toujoursfluer | Log 003 [Video/Action]

Log 003 [Video/Action]

[Have an image of Robin, sitting at her desk, her cheek propped up on her hand as she smiles faintly into the camera.]

Well then, it seems that Luffy has returned home. So be prepared to have things be quieter than normal. Maybe he will return here one day and maybe he won't.

[She hopes for the latter. He belongs on the sea. In the New World. Not here in this landlocked experiment. This prison. A second chance at life or not, they are all just puppets here and anyone who leaves, Robin feels, will be better off. Especially her captain.]

I am sure we will all miss him. [Because there is that, too. She will, and she knows her nakama will, but partings are always the hardest.] But perhaps this is for the best, ne?

[OOC: Robin will be hanging around house 6 for most of the day though eventually she will go for an hour or two for the library. Feel free to spot her either place]

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[Marco's really tempted to shield this from Ace and Sabo. Robin might feel it's for the best, but Marco remembers one of his very first discussions with Luffy. The captain of any crew wanted to look after very last member, and so long as they was any of his crew here, Luffy would want to be here to protect them, whether they wanted better for him or not. Still, for all the times Ace has been sent home and back, Luffy's managed to stay a good while.]

[Oh well, both the brothers would find out soon enough no matter what he did. Best he could do was be there for them. His concern shifts from the two boys to Robin. She seems to be handling it well, but then, of course, she'd be seeing him back in the New World.]

[Early morning, Marco's going to get ingredients for a dinner to cheer up Ace and Sabo later, but by afternoon, he'll be over at the library; finally returning several dozen books. And now to find something new and fun and maybe surprise a certain friend.]

[Robin is sitting at a nearby table, ostensibly reading though her mind is really far away, on a certain ship under a certain sea, heading to new adventure but never quite getting there. Home has never seemed so far away]

[Don't look now, but there's a warm blue arm wrapping around her shoulders as Marco pretends to read over her shoulder.]

How's the book? [Not quite whispering, but he is quiet. It's a library after all.]

[Hmm. That is warm. She walks up a chair for him to sit beside her if he wishes but she doesn't look at him yet]

I don't know. I can't seem to focus.

One of those days, or should I consider that a compliment?

[He'll take that chair with a polite nod and a murmured "thank you" and almost instantly lock one of his legs around hers.]

[That is a little uncomfortable, so she will shift her leg away but rest it against yours lightly, liking the contact if nothing else. It's warm]

Luffy is gone. [And she should be happier than she is now]

Ah.

[Gently leans his leg back, just keeping in contact this time, and he gives a birdie head tilt trying to read her face. Not that such a thing has ever been easy with Robin.]

I'm sorry. [He wants to say something comforting, but anything he knows about her captain she surely knows better. Still, at first she hadn't seemed too bothered, but then, no matter how bothered she was, she wouldn't want to broadcast it to the world. He rests a warm blue hand over one of hers as comfortingly as he can.]

He's more than a captain, eh? [And that was definitely something Marco could understand. Luffy wasn't their father, but he was definitely their nakama, and their friend. He gives her a questioning glance, trying to get her to talk, or at least give her room to.]

[She takes her hand away. It's not the kind of comfort she's used to and it feels patronizing even though she knows he doesn't mean it that way. She gives him a cold look at the question]

Is it really necessary to ask that? [She can't explain what Luffy is and he should know. Because he knows Luffy. So he should know. But she isn't angry, at least not at him and tries to show it by nudging her leg against his, hopes he understands. She can't hold hands now. She can't treat this as if this were a tragedy]

It's for the best. He doesn't deserve to be trapped here. [And her voice is still hard]

[He wants to fidget, restlessness wanting to take a physical form, but instead he stays still, like a wary bird waiting for cues.]

It's natural to want the best for nakama, to want their joy and happiness. So it's great you want that for Luffy. But do you really think he'd want to be back there without you guys?

[A good captain protects the crew no matter what. Goes down with the ship and sees everyone else to safety long before seeking it himself.]

[Marco freezes even more and shakes his head. Perhaps that was too much. Robbing the Straw Hats of the biggest comfort they might find in having him gone was just cruel, and certainly not how he meant it.]

I'm sorry I don't mean that he doesn't deserve freedom, he does. So do you, and Ace, and Sabo, and everyone here.

But freedom is also the right to choose. And if he could, if the Malnosso didn't rob him of that choice, do you still think he'd leave? [Leave his crew to face troubles without him? Leave Ace and Sabo even though he can never see them again?]

[Marco's tense and he hates this. Lying to protect her isn't going to protect her, he doesn't like seeing her hurt and almost in denial about why, and he's still just avoiding having this conversation even worse with Ace when he gets home. He moves to get up, not sure Robin would really want him around after all this.] Sometimes the hardest part of trusting nakama is letting them throw themselves into danger, because if you don't, you're taking away their freedom, and that which makes them who they are.

[And Marco knew that better than anyone. Especially after Ace. Even in the war of Marineford they couldn't get Ace's little brother to just stay someplace safe. They couldn't get him to step back or stop being rash. The most they could do was keep supporting him, just like with Little Oars Jr.]

[No, she doesn't like it. Even though she knows what he says is true. The truth is the truth regardless of how much it hurts. He would return here for their sake, if he could. And there are others here who care for him as well. Is it selfish to think it's good he's gone? Is it selfish to wish him to return? She can't be sure.The answer seems to be both yes and no.]

