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Chapter Text

Not long after I took command of Azur Lane’s Combined Fleet of the Pacific, I appointed Takao as my secretary ship.  The heavy cruiser was the pride of the Sakura Imperial Fleet.  She was a consummate warrior, serious and diligent, committed to the highest principles of honour and duty.

She was also the most beautiful woman I had ever met.

I never told her that, of course.  For one thing, I doubted she would have believed me:  her humility prevented her from seeing the many wonderful things that others saw in her.  And anyways, while she was keen to appreciate beauty in art and in nature, her own beauty would have meant nothing to her.  She saw shipgirls like herself as weapons, and nothing more.  Her purpose in life was to serve – preferably on the battlefield, but wherever humanity, her commander, or her comrades needed her.  So, asking her to be my secretary ship was probably the best decision I ever made, but asking her on a date would have been pointless.

Which made the events of one September evening all the more unbelievable.

Takao and I were working late in the office, something I generally tried to avoid.  I recognised the importance of getting some down-time in the evenings, plus Takao never left the office before I did, so me leaving on time was the only way to get her to leave on time – although I knew that she sometimes returned to the office later in the evening to get more work done. 

Lately, though, the Sirens had been more active in our sector.  Not only did the battles and extra patrols take time and energy away from my all-important paperwork (sigh), but they generated even more paperwork. 

“You know, Takao,” I sighed, “once upon a time, naval commanders sailed the seas and led from the bridge of their flagship, but in the era of shipgirls we just seem to watch the action from the base Command Centre, and write reports about it afterwards.”  I turned to her and added, “Don’t get me wrong, I have complete faith in all of you ladies, both on and off the battlefield.  It’s just... I wish I could do more for you than just paperwork.  Sometimes I feel like I’m your secretary instead of the other way around.  I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with being a secretary... argh!”

Takao regarded me sympathetically from her seat beside me on the sofa in my office.  “No, I understand, Commander,” she said in her soft rich voice.  “I take great pride in my work as your secretary, but if I were unable to sortie with my comrades... my frustration would be considerable.”

“Thank you for understanding.  I’m sorry I couldn’t explain myself better, but... oh, I’m just so tired, I can’t think straight.  And all these reports we need to get done, and there’s a pile of requisitions to get through, and....  Oh, it never rains but it pours.”  I rubbed my face with my hands and gathered my thoughts.  “But whining and complaining isn’t going to accomplish anything.  Let’s try to finish up this report and then grab a bite in the canteen.”

“You seem very stressed, Commander.  Do you... do you need me to... take care of that for you?”

Her voice was rather timid, which didn’t surprise me in the least.  I thought she was offering to rub my shoulders or something, and she’d never so much as shook my hand before.

“Oh, if you could make this go away,” I said casually – perhaps a little too casually – “I would award you a medal for meritorious conduct in the line of duty.”  And I yawned.

When I opened my eyes again after the yawn, I was startled to see Takao kneeling at my feet.  My confusion turned to alarm when, with trembling hands, she reached for the fly of my trousers.

“Um, Takao, what are you doing?”

Avoiding eye contact, she replied, “I... I am going to... ease your stress, Commander.”  Her voice was quiet, and a little unsteady.  “As your secretary ship, it is my duty to... to ease the burden of your command... and to remove all obstacles in the path of your work.”  And she started undoing my trousers.

Whatever joy I might have felt at the sight of this lovely lady reaching for my crotch was completely swamped by the concern I felt at such uncharacteristic behaviour.  Takao was literally the last shipgirl I would have expected to be doing this.

“Takao – Lady Takao, please!  Can we talk for a moment?”  I took her hands in mine and pulled them away from their self-appointed task.

Finally, Takao raised her eyes to mine.  Her face looked quite red, her blushes made brighter by their contrast with her long black hair and her crisp white uniform.  There was a bizarre combination of uncertainty and determination in her deep amber eyes.

“Um, this... this may sound like a ridiculous question, but... what exactly are you planning to do?”

She looked at my crotch, then back up at my face, and I got the impression she didn’t really know the answer to that herself.  After some hesitation, she replied, “I... I could do anything you want, Commander.  I... I could... use my mouth... or my breasts... men like my breasts.”

Wait, what?!  I couldn’t stop myself from blurting out, “Have you done this before?”

She blushed even more, and quickly broke eye contact.  “I am not a complete innocent, Commander.  I understand that men have... needs... and that neglecting those needs can be hazardous to your health.  As your secretary ship, it is my duty to ensure those needs are not neglected – for the sake of your health.”

My head was spinning.  “Nowhere in your job description does it say anything close to that!”

