Archive of Our Own ^beta

“And that’s what DevilCat Talks has to say about updating the education curriculum in the United States, because, let’s be real, the current shit has some bad takes.”

 Robin giggled as Nami tugged at the neckline of her shirt, flashing a grimace to the camera in a universally understood gesture – Yikes.  Flipping her long ginger hair over her shoulder with a swipe of her manicured fingers, Nami nodded a signal to her co-star.  

 “Now, we’ve come to the part of the show where we like to hear from you,” Robin pointed to the red light above the lens, “What should we cover for our next talk-it?”

 Nami beamed, chirping, “Like topic but talk-it!”

 The chat on the side of the screen was going wild, names and subjects flashing before Robin’s eyes.

• tomatoyamato: Reincarnation!
• tonytony: herbal medicine!
• pirateking: Pirates!
• namicatsbiggestfan: Unrealistic beauty standards for women!  All bodies are beautiful 😍
• 🌸Koby🌸: How the navy is still relevant!
• pirateking: ^ LOL
• muggyball2.0: Genetics and how someone having a bulbous red nose does not make them a clown!

“Wow!” Nami’s hazelnut eyes widened as the answers scrolled by, “You have a lot of great ideas today!”

“Just today?” Robin teased, laughing as Nami pouted her large lips, correcting herself.

 “I mean, every day!” 

And still, the chat teemed with comments.  Each time Robin’s eyes finished skimming the letters of the last, another one popped into view.  The viewer count read that over 5,000 people were watching, that at least 1,000 of them had been following them since the start of their channel.

• sogeking: Man-eating plants!
• namicatsbiggestfan: Mellorine!  My beautiful Nami-swan! 😍
• captainkid: magnets
• surgeonofdeath: ^ someone needs to go back to elementary school
• massacre//soldier: stfu magnets are cool
• namicatsbiggestfan: Robin-chwaaaan!  You are just as beautiful as your stunning brain! 😍
• namicatsbiggestfan: *pledged $10*
• desertprincess: The revolution in Alabasta!
• pirateking: mmm I want desert
• surgeonofdeath: *dessert

“We’ll throw these into Robin’s thinking cap,” Nami reached behind her to grab Robin’s favourite ivory cowboy hat, the leather scuffed from excessive use in her late teens.  She mimed tossing something into the overturned accessory, giggling, “And randomly select one!”

 “So, if we don’t select yours, no need to worry!” Robin’s sparkling blue eyes crinkled in the corners as her cheeks lifted in a kind smile, “We’d love if you tried again next week!” 

 Nami wiggled in her seat, waving excitedly as she began their usual signoff, “Thanks for tuning in, guys!  As always, I’m NamiCat!”

 
“And I’m DevilChild, or Robin, for short,” Robin mused, “And this has been DevilCat Talks!”

 “Talk to mew later!” Nami flashed a peace sign, winking as she stuck her tongue out and Robin reached forward to end the stream on her laptop.

 “Oh, thank god,” Nami’s voice dropped a literal octave as she leaned back in her chair, groaning.  Robin chuckled as she pictured the redhead’s soul leaving her body.  “As much as I like being NamiCat, it’s exhausting.”

 “You do this so well, though,” She hummed as she began to export the video to upload the recording later.  Their podcasts always aired live on Twitch on Thursdays, and were available on YouTube and Spotify the next day.  “Can you believe the amount of people who tuned in today?  Incredible.”

Her heart felt pumped full of helium, her brain buzzing as it sent endorphins through her nervous system.  They had been growing steadily in popularity for a while now, but WOW!  To have that many people listening to what Nami and Robin had to say, like it was important?  To have active participants and endless praise rolling past their eyes as they tried to put on a fun, yet informative, show? 

It felt surreal.

She never would have thought this possible when she had first started streaming two years ago.  In an attempt to begin paying off her student loans, she had taken up recording herself live in the second last year of her undergrad.  She would play popular story-driven videogames three evenings a week, curled up in her large violet gaming chair, decorative headset perched upon her sleek, raven locks.  It had little antlers coming out of the band, not unlike a deer’s.  Some had commented in the past that it was a holiday headset, but Robin didn’t care.  She felt as though the antlers embodied a sort of pagan magic, an uncommon satanic visual suited for her online persona: DevilChild.

 
NamiCat had liked her headset.  She had slid into Robin’s direct messages on Instagram, complimenting Robin on her “witchy antlers”.  Robin, having been no stranger to the other’s streams of more violent games, had been shocked to receive such a kind message from someone already well-known in their little content bubble.  She had responded in turn, asking if she would “have bad luck” if Nami crossed her path, referring to the black cat ears on the ginger’s headset.

Nami’s answer had been immediate:

“FINALLY! Someone gets that I’m MORE than a pussy!”

 They had been instant friends. 

 A year and plenty of Direct Messages later, a strong friendship between the two having grown into a mighty oak, they had felt comfortable sharing some personal information.  Finding out that they lived in the same city had led to a coffee date had led to “Oh my god, we should start a podcast.”

 And thus, DevilCat Talks was born, and Robin couldn’t be happier.

 Well…

 That wasn’t entirely true, was it?

 “How did your date go last week?” Nami asked, head lolling back against her high-backed pink leather gaming chair, her large doe eyes gazing past Robin to the progress bar on the laptop screen.

 Robin smirked, “It didn’t.”

 “No,” She gasped, straightening up, “No way you got stood up!”

 Tapping her fingers across the keyboard as she titled their latest episode, Robin sighed, “There does seem to be a way, unfortunately.”

 Nami didn’t want to accept the reality, gawking, “IS HE BLIND?!”

 “I know not the reasoning, but I am unbothered,” Robin shrugged one shoulder, “He was an awful texter, anyway.  He never used correct spelling or punctuation.”

 “I never use correct spelling or punctuation…” Nami’s eyes narrowed.

 “I’ve known you for long enough to know you don’t because you type too quickly,” Stretching her arms above her head, Robin’s spine popped pleasantly as she rolled her neck.  “I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I suppose that doesn’t matter anymore.”

 “Insanity…” Nami breathed, shaking her head slowly.

 Eager to change the subject, Robin turned her attention back to the laptop.  As she skimmed through the chat of their episode, she mused, “Any ideas for next week’s topic?  Some of these seem very interesting.  I would love to explore the history of man-eating plants, for example.  I’ve been meaning to pick up a Venus Fly Trap for the kitchen… Brook’s been complaining about fruit flies and I thought that would be a rather interesting solution…”

 “I was thinking we could go with gym culture,” Nami piped up, scrolling through her phone and completely avoiding eye contact.

 Robin frowned, “I don’t see that here…?”

 “Don’t worry about it,” The redhead brushed her off, “It was a request sent to me.”

 “By namicatsbiggestfan?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

 “Oh god, no,” Nami rolled her eyes, “But anyway, you cool with that?  I was thinking we could switch it up a bit this time – You do the field work and I hit the books?”

 “You… want to research?” Robin blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion, “It’s really no bother for me, you know.  I thoroughly enjoy learning about new subjects…”

 She trailed off as Nami flashed her an absolutely devilish grin, “I’m certain.  You haven’t done a song on your ukulele in a while.  I think writing about the gym could be cute and quirky.”

Robin hummed, “You think?  I guess I could come up with something… Visit some gyms, see how they work…”

“You should check out New World Fitness.  Might be a good place to scout out potential suitors, you know?”

