As soon as I turned around, I bumped into Hood, who had been waiting right behind me. I immediately jumped, but fortunately managed to stifle the shriek that threatened to burst past my lips as my heart and mind were set to racing. How long had she been there? Had she seen Littorio's little tease? Did Littorio see her and show off anyway? Am I about to get a stern talking to about gentlemanly conduct while in a hospital?

"H-Hood!" I stammered, trying to catch my breath and slow my heart rate. I decided to play dumb, act like nothing happened, and hoped she didn't call me on it. "Gave me a shock there. Is...there something I can help you with?"

She fixed me with a worried look, eyeing me up and down. "Are you well, Commander? You seem a bit...on edge…"

Inwardly, I breathed a huge sigh of relief as she either hadn't seen or wasn't going to comment on it. "Yeah, I'm good. Just had a lot of things happen all at once, trying to process all of them. I'll catch you up here in a second, but just to make sure, was there something you needed?"

She looked me over once again, making sure I really was alright before she nodded slowly. "Yes, I was wondering how Warspite's stay was going to affect our negotiations."

"That...won't be a problem anymore," I answered slowly. "We just agreed to a temporary alliance between Sardegna and Azur Lane, and Vittorio Veneto's agreed to let us station ships here until we've located and destroyed whatever's producing these Siren aircraft."

Hood looked downright shocked, which is rare for someone so poised. "When did this happen?"

"About five minutes ago. Oh, and the Iron Blood have declined to help us, and have pulled out of the port negotiations. But they will still uphold the cease-fire agreement."

"That...that is quite a lot of information to take in all at once…" Hood muttered.

"Agreed. Which leads me to what I need to talk to you about. We're gonna need more ships to help hunt down this Mirror Sea, namely carriers. If we don't dominate the sky, we are going to be picked off one by one on the sea."

Hood nodded slowly. "Who did you have in mind?"

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I was hoping to get some of the Eagle Union carriers in here, but they're on the other side of the Atlantic, and will now have to escort our diplomats to the new negotiations. Is Ark Royal available?"

"I'm afraid not," she said sadly. "Took a torpedo a week ago and is still in drydock."

"Damn. Eagle?"

"Still on arctic convoy duty, won't be back for at least two weeks."

"Glorious and Courageous?"

"Indian Ocean."

"Victorious?"

"Operation Siren with Saratoga. Who insists on calling her 'Robin' for some reason."

I chuckled. "Long story." I went through the list and realized who the last two were. "That leaves us…"

"Illustrious and Formidable," she finished for me. "Which will undoubtedly please Miss Littorio to no end."

"Oh, absolutely," I grinned at the thought. "Guess I'll be putting in that good word sooner than I thought…" Despite the humor I found in the situation, I also felt more than a hint of sadness, as if I was losing someone before I was ready to let them go...

"What was that, Commander?"

I hadn't realized I'd said that last bit aloud and quickly shook my head. "Nothing, Hood. Just thinking out loud. So Formidable and Illustrious...probably best to bring Black Prince and Hermione along as well, just for the added AA firepower. I think the Sardegnians will be able to bring the bulk of surface combatants we'll need once Littorio's up and ready for duty. Anyone else we should bring?"

Hood thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "No, sir. I think that should cover it. Between Enterprise, Illustrious, and Formidable, we should have a good fighter screen to take care of those fighters should they show up again, and Black Prince and Hermione will make for a good AA screen."

"Excellent. How fast can they get here?"

"Shouldn't be more than two days."

I ran the numbers in my head before nodding. "Good. Gives us a few days to go over a plan of attack while Littorio finishes her repairs. Probably work on a few joint exercises as well. Alright, go ahead and get orders out to those four. I'll keep you posted on what High Command's going to say about all this."

"Aye, sir," Hood saluted and strode off. With everything else taken care of, I finally headed back to Littorio's room.

I poked my head in, not sure of exactly what I would find, only to see Littorio lying in bed, covers pulled up to her chest, arms resting over them, hands folded together, the very picture of innocence. Don't know who she thought she was fooling.

"Playing coy, are we?" I asked, unable to keep the grin off of my face.

"Comandante," she grinned back, "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. Me, Littorio, coy?"

"Got me there," I pretended to concede, the wolfish grin still on my face. "The Littorio I've come to know would never shy away from the world. She'd want everyone to experience the glory of her...assets."

