DISCLAIMER: I do not own KanColle.
Recently, there's been a new addition to the naval base.
Standard Aircraft Carrier Kaga.
From the start, Zuikaku and Kaga were constantly at each other's throats, trying to best each other in the daily exercises, time after time again. Yet, despite all of their bickering, they spent a lot of time together. Their naval base was a small one, after all, and they were the only two standard carriers in the fleet.
In fact, the only other carrier aside from those two... was her, Zuihou.
From the start, it had just been Zuihou and Zuikaku, and the two had developed a friendship after facing many trials together; but, as Zuihou looked on from afar, at Zuikaku and Kaga making snide remarks at each other as they practiced their archery together, it made her chest tighten up.
Her heart was aching.
She realized it now.
She thought of Zuikaku as more than just a friend.
Now that she realized it, she was afraid.
Afraid that Kaga would steal Zuikaku away from her.
Slowly, but surely, these newfound emotions of Zuihou's… would boil over.
"Seriously, who does that woman think she is!?" Zuikaku muttered loudly to herself as she walked back to her room, remembering what Kaga had said. "Beginner's luck, my foot! I've been around far longer than she has!" She stopped and took a deep breath just outside the door, calming herself down, so she wouldn't disturb her roommate.
"Zuihou, I'm back." Zuikaku quietly said as she stepped inside. "Are you still awake?"
Zuihou and Zuikaku shared a room, since they had been the only two aircraft carriers on the base for so long. It was rather late at night, and Zuihou usually went to bed early, so Zuikaku didn't want to disturb her should she be asleep.
"Welcome back, Zuikaku." Zuihou said, looking up from the manga she was reading.
"Yeah." Zuikaku said, smiling.
As Zuikaku walked over to the closet, Zuihou spoke up. "You were out rather late." The girl's voice softened. "Were you... with Kaga-san again?"
"Yeah. We were seeing who could get more bullseyes in a row." She smiled, puffing her chest up. "I won, of course."
"Ah, I see..." Zuihou muttered, looking down.
"Hey, is something wrong?" Zuikaku asked, pausing.
"N-no. It's nothing." The girl told her, averting her eyes.
Zuikaku walked over to Zuihou and knelt down in front of her. "Hey, if there's something bothering you, you can tell me about it. You know that, right?" She gently told her, a soft smile on her face.
Zuihou didn't say anything. In fact, she didn't even look at Zuikaku.
"...OK, then." Zuikaku sighed, standing back up. As she started to get worried about Zuihou, the girl stood up behind her. Zuikaku looked back at her, wondering if she had changed her mind, but that didn't seem to be the case as the girl took a step towards her. "Zui-" Zuikaku started to ask; but, suddenly, Zuihou grabbed her and they went falling down onto the floor, Zuihou on top of her.
"H-hey, Zuihou!? What are you doing!?" Zuikaku asked, wondering what had gotten into her friend all of a sudden.
"...Why...?" Zuihou whispered, looking down at Zuikaku with watery eyes, "why are you... always with Kaga-san!?"
"Wh-what do you mean?" Zuikaku stuttered, confused.
"Ever since she came here, you're always with her! Always talking to her! Even when you're with me... you're thinking about how to beat her the next time, aren't you? Do you have any idea how that makes me feel!?" A tear fell down onto Zuikaku's cheek as Zuihou let her heart out.
I... haven't been spending that much time with Kaga, have I...? Zuikaku wondered, not sure what to say.
"It... makes my heart ache, you know..." Zuihou whispered, and a blush spread across Zuikaku's cheeks.
H-hey, wait! Wh-what are you saying, Zuihou!? What do you mean 'your heart aches'!?
"Hey, Zuikaku... tell me, do you... like Kaga-san?" Zuihou continued, her expression turning meek.
I-I really don't know where this is going, but I guess I should answer her?
"I..." Zuikaku began, pausing for a moment as Zuihou looked into her eyes, "I don't dislike her or anything, but... I don't like her in that way."
"Then... why? Why do you spend so much time with her?" Zuihou asked her, her voice pleading for an answer.
"Well... it's because..." Zuikaku thought for a moment, "she's my... rival, I guess? I want to prove to her that I'm just as strong as she is, so she'll stop badmouthing me all the time. It's really annoying, you know? I guess I got too carried away..."
Zuihou softly nodded. "I see... so that's it." She smiled. "Idiot."
"H-huh!?" Zuikaku exclaimed, wondering where that had come from.
Idiot? Why am I an idiot, and why did she smile when she said it!?
