Happy Birthday Assam and belateed Happy Birthday Rosehip

"The storm is really coming down now, isn't it Lady Darjeeling." Assam heard Pekoe say as she poured the tea for everyone.

The blonde looked up and could see the rain running down the window like a river "Looks like I'm staying in staying in the commander's quarters tonight." Assam thought to herself.

"Indeed it is, the downside to having a school at sea I suppose." Darjeeling replied before taking a sip of her tea "How is the plan coming along Assam?"

"Oh, I'm still waiting on the report on the Crusaders." Assam sighed "The swims they took didn't do them a lot of favours."

"Oh, well why don't you go and see how it's going, I do believe they are working on them at the moment."

Assam let out a small sigh before shutting her computer and getting up "Very well I'll go and check on them."

Just as reached the door Darjeeling spoke again "Plus it would give you a chance to spend so time with your beloved Rose."

"Darjeeling!" Assam growled as she tried to fight down a blush before quickly leaving the room, the other blondes giggle just reaching her ears as she shut the door.

As she walked through the halls, she couldn't help but think about the pinkette and her heartbeat picked up slightly at the thought of the speedster, before said heart dropped slightly as she saw the rain again, since the blonde had let Rosehip stay over after she had fainted the two would stay over at hers but tonight didn't look likely given the weather.

'Looks like it will be a lonely night for me tonight.' Assam thought to herself.

Assam would often wake up to find the pinkette hugging her tight as the speedster slept, the sight and touch would always bring a smile to her lips at the sweet sight and the security the touch brought making the blonde feel safer than she had ever felt before.

And the idea of not seeing Rosehips sleeping form and the feel of her gentle yet strong arms sent a small chill down her spin at the thought of being without the pinkette.

"But what else can I do; I can't make her come to my house in this weather." Assam groaned.

'Unless.' Assam thought as an idea hit her.

(Assam - Garage)

"Excuse me!" Assam said as she entered the garage, to be met by the sight of Peach and Vanilla chatting at the entrance.

"Oh, miss Assam, is something wrong?" Vanilla asked.

"No, I was looking for Rosehip I need an update on the repairs, do you know where she is?" Assam said, out the corner of her eye she could see Peach smirking slightly.

"Peach and Cranberry's Crusaders at the end," Vanilla said pointing to the end of the garage "they are still trying to sort them out from their swim with the match with Anzio."

"Thank you." Assam smiled before leaving the pair.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault alright!" Assam heard Rosehip shout as she neared the tanks Vanilla had pointed out.

"Well, it wasn't mine either!" Assam heard Cranberry answer.

"Rosehip?" Assam asked as she rounded the corner of the tank, only for her heart to skip a beat a second at the sight before her, Rosehips usually loose pink hair was tied up in a ponytail leaving two ear like strands on either side of her face.

"Oh, Lady Assam." Rosehip said as she put her tools down before she jumped off the Crusader and walked up to the blonde. "Is everything ok?"

'She so cute with that ponytail!' Assam thought to herself.

"Lady Assam, are you ok?" Rosehip repeated herself with a blush, making Assam realize she had been staring at the speedster.

"Oh…yes, sorry." Assam said as she could feel herself blushing "It's just…the ponytail caught me a bit off guard."

"Oh, yeah it helps keep my hair out my eyes when I'm working on the tanks." Rosehip said before biting her bottom lip "Does…does it look weird."

"No, no, it looks nice, it really suits you in fact."

"Oh, thanks." Rosehip said touching the ponytail as she did, Assam could see Rosehip blush further but with a small smile which brought a small smile to the blonde's lips to, till out the corner of her eye she could see Cranberry glancing at them.

"Erm…" Assam said clearing her throat "I was wondering how the repairs are coming along?"

"Oh… erm…most of the tanks have dried out, we are just changing some of the engine parts that were damaged when they got soaked, they should be done by tonight."

"I see, good." Assam said out the corner of her eye she could see Cranberry smirking more "May I have a private word?"

Rosehip looked behind her to see Cranberry's smirk, the speedster immediately nodded before following the blonde to the other side of the garage where they couldn't be overheard.

"What is it you wished to talk about Assam?"

"Well, the weather is rather fowl today, so I was going to stay in my commander's quarters tonight."

"Oh I see." Rosehip said deflated, which immediately pulled at the blonde's heart strings.

"Yes, and I don't want you getting sick so, I wondered if you wished to stay over with…me?"

"In the commander quarters, is that allowed?"

"Well until I leave, they are technically my quarters so I don't see why not, do you not want to?"

"No, no, I do, I love spending time with you it's fun, I just don't want to get you in trouble is all."

"It's fine Rose I promise."

"Ok My Lady, then I would love to."

"Great." Assam smiled at the nickname the speedster had for her, the two stayed in silence for a moment before the blonde had to break it "I need to get back." Assam said with a sense of sadness.

"Me too, got to get the engines running again." Rosehip sighed "I'll report in once its finished."

"Good and we can head up to my quarters once you are done." Assam smiled.

"Ok, see you later My Lady."

"See you later Rose."

(Rosehip)

"I swear you two are the worst." Cranberry said as the pinkette reached the tanks.

"What are you going on about?"

"You were like a lost puppy over there."

"No, I wasn't!"

"Not to mention you were tapping the ground when she mentioned your ponytail." Peach said as she and Vanilla appeared from behind the Crusader.

