when you smiled at her, she reminisced of her parents. her mother, specifically. you were as kind as her. your eyes held the same soft expression her deceased mother held. your eyes just as beautiful, too. your personality held a motherly instinct to protect your allies as well. that's something she loved about you. and why she wanted to stick by you in the first place.

"mom!" maybe that's why she's been calling you mom for a while. even with her broken speech, you could still understand her.