“But... it has always been the custom in the Combined Fleet for the secretary ship to be assigned night duty.  I assumed you knew that, sir.”

“Night duty?”

“Servicing the Commander’s needs.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of that!”  Of course, if what she was saying was true – and why would Takao, of all people, make this up? – then it certainly wasn’t the sort of thing to be written down anywhere.  Still, a heads up from my predecessor would have been nice.  Wait, was he one of the men who had liked her breasts?

Her shoulders slumped a little.  Still avoiding my gaze, she said, “I understand if you would rather have someone else service you, Commander.  There are a great many girls who are prettier and more experienced than I am.”

More experienced, perhaps, I thought to myself, but not prettier.  Out loud, though, I just said, “That’s not the problem here, Takao.  I have too much respect for you to take advantage of you like this.  You’re my right hand, and an exemplary officer, and a lady – not a sextoy.”

She seemed genuinely puzzled by my response.  “You’re not taking advantage of me, Commander, I’m offering myself to you.  I have never seen you as stressed as you have been the last few days:  I’m concerned for you.  You are clearly in need of relief.”  She looked down at the bulge between my legs, where my penis was ignoring all my scruples and just wanting to come out and play.

“Yes, but....”  I struggled to make sense of the situation in which I suddenly found myself.  “Doesn’t this strike you as an abuse of power on my part?”

Still puzzled, she replied, “But it’s my duty, Commander.”

“Duty or not, do you... do you really want to do this?  I mean, do you honestly want to... service my needs?  Or are you just offering because you think you have to?”  But even as I asked the question, I realised that she probably wouldn’t understand it.

“Worry not about me, Commander,” she assured me, “I shall face down each and every challenge before me.”

Sure enough, if she thought this was part of her duty, then she was going to give it her all and not back down.  And if that was the case, would I be able to talk her out of it without offending her?  It didn’t help that my penis kept yelling at me to shut up and let her get to work.  Because, to be completely honest, I had wanted this woman long before she volunteered for night duty.

“All right, then, Takao.  Um, thank you... for volunteering.”  God, this was so awkward.  “Um, could I... could I use your breasts?”

“Of course, Commander.  But... you don’t need to restrain yourself,” she told me in a voice quiet and shy.  “If you desire intercourse... I can give you that.”

Well, that escalated quickly.  Three minutes ago, I would have said that I had no chance of so much as holding Takao’s hand.  Now, she was telling me I could fuck her if I wanted to.  And, frankly, I really wanted to.  But everything was moving much too quickly, so I thought it best to temper my lust as much as I could.  “Um, thank you, but... um, I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.  Let’s just start with your breasts, if that’s all right.” 

She nodded, and helped me off with my trousers.  Then she unbuttoned her tunic and removed it to reveal a plain white bra – and by ‘plain’ I mean incredibly sexy, because it contained a magnificent pair of breasts.  Then the bra was off too, and their naked perfection was right before my eyes.  If I hadn’t been hard before, I certainly was now.

I was enthralled by the sight of my secretary scrutinizing my penis.  I knew that look:  she was planning her attack, just as seriously as if this were a training exercise or a stack of paperwork.  I had always found this rather adorable, her tendency to approach everything so earnestly.  Fixing my cock with a determined gaze, she squared her shoulders and reached for me.  I twitched at her first touch, and the way she flinched made me wonder just how much experience she had with this sort of thing.  Maybe she was just out of practice – I certainly was.

Uncertainty crept back into her face.  “Are... are you sure you don’t mind me, Commander?  I quite understand if you would rather have one of the other girls....”

“No, Takao, I....”  I wanted to tell her how she was the only girl I really wanted, how she was the most beautiful lady in the fleet, but I reminded myself that she saw this as her duty, not a date.  “There is no one I trust for this task more than you, Takao.”

“Thank you, Commander.  I won’t let you down.”

I took a moment to drink in her beauty.  Her deep amber eyes were full of determination, and her nose was scrunched up in concentration.  She was so serious – so sweet – so beautiful.  Like all Sakura shipgirls, she was a youkai:  she had a pair of dog ears, which she always kept folded close to her head, but now they peeked up a bit from her lovely long hair and I saw them twitch ever so slightly.

Grasping my shaft in her fingers, Takao looked up at me.  “I will give my all to fulfill any task I’ve been assigned....  B-but, Commander, could you not stare at me so much?  It’s a bit... embarrassing.”

