The rest of the day passed by quickly, and without further incident. While I'm not terribly fond of bonding over trauma, despite what the last few weeks would have people believe, I was glad that we were able to talk things over and solve a problem before it grew into a major problem. In fact, it felt like all the pieces were falling into place with our relationship. Only one major hurdle remained: going home.
Home was a bit of an overstatement at this point. There was nothing left for me there except for a house full of painful reminders. Even if I were to just return to my old base, it wouldn't feel the same anymore. It wouldn't feel right. And this was meant as no slight to the shipgirls from the Eagle Union who I'd served with, it just…it would have felt like I was trying to live someone else's life. For better or for worse, my kidnapping changed me, permanently and in more ways than I had realized.
But would it be fair to simply abandon those shipgirls who'd served me faithfully and with distinction for years? They haven't seen me since I left for that fateful shore leave, and part of me felt bad if I were to just…never come back. But every time I thought about it, I just felt…weird. Off. Discomforted. Even thinking about returning with Musashi at my side was still an awkward prospect. Perhaps, with more time, I would feel more comfortable with going back home. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time I'd suddenly been called away on assignment. There was that really wild year in the Northern Parliament. You know, you learn a lot about yourself when you're locked in a room with Avrora and two wild bears…
Of course, "I feel uncomfortable" is hardly a valid reason to change your duty station. And even if I requested to move my HQ to a different location, the Sakura Empire would be fairly low on that list. I'd probably get sent to NYC, which, while the thought makes me less uncomfortable than my old base, it's now a continent AND an ocean away from where I want to be. And I feel it would be much harder to convince both Musashi's superiors and my own that her tagging along was in everyone's best interest if I was stationed at NYC instead of Pearl. No, what I needed was a way to convince Naval HQ that I being stationed here, in the Sakura Empire, was the best option for all parties.
"Paul."
Now, what was the best way to approach this?
"Paul."
Admiral Clark did suggest I find a way to get the Sakura to extend the cease-fire…
"Paul!"
I was startled out of my reverie to find Musashi staring at me, with a bemused expression on her face. "There you are," she teased, "I was beginning to think that you had become a grumpy statue."
"Sorry," I sheepishly muttered as I rubbed the back of my neck. "Guess I got lost in thought there…" Then the last words she said registered in my brain. "...grumpy?"
"Perhaps grumpy isn't the right word," she hummed thoughtfully. "Thoughtful, I suppose, but in a very intense way. Like you were trying to figure out a puzzle that was vexing you greatly."
I nodded as I looked around the now-quiet cafe as the few remaining shipgirls went about cleaning the last few dishes and countertops. "I was…sorta. I'll tell you about it later. Are you guys closing up?"
Musashi glanced over her shoulder before nodding at me. "Just about. Ready to go get some food?"
At the mention of food, I felt a sharp pang of hunger in my gut and realized I was probably ready about two hours ago. "Definitely," I grinned. "Don't get me wrong, that cheesecake was delicious, but not exactly a substitute for a real meal."
"Good," she smiled as she waved to the other girls as they began to file out the door. "I was a little worried when you gave it a quizzical look as it arrived."
"Well, where I'm from, cheesecake usually isn't so...jiggly," I responded as I got to my feet. She linked her arm with mine as we slowly made our way toward the door. "It's usually pretty dense, and if it's still jiggling, it's a sign of an underdone cheesecake. But this one was so light and airy!"
As we walked through the door, we paused and I released Musashi's arm to allow her to lock up the cafe for the evening. "You know, I don't think I've ever had a Western-style cheesecake. It would make for an interesting comparison."
"We'd need to find a place that either makes them that way around here or see if we could have one shipped from overseas," I grinned ruefully, "Because I'm definitely not a baker."
Musashi smiled encouragingly at me as she guided me to the waiting staff car. "I wouldn't sell yourself short if I were you. After all, you've turned into quite the skilled cook."
"Only took an entire school of sea bream," I chuckled as I held the door open for her. "So where are we headed?"
"There's a charming little place down by the docks that I think you'll like." She hesitated a moment, and I could see there was going to be a catch. "There is one thing, though. It is a traditional restaurant, so we wouldn't be able to see the food prepared."
There it was. I had to admit, it gave me pause, and I could feel my heartbeat quickening at just the thought of not being able to see my own meal prepared. Part of me wanted to ditch the entire plan and head back to the ship. But the larger part of me knew what my answer was going to be when I looked into her golden eyes. "I trust you," I softly declared as I took her hand in mine. "I know that I'll be safe with you."
Her face lit up and she tapped on the front seat. "To Takano's!"
