Commander would freely admit he had his faults, but he was not so dense as to not realise that Cassin had something on her mind when she asked him if he would go on a walk with her that evening.

The point was somewhat subtly hammered home by Cygnet, Yoizuki, Erebus, and Terror all making it clear that while he absolutely should go on a walk with Cassin, somehow they had all had something else urgent they needed to do and so couldn't accompany him.

Secretly, Lexington wouldn't have minded going on a walk with him, but unfortunately she hadn't realised she was busy until after the others had forcibly reminded her that not only would she be extremely busy, but that her attachment to Fleet One was a strictly Temporary arrangement.

Left to themselves, Commander and Cassin actually walked for some time before either of them spoke, the two of them took a path which meandered along between the shore and the greenfields before turning further inland along the bank of a gentle river.

"I imagine you must have a life outside of port, Commander." Cassin broke the awkward silence at last.

"What's brought this on all of a sudden?" He asked.

"You know, people you knew before you came here. Friends, family, maybe even a childhood sweetheart?" she explained impatiently.

"Hah, certainly not the childhood sweetheart side of things!" He laughed mirthlessly.

"Oh, I wouldn't have minded...In fact I almost hoped you did..." Cassin found herself unable to make eye contact with him. "You see, Shipgirls like us, like myself, we don't have anything like that. To us the port is our home, and our family. We don't get to interact much with people from outside."

"I'm sorry." he said.

"Don't be, it's not your fault this is how things turned out for us." Cassin hesitated. "It's just...we don't mind that we're different, if that makes any sense. Us Shipgirls aren't the same as you are Commander. We have the same values, and we're fighting to protect the people we care about. We just don't see things the same way as you...You're a human, Commander, and all of us Shipgirls are merely weapons."

"That isn't true." Commander interrupted her, unwilling to let that one slide. "Please don't tell me thats what you've been thinking this entire time."

"Well, no...but you can't deny that its more normal for a human such as yourself to only wed one other, not five." Cassin gave him a vacant look. "So I confess, it did cross my mind that maybe you didn't think of us like that, and that we are only tools from your own point of view."

"If I ever gave you that impression, then I am really truly sorry." Commander said hoarsely. "Never have I considered you or any other Shipgirl to be anything less than a person equal to any human. Never have I thought of you or any other as a mere tool or functionary item."

"We're not human, though!" Cassin spat irritatedly. "It doesn't matter what we look like, we're not born; we're constructed! Doesn't that bother you!?"

"You have soul. It's something which belongs to only you." Commander pointed out. "You wouldn't fire on your comrades even if I ordered it, and that's beceause you are not a mere weapon. You do not have an artificial personality, you are a real person. Why should I let a mere technicality such as birthright dictate my decisions."

"Damn...I feel like I've fallen in love with you all over again, Commander." Cassin said Shyly.

"Sometimes I worry that you underestimate just how much you mean to me, Cassin." He gave her a wan smile as he stood next to her. "You've supported me through good and bad, and the least I can do for you is return the favour."

Cassin looked deeply into his eyes before she spoke, she was standing very close to him now. "All we want to do is follow you...be with you...you can do anything you want. Enhance us...Retrofit us...Limit Break or Scrap us..."

"Not you." Commander exclaimed, severly alarmed by her words. "I would not scrap you, not even if I was blind drunk. The thought of doing something like that terrifies me."

Their faces were very close now. Cassin put her arms around his shoulders, then around the back of his neck and drew him closer.

"I really like the new retrofit you gave me, Commander...but not as much as I love you." Cassin whispered, leaning forwards to kiss him on the lips.

The passion of the kiss flared beautifully between them. Commander put his arms around Cassin and held her tightly, unwilling to let go. One hand around her back and the other caressing her soft, silky hair.

Reluctantly, they broke apart again.

"You've gotten a lot better." Breathed Cassin, looking into his eyes admiringly. "Have you been practicing on other girls?"

"It's okay." She added as Commander began to splutter out apologies. "I understand now. It's not fair that I want you all to myself when there are so many out there who need you. I'm happy enough just to be with you...and you can do anything you want to..."

And THEN they HELD HANDS in a LEWD way!

"The truth is...I don't care." She said to him. "I don't have any thoughts about what will happen in the future, I only want to be with you."

"I want to be with you as well, Cassin, I really do." Said Commander earnestly.

"Liar." Smirked Cassin. "You're already planning on taking another wife, aren't you?"

"..."

"Shut up...I already get teased for being top-heavy and not good at AA, so you don't need to look at me like that."

"Cassin...I don't know how many times I've said this but I love you for who you are. I love you. I love your flaws, and I love you despite your flaws."

"How can anyone love someone because of their flaws?" Demanded Cassin. "I hate it when I can't spot an enemy aircraft even if I know it's there, especially when I'm getting hit!"

"That's not what I mean."

"You mean you like watching me get shot?" Asked Cassin suspiciously.

"No! I just love it when you become incredibly cute for just a moment whenever you do something clumsy. And I also love how you're seriously cool when you overcome it." Said Commander reassuringly. "And I know you can shoot down planes, I've seen you do it loads of times."

To try and hide her embarrassment Cassin broke their gaze and looked aside, but the expression on her face with the pinkness in her cheeks was unbearably cute to be seen.

AND THEN THEY HELD HANDS AGAIN!