“Oh!  Of course, sorry.”  I averted my eyes, but didn’t quite know where to look.  When I felt her lips wrap around my tip, I couldn’t resist glancing back at her.  I caught a glimpse of her tongue as it wandered up and down and all around.  Then Takao paused and examined her progress – to my over-active imagination, she looked like she was checking her spelling.  I reached out to stroke her hair, but she flinched at my touch.

“Oh!  You startled me, Commander.  Is everything all right?”

“Yes, yes, everything’s wonderful. I just... wanted to... stroke your hair.”

“Why?”

“Um, because it’s so lovely.”  She stared at me blankly.  “You know what, never mind, I’m sorry for distracting you.”

“It’s fine, Commander.  I’m not used to unnecessary bodily contact, that’s all.”  And she proceeded to wrap her tits around my cock – which apparently constituted necessary bodily contact.

I didn’t have a chance to focus on the irony, though, because her breasts felt amazing.  They were large and soft and firm.  Best of all, they were Takao’s.  The Combined Fleet had more than its fair share of gorgeous and sexy ladies, but I had probably fantasized as much about Takao as about all the rest of them combined.  And now, incredibly, she was rubbing her breasts up and down my penis.  Who says dreams don’t come true?

Her technique was a little awkward, as if she knew what to do, but wasn’t very good at it.  My only cause for complaint was that, however long this lasted, it would be over too soon.  I couldn’t help but stare at the erotic scene playing out between my legs.  When she glanced up, and caught me staring, she blushed and turned her eyes to the side.

“Is... is this all right, Commander?  Does this feel good?”

“This feels incredible, Takao, it feels amazing.”

“Please cum whenever you like, Commander.”

I’m not normally a quick shot, but it had been so long since I had been with a woman – even since I had played with myself – that I felt my orgasm building much sooner than I would have liked.

“Oh!  Oh, Takao... I think I’m going to cum!”

“Please cum on my breasts, Commander.  They are yours to do with as you please.”

Despite her matter-of-fact delivery, those words were just too sexy to resist.  With a loud moan, I reached my climax and began pumping out hot, white semen.  The first blast almost hit her in the face – a drop or two landed on the tip of her nose – but the rest just spilled out over her big tits.  “Ohhhhh, fuuuuuck!”  I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt so good.  “Fuck, Takao... that...”  I slumped back on the couch to catch my breath.  “That was great.  Thank you so much.”

“I’m... I’m glad you enjoyed it, sir.”  My rapidly shrinking penis was still nestled between her lovely cum-covered orbs, now shimmering in the lamplight.  She squeezed her boobs together more tightly to stop my seed from dribbling down her cleavage onto her tummy, but I suspected her efforts were in vain.

“Here, let me help you,” I said, awkwardly reaching past her to grab the box of tissues on the coffee table.

“That was a very large load, Commander.  Have you... if you’ll pardon me for asking, sir, have you not been masturbating to relieve yourself?”

Now it was my turn to blush.  “Actually, no.  I, um, I... I realised that whenever I masturbated, I would fantasize about... well, certain members of the fleet.  And I thought that was highly inappropriate, so I... stopped.”  My fantasies had often included her, of course, but I was terrified of telling her that, lest she think that I only appointed her my secretary ship so I could ogle her.

“Oh?  So... you lust after members of the fleet?  Then it seems all the more important for me to relieve your... frustrations.  We don’t want you behaving inappropriately with any of the ladies, Commander.”  I thought that was rich, considering I was wiping my cum off her breasts, but I saw her point.

“Are you... are you volunteering for... ongoing night duty?”

“It is an honour to serve you, Commander.  Please allow this lowly Takao to offer you what little strength she has.”

“Um, thank you.”

* * * * *

Takao’s rationale for giving me a boobjob had been to ease my stress and allow me to focus on my work.  But the surreal nature of what had just happened turned out to be more stressful and more distracting.  Takao seemed more at ease than I did, though I noticed she avoided eye contact.

Somehow, we managed to finish up the report we were working on.  Instead of getting a bite to eat, though, I suggested we call it a night.  After locking up the office, my secretary walked me home, like she always did.  She had explained to me once, “Even in port, we must not lower our guard.  Danger lurks around every corner.”  At my door, I said good night, and entered my quarters with a lot on my mind.

I couldn’t deny that the boobjob had felt amazing.  Takao’s breasts were – well, quite frankly, they were perfect – and I couldn’t wait to see them again.  But that was the problem:  I realised that I had suddenly started to think of her as a pair of breasts with a person attached.  Presumably, that would fade by morning, but what if it didn’t?  What if I started seeing her not as an officer and a soldier, but as a sextoy?  What if I got so distracted by her body that I lost sight of all her other attractive qualities?