Even this late in the evening, I was surprised to see the restaurant to be as busy as it was. "Does everyone in the Sakura Empire eat this late?" I asked her as I looked around and hoped we'd be able to find a table.
"No," she giggled as she shook her head. "This is just people who also work in the service industry. They get off work late, so they eat late." Her grin faded as she realized something and turned to me. "Is it too crowded for you?"
"Not really," I said slowly. "If anything, I'd probably be more on edge if it were less busy. Harder for the trauma part of my brain to convince the rest of me that everyone in here is out to get me."
She visibly relaxed and smiled once more as the hostess walked up to us. Her smile was a genuine one as she looked up at Musashi, then over to me before greeting us in Japanese. While I didn't understand anything either she or Musashi said, it seemed to be a pleasant, familiar exchange before she showed us to our table. I'm not sure if Musashi requested it, but it was tucked away in the corner, giving us a fairly high degree of privacy. Once we were seated, the hostess bowed and headed off. In the meantime, I made a mental note to start learning Japanese.
This was doubly true when I picked up the menu and found that it was, as I should have known, entirely in Japanese. "Well, it looks like I will leave the menu decisions up to you," I quipped as I set the menu back down. "What would you recommend?"
"Since we're in Nagasaki, I would highly recommend the champon," she said as she set her own menu aside. "It's a local favorite, and one I'm fond of myself."
"What's in it?"
"Noodles, vegetables, seafood, and pork all in a savory broth," she answered with a fond smile. "It's a very hearty, filling dish."
"Sounds like exactly what I need," I grinned as I felt my stomach rumble insistently. At least it was drowned out by the general hum of the conversations around us.
Fortunately, the waiter didn't take too long before he showed up and Musashi placed our orders. Once he confirmed with her, he bowed slightly and headed back to the kitchen.
With that out of the way, Musashi leaned forward. "While we're waiting on our order, perhaps you would like to discuss the puzzle you were attempting to solve earlier?"
"Oh! Um…yeah, I guess we could do that," I muttered as I felt my cheeks flush. "I was, ah, I was trying to figure out how I could get assigned here permanently."
Her eyes gleamed like the sun and a broad, bright smile blossomed across her face. "I see," she said softly. "And what have you come up with so far?"
I sighed heavily as I leaned forward, trying to keep the conversation quiet. "Not much," I admitted. "I doubt 'my girlfriend wants me to stay here and I agree' is going to fly with Naval HQ. I thought about seeing if you'd come back with me to the old base, but to be honest, even with you there, something about going back feels…uncomfortable, I guess?"
She raised a violet eyebrow. "Why's that?"
"I can't quite put it into words, but it's…it feels like I'd be stepping into someone else's life. I'd go back and I'd be pretending to be me, the old me if that makes any sense?"
"It does," she nodded, much to my relief. "What happened to you changed you, and going back is a reminder of who you used to be, not who you are now. I could see how the dissonance would be unsettling."
"Mhm," I nodded, "But, at the same time, I don't want to feel like I'm abandoning the shipgirls there. Last time they saw me, I was supposed to be off on a two-week shore leave. Now I don't know when I'll see them again…"
Musashi visibly flinched at that, and I quickly realized my mistake. "Oh, god, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"It's alright," she quickly interjected with a shake of her head. "I know you didn't, and in truth, I do find it heartwarming that you are unwilling to simply leave kansen behind." She fell silent, and I could see the gears turning behind her eyes as she sought to find a solution to our problems.
"Admiral Clark asked to see if we could find a way to extend the cease-fire," I offered, thinking back to the last train of thought I had at the cafe. "Perhaps some sort of permanent treaty?"
Her eyes flashed and she quickly grabbed onto the idea. "A treaty?" She repeated, tapping her chin as she thought it over. "Now there's an idea… Of course, we can't have you coming here as part of the treaty. They could see that as taking you hostage, which isn't the case, I know, but we don't want to seem like we are…"
I had a sudden flash of inspiration and I snapped my fingers. "Integration!"
Musashi sat upright, her ears perking up in surprise at my sudden, albeit quiet, outburst. "What?"
"Integration," I repeated, lowering my voice again. "If there's a treaty signed between the Sakura Empire and Azur Lane, we'd need to integrate both navies. Standardize procedures, logistics, communications, set up a new command structure. In theory, it can be done anywhere, but I could say that in order to make things easier, I relocate to the Sakura Empire on a more permanent basis."
"Yes!" she excitedly hissed. "And you could do a change of command ceremony at your old base, just to say goodbye."
"Oh, that's brilliant!" I felt downright giddy at the thought. Of course, Naval HQ still had to approve the request, but as long as the work was getting done, I saw no real reason for them to deny it. "You are a genius."
