Chapter Text
Marco runs his hand through his hair and sighs in frustration. Throughout the day he keeps picking up a presence on the ship, but like a light breeze, it’s gone as soon as it appears. For someone to be able to hide their presence like this, they were certainly worthy of being considered a danger in Marco’s books.
It’s late and Pops as well as a good deal of the crew have retired for the night, so Marco convinces himself it isn’t an imminent enough threat to concern Pops and instead, he decides to speak to Thatch about it.
Finding Thatch was easy, he is setting up for tomorrow’s breakfast in the galley. “Oi Thatch, I need you to keep an eye out. I think there’s someone on the ship. But they’re trying to hide their presence so it makes it hard to track them.”
Thatch stops cutting the onions and turns to look at Marco with a frown. “You think they’re a threat?” He asks seriously.”
Marco just runs a hand through his hair and shrugs. “Who knows? But I’d rather keep up my guard than not yoi.”
Thatch nods in understanding. He is going to say something else but at that moment Izo walks into the galley and looks curiously between Marco and Thatch. “You two look rather concerned. Anything I should know?” He calmly raises an elegant brow.
Marco sighs as he replies to Izo, “I think we have a stowaway. I catch glimpses of their presence only for it to disappear again. I’m wondering whether someone from the ship we decided to take down earlier decided to sneak on board in hopes of getting revenge on us for crushing them yoi.”
Izo contemplates for a moment before he speaks up, “But if they wanted revenge, why haven’t they acted on it yet?”
Thatch shrugs. “Maybe they’re waiting for a good opportunity?”
“Well regardless of their plan, we better keep our eyes open yoi.” Marco warns the two who nod in agreement.
Later that evening Izo is taking a stroll around the ship, just checking that everything is in order and nothing is amiss when he hears some light shuffling coming from behind the crate boxes that hadn’t been put away yet. Curious and concerned about Marco’s words, he listens carefully, his hand on his gun. But after standing there for a while, Izou concludes that this doesn’t sound like the movements of a trained fighter, especially not when a small sneeze is heard. With a theory formed in his head, Izou heads to Thatch for resources to put his plan to work.
Thatch is undoubtedly incredibly confused about why Izo wants the buns from Lunch, even telling him that if he’s hungry he’ll just make him something fresh to eat, but on Izou’s refusal he gives in and hands the plate over, grumbling all the while.
Returning to the pile of crates, Izo leans against them and places the plate on a low crate next to him, then, opening a newspaper he pretends to be busy.
Way quicker than he expected, the shuffling returns, and hesitantly a small hand reaches up to the crate and towards the plate of buns.
Acting quickly, Izo leans down and packs up the small figure under the arms, lifting them up to see the culprit.
His eyes soften at the sight in his arms. A scruffy-looking girl who can’t be more than six is staring at him with green eyes wide with fear. He sighs and does his best to give her a soft smile. "It’s alright I won’t hurt you, but there is someone we need to go and talk to.” Then still holding her under his arm, he picks up the plate of buns off the floor and heads back to the kitchen.
“You’re back this quick-!?” Thatch’s words are cut midpoint as he turns around and sees the small figure that Izo is still holding.
“Izo, who is that!?” Thatch yells loudly as he continues to stare at the girl who’s desperately trying to disappear in Izo’s arms.
“Shh! Do you plan on waking up the whole ship Thatch!?” Izo angrily hisses but then calms himself down. “Thatch, can you go and find Marco? I’m worried she’ll try to run if I let her go. Tell him I’ve found his stowaway.”
Still staring at the girl in shock, Thatch nods but fills a pitcher with water and looks around for a small cup the girl can have. “Tch I don’t think we have anything small for her to drink from and I could of at least heated those buns before you gave them to her.” Thatch eventually takes a sake cup and puts it down in front of Izo and the girl before heading out to find Marco.
Meanwhile, Izo puts the girl down next to him but keeps a light grip on her shoulders as he tells her, “We won’t hurt you. You can have these buns and there’s also water. But eat slowly.”
The girl watches him carefully, like a small spooked animal ready to flee for its life, but eventually hunger wins over and she quickly takes a bun and starts to devour it. Then another and another. She takes gulps of water in between to help her swallow them and Izo refills the sake glass. He watches the girl with a frown on his face, he’s curious about how long she’s been hiding from them and who exactly she is. Judging from her appearance she wasn’t treated well wherever she is from.
The door opens and in comes Thatch with Marco by his side.
Marco’s eyebrows shoot up at the sight of the little girl and Thatch just shrugs his shoulders next to him. “I did tell you, you need to see it for yourself.”
Marco sighs and sits down next to the girl who flinches, bumping into Izo who steadies her so she doesn’t end up falling off the stool. Marco holds up his arms in surrender and smiles. “Woah woah I won’t hurt you yoi. say, kid, do you have a name?”
She tenses up, watching the three men warily but responds, “273 or girl, or you.” She responds and continues to devour the last few buns.
Her response has the three men stunned into silence as they look at each other with serious faces. Who doesn’t have a name and is just a number?
Alright kiddo, how about your age? How old are you?” Thatch asks with a small smile.
She frowns and shakes her head. “I don’t know.”
“You.. don’t know?” Thatch asks hesitantly.
She shakes her head and avoids eye contact.
“What exactly… should we do Marco? She’s not a threat… but she did stowaway.” Izo asks with a frown.
“But She’s a very cute stowaway” Thatch smiles and pinches the girl's cheek who looks very lost at the words.