It was clear that Takao saw our encounter as doing her duty for her commanding officer, and not as an intimate moment with a man.  She gave me the impression that she was comfortable with that – more or less.  But was I?

I didn’t want to use Takao, I wanted to date her; I didn’t want her to be my stress ball, I wanted her to be my girlfriend.  But she didn’t see herself as girlfriend material.  I doubted that she had ever given romance a second thought.  And I was pretty sure she saw sexual desire as an unavoidable fact of life that just needed to be dealt with before it caused problems, like intestinal gas or ear wax.

So, I was in the bizarre situation – well, bizarre for me, at least – of having found a woman who was quite open to a sexual relationship (of sorts), but who seemed to offer no chance of a romantic relationship.  Could I be happy with such an arrangement?

Or did I need more than Takao could give me?

Chapter Text

Whenever I had problems or anxieties, or I just needed to talk, I went to Takao’s sister ship, Atago.  She saw herself as everyone’s big sister, although some of her flirting with me occasionally seemed to exceed the bounds of sisterly behaviour.   I enjoyed her company and valued her friendly advice, though, and I really needed some advice right then.  So, the next morning, while Takao was handling something for me at the docks, I called Atago into my office.

“Good morning, Atago.  Could I have a moment?”

“Good morning, Commander!”  She greeted me brightly and sat down beside me on the couch.  “Of course, your big sister always has time for you.  Something on your mind?”

“As a matter of fact, there is.  Takao and I were working late in the office last night, and... it occurred to me to wonder... whether you were comfortable with that?  I mean, your sister and me, all alone together....”

“Heehee, couldn’t keep your hands to yourself, Commander?  Don’t go making big sister jealous now.”  She squeezed my arm and cuddled up beside me.  “Seriously, though, Commander, we all trust you.”  As she said that, I suddenly wished I had chosen to have this conversation anywhere other than the very sofa on which I had sat the previous evening, when I had cum all over her sister’s breasts.  “But you two have worked late tons of times before last night.  Why suddenly worry about this now?”

“Well, I recently found out about... night duty.”

She tensed up and leaned away from me.  “What do you mean ‘found out about’?”

“I mean I hadn’t ever heard of it before, but then... yesterday someone mentioned it and had to explain it to me.”  That was true enough, as far as it went.  “And now I’m looking back and re-interpreting some of the funny looks I got when I appointed Takao to be my secretary.”

Atago relaxed a little.  “Oh, yes, well, we didn’t really know you then.  We couldn’t be sure what your... intentions were.”

“Why didn’t anybody say anything at the time?”

“It wasn’t our place.  You have the right to name anyone you want as your secretary – and you have the right to assign them to night duty.  But when I asked Takao about it, she said you always treated her with respect and never laid a finger on her.  Takao trusts you, so I knew I could too.”

It was time to lay out some bait.  “Ah, but can I trust Takao?” I teased.  “What if my charm and good looks prove too much for her to resist?  What if she were to succumb to her desires and ravish me when I was alone and unprotected?”

Atago laughed as loudly as I had ever heard her.  “You have met Takao, right?  I think your virtue is quite safe with her, Commander.”  Clearly, Takao had not told her sister about the... extra duties for which she had volunteered.  Then Atago’s laughter faded, and her tone turned serious – even a little sad.  “My sister sees herself as a soldier, nothing more than a weapon.  There are plenty of girls in this fleet who go to sleep dreaming of lying in your arms, Commander, but Takao won’t be one of them.  She’ll be dreaming of fighting and dying for you on the battlefield.”

That was a problem for me, because Takao was the one I wanted to be dreaming of lying in my arms.  “Yeah, she... doesn’t see herself as a romantic heroine, does she?”

“She honestly cannot conceive of anyone ever loving her.”

I squeezed Atago’s hand.  “I can tell that really bothers you.”

“It does,” she whispered.

“Does it bother Takao?”

She shook her head.  “No... and I think that bothers me even more.”

I put my arm around Atago and pulled her in for a hug.

“Onee-chan?”  Atago loved it when I called her the Sakura word for ‘big sister’.  “If it’s not too personal... has Takao ever been assigned to night duty?”

“Once.  She tried to keep it a secret, but I found out.”

“Here’s my Stupid Question of the Day:  did she enjoy it?”

“No.”  Atago’s response was so cold, I expected icicles to form in the office.  “She was miserable, always anxious and distracted. And he....”  Her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed in suspicion.  “Why do you ask, Commander?”

I hadn’t planned on telling her about last night, but if she found out what I was doing and that I had kept it from her....

