When the staw hats reach the next island they are relieved to find it being an uninhabited island for once with no sign of imminent threat at first glance.
"OK, listen up. We're gonna dock here for three days. As far as I know, that's the time the logpose needs to show us the next island. So we'll need to find food, water and I need someone's help in mapping out the island." Nami tells the crew, Chopper, Luffy, Ussop and Sanji all kneeling or sitting in front of her, while Zoro is asleep, snoring against the ship's railing and Xu and Robin are standing next to their sitting comrades.
"Food!" Luffy shouts overly excited.
"I will be the perfect partner for you!" Sanji says dramatically, receiving the bottom of Nami's sandals in his face, giving him a bloody nose.
"You're gonna get water." She tells him.
"I will guard the ship." Robin volunteers with her usual smile.
"Alright. Xu you're gonna come with me and you two help Luffy and Sanji." Nami orders, pointing at Chopper and Ussop, not even bothering in giving Zoro a task, who'd complain and stay on the ship anyways, which is fine for Nami this time since she's not sure about Robin's intentions yet.
"Fine with me." Xu says.
"Alright, let's go everyone. We don't have much time before it gets dark if we want to meet back at the ship at night time." Nami says, walking into her map room to collect her equipment.
Half a minute later she comes out of the room and hands Xu a telescope to carry while she's holding a book and pen to her chest protectively.
"See you later." Xu tells Robin before following the orange haired girl off the ship and up a path leading to a mountain top.
"I'm guessing there's another reason you wanted me to come with you?" Xu asks knowingly when the two walked for almost 10 minutes in silence.
"Can we trust you two?" Nami asks abruptly, looking back at him.
"I'd like to think so, yes." Xu answers.
"What exactly are you after anyways? You were pretty fine with joining the crew when Luffy sprang the question on you." Nami asks.
"I'd like to meet my father someday. I recently learned of his identity and he should be somewhere on the grand line. If he's still alive." Xu answers.
"Father?" She asks surprised.
"Yeah. I never knew my parents. I was living on the streets until the King took me in and trained me as a guard. Well and while I was away training I got a message about who my father is, I don't know why or from whom, but I believe the information." He tells her, while helping her up a steep part of the path, lifting her up with one hand easily, due to his height and strength, holding her telescope in the other hand while his axe is strapped to his back, peeking maybe half a meter over his shoulder.
"I see. I don't know who my parents are either." Nami says.
"When I was a baby, my sister and I were adopted by our mother." She explains.
"What happened?" He asks gently, hearing her sadness on the subject in her voice.
"She sacrificed herself for us. We were being enslaved by the fishmen Arlong and had to pay ransom every week, she had enough for herself or us, so she paid for us." Nami says, tears falling out of her eyes and she feels strong arms wrap around her, Xu hugging her against his chest after lying down and her tools.
"I'm sorry that must've been a hard childhood." He tells her soothingly, Nami balling her fists in his shirt with her book dropping to their feet.
"I miss her." She cries sorrowfully.
"Do you want to tell me about her?" He asks, Nami sniffling audibly and nodding.
"Let's sit." He suggests, handing her her book while sitting down next to the telescope, Nami sitting down across from him, fiddling with the leather binding of the book nervously, feeling vulnerable.
"I'd tell you about my father, but I don't know much about him, only that if people knew about me, I would be in grave danger, so I haven't told anyone. Not even Robin." Xu tells Nami to share something about himself.
"I see. I won't ask in that case but I hope one day you will tell me." She says giving him a small smile, her eyes being puffy and red from her crying.
"So, tell me about your mom." Xu says and for the next hour or so Nami tells him everything about Bellemere that she kept bottled up.
|That night|
"Where is my Nami? That brute better has not let her get hurt." Sanji says dramatically, only Nami and Xu still missing from their group, which is gathered on the stony shore they docked at, a fire burning in the middle of their campsite.
"We're back guys!" Nami says cheerfully, arriving with Xu from the mountain path.
"Nami!" Sanji yells relieved, crying dramatically while dashing over to her with a cocktail.
"What?" She asks a bit grumpy, still accepting the drink though.
"I am relieved to see you're as beautiful as ever." Sanji swoons before heading over to refill Robin's drink.
"What took you so long?" Luffy asks, munching on some fruit they found on the island.
"The island has many hills." Nami sighs tiredly and lies down next to Robin in the only other beach lounger, clinking her glass with Robins to the older woman's surprise.
"So what's the haul?" Nami asks the others while Xu walks around her and sits down on the floor next to Robin, who uses her powers to bring him some food with a sweet smile, hiding it behind her current book however as quick as it appeared.
"Chopper." Xu calls out the youngest of the group while nami is chewing out luffy for eating more supplies than gathering new ones.
The reindeer man looks at Xu with his big round eyes, intimidated by the 2'20cm tall man.
"Ye-Yes?" He asks.