Marco sighs and takes off his glasses, rubbing his eyes tiredly, looking like he aged another ten years in the time they've been in the kitchen. “Kid, where did you come from and why are you on this ship?”
“I wasn’t trying to be trouble! I just want to go away! I thought this ship would stop on the island and I could leave when everyone was asleep. But then you didn’t and I ended up stuck here.” She hurriedly tells them while wildly shaking her head.
“Alright did you come from the ship with the Jolly Roger that has an eyepatch?” Marco asks and she nods.
“What are we going to tell Pops?” Thatch asks the question on everyone’s minds.
“What are we telling pops?” A tired voice asks and all three men’s heads shoot in the direction of the door where Ace is yawning.
Ace suddenly stops in his tracks and stares at the girl sitting next to Izo. His eyes widen and he points at her. But before he has a chance to say anything, Thatch hisses at him.“Shh ace close the door! Do you want the whole ship to hear?!”
Ace does as he’s told and goes to sit opposite Izo and the girl. “Soo, who is this? Do one of you have a secret child you suddenly found out about?” Ace teases them with a grin.
Thatch’s eyebrow twitches and he hits Ace over the head.
Marco just sighs for what feels like the hundredth time that night. “We found her hiding behind the crates or technically Izo found her and managed to get a hold of her. We were just discussing what to tell pops tomorrow in regards to her yoi.”
Ace looks at the girl and grins, “Heh, you’re a cute stowaway aren’t you?”
“See? That’s what I said.” Thatch smugly tells the others
“Alright, we can’t show her to pops like this. Missy you’re going to need a bath. Any volunteers yoi?” Marco asks as he points at the girl.
Ace shrugs, “ You’re the doctor.”
Thatch points at Izo, “Izo found her.”
Izo looks at Ace with a scowl. “Aren’t you the one with younger siblings?”
“Sibling, Luffy is younger than me and Sabon was the same age as me. And don’t you also have a younger sibling Izo? Also, as one of the people with the longest hair, you’re probably the best suited for fixing… this…” Ace shrugs before he gestures to the girl's matted hair.
Izo sighs, giving in. “Fine, but find her something to wear. She can’t walk around in this.” he gestures at the threadbare dress that just about goes above her knees. With that, Izo stands up and smiles down at the girl. “Come on then, time for a bath.” He doesn’t wait for a response before he scoops her up into his arms and heads to the infirmary bathroom.
After the bath, Izo dries the girl off and wraps a towel around her. Then still in a towel he sits her down on a chair and takes a look at her matted hair. He takes an old brush of his and sets to work on trying to detangle the bird's nest on her head.
Unfortunately, even though it was drowned in conditioner, this mess is simply beyond the help of a hairbrush. A quick look down at the girl shows she’s got a white grip on the chair and trembling eyes that are desperately trying to hold back tears.
He sighs and puts the brush down, “I’m sorry little one, I should have just gone to the easiest option from the beginning. Let’s give you a bit of a makeover alright?” With that, he picks up the scissors and carefully sets on cutting her hair into a manageable state.
Sometime later Izou stands back to observe his work. Her once tangled hair that resembled a bird’s nest is now up to her chin and waving slightly. After a moment of thinking, Izou also gives her a fringe. Now, Izo can’t help but smile. This, he decides is a massive improvement from her earlier state.
The night is chilly, so he dries her hair off with the towel and then dresses her in the spare shirt one of the guys found for her. It’s long enough to touch the floor and too wide so he wraps the sash that comes with it around her several times to secure it a bit more to her tiny body. Due to a lack of child-sized socks and shoes, her feet will, unfortunately, have to remain bare for now.
Izo nods at his finished handiwork, meanwhile, big green eyes just blink at him in confusion while looking down at the clothes she was wearing in awe.
Meeting up with the others in the kitchen Izo puts her back down on the chair that she unfortunately has to kneel on to be able to see the top of the table.
“What happened to her hair?!” Thatch almost drops his drink in shock.
Izo just sighs. “It wasn’t cooperating so it had to go. Besides, this is for the better. It can grow out healthily now”
“You still look cute, don’t worry and you’ve got a lovely hair colour.” Ace tells her as he gestures to her reddish brown locks with a smile.
She shyly smiles and looks down at her lap.
“Anyways, while you’ve been gone Izo, it’s been decided that she’ll sleep in the infirmary and I’ll stay there with her. I’m the morning, I’ll go explain the situation to pops and one of you will stay with her until I come and get you yoi.”
Marco finishes and looks at the girl who’s fighting to keep her eyes open and is leaning against Izo.
Pfft Marco has to look away to not laugh at the adorable sight. He has never seen Izo so soft with someone before, over a span of a few hours this girl had somehow managed to worm her way to his caring side.
After they finish discussing what to do with the girl who’s now asleep in Izou’s lap and solidifying their plan for tomorrow, it's decided everyone should try and get some rest.
Seeing as the girl is holding onto his sleeve and refuses to let go even in her sleep, Izo has no choice but to pick her up and carry her to the infirmary with Marco having gone ahead to get her a bed ready.
In the infirmary, he gives up trying to free her hands from his haori and just carefully takes it off and lets her cuddle up with it.
The action makes Izo smile. He hopes Pops will go easy on her tomorrow, she’s so small and deserves to have a chance for a better life.
One last look at the sleeping girl and a goodnight to Marco he leaves for his own room, tomorrow is going to be a long day.