“Ahem!  Look, this is in the strictest confidence, onee-chan.  Last night... while we were working...  Takao... volunteered for night duty.”

I thought Atago’s eyes were literally going to pop out of her head.  Her face turned white as a sheet, but there was fire in her eyes.  But all she said was, “Volunteered?”

“Yes, volunteered.”

“And?”

“And... I accepted.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I’m afraid that, if I go ahead with this, and you find out later, you’ll never trust me again.”

“As I said, Commander, you are free to fuck whoever you want.”  Her voice was cold, and I knew what must have been going through her mind:  ‘I thought you were different.’

“Onee-chan, you’re not just one of my senior officers, you’re my friend.  And we’re talking about your sister here.  I need your advice.”  She glared at me, but at least she didn’t storm out of the office.  “I like Takao – I really like her.  But I never said anything to her, because I knew there wouldn’t be any point.  But now... now I have a chance to get close to her.  Now I have a chance to tell her things I never could have told her before.”

“Like what?”

“Like how beautiful she is, how wonderful she is, how adorable and admirable and loveable she is.”

“That’s sweet of you, Commander, but what makes you think she’ll believe any of that?”  Her tone was a little warmer than it had been a moment earlier.

“Because of something she once told me, when we were discussing her daily training regime.  ‘Small strokes fell great oaks, constant drops pierce through rock.’   If I take my time, and resist the urge to shower her with compliments and affection, but just deliver them in tiny little droplets... maybe... maybe I can pierce her heart.  Oh dear, that sounded a little more aggressive than I meant it to.”  Atago giggled, and the ice broke.  “What I mean is... maybe this is my opportunity to show her – not just tell her, but show her – that someone can appreciate her for who she is, and not just for what she does.  Maybe I can convince her that she’s so much more than a weapon.”

Atago studied me for a long time, considering my words.  Finally, she told me, “I wish you luck, Commander.  If you can succeed – if you can get her to recognise all the beauty that you and I see in her – then you’ll have my undying gratitude.  Just... be careful.”

“I’ll try.  Believe me, onee-chan, I wouldn’t hurt her for the world.  I want to make her happy – if I can.”

She gave me a searching look, and replied, “Actually, Commander, something tells me you might be risking more than she is.”

* * * * *

That evening, Takao and I had to work late again.  As we plowed through the backlog of requisitions, I told her, “I know I’ve said this before, Takao, but I’ll say it again.  I would be lost without you.  Your eye for detail alone is worth your weight in gold.  This is the third requisition where you caught something I missed.”

“Are you still feeling stressed, Commander?  You’re not usually this sloppy – if you’ll excuse me saying so, sir.”

“No, ‘sloppy’ is just the word to describe me this evening, I’m afraid.  But we’re almost done – thanks to you.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Commander, but my humble efforts are nothing compared to your diligence and skill.”

“Thank you, Takao.  Your good opinion means a lot to me.”

I admit that I was going out of my way to remind her – and myself – that I valued her for a great deal more than just her breasts.  When we were finally done, I stretched my arms high over my head and yawned.

“Commander?  Do you require my service this evening as well?”

I felt my body tense and my mouth go dry.  “I’ve been thinking about that, Takao.  And I think we should talk about... your duties.”

“Were you... displeased with my services, Commander?”

“No, no, far from it.  But I need to clarify a couple of things before we proceed.  Are you really willing to be assigned to night duty on a long-term basis?”

“I wish to serve you in every way I can, Commander.  I am happy to perform night duties as often as you need, for as long as you need.”

“Well, I appreciate that.  Um, are there... parameters on night duty?”

“Parameters, sir?”

“Yes, limitations?  Are there things which I am not allowed to do, or things which you would rather I not do?”

She blushed and replied, “You may use me in any way you desire, Commander.”

“In any way?”

“I will gladly perform any... task you set for me, Commander.  If it will please you, and ease your burden, then I am happy to do... anything you ask of me.”  That statement was both sexy and creepy at the same time – not least of all because I thought the words ‘gladly’ and ‘happy’ lacked conviction.

“I should have expected nothing less from you, Takao.  In that case... I would like to assign you to long-term night duty – on the condition that, if I ever ask too much of you, you must promise to tell me.  And, if you ever wish me to... reassign these duties, then you must promise to tell me that too.  I don’t wish to relieve my own stress at the cost of adding to yours.”

“You’re very kind, Commander.  Do you wish me to make myself available every night?  Or should I wait to be given orders?”

I hadn’t thought about that question.  I loved the idea of being with her every night, but wasn’t sure if that was the best idea.  “Well, I know you teach your calligraphy class on Thursday evenings, and I don’t want to interfere with that....”

