Appreciating the small things was a skill that Brook, the Strawhats Musician had mastered quite well over the years.

After meeting your end and coming back to a skeleton body, then being forced into a fifty year exile tends to help you see the grandeur in all things. Which is why he was enjoying himself greatly, playing his violin in a calm, upbeat tempo on the deck of the Thousand Sunny.

He watched as Luffy and Chopper danced together in the grass while Ussop clapped along to the rhythm by the swings. Sanji had made a small picnic lunch, refreshing snacks and skillfully crafted sandwiches and drinks were laid out upon a soft thin blanket. Nami had decided to relax and fully enjoy a sunbath on the lawn chairs she and Robin usually occupied. By her seat was a parfait with fruits and strawberry syrup that Sanji had made specifically for the ladies. She had earlier declared that there would be smooth weather for a while and everyone could take it easy until they reached the next island.

Franky was steering the ship and occasionally shouting over to Luffy and the others, joining in on pointless conversations. Brook did however notice a rarity.

On the upper deck sat Zoro and Nico Robin, across from each other in a game of cards, and judging by the larger Belli pile on Robin's side, it was safe to say she was currently winning. It wasn't often those two connected, but they always managed to make it seem so natural, so common place that the normality was what stood out.

With the pair, Zoro stared at his cards, his single eye scanning over them as he kept a tight poker face. Though his opponent showed no break in her small, charming, misleading smile as she held her cards in phantom hands created by her power while her real ones held her parfait in her lap while she enjoyed it as well as the sweet flavor of victory. "Ha! I've got you this time woman. Read 'em and weep!" Zoro said, proudly laying his hand flat on the table. Three kings and a pair of sevens. The moss haired swordsman was sure that his Full House would lead to a victory and was about to sweep the small pile of money in the middle to his side of the table when Robin placed a phantom hand over his.

"Very impressive, Kenshi-san, but I don't think your hand has won you this victory." She exclaimed, showing all four aces neatly lined up, with a nine waiting at the end. Zoro scowled at her winning hand, facepalming in aggravation as she took the pot. "Gah, are you sure you're not cheating?" Zoro sighed exasperatedly, leaning back in his defeat. The archeologist giggled and shook her head, placing the money in a pouch to spend later whenever they docked again. "Fufufufu, I'm afraid fate simply wasn't on your side for this game." She said with a small laugh.

Zoro shook his head and smiled in defeat. "Next time you won't be so lucky" he promised as he collected the cards, putting them all back in the box. "I'll be looking forward to it then" Robin responded as she watched. "Should we play another game? I believe the checker board is in the aquarium." Robin offered. He shook his head. "Nah, we can just sit and talk" he said as he leaned back in his chair, his precious swords leaning against the table. Though Roronoa Zoro wasn't the most social person in the world, he didn't mind conversations with Robin. She was easily the most level headed person in their crew, and didn't bother him like the others.

In fact, she was the only one Zoro could honestly say he actively sought out, other than occasionally Luffy. And even then, he could only take so much of their rubberized captain's shenanigans. With Robin, Zoro could open up to her about anything and hold that same conversation for a while.

"Alright, well what do you plan to do on the next island?" She asked at the green haired man. He shrugged and looked at his much smaller money pouch. "Well, I'll probably get a bottles of sake or buy some cleaning supplies for my swords, but I don't think I'll have enough for both. Maybe I'll just tag along with you, since that's where all my money's gonna be anyway." Zoro said, giving a small laugh.

Brook looked up from his violin to witness the rarity that was a genuine laugh from their usually stoic first mate. Aside from a few instances, it seemed the only time Zoro was willing to let that hardened mask crack was when he was with the Demon Child, Nico Robin. Robin giggled and looked to Zoro with a slight smirk. "Oh? Perhaps you should just keep your money and you can take me on a date?" She suggested with a raised brow.

Zoro almost fell out of his seat in surprise, his single good eye widened like a saucer. "W-what the hell are you saying woman?!" He exclaimed, his cheeks burning at the suggestion. The heads of their nakama turned to face the commotion, furthering the redness that overtook his cheeks in embarrassment. "Fufufu, calm down Kenshi-san, I'm only teasing." Robin giggled, covering her face. "Tch.." Zoro got up, ready to leave the irritating woman when he heard her say quietly. "I understand if I'm so unattractive that the thought of going out with me appalls you..."

