No, and it'll be your choice. But if you're tired of not having a roof over your head, and food on a normal basis, our home is open to you."

"You don't have my birth certificate, or anything." He looks a little hopeful, if she's interpreting his face right.

"Don't worry, I have friends in high places."

"Che. Shifty woman." He looks her up and down, though his posture has relaxed. "So, if I said yes, which I'm not saying I will, what's going to happen?"

She flashes him a small smile. "Well, you'll start first grade, unless you've had previous schooling - "

"I took first and second grade," he cuts in.

"Alright, so you'll be enrolled in third grade, and you'll get your own space here with Luffy..."

"And I can still go to the dojo? You won't stop me from doing what I want?"

"As long as you're safe, I suppose not."

"I'll think about it." After that pronouncement, he sits down heavily and closes his eyes.

"Zoro! You should definitely stay with us! 'Cause then we'll share a room, and you can teach me more things, and we can go to the park together, and - "

"I get it! You want me to move in with you! Will you let go of my arm?"

It may not have been a good idea to tell Luffy before Zoro made up his mind.

"Fine! Whatever! If you want me here so much!" Zoro turns from his position on the floor to look at Robin. "Oi, woman, I guess I'll stay here. You're gonna have to deal with the paperwork, you know."

"Yes." She looks forward to it.

"Garp D. Monkey? Yes, hi, this is Robin Nico... Yes, Luffy's more than fine. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about someone else. There's a boy named Roronoa Zoro who's come to my attention lately... He's a friend of Luffy. You see, he's an orphan, and I'd like to adopt him... Yes, I know you want me looking after your grandson, but I wondered if you could help me arrange it... No, I think you should deal with Child Services... Well, if I went to them, I might be tempted to mention that you left your grandson with known criminals and didn't sign him up for school... Oh, your schedule has opened up? How convenient for me! Yes, Saturday sounds great. See you then."

Of course, another child means more responsibilities. He has to enter school months late, and there's all sorts of explanations to come up with. He's got to have doctor's appointments and a bed and all new clothes. But it's worth it to see Luffy and Zoro together, running around the neighborhood, happy and relatively carefree. He's still closed off, and most likely always will be to some extent, but he's more like a child now, less stern. And he might grumble and complain, but he always says thanks when Robin does something for him, and looks at Luffy like he's his entire world. Parenting may not be something she would ever have chosen for herself, but she feels an immense satisfaction, watching them interact and grow.

"We're gonna go train, 'kay?" Luffy yells from near the door.

"Be careful," she admonishes, watching them leave from the window. Luffy leaps down the stairs happily, shouting at Zoro to hurry up and he walks briskly behind him.

Robin Nico, she thinks, you have done a good thing.

AN/ And so it begins... my using Garp of a convenient plot device so I don't have to write out the long and grueling process of adoption... (Fun fact: I have two adopted siblings!)

See y'all next time! Which may be a while... I'm going out of town, and have school things going on. But never fear! This fic is going down!