“But that is an indulgence with which I can easily dispense if you require me....”

“Pardon me, but no.  You told me once that calligraphy is a form of self-cultivation, so taking that away would be almost as bad as taking away your morning training routine.  Plus, I know how much the destroyers enjoy your teaching, and I don’t want them to be disappointed.”  Takao looked uncomfortable, and I knew her well enough to know that she was chastising herself for being selfish.  “How about you make yourself available every evening except Thursdays and... say, Sundays?  I’m sure that being with you five nights a week will ease my stress enough to last a day or two on my own.”

“Well, alright, Commander, if that’s what you want.  Shall we set a time?”

Of course, she would want to schedule this if she could.  “Sure.  How about... 20 hundred hours?”  I wondered if she was going to add this to our work calendar.

“That would be fine.  But, Commander... if you need me before then....”

“Well, I expect you would be more comfortable with a predictable routine.”  The truth was that Takao hated surprises.  “But if I simply can’t wait, I promise to let you know.”

“Thank you, sir.  Would you like to appoint a reserve, for when I have to go on sorties, Commander?”

Takao was the only one I really wanted to be with, but I decided to play it cool.  “Hm, let me think about that.  Again, I expect you’ll do such a good job that I’ll be fine for a few days on my own.”

“But, Commander, it’s not unusual for us to be gone for weeks.”

“Well, that’s true....  Let’s just play it by ear, and see how I’m feeling when the time comes.”  My sex life was quickly becoming the most organized it had ever been – that was Takao for you, always thinking about the details.

Having reached an agreement on her new duties, we strolled over to the canteen for some fresh air and a bite of supper.  Takao seemed at ease, no doubt relieved to have established a framework for her new assignment.  Returning to her old duties, we worked steadily through the rest of the requisitions.  As we completed the last of them, I glanced up at the clock:  it said 19:45.

Takao followed my gaze.  “It’s not quite eight o’clock, Commander, but we could begin now, if you like.”  She blushed, but her voice was steady, and I sensed that our earlier conversation had given her a greater feeling of control over the situation.

“That would be lovely, Takao.  How do you feel about... cuddling?”

“Cuddling?”  The blank look on her face made me wonder if she had even heard the word before.

“Yes -- cuddling, snuggling, um... and other words meaning ‘cuddling’.”  God, I really was hopeless sometimes.

Now she looked uncomfortable again.  “Oh.  I... I have no experience in cuddling.”

“Then we should start you on a training regimen, because I expect I will be asking for lots of cuddles.”  She did not know how to process this turn of events, but I had an explanation prepared.  “Please don’t think that I didn’t enjoy the boobjob you gave me last night:  it was wonderful, and I plan on asking for many more in the future.  But night duty is about relieving my stress, and sometimes orgasms aren’t what I need for that.  Sometimes I need cuddles.”

“How do cuddles help, Commander?”

“They’re like meditation,” I replied, knowing how important meditation was to Takao.  “It’s a mindfulness exercise:  you might find it helpful too.”  She looked skeptical.  “Here, would it be okay if I showed you what I’m talking about?”  She nodded hesitantly.  “Lie down on the couch, and I’ll stretch out beside you.”

Takao did as I requested, and I laid down beside her.  I wrapped my arm around her midsection, and laid my head on her ample bosom.  Her breasts were as soft and pillowy as I remembered them, but I could feel the nervous tension in her body.  I felt bad making her feel uncomfortable, but I knew that my plan would involve pushing her out of her (fairly narrow) comfort zone.  I explained to her, “Now, I can use your body as an anchor:  I can feel you beside me, practically from head to toe, grounding me.  I can just be in the moment, and fill myself with the moment.  I can focus on the warmth of your body, the texture of your tunic, the sound of your heartbeat, the sensation of your muscles – there's so much about you for me to focus on, there’s no room left for anxieties or frustrations.  And if you put your arms around me....”  She did so, but awkwardly, as if she didn’t quite know how.  “With your arms around me, I feel protected – shielded from everything that worries me and bothers me.”  I wanted to go on – to tell her how warm and wonderful she felt, how her strength comforted me, how her scent intoxicated me – but I was supposed to be moving slowly.  So, I just asked her, “Does that make sense to you, Takao?”

She considered that for a moment, and responded, “Yes....  Yes, it does, Commander.  I can see the meditative value in this.”  She sounded surprised – maybe even impressed.

“I hope this much bodily contact doesn’t make you too uncomfortable.”

