"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" Nagato screamed as she pounded the table with her fists, punishing the maps that adorned its surface. "This strategy is no good! No good at all! This will only put more lives at risk! And for what!? A couple of measly islands! THINK Nagato for once!"
Nagato collapsed to the table, throwing her head and upper body on top of the maps, as if to rest but also to somehow absorb the essence of the data in an attempt to discover the grand strategy she needed to not only win the next upcoming battles, but indeed the entire war. It has been a hard few days and nights for the secretary ship. The Abyssals had made considerable advances in the past few days, taking several islands that overlooked vital supply lines and were in range of key military and civilian targets. If they keep advancing at the rate they are for much longer, then soon even mainland Japan could be at risk, the coastlines beleaguered by an army of sea devils. She had been in and out of meetings with the Admiral! She had been up day and night trying to think of a brilliant strategy to stop the Abyssals and reverse the tide! She labored tirelessly, the whole time with nothing on her mind but the welfare of her fellow ships, who she did not want to see die due to That's all she could think about. She ate lunch in her quarters while looking at maps only for Mutsu to eventually take her cold soup and half-eaten meal away from her with no further progress made. That's all she had done, without even breaking to bathe or really sleep, was stare at the maps, trying to conceive a strategy to present to the admiral, only for it to be utter shite, causing her to rip up her plans, forcing to stare at more maps. She slept maybe four hours the past few days and even then she dreamed of herself looking at maps in frustration. The plan to victory even alluded her in her dreams.
"Nagato-sama!" Nagato felt something shake her, "Nagato, are you okay?"
"Eh!?" Nagato said as she came to, "I must've fallen asleep for a minute! Thank you, Mutsu!" Nagato soon lost all sight of her again as she tried in vain to find victory plan that was still out of her reach.
"Um, Nagato," Mutsu said as she put her arm on her shoulder.
"Eh!? What!?" Nagato jumped suddenly, causing Mutsu to retract her hand suddenly. "Sorry, Nagato! I didn't mean to-"
"Ah, Mutsu, when did you get in here?
"I've been here all night remaining by your side, Nagato! I brought some coffee in for you," she pointed towards the tray she brought in, and had left on the table to shake Nagato back awake. "But to be honest, I don't think it'll help all that much!"
"Ah, no. Don't sell yourself short, Mutsu! This is just what I need!" Nagato picked up the warm cup. She sipped back the drink, sighing in affirmation as it went down her throat, heating up her whole body. Mutsu's coffee worked it's magic, rejuvenating her to a somewhat rational level of consciousness, at least enough to have a reasonable conversation with someone.
"Black," she said, sighing in pleasure after another sip. "Just the way I like it! You always know what I need, Mutsu!"
"Yes, I do," Mutsu said as Nagato took a third sip of her coffee, "and that's why I think you need to go back to your quarters and sleep, Nagato!"
Nagato pulled the cup away from her mouth and placed it gently on the table below, being careful not to spill any coffee on the most sacred map. "Sorry," she replied, "but I can't yet Mutsu! I can't!" Elbows on the table, she rested her cheeks on her palms as she looked once more at the map that had taken complete control of her life for the past week. "I still don't have a battle strategy that can reverse the Abyssal advance, Mutsu, and I can't sleep until I find one."
"Nagato, you can't keep doing this to yourself! You're not doing yourself any good!"
"I'll keep doing it to myself," she said, her tone rising in inflection, sounding much more determined, "until I find the strategy that will bring us to success with the least casualties possible!" She pounded the table, causing to coffee to ripple. The waves rolled upwards to the brim of the cup, but the cup ultimately contained it.
"The Abyssals are the gravest threat that faces mankind right now, and I cannot rest until they are defeated! But all of my plans I have come up with have been terrible! They are too risky and ask too much of the girls and put them in harm's way! I need to find the perfect plan that will destroy the Abyssals and keep the girls safe!"
"But Nagato, you're running yourself ragged," Mutsu said as she once again put her hand on Nagato's shoulder, this time prompting no jerk response from the secretary ship, "surely the Abyssals are not going to take over the world if you get one good night's rest!"
"DO THE ABYSSALS SLEEP?" This time Mutsu jerked back as Nagato rose up from her chair violently hitting the table. The force pushed the coffee cup over and off its saucer sending the contents all over the map, leaving a black-stain trail in its wake. "NO! THEY DON'T! They're awake right now and plotting and moving! And as long as they do that, I can't afford to sleep either! So, if you want to sleep, Mutsu, that's fine! But let ME get ON with MY WORK!"
