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"Okay this should do it, this'll knock her socks off." Franky muttered to himself. He rotated a lily carved from wood in his hands, the curves of the petals thin and delicate. the process of carving and sanding and staining had taken hours of devotion to complete, but it was all for a great cause. Because today, Franky was finally going to tell Robin how he felt about her.
His plan was a super one, first he'd give her the flower, then he'd ask her to meet him up in the crow's nest where he'd have a nice dinner with some wine and cheese prepared. When they were done, and Robin was laughing and smiling and having a good time, he'd go for it and tell her how much he adores her. That she's beautiful and perfect and his dream girl. That he loves her.
It was a slow onset, just a lot of hanging out at first. Robin was fun to be around, she had a wicked sense of humor, always cheated at card games and had a way of smiling crinkled her eyes just so. One day she walked by him with that smile on her face and touched his shoulder, a single finger tracing a line.
That line burned into Franky's skin. It worked it's way through his nervous system until everything in him had lit up. Sitting and staring at the wall of the ship with his screw driver in hand, finally gave him time to realize what had been going on with him.
And now he was going to confess his love. Or so he said. So he'd said the million times before now that he'd tried. Each time, he'd see her there with her silky hair and golden skin and his words would catch in his throat.
This time would be different. This time he would totally say it and convince her to give him a real chance and it would be perfect. Just like her.
"You still looking at that?" Usopp asked, coming up from behind Franky and peeking over his shoulder. "I thought you'd have given it to her by now."
Franky shot him a glare and cradled the fragile sculpture to his chest. "Don't look at it, you'll get your bad vibes on it."
Usopp huffed in indignation and came around to crouch in front of him. "Dude you have got to just tell her, it's getting sad."
"I will!" Franky protested, his cheeks heating. Usopp had caught him once after a failed attempt to come clean to Robin. Explaining away why you were face down on the floor of your workshop and smacking your head against it was a toughy. Since then, he'd been teasing him relentlessly about it and lord knows he wasn't gonna let him live it down.
"I'm gonna go up there right now and put some moves on her. Flower, then dinner, then love. and everything will be super." He jumped up suddenly. "I'm gonna do it and it's totally gonna work."
Usopp jumped with him, trying to match his energy. "Hell yeah! You're gonna tell Robin you love her and it's totally gonna work!"
The determined look on Franky's face twitched. "Are you sure?"
With a big sigh, Usopp pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Yes I'm sure man. I don't know why you're so freaked out about this, it's not like Robin bites." He paused to consider this. "Actually scratch that she probably does but still."
He grabbed Franky's shoulders and stared at him fiercely. "You are a strong man who is capable of asking a woman out. You are going to stop pining after he like a weirdo and just tell her and then you'll be free. I believe in you big bro."
"Right. Right. I got this. Way too super to be freaking out. Right." Franky repeated to himself all the way to the library. The worst thing she could say is no, and that would be okay because she was a great friend regardless and it'd be totally okay. He reached up and knocked on the door waiting for the soft voice he knew was behind it to answer.
"Come in."
A squeeze right around his heart. He never got tired of it. Repeating once again his mantra, Franky open the door and his mind went blank. Robin was sitting curled up on the cushioned bench by the window, her shiny black hair pulled into a bun and her glasses perched on the tip of her nose. She was just as beautiful as she always was, and when she smiled at him, her eyes crinkling, he forgot his own name.
"Franky! What brings you up here?" She asked, closing the book in her lap.
It took him a second to realize she was talking to him, or that words were being said at all.
"Right! Yeah Uh." Franky sputtered swallowing hard and looking around. This was why he had never been able to tell her before. Never before had a woman inspired such a level of nervousness in him. He wanted her to like him, to approve of him, to enjoy his company. and how could he possibly do that when just looking at her rendered him incapable of human speech.
Using monumental effort that he'd never before seen, Franky held out the wooden lily to Robin, saying nothing. She looked at it confused at first, but the smart lady that she was, seemed to realize that it was meant for her. when she reached to take it from him, her fingers slid against his and that electric sensation he'd gotten the first time she'd touched him like that, ripped up his arm and hit him right in the stomach.
He was a goner.
"Oh it's lovely." She cooed, running her fingers over the petals and then the leaves, inspecting the intricate carvings and smooth finish. "When did you make this?"
"Yesterday." He said lamely. "I uh, It's for you. It's just a trinket or whatever but. I dunno you like flowers so I thought you'd like it." franky scratched the back of his head and looked every where but at her, willing his tongue to cooperate with what his mind wanted it to do.
"I see, thank you so much, it's beautiful. I'll cherish it." Robin smiled up at him, a bright light beaming straight into his eyes. She was blinding. "Was that all you wanted to tell me Franky or was there something else?"
There it was. His chance. His plan. Ask her up to the crow's next, put on your best moves. Maybe he'd even bust out the guitar or sing a song or whatever. Be big and flashy and everything Robin deserved from a dude who was professing his love.
As the words were leaving his mouth, they some how managed to morph. Shift syllables and contort into different words that he definitely did not mean to say.
"Nah that's it, I'm glad you like it. I'll see ya later!" He smiled and waved as he turned tail and speed walked out of the door.
When he was alone, Franky smacked his head hard against a wall and groaned loudly. He whiffed it again. So lame. So embarrassing. Dude what was his problem?! Next time. Next time he'd build something bigger, something better, and yell from a rooftop he loved her. Totally next time.
____
By the time night had rolled around, Robin was in bed, holding her beautiful wooden lily in a disembodied hand next to her face. It twirled between her fingers and she sighed wistfully. It really was so lovely.
"Did he do it this time?" Nami asked as she came in and flopped on the bed next to Robin, her grin big.
"Unfortunately no, not this time. But he did make me this wonderful present." Robin responded, rolling over to show the flower to her.
"Damn I really thought he'd do it this time, Usopp said he was hyping him up earlier and everything."
"I did as well, but I'll just have to wait until next time I suppose." She sighed again.
Nami laughed and patted Robin's leg. "Girl you know you could just tell him that you know he likes you. Or maybe even just tell him how you feel? It would make this whole thing way easier for everyone."
Robin smiled. Nami did have a point. While she has realized her feelings for Franky ages ago, very shortly after there life-altering introduction and subsequent bonding over their circumstances, he had taken much longer to come to his realization. She really thought she'd been dropping enough hints. Small touches, spending a lot of time, flirting. Everything to hint him toward a confession and then something more.
Alas. Franky's thick skull, while useful in terms of battle, was not the best when it came to love. Now she was forced to wait for him to commit to one of his many plans to tell her how he felt. This last one sounded so cute when she'd heard it through one of her many ears that occasionally took up residence around the ship. The wine and cheese board were a nice touch.
"I could." She conceded, but looked again at the gentle curls of wood on the flower and hummed. "But where's the fun in that? Besides, I think I like being pursued like this. It's romantic in a way."
"It's dorky is what it is." Nami laughed again, getting up and sitting down at the vanity to get ready for bed.
Perhaps it was. But that didn't matter. Franky wanted her, and some day he'd use plain words to tell Robin that. She'd be waiting.