Nami's attention shifted from Usopp when Robin suddenly stood from the lawn chair. The book in her hand made a quiet 'foomp' noise as it closed. "Robin?"
"It's a little too loud for my tastes. I think I'll finish the last few chapters in the library. If you need me, I'll be there."
Nami quietly nodded and watched Robin descend the stairs to the lower levels. She listened to Robin lightly pass Sanji off on her way, ignoring offers of snacks and Luffy's attempts to get her to join in whatever fun he was attempting to rustle up.
An elbow rested on the armrest of the lawn chair to help prop Nami's head up. Her other side felt the emptiness of the extra lawn chair, now being the only person besides Usopp that was on the highest deck of the ship. They didn't say anything while perched together up there, but there was a quiet force that came from Robin that often times gave Nami great solace.
It was hard being the only beautiful female in the group for the longest time. When they 'acquired' Vivi back on that weird Cactus village at the start of the Grand Line, Nami was happy to have another feminine presence on the ship. It was nice to have someone to go shopping with that wasn't merely Sanji tagging along to ogle her and carry the bags. There was someone who Nami could have talks with that she could relate to, despite the huge class difference. Nami still thought of Vivi fondly even after they left Alabasta and she was sad when they had to leave.
Despite Robin being a handful of years older, Nami still felt they were on equal footing with their childhoods. From what she got from Robin during their time together, as tight-lipped as the archeologist was, Nami could tell that Robin wasn't one for crowds or noise for long periods of time. So it was no surprise to Nami that Robin walked away from the racket of the crew below for a quiet place. Robin had been alone for most of her life and she was probably still getting used to a crew that wouldn't betray her in the end. Even though Robin had been considered part of the crew for years, two of those recent years weren't together and Nami didn't know what Robin had to go through...if she had people she could count on or not wherever she ended up.
Nami's eyes clouded a little as she recalled her own torturous years under Arlong and the shunning of her village the first year. All of those days of being unable to talk to anyone other than Nojiko...being used by Arlong just because she could draw squiggly lines on paper... Nami had grown very mistrustful of anyone that was called pirate because it was pirates that had taken everything from her. It didn't help that her occupation for almost half her childhood was to put her life on the line just to steal money from pirates.
Nami knew all too well what Robin may have faced and Nami could see it reflected in the occasional glance into the distance. Nami could tell that the interactions with them over time had been a tremendous help. The many times Luffy would stick his face in front of Robin's books to get her to participate made it seem like there was no persecution to Robin's life. Nami really knew that Luffy never thought of how Robin felt when he stuck his straw hat in her way. Luffy didn't care about what happened to Robin because he knew her loneliness didn't truly reflect who she was.
Despite this huge personality gap, Nami liked hanging out with Robin even if she didn't say a word sometimes. Nami felt like they could just be together with their presences and not need words. Nami often tried to break away from the noise that was the male pirates and hid in the library to draw in silence or the fish bar with Robin to have a snack. It was a nice atmosphere when there was only the scribbling noise of her pen and the flipping of pages of Robin's book.
For many months Nami had her own room Merry. It was a nice place to be able to escape to with the Grand Line always taking up her brain in trying to keep them alive. Nami often times would pass right out the moment her head hit the pillow on her old bed. The new girl's quarters on the Sunny with a bunk mate was a nice change. Nami sometimes hoped that sharing a room all the time with Robin would help Robin get used to people on the unconscious level.
Nami knew from the rescue on Enies Lobby that Robin's faith and loyalty to Luffy and the crew was absolute and nothing was going to change that. Nami knew that Robin would do everything she could to help and be useful to Luffy when she was needed. Nami knew because it was the same thing she felt. Robin could rest assured that any of them would come to help her with the best of intentions in their hearts and never again would Robin have to deal with workings of the shifty or evil.
At length, Nami got up and headed to the library as Sanji started proclaiming that lunch was almost ready. Nami volunteered to get Robin as the rest of the crew headed to the dinning room. She knew knocking would be no point as her heels would announce her presence to Robin's keen hearing. "Robin, Sanji-kun is almost finished with lunch."
Robin gave a brief glance from her book and smiled. "I'll be there in a bit. I'm almost done with the last pages of the final chapter."
Nami's head tilted a little bit as she wondered what would keep Robin busy all day. She knew that Robin never liked to stop and start a book or she'd never finish reading, but Robin had been at the same book since breakfast ended. Nami could relate though. When she tried to get a map drawn out stopping only made things harder to finish. That must be one interesting book... Nami stopped in front of Robin and tried to spy the words on the book. "What are you reading about Robin?"
Robin looked up at Nami again and showed the title. "It's a little information on the New World. I just wanted to learn some history about the islands we may visit."
Nami nodded, somewhat interested on the topic as she had tried to do so during their two year absence with the weather. "Do you think I could borrow it when you're done?"
Robin looked at Nami with slightly raised brows. It wasn't often that Nami tried to borrow many books unless they mainly pertained to her main interests. "You can have it now. I'm done actually. How about we head to the dinning room before Luffy eats all the food?"
Nami took the book from Robin and skimmed a few pages as they left the library. She grinned and tucked the book under one arm. "Thankfully we have Sanji-kun there to save us from that hassle."
Robin grinned and chuckled as the pair headed down the stairs where the noise was. Robin held the door open and let Nami go past before she shut the door behind them to shut the lively noise in.