A/N: My first story in a long while. This was something that popped up in my mind when I rewatched the Water 7/Enies Lobby Arc.
Italics are 'thoughts', "what others (other than Robin) said" and feelings.
Bold Italicsare Robin's attack or Robin shouting.
This is purely fictional. In no way or form do I own or even dream of owning OP.
The Back Of A Man
The name Nico Robin was a name that everyone knew. They knew her as a Demon Child even when she was 8 years old. The people who she knew, who she leaned on all wanted her for her intelligence and for her bounty.
To her, it was a sin to be alive and even think of living.
But, 20 years later, she was told otherwise.
"JUST EXISTING CAN'T BECOME A CRIME! The blue haired man wearing a speedo and a Hawaiian shirt said to her. Even though he had whispered it to her while they were held captive, it sounded to her as he was screaming it to her, right into her ears. She was stunned and she saw in his eyes that he had experienced something painful as well.
She hated a lot of people but she usually didn't want to kill them. But Spandam, he was the only one who she wanted to kill. She saw the anger in the older blue haired man's eyes towards Spandam even as he joked around and pretended that he wasn't captured.
"I LOVE YOU GUYS! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!" The sobbing blue haired man who she just found out was named Franky cried as he wiped his eyes. She was shocked. The man who was so large and so bulky was an emotional wreck. She stared at him, wishing she can open her heart up a little more. She closed her eyes.
'If I can be honest for once, then...' She took a deep breath. "I WANT TO LIVE! TAKE ME OUT TO SEA WITH YOU ONCE MORE!" That got the man next to her crying more and she hid a smile.
Everything that happened next was a blur to her.
"I'm going to take a chance and bet everything on Strawhat." Franky had said before pulling out the blueprint of Pluton. Everyone's eyes widened that he had it on him while she had a clue to what he was about to do. He parted his mouth and the blueprints incinerated in his large hand as he gave her a smirk before letting out a scream as Spandam pushed him off.
Her eyes widened before seeing her crewmates jumping down as well. She took a deep breath. 'I'll see you all soon.' She hid her smile and bit her lips when Spandam tugged her hair.
Robin fell down on the bridge and saw guns pointing to her and her eyes widened. She wasn't scared for herself but for the person who just came following after them. She clenched her fists as she bit down on her lips to prevent herself from crying. She heard screaming and the sound of bullets hitting metal and she opened her eyes.
She always made herself a strong woman and never depended on anyone. When she allied herself with other people, she never let her guard down and always took a step back so her back was never turned to anyone. She watched the backs of multiple criminals and never trusted.
When she met Luffy and the crew, she learned one thing. Friendship. She was the oldest of the crew and she slowly felt like she was the older sister or mother to the childlike crew. That's why, she will do everything so the other six members of the crew could escape freely. She was going to resign her life if it meant that she could repay them for their kindness and acceptance.
But she never saw what she saw when she looked up when guns were pointed towards her just a second ago. It was an embarrassing sight but she saw the back of a hairy leg and speedo. But the sight that stunned her was the broad back with arms spread out with the Hawaiian shirt flying from the wind caused by the flying bullets.
Her tears stopped falling and she shifted and he started his counter attack. When he stopped them, he pulled out three keys even though he knew one of them wouldn't work for Robin's cuffs. He tried them but none of them worked and he groaned before hearing a commotion.
"Franky-kun, there should be a red package next to you." It was Usopp as Sogeking. Franky took the two keys and tried them and they all cheered when Robin's cuffs came off. She smirked and started attacking. They did have a battle ship to steal anyways.
Robin couldn't stand the reminder of the Buster Call that wiped out Ohara and fell into a fetal position. The sound of bullets striking metal fell into rhythm to her ears as the sound of cannons exploded all around her. Her hands went to her ears and she couldn't help it. She was shaken.
She heard the sounds of her crew and she knew she was no longer alone in this. She had to be braver. She opened her eyes after what seemed like eternity and the sight once again amazed her.