Zoro quickly turned, seeing her gaze downcast, a small hurt frown on her face. He honestly felt bad and tried to stammer an apology. Just as a hand was about to reach for her, the archeologists façade broke and she giggled even harder. Zoro's eye widened, realizing he'd been played. "Argh, damn woman!" He threw his hands up before storming off towards the ladder that lead to the crows nest.

If there was any doubt before, there was no chance now, that everyone had all eyes on the two quietest members of their crazy crew; especially the retreating swordsman.

Brook laughed, having witnessed the whole ordeal. "Yohoho! Zoro-san sure seemed flustered!" He exclaimed. Nami nodded, looking up at the crows nest as he slammed the hatch.

"I wonder what's his problem?" She asked, then turning her gaze to Robin, getting a vague picture.

"That shitty Marimo! He better not have offended my dearest Robin-chwan! I'll kick his teeth in!" Sanji growled through his cigarette, the smoke rising wildly, almost replicating his fury.

"I wonder if she offered to show him her panties?" Brook covered for the green haired man, understanding his pride. Though his valiant effort rewarded him with a kick to the teeth by a raging cook. "Shitty bag of bones! My purest Melloraine would never be so vulgar! Especially not with a love-impaired moron like mosshead!"

Though, now all eyes were on Robin, who just giggled and waved at her family wordlessly before also rising and making her way up the hatch to speak to the embarrassed Zoro. This brought even more hushed speculations and questions, but she ignored them all, intent on her goal as she began climbing the ladder.

Zoro had already decided to burn off his steam by working out. He had decided to start light by doing a few hundred handstand push-ups, Balancing a rather large barbell on the soles of his feet. He heard the quiet squeak of the trap door being pushed open. Zoro didn't bother looking. He hoped it was one of the others. If they had came to question him he could either ignore them or tell them to buzz off, and it would usually work.

But when there was only the sound of the hatch being gently closed, followes by a pregnant silence, he somewhat already figured that it wouldn't be the case. The swordsman did his best to ignore her at least until he finished his set. He knew she would wait.

And he was right. Robin, once she had gotten up the ladder and saw that Zoro had already began to exercise, and decided to allow him some peace before she spoke. And she also had a more personal ulterior motive. Robin secretly loved when Zoro let her catch him training. She tended to keep track of his movements as if she was the one lifting those inhunanly large weights. The way he muscles tightened and bulged with every movement. He was like a tiger, poising itself for a killing strike.

The normally vigilant Nico Robin almost lost herself, and was about to unknowingly bite her lower lip, when the sound of those monstrous weights crashing to the floor snapped her back to reality. "Did you need something?" Zoro addressed her with his arms crossed, and doing his best to look anywhere but at her and a scowl on his face. Robin almost couldn't believe it. The Roronoa Zoro was pouting!

Robin smiled before she spoke. "Yes, Kenshi-san. I wanted to apologize" Seeing the swordsman turn his gaze silently to her, she took this as her que to continue. "I made fun at your expense, and obviously offended you. I'm sorry" She said sincerely, her cool blue eyes never leaving his. Zoro sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the floor space between them. "Ah.. It's fine. I guess I just wasn't ready for... A question like that." He said, his cheeks couldn't help but tinge a light dusty pink at the thought.

"Fufufufu, I was having fun with you and I got carried away." Robin giggled. Zoro didn't know why he felt a swell of pride, knowing he made Robin have a good time. Not Chopper, or Luffy, or that Dumbass cook. Him.

"It's alright. I'm sorry I yelled at you." He apologized, watching as she made her way to the single bench in the crows nest. "Oh it's quite alright Kenshi-san.." Robin said. Zoro was about to comment until she continued. "Besides, you look cute when you're blushing." "W-what?! You- I don't!" Zoro sputtered, his cheeks took on a flushed pink tinge for the second time that day. The archaeologist covered her lips as she contained a small laugh.

"Relax Zoro, I was only teasing."

The swordsman opened his mouth to yell, but he stopped just short of releasing the first word. He realized this was the exact same situation that got them here in the first place. "I'll get you someday woman.." Zoro promised with a growl. "Of course you will. But for now.. Are you really sorry for yelling at me?" Robin asked, leaning forward and propping her elbow on her thigh and resting her chin on her palm.

Zoro gulped as silently as he possibly could. The neckline of Robins shirt was already deep, but leaned forward, the green haired pirate got an excellent view of her cleavage, creamy, supple skin disappeared teasingly behind black cloth, blocking his view of more...