 “Ah, yes,” Robin cocked her eyebrow, sarcasm oozing off her tongue, “Because someone who spends all their time at the gym is just my type.” 

 “Don’t judge a book by their cover,” Nami chided as she packed up her stuff, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and making for the entrance of the townhouse Robin shared with roommate, Brook. 

 “Actually, the cover is a really good place to start!  Summaries and reviews are important to consider when looking for new reading material!” Robin called out as the redhead slid through the door with a quick wave, “Text me later!”

 She thought she heard Nami acquiesce through the solid wood door, though she didn’t bother to go check.  There was no need for long goodbyes between them.  She was certain she’d either talk to, or even see, Nami again before their next stream.  

 Perhaps then she would be a little less irritated by her co-star.  Robin frowned.  No, irritated wasn’t the right word.  Miffed?  Put out?
 It was just…

 Why did Robin have to go to a gym – the last place on earth she’d ever be caught dead – to interview and gather information for the stream?!  Usually Nami was the one to work the people, and Robin was the one to search the library and web.  Why this sudden change?

 With a quiet huff, pouting to no one in particular, Robin pulled her notepad from her desk.  Her favorite violet gel pen swirling across the lined sheets, she began to write down every question that came to mind regarding physical health and wellbeing, regular exercise, and – oh dear – the gym itself.  With a glance at the clock, she told herself that she had time to scout out New World Fitness before Brook’s show at the jazz club around the corner.  

 Slipping the notebook into her purse, she tugged on her boots and made her way into the brisk autumn air.  Thankfully, New World Fitness was walking distance – close enough that she didn’t have to spend her entire trek there second guessing her decision to walk into a foreign establishment where she felt entirely out of place.

 She had never been one for physical activity.  As a child, she had disliked gym class.  As a teen, she had loathed it with the white hot intensity of a thousand burning suns.  Despite her penchant for absorbing new knowledge and filing it away efficiently in her brain, the Sports folder was littered with cobwebs.  No matter how many times the teacher explained the basics of Basketball to her, she simply could not wrap her head – or awkward, gangly teenaged limbs – around it.  

 Now, as a student in the second year of her masters program, she simply didn’t have time to worry about working out.  She was far too busy as a Teacher’s Assistant, studying for her thesis proposal, and, well, streaming for income. 

 The gym was the last place one would typically find Robin.

 Yet, there she was, staring up at the large sign, the I in Fitness dotted with a running shoe.  

 She took a deep breath in, and stepped through the automatic doors.  

***

The outside world was cold and wet.

Day by day, it was getting colder and darker, despite nature's wonderful display of colors.  The leaves were red, orange, yellow, and some brown, yet the only colors he could think about were purple and pink. It might seem weird that a buff guy like himself would be thinking about 'girly colors', but even more ironically, these colors were linked to two different women.

First of all: Pink. 

Every time he saw that one specific shade of neon pink, his mind went to his mildly infuriating roommate - and self-proclaimed Ghost Princess in Mario Cart - Perona.  Not only had she never lost a round, but she wouldn't stop talking about it for months afterwards.  Zoro forgot something at home?  She would hide it from him.  Zoro would get home soaked from the rain?  She'd call him a wet sulking puppy for a week.  Though, the worst bullying he received came when she could tell we was thinking about 'purple'. 

'DevilChild' was the name she went by.  The most beautiful person he had ever seen.  The best Twitch streamer he had ever come upon. Her hair, her eyes, her smile, and that adorable ukulele she was known for. 

Perona loved to tease him about his crush. 

Perona had picked up his major crush and would tease him more about it, causing Zoro to get angry, and that would mean enduring more teasing.  A vicious circle of anger and total peace - that's how they lived.

As much as he loved to keep thinking about DevilChild, the hard reality of work was calling as he turned the corner and was now on a straight line to the gym. It had become a routine for him to listen to her voice every time he got overwhelmed by emotions, mostly frustrations and anger, as her honey-like voice calmed him down the second she would start to speak. Her streams were his background noise for workouts, shopping, or any activity he got to do by himself. 

With his keys, he soon entered the establishment New World Fitness, and his favorite co-worker was, obviously, waiting for him by the door.  A helpless simp who also had a crush on another streamer - the very loud and very crude NamiCat.

More or less, the reason Zoro had discovered DevilChild was because of Sanji's simping for Nami.  After hours and hours of romancing about her, he had convinced Zoro to listen to their podcast, originally to support the louder of the two.  However, he had become a supporter of the podcast for different reasons.  He still enjoyed Nami's input on the podcast as he could relate more to her, as they cursed a similar amount and hated similar things with a passion.  Though, his favorite thing was the little songs DevilChild would sing with her ukulele.  He didn't quite get why a ukulele, but he didn't really care what instrument, as long as she was singing.  During one episode she wrote a song on the importance of a healthy sleep schedule that had soon turned into his alarm tone in the morning.

Zoro appreciated the way DevilChild expressed herself and that she educated others to a certain degree.

Sanji mostly just talked about Nami's breasts - objectively nice, but not Zoro's type.

Thus, the never-ending bullying because of his crush would continue.   As much as Sanji was in the same position, when in terms of online crushes, he was always on Perona's side, placing number 2 on the biggest annoyance list. 

"Oi, mosshead!  A little tight on the schedule, aren't we? Hurry up next time!  I'm not opening up alone again!"

"Shut up, simp! I'm here on time, now turn all the lights on!" Zoro shot back, snarling at the blonde man behind the counter,  "And how many clients are coming in today?"

"About 5 to 6, but all later in the day. It will be quiet for the week in general, with a lot fewer appointments." 

Zoro sighed.  More appointments meant that the time would just fly by.  Thankfully, their boss allowed them to use the equipment if no customers were around or their service wasn't needed.  On quiet days it was a great distraction from the sheer boredom they faced during fall and winter.  Business picked up during Spring and Summer, as people wanted to get their 'perfect' body to show-of at the beach and cancel their membership soon after.  Sanji typically worked at reception.  Zoro may have been banned from there, as he was a little ruder to members that weren't taking working out seriously. 

He was going to work out a little while before doing an extensive cleaning of the seats while they were unoccupied.  Maybe check Spotify or check if she was streaming, unlikely but not impossible.  Upon realizing she wasn't streaming, he selected his favorite episode, the one about sword fighting.  Perfect.

Zoro had just finished setting down the weights when he heard the door open in the distance. The first member of the day, that was something.  Pretty early, too.

"EY! ZORO! GET OVER HERE!" Sanji practically screamed throughout the gym. "QUICKLY!"

There was a slight hint of laughter in the idiots' voice. 

Zoro got up, even though he barely sat down, putting away his phoneas he walked to the reception. 

He saw a tall, black-haired woman standing at the reception.  A very tall woman.  Definitely taller than him - not by much, but noticeable. He had never seen her in the gym before, and her outfit seemed out of place. She looked... nice, didn't even look like she needed working out.

"This is Zoro!  He's our trainer and will get you started today!" Sanji wore a shit-eating grin as he gestured to Zoro.

She turned around and a wave of beauty hit him.

Out of all the places, it had to be here? It had to be his workplace?

Zoro immediately knew that Crulybrow was setting him up for embarrassment.

She looked at him with her amazing smile and amazing eyes and amazing face. 

"Hi, I'm Robin."

***

“I’m here!  I’m here!” Nami gasped as she flew through the door to the dingy dive three blocks away from Robin’s.  Her cheeks red and flushed, she clumsily maneuvered her way past the tightly crammed barstools and high top tables, nearly knocking some over with her backpack as she bee-lined for the server station next to the bar top.  “Hi Perona!”

