Murrue stayed all night despite the fact that they didn't progress beyond some fairly chaste kissing. Part of it was to do with her plan. She was curious about her ending and knew that to get close to her would mean she had to build up a certain level of hard-won trust. But she was also genuinely interested in the other woman on a personal, emotional level. And it tickled her to know that Ensign Natarle Badgiruel got cold in the night and was apt to snuggle up to any heat source in range, even her captain.
Natarle stared up at the ceiling, entranced by the wisps of vapour rising from her hot bath. Kami but there was something about the captain when she wasn't disobeying orders or plotting to put ship and crew in mortal danger for the dozenth time that week Despite giving the woman her first kiss she couldn't afford to get too involved. They were fighting a war and it was inevitable that sooner or later one or another of them would be sent to their deaths.
Still, there was one more bridge shift to complete before the leave period began. Tolle took the ensign's silence as a good sign, but the strange expression in his captain's eye gave him the willies, When women looked that thoughtful when work wasn't occupying them it was generally a bad sign.
Natarle liked the silence. She liked silence in general for one simple reason – it meant they weren't in a battle. Her stillness and quiet seemed inhuman, but Murrue felt more aware of the other woman after the previous night and took the time and care to notice the tense shoulders and back under the starched white uniform. She wanted to slip that jacket off and slider her hand over those rock hard tense muscles and feel them relax under her warm palms.
Tolle was definitely freaked out when the captain smiled at Ensign Natarle's stiffly alert back. Especially since it was not her usual compassionate smile. He knew those two could be pretty explosive, but this was a whole new level of unnerving. It looked like the captain was moving onto a whole new realm of conflict after yesterday's ugly explosion. He heard it had got pretty nasty and hoped sincerely that they cleared things up before one or another of them was forced by events to leave.
He confided in his friends. Athrun was predictably shocked and disturbed by it, but the others were more philosophical, taking it in their stride as simply the fortunes of war.
By the end of the shift there was something of a holiday atmosphere on the bridge, with bright faces, animated conversation and a less repressed feel than usual. Even Natarle's shoulders loosened slightly and she tilted her head back with a sigh, favouring the youngsters with a rare smile. They blinked and returned it, a little surprised by the officer's rare good mood.
Okay so she wasn't exactly skipping and whistling but Natarle was feeling positive about things. It was an unusual state of affairs and for once her natural caution was not raining on the tentative hope she felt. Natarle wondered if she would see the captain again tonight. She certainly hoped so.