Mentally Zoro slapped himself. He didn't want to see more! He shouldn't have seen what he already had! "This woman... Don't you know what you're doing?" He thought, the blush on his face deepened further as he diverted his gaze back up to her face, to realize she had been staring at him with that knowing smile the entire time.

"Crap! Did she see me looking? She probably thinks I'm no better than that ero-cook now! Dammit!" he thought, before realizing he still hadn't answered her. "Oh u-uh, yeah. I wouldn't say anything I didn't mean." Zoro said with conviction. Even if he was embarrassed, that wouldn't stop him from telling the truth.

Robin was impressed by his resolve, even in such an awkward moment. "Well, if that's the case, you can make it up to me by taking me up on my offer." The older woman suddenly declared. Zoro baked up and pointed at her comically.

"W-wait, you w-weren't kidding?! What the hell Robin?!" He stammered. The woman in question stood up and actually began walking calmly to the hatch. "At first, but now I have had a change of heart.. What's wrong? Unless those convicting words were just the product of a swordsmans bravado?.." She baited. She bent down to open the door.

"Robin, hold on a sec.." Zoro halted her, his teeth grinding.

"Damn her, coming for my pride!" He mentally cursed her before continuing. "I'll take you out..." He mumbled, looking away from her in a manner Robin could only call cute. She turned over her shoulder, fixing him with a genuine smile.

"It's a date then"

She turned, and exited the crows nest and left the swordsman to his thoughts. Zoro's face went laughably deadpan as a thought went through his head.

"I feel like I've been played."

Though he couldn't bring himself to mind that much when he thought about the way she smiled at him. It was a real smile. Zoro kind of wished she would smile more. The way her pale, marble skin flushed with warmth, how she seemed to cast her own warm glow whenever she did. How her amazingly blue eyes closed and her lips parted to show those perfect teeth-

"What. The hell. Is wrong with me?!" Zoro questioned aloud, realizing what had went through his mind about his nakama. "I need to keep away from that swirly-browed dumbass. Apparently perversion is contagious." He said as he sat in a cross legged pose to meditate.

That's all he needed. Meditation, and maybe a check up from Chopper wouldn't hurt just in case...

Just down below, as Robin had decended the ladder to the grassy deck of the Sunny, she found herself surrounded by her friends, their faces crowding her vision all at once.

"Ne, Robin! What's with the secret meeting with musclehead up there?" Nami asked first. Robin couldn't even form a response as it seemed that was the gateway to a flood of questions.

"Robin-chwan! Please don't tell me that half assed swordsman isn't forcing you to waste your time on him! I'll make sure he eats glass for weeks!" Sanji proclaimed, passionate fire behind his eyes.

"OW! Is Nico Robin having a secret tryst with our SUPER swordsman?" Franky blurted out, shifting up his sunglasses.

Ussop looked from Franky to Robin, leaning in to mutter "Ne, ne, are you and Zoro boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Boyfriend and girlfriend?! Does that mean Robin and Zoro are gonna have a baby?! Chopper asked. He then proceeded to freak out and proclaim he needed to study those maternity books he'd gotten.

"Yohohoho! Did you show Zoro your panties?" Brooks question went answered by a combined fist from Nami, and Sanji. "Don't be stupid!" They chorused with shark teeth.

"Did he have any meat up there?" This was obviously Luffy, who also got a fist from Nami and Sanji. "Don't be stupid!" They growled again.

A chuckle from Robin brought their attentions back. "Nothing of the sort happened. I simply went to apologize to Zoro-san for bruising his pride." She explained. Though she purposefully omitted the part where she asked him for a date. For the most part, the crew accepted her answer. Though, Nami gave a look that said she knew there was more to the story.

Robin excused herself to the aquarium where their small library resided. Once she closed the door behind her, she let out a sigh that had been waiting for release ever since she left the crows nest. The Archaeologist could hardly believe herself. She had planned originally to only apologize, and let sleeping dogs lie. But that swordsman... When she saw him exercising Something inside of her.. hungered for him and demanded she made him hers.

Robin thought back to how she surprised even herself, when she leaned forward and gave Zoro a glimpse of her cleavage. But the way he fixated his eyes on her, losing himself in her body before he'd even realized what he was doing... "At least he is physically attracted to me" Robin quietly giggled to herself.

Now the only thing was to further that physical attraction into an emotional one. And she'd get her first chance on the next island.