 “’Bout time you showed up,” The pink haired bartender grinned, waving in welcome as Nami shrugged off her backpack and jacket, shoving them into a locker tucked around a corner. 

 “I was putting our super important plan into motion, okay?” Nami snapped playfully, tying her server pouch, adorned with a craft beer logo, around her hips.  

 Perona’s painted nails stilled on the wooden countertop, her dyed eyebrows disappearing into her baby bangs of a matching color.  Heavily mascaraed eyes widened in surprised, “Wait, hold on, it worked?”

 “Sure did!” Nami beamed, tucking he pen behind her ear as she surveyed the tables already seated in the pub.  “Robin should be heading to New World Fitness sometime this week.”

 “Oh my gosh,” Perona gushed, “Zoro is going to die.  New World Fitness?  More like Fittin’ ‘is dick into – ”

 “Nope, nope,” Nami held up her palm as she stalked away to greet the newest table, sticking her tongue out at the bartender.  “I love you, but absolutely not.”

***

Oh my god.

 Oh my god.

 Sure, Nami had mentioned that the gym was a good place to find potential suitors.  Sure, Robin had brushed her off.  Sure, Robin had put literally zero stock into her co-star’s words.  

 But she had never expected to be standing in front of a Grecian statue of a man.

 The glistening sheen of sweat – the perfect amount, just dusting his tan skin like flakes of gold – had every muscle on display shining, emphasizing every dip and bulge, carving the man’s body into unknown topography that Robin’s hands instantly wished to explore.  She hadn’t even been aware that sculpted abs could look that good, that natural and right on a body.  In fact, everything about the trainer that had been summoned seemed right, from his three teardrop earrings adorning his left lobe, to the minty spikes atop his head, slicked back ever so slightly with two damp strands brushing his forehead.  Not just anybody could pull off green hair, but this man did so with a quiet confidence that was, as stereotypes put it, unusual for the type who spent their days in the musky fitness facility.

 His sterling silver eyes widened beneath intense brows as he looked her over.

 Oh goodness, she was blushing.  

 Of course she was blushing.  Had anyone else seen this man?  He was, like, the textbook definition of sexy, and that was not a word that Robin often used.  He was probably looking at her like he didn’t even know where to start.  How would he find use for her too long limbs and her heeled boots?  Should she have worn sneakers?

 It took ten seconds of silence, and what felt like an eternity, for Robin to snap out of it and remind herself that she was here to interview and gather information, not train with the man before her.  

 “Hi, I’m Robin,” She offered, uncharacteristically timid as she held out her hand.

 “Rozo,” The man answered, sliding his callused (oh wow, he was so warm) palm against hers.

 The blonde man behind the desk who had greeted Robin, the one she had momentarily completely forgotten about, snickered in amusement before stalking away.  Was he giving them privacy?  

 Wait, no, why would they need privacy?  They were in a public space!  Get it together, Robin!

 “Er, Zoro,” The man muttered, the tips of his fingers brushing hers as he slowly pulled his hand away.  “Zoro.”

 “What was that?” Robin felt dazed, as if her mouth was full of cotton and the dentist had just injected anesthesia into her lips.  

 “My name is Zoro.”

 What a beautiful name, she thought instantaneously.

 “You think?” He chuckled, flashing her a handsome grin, pearly white teeth practically sparkling in the fluorescent lighting of the gym.

 
 “Oh my, did I say that out loud?” Her hand flew up in surprise, her eyes blinking frantically.  

 GET IT TOGETHER, ROBIN! 

 “So, uh,” His eyes darted away, a faint pink highlighting his strong cheekbones as he slid his hands into the pockets of his gym shorts, “You need a trainer?”

 “Actually, um,” Robin’s heart was fluttering like a caged hummingbird.  She didn’t even know this man!  Physical attraction wasn’t everything.  She couldn’t let herself get so hyped up over nothing! “I’m here to interview you, if that’s alright?  About the gym itself and your clientele and your position as a trainer.  It’s for a podcast.”

 Zoro nodded stiffly, still averting his gaze.  He swiveled robotically on his heel, sneakers squeaking against the linoleum as he led her deeper into the gym.  He pointed out the different equipment as they passed, Zoro making a point to emphasize what each device was used for – treadmills, bikes, ellipticals for cardio, taking up the front half of the right side of the gym, weight equipment in the back half, and the whole left side contained an attached spa and large recreation room.

 “A spa?” Robin asked, her pen stilling on her page.  Her hands were shaking like a jackhammer, the notebook trembling along with her movements.  The letters she had written were hardly legible.  How she was going to decipher her notes later, she wasn’t sure.  

 “That’s Curly’s domain,” Zoro answered, gesturing to the rec room, “Consider the building split in half.  I work with clients on the right side, while he manages the spa staff and runs martial arts classes in the rec room.”  He paused before adding sheepishly, “Ah, I guess I hold bootcamps in there too.  So, um, if it’s a massage or a specialized class, you gotta talk to Curly.  If you’re looking for weights and working out, you’ve got me.”

 “I got you,” She repeated dumbly, her brain short-circuiting with the words.  She knew what she had said.  She knew she sounded like a fool.  She simply hoped he hadn’t noticed.

 He grinned, his lips lifting up in a cocky expression that Robin could tell was all play, “And I got you.  So who’s the lucky one?”

***

It was almost a miracle that Curlybrow had given away this opportunity to flirt with a hot woman.  Zoro was not going to think about the ulterior motive behind his action right now.  His brain went Robin and don't embarrass yourself again.

It was mind-blowing how the little things mesmerized him, captivated all his attention. The dark black strands she was tucking behind her ear here and there, after they sometimes fell onto her face when she wrote her notes down. It wasn't the weights that were wearing him out, but the urge to brush the hair away for her.

It was hard to act natural in front of her.

At least, he figured that her camera didn't do her beauty justice.  She was breathtaking on stream already, yet Zoro couldn't find any word that could really describe her presence in person.  There wasn't a single term that could capture all of the stunning woman in front of his eyes.

He was trying his hardest not to stammer, not to break out in a sweat, to not just completely rant about all the nitty-gritty, all he liked about workouts.  She looked at him as if her entire education was on the line, even though he knew it wasn't.  He really like that aspect of her character - no matter how stupid a topic seemed, she did the research to do it justice.

"How would you help an absolute beginner work out?" She had asked.

He could do this.  He was hiding his nervousness well so far.  Don't fuck it up now.

"It really depends on what you are looking for.  The general first step would be to give consulting about what their goal is, and build on that.  You can't train someone who wants to lose weight the same way as someone who is a workoutholic like me."

She giggled softly at that. 

"Oh really? I couldn't tell that you work out sometimes," She joked.

"Hey, I worked really hard for these arms," he shot back at her, flexing.  He was really proud of his physique, and maybe he tried to impress her with his body in the process.

"May I feel the difference between flexed and relaxed? For a proper description of the changes, of course."

"Yeah, go ahead."

Oh no.  She was going to touch him.  Her hand was going to be on him for a while to make an assessment of his body.  It had to be one of Zoro's best days in his entire life. 

He was still flexing his right arm, her hand softly wrapped around it just above his elbow.  The way her grip tightened and got soft again, then slightly moved her way up to his shoulder... He could sit there all day and have her feel all over his body.  For research, of course!

After a few more seconds of silence and her feeling his muscles, he relaxed his arms to see her reaction.

