The sun shone brilliantly in the sky, its bright light scattering off of the sea to create thousands of sparkles dancing on the open water. There was a pleasantly cool breeze blowing in from the south. Paired with the puffy, white clouds drifting lazily through through the sky, it was easily shaping up to be a beautiful summer day.

"Ouch! Hey, that's no fair! You're cheating!" Shouts rose from the deck below, along with a sound that was suspiciously similar to that of splintering wood.

It seemed that the chaos would start early today.

"Knock it off, you three!" Nami shouted irately. "If you mess up my tan, I'm charging you 10,000 beli each!" The sound of grumbling voices and retreating footsteps followed, and silence returned to the deck once more.

"I swear, those three are going to be the end of me," Nami muttered under her breath, and Robin chuckled softly at the book she was reading.

"Considering our captain's penchant for finding trouble, I find the possibility very likely."

"Don't remind me," Nami groaned, her head falling back on the seat.

"Oi! Don't bother the ladies, you shiteads!" Sanji shouted as he emerged from the kitchen with a tray of goodies balanced on one hand, right on time. His aggressive demeanor gave way to his usual swooning self as he approached the women, swooping the tray down for them to take whatever they wanted.

"Robin-chan, Nami-swan, I made some refreshments to help protect you from the heat!"

"Thank you, Sanji-kun." Robin gratefully accepted an iced tea and fruit tart while Nami selected a frozen smoothie and mini cake.

Sanji left to go give the boys whatever was left, and Robin returned to reading her book. She watched with disguised interest through an eye she'd bloomed on the mast as Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper played together on the deck.

What had first started as a competition to see who could shapeshift their body in the most ridiculous way - crazily disproportionate limbs, half-human half-animal hybrids, or various foods, in Luffy's case - had soon evolved into impressions that left all three boys rolling on the deck trying to stifle their laughter.

If she hadn't experienced it herself, she would have thought it impossible that her life could change so drastically in the span of a month. A lifetime of deceit and betrayal had taught her to always expect the worst; to always stay on her guard and to trust no one. And yet, despite all of her efforts, this little ship on the sea had already begun to feel like home.

Robin knew that she had no right partaking in the laughter, happiness, or the shared closeness between every member of this crew. She was the newest member and had only until recently been one of their greatest enemies.

However, it was far more difficult to resist being pulled into the natural energy they exuded, especially Luffy's. The entire crew had eventually adapted to her presence far faster than any other would have, and Robin couldn't decide if that trust made them incredibly naive or exceedingly brave.

They were all still so young, the very opposite of every other pirate crew on the sea in every way, but Robin decided that she wouldn't have it any other way. At the very least, their bright innocence was a refreshing break from the shadows she had grown up in.

It was only a matter of time until they realized just who they had allowed to board their ship, but until then, surely it wouldn't hurt to travel with them a bit longer.

Robin didn't understand.

Over the past few months, she had grown to realize just how foolish and headstrong this crew could be. She knew better than anybody that they would never accept a crew member leaving with no explanation, but she had hoped that just this once they would let her do this for them. Never once did Robin consider that the dedication they all held for their dreams could be directed towards saving her.

She had made absolutely sure her disappearance was a clean break; swift and sharp enough to make it clear that she had acted of her own volition. Robin didn't want to be saved. She had done countless horrible deeds in her life that would never go away and had brought the wrath of many powerful enemies. Simply being near her would put them all in danger, and that was the last thing Robin wanted. She was bad for them in every sense of the word, and yet, here they all were, bringing the exact scenario she'd tried to avoid to life.

They should never have come.

She didn't deserve their kindness.

Her life wasn't worth saving.

"ROBIN! We still haven't heard it from you yet!" Luffy's voice carried between the bottomless chasm that separated them. It was filled with more authority and certainty than Robin had ever heard from him, as if it was an absolute fact she would be saved and he simply needed confirmation to go for it. "Say you want to live!"

The dam of tears that had been threatening to spill finally broke, blurring her vision and causing her breath to hitch at the sight of the only family she's dared to want standing tall, prepared to take on the world if that's what they had to do to get her back.

"I…"

The words were hanging off her tongue, ready to be said for the first time, but she didn't dare.

Even thinking it seemed too bold, too arrogant of her. Malicious words rang in her ears, were etched to the backs of her eyelids so as to remind her of what she was every time she closed her eyes — "demon spawn, unworthy, unloved, should be dead." Robin had come to accept those words as fact. She convinced herself that she was content with a lifetime on the run, hated by all. Except... there was no malice in Luffy's tone, at least none aimed at her. He was giving her a choice.

So, if she would be so bold as to allow herself this one wish… Maybe they would still have her back? Maybe she could sail with them again, embraced in the safe warmth of their companionship. What Robin wanted more than anything was to extend a hand out to them and be allowed back into the warmest embrace she had ever felt.

If for one moment she could allow herself to have a single desire…

"I want to live!" she screamed back, loud enough to mask the cruel voices that had followed her all her life. "Take me out to sea with you!"

Even through her tear-blurred eyes and the immeasurable space between then, Robin could see Luffy's smirk.

Despite all of the pain and humiliation that followed, a small pocket of unbridled happiness had nestled into her heart. It warmed her entire being from inside out and gave her the strength to fight back that she never knew she'd possessed.

Somehow, in the self-destructive spiral she had been tumbling down for the past two decades, she'd managed to find an amazing group of people, and she didn't want to ever let go of again.

Somehow, she'd finally managed to find a family.

Fun Facts!

-Robin's gem is iolite

-Chopper is human, but with exceptional shapeshifting abilities. His gem is zircon (the brown variation).

-Nami's gem is botryogen

-Usopp's gem is topaz

-Sani's gem is dioptase

-Luffy's specialization is in body distortions (ie stretching limbs). All "devil fruit users" can freely swim, but Luffy never learned how.