"Were you two listening to?!"

"But it was so cute to watch though." Peach replied.

"Rosehip, how long have you been staying over at her house for now?" Vanilla asked.

"A few months."

"And you've liked her for how long?" Cranberry asked.

"About a year." Rosehip sighed feeling like a cornered animal.

"Jezz, just confess already!" Cranberry shouted, "The looks you two were giving each other its nauseating, you've known each other for a about a year so get on with it."

"Oh that's rich coming from you!" Rosehip snapped back.

"What are you talking about?"

"You and Peach," Rosehip said with a glare "You two are always hanging out with each other and you've both have known each other for years and you two argue like an old married couple, I'm surprised you haven't popped the question yet."

"Cranberry, are you planning to ask me to marry you?" Peach asked.

Rosehip forced down a laugh as Cranberry stuttered before her and Peach began arguing again.

Just as the rain began to get heavier 'I'm glad the storm isn't going to stop me staying with her.' The speedster thought to herself letting out a smile as her worries when she saw the rain fully melted away as she claimed back on to the Crusader to work on the engine.

As she went back to work, she caught a loot at her own reflection in one of the mirrors she was using to investigate the engine 'It's a bit messy.' Rosehip thought to herself as she played with the end of the ponytail, before getting back to work.

(Assam - Two Hours later)

'I'm going to be interested to see how the Centurion is going to do.' Assam thought to herself as she dried herself off from her shower 'Numbers say it will do fine but I guess we will see.'

As she stepped out the shower room into her admiralty looking room, she caught sight of Rosehip fiddling with her hair as she stood in front of the mirror. The pinkette hadn't removed her ponytail once she brought the blonde her report of the Crusaders.

'It really suits her; she should keep it.' Assma thought to herself.

Assam watched as the pinkette undid the ponytail before retying her hair back into it again, only to let out a light frustrated sigh.

"Rose, what are you doing?" Assam asked curious.

"Oh, sorry Assam I was just practicing." Rosehip said with a blush.

"Practicing tying a ponytail?"

"Yeah."

"New look?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"I see, well it does suit you, though is something not going correctly?"

"Well when I was doing to for the maintenance, I used an elastic band and it doesn't really work for a proper ponytail."

"I see." Assam said as she looked closely at the pinkette, before an idea hit her "Untie that one, I have an idea."

The pinkette did as she was asked and undid the elastic band, Assam went to her desk and opened a draw and pulled out a black ribbon similar to her own.

Assam then walked in front of the Rosehip and then gently took the pulled the pinkettes hair back, though leaving two strands either side of the pinkettes face, before tiring the ribbon.

Assam could feel the speedster's breath gently touch her skin, which made the Blonde acutely aware of how close the pair were and her heart seemed to jump up to her ears and Assam tried her best to fight down an urge to lean forward.

"There you go, how is that?" Assam asked when she was finished.

"I love it, thank you Assam." Rosehip smiled as she turned to see herself in the mirror.

"You're welcome." Assam smiled.

"Though your ribbon?" Rosehip said turning back to the blonde.

"It's a spare, keep it."

"Thanks I'll treasure it." Rosehip smiled "Though I might need some help learning to tie the ribbon."

"I don't mind teaching you."

"Thank you, My Lady."

The pair stayed silently staring at each other, Assam felt herself being drawn into the pinkettes amber eyes, she'd seen them up close and they always looked beautiful to the blonde, but tonight they seemed to be almost hypnotic to the blonde and Rosehip seemed to be being drawn in by the Assam's own purple eyes.

The pair's hypnotic trance broke a moment before their lips meet, the two stood frozen a moment unsure whose heart they were hearing, before Rosehip leaned forward and captured the blonde's lips.

Assam felt like a wave had just struck her and her brain seemed to fry as her world shrank to just Rosehip and the kiss, the Speedster broke the kiss all to quickly and Assam tried to follow, when the blonde opened her eyes, she saw a terrified Rosehip standing before her.

"I'm…s…sor…"

Assam didn't let the Rosehip finish, Assam flet like a phoenix, like she instantly combusted and was remade, only now Rosehip was her only source of air, so she closed the distance again and captured the speedster's soft gentle lips.

Rosehip froze a second before Assam felt her melted into the kiss, their arms drawing them closer as their bodies felt a need for the other girl's touch, eventually the pair broke the kiss, but they kept close not breaking their eye contact.

"Wow." Rosehip gasped.

"Yes."

"I love you!" both said simultaneously before the pair broke out laughing.

"I'm glad to hear that." Assam smiled.

"Assam does that mean we are dating?"

"I want to."

"In that case." Rosehip said breaking the hold the pair had, before gently taking blondes hands in her own "Lady Assam, will you do me the honour of being my girlfriend."

"What was that?" Assam giggled.

"I just thought I should ask formally." Rosehip said with a blush.

"Well, then Rose the honour would be mine to be your girlfriend." Assam said before the pair kissed again.

(Cranberry and Peach - Nighttime)

"We should really do this after we are married." Peach said with Cranberry hovering over her and pinning to the pinkettes bed.

"We aren't doing that!" Cranberry shout "You are so annoying sometimes."

"You don't want to?"

"Argh!" Cranberry shouted before kissing the other girl "Stop using that mouth for talking tonight."

I was tempted to not add the Cranberry/Peach kiss but after seeing that short with the two in Operation: More Love Love! Web Edition i couldn't resist.