Mutsu knew that it was simply Nagato's forced insomnia which was making her act this way, but despite that she couldn't help, but feel the sting from Nagato's words. She began to tear up a little bit; no matter how she reasoned off Nagato's actions in her head, the fact was the venomous words did strike her at her core. Nagato saw what she had done. As she looked into Mutsu's eyes and saw the sparkles of light reflect off of her tears, her sanity was partially restored.
"Mutsu, I'm sorry." Mutsu stopped sobbing and looked back at Nagato. "I'm so sorry, Mutsu. I didn't mean that, "Nagato said, struggling to take the words back, wishing she could erase them from existence. "I really don't know what I can say to make it up to you-"
"Shh!" Mutsu hushed her. Nagato was temporarily silence by her beautiful smile, which ran in harmonious contrast against the remaining tears drifting down her cheeks. "It's okay. I forgive you, Nagato."
Nagato tried to turn away. "I don't deserve your forgiveness," she said.
"Shhh!" Nagato hushed her again, and as if it were a gentle, spring breeze, a feeling of peace came over her. "You're tired, Nagato. I know you didn't know what you were doing." Making Nagato look at her, she said, "Come on, let's go to bed, okay?" in her usual gentle whisper.
Nagato, once again feeling the weight of her eyelids, finally acquiesced. She nodded, and Mutsu put her commander's arm around her and helped walked her home. Once at her private quarters, Nagato practically collapsed out of Mutsu's hands onto the bed, prompting an unhelpable chuckle from Mutsu. She wasn't used to seeing Nagato this way. Nagato was usually fierce and strong and held herself up with dignity, and here she was slumping, almost drunkenly, onto her bed. Mutsu considered herself blessed to get this private glimpse past the colder exterior and see this more vulnerable and, in Mutsu's eyes, adorable side to Nagato.
Nagato lay there on top of the sheets with her eyes shut, her arms and legs flopped out in every which direction, again not unlike a drunken person. "Hehe. Come on now, Nagato," she said, as if a mother to a child, "let's get under the sheets now."
"Alright," Nagato said semi-begrudgingly as she would rather just drift off in her clothes. She sat up and proceeded to take off her head set, and began to pull off her shirt. At this site, Mutsu couldn't help but blush a little and looked away as Nagato sat on the bed in her bra and worked to remove her pants.
"I guess you got everything from me right? I'll just go and let you get on with it."
"No, Mutsu!" Nagato exclaimed, extending her arm as if to will the shipgirl back. As Mutsu stoopped and turned partially around, it appeared to have worked.
Still blushing, she asked, "Is there anything more, Nagato?"
"Well, yes, actually-," this time it was Nagato's turn to blush, "I was wondering if you could spend the night here with me?" Nagato cringed a little, but she had to ask. She knew her request was big break in decorum, and that she could wind both Mutsu and herself into a lot of hot water for this, but she desperately needed Mutsu's company tonight. She needed t be near her warmth and her consoling aura. Without it, she might very well just wither and die tonight.
Mutsu hadn't said anything for a few seconds, but she had turned around and was now looking at her. Nevertheless, her legs still felt pretty gelatonuis at from looking at Nagato in her underwear.
"Why do you want me to sleep here with you tonight, Nagato?" she finally asked.
"I-' Nagato attempted to explain, "-I just don't want to be alone tonight," she said. "I need you here."
"Oh, Nagato, you're so silly," Mutsu said, "You don't need me here. You're fine."
Nagato shook her head, "No, I'm not actually." Mutsu listened and looked on curiously as Nagato lowered her head. "I'm scared, Mutsu. I'm very scared."
"Eh!?" Mutsu was shocked. "Of the Abyssals?" For as long as they knew each other, Mutsu considered it more than an improbability that Nagato could be scared of anything. Still, she kept cool and her mind open, and sitting on bed beside her, listened to her.
"No, it's not the Abyssals. They don't scare me. I'm afraid of losing one of the girls again. Even now, after everything, the ship girls are all still looking up to me, depending on me, and I don't want to fail them. Not again."
"Eh?" Mutsu asked, "What do you mean, Nagato? You haven't failed them!"
"Kisagari," Nagato said, followed by a long silence.
"Kisagari's death … was my fault!"
"What? Nagato! You mustn't say that!"
"It's true! It was all my fault!" Nagato exclaimed as tears began to form in her eyes. She put her elbows on her legs and her palms to her eyes, and using all her force she tried to suppress them, but to no avail. "I could've planned the operation better! I should've planned it better! I should've taken the risks into account, the exposures to the flanks, but I didn't, and she got killed, and it was all my fault!"
