A/N: Hi all! Hope you're all doing well in these trying times! I will try my best to crank out some more chapters before I have a mental breakdown about how many essays I need to write. I have my priorities set, don't worry.
Let's get this love triangle super tensed up, because I love all three of them and I don't want them to feel left out. (Might write oneshots, idk, kinda feelin it tbh).
"So, have you got everything you need? You've got all the food? The drinks? Snacks perchance?" Assam ruffled through the neatly packed wicker basket that carried everything for the perfect late-night beach date.
"Yes, Assam, I've got everything. Thank you for your concern. I did make a checklist after all," subtly pushing her friend away from her impeccably packed basket, Darjeeling tidied it a little and put her left forearm under the handle. She picked it up and it dangled safely just above her hip.
"I know, I know, but I just want this to go perfectly for you two," a genuine, warm smile emanated from Assam, being seamlessly carried over to her commander and being reciprocated in equal genuineness.
"I appreciate that Assam, I'll make sure my feelings are conveyed properly. I want to reassure her that she is the one for me, and Maho- nor anyone else, can get in the way of that," Darjeeling buttoned up her cardigan then adjusted the basket on her arm. She seemed ready to go, and Assam wished her good luck.
Darjeeling swiftly made her way out of the kitchens, knowing exactly where to go, and hoping Kay got there on time and in one piece. It wasn't necessarily a long walk, nor a short one at that but it was comforting. A walk that allowed Darjeeling to watch the setting sun, the skies becoming an embracing pink and orange hue, it calmed the heart and mind when witnessing it.
The minutes seemed to fly by as she greeted some locals on her way to the beach, petted that same cat from before and watched the setting sun shyly hiding away below the horizon. Darjeeling approached the beach and scanned the orange sand, seeing only a few people out; a couple sat near the steps chatting happily between each other, a family out in the water enjoying the last few moments of the calming sun for the day, and a fair-haired girl sitting alone on the beach. The girl sat facing the water, her gaze looking longingly into the horizon, watching the sun about to dip behind the edge of the world.
"Hello, Kay," Darjeeling greeted the girl sitting alone, and when her name was called out she snapped out of her trance and grinned from ear-to-ear.
"Good evening m'dear," Kay sprung up on her feet and embraced her girlfriend, recognising the sweet perfume that she liked on Darjeeling's neck. Kay was wearing her usual denim shorts, white thigh-highs, grey tank-top and khaki jacket; yet Darjeeling was dressed in a more mature, white one-piece summer dress that had a pleated skirt and a black belt around the waist along with a navy blue cardigan over her shoulders.
"Shall we go a bit further down? For some privacy?" Darjeeling extended her free hand to Kay, and Kay clasped her left hand around it. They entwined their fingers and walked further down the beach.
"Privacy, hm? Are you planning on doing naughty things to me?" A huge smirk grew on Kay's lips.
"I wouldn't put it off, nor would I confirm it either. We'll see how things go, shall we?" Darjeeling rolled her eyes, but there was a pure smile on her lips.
"Excellent," Kay chuckled, "you smell delicious by the way,"
"Not the food?" Darjeeling raised a flawless eyebrow in the direction of her girlfriend.
"It always does when you cook it, but you know I like that perfume on you," Kay wiggled her eyebrows, "are you trying to seduce me?"
"No, maybe... don't ask such ridiculous questions. I'm wearing it because it smells nice," Darjeeling lowered her voice to a whisper, "and because you like it..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing," the blonde couple advanced along the beach, sparking the idea in Darjeeling's head about the joint US-British forces invading Normandy. A conversation began, and they fell into an honest and no-holds-barred chat where they felt like they could talk to each other for eternity basking in the dying glow of the sun and on the warm, smooth grains of sand beneath their feet.
Darjeeling took Kay a surprisingly far distance away from the main area, to a tiny alcove that seemed perfect for watching the sunset and having a picnic with your gorgeous girlfriend.
"You really are trying to seduce me, aren't you?" Kay placed herself down on the sand beneath a natural rock cover. Darjeeling scoffed as she sat down to her left, placing the wicker basket between them and taking the towel off the top. The picnic blanket had been placed underneath them, serving as some cushion from the rigid ground they sat on. The Saunders girl watched as Darjeeling neatly folded the towel, placed it beside her and started taking bits and pieces out of the basket, all neatly and tidily like she had practised this a million times.
"So, what will you have first? I also brought tea, as well as some cola for you if you would like any?"
"You know what?" Kay paused, her lips pursed together and a serious look in her eyes. Darjeeling felt a shiver run through her spine, but she didn't let it deter her with a prompt straightening of her posture. "I think we should get started on the tea,"
"Fantastic choice," Darjeeling breathed a sigh of relief hidden behind an appreciative smile. She took out two cups and unscrewed the cap of the thermos that held the tea, carefully pouring it into both cups. Kay added the necessary sugar and milk to the two drinks, thankfully learning how her girlfriend likes her tea. (it's an important piece of information if you want to earn your significant other's approval. If they don't drink tea or coffee then good luck with your relationship)
"Hey, Darj?" Kay began after a short while. The two of them had been quietly appreciating the moment as they slowly dug into the food that Darjeeling had brought. Kay had taken off her jacket and hung it up on an exposed branch about a metre away from them, and Darjeeling had removed her cardigan to be tightly folded on top of the towel that had covered the basket earlier.
