Part Four – Echo November Delta
It surprised me just how well things with Eugen went after that weekend, how smoothly we slipped into this relationship and it was like we made up for the lost time. True we had our squabbles, especially after she moved in, but she was proving to be a good foil to me, forcing me to relax and take things a little less seriously all the time.
What had added to that surprise when we got home after a rather long week and she asked me to marry her, I know modern times and how things change and all that. I agreed, naturally, but I was curious as to why she asked, but I lost all need to know when I saw her take out the ring box from her favorite pocket and I knew she had found the one I had pulled out of the damn green cat's shop.
And now, almost six months after that night, I was standing in the room where we were hosting our reception, the Iron Blood had gone all out, decorating the hall in the colors of both the Iron Blood and the Maple Monarchy. I look around the room a little, trying to find my bride, once I spot her, she has a microphone in hand and she gives me a wink before saying, "William, I feel that it was fate that brought us together and for that, it has my thanks. For so long I felt so empty inside, but slowly you changed that. You made me feel something other than loneliness."
She pauses to walk towards me before adding, "I hope you never forget that my love, and know that I look forward to our future together."
As she turns off the microphone she kisses me before whispering, "Top that."
I sigh inwardly, I really didn't think I could, but I'd give it go none the less. I got out of my chair and looked around the room, a collection of officers from Azur Lane, even my replacement Commander Mathew Cunningham, god he looked like such a fresh-faced kid, did I ever look like that before coming here? I smirk to myself, he has no idea what he's in for.
I clear my throat before I go to say something, but when nothing comes right away I try a second time and the words come, "I don't think I can really top that Eugen. When you first stormed into my life, I had thought you were sent to test and punish me for some past indiscretion that I wasn't aware of. Looking back at everything that happened, I wish I had known then, what I know now. That you would become such an important part of my life, that I can't see a future for myself without you in it. I hope in fifty years, you don't mind me being old and wrinkly."
I look around the room hoping that my joke lands on a few, thankfully it seems to land with the few humans that are here while the kansen seem to look confused and clap awkwardly. I pass the microphone on to the next person as I take a seat beside Eugen and she whispers to me, "I don't get it."
I sigh and whisper to her about how over time I'll grow older and how with correct maintenance she shouldn't. That got her to pat my leg and tell me, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
The rest of the evening was a bit a blur for me, I knew that tonight we'd be setting sail out of the harbor, heading to the Maple Monarchy, we were getting our first real kansen and Eugen had offered to help train them.
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That evening as I took off my uniform in the captain's cabin I could smell honey and I knew what it was instantly, bärenfang. I turn around to see Eugen standing behind me with two glasses of the golden liquid. As I reach for one, she pulls it away and teases, "Who said one was for you?"
I laugh and take one anyway and she smiles sipping from her glass before saying to me, "We're ready to go when you are. And for the record, I am looking forward to seeing where you grew up."
I laugh and sit on the end of the bed as I say, "I'm sure it looks different now, last time I saw it was before I attended Azur Lane academe, so about seven years ago now."
Eugen sits beside me, leaning her head on my shoulder as she clinks glasses with me and I feel her engines come to life as she says, "To new adventures then."
After a moment she crossed her legs and laughed before asking me, "Did you see the way that Hood was looking at the new Commander?"
I sip and shake my head saying, "No, I missed that."
"I have a feeling, I know what she's going to go through during his tenure there." She smirks at me.
I laugh again and tease her, "Hopefully with less teasing."
Eugen puts her glass down and winks at me, "You loved every second of it."
I smirk and counter, "You loved every second of it, had I known at the time, I think I might have."
I feel her pull my shirt forward and bring our lips together as she shuts down the lights in the room and whispers to me, "Ich liebe dich."
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A/N: The end. Like I said, this one was a shorter chapter, and well I really, really tried to keep this one T, but working with Eugen in that restriction is just so hard, I caved and bumped it up to M. I also chose to link this one to Sensibility with a nod to Hood and Mathew Cunningham.
