The night brought no relief from the thoughts whirling about my head. In my dreams, I was back in the office, with Mikasa in my arms once more. Our lips were inexorably drawn to one another by an unspoken connection, but the closer we got, the more my anxiety grew. I tried to calm myself down, reminding myself that Shokaku would knock on the door and nothing would happen. But that knock never came. With growing horror, I realized this time, nothing would interrupt us, nothing would stop us. Our foreheads touched, our noses rubbing together before our lips brushed against one another, tentatively, haltingly, as if we were each afraid to take the final step before overcoming our fears and meeting in our first kiss. Her lips tasted of cherry and coffee, and she sighed happily as she melted into my arms. I wrapped my arms around her, pouring every bit of passion into my alarm clock.

Wait.

My eyes snapped open and glared at the treacherous device on my nightstand, still happily chirping away, oblivious to what it had interrupted. I slapped the off button and threw off my covers with a sigh before sitting up. Now things were getting complicated. It would seem the moment was more than one borne out of sheer exhaustion, that there was an attraction, at least on my part, to Mikasa.

To say I was conflicted would be the understatement of the decade. On the one hand, I was clearly beginning to develop romantic feelings for Mikasa, and I was more than a little curious to know if she felt the same way. On the other, she and I had been friends since she first arrived last year, and one of the few people I've really ever fully trusted. Had there been something there all along, and we were just unable to see it, or was it our recent support of one another that caused a spark to occur? Assuming it was mutual. This could be love unrequited, but an ever-growing part of me felt differently. But how would I know for sure?

Either way had risks. If I charged in, and it wasn't mutual, the relationship would likely be permanently damaged and things would be awkward between us for a long time, if not forever. If I play things too safe, I may never find out, or find out once it's too late and will have lost out on another chance at love. In the end, I decided to try and casually feel things out, and when the time is right, talk to Mikasa about what happened the other morning. Putting the emotional dilemma aside for the time being, I got up to get ready for our outing…

I knocked on Mikasa's door and immediately heard "One moment!" from the other side. While I prepared to wait a minute or two, I was surprised to see the door open, but only just wide enough for Mikasa to poke her head around.

"Good morning, John!" she beamed as she eyed me up and down. "You look good!"

"Thanks!" I smiled back as I glanced down at what I was wearing. I had opted for a button-down shirt and slacks to keep it somewhere between casual and "Sunday Best". "May I say you are looking amazing as a floating head."

Mikasa tipped her head back and laughed, the sound reverberating through the hallway. "I'm still getting ready, but please, come in, have a seat in the living room!"

Her head disappeared back around the door as it swung open, and I could hear her footfalls quickly heading down the hall as I stepped inside. I caught a glimpse of her long braid before it vanished around the corner to her bedroom before I headed for the living room and sat down on the couch to wait.

I didn't have to wait long, however, before Mikasa came striding back into the room, this time wearing an outfit I'd never seen her in before. While it looked similar to her regular uniform, the jacket was less ornamental and much shorter, exposing her midriff, and her Sakura-inspired cloak was replaced by a simple cape. A cap that harkened back to an older time completed the ensemble.

"I found quite the nostalgic outfit when I was cleaning my wardrobe," she declared triumphantly, hands on her hips. "Let's see... 'Prepare to come with me on a new journey!' How do I look, Commander?" She did a little spin to show off, her skirt and cape twirling around her.

"You look fantastic!" I happily admitted. "I take it that's the old outfit you mentioned from the other day?"

"Yep!" She grinned and threw me a playful wink. "Told you I had it here somewhere. Found it while I was digging out my old cherry-blossom viewing outfit, and just wanted to show it off since we talked about it." Her grin suddenly vanished and she got a strange, embarrassed look on her face, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

"Are you okay?" I asked, peering at her.

"I-I'm fine," she answered unconvincingly.

"I don't mean to pry, but...whatever it is, I promise not to judge."

"I-it's nothing," she said unconvincingly as she shook her head, her cheeks turning even redder.

"It doesn't seem like nothing." When she drew further into herself, I stood and reached out to her, taking her gloved hand in mine. "Look, If it's something you don't want to share I understand, but if you ever feel like talking about it...I'm here for you."

