She kept stealing glances at the marine woman, though she felt like she could barely stand to look at her for too long. It was a lot. It was too much, that sense of familiarity and home that she had come to expect only from the smell of tangerines and the voice of a sister that was too far away now to be heard. Those things were the only things that were left of her, and now she looked at this other marine woman, and that sensation comes back? It's too much.
Nami's heart sped up a little when she saw the black-haired woman push her way through the rowdy crowd towards her. Unlike Nami, she had no problem keeping her gaze fixed on her target until she was right in front of the pirate. Briefly, Nami wondered what Bellemere would have thought of her becoming a pirate.
"Where are the children?" The marine asked. Her voice was a little less firm than Nami imagined.
"They're inside, being treated by that Trafal-guy. He said he could cure them."
The marine furrowed her brow. "Do you trust this guy?"
Nami tilted her head, crossing her arms. "I do for now. My captain trusts him, and that's good enough for me."
It did not help that at that very moment Chopper started screaming 'murderer' at the top of his lungs.
"I'm sure they'll be fine," Nami had to reassure her with a half-convinced smile.
The marine let out a loud sigh that Nami though had the word 'pirates' hidden in it. But the woman recovered quickly and said, "Regardless, I must thank you for taking initiative in rescuing these children. Reports about child disappearances in these seas have been plaguing us for months. I heard it was you who promised them their freedom."
"That's something to hear, coming from a Marine to a pirate." Nami couldn't help but tease.
Maybe out of nerves the woman began to pace away. Nami followed her. The marine composed herself, saying, "It is good to acknowledge compassion, not matter where it comes from."
They were slowly walking around the rail of the tanker, with nothing else to do but talk to each other. "I couldn't agree more." Nami laughed. "...After all, someone once did everything in her power to keep me safe. When those kids asked me to help them, I felt like I had to do the same!"
A moment of silence passed between them. The marine nodded in understanding. She then stopped and turned to face Nami. "I have a request. I am Captain Tashigi of the G-5, and I must ask you to please entrust the children to me!"
Nami noticed the differences—the lack of age and that hesitating undertone in the voice of someone who didn't have innate leadership. Moreso, tears were welling up in her eyes, out of frustration, tiredness- who knew. But Tashigi was looking her straight in the eye, and Nami still saw strength and conviction and compassion and once again it was all too much.
"Yes, of course." Her voice was a little lower than she'd intended. But her smile was wide.
.
She was glad she could admit her weakness to those eyes, to Usopp. Coming clean made her feel a way a simple coat could not do against the biting cold of the island; even though her cheeks and nose were red from the cold, she was warm.
When the party that Luffy inevitably started was well underway, the children came out of the tanker's interior, being herded half-successfully by Tashigi. She pointed over at Nami's direction, and Nami stood waiting for them with raised eyebrows near the cooking pot. The children ran towards her and encircled her, calling for their big sister.
Making her way through them Tashigi went to stand near Nami. Smiling in defeat he said, "They wanted you."
Nami laughed. She then started commanding the children to form a line to get their food, and made them settle on a group around her so they wouldn't get out of sight. Even though Tashigi had admitted defeat, some of the children had taken a shine to her, and they hung from her arms and back when their energy peaked, excitedly asking where they were going to go next.
"You guys have to listen to Tashigi-san, ok? She's a strong marine woman; she's the one who can get you home!" Nami told them sternly.
"But pirates are strong too!"
"You gotta listen to her!"
Tashigi was seating nearby, looking slightly embarrassed, but she shot Nami a grateful smile. Nami returned it.
The children ate and joked and cried, commanding the full attention of both women, and they were unable to make much conversation. For Nami that was fine; they were both happy, and she was content with doing what she was best at—stealing, though in this case, stealing only glances at that person who made her feel so safe.