"Yes? What's the matter?" Darjeeling looked over to her girlfriend, a slightly worried eyebrow was raised when Kay looked at her with the same seriousness as before.
"Earlier, you said something about love. The engines were pretty loud so could you say it again please?" A teasing smile was on the fair-haired girls' lips, her eyes prompting Darjeeling to repeat the previous statement. With a sigh and a smile, Darjeeling complied.
"I love you, Kay,"
"I love you too, Darj," Kay gently put her left hand on Darjeeling's cheek and leaned in for a kiss. The St Gloriana commander leaned in, closing the gap between them and had their lips connect in a love-filled, heartfelt kiss. Darjeeling placed her left hand on Kay's waist as she placed her right hand on her other cheek. A few seconds passed and they parted their lips, locking gazes as they understood their passion for each other. They had grown affectionate for each other after every time they met, and now they could take their relationship further onto a more romantic path.
"I liked that, I liked that a lot..." Kay leaned her forehead on Darjeeling's closing her eyes and breathing gently against her partner. Darjeeling pecked Kay's lips before gingerly pressing her forehead against Kay's.
"I still can't express how sorry I am Kay I-" Before the yellow-haired commander could even finish her sentence, Kay had stolen her lips again, her hands trailing to her shoulders and her waist to be slowly pulled closer to her.
"No more of that, alright?" Leaning away a few inches, Kay looked up from the rosy lips of her girlfriend to the calm blue eyes that looked back at her.
"I'm sorry... I..." Darjeeling received a light tap on her thigh from Kay after apologising again.
"Stop apologising. Just let us have a nice time on the beach, with no worries, nothing else on our mind except each other. O.K?"
"Okay,"
"Good girl, now did you bring your swimsuit?"
"Depends on whether or not you did," a light red hue flushed onto Darjeeling's cheeks.
"Darj, if I hear 'beach', then I'm definitely bringing my bikini," Kay smirked as she scooted about a foot away from Darjeeling. She reached down to the hem of her tank-top and pulled it over her head. What blessed Darjeeling's eyes was a red-and-white-striped bikini top that perfectly accentuated Kay's mighty bosom. Kay got up and pulled off her boots, then her socks and then her shorts, revealing a matching red-and-white-striped bottom that made her butt look more round when she showed it off to her girlfriend.
"Not bad, guess I have to show you mine too..." Darjeeling sighed and watched Kay's face go red as she anticipated the reveal.
"It's going to be a really mature bikini isn't it? Is it white? Maybe black? Ooh, are you one those girls who wear really mature outerwear but really sexy underwear? I bet you are? Does it have straps? Does it-" Kay stared at Darjeeling as she removed the dress, her jaw dropped open and her eyebrows raised in surprise, "ho mama..."
"Don't stare so much, it's embarrassing," dressed in a pure-white one piece with frills above the chest and just above the thighs, the fabric of the swimsuit hugged Darjeeling's fit form snugly. Although it gave an air of and maturity being a refined young woman, it made Kay incredibly hot under the collar - if she had one.
"You are trying to seduce me, I know it," Kay giggled, stepping back further onto the sand towards the water's edge. The waves were slowly lapping over the sand, a constant yet calming pulsing from the salty seawater.
"Shush, Assam recommended I'd buy it after I suggested the Tankery club visit the beach before we leave. She and Orange picked it out for me... they also said that you'd like it too..."
"I like my women sophisticated, much more mature than me, and so extremely hot. You fit all three of those perfectly," Kay walked up to Darjeeling and wrapped her arms around her waist, inching her face closer.
"You need to calm down, else I'm going to throw you in the sea," Darjeeling carefully wrapped her arms around the back of Kay's neck, a small smile gracing her lips as she switched from looking into her eyes and onto the full lips that had kissed her previously.
"I'd like to see you try," the Saunders commander exchanged a full kiss with the St Gloriana's commander, completely reciprocated and perhaps with even more love.
"Mm, I'm very tempted," Darjeeling broke the kiss and stepped away.
"Do it anyway- Ahh!" Whisked off her feet, Kay was now being held bridal-style in Darjeeling's arms. The fair-haired girl wrapped her arms around Darjeeling's neck with an incredibly dark tomato-like blush on her face. She wasn't used to being the one who was getting picked up.
"I'm going to throw you into the sea now," Darjeeling stated as she stepped into the water with Kay still hanging on for dear life. Darjeeling got in as far as up to her waist until she stopped walking.
"Please don't drop me- shit!" Kay flailed as she was suddenly let go into the water, immediately being submerged and getting her whole body wet. Swiftly, she got to her feet and stood up out of the water, flicking her drenched hair out of her face. "That was really mean, you know?"