"Can you help me with this? You are good with medicine and potions right?" Xu asks, fishing Kobra's letter out from a pocket in his white cloak and shows it to the reindeer.
"What is it?" Chopper asks, looking at the paper with wide eyes while his lower body sways happily, almost like he was dancing.
"It's the recipe for heroes water." Xu says, catching the rest of the group's attention.
"What do you want with heroes water?" Robin asks, surprise shown on her usually calm face.
"Drink it obviously." Xu replies with a raised eyebrow.
"But, why do you want to die?" Usopp asks.
"Die?" Xu questions.
"Vivi told us that you only have 5 minutes to live after drinking Heroes water." Nami says.
"Ah, yeah I can drink it though. No clue why." Xu says relaxed and shrugs.
"You drank it before?" Nami asks.
"Yeah. When I was a kid I drank like half a barrel, I thought it was normal water at the time." He answers embarrassed.
"Cool, let me have a drink too." Luffy says excited, clapping with his feet.
"No!" Nami, Zoro and Sanji yell, hitting their captain over his head and causing him to faceplant off the log he was sitting on.
"Anyways, can you show me how to make some?" Xu asks Chopper, his hopeful eyes turning to their small comrade, who is looking at the paper with a haunted look in his eyes.
"What's wrong with you?" Xu asks.
"All the ingredients... They are all deadly poisons." Chopper replies seriously.
"I won't help you make this." Chopper refuses, handing Xu back the paper.
"Fine, I'll do it on my own." Xu replies grumbling and takes back the paper, before getting up and heading into the woods with a frown on his face.
"What was that about?" Sanji asks, puffing out some smoke while looking in the direction Xu disappeared to.
"No idea." Usopp says, the rest looking just as clueless, safe for Robin, who picks up two of the kebab skewers near the fire and wordlessly follows Xu.
"Since both are gone right now. Do we trust those two?" Usopp asks.
"Are you saying you don't trust Robin?" Sanji asks Usopp threateningly.
"Why shouldn't we trust them?" Luffy asks, picking his nose while lying half on the floor half on his log.
"Nico Robin was our enemy, remember and we know nothing about the other guy." Zoro grumbles.
"But they wanted to join." Luffy says with a dumb grin.
"Luffy. I don't know about those two." Usopp says.
"I like them." Chopper says quietly.
"Well either way we have to make a decision, we can't keep leaving one of us at the ship forever to keep an eye on them." Nami says.
"You spent some time with him, did he say anything helpful?" Usopp asks.
"He is looking for his father." Nami replies, not wanting to let the others know she nearly had a nervous breakdown in front of their new crewmate.
"And what is she doing here?" Zoro asks, the group looking around each other in silence.
Meanwhile Robin walks up to Xu who is sitting cross legged in front of a small stream of water.
"Hello Mr. Guard." She says mirthfully and sits down next to him, her legs folding underneath her sideways while she lays down the food in his lap.
"Thanks." He says and starts to eat.
"Are you not going to ask?" He asks between bites, glancing over to the beautiful woman fake smiling at him.
"You can drop the act you know. I don't buy it anyways." Xu tells her, making a peace sign with his free hand and tugs down the corner of her lips until she drops her smile on her own.
"I never could fool you back then." She says a miniscule grin on her lips before they turn into a frown.
"No you couldn't, at least until that day." He replies, both of them recalling their last encounter 4 years ago.
|Flashback|
Xu is standing over about 30 unconscious men, his massive axe dripping with blood slightly, held by his side with one hand.
Some other guards then arrive and start to take away the downed men while their commander salutes to Xu in respect.
After the guards left with their prisoners Xu hears clapping from an alleyway leading into the town square he's standing in.
"Robin. What took you so long?" Xu asks grinning while heading towards the alley, putting the axe in a holster on his back.
"I was here a while, I just enjoyed watching you work." She says flirtatiously.
"So, have you thought about my offer?" Xu asks stepping into the alley and sees her, wearing a black bikini top, a long classy blue skirt and a red, half-opened cloak while leaning against a wall.
Xu stands in front of her and leans against the wall with one arm above her, being a good 30 cm taller than the attractive woman.
"I have. And I think I'm going to join you." She tells him, one of her smooth hands sliding into his robe and the shirt he wears under it, tracing his strong torso's muscles.
"What do I need to do to convince you?" He asks huskily, leaning his head down next to her, breathing in her left ear while taking in her lovely scent.
"If I knew I would tell you." Robin replies, freezing up for just a moment.
"What are you scared of? Me?" Xu asks, pushing off from the wall and leans with his back against the wall opposite to her.
"In a way." She says thoughtfully.
"Direct as ever. So let me return the favor. I will protect you. You just have to trust me and come with me." Xu says decidedly.
"Xu!" The two then hear Chaka shout from the plaza and Xu looks towards the sound of his boss's voice for just a moment, however when he turns back to Robin she is nowhere in sight, the only proof she was there being her footprints in the sand and his half opened cloak.