She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine until she was satisfied. With a sigh, she dropped her head back down, her voice soft and quiet. "I was thinking, what if I was still a schoolgirl, meeting you for the first time beneath the dancing cherry blossoms before becoming inseparable sweethearts... a scenario like that...might have been nice…"

So she did feel the same way. The revelation rocked me back on my heels as my mind swam with the implications. With her own feelings for me confirmed, I felt a bit more confident in talking things over with her. But I decided to ease into it a little bit. "While you weren't a schoolgirl at the time, we did meet under the dancing cherry blossoms."

Her head snapped back up, eyes full of fear and hope and uncertainty. "We did?"

"Mhm," I nodded confidently. "I remember it vividly. You had saved Shokaku and Zuikaku and they had brought you here a year ago. Zuikaku got here first and practically dragged me over to where you were in the Sakura dorms." I chuckled softly at the memory. "She had talked you up the entire way there. I think she was still talking you up when you came into view. You were talking to Shokaku, a warm smile on your face as she studiously nodded, and all around you, falling cherry blossoms danced on the wind. Then Zuikaku shouted and you turned to us and smiled again. That beautiful smile of an old friend long reunited, even though we'd first met. I thought it was just as beautiful then as it is now."

Her smile returned, hopeful. "Th-thank you." She hesitated for a moment. "Yesterday...when you...when I...when we…I thought it was just me."

"No," I answered softly with a shake of my head. "Not just you. I was wondering the same thing until you said something. Maybe we could sit and talk about it?"

Her smile grew. "I think I'd like that."

We both sat back down on the couch as Mikasa took off her cap and laid it on the coffee table. There was an awkward pause as each waited for the other to start first.

"I think-"

"How long-"

We shared an uneasy chuckle as we each started at the same time. "You first," I conceded.

"Thank you," she nodded. "How long have you...had these feelings?"

I gave the answer some thought before I shrugged slightly. "I'm not sure...but I know I didn't realize I had them until yesterday morning. What about you?"

She smiled shyly before she looked down at her hands, neatly folded in her lap. "I think I had begun to have them back when the museum was destroyed. My world was in pieces, but you were there for me. You stayed with me the entire night. You didn't have to do that, you didn't do it out of some obligation or hero-worship, you did it to be kind. That...that meant a lot to me."

"I'm glad I did," I confessed. "You've been a good friend, and maybe we could be something more…" I took a deep breath and steadied myself before addressing the elephant in the room. "I guess the real question is where do we go from here?"

Mikasa looked back up at me, surprise on her face. "What do you mean?"

My heart fluttered inside my chest and I felt like I was in high school again asking a girl out for the first time. "Do we want to just...keep things professional between us, or try to...or...do we want to explore what we're feeling?"

She tore her gaze away and stared back down at her hands again, and I could see her struggling with the question. "I...I'm too old for love..." she quietly answered. She looked back up at me and I saw the deep pools of sorrow and doubt in her eyes. "Surely you'd be happier with someone younger like Shokaku or Atago?"

My heart went out to her, and I reached over to take her hand in mine. "Love isn't something that gets obsolete or out of date," I smiled softly. "And the past few days with you have made me happier than I've been in years." She continued to look up at me, and when she said nothing, I continued. "Look, if you just want to keep things as professional and platonic as possible, I'll respect that. But I want to know what your heart says. Not who makes the best match for me, or whether or not you're young enough, or anything else your head tells you. What does your heart want?"

The silence that filled the room was deafening. I tried not to stare too intensely at her as she averted her gaze once more. My heart was pounding in my chest as my confidence began to wane. Had I pushed too hard? Was this something she really wanted, or was she just engaging in idle chatter that I took way too seriously? Am I staring too creepily?

After what felt like an eternity, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, nodding once to herself. Mikasa turned to face me and nodded again, "If this is what you really want…"

"It is," I assured her. "But only if this is what you want, too."

"It is," she whispered, her cheeks flushed a deep red. "I want to find out how deep this goes for us."

My anxiety and fear melted away, replaced by joy and relief as I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Good."

