Zoro x Robin: The Stuff of Legends

Chapter 4

Zoro's POV

It was quiet, really quiet.

Not that i was complaining, i like the quiet. Listening to the waves lap against the side of the ship as i keep watch, squinting as moonlight glinted off the blade of my Katana and illuminating the room like a light. I liked watching the stars.

The silence was broken by a weird sound escaping Luffy's throat, a sort of sound a frog would make from being compressed under two elephants. I had only seen him once before like this, at water 7 after his and Usopp's duel.

His head was bowed and the shadow of his hat masked his eyes, his muscles were tense and his shoulders shook as he struggled to maintain his composure. He wasn't doing to well, he looked like a lost child, helpless in a huge world surrounded by strangers and not knowing where to find his mother, but trying to be a man about it.

"Zoro" he finally spoke, his voice cracked as he said my name!

I couldn't bring myself to look at his face. I didn't like seeing my nakama cry. I hate to admit it but Luffy is like a little brother to me i guess. And i don't know any big brother who can watch their younger one cry, even if they're not blood related.

"I don't believe you're dead" Luffy continued, not bothering to wipe away the silent tears now sliding down his cheek. "I won't accept it."

His face brightened. " I'll give you some of my meat if you wake up."

That sounds really inviting Luffy! But thanks you keep it. I said.

When nothing happened, Luffy shrank back into his depressed self. " I don't want to continue to Raftel without you, we're nakama, and nakama don't leave anyone behind. We stick by each other no matter what, and now... i can't figure out if i want to go on." He smiled weakly." but i know you would probably kick my ass if i didn't continue."

Damn straight, i want you to continue your journey on the Grand line, if this legend turns out to be nothing but a load of bullshit and i stay dead forever, i sure as hell do not want to have died only for you to give up Luffy! i said loudly but he couldn't hear me...

Luffy took his time, talking about how stupid i was and laughing half heartedly at all the memories we made. " Remember whisky peak when i tried to kill you for slaughtering the people there? that was fun." He recalled when we first met back in the east blue, and wondered aloud how Coby was doing.

At one point, Luffy leaned over my face and pulled apart one of my eyelids as if cheking for the millionth time to see if i really was sleeping. It was an eerie sight, looking at my own dead eyes. No sign of life glowed in my dilated pupils, staring up at nothing. Luffy sighed and sat back again, my eyelid sliding closed.

I moved to sit on a bench directly across my lamenting captain, looking out the window and watched the other crew members gathered in a small circle on the lawn, picking at the grass and talking. Robin however was distant from everyone sitting on a chair with her head down, her eyes were filled with sadness! every time i look at her in that state, i hate myself more for doing this to Robin. How could i do this to her? what if the legend was just a lie and i didn't come back to life? what would happen to Robin then?

I was deep in thought when i heard a sound, i turned around to see but i froze! my invisible face an inch away from Luffy's. Without my noticing he had snuck up on me and had leaned across the bench to get right in my face. I knew i shouldn't be worried. The worst that could happen is that i would overshadow him, and it would be broken once he moved away, but the rubber man's eyes were locked on mine like he could actually see me and it sent shiver down my spine!