Her cheeks flushed and she shot me a playful grin. "I had help…and inspiration."
Now it was time for my cheeks to burn slightly as the blush took hold. "Ah, well…happy to help."
She graced me with a charming smile before she sighed wistfully. "Still, this will need to get past HQ."
"I'm pretty sure I can get it past them," I stated. "This means one less faction to worry about, and as long as I'm still able to do my job, I don't think they're going to mind me taking a hands-on approach to integration."
She leaned back in her chair, her eyes roaming over me with a hungry look that had nothing to do with food. "I think I would greatly enjoy some 'hands-on integration', too…"
I swallowed hard, but before I could respond, our waiter returned with two piping hot bowls of what looked like soup. Musashi politely thanked him and sent him on his way, at least, that's what I assumed, then we both said thanks and tucked into our dishes. As soon as I took the first bite, I knew it was exactly what I needed. It was warm, savory, and somehow comforting. It wasn't long before I found myself staring at the bottom of a now-empty bowl.
"I guess you really were hungry," Musashi amusedly observed. "Have you found a favorite?"
I took a moment to ponder her question before I finally nodded. "I have, but as strange as it sounds, it's not this."
Her eyebrow raised again. "Really?"
"Don't get me wrong, this is delicious, but it doesn't make me feel the same way okonomiyaki did. At first, I thought maybe it was just because it was the first hot, fresh-cooked meal I'd had in months. But after trying all the other food and cooking with you, while I've enjoyed all of it, none of it has made me feel the same way okonomiyaki does when I eat it."
A slow smile spread across her face and she nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean, and I'm glad you were able to find that bit of happiness once more." She paused for a moment, a blush creeping across her cheeks for a moment. "Perhaps you'd like to continue this conversation back aboard the ship?"
My heart rate quickened at the implication, and as nervous as I was about taking that step, it was one I very much wanted to take with Musashi. "I'd love to."
The ride home had been mostly silent. A few awkward comments and terse replies punctuated an otherwise quiet journey. We both knew what was going to happen, and I think we each wanted to avoid talking about it for our own reasons. I was nervous as hell, and I think if we got too riled up, Musashi might not have waited to get back home.
Once we were back aboard Musashi, my glorious kitsune lover took me by the hand and led me down to the door to the Captain's Quarters. "Here we are," she announced in a sultry, hushed voice. "Would you care to come in, Paul?"
Completely missing the double entendre there, I took a deep breath and eagerly nodded. My heart was racing at this point, and I could feel myself trembling with both excitement and anxiety. I really, really didn't want my trauma to act up and ruin this night for us and I also didn't want to disappoint Musashi. No pressure, right? "Y-yeah, I'd love to. Just…little nervous is all?"
She gave me a reassuring smile as her arm gently wrapped around my waist and slowly pulled me in. "Understandable," she agreed. "Let's see if I can help you with that…"
Her lips met mine in a deep and tender kiss, our tongues exploring one another as her hands caressed my chest and shoulders. Instinctively, I reached out to her, exploring her body in turn, feeling her curvaceous figure beneath the soft silk of her outfit. Bit by bit, my fears were burned away, replaced by a desire I hadn't felt in years, if ever.
When we finally came up for air, we stared at each other as we panted and fought to catch our breath, the lust evident in both our stares. "Did that help?" she breathed.
I gulped down several more lungfuls of air before I quickly nodded. "Think so," I answered.
Without breaking eye contact, Musashi swung the door open and led me inside, backing me up until I bumped into the bed. With a happy hum, she planted another kiss on my lips before sitting me down on the bed and tapping me playfully on the nose. "Sit back and enjoy the show, my kintsugi…"
As she straightened up and began to sashay towards the door, I was somewhat confused. Was she going somewhere? What show? Was she going to get someone else involved? I was barely ready for one partner at the time, let alone two. When she simply shut the door, I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
That sigh was quickly cut short as she began to undo the obi belt to her kimono, letting it fall to the floor with a soft rustle of silk. Her hips began to sway back and forth seductively as she glanced over her shoulder with a playful grin on her lips. More garments became undone and her kimono slipped off her shoulders completely, down her back, and onto the floor in a silken puddle. Before I could see anything, however, her tails reappeared, blocking everything from view.
I let out a quiet groan of frustration and excitement, much to Musashi's delight as she continued to shake her hips, her tails moving in counterpoint to her body. She let out a sultry chuckle. "And how about now, my kintsugi?" she asked, knowing full well what my answer would be. "Do you feel ready now?"
"Oh yes," I exhaled.
With a seductive grin, she turned and sauntered towards me. "Tonight, I believe that's my line…"
A/N-Well, that got a little steamy. Until next week, fair winds and following seas!
