"Robin-chan."

Within minutes of escaping the danger in town, Robin had fallen asleep. Sanji had caught her just before she fell face-first into a pile of cabbage and carefully shifted her so that she could rest her head just below his, supporting her back with the arm he had resting on the edge of the cart.

"Robin-chan," he said softly, gently squeezing her arm. "We're here."

Robin moaned a bit, annoyed her pleasant sleep had been disturbed. She knew she wasn't in her bed, but wherever she was, it was warm, and soft, and she wasn't interested in getting up, wasn't interested in leaving the warm, soft, rosemary… wood smoke…

Tobacco?

Her eyes shot open, and she was looking at a lap that wasn't hers, and perfectly shined, black, leather shoes. She pulled herself away in haste, crossing her legs and placing her hands in her lap.

"Thank you," she said, eyes trained onto her lap.

He chuckled. "You were out like a light, Robin-chan. Not much sleep last night?"

"No," she confessed, still not looking up.

"Yeah," he took a long drag from his cigarette, looking straight ahead. "Me either."

Suddenly, the cart's curtains were swung open. "Welcome to Chateau d'Luke!"

Luke led them to the farmhouse, and calling it a "chateau" was… generous, to say the least. It was quite small, and clearly in need of serious repair. The inside was very sparse, and there was barely any furniture to be seen. Pipes were exposed, drafts were getting in, smells were… apparent.

"It's quaint, huh?" said Luke, trying to put on a happy face.

"It's something…" Sanji mumbled, earning him a sharp nudge to the ribs from Robin.

"It's a lovely home," Robin said, smiling. "Thank you for taking us here."

"Aw, well, it's no problem it's, ah…" Luke looked back and forth between his two guests and started to tremble, no longer able to keep up the charade.

"I-I'M SORRY," he bowed so low that Robin was worried his face would collide with his shins. "I know this probably isn't what you were expecting, and to be perfectly honest I've never actually had paying guests before, but I just… really needed that cash… you gotta pardon my house, times are hard, I've been eating nothing but cabbage for two months straight, that goddamn factory farm is pricing me out of house and home, I'm kinda at the end of my rope, here, and you offered so much money a–"

Robin gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please, there's no need to apologize." She knew what it was like to have nothing. "You did us a huge favor back there, so we've both helped each other out. Let's call it even."

Luke looked up, still trembling, tears in his eyes and snot in his nose. "T-thanks very much… if there's anything you need… please tell me and I'll try my best…" he sloppily wiped his face with his sleeve.

There was a pause. "You've been eating nothing but cabbage for two months?" said Sanji finally.

Luke sniffled. "Yeah."

"How do you prepare it?"

"I dunno, boil it? Why, is there another way?"

Sanji smiled, shaking his head a bit as he sighed. "Show me your kitchen."

Robin followed and sat at the kitchen table with a book, glancing up every now and then to watch Sanji cook and teach Luke along the way, conversation coming in and out of focus. She didn't get to watch him cook often, but when she did, she was always pleasantly surprised at just how at-home he looked… happy, fulfilled, utterly and completely in his element. She truly enjoyed seeing him so elated.

"… and you'll want to make sure the mushrooms are well-browned before you add the peppers, garlic and ginger, and only cook that until it's fragrant. Don't overcook them before adding the broth, got it?"

Luke hurriedly nodded, starry eyed as he took notes.

"… so, the key to stir-fry is making sure the meat is very thinly sliced and marinated, but not overnight, only briefly."

"This sounds real good, but… I don't have any pork or meat in the house. Can't really afford it…"

"It's your lucky day, Luke, 'cause I just picked some up in town."

At this, Luke bowed again, sobbing uncontrollably. "YOU ARE… TOO KIND."

Robin quietly laughed behind her book as she watched a flustered, huffy Sanji try to comfort him in his own prickly way. She'd always found it humorous how, despite how emotionally aware and sensitive he was to the needs of women, all of that knowledge and depth immediately went out the window around men.

"… the honey is what gives it a little sweet kick, just be sparing. Oh, and you always do the salads last. You can eat it just like this or put it on anything, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, you name it."

"Sanji-sensei! You know a ton!"

"Don't recall agreeing to being called that."

"You're like a real chef or something!"

"Real chef, full stop." He couldn't stop himself from grinning.

"Sugei!"

Sanji did his best to plate everything immaculately with the limited resources he had, and, despite those limitations, everything was flawless. Luke was seated next to Robin, knife in one fist and fork in the other, ready to devour. He was visibly disappointed when Robin was served first.

"Apple pork and cabbage stir fry on a bed of perfectly steamed rice," he began, balancing each dish as though they were featherweight, romantic theatrics on full display. "Supplemented by hot and sour cabbage soup, and a side of sesame ginger coleslaw." He approached from behind, placing each dish before her in perfect symmetry. "Only the very best for you, Robin-chwan~" He then threw a sideways glance at Luke and hurriedly plopped his plates down before immediately turning his attention back to Robin as he took a seat across from her at the table.

It wasn't long before he got that little-boy, shit-eating grin on his face as they both showered him in compliments.

.


.

"You don't have to keep apologizing for every room you take us to, really, I promise we're perfectly happy with whatever you can provide." Robin was trying to console a teary-eyed Luke as he presented them with the only other bedroom in the house.