We sat there, smiling awkwardly at each other until Mikasa spoke up again. "So...what do we do now?"

"Oh!" I suddenly realized I hadn't thought that far ahead. This all happened so quickly. "Uh...well, I was thinking we could go on a date, something romantic, just the two of us, that sort of thing…"

Some of her confidence came back as she lifted an eyebrow. "What about the cherry blossom viewing? You and I, beneath the dancing petals...I think it's very romantic."

I smiled and nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

After Mikasa changed into what she called her "appropriate cherry blossom viewing attire", a beautiful combination of a kimono, a western-style pleated skirt and boots, and a parasol, we headed off to the cherry trees, arm in arm. It was a little awkward at first, but as we walked together, we shared the odd little smile, then chuckle, and by the time we got there, we were smiling from ear to ear.

"Here we are," Mikasa announced, and I was finally able to tear my gaze from her to take in the breathtaking tableau before us. As far as the eye could see were cherry trees in full bloom, their soft pink petals making it appear as if we were covered by rosy clouds. Every so often, the sea breeze would pick up and the petals would be blown loose, graceful clouds that fluttered and danced on the wind before settling softly on the ground. I had often heard of zen meditation, of something so serene that it centers you, but until that moment, I never truly understood it. With this blissfully calm moment, I felt a peace that I hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"This is...beautiful," I whispered, still awestruck. "It's so serene and calming and peaceful. I can't believe I've been missing out."

"Well, no time like the present to get caught up," Mikasa smiled at me as she tugged my arm. "Come on, let's go find a good spot to set up."

I managed to pull myself together long enough to nod and adjust the basket Mikasa had given me to carry. "Right. Lead on, then."

She led us down a few more paths before stopping at what I surmised to be the center of the cherry orchard and gestured to an open spot on the grass. "Here will do quite nicely."

Without further ado, I set the basket down and opened it up to see what was inside. On top was a large blanket, which I spread out over the grass, and underneath was an assortment of finger foods, a couple of bottles of water, and what looked like a jar of sake, and two cups. I left the food for Mikasa as I took a seat on the blanket and patted the spot next to me. "Room for one more," I joked, giving her a playful wink.

She laughed and shook her head, but still sat beside me after closing her parasol. As she got comfortable, she scooted closer to me until she was practically pressed up against me. For a second, she hesitated, wondering if she should be so close, and I reassured her by draping an arm around her shoulder. Fears allayed, she cuddled up to me, resting her arm on my shoulder as we both looked up at the fluttering cherry blossoms.

"I have missed this," she sighed softly, and I glanced down at her.

"When was the last time you did something like this?"

"Oh, not in a few years. With the war on, we really didn't have time for any frivolities like this, and last year I got here on the best day for blossom viewing, so I missed it."

"Well, I'm glad you're here with me now," I smiled. "Don't think I'd want to experience this for the first time with anyone else."

Mikasa nodded, and we lapsed into silence once more. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a calm, peaceful silence, where we simply enjoyed the feeling of togetherness and the stillness of the moment. It struck me just how quiet it was amongst the trees. The waves, the sounds of the harbor, the general hustle and bustle of the base was all shut out. The only sound at all was the wind and the rustling of the trees, making it seem almost magical.

Over time, I noticed some of the petals fell on us, and while a breeze would pick up every now and again and blow most off, some would stubbornly remain. After a while, we were beginning to look like we'd been snowed on, and we each reluctantly released each other to shake off the petals.

"Mmm...could've stayed like that for hours," Mikasa hummed happily as she plucked the last errant petals out of her hair. "But we should probably have a bite to eat."

I could feel the first pang of hunger at the mention of food, and decided she was correct on that front. "Agreed. What's up first on the menu?"

"I decided to go with a bento box for a nice, light lunch," she answered as she produced two beautifully lacquered boxes from the basket. She handed one over to me, along with a pair of chopsticks, which I gratefully accepted. Once she had her own bento in her lap, I gently lifted off the lid, and was surprised by both the steam that lifted out from beneath it, as well as the delicious smell. Inside was futomaki sushi, noodles, tempura vegetables, and what I guessed was teriyaki shrimp.