"Oh wow. This feels really different from before, very..... soft," She breathed.

"I am really soft and cuddly when I relax," He chuckled.

Zoro had never hated himself more than this moment.  This was it - she thinks I'm weird, was his only thought.

"I can imagine!  It’s funny how a big guy like you can be squishy like that. Most assume that with a body like yours, you must be as hard as a rock all the time." Robin averted her eyes, paying attention to the soft muscles of his arms.

“You should feel how hard I get after a lot of physical activity..." Zoro nearly yelped as he added, "That sounded a lot more sexual than I intended.” 

She giggled again after realizing what words had left his mouth.  He felt a wave of relief wash over him.  He was making a complete embarrassment to himself, yet she didn't seem to mind. 

“It did, but don't worry, you’re still doing good in my book.” 

“Phew... I hope you didn't write down ‘gym trainers are as stupid as they look and only know sex jokes’.”  He knew internally that he had completely flunked the interview and the only chance to get to know her. 

“Oh no, I could never!  But I did write down that even the hardest mountain of muscles can be as soft-”

Robin had stopped in the middle of the sentence and looked over his shoulder.  He followed her gaze and noticed that a client had approached him.  A small kid named Koby, who was really trying to get muscular and join the marines.  Zoro hadn't even noticed how much time flew by, or how much more packed the gym was at this point.  And only now had he realized that Koby was tapping his shoulder. 

 “Hey Trainer, I think I need a new plan starting soon.  The weights you set for me are getting too easy and I want to work on strength next.” 

“Oh a- yes, just give me a minute!" Zoro stammered, "I will be with you in a sex, er, sec, just- just let me finish this and we will see what we can do."

“Alright” and Koby walked away, starting his warm-up round. 

“Sorry for the interruption, but I think I will have to end the interview here. How many questions are left?” Zoro shot Robin an apologetic smile.

She quickly turned the pages of her note book, looking through them.  “We are like 3 quarters through, but if you don't mind, we could finish this outside the gym? But only if you have the time for it,” She suggested.

“Yes, that would be amazing actually, I can give you my number so you can text me.  Is- is it okay if I just put it in with your notes?”

She gave him a nod and handed him the little book and her pen - a cute little purple book with a cute reindeer pattern.  He didn't want to seem weird by looking at it for too long, and he hurried to write down all the digits of his number.  He tried his best to ignore what was written down by his crush above, but he could have sworn that he saw ‘handsome trainer’ in the word mix... Fuck it, he put a a little heart next to his number.

“Here you go,” He handed the book back to her. 

“Thanks, I will leave you to your work now.” 

“I will accompany you to the door.  Koby is probably at the reception.” 

“Alright,” She smiled back at him.

In a sort of awkward silence, they walked to the door and said their goodbyes. He wanted to kiss her, but that seemed inappropriate.  They did, in fact, settle for a hug, and he could feel the warmth that radiated from her body.

And no, he was not going to think about her nice chest pressing against his body.  No work boner today! 

Once she had turned around, he went back to the reception to grab one of the training plan templates.  The Curlybrow was standing there too, with the smuggest grin that history had ever recorded. 

“You are really down baaad for her.”

“Shut the fuck up, idiot!”

***

• 3:22pm – Robin
  I’m here early 😊

• 3:23pm – Zoro
  Be there soon, just trying to shake Curly

 Robin giggled into her scarf, the wool wrapped around her neck and matching her amethyst sweater.  The sun had warmed the autumn air and she had decided to forgo a jacket, her thick sweater proving to be enough warmth as long as she returned home before the chill of nightfall through the fabric.

 She could picture the blonde man pestering Zoro with questions – Where was he going?  Why did he need to leave work early?  Was he meeting a girl?  What did she look like?  

 Zoro had warned her that his co-worker was a bit of a handful.

• 3:25pm – Robin
  Take your time.

Her thumb hovered over the screen, worrying her bottom lip as she hesitated.  Should she…?  It could be read as friendly, and nothing more, worst case scenario.

• 3:26pm – Robin
  Can’t wait to see you.

 With a shaky exhale, she slid her phone into her back pocket, shuffling her boots against the concrete of the sidewalk in front of the quaint coffee shop at which they had decided to meet. 

 For the second time.

 Robin’s heart leapt into her throat as she considered that they had, indeed, met outside of Zoro’s work hours to better discuss the gym with no distractions.  That had been the pretense, anyway.  They had arrived at the same coffee shop with the pastel pink bricks and the pastries in the window, had smiled shyly at each other as they danced around who would open the door for who.  It wasn’t that big of a deal, but Robin had wanted to show that she was polite and well mannered, and she was certain Zoro was trying to be chivalrous.  In the end, she had let him let her enter the shop first.  

 They had ordered their drinks and taken a seat in the back corner of the little shop, Robin’s notebook open on the table, her illegible script from the gym on full display.  He had cocked a brow.  She had grinned sheepishly.  The blush that had dusted his face had made her lack of shame one hundred percent worth it.

 The conversation had started with the gym, naturally, with Robin trying to pay apt attention to every word he said, scrawling notes in looping cursive as he explained the approach trainers take with their clients.  He had delved into the importance of being open minded and observant, of being able to rearrange a fitness curriculum at the drop of a hat to accommodate different body types, strengths, weaknesses, injuries, etc.  The passion that had lit his silver eyes as he explained that even the smallest movements could strengthen important muscles had Robin fascinated.   She had never considered just how empathetic and flexible gym trainers had to be, though it made perfect sense.

 They were teachers approaching a subject not unlike how Robin prepared classes for her seminars.  It was important to put yourself in your students' shoes, to see the world through their eyes when reading their exam answers, when formulating a work out regiment.  It was all related.  

 Zoro had continued to surprise Robin, steering the conversation next towards stigmas and stereotypes regarding those who work as personal trainers, or those who frequent the gym.  He had gone on to explain that all sorts of people visited the facility – college students in between classes, workers from all sorts of industries post-shift, single parents when they managed to snag a sitter for an hour or two.  It wasn’t just the vain and narcissistic as Robin had assumed, those obsessed with their bodies.  It was anyone who felt the rush of endorphins after a good workout, anyone who was trying to be healthier.  He had laughed then, flashing that handsome smile as he had admitted that there were, of course, the textbook gym bros, but that the majority of the time, the gym was filled with a mix of people from a variety of lifestyles, all co-existing respectfully.  

Robin had found herself able to participate in an intellectual conversation regarding tropes and cliques, and how their formative years had set them up to enter society as if they fit into a specific box, that they had to look inside themselves to break out of the confines of labels to live freely.  She had found him shockingly easy to talk to, his observations on the toxic media representation of gym culture snowballing into thoughts on body image and eating habits.

 By the end of the conversation, Robin had stopped taking notes, too interested in their quick back and forth to pay attention to what she had been jotting down. 

 He had asked if he could see her again.

 “Uh, for your podcast, you know,” He had added nervously, “I could tell you how pricing works for personal trainers and such.”

 Robin had agreed.

 For the podcast, of course.

And so, Robin stood outside the coffee shop – Their coffee shop? – retrieving her phone with embarrassing speed as it vibrated in her pocket.

• 3:27pm – Zoro
  Same
  Which is good because I’m almost there
   

Just as Robin grinned, a high pitched vibration rattling her throat as she held back a squeal of excitement, Zoro jogged into view, his head swiveling this way and that as he crossed the street.

 Even the simplest things made her heart swell.  Had her last dates really been so lackluster that she was impressed with his ability to look both ways while scooting through traffic?  Or was he so amazing that every simple task was painted in gold?