"Why are you scared of me?" Xu asks, looking at her focused.
"Do we have to talk about this?" She asks, sighing and looking down in her lap with a mixture of nervousness and embarrassment.
"Yes." He replies, one of his strong hands grabbing her forearm and turns her while he also turns her direction, both being face to face.
"Since I was 6 I was always on the run, hunted by everyone and betrayed more times than I want to admit." She says, shaking slightly.
"And you thought I would betray you as well?" Xu asks, Robin nodding wordlessly while fighting back tears at recalling some painful memories.
"If you want, I'll leave the ship and you can join the straw hats." Xu offers.
"Why would I want that?" She asks confused.
"They are good people. Maybe you can learn to trust them." Xu answers.
"So you're not a good person?" She asks.
"I thought I was, but I see how I affect you. If I really were a good person you wouldn't be here crying, heck you're the second person I made cry today." Xu says, Robin's tears dripping onto the floor beneath them.
"You take too much responsibility." Robin says and stands up, Xu looking down at the floor disappointed while listening to her steps, which sound like someone was shooting a cannon next to his ear.
He only hears three steps and instead of another one of the heart shattering sounds he suddenly feels Robin's body pressed against his much wider back. Her black bangs fall into his view while she rests her chin on his shoulder and wraps her arms around his neck.
"My trust issues are not your fault. Unless you'll leave me alone with this crew." Robin says softly.
"Guess you leave me no choice other than to become a pirate." Xu chuckles, placing a hand over one of hers.
"Robin you have to know ..." He starts to say but she shushes him with a finger over his lips.
She moves around him arousingly and sits down in his lap, sprouting an extra hand from his leg which holds out the skewered food to the side.
"No, you have to know, I always regretted not leaving with you. I did bad things working for crocodile, all for nothing. The Poneglyph in Arabaster didn't contain anything I'm interested in." She says disappointed.
"Then we better find the right ones... together." Xu says, holding out a pinky with a sheepish grin.
She looks at him with tears welling up, which she wipes away with the back of one hand and uses her other hand to wrap her pinky around his before leaning in and passionately kissing the former guard.
She shifts her seat in his lap so she's straddling him and pushes against his chest, signaling for him to lie back, which he is more than happy to, lying down in the grass with her atop of him, her lips following his on his descent.
Once he's lying down Robin caresses him at his chin with one hand while the other is pulling open his cloak.
She deepens the kiss, her tongue seeking out the inside of his mouth and he's eager to let her take the lead. He's grabbing onto her sexy ass and waist through her purple leather pants with one hand, his other pushing off her same colored jacket eagerly.
Once her jacket is off she sits up and starts teasingly unbuttoning her white shirt until Xu's hand stops her after the fifth button, revealing a good amount of her chest.
"We should take our time." He says raspily and buttons up the very top one, closing the shirt for the most of it.
"Mhh." She hums with a smirk and drops her hands, one stroking over his torso through his white and blue shirt while the other rubs over the bulge in his pants just in front of her own crotch.
"Are you sure you can handle that?" She asks smiling devilishly, her fingers dragging over the edge of the hem of his pants.
"I have to." He groans aroused and turns them around, pinning her down beneath him while holding her hands above their heads on the grass.
"I want this to be real. And the longer we wait the more rewarding it'll be because we both can be sure it's for the right reasons." Xu tells her.
"So you say, yet..." Robin replies and licks her lips while looking down between them at Xu's erect member which sprang out of his black pants when they shifted positions.
"Sorry." Xu says embarrassed and tugs the pants over his hard cock again.
"Don't be."She says with a soft, alluring smile, making Xu blush embarrassed and sit down next to her, Nico Robin remaining on the grass, looking up at the tree tops above them.
"Should we go back to the others, oh wait you need a minute, right?" Robin says mirthfully, glancing at his pants bulge.
"It's good to see you smile." Xu tells her, lying down next to her.
The two just relax, lying in the grass for a while until Xu reaches over to her and buttons up her remaining 4 openend shirt buttons.
"About that water." Robin says nervously while accepting Xu's offered hand to help her get up.
"What about it?" Xu asks.
"If you are dead set on drinking it I'll help you make it." She says.
"Really? Thanks. But why are you so glum about it?" Xu asks with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't want you to die." She says and wraps an arm around his as the two head back to their shipmates.
"I won't. Not from this." Xu says confidently.
"Good." She says and gives him a genuine smile before putting on her facade when they get close to the straw hats.
"Guess they went to sleep or something." Xu says when the campsite is empty and the fire is no longer burning.
"If only you didn't suggest we wait, we too could have been asleep in the forest... naked." She says teasingly and goes ahead of him, climbing onto the ship with a row of arms pulling her up.
Xu takes his time climbing the side of the ship and once he's aboard he sees Robin already gone, so he climbs up to the crows nest and relaxes against the railing, half resting, half keeping an eye out for trouble.