"Sorry, I just… you're both so nice… I just wish… gah, sorry again!" he bowed whilst backing away from them. "I'll leave you both to get some peace!"

Sanji and Robin surveyed the room and, both simultaneously having the same idea, made their way to the window, looking out at the farmland and endless rows of cabbage.

"That was very sweet of you," said Robin, still peering out the window. "Giving him all those groceries, teaching him to cook… really sweet."

He smiled shyly. "Eh, well, what kinda chef would I be if I let him eat boiled cabbage the rest of his life, y'know?"

"Point well made," she said, turning her head to look at him, smiling warmly.

"If Nami-swan asks, we lost the groceries in all the commotion," he said with a wink. If Nami found out Sanji was giving away the crew's hard-earned berries (even in grocery form), he'd never hear the end of it.

Robin laughed, also picturing Nami's reaction to the news of her berries being donated to random strangers. "You have my word, of course." Robin paused for a moment, frowning as a thought occurred to her. "I'm sorry to have gotten us into this."

"You mean this old farmhouse? Robin-chan, I'm the one who cornered Luke." Sanji laughed, genuinely not knowing what Robin was referring to.

"No, I mean… had I not asked to stop in that bookstore…"

"Ah, but that was my idea, remember?" he turned to smile at her, but she was looking down, hands on the windowsill. This seemed to really be eating at her.

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, but–"

"But nothing! Blame game aside, you heard what they said; they knew we were on the island, we would've crossed paths before long. 'Sides, seeing how happy you were in that shop… I'd do it all over again if I could, no question." He moved his hand over hers on the windowsill, lightly brushing her fingers, and kept it there. He thought she might pull away, but to his pleasant surprise, she didn't. She just turned her head to look at him and smile, which he eagerly returned.

It was this small action (or, lack of action, perhaps) that gave Sanji the gumption to broach a certain subject with her.

He swallowed, finishing the last of his cigarette before stabbing it out in the ashtray on the windowsill. "Robin-chan… about last night…" he felt her hand tense up and immediately wondered if he'd just made a mistake.

Robin hadn't imagined he would bring it up so soon. Over the course of the day she'd lulled herself into believing that perhaps they'd both just pretend it hadn't happened, never acknowledge it again, and she wouldn't have to confront all of the puzzling feelings that had been dangerously swirling around inside her.

"What about it?" she said, trying not let any emotion slip as she peered out the window once more.

"Figured maybe we could talk about it," he replied, shrugging. He was trying his best to make this easier for them both by treating the situation as casually as he could, thinking that maybe she'd let her guard down a bit if he did.

"There's nothing to talk about, really."

"No? Neither of us being able to sleep a wink not make for a good topic?"

"That could just be a coincidence," she said, taking her hand away from his.

"Could be." He turned, back facing the window as he casually leaned on the windowsill by his elbows.

"Or, could be that you've been feeling exactly what I've been feeling. Could be that you've been thinking about me as much as I have about you. Could be that you recognized something between us and you've been wanting to feel that again." He glanced at her, not surprised to see her still intently looking outside. "Could be that I have, too."

"Sanji-san I… I don't know what came over me, but it…" she completely turned away, knowing that she'd never be able to get through the monumental lie she was about to tell if she caught his eye. "It was a mistake. I'm sorry."

"Tell you what, Robin-chan," he began, as casually as ever, one foot propped against the wall behind him, his long, lanky leg bent at an angle. Sanji still had that gut feeling, and he wasn't about to turn on it now.

"If you can look me in the eye right now and tell me that you don't want this, tell me it was a mistake, just those four little words… I'll never bring this up again for the rest of our natural lives, honest." Another quick glance in her direction, just checking for the slightest hint of hesitation, for a flash of… something. Just… just to be sure. "I'll go back to showering you and Nami-swan with attention in equal measure, and you can go back to saying you've got plans whenever I invite you to spend a little time with me."

He paused to let all that sink in. "Swear on the All Blue, I'll drop the whole damn thing." If the previous night's gamble, his bold assertion, was a risk, this was… absolute insanity. But if Sanji had any doubts, he certainly wasn't showing them.

He was all in, and he was pretty pleased with his hand.

Robin paused, hands balled into fists at her side, slightly trembling. "This is silly," she said quietly.

"Indulge me," he shrugged.

Robin sighed. Well, he was giving her an out. Four words and she could go back to pretending like nothing happened. Forever. That's what she wanted.

Wasn't it?

After a few moments, she took a deep breath and finally turned to face him. Sanji immediately stood upright, facing her in-kind, his expression deadly serious.

Four words.

"It was…"

His was looking, peering right into her, right through her, waiting intently.

"It was… it was a…"

He seemed to be getting closer to her every time she opened her mouth.

You're nakama… this will be painful at first, but it's for the best. You have to say it, Robin. Don't be a fool.

"It was a mista" she let out a heavy breath, as if she'd just been punched in the stomach.

His gaze never left hers, eyes laser-focused, without so much as a flicker within them. He was close, now. Very close. Her heartbeat was so rapid and intense that she felt like it would burst right out of her.

She opened her mouth again, sure that this attempt would be the last, and they would close the book on this – whatever "this" was – for good.

But something happened. It was only a few seconds, that was all it took. She silenced all her thought, all her logic, all her reasoning, and, rather than close that book, she dove head first into it.

"Shit," she hissed under her breath as she swiftly grabbed his tie, pulling him toward her, crashing her lips into his.