 “Hey,” He sounded breathless as he darted forward to grab the door of the café before she could.  

 Robin frowned, though passed through the threshold with a plan bubbling up in her mind.  As the barista beckoned them forward, she hung back, smiling to Zoro, “You go ahead.  I’m not sure what I want quite yet.”

 When he moved forward to place his order – medium roast coffee, black – she sidled up next to him, chirping “And a blueberry green tea, please,” as she handed the barista cash.  

 Zoro made a strangled noise that sounded vaguely like a shocked protest, but she had been too fast.  

 “What?  You paid last time,” Robin sang, prompting the barista to smile as she began to craft their beverages.

 “But it’s… Um, it’s not…” Zoro faltered, his brown drawn together in confusion as he searched for the words.

 “We’ve already talked about stereotypes and assumptions, yes?”

 “Oh, it’s not like that…?” His eyes darted from the floor to hers, hesitant and searching.

 She gave him her answer with a wink, “But isn’t it?”

 The barista calling their order gave them a welcome reprieve from the barely concealed tension brewing between them.  

 “Blueberry, eh?” Zoro asked as he retrieved their drinks.

 “Chock full of anti-oxidants,” She nodded, “Goes well with matcha in smoothies, too.”

 Zoro nodded, pursing his lips in thought, “Huh.  Maybe I should add those to my vanilla protein shake…”

 “Would be good,” Robin mused, her eyes searching the café for a place to sit.  It was busier than last time, plenty of students from the nearby university working on projects, laptops propped up on tables signaling that they had no other plans for the foreseeable future.

 Zoro seemed to notice the predicament.  “Want to go for a walk?” 

***

“Are you sure you aren’t cold?” Zoro voiced his concern about her well-being.  She was wearing this very cute sweater, yet he wasn't sure if it was keeping her warm enough in the brisk autumn weather.  The sun may have been out, but a few clouds that darkened the sky made the air quite frigid. 

“It’s chilly, but I do think I will be fine,” She hugged herself a little and he could tell that she didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

“Do you want my jacket? I don't mind it, really, I jog in this weather!”

“No, please don't! It’s really fine," Robin blushed.

“Don't bullshit me.  I can see how you're trying to hide it," Zoro teased, "Come closer at least! Is it okay if I put an arm around you?”

Consent first, cuddling second.  As she nodded, she had put one of her own arms around his back (and under his jacket to get some of his warmth) and leaned into him. His hand rested on her small waist and gently pulled her toward himself.  He was still not sure if he should give her his jacket.

She would look good in it.

“You're sure that you don't work out?” It was still confusing to him that she was in such good shape. She wasn't too skinny. Her hips proved that, and he didn't think he could ever get a good night's sleep without thinking about her hips and legs. 

They went on drinking their coffee and tea respectively while Zoro was leading her to his jogging track to ‘show her his routine for the podcast.’

“And how many rounds do you jog here?” Robin asked.

“On a normal day 2, on a good day 3, and on a perfect day 4!" He beamed proudly.

“I get out of breath if I have to run just a short distance," She laughed. 

“Jogging is not for everyone.  If increasing stamina is your goal, then yes, it is a good idea, but - oh god, why does stuff like this always sound so wrong - but there are other activities to increase stamina.”  At least he had warned her that time.

Her soft giggle echoed in his ears.  He loved that sound to the end of the world and back. 

“I mean, if you have so much stamina, your partner must be very lucky.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“My sex joke habit is rubbing off on you.  Maybe it's lucky I don’t have a partner currently," Zoro winked, "But if you want to increase your stamina, I can help you with it.  Not in that way!  But I could help you.”

Was she asking in order to check if he was single?  Was she trying to get him to sleep with her? Oh shit - Did he clean his room?  It would have to be her place.  His room was cluttered with clothes and, oh god, Perona could be home!  No!

They both joked about how everything that left Zoro's mouth seemed to be a double entendre.  As they walked into the park, Zoro pointed out all of the places where he had tripped or even fallen down, bruised his knees, got chased by dogs or cats.  They had a fun time together and laughed a lot.  Stopped by to throw away their trash.  And as Robin was finishing her Interview with Zoro, he was trying to come up with anything on the spot to continue the conversation. 

“Is there anything you would like to know about fitness?” He prodded.

“I think we might be done," She smiled nicely, "I don't think there are any questions left.”

Zoro was disappointed that he no longer had an excuse to talk to her and hang out with her. He wasn't even sure if he got another chance to hang out with her. 

Should he ask her for a real date? Is this a date? Would she like to date? Does she even like him?

“Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" Zoro blurted, desperate to continue spending time with her, "I think I do deserve a handful of questions!”

“Okay, what would you like to know about me?”  She asked sweetly, as if she didn't know that the real answer would be everything and anything that you love and how he could get her to love him. 

He settled on, “What is this podcast even about that you wanted to interview me?” 

She blushed and slightly tried to hide her face by looking in a different direction.

“It’s a little thing me and a friend do.  We have a few followers, it’s a bit educational and a bit for fun.”

A few followers?  A fucking lie.  She was popular, though she seemed a lot shyer in person compared to her online persona.  DevilChild was outspoken and extroverted, while Robin was a good listener and introverted, despite being a literal goddess.  He tightened his grip on her waist. Hoping to give comfort and helping her to feel comfortable with him.

“Sounds fun, but next question, how tall are you exactly?  Tell me the real number no hiding - go ahead and murder my ego.”

He got to hear another wave of glorious laughter from her.  At least she genuinely laughed with him.

“I think I’m 1,88m.”

“And here you are, with thick-soled shoe making me look so small next to you!” He rocked his hip against hers playfully.

She giggled, “I may be taller by a bit, but you are twice as wide as I am.  Look!  Your shoulders are massive!”

“I work hard for them and you secretly love them, I know it!” He grinned, laughing as Robin teasingly hit his arm, as if it would have any effect on him. 

“What about music? What are songs that you like?” He had asked her, maybe to get the truth behind the ukulele that she sang with.  He was rather fond of it. 

“I don't have a favorite genre, but I don't like sounds that are too harsh, like heavy drum and bass.  And you?”

He clicked his tongue, “Hey, I'm asking the questions now.  It may ruin my big gym persona more, but I listen to a large amount of music that includes the ukulele.”

The second he mentioned the mini guitar, her eyes shined brighter than a thousand stars and the sun combined.  Why were her eyes so close to her lips, drawing his attention to her Cupid's bow.  Just a small peck would have been enough!  Who was he kidding he would have been fine with a kiss on her forehead, or cheek, or anything.  She couldn’t be close enough to him and each second that he wasn’t touching her would be painful, and, worst of all, he knew these moments would come soon. 

Soon they would say their final goodbye and he knew that he would have missed his chance with her. Yet he couldn't bring himself to confess to her. They barely knew one another and he would feel like a total stalker admitting that he was hiding the fact that he liked her stream. 

“You like ukuleles? That is very uncanny,” Robin mused, knocking him out of his thoughts.

“I know, but there is something fascinating about their sound.  I can’t help it.”

“I have one, got it from my mom before she passed away.”

He could clearly see how the sadness took control over her and he had been in her chat, had seen a few comments that made fun of the little instrument.  He would definitely find anyone who had insulted it and kick their ass.  The songs she had performed had gotten a new meaning to him, knowing this emotional baggage she carried around. He just pulled her in close to his chest and gave her a big hug. He wrapped both of his arms around her body and almost felt like he squeezed to death. She placed her head on his shoulder and placed both of her arms around his neck. 