Suddenly, Zuihou's hands tightened on Zuikaku's shirt. "Say..." Zuihou began, "if Kaga-san is your rival, then... what am I, to you?"
Zui...hou? Zuikaku wondered as the girl looked down at her with fearful, yet eager eyes. She looks... really serious. I need to answer her properly... so, what is Zuihou to me?
She didn't even need to think about it.
She's my precious friend.
"You're someone special to me." Zuikaku said, thinking one thing but saying something different.
Huh? Wait, that's not what I meant to say, but... it's pretty much the same meaning, right?
"I'm... special...?" Zuihou muttered, tears in her eyes and a blush on her face.
"Y-yeah...?" Zuikaku affirmed as she started to get a bad feeling about this situation.
"Then..." Zuihou lowered her head, her face inching closer to Zuikaku's own.
H-hey, what are you... doing? Zuikaku wondered, her eyes widening as she slowly realized what was going on. "Zui-" She started to say, placing her hands on Zuihou's arms, but it was too late. As she opened her mouth, Zuihou kissed her.
Th-this is bad! Zuikaku thought, wincing as she could feel Zuihou's tongue in her mouth. This is really bad! I-I need to stop her, but I... I don't want to hurt her. While Zuikaku could easily throw Zuihou off of her, she was hesitant to do so.
In the end, she wasn't able to do anything.
This feels really strange... Zuikaku thought as Zuihou kissed her. It doesn't feel... bad; but, well, we're both girls... and she's been my friend for so long.
This is... no good.
I need to stop her... before she goes any further.
Their lips parted as they needed to take a breath, and Zuihou looked down at Zuikaku with loving eyes. Being looked at in such a way by someone so dear to her made Zuikaku's cheeks flush, but she couldn't back down.
She had to end this.
Just as she opened her mouth to say something...
"Zuikaku..." Zuihou whispered, her cheeks reddening further, "I love you."
...Huh?
Zuikaku's eyes widened, the woman at a loss for words.
Before she could recover, Zuihou kissed her again, taking her by surprise.
I-I... really don't know how to feel about this...
Zuikaku thought, her expression softening.
I... really should stop her, but...
Zuikaku placed her arms around Zuihou.
I guess this... is fine...
She closed her eyes and enjoyed Zuihou's warmth.
Zuikaku woke up the next morning in her futon, sleepy. She yawned as she sat up, the covers fallings off of her bare skin and exposing her to the cool air.
Cold... Zuikaku thought as she shivered, quickly grabbing the blanket back to cover her bare body.
Wait... 'bare body'?
That's when she noticed it.
She was completely naked.
Eh? Eh!? Why am I naked!?
Zuikaku gulped as she suddenly remembered why; and, turning her head to the side, her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Zuihou sound asleep next to her, with nothing on.
That's right...
We...
We...!
Zuikaku's entire face turned crimson red.
This is bad, this is bad, this is bad!
Just what was I thinking!? Was I even thinking in the first place? Yeah, that's it! I wasn't thinking! Idiot! Zuikaku placed her hands against her face. What... do I do now?
"Mn… Zuikaku...?" Zuihou sleepily muttered as she woke up.
Zuikaku looked at Zuihou, and realized what she needed to do.
I need to put an end to this before it goes any further.
I'm sorry, Zuihou, but...
"Zuihou." Zuikaku said, looking Zuihou in the eye.
"Yes?" Zuihou asked, her voice soft, tender, and sweet.
The girl was looking up at Zuikaku with a smile on her face, and Zuikaku's heart skipped a beat.
N-no, I can't stop now! Come on, Zuikaku, out with it! It's now or never! The woman told herself.
"Zuihou," Zuikaku said, her voice serious, "I... we..." Come on, say it! "I love you!"
…
…
...Eh?
Zuikaku's face was one of utter bewilderment.
That's not... what I was going to say...
Why did I...?
"I..." Zuihou looked up at her, suddenly shy and red-faced, "I... love you too, Zuikaku..."
Ah...
Why... did that make me happy...?
Zuikaku leaned forward, cheeks flushed.
My mind should be clear now, after everything we did last night...
But...
Zuikaku kissed Zuihou.
I guess...
I really do love her.
The next day, in the admiral's office.
Zuihou and Zuikaku stood side-by-side.
"Hm?" The admiral hummed, noticing something. "You two seem really happy today. Did something good happen on your day off?"
The two girls shared a look, their cheeks red.
"I guess... you could say that." Zuikaku muttered, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek.
"Yeah..." Zuihou whispered, smiling.
Behind their backs, they held each other's hand.