Zoro x Robin: The Stuff of Legends

Chapter 13

I don't own One Piece or it's characters :)

Zoro's POV

Well... for being alone in this dark cavern, where i couldn't even see my hand in front of my face and believe me i tried, i was actually kind of comfortable, despite the dank and mushy air, condensation forming on my forehead. Goosebumps traveled up my arms, and i rubbed them to drive away the chills. I wasn't sure if my eyes were open or closed. My back was pressed against something cold and rough, worn away like someone else had leaned on this very spot.

Having found myself in this darkness alone, i somehow managed not to go insane. Man goes insane when confined in a dark space for extended periods of time, but i wasn't going to fall for it. My instincts told me to keep up my guard, but maybe i was already insane, and it was just the madness talking. I wasn't sure where the instinct came from, though. Or these numbers on my arm. They glowed green and ticked steadily. I pass the time by watching them, when i first discovered them, they were 03:52:29. Now it only had about an hour left. I didn't know what they were for, but i had a feeling in my gut that i wouldn't like it whatever happens when those numbers hit zero.

I felt my way toward the sound of trickling water, the only noise besides my own labored breathing. I cupped my hands and lowered them into the cool liquid, the sensation sending waves of tingles up my arms as if reminding me of my existence. I longed to drink water, but i didn't, for some reason i knew i shouldn't, because it was poisonous? because it wasn't really water but a river of blood? because it was salt water? whatever the reason, it was dangerous.

"Damn it!" I sighed aloud to myself, my voice reverberating around the hollow cave. I allowed the liquid to drip between my fingers and return to the stream until nothing remained. I felt my way back to the rock i had claimed, my only source of light the glowing integers on my forearm. I resumed my usual time killer by watching the numbers slowly tick by.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1... 59...

Making myself comfortable as possible on the rocky ground. My eyes drooped, the trickling water driving out the silent ringing in my ears. The lullaby was soft and pretty, my eyes felt heavy so i closed them.

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5996... 5997... 5998... 6000...

"Excellent work, Kenshi-san."

I put down my weights, looking over my shoulder with narrowed eyes. "it's nothing."

She smiled flicking her deep ebony hair from her blue oculars as she approached. "Sometimes i think you do it on purpose."

"Do what?"

"Six thousand curls every day on the deck in plain sight of Miss navigator and i." she specified with a light smirk on her lips, sitting in her usual deck chair casually. She crossed her legs at the knee and selected a book from the diverse stack on the table next to her. "Showing off."

"That's none of your business," i grumbled, rubbing a towel over my skin to cleanse it of sweat. "I can't let my body get weak, and there's not enough room on this ship for privacy."

Her cerulean orbs studied me coyly like i was some sort of exotic specimen under a microscope. "Do you have any weakness under those rippling pectorals?" she queried.

"What?"

She didn't repeat herself, knowing full well i had heard her clearly. I found the question a bit offensive, and i pondered on how to answer her. She had only just joined the group, and by our leader's way of life we were officially Nakama, but that didn't stop me from not trusting her in the slightest, which means i didn't have to tell her anything.