"You asked me to~" Darjeeling went back to the water's edge and sat down, digging her toes into the wet sand. Kay waded over to her and fell onto the sand beside her, leaning on her arm and staring at Darjeeling. Her hair was still in her signature french braid, and Kay was going to undo it. She reached her hand behind her head and picked out some of the hairpins.
"There, much better," now grinning to herself, Kay 'fixed' Darjeeling's hair as the surprisingly very long hair draped down to the end of her spine.
"My hair takes forever to do up, I'll have you learn to do it so you can understand my pain."
"You're much more attractive with your hair down, like how I have it now," Kay twisted a finger around a golden lock of hair.
"You think so?"
"Oh I know so, I'm hardly containing myself as it is."
"Please do," Darjeeling faced her companion with a warm smile, watching her play with her hair.
"You're really pretty, you know that?"
"I have been told that by a certain someone a few times, yes, but sometimes I don't believe it."
"Well, m'darlin', you should because you're gorgeous. I'm jealous of you, you've got a perfect girlfriend for starters," this alone elicited a small bit of laughter from both of them. Once they recovered, they looked into each other's eyes. Blue into blue. They stayed there, admiring each other for a few minutes appreciating the quiet. Until, of course, Kay had to break it. "Wanna make out?"
Darjeeling scoffed, then sniggered, then broke into laughter, quickly being followed by Kay as they both started laughing again. Perhaps seducing still needs a little bit more practice. At least they understood their feelings towards each other, yet what happened earlier was still in the back of Kay's mind. Every time she pressed her lips to Darjeeling's, she was reminded of Maho and her advances on her girlfriend. She had forgiven her, but that feeling of envy was still inside her. Kay knew that Maho wasn't going to stop, not any time soon. Saunders was leaving the harbour and Kuromorimine was now facing St Gloriana. That meant Maho would be free of any barriers toward Darjeeling.
Not good, not good at all. Kay frowned and took a deep breath. She looked at Darjeeling, who was now recovering from the laughter after seeing the serious look that Kay now had. It didn't look good, not good at all.
"Darj, promise me you won't do anything with Maho while I'm gone. I don't want her stealing you away from me..." Sadness washed over her and she couldn't hold her repressed emotions back for much longer.
"I promise, Kay, I don't want anything to do with her anymore. I want to be with you, not with her. I love you, Kay, I want to spend so much more time with you before we separate for graduation."
"What if we don't?"
"What do you mean?"
"What if we go to the same Uni?"
"You want to go to England and study? I thought you wanted to go to the US?"
"I... I do... but... I can't do long distance like that... that would suck so bad. I want us to hang out together for a super long time and I don't want our relationship to only be the times when our school ships crossed paths or meeting on the field. What would be a dream come true would be coming back from work really tired and being greeted at the door by you, asking if I had a good day at work or not."
"Like those married couples you see in anime?"
"Exactly like those, but we don't even have to be married - not to say I'd ever say no to a proposal from you - we could just live together... or something. I feel like I'm only just getting to know you and it's the last year in high school. It's going to get away from us like a scared rabbit, Darj, unless we make plans for afterwards. What do you say?"
"I... I don't think I can argue with your point. I feel similarly to what you're trying to say, and I wouldn't say no to living with you. However, I would very much like to go to university in England,"
"I'm sure something can be arranged," Kay smiled, kissed Darjeeling's cheek and rose from the sandy floor. She patted herself down and re-entered the water. "Come on, I brought this bikini to show off to you and to mess about in the water, and neither of those has been completed." Kay began splashing Darjeeling with water, causing her to protect herself from the salty water and get up.
"Fine, I guess I will do the same too," Darjeeling stretched her arms and legs, receiving a hot gaze from Kay.
"We get it, you're super hot, now get over here and splash about with me,"
"Mhm, alright~" Darjeeling smirked and got into the water with her girlfriend, both of them yelping or shouting every time they splashed each other with the cold water. They messed around until they saw the reflection of the moon in the water, signalling it was time to go back to their respective ships: St Gloriana's Ark Royal and Saunders' Washington. They had finished what was left in Darjeeling's basket and they dressed themselves to go back.
"Goodnight, and safe travels, Kay." Darjeeling embraced her, nuzzling her head into the crook of Kay's neck.
"You too, sweetheart. I'll call you before I get into bed, alright?" Kay rubbed Darjeeling's back reassuringly, her arms wrapped around her like a bear.
"Yes, please do," Darjeeling released her before they went their separate ways, "bye Kay,"
"G'night, Darj," Kay gave a quick salute and stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. They turned their backs and walked back to their ships. Kay's journey on the sea will be long, but it made her look forward and savour every moment she has yet to have with Darjeeling. Whether on the battlefield or in the bedroom, she will give her all to the girl she loves.
A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long to update, but I lost the motivation to write during lockdown and now that school has started up again (where I now have even less time since before the lockdown too) I am finding the motivation and finally writing more. Expect more chapters soon, but how soon I cannot tell you. Maybe a few weeks? Hopefully before Christmas/New Year's.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the beach episode. There may be more in the future so look forward to that!
Please leave a review, I love reading them and any tips or ideas are always accepted.
Thank you!