The point is moot. He has no choice. None of us have any choice. [And that is the hardest truth of all] Luffy can return or never return. And when he does they can manipulate him how they will, manipulate us, tear us apart, stitch us back together. There is nothing to be done but to regret and--

[She presses her lips closed. This is fruitless. There is nothing he can do. Nothing anyone can do. She lifts her book, as if she is reading]

I'm sure Firefist-san needs your company more than I.

[He does want to leave, especially before he can say something that gets her to stop talking to him for a long time, or gets him into a fight. But he doesn't want to leave like that. Not while she's so obviously hurting, and not on those words. His eyes narrow at the last part before her dismissal.]

Regret? What is there to regret?

[She sighs and sets the book down, but it's a moment before she answers. The answer is foolish and she knows it isn't right but at the same time--how can she help but feel it?]

That I'm not strong enough to do anything about it.

[He can't help but tremble at that. Hearing the same thing he feels. But I'm not Pops. I'm not world's strongest, I don't want to be.

Whether he should or not, there's not enough willpower in the world to stop him from turning back and instantly giving her a protective hug around the shoulders. Not because she needed him to, she definitely didn't. But just because he wanted to hug her for saying something he felt and could never voice aloud. Something he would never let himself voice out loud. For the very fear that in so doing his brothers would worry. And if they worried, he'd worry even more, so it'd just be a downwards spiral.]

[He's extra quiet when he speaks up, and not just because they're in the library.]

Even the world's strongest have troubles sometimes. If your captain was here now, what would he want you to do while you're here?

[Perhaps she needs it more than she will admit. But at the moment she is not sure of the reasoning behind the suddenness of it. She's not sure whether he means to comfort her or something else. Something she can't quite understand since he is otherwise silent. Almost as if he is taking comfort for himself. She touches one of the arms around her shoulders, smoothing her thumb back and forth almost on instinct.]

[And then he speaks and she stiffens. Of course he would have to say that. Of course she would have to think about that. She doesn't want to. It's easier not to. But she will. She is a Mugiwara and they only go forward, never back. She leans her head back against his shoulder because, really, she knows the answer.]

[She knows it and she can see it again, in black and white, scrawled on her Captain's arm. 3D 2Y. She closes her eyes.]

Get stronger. Keep pushing until we meet again.

Heh, mine would tell me to look after the others. [He really appreciates the return touches however, so instead of pulling back he stays like that for a little extra while. At least since it's the library no one can yell at him to get a room.]

And you will. [Moves to rest a hand on her head, part reassuringly, part affectionately.] It's hard now, but don't regret not being able to do something when you give it your best. It's how you'll get stronger, eh. No one can know all the circumstances that will happen, you can only deal with it after it happens for next time.

[There's a small sigh and Marco lightly squeezes Robin's shoulder.] If you want to do something for him, while he's gone, however long it is, keep on living and finding reasons for joy.

[Another light hug, practically leaning on her head.] Though I'm sure you already know that, it helps to hear, eh?

Immensely. [And it does. He says some things she hadn't even considered.]

[As he pets her, she keeps still and enjoys most of the affection but it is difficult to settle when things keep changing. But it is all a matter of pace. She can allow herself to get sucked into his or she can pull him into hers.]

Reasons for joy, hmm? [She's not much practiced in finding reasons. They tend to occur anywhere her nakama are. But she supposes she can get a little practice in here. She shifts, reaching an arm around his neck to pull him closer and presses her lips to his]

[His eyes widen in surprise at first, but he soon closes them, leaning in and kissing her back in return. He's tingly all along his spine, and not just because she kissed him, but the mere idea that he was a reason for joy in someone's life was its own kind of extreme thrill. A hand slips to the back of her neck, holding her in place and massaging very lightly. When he finally lets it end, he leans his forehead against hers and mumbles softly.]

I might be biased, but that seems like a good start.

[And there's a little smile to show he's still joking even if he means it.]

[This is good. It's very good. It doesn't make things hurt less but...but it's something nice to hold on to. She likes the touch of his hand, too, warm and soothing. He is a good man--or at least a comforting one]

Mm. And I hope we can continue.

[She runs her fingers along his jaw]

But you have nakama to see to, ne? [And that will always take precedence with her]

[A small grunt. Between taking care of his nakama and anyone else, nakama comes first. Always will, however frustrating that might be sometimes. He keeps his eyes closed and affectionately nuzzles her first, not wanting to pull away.]

Aye, I'm going to help make sure they get through it okay. [Since neither Ace nor Sabo had the luxury of being able to go home and see Luffy there.] They probably need a little space first, but I'm going to make them dinner. [And do what he could.]

[He pats her head lightly as he gets up.] If you're feeling lonely tonight, or later though, just call me on the journal, okay? I'll come running. [He hesitates. Not that she would be lonely. A house full of nakama, even without a captain was still home in his opinion. If anything, he'd be the lonelier one, but hopefully she'd know what he really meant. The offer for non-nakama company was still there. Because sometimes keeping strong for the sake of everyone else could get pretty lonely, and it wasn't something that could be shown.]

Hmm. Perhaps. [And she might--or she might not. She doesn't want to pull him away from the other two, even if he means well.]

Same goes for you, ne? [And she briefly smooths a hand over his cheek]

[A small grin as he gets up to leave.]

Careful with an offer like that, I'm more likely to take you up on it than you realize.

[As a phoenix, surrounded by 1600 crewmates he often tried to get a little more space from them, some quiet time to read, but now that he's cut off from all of them and their constant racket, he finds himself missing their company even more than he realized he could.]

[He quickly kisses her cheek before heading out quickly, practically running to make up for an inability to be in four places at once.] See you soon Robin.

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Log 003 [Video/Action]

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