“Not to worry, Commander.  This is very... peaceful.”  Her choice of words alarmed me a little, making me worry that her previous night duty assignment had been anything but peaceful.  But I wasn’t going to try to force a confidence from her. 

I resisted the urge to cuddle all night – she was so warm, so soft – and said, “When we cuddle, we could set a timer – like setting aside a particular span of time for meditation.”

“That makes sense, Commander.  Would twenty minutes be sufficient?”

“I think so.  We can always make adjustments if it isn’t.”

But then I felt her tense up.  “I’m sorry, Commander, I shouldn’t be making these decisions.  We should be doing what you want to do.”

“Takao, when we plan sorties, do I make all the decisions single-handedly?  Do I do whatever I want to do, with no regard to the opinions of my officers?”

“Of course not, Commander, you always consult with us.”

“So why should this be any different?”

“Oh!  Um, I... I see your point, Commander.  I hadn’t considered that.”

“Besides the fact that I value your opinion on pretty much everything, Takao, as a commander I have a responsibility to get the best out of my subordinates by understanding and utilizing their strengths.  The more comfortable you feel with your night duty assignment, the more effective you will be at it, just like with any other mission I assign you.” 

That seemed rather cheesy to me, but Takao sounded appreciative.  “You’re quite right, Commander.  I trust you to use my strength in the most efficient way possible.”

“Can you see the clock from your position, Takao?  Good.  We’ll just cuddle for a few more minutes before calling it a night.”

“But what about the twenty minutes, sir?”

“We don’t want to overdo it on your first night,” I said with a smile.  “We need to build up your cuddling stamina.”

With a voice full of determination, she declared, “I shall do my utmost to become the best cuddling partner I can be for you.”  Then she paused, as if she had just realised something, and asked, “Wait -- are you teasing me, Commander?”

I sat up and looked her in the eye.  “Yes, I’m afraid I am.  I’m sorry, Takao, I know you don’t like being teased.”

She cast me an admonishing glance, and gave the tiniest little pout.  “I get quite enough of that from Atago, Commander, I don’t need it from you too.”  Her gaze softened a little, and she added, “But I guess it’s all right – just this once.” 

There was only one word to describe Takao.

Adorable.

Chapter Text

All good things come to an end, and that includes snuggles.  For the second evening in a row, we said good night as if there had been no physical intimacy between us at all, but I couldn’t get the memory of her body out of my mind.  In its own way, cuddling had been even more wonderful than the boobjob – perhaps tomorrow night I would push my luck and ask for both.

I felt like I had taken one small step towards greater intimacy with Takao.  I could see a door standing slightly ajar – a door leading to her heart.  Whether she would ever let me in or not remained to be seen, but at least I could tell myself it was within the realm of possibility.  The road ahead would be long, and full of opportunities for me to mess up and ruin everything, but the journey had begun.

The next day, we actually got to leave the office on time, thanks to the overtime we had put in through the past week.  At eight o’clock sharp that evening, Takao knocked on the door of my quarters.  I opened the door promptly and tried not to look like I had spent the last hour and a half arranging – and re-arranging – practically every moveable thing in my quarters, from the coffee table in the living room to the collection of Pokemon plushies in the study.

In case you couldn’t tell, this was the closest thing to a date I had had in some time.

“Takao, reporting for night duty, Commander,” she announced quietly. 

“Please come in, Takao.  Would you like some green tea?” 

“No, thank you, sir.”  She sounded just as businesslike as she did in the office – or anywhere else, really.  The only place I had ever seen her show real passion was on the battlefield.  “What may I do for you this evening?”

We stood in my living room, almost (but not quite) making eye contact.  While I was happy to socialize with my officers, I was not in the habit of inviting them to my quarters:  most of them were gorgeous, sexy, and single, and suggesting they come back to my place for a drink after supper had always seemed like asking for trouble.  Besides, the various factions of the fleet ran very fine bars, tearooms, and coffee shops on the base, plus I was often invited to the officers’ mess.  So, this was only the second or third time Takao had set foot in my quarters.

“Um,” I began eloquently, feeling like an awkward teenager taking advantage of his parents not being home.  “Would you mind giving me another boobjob?  And perhaps we could cuddle afterwards?”

“Oh!  Um, all right, Commander.”

Her response made me worry I was asking for a lot of intimacy in one night.  Not wanting to push things, I backtracked.  “Well, let’s start with the boobjob and... see how I feel after that.”  She nodded, seemingly a little more comfortable.  “Would you prefer to stay in the living room or go in the bedroom?”