She whispered a quiet “Thank you," into his ear.

“It’s fine.”

“Do you have any plans for today or are you free the entire day? I would like to show you my favorite spot in the park but we should wait until the sun goes down.” 

She looked down to him and their eyes met, silly smiles on both of their faces. 

“It should be fine, just got to text someone that I will be home later than anticipated.”

The later it got, the chillier it got.  In the end, he ended up giving his jacket to Robin and she did look good in it, a little loose, but now someone could assume that they were dating.  Zoro secretly hoped that at least one person thought that the angel beside him was romantically interested in him.

They went out of the park and down some streets and heavily judged the fashion displayed in the windows. 

It was a perfect moment for both of them.  The best parts to Zoro were the few times their hands touched without creating an awkward situation.  Soon after that, she had linked her arm with him as they walked together.

The sun started to set, and forgetting time existed due to being caught up with one another, Zoro grabbed her hand as they ran back to the park. People must have thought they were crazy, but did that really matter?  Absolutely not.

Zoro was only slowing down when he saw that he had reached the spot he was looking for. 

Robin was breathing hard and tried to calm it.  And only now he let go of her soft hands. 

“Next time you go full-on sprinter give me a warning!” she panted.

“Sorry, but this will be worth it. Trust me!”

They were in a hidden corner away from the park, with only a small wooden bench and no one around. He went ahead and sat down. She slowly followed him to the bench that was covered in the last ray of sunlight of the day. Zoro was covered in the golden light of the disappearing sun and she joined him as the sky shifted from pink to red to orange and gold. All the colors reflected on the leaves that were shining in the same colors. They looked onto bare land as they were at the end of the city, far away from the noise and lights. Only fields in front of them, bare nature, and just the sounds of nature going to sleep. Zoro pointed to a village in the far distance that she would have missed if Zoro didn't point it out.

“That's where I come from. The country boy turned city gym addict.” 

“Sounds like a lovely story.” She fully leaned against his body and rested her head against his arm.  Zoro wondered if she was imagining a mud-covered little green-haired boy dreaming of the city.

A small yawn escaped her lips, it had been a long day for the both of them. 

The last warmth of the day slowly faded away as Robin pulled in her legs to warm herself. 

“Do you want me to drop you off at the subway station?” he had questioned.

“That would be nice, just like this” she snuggled harder against him. 

‘I think you look nicer and a lot more beautiful," He thought to himself.

“Thank you.”

Oh no, he had said it.

“Would you like a piggyback ride to the station on the one and only boulder of New World Fitness?” He offered, trying to cover up his mistake.  He looked at her waiting for a response. 

“Wouldn't that be too much for you?”

“Don't worry, I can handle it.” 

After a few more questions to make sure he was really okay with it, she cautiously agreed to being carried. He loved the feeling of her relaxed against his back and her sleepy responses to his little questions. He let her down once they reached the street again. They walked the rest, holding hands. A little stumbling from her here and there as they went slowly. 

He wanted to drag out every second they had left together. Her hands were warming his, the other was in the pocket of the jacket she was going to give him back the second she would step onto the subway. 

They waited together not wanting to miss any chance that she hinted to kiss her, but she never initiated anything.  Simply handed back the jacket and hugged him goodbye. 

He stayed a little longer so he could wave her a final goodbye and she lazily waved back with a soft smile.

He turned around and went ahead to leave the station.  He was mad, no, very mad at himself. Why couldn't he take the first step?  Why?

It was his only chance and he fucked it up.

It was within reach and yet…

He fucked up!

***

“Shit! Fuck! Motherfucker!” The curses poured from Nami’s lips like a waterfall, the syllables dripping from her tongue with practiced ease as they accompanied the thud of a palm hammering a desk.  

 Robin’s eyebrows shot towards her hairline as she looked at the woman next to her, scowling at her own laptop screen while Robin set her respective computer up for the stream.  

 “Our guest speaker just canceled,” Nami hissed, steam practically rising from her ears as she fumed, hazelnut eyes narrowed into slits.  She slammed her hand on the desk once more, “FUCK!”

 Robin blinked.  She was rather accustomed to Nami’s foul language, but even this was a lot.  “That’s okay.  We can fill the time by taking questions from the chat,” She suggested, reaching out a hand to rest it on her co-star’s shoulder.  

 Nami scowled, “Sure, but then this is going to be one of the boring streams, you know?  We don’t have anything else exciting planned for today.”

 Robin frowned, her eyes focusing on the ukulele case in the corner of the studio.

 Should she…?

 Earlier that day, Robin’s roommate, Brook, had entered the living room, rising from the dead at 3pm (the life of a jazz musician – play all night, sleep all day) to the sound of her ukulele’s twang.  

 She had been living with Brook for four years now, ever since her mother’s untimely death when she was 18.  The man had been a close family friend of her mother’s since before Robin had been born and when the cancer reared its ugly head, the old musician had taken her child in, no questions asked.  He was a kind man, albeit a bit eccentric, and allowed Robin to do as she pleased, never attempting to parent her unless she came to him for advice.  

 He had, however, taught her how to play her mother’s ukulele, the white birch model reminding Robin of Olvia’s snowy locks.  The moment Robin had expressed interest in keeping her mother’s memory alive through her instrument, Brook had scheduled a number of lessons, even digging up some of Olvia’s original songs that had never been released to the public.  

 They had bonded through music and stories of Olvia tearing up open mic nights, her sultry voice accompanied by Brook’s piano and the lighthearted hum of her ukulele.  And Robin?  Robin took to the instrument like a fish to water.  When she started writing her little songs for DevilCat Talks, Brook had been thrilled, allowing them to stream in his home studio, using his microphones and equipment every week.  

 Thus, it had come as little surprise when Brook had heard Robin working away on a new song as he wandered about the kitchen, preparing his ‘morning’ tea.

 “Hey, Brook?” Robin had called out, the man poking his head around the corner instantaneously, afro bobbing with his swift movement, “Can I get your opinion on this?”

 He had brought his tea into the living room, sipping from his personalized china as she sang, fingers strumming vinyl strings.   “Cute,” He had smiled when she had finished, “But is it the song you’re worried about, or the subject?”

 She had flushed under his amused stare, the words pouring out of her before she could stop herself.  “I met someone while I was gathering information for the podcast, and I think he likes me, but I can’t be sure, and so I wrote this song for him to play on the show… But I never told him about the podcast because I want him to like me and not who I pretend to be, so why would I play the song if he might not even be watching?  I should have just put together a normal segment, but Nami wanted me to write a song, and I tried to make it about the gym in general but I couldn’t stop thinking about him and… and… What am I doing?  I’ve never written a song about someone before.  I always just write about the subject!”  The ukulele had squeaked in protest as she had leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands and her elbows on her knees.  

 A smile had split across old, wrinkled skin.

There was just something about Brook – He understood all she had been through, all she had done.  He understood her, and he would tell her if she was being the slightest bit dense. 

 “Oh, my dear Robin,” He had chuckled hoarsely, “You have a crush!”

 “I am aware of that, thank you,” She had answered dryly.

 “It’s been some time since you’ve been so smitten,” He had gazed at her thoughtfully, “It’s lovely to see you opening your heart to others.”

 Robin had frowned, “I just don’t know if I should bother playing it on the stream, or if I should play it for him privately.”