Her laugh, pure and melodic, rang throughout the hospital room, and probably through the nearby halls as well. "Well said, Comandante, well said! Although, I must say, while the glory of Littorio is for all to enjoy, my assets are another matter entirely. There are few who would be allowed to see such wondrous sights."

"In that case, I am honored and delighted by your trust, O beauteous Littorio," I replied, bowing theatrically.

"Ah, it's so nice to finally have someone who truly appreciates me for what I am," she sighed dreamily, giggling to herself before her expression grew serious. "Now, what is this grand plan you have for me?"

"First things first. Do you have a change of clothes?"

"No, but I can have someone drop some off. Why do you ask?"

I grinned. "Because I'm busting you out of here."

Littorio looked incredulous, but couldn't help but smile. "You're what?"

"You said you wanted to get out of here, and aside from filing a report to High Command, who won't even be awake to read it for another...seven hours or so, my day just suddenly cleared up. So while you're getting your change of clothes, I'll go file my report, and when I get back, we'll head out. Enjoy the scenery, fresh air, get a bite to eat that isn't hospital food, all that good stuff." I shot her my best smile and asked, "So are you in?"

Apparently, that smile was infectious, because she practically beamed back at me. "All in, Comandante."

"Great! I'll go file my report and be back in less than an hour."

As it turned out, I very nearly broke my word as it took me over half an hour to compile the entire report, leaving me barely enough time to change and rush back to the hospital. I raced all the way there, only slowing down once I got to the hallway adjacent to Littorio's room. It would be hard enough to sneak her out of the hospital as it was, no need to draw extra attention to myself.

"Sorry I'm-" my apology died on my lips as I caught sight of her. Gone was the unflattering hospital gown, and instead, Littorio was wearing a dazzling white pantsuit, a fresh rose in the lapel, the dark shirt underneath unbuttoned down to her sternum, barely teasing the black bra underneath. I could only stand there, my jaw on the floor yet again, as I tried to take in all of her radiance.

She looked me over, a bemused smile on her face as she waited for me to finish my sentence. When it became clear that I was spellbound by her new look, she strode over to me, her hands on her hips. "You're what, Comandante?" She grinned, continuing to feign innocence. "Is something the matter? Do you not like my new outfit?"

"N-no! No!" I burst out, finally finding my voice. "I love it! You look amazing, dazzling!"

Her cool facade finally broke as she giggled at my sudden exuberant denials. "Of course, it was tailored to reflect my glory, how could it be anything but stunning? But I am always appreciative of your kind words and genuine praise, Comandante."

As much as I inwardly grumbled about how easy it was for her to play me, I still enjoyed watching her genuine smile as she did so. It was a strange and often contradicting feeling, realizing that I was more often than not being played by her, and at the same time, enjoying it all the same. Had anyone else been trying to pull something like this, I likely would have kicked them to the curb long ago. But with Littorio, I just wanted to get closer. Was this a mutual attraction, or was I simply yet another moth drawn to her flame?

But such wool-gathering would have to wait, as we had to get out of there while everyone was distracted. "You're most welcome, Littorio," I replied with a smile. "You ready to get out of here?"

She wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close to her side, smiling at me as she said, "As I'll ever be. Lead on, Inigo."

Fortunately, as I predicted, the small staff on hand were busy tending to Warspite, allowing us to slip a "Do Not Disturb" sign on Littorio's door and casually stroll away.

Unfortunately, as Vittorio Veneto had predicted, by the time we got to the front lobby, Littorio's grip on me had grown tighter, less of a casual embrace and more for support. We slowed and I looked over at her.

"You okay?" I whispered to her.

She kept the calm, happy smile on her face, but I could still hear the strain in her voice. "I'll manage for a little while longer, Ammiraglio."

"Alright," I said slowly as we began walking again. "Just let me know if you need to rest."

"Si, si," she nodded.

Through what seemed to be Littorio's sheer force of will, we made it to our first stop, a beautiful fountain in the Piazza Ebalia. She let out a long, relieved sigh as I eased her down onto the bench before sitting beside her.

"Here we are," I announced with a sigh of relief as she draped her arm over my shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," she said, "Much more tired than I realized I would be. Perhaps Veneto was right, but I'll be damned if I ever admit that."

I laughed softly and shook my head. "My silence comes at a price, you know."