Mutsu continued to listen quietly as Nagato went on. "She would be alive today! And I don't know if I have what it takes to keep the others safe, Mutsu! I just don't know! What if I up again and another one of them gets killed or more than one, I don't think I could live with myself! They're all relying on me to keep them safe, and if fail again, I -"
Nagato couldn't think of anything else to say, as she only fell into silent sobs. In her personal darkness, she heard something, a soothing hush. "Shhh!" It was then that she felt someone wrap around her, obviously Mutsu. She pulled her hands away and through her teary eyes could see Mutsu standing over her from behind, hugging her and resting her head on her shoulders.
"You stop that now, Nagato," she whispered softly and soothingly, "Don't say things about you that aren't true. You didn't botch any operations. There's nothing you could have done to stop Kisagari's death, and you know it. There are somethings that are out of your control." She looked into her eyes and continued, "But you try your hardest, and everybody knows that. Kisagari knew the risk, and so do all the others. They don't rely on you to keep them safe. They rely on you to keep your head clear and remain focused and do the best you can. And you do that so well."
Nagato tried to thank her, but simply couldn't. Instead, she just buried her head in her chest, and finished sobbing, embracing the warmth from her friend. "Th-thank you, Mutsu," Nagato said when she was finally brought back together. "You truly are my best friend."
Mutsu smiled, warming Nagato's heart. "So are you Nagato-chan-," Mutsu said. Nagato did not object as Mutsu leaned in for a small peck on her lips. It violated all decorum, but she was passed caring about that at this point.
"Do that again, Mutsu," she said, and Mutsu was all too happy to oblige. She leaned in for another small kiss, just slightly longer than the other one. Nagato licked her lips enjoying the taste Mutsu left on them.
"Are you alright now, Nagato?" Mutsu asked. With a sudden brazenness that come over her, she began playing with the straps on Nagato's bra and slowly traced them down to the cups, snapping back at the folds and squeezing them softly, much to Nagato's enjoyment. "Or do you need me to help you get rid of that stress?"
Nagato pretended to mull about it, and then nodded. "Yes," she said, "I still think I have too much stress." It was at this moment that Nagato had become awaare that while she was in her underwear, Mutsu was still fully clothed. With most of her confidence restored, she asked, "Um, Mutsu? Don't you think you that you should ... undress … if you are going to sleep in my bed tonight."
Mutsu nodded in agreement, and this time, with only a slight blush, she followed her commander's lead and took off her shirt and pants. "You are beautiful, Mutsu-chan," Nagato said as she admired Mutsu's exposed body.
"You are, too, Nagato-chan," she replied, as she leaned in closer to her, "I always thought you first day we worked together, I fell in love with you," she admitted.
"I know," Nagato said. As Mutsu leaned in for another soft kiss, this time Nagato caught the back of her head to prevent her from pulling back and forced her tongue into her mouth. Not that Mutsu dissented to this. Moaning in pleasure, she returned the favor and played with Nagato's tongue with her own.
"Mutsu-chan," Nagato said, pulling away, "Let's get under the covers." Mutsu nodded, "Yes, m'am." But the two forgot about the covers immediately as they kissed again. Mutsu, taking the lead, took off Nagato's bra and cast it to the floor.
"Yes! YES! YES!" Nagato exclaimed as she felt Mutsu's tongue roam freely under the bed sheets, hitting every note perfectly and sending waves and waves of euphoria one after another, until finally culminating in one last plesurable release. "YESSSS!" She screamed one last time and in an instant all of her stress faded away. Mutsu smiled as she felt Nagato clutch her hair hardly, taking it as a compliment on her work. She crawled out from under the covers and gave Nagato a taste of herself as she kissed her deeply, giving her commander no time to catch her breathe. Eventually, Nagato managed to get away and take a few breathes. Stilll going off of the high from Mutsu's service, she panted heavily.
As she looked Mutsu in her sparkling emerald eyes. "You always know exactly what I need, Mutsu," she said, practically whispering her name.
Mutsu returned it with a smile. "I love you, too, Nagato," she whispered herself. "Now," she said as she slid her finger seductively around her breasts, "maybe I deserve some service in return-eh?" Mutsu was interrupted by a light snore. She looked up to find that Nagato had fallen asleep. Mutsu smiled, and climbed off of her to snuggle by her side. Nagato had commanded her to take vigil beside her all night, and she would remain true to her orders. She had to; it was her duty, after all. But a smirk come over the side of her face, "Okay, Nagato," she said as watched her lover sleep peacefully beside her, "You sleep now." She pecked her on the lips one last time. "You had a long week.," she rested her head beside her, "but don't think that I'm going to let you use that as an excuse tomorrow. I deserve a reward for my good service to you, and you're gonna give it to me."
The next night, when she was more alert and conscious, Nagato did give Mutsu the greatest eating out she had ever received in good service to her work. They were wed by the admiral shortly after, and they all lived happily ever after.
The End