Nami was standing at the starboard side of the ship smoking a cigar and sighed. Ever since she and Tashigi had gotten promoted they spent a lot less time together and it was really bumming her out. She had not realized how much she had taken to seeing Tashigi as a friend in their little time becoming smoking buddies, but as soon as it started it had seemingly ended.
Nami did not blame Tashigi for this, however. Nami knew that Tashigi had a lot more work to do on the ship now, and needed to work with their captain, Smoker, much more. Nami took another small drag and stared into the ocean where she let some ash fall. It was lonely smoking by herself, it almost made her not want to smoke at all anymore.
While she was considering throwing the cigar she was smoking into the ocean, Tashigi walked up behind her.
"Enjoying your break?" Tashigi asked Nami. It was strange for Tashigi to be on the other side of this situation, being the higher ranked woman asking her subordinate if they were enjoying themselves instead of the other way around.
Nami heard Tashigi's voice, and the words Smoker had told her about obeying her superiors flashed into her mind. She probably should not have been hearing that while under the spell of wanting more money, but what is done has been done. Nami put the cigar back in her mouth and turned around, before saluting the vice-captain.
"At ease", Tashigi told Nami, who moved her arms behind her back, in a more respectful at ease position. Tashigi looked at Nami and turned to the stern of the ship. "Please Nami, walk with me." Tashigi then led Nami towards the stern.
"Yes sir." Nami said, then walked behind Tashigi, the cigar smoke following her as the pair walked towards the stern.
Once they reached the stern, Tashigi turned around and stared at Nami. The smell of the cigar had been driving Tashigi a little crazy, so she pulled a cigar out of her pocket and then realized she did not have a lighter on her. "Nami, may you please light my cigar." Tashigi asked, knowing that Nami would be fine doing it.
"Yes sir", Nami answered, then lit the lighter she had stolen from Smoker which she brought to the cigar in Tashigi's mouth. Tashigi puffed on the cigar till it took, then took it out of her mouth and exhaled. She looked at the cigar she was holding in her hand, then at the one in Nami's mouth.
When Smoker had given Tashigi the rank of vice-captain he had also given her access to his cigar supply. Since then, Tashigi had not needed to take the cigars that Nami would steal from him. A small grin formed on Tashigi's face, thinking about all the cigars Nami must have stolen from his collection at this point.
"Smoker still does not know how you are getting your cigars." Tashigi explained, then put the cigar she was smoking back in her mouth. "To be honest, I don't either." Tashigi added, then laughed a bit. A small smile formed on Nami's face, then realizing that it had, Nami took it off. Tashigi looked at Nami and sighed, smoke flowing out of her mouth while she did. Tashigi scratched her head, as she had seen Smoker do numerous times, then continued.
"It it okay Nami", Tashigi said, exasperated. "You can be happy in my company."
"I, I, it is just awkward." Nami answered back. Tashigi understood, she was having trouble figuring out how to approach Nami herself. She had gotten a major promotion, and she loved the responsibility that Smoker had given her, but it made this really awkward.
Nami finished off the cigar she had then threw it into the ocean. She turned to Tashigi and allowed one more small smile to form on her face. "I guess I will get back to work sir."
Tashigi wanted to do something to stop the awkwardness, so she had no choice but to use the very thing that was causing the situation in the first place. "Wait, lieutenant." Tashigi said, stopping Nami in her tracks. Nami turned around and without being able to stop herself saluted Tashigi.
"Yes sir." Nami said, not sure what had gotten into Tashigi.
"I want to do something to stop the awkwardness between the two of us." Tashigi explained. She then thought back to something Smoker had told her to do, which made her feel much closer to Smoker, she decided she would give Nami the same order he had given her.
"From now on you are not to call me sir." Tashigi blew out some smoke, using the cigar to make her feel better about giving her friend an order. "From now on you are to refer to me as Tashigi-san."
When Tashigi had come aboard the ship and was under Smoker, he took an instant liking to her, being impressed with her swordsmanship, and seeing something special in her. However, she had no confidence in herself, something Smoker was still dealing with, so he gave her a special order. While the rest of the crew was to call him sir, he gave Tashigi the special order to call him by his name. Some members of the crew had questioned Smoker about this, but he made sure they did not question him again.
"Tashigi-san?" Nami asked back.
Tashigi was happy to hear Nami call her by her name again, even if it was with an honorific at the end, but Tashigi needed to keep some separation between her as vice-captain, and Nami as just a lieutenant. Hopefully, the pair would be the same rank again someday and the san could be dropped, but for now, this was the best Tashigi could hope for.
"Yes, Tashigi-san. I feel you are", Tashigi paused, trying to find the right word for what she wanted to mean here, "close enough to me, that we can refer to each other by name, just keep the san in mind, I do outrank you after all."
"Yes sir, I mean, Tashigi-san." Nami answered back, saluting, which was a reflex for her at this point. Nami, after being promoted pounded into herself to obey her superiors and to salute when given an order every time. She still wanted to go up in rank and earn more money.
The fact that it only took her three cigars during a day for her to start smoking phantom cigars showed just how easy it was for her to fall into these habits.
Tashigi stared at Nami, saluting her and had to admit, it made her feel important. She wanted to be friends with Nami, she really did, but she knew as long as she outranked her it was going to be near impossible. So, she had a choice to make now, to try, and likely fail to be friends with her, or, or, do something different.
Tashigi took a puff of her cigar then took it out. She closed her eyes and blew out the stream of smoke.
"Nami, I want you to know that I do like you. I want to be friends with you, but it is not going to be possible right now, not until you gain ranks equal to mine." Tashigi put the cigar back in her mouth and stared down at Nami. Tashigi had not meant to seemingly insult Nami with her last statement, but Nami felt ashamed when Tashigi had said it, feeling worse after hearing her superior say that. After that line, Tashigi was not sure how it was happening, she swore that Nami and she were about the same size, but it felt like now, that she had to look down to see Nami. "I have instead decided to make you my assistant."
Nami looked up at Tashigi-san and understood what she meant. "Yes Tashigi-san." Nami answered back, saluting again.
Tashigi smiled and blew out some more smoke. "Then, come to my office, so we can make this official."