Winning - Happy birthday, Robin~!
Miss Doublefinger had introduced her to really good stuff, the year the agents crowded into the bar in celebration. She remembers hazily the way her red coated lips moved as she murmured a low, “happy birthday” around the salty olive she placed in Robin’s drink. Miss Valentine passed out fairly quickly and the others mimicked her high-pitched laugh until she came to enough to groan at them to stop. And it might have been Robin’s imagination, but Miss Merry Christmas’ talking seemed to get louder and louder, faster and faster with each minute. And Bon Clay’s arm around her shoulder was surprisingly firm and she leaned into it and might have tried to kiss him-she isn’t sure-until his face turned red and he whined, “Stop joooooking around!” But she remembers stumbling her way into Crocodile’s room and clinking her glass against his, and the liquid spilling down his chin, and her tongue chasing it. And she remembers waking up in the morning and seeing her own naked body and actually feeling a little older and thinking that everything so far had been some race or contest, and she was losing.
This time, she revels in the surprised look in everyone’s faces when she starts to feel tipsy. Luffy doesn’t appear to really notice, which suits her fine as well. Usopp seems to be a little afraid of her, more than normal, until he gets the alcohol in his system, too; then he doesn’t seem afraid of anything. Nami’s flushed cheeks and lazy grin are a good look for her, Robin thinks, and this may be the first time Zoro’s eyes have really smiled at her, and maybe she should get drunk more often. And Franky’s hand is on her waist and he’s speaking with a slur, saying something about it being time for birthday spanks. And she doesn’t stop his strong fingers from moving lower, but she doesn’t have to because Sanji’s warning “Oi!” is enough. And Luffy and Usopp’s drunken singing is somewhere loud, close to her ear, and Chopper is laughing on her lap, and she’s feeling lightheaded and a little dizzy, but oh so much younger. And she knows, in a vague, brief moment of sobriety, that she’s won.
This time, she revels in the surprised look in everyone’s faces when she starts to feel tipsy. Luffy doesn’t appear to really notice, which suits her fine as well. Usopp seems to be a little afraid of her, more than normal, until he gets the alcohol in his system, too; then he doesn’t seem afraid of anything. Nami’s flushed cheeks and lazy grin are a good look for her, Robin thinks, and this may be the first time Zoro’s eyes have really smiled at her, and maybe she should get drunk more often. And Franky’s hand is on her waist and he’s speaking with a slur, saying something about it being time for birthday spanks. And she doesn’t stop his strong fingers from moving lower, but she doesn’t have to because Sanji’s warning “Oi!” is enough. And Luffy and Usopp’s drunken singing is somewhere loud, close to her ear, and Chopper is laughing on her lap, and she’s feeling lightheaded and a little dizzy, but oh so much younger. And she knows, in a vague, brief moment of sobriety, that she’s won.