 Brook had held a boney finger to his chin, “I’m afraid I don’t see the problem here,” His brow furrowed as he tilted his head, afro shifting to the right.  “You wrote a song for your show tonight, yes?  It just so happens to be about him.  If he is not watching, it is simply a cute little song that the viewers will find amusing.  If he does happen to be watching, you kill two birds with one stone.”

 Robin had winced.

 “Ah, so sorry,” Brook had apologized, “I forgot you are not a fan of that particular idiom.  I mean to say, just because you play it on the stream, does not mean you can’t play it for him as well, if he is not already watching the stream.”

 “You don’t think it’s too cheesy?  Do you think he’ll like it?” 

 “Robin,” Brook had laughed, tapping the same finger against her forehead, “You are cheesy.  You are a romantic.  Your mind is a pastel swirl of crayons on which you are pouring black ink.  You are a wildly intelligent woman who yearns for the simplicity of love, yet sees the intricacies that make it less than easy.  You stop yourself from putting yourself out there because you like to pick apart every little decision, every motivation, every interaction.  You like to over analyze until it no longer seems as appealing.  Tell me, my dear, why wouldn’t he like it?”

 “Well, it is a little minimalist… The lyrics are no poetry…”

 “You’re giving yourself reasons why he wouldn’t like it,” The old man had shook his head, “Robin, if he likes you, he will like it.  And that, is how simple love truly is.”

 Robin tapped her fingers against the desk as she listened to Nami fret over last minute content, searching for funny workout videos she could stream to fill the gap in their show.  

 Robin had an easy answer, of course.  She could play the song.  She could put herself out there and sing about her feelings regardless of what other people thought of it, with the hope that maybe, just maybe Zoro was watching.  She could use the stream as a test audience, see how they liked it, make some changes before playing it for Zoro next time she saw him.  

 Nami was stressed and Robin had a simple solution, so she did what any good friend would do, ignoring the way her heart thundered against her ribs, threatening to break them because she was really going to put herself out there and confess her attraction for a guy on a live stream.  

 “I wrote a song,” Robin offered, and Nami’s flaming eyes melted into pools of warm honey at her words.

 “My fucking savior,” She grasped Robin’s trembling hands, ignoring how they shook, “Let’s elope next week.”

 Robin mustered a weak smile as Nami set up their stream, watching the clock tick down to the moment that she was going to throw caution to the wind and take a chance.  

 Then, the clock struck and Nami was hitting the button that signaled the start of their show and the number of viewers began to climb and the chat sped by and oh wow, it was really happening. 

 “Hi everyone! I’m NamiCat!” Nami started, looking to Robin expectantly.

• namicatsbiggestfan:  NAMI-SWAAAAAN 😍
• pirateking: yayyyy can’t wait!
• desertprincess: Look at these beautiful queens!
• xXGhostGirlXx: That’s my wifey right there!

“And I’m DevilChild,” Robin was certain she looked faintly green.  She wasn’t sure she had ever been this nervous before.

“And you’re watching DevilCat Talks!” They finished together.

The plunged into easy banter, though Robin felt as though she was a little slower than usual.  It was the norm for Nami to take the lead, and Robin had never been more grateful.  The first half of the segment typically revolved around history and the relevance of the subject in today’s society, littered with meme references and whatever YouTube videos Nami wished to share.

However, this time it seemed that Nami had been planning on opening with their guest speaker.

“Today, Robin’s got a little treat for us!” Nami gestured to her, Robin’s heart dropping into her gut.

Oh goodness.  It was now or never.

“Well, I have a song prepared for you all today,” She smiled into the camera, carefully tuning her ukulele as she rested it against her chest. 

• tonytony: AH I LOVE WHEN ROBIN SINGS
• massacre//soldier:  fuck yeah DevilChild’s got pipes
• bartoclub: Bless us with ur voice, Robin-senpai!
• namicatsbiggestfan: OMG ROBIN-CHANNN ❤

“It’s, um, well,” Robin steeled her resolve, taking a deep breath in, attempting to steady herself.  

She could do this.

“Let me tell you a story,” She tucked her hair behind her ears, securing any stray strands beneath her headset so they would not get in the way of her playing.  “Our subject was gym culture, right?  So, I went to a gym to do some research.  I ended up speaking to a lovely trainer, who helped me very much, as I felt completely out of my element in such a place.  We ended up meeting for a coffee to discuss my project.  And one more,” Robin blushed as the chat howled.  She could practically hear their cat calls.  “And I know I typically write about the topic of our Talk-its, but this time I did something a little different.”

She began to strum, the comforting twang of the ukulele filling the studio.

“This one’s for my gym crush.”

As Nami’s eyes lit up with excitement, caught entirely off guard by her declaration, Robin began to sing.

(Listen to the song HERE.)

“Physical activity,
Important for your health
A reluctant observation to a bookworm like myself
But flipping pages builds no mass
I learned in public Phys Ed class
Was never good at dodgeball,
So the captains always picked me last.”

“So what was I to do,
When I walked into the sweat soaked room
And saw you making eyes,
From the Stair Master on which you climbed.”

“I’m probably not your type,
Never touched a weight in my whole life
Abs are nauseating,
And the treadmill’s got me hating
How good those muscles look on you
You boyish grin turns me to goo
And I can’t shake the feeling,
That my instinct’s so misleading,
I’m not your type.”

“You may be a sociopath
To willingly commit,
To a daily workout regiment,
To prove to all ‘you lift’
But if you need more weight to haul, 
Then I could lend a hand,
Bench press me anytime you want
Rep me high above your head.”

“Have you read Albert Camus?
What’s your stance on global issues?
Would you like to read the news?
I sectioned off the sports for you
What’s your favourite team?
Let’s discuss over a spot of tea
And at a later date,
You’d turn to me and say…”

“I’m probably not your type,
Never read a book in my whole life
Textbooks nauseate me,
Academics got me hating
How easy it can be to judge,
Let’s talk about it over lunch
We’ve got so much in common,
Even if it isn’t obvious.”

***

Zoro had gotten the notification that the DevilCat Podcast was live.  Every second he thought about how he had missed his chance with Robin, he felt worse.  Typically, in situations like this, he would listen to her, but now it only made him feel worse. On the last day they met, he went home sulking and sad. Perona hadn't even bullied him for it and had actually left him alone. 

She had even made him soup once. 

She had knocked on his door a few times to check up on him and see how he was doing, if he wanted to talk about it or anything. Anytime she entered, he simply told her to go away and leave him alone. 

Despite everything, he still clicked on the stream, desperately hoping that she would talk positively about their encounter, or even just mention him as ‘the nice trainer who helped her research’. 

Silently he watched as she started to play her little instrument with her antlers on, seeming to have missed the first two or three minutes.  He had never had the chance to ask about the meaning behind the antlers.  Could it be related to her favorite animal? 

“I’m probably not your type,” she sang.  He had not paid attention the past few seconds. 

How was that related to gyms and working out?  He quickly looked at the chat and he saw heart emojis and ‘she has a crush?!’ lines fly across his screen.  He was confused, really should have checked if it was the right episode he was watching, or maybe gym culture was next week?

The following lyrics mention abs, weights, and treadmills?  Was it about gyms now or not? As soon as possible he jumped up to the computer to watch the real-time live and catch what was said in the beginning. He skipped their intro and got right to the point and yes!  It was the right episode!

“This one’s for my gym crush.”

Wait what? 

Gym crush?

She had never visited a gym, how could she have a gym crush?

The only gym she visited was-

OH! 

