Chapter Text
Everything had turned out fine. They’d won.
Well, Zoro certainly hadn’t turned out fine. Neither had Luffy. But Robin had faith that Chopper would make sure they did.
A lot of the hubbub had died down. The samurai and Momo had already left to proclaim their victory to the citizens of Wano, and some people were finally starting to rest.
Robin was so tired.
She’d tried to help out upon seeing the poor state everyone was in but had quickly realized that she was in a poor state herself.
Brook didn’t seem to be doing much better. After making sure Robin was okay, he’d spent his time bouncing around the injured doing a mix of helping Chopper and cheering people up. It was pretty difficult to feel bad with a singing skeleton bouncing around the room and making jokes.
He’d fallen mostly silent, though, and Robin kept catching him staring off into space. He’d about reached his limit, as had she.
So, when Robin grabbed some bandages to patch herself up and started heading to the outskirts of the Performance Floor for some rest, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along after her.
“Oh? Are we going somewhere?”
“You need some rest, weren’t you the one who told Yamato how tired we all were?”
“Yes, but I don’t think I’m as tired as some of the others... I can probably manage a bit longer.”
“Well, come rest with me anyway. You’re working yourself to death out there.” She smiled and he laughed, no longer arguing as she pulled him along.
It didn’t take long to find a quiet corner where she could keep an eye on the floor while still being far enough away to give some peace.
Robin settled on the ground, but didn’t lean against the wall at her back just yet. “Would you mind helping me with bandages? I think it would go faster with another pair of hands.”
Yes, she could have created those extra hands herself. But she was exhausted, and Brook was always more than happy to help.
Sure enough, Brook didn’t ask why she hadn’t just made more hands herself or scold her for not bandaging herself up sooner, instead sitting beside her with a smile. “Of course! How can I help?”
Robin smiled, taking to bandaging herself and instructing Brook.
One of the things Robin really appreciated about Brook was the way he trusted her.
When she’d taken on Black Maria, he’d trusted her to handle the fight on her own. When she’d collapsed afterwards, he’d dropped his sword to catch her. Even knowing she was exhausted, he’d let her run on her own two feet anytime she’d asked. And every time she’d collapsed, he’d caught her again without complaint.
He’d supported her in all of her choices and hadn’t scolded her when those choices left her legs shaking and breath short.
“Thank you,” Robin said eventually, “for helping me tonight. It’s nice to have people I can trust.”
Black Maria had tried desperately to place doubt in Robin’s head. Robin was glad to have gotten to a point where such things had no effect on her, to have people she trusted with her life. It was something she’d once thought impossible, yet here she was.
“Oh, you don’t need to thank me, it was no problem.” Brook said it as if Robin hadn’t been treated like a problem almost the entirety of her life. “I’m just glad I wasn’t alone.” He laughed, but there was much truth to his statement.
The one who was unloved and the one who was lonely; we make quite a pair. Robin chuckled. “Me too.”
It was nice, being able to trust someone to have her back. Robin had gotten to protect Sanji, and Brook had helped protect her. Not just physically, but mentally too. It hadn’t gone past her notice that he’d started ramping up his joking antics right after CP0’s appearance.
It was a kind sentiment, and one she’d tried to return.
It wasn’t long before Robin’s bandages were finished. She leaned against the wall behind her and Brook did the same.
She was exhausted, but she knew she wouldn’t be getting any sleep. Too many years on the run had made it nearly impossible to fall asleep near so many unknown people. Even without sleep, though, she could rest.
Robin leaned against Brook, he didn’t say anything, just shifted slightly to better accommodate her.
“I can keep watch if you’d like to sleep,” Brook read her mind. “I meant what I said about being able to manage a bit longer, especially now that I’m not in the middle of all the noise.”
Mm… She hated to ask him to do that for her; he needed rest too. Besides, the more logical side of her brain knew there were enough trustworthy people around to where she’d be safe.
(Unfortunately, the part that had slept lightly for years out of fear of getting caught was much stronger than any logic she could procure.)
“That shouldn’t be necessary,” Robin sighed.
“Necessary or not, I don’t mind,” Brook said. He gently took her hand. “I promise it’s no trouble. Please get some rest?”
…He wouldn’t lie to her. If he said it was no trouble, then she had no choice but to believe him. Plus, she was so tired. Robin exhaled, relaxing against him. “Okay, I’ll try. But I doubt I’ll be able to fall asleep.”
“That is something I can help with as well.” There was a smile in Brook’s voice.
Robin couldn’t imagine how he could help. Sleep was something that had always been difficult for her. What could he possibly-
Brook started singing a lullaby. It was soft and slow, something about stars and the ocean. It took a few moments for Robin to recognize it as one from the West Blue.
Robin had been too young when her mother left to truly remember her voice, much less if she’d sung to her. Robin’s aunt and uncle hadn’t been interested in directing any such affection Robin’s way. Any lullabies she’d heard from them had been aimed at her cousin and muffled by the walls between them. Besides that, the only lullabies Robin had heard had been while she was on the run. And those were always directed at others while she’d just happened to be hiding nearby; none had ever been sung for her.
Except for this one, of course.
Brook was rubbing the back of Robin’s hand with his thumb and Robin found her eyes slipping shut despite herself. She could only remember pieces of the lullaby, but somehow, she was certain that it sounded better in Brook’s voice than it ever had drifting through an open window.
Oh… it looks like I’ll get some sleep after all.