"Ha!" she barked. "Hard to blackmail a co-conspirator. After all, this little outing was your idea."

"Fair enough," I chuckled.

"So, how do you think your High Command will take to our little alliance?"

I leaned back against the bench and let out a long breath. "Honestly? I have no idea. They aren't going to be happy about the Iron Blood pulling out of the negotiations until we send diplomats, but I think they'll be somewhat pleased that things in the Mediterranean will be a little...friendlier now."

Littorio nodded sagely. "Mm. I definitely agree that this will be a much friendlier place for you, Comandante…"

I smiled softly until I remembered who would be here in a few days. "Speaking of friends, I have some good news for you."

"Oh?"

"We're bringing in more carriers for air support against this new Siren weapon. Illustrious and Formidable will be here within two days."

Littorio let out an excited gasp, eagerly sitting up, the pain and exhaustion forgotten in the thrill of the moment. "Both of them? Here? Inigo, you're spoiling me. Does this mean you'll put in a good word for me?"

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about…" I said slowly, peering into those red eyes, trying to look beyond that mask, to finally be able to see beyond the layers of charisma and charm. "What are your intentions with them? Why are you so set on seducing...well, everyone you've tried to seduce?"

She made a weak attempt at a playful laugh, her gaze turning away from me. "Comandante…"

"The truth," I insisted. "Please."

Littorio sighed and leaned back, withdrawing her arm from my shoulders and setting her hands in her lap. She began haltingly, unsure of herself, or how to find the right words. In the end, she answered with a question of her own. "Why are you single, Inigo?"

"Because I haven't found the right person yet."

"And what if you never find the right person?"

There was something in her tone, a cold certainty to it that sent a shiver up my spine and an ache in my heart. "That's an...unsettling thought," I began. "I hope I find her, wherever she is, but if I don't...uh...well...I guess I die alone, then."

She turned back to me, her eyes full of sorrow and empathy. "You wouldn't want to know what it was like, at least once?"

"Not if it wasn't real."

"Why not?"

I sighed heavily, taking a moment to compose my thoughts. "For starters, as commander of Azur Lane, any relationship I get into is going to be fraught with risks. I have to weigh the needs of the command against my own personal desires, which may conflict with each other. I don't want to deal with that kind of headache and heartache if it isn't going to be something real, something worthwhile. And even putting all that aside, I would rather have never known love than to have experienced something hollow and false."

"'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all," Littorio said in a small, quiet voice. That haunting, lonely look in her eyes had returned, threatening to consume both of us in its melancholy.

"Is it love if it was never real? If it's just a pantomime of emotions, no true feeling, is it a love lost or a charade ended?" I quietly countered. There was a heartbeat of silence between us as we eyed each other up, two sides of the same lonely coin. "Why are you asking me this?"

Littorio sighed, breaking eye contact to look towards the fountain, eyes staring off into the distance. "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who are Littorio, and those who are not. Among those who are not, there is not a single one worthy of my love," she quietly declared. "And I doubt there ever will be. So what am I to do? Keep my glory locked away where none can see it and hope that I find someone worthy of it? Or do I share it with as many as possible, to allow them some fraction of the joy that I so desperately desire?"

My heart went out to her. I had those same doubts, the fears of never finding someone to share your life with, to walk it alone… But I'd always held onto hope. That hope kept me going even when I felt utterly alone. Littorio, however, had lost that hope. Or never had it to begin with. Was it pride, or arrogance, or a string of unsuccessful romances that brought her to this conclusion?

"I...I honestly don't know," I began slowly. "Neither of those options sounds very appealing to me, considering you're still unhappy and alone in either of them. For what it's worth, I hope you're wrong. I hope you find someone worthy, who makes you as happy as you'll undoubtedly make them. But if I had to choose between just those two...I guess...yeah, bringing some romantic joy to people's lives when it's something you know you'll never be able to truly experience is the better one...and...honestly...a little, well more than a little…" My voice trailed off as I felt something stirring deep in my chest. "...beautiful."

Oh no.

This feeling swelling in my heart, could it be the one thing I've never felt with any of the other kansen before? A genuine romantic attachment? Now, of all times? This couldn't be happening, this shouldn't be happening. Damn you, you infernal organ, why now? She had just said none were worthy, which would have included me. Or did it? How well did she truly know me? Would it be hubris of the highest order to think I had a chance?