In that exact second, Zoro realized that he was probably the gym crush.

“Bench press me anytime you want,” Said the voice from the phone.

It could have been him, but what if it is Curlybrow? Though... he did the spa, and she knew that!  There were only two people she had met there.  That left him as the only option! 

She thought that he was hot.

“And at a later date,” She sang.

A date? A Date! She wanted to date him!

He had to text her NOW!  Where was his phone?  Shit, in his hands of course!

With the speed of light, he looked for her number and now…

What should he say?!

“Yes, I would like to bench press you”?  Fuck, no, deleting that one. 

“I don't hate books that much!”?  Too out of context, another no.

“Hey, Sanji sent me the link to your stream and I hope you really mean what you said in the song”?  Better.  He would have loved to express all of his feeling towards her in the text, but this one was most subtle, hinting to a mutual feeling he could come up with in the moment.

He had pressed SEND.  No going back now!

He went back to her stream and in the back, he could see how her phone lit up for just a second.  She has to read it now! 

•   1gorilla2gorilla: Robin, CHECK YOUR PHONE!
•   1gorilla2gorilla: Robin you should check your phone what if it is important
•   namicatsbiggestfan: ^ simp
•   tonytony: the gorilla person is right! Robin your phone!

A few people had joined in on mentioning her phone, just enough to get Nami’s attention.  “Robin go check your phone, there seems to be an issue with it.”

He had watched as she stood up and the same he got a notification. 

• 9:24pm - Robin

           You are my type, I just hope I'm yours.

Stream delay, she had already read it.  He was her type!  She had thought he was hot and nice and a dateable guy!  Did he mention that she liked him already?  He looked back at the stream, saw how she started to smile and type in the reply that she had sent him. She walked back to her desk and continued the stream. 

He wanted to meet her now and he needed to tell her in person what her pure existence did to him. 

Her text was followed by “How fast can you get to the bar near the park I showed you? I will be waiting there.  Trust me it will be worth it.” 

It was necessary that he made sure that he looked nice, or at least presentable to her.  It was such short notice, yet no excuse to look bad in front of her.  He could at least put extra emphasis on his body, that she liked!  He didn't even know if she would show up at all if anything, what if she only checked her phone the next morning, or worse, the next day? 

Almost falling down the stairs, he had checked the stream again. It was turned off. On her channel, Nami was still online.  He jumped into her chat asking what had happened to the podcast.

“Oh, today's episode will be postponed. Robin had to leave, she got the chance for ‘first-hand experiences or something like that,” She had laughed, “But honestly she is down bad for ‘research’.”

She had left the stream.

Now he had to wait.

***

The subway needed to move faster.  It was too slow.  Delay after delay and oh my goodness, she needed to get to Zoro and NOW.

 Robin practically ran down the street towards the bar, not caring if she arrived out of breath and panting, clutching her midsection.  Time was of the essence.  She didn’t want to wait any longer.

 Her thoughts were racing as she turned a corner.  Had he known who she was the entire time?   Had Sanji known and had never said anything?  Zoro had said that the blonde had sent him the link to her stream, had mentioned in the past that his coworker was obsessed with a famous streamer.  Wait, was namicatsbiggestfan Sanji?!

 She would have to unpack that later, for the bar loomed into sight, along with the man of her dreams. 

 Who was standing on the sidewalk, a bouquet of flowers in hand and a dazzling grin on his face.  His sterling silver eyes light up – happier than she had ever seen them – the moment he caught sight of her.  

 He beamed, lifting his hand over his head in a dramatic wave, as if she hadn’t noticed the perfect specimen mere meters away.  

 She tried to pump the brakes, really she did.  However, she was already too close and she was just so overwhelmed with excitement and oh no, she was going to squish the flowers, but it didn’t matter.  Nothing mattered in that moment except for Zoro and Robin, for Robin was throwing herself into Zoro’s strong arms, pushing the bouquet against his chest, and Zoro was laughing a hearty chuckle that warmed her insides.  

 The transparent cellophane crinkled in protest as their bodies slammed together, the pretty violet and ivory petals relatively protected by the material.  With a quick shrug of one shoulder, Zoro managed to free the arm that was wedged between them, looping it around her waist, simultaneously freeing the flowers and pulling her close.   He gripped at the small of her back, tip of the bouquet’s wrapping tickling her shoulder blades as he nuzzled his nose – red and cold from the brisk autumn air – into her neck.  

 Her hands felt the heat pulsing beneath his skin, fingers threading into the soft short locks at the nape of his neck as she brought their foreheads together.  She couldn’t stop giggling breathlessly, her chest heaving, her heart hammering against her ribs.  She was certain that Zoro could see the clear euphoria in her eyes, could feel the way her body had already begun to melt into his.

 Zoro’s grin seemed permanent, his breath coming in a raspy chuckle as he leaned in to nudge their noses together.  She could feel him embracing their union, the way they were very quickly becoming one, his hands tugging her closer and closer.  Impossibly close, yet somehow still not close enough.  His eyes resembled molten iron, heated in a furnace and ready to mold to Robin’s shape.  And Robin?  Well, Robin was ready to devour him whole.

 “You got me flowers?” Her voice was little louder than a whisper, for his ears only. 

 “I wanted to do better than the bodega next door, but time.”  A flash of guilt in those burning silver eyes.

 She shook her head, “They’re perfect.”

 And then, she couldn’t wait anymore.  She leaned in, closing the distance between them, eyelashes dusting flushed cheeks as she slotted their lips together.

 Robin had heard the stories, had read the fairy tales.  She was familiar with the idealistic concept of butterflies in one’s stomach and fireworks upon kissing one’s true love.  She had thought it all folly.

 Until she had felt Zoro’s lips against hers, tasted him, felt the way his tongue flicked, dancing along with hers as one of his hands snaked its way from her lower back to cup her jaw.  Until she had deepened the kiss, pouring her soul, her essence into him with a soft sigh.  Until she had nibbled playfully on his bottom lip, eliciting a rumbling chuckle that vibrated deep in his throat.

 She saw them then, a burst of gold and crimson and silver, lighting up the night sky behind her eyelids.  She felt them then, fluttering against her stomach lining, trying to escape up her esophagus and explode in a show of spotted wings and pure love.

 Robin could have kissed him forever.

 Unfortunately, the sidewalk in front of a bar was a very public place for such a display of affection.  There were a handful of muffled “awww”s from passersby as they allowed their moment to linger for as long as possible.  They didn’t care.  

 At least, they didn’t, until there was a shout of, “GET A ROOM!” and Zoro pulled his delicious lips away to shout in response, “FUCK OFF, PERONA!”

 Robin giggled, refusing to move from where she was pressed against him.  

 “Sorry, that’s my roommate.  We live right upstairs.” He murmured, squeezing her frame once before he stiffened, eyes lighting up mischievously.  “Actually, speaking of her, she’ll be working for a while…”

 Placing another quick kiss – far too chaste for her liking – on his lips, she wiggled her brows, musing, “Can I get a tour of chez Zoro?”

 He stole her lips once more, an enthusiastic grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.  “You can have whatever you want.”

 “And if I want you?”

 “Robin,” His voice was low and husky, his hand pushing the bouquet into her back as if he couldn’t restrain himself, as if he had to have her as close as physically possible.  Robin felt a shiver creep up her spine.  How had she gotten so lucky?  “You have me.”

BEAUTIFUL ART OF DEVILCHILD BY KATAKURI_SIMP_1 <3 <3 <3