"This...this is amazing!" I gasped in wonderment. "Did you make all of this yourself?"

Her proud smile told me what I needed to know, but nevertheless, she nodded and said, "Almost! The noodles I just didn't have time to make from scratch, so I had to use prepackaged ones."

"You can make noodles from scratch?"

"Of course!" she huffed. "That's the best way to make them!"

"The...traditional way?" I asked with a teasing grin.

"Is that your new code for 'old-fashioned'?" she grinned back at me.

"Maybe."

"Just remember I've got years more experience in mischief than you do."

"Ooh, good point."

We shared another playful grin as we began to eat our lunch. The shrimp was indeed covered in a delicious teriyaki sauce and cooked to perfection. And while the noodles may have been bought at the commissary, they were still equally flavorful.

"By the way," Mikasa began in between bites of her tempura sweet potatoes, "do you cook?"

"I can," I answered slowly, "I mean, I can follow the recipe if I have one, and I can make simple stuff like eggs or burgers on my own without one, but I just usually don't have the time and it's kind of lonely making dinner for one when I do."

"Of course," Mikasa said, her tone sympathetic. "I know the feeling."

Just as I was about to reply, an idea popped into my head. "How about we do that for our second date? I make us a nice, romantic candlelit dinner."

She looked up at me in surprise, the expression quickly turning to a playful one, however. "That's a bit bold, wouldn't you say?" she teased. "After all, we're not even through the first date."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Let's just say I've really enjoyed this day with you, and I don't see things taking a sudden downturn. So naturally, one could conclude that a second date is in the offing. If you feel the same way."

A coy smile crossed Mikasa's face as she confirmed my suspicions. "I do."

In spite of my confidence, I still felt a little bit relieved as she confirmed what I already knew. "So what day works for you?" I asked with a charming grin.

She giggled at my flirtation. "Let's finish this one first."

"Aye aye, ma'am."

As we strolled back to Mikasa's apartment, arm in arm once more, the Grand Veteran suddenly let out a long sigh. And not the happy, contented sigh I would have expected after a romantic date gone well, but a frustrated sigh.

"What is it?" I asked, immediately worried that I'd done something wrong.

"Sorry, sorry," Mikasa began, recognizing that I didn't quite get what she was frustrated with. "Nothing you did, or this date, it's all been so wonderful. I was just thinking about all the work I still have to do on the museum to get it back together…"

A dilemma suddenly presented itself with those words. On the one hand, I could continue to keep Mikasa in the dark about what Shokaku and the others were doing. On the other hand, I didn't want to see Mikasa worrying and wrestling with a problem that doesn't even exist. In the end, I decided to allay her fears. "I think that problem is working itself out as we speak," I assured her.

She looked up at me with confusion in her eyes, and I simply smiled back as I changed course. "This way."

As we rounded the corner, we came upon what looked like the entire Sakura Empire fleet, all set up around a number of tables they must have dragged out of the meeting rooms they reserved. On those tables were Mikasa's models, or replacements for them, each one being lovingly restored or rebuilt by one kansen or another.

I glanced down at Mikasa, still clutching my arm, her jaw agape in wonder and surprise. "Wha...how...when...why?" she stammered.

"From what I can gather, it was Mutsuki's idea, but Shokaku and a few others got everyone organized and rallied to help you out. From what Shokaku's been telling me, they should be done in about another week or so."

For the longest time, Mikasa simply stared, awestruck. Then, slowly, her expression changed from amazed to a proud smile as she continued to watch them all from a distance. "I was sad to see my model ships destroyed... But I'm also glad I got to see the Sakura girls come together like this." She sighed again, this time the happy sigh I'd been expecting. "All that work I put in certainly didn't go to waste. Thanks to these kids…"

I glanced over at the group as they continued to diligently work, then back to Mikasa. "Do you want to stop by, say hello?"

She emphatically shook her head. "Let them think it's still a surprise. I'll let all of them know how proud I am of all of them when they spring this on me." She smiled and patted me on the arm. "Come on, let's go home…"

A/N-Awwww, what a cute couple! We got our first date at long last, but what about our first kiss? When oh when will that happen? Until next time, fair winds and following seas!