"Comandante? Admiral Vian? Inigo!" Littorio's voice snapped me out of my reverie and my eyes snapped to hers.

"S-sorry," I stammered, feeling my cheeks blush and my heart alternating between skipping a beat every half second and hammering in my chest like a jackhammer. If I hadn't known this was love, I would've thought I was having a heart attack. "L-lost in thought there for a second. As I said, I really do hope you find someone."

She didn't respond at first, peering intently at me, much to my confusion. Then I recalled what she said about being able to read people and realized she was doing just that. Not quite ready to have the inner revelations of my heart revealed to the world, I flinched and tried to look away. But no sooner than I had turned my head, Littorio reached out to me, cupping my cheek with her hand, thumb gently running over my cheekbone as she turned my head back to me.

"Inigo," she whispered insistently, her eyes boring into mine. I sighed, realizing that there was no escaping this, and considering she'd just bared her soul to me, it only seemed right I do the same for her.

"You've...awakened something in me, something I haven't felt in a long, long time. Maybe this is real, maybe it's empathy, and maybe you've just done too good of a job with your charm offensive and I've inadvertently fallen for you. But I want to at least find out if you feel the same way."

"And if I don't?"

"Then we go our separate ways," I answered honestly. "I'll even put in a good word for you with Illustrious. On the condition you're upfront with them about the nature of the relationship. But I would rather try and prove myself worthy and fail than spend the rest of my life wondering about what might have been."

She stayed silent a long time, and I could see she was weighing things in her mind. I didn't have her keen ability to read people, however, so I was left wondering what she would say. In the end, she withdrew her hand from my face and faced the fountain again, staring blankly at it.

"Why am I here?" she asked.

I wasn't expecting that. "Uh...literally or metaphysically? Because I am painfully unprepared to answer the latter."

She giggled a bit, glancing sidelong at me before the somber mask returned. "Why did you bring me out here?"

"You wanted to get out and it wasn't going to put you in any kind of serious harm, so I brought you," I shrugged.

"Would you have done that for anyone under your command?"

"No," I answered without a second's hesitation.

"Then...why me?"

Now it was my turn to stare into the fountain as I searched my heart for the answers. Why had I decided to break the rules and help Littorio escape the hospital? If Veneto found out, it could cause an incident, damage our new alliance. It certainly wouldn't help with my own command if they found out I was breaking the rules for someone else. And yet, I did it without hesitation and given the chance, I would do it again. And in the end, there was only one real reason…

"Because it made you happy. Or at least, I hoped it would make you happy."

I heard the rustling of her suit as she turned back to face me, emerald hair waving in the sea breeze, a soft, warm smile on her face. "And our first night in port, when you asked me what I wanted to do…?"

"The same reason," I confirmed, answering her unfinished question. "Don't get me wrong, I love a lady who takes charge, but I want to be with someone who wants me to be involved in their interests as well."

"You know you're the first person to do that." She stated, much to my disbelief.

"Oh, come on…" I scoffed, turning away for a moment. When I looked back, I saw her expression and realized she wasn't joking. "You're serious. Nobody?"

"Not a one," she affirmed with a slow shake of her head. "They were all too happy to let Littorio set the pace and terms of every engagement. I gave them their bit of happiness, let them indulge themselves in my glory, of course, but that is how I knew they would all fall short of my expectations."

It slowly began to dawn on me where exactly she was going with this. "Does this mean…?"

"Perhaps," Littorio smiled and shrugged playfully before she took a breath and looked me in the eye once again. "Comandante, I must admit that you have the qualities to become as glorious as me. That is a wonderful thing, for though I have always wanted a partner to journey with, none were capable of it until now.

"While it isn't a complete 'yes'," she elaborated, "You've gotten farther than most. Will you be worthy enough to win Littorio over? That remains to be seen."

I couldn't suppress the broad, bright smile that was spreading across my face, even if I wanted to. I had a chance. While there were still a thousand ways this may not work out between us, we still had a fighting chance, and I wasn't about to let that slip away. "Maybe it's arrogant to say, but I'd like to think I am."

Littorio stood and smiled proudly as she held her hand out to me. "Prove it."

A/N-And we're off! Let the romance officially begin. Wonder what Inigo has in store. Until next time, fair winds and following seas!