~Robin~
She didn't know what to do.
She'd seen him be jovial, playful, serious, melancholic, proud and so many other things.
She also saw him angry a couple of times, but it was always on her behalf or on behalf of family.
Never at her.
It was a new experience.
One she could have done without.
He didn't talk with her, didn't even look at her, really.
He was friendly with her crewmates, giving advice for future training to Zoro, trading recipes with Sanji, recounting adventures to the three lovable idiots.
He even managed to motivate Nami to train a bit more by telling her, that being stronger and more resilient would enable her to loot better.
... That may have worked a bit too well.
Not once did he even look at her.
So when he decided to take a short break from partying, she decided to follow him.
She was apprehensive.
It had been a long while since the last time someone's opinion had that much of an influence on her.
It was terrifying and exhilerating at the same time.
He was the very first person she had let into her life, after all.
Time and time again, he proved to be different.
He showed her, that not everyone was scum, that there are people out there, who may want to genuinely help her.
The strawhats barged into her life with the force of a stampede, but it was Charlotte Croquant, who left the door open for them, just a bit.
Then, in a lapse of judgement, she admitted, if only to herself, she agreed to let the world government execute her publicly if they let the strawhats off the hook.
Not her best moment, she acknowledged.
As she saw his broad back appear in front of her after taking another corner, she knew she caught up to him.
And just like that, her brain was empty.
She didn't know what to say, how to apologise.
There were so many things she wanted to tell him, but not a single word wanted to make it past her lips.
"Won't you say anything?" His voice, devoid of inflection, snapped her out of it.
"Look, I'm sorry..." She started, but was interrupted by him turning around.
The first thing she noticed was the anger and betrayal in his eyes.
That was not good, he took it even worse than she thought.
"You know" he started softly.
"I trust you.
I trust you with my back.
I trust you with my life.
Hell, I'd even trust you with my family.
But it seems, that I can't trust you with your own fucking life!
You know I would have helped. There was always an out for you.
There are very few things I wouldn't do for you.
So why?"
He didn't need to explain his question.
That didn't mean, that she had an answer, though.
"It was a knee-jerk reaction. I'm used to doing everything alone, so I didn't even think..."
"Bullshit." He Interrupted her.
"You are too intelligent for that. It may have been true when they contacted you.
But once you had time to think?
You knew what you were doing.
What you didn't even consider, though, is, that if my network was even a tad slower, if I was just a bit further away, I could have learned of your death from the fucking newspaper!"
He roared the last words into her face.
She didn't understand, really.
Why was he so agitated?
"After all this time. After everything, I could have lost you by your own choice, Robin."
The anger had faded, what was left was the desperation he felt.
She could see it, this had nearly broken him.
And then she understood.
'Oh...
He loves me.'
The realisation elicited a surprised gasp from her that caught his attention.
A humourless chuckle left his lips.
"Finally caught on, eh?
Took you long enough. Yes, I've fallen for you.
Yes, I love you so much, that it hurts.
Paradoxically, there also isn't a person alive today, that I'm more pissed at than you."
He loved her. He found her, the devil child all grown up, worth loving?
Why?
Loving her meant nothing but trouble.
Even though he was one of the most influential pirates alive, a true genius if there ever was one, he couldn't go against the world government.
They would simply hunt him down and...
"Again, you and your self-depreciation within your own mind.
I thought I'd shown you by now, that you are worth a whole lot more than you think?"
There was a very small note of amusement in his voice, so she counted that as a win.
"We can't. They would hunt you down like a dog.
Also, I'm way too old for you.
You need to find someone who's close to your age, someone who's..."
His loud laugh caught her off guard.
"Not once did you say, that you don't reciprocate my feelings."
Amusement and want, those were the things she heard in his voice before his lips were on hers.
He pulled her close, his strong hands resting on her lower back as he pulled her up and kissed her with a passion, that burned her resistance completely.
Not that there would've been any, as she wanted this as much as him.
She felt as if liquid fire was flowing through her veins, ignited by love and lust.
When they finally seperated with her panting to get some air back into her lungs, he started talking.
"I'm done waiting." He rumbled. "I know you are a strong woman. I know you like to take control. But I waited too fucking long for you to take the first step."
Just how long did she subconsciously ignore his feelings?
"Years, my dear, years."
He was the only one who could read her like that.
"And don't you forget it." He answered her thoughts playfully.
His mood took a light dip, though, as he said.
"No more suicidal actions, though.
Dunno what I'd do if you try something like that again."
He pulled her in again for a hug that she accepted with a content sigh.
"Don't expect me to be your little wife, though.
I'm an independent woman.
I won't give up my dreams and stay at your home to be a happy little housewife."
She wouldn't budge on this.
The vibrations, that went through his body as he let loose a deep rumbling chuckle did things to her.
"If I wanted someone like that, I wouldn't have fallen for you.
Also: you are a horrible cook, I think, some of the things you made in the kitchen are still fighting my mom's homies for territory."
She blushed slightly and hit his chest.
She wasn't that bad, was she?
"You are, dear. No doubt about it."