A Quiet Crush

CHAPTER 11:KIDS

The Thousand Sunny was sailing smoothly through calm waters, the crew enjoying a rare day of relaxation. It had been a few weeks since Luffy's enthusiastic wedding question, and things between Zoro and Robin had continued as they always had-quiet, steady, and full of unspoken understanding.

But Luffy, being Luffy, was never one to let a good question go unanswered. He had been mulling over a new thought for days now, and as the crew sat around the table enjoying their dinner, his curiosity finally got the best of him.

"Hey, Zoro! Robin!" Luffy shouted across the table, causing several crew members to look up from their meals.

Zoro, who had been lazily picking at his food, groaned inwardly. "What is it now, Luffy?" he asked, already bracing for another of Luffy's random questions.

Robin, who had been talking with Franky, looked up with a small smile. "What's on your mind, Luffy?"

Luffy's face lit up, his eyes wide with excitement. "I've been thinking! You two are so awesome together, right? You're both so strong, and you look out for each other... So, when are you gonna have kids?"

The entire table went silent. A fork clattered to the plate. Usopp nearly spit out his drink. Sanji froze mid-chew, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Zoro choked on his food, spluttering. "What the hell are you talking about?" He reached for his drink to clear his throat, but his face was already turning red.

Robin blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly, though she managed to keep her composure. "Luffy... kids?"

Luffy nodded eagerly, completely oblivious to the stunned reactions of everyone around him. "Yeah! Kids! Little Zoros running around, swinging swords, and little Robins reading books with the same calm smile! It'd be so awesome!"

The crew was utterly silent for a few moments. Then Usopp, recovering from the shock, put his hands on his head, eyes wide. "Wait, wait, WAIT. Did Luffy just say kids?" He looked between Zoro and Robin, then burst out laughing. "Oh man, this is gonna be great!"

Sanji's face was flushed, and he looked like he was about to faint. "I-I can't imagine little Zoros running around causing chaos! And little Robins-ah, they'd be so beautiful!" He dramatically fanned himself. "Can you imagine it? The cutest babies ever!"

Zoro, clearly uncomfortable, let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "We're not thinking about kids, Luffy," he said gruffly, though there was a faint blush on his cheeks. "We've got enough to deal with already."

Robin, always the calm one, smiled softly, her eyes sparkling with a quiet amusement. "Luffy's enthusiasm aside," she said gently, "we're still focused on the adventure ahead. The future is a lot to think about, but we're happy with where we are now."

Luffy pouted, not quite satisfied with the answer. "But think of all the fun! We could have little mini swordsmen on board! And they'd be so cute!" He turned to the rest of the crew, eyes sparkling. "Can you imagine it, everyone? Kids running around the Sunny!"

Chopper's eyes were shining with excitement. "That'd be amazing! I could be their doctor and take care of them!"

Brook grinned widely. "I'll teach them to play the guitar and tell them scary ghost stories!"

Even Franky got into the spirit of it. "I'd build them the coolest toys! They'd be some tough little kids, that's for sure!"

Zoro groaned, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "This isn't happening, alright? Robin and I aren't planning on having kids anytime soon!"

Robin chuckled softly, reaching over to gently squeeze his hand, her smile reassuring. "Zoro's right, Luffy. We're not thinking about that for now. But we appreciate your enthusiasm."

Luffy, still undeterred, grinned widely. "Fine, fine! I'll just wait until you change your mind! But when you do, you better let me throw a huge party for the little ones!"

Zoro couldn't help but smirk. "We'll see about that, Luffy."

Robin, ever the calm and graceful one, added with a wink, "Maybe one day, but for now, we'll leave that idea for the future."

The crew erupted into laughter once again, the tension breaking as everyone continued to joke and tease. For Zoro and Robin, the idea of kids was a distant thought, something far off in the horizon. But for Luffy, it was yet another adventure waiting to be had.

As the night carried on, with the crew teasing Zoro and Robin playfully, the couple shared a quiet smile between them. They didn't need kids to define their relationship-they had each other, and that was more than enough for now.

Still, there was a part of them, deep down, that couldn't help but think: **maybe, one day.**