He was no knight in shining armor nor was he Prince Charming but he was the half cyborg with the back of a man.
His arms spread and in a protective manner as he waited for her to get over her fear and fight alongside him. When she stood up, he glanced over and they didn't need words anymore.
After leaving Enies Lobby, Robin was shocked about everything that happened while she was with CP9.
'So he's our enemy?' Robin wanted to ask but knew she shouldn't.
However, Franky barged into their resting place shortly after and said that he was going to build them a ship. Her eyes widened but he said sheepishly that it was all due to their "investment" that he was able to get his hands on the treasure wood, Adam.
Robin was secretly excited when she heard that Luffy had been wanting Franky in their crew since Enies Lobby. However, he was like a child. He was being indecisive but she knew how much he wanted to join them but something was holding him back.
"If I might get a little rough, can I give a hand?" Robin asked as she looked at Luffy.
"Now that you say it, Ice-ossan also said he won't come if we don't use force." Robin smirked and crossed her arms together as Nami asked how.
"Dos fleur," She watched as Franky and everyone else looked as her hands blossomed between his legs. "Grab!" She held back her giggles at the scream that erupted from his lips. "Just like when a treasure is in front of a pirate and he doesn't want to let go, if I don't receive a good reason, I'm not letting you go."
"That's why...! I told you I can't leave this island...I'm grateful to you guys...but that's something impossible for me to do. I want to go with you guys but there are still things I must do here! That's why I gave you the ship! I quit being a shipwright to begin with. That's why, this is the last ship I'll ever build. I only had one wish...and that is...the dream ship over there!" He shouted with his face in the pile of wood from scrap island before Iceburg cut him off.
Robin set her hands down as Franky cried after Iceburg was finished talking to him and after his family came to see him off.
"Damn it, Nico Robin!" Robin stifled her giggles as his younger 'sisters' screamed for his share. "It hurts so much that I can't stop crying!"
"Robin!" Luffy cried from next to her before blinking. Her hands were down. "You're not doing anything?"
"All I did, was just start this." A smirk appeared on her lips. "He sure is clever; blaming the pain for those tears." Robin had her back to the scene, knowing that they had already won over Franky. She heard Zoro and Sanji running back and she turned to listen to them.
"Well then, get on, Franky." Luffy stood up and crossed his arms with a smile. "On my ship."
"Stop talking so cocky! The only repairs you amateurs are capable of, are cheap ones. If there isn't one shipwright on this splendid ship...I would pity the ship. It can't be helped. I'll give you a hand! Your ship's shipwright...will be the great Franky!" Robin beamed at that and everyone else in her crew smiled.
Even after two years, Robin would remember that time and smile softly to herself.
When she stepped foot on Sabaody Archipelago, her longing to be with her crew amplified. She checked in with Rayleigh and Shakky before heading to find Sunny.
"Sunny!" She couldn't help but exclaim happily in her soft voice when she saw the beautiful ship that reminded her of the blue haired man. "We've kept you waiting for two years. I'm glad you're still in one piece!"
"Ow! Who's this pretty woman over her?! If it isn't my crewmate, the SUPER archaeologist, Robin?!" Robin shifted her eyes to the man...well, cyborg that leaped onto the rail in his signature pose. She beamed at him after a moment of being stunned at the changes to his body.
"You haven't changed, Franky." And to her, he haven't. He was still the emotional man who shouted all her feelings while she stood like a stone in the Judiciary Tower. He was still the same speedo wearing cyborg who shouted "SUPER" as his signature phrase.
Most importantly, he was still the same person who was the first to show her how the back of a man should look like. No matter what he said, to her, he haven't changed a single bit.
A/N: And there, we have a short one shot about Robin & Franky! (There may be some differences depending on the subbed version I watch but I tried to keep it as real as I can with input on what I feel like Robin hides inside her mind other than her morbid thoughts.) It's so hard to separate paragraphs, does anyone have any suggestions other than the page break line?