As she looked towards the bedroom door, it occurred to me that she must have been a frequent visitor to the commander’s quarters during her previous night duty assignment – and that my bedroom might hold unpleasant memories as a result.  I cursed myself for not thinking of this earlier.  My office probably had similarly unpleasant associations.  How dark and how long of a shadow did that first ‘assignment’ cast?  Without knowing any details of that experience, I worried about my ability to navigate whatever wounds and scars it may have left on my secretary ship.

Turning back to me, Takao said simply, “The couch is fine, if you would prefer that, Commander.”  Was that her way of saying, ‘I don’t want to go in there’?  I felt certain that asking her directly at this point would have gotten me nothing but a ‘worry not about me, Commander.’

We walked over to the couch, where she knelt down and began undoing my belt.  Once I was naked from the waist down, I sat on the edge of the couch while she removed her tunic.  Just as she did on the first evening, she got me wet with her mouth and then enveloped me in her breasts.  She was every bit as beautiful and as sexy as she had been that night, yet I wasn’t enjoying myself nearly as much.  Where that surprising first encounter had been spontaneous, this one had been scheduled in advance, like a strategy meeting or a performance review.  Takao’s methodical approach – I noticed she followed a set rhythm and pattern in moving her breasts up and down and around my cock – emphasised the almost clinical nature of this boobjob.  I felt like I was giving a fluid sample at the doctor’s office.

I tried to shake those thoughts from my head.  Not only was I supposed to be focusing on the beautiful lady pleasuring me, but I knew that if I failed to cum she would take it personally.  Of course, that last thought was hardly helpful either.  So, with my eyes, I traced the outline of her adorable dog ears, and the fall of her long ebony ponytail past her shoulders and down her back. 

“This feels very nice, Takao.  May I... may I stroke your hair, just for a moment?”  I needed something besides my cock to be touching her, needed to inject a bit more intimacy into the moment. 

Takao hesitated, but finally nodded.  “Thank you for asking, Commander,” she said quietly.  Had that previous commander not asked permission before touching her?

I reached out to brush her bangs away from her eyes:  she flinched a little in surprise, but I was glad of the contact.  She let me stroke her hair, but kept her eyes glued to my penis.  Remembering how she had asked me not to stare at her, I closed my eyes and reveled in the feel of her body.  I began to enjoy her predictable and systematic movements:  they were quintessentially Takao, like the hundreds of identical sword strokes in her morning training routine.

Now that I had finally focused on her instead of on my anxieties, my orgasm wasn’t far away.  I moaned and started to move my hips a little, but that threw Takao off her rhythm, so I stopped moving.  Soon, I was reaching my climax.  “I’m cumming, Takao!”  And I did, all over her lovely bosom.

“Did you enjoy that, Commander?”

Panting a little, I replied, “Yes, very much.  Thank you.”

“I am happy to be of service to you, Commander.  Please allow me to clean up.”

As I watched her wipe up my semen, I reflected on the evening.  It was clear to me that I wanted intimacy with Takao, not just masturbatory aid.  She may have seen herself as a tool for my use, on and off the battlefield, but I saw her as more than that.  Much more.

But I had to be patient.

“Is one orgasm enough, Commander?  I can give you another, if you like.”

“No, thank you, this is lovely.  Would you like... a cup of green tea?”

“No, thank you, Commander.  It is kind of you to offer, though.  Um, would you... would you like to cuddle?”

“Um, yes, I would, if that’s all right.”  As I stood up to make room for her, I noticed something.  “Er, should we get dressed or undressed, do you think?  At the moment, I’m naked from the waist down and you’re naked from the waist up.  It’s an interesting combination, wouldn’t you say?”

Takao looked down and giggled quietly.  “Hehe, well, we have a complete set of clothes between us.  But... perhaps we should get dressed.”

So, fully dressed, I lay in her arms on my sofa.  She had set the timer on her phone for twenty minutes. She assured me that her ‘cuddling stamina’ was perfectly adequate, and I felt the need to apologise again for teasing her about that.  Luckily, Takao never held a grudge – well, unless you count her bizarre rivalry with Saratoga ever since the Eagle Union carrier beat her in a sandcastle building contest during our last Beach Day.

Twenty minutes came and went all too quickly, and soon I was waving goodbye to Takao from my front door.  As I watched her go, I thought back on her little giggle from earlier, and on the brief smile that had accompanied it.  These were rare from the ever-serious Takao, but all the more delightful for their rarity.  I wondered what she would look like with a great big grin on her face – and wondered if I would ever be able to put one there.

The next day was Thursday, which Takao always spent teaching calligraphy to some of the Sakura and Dragon Empery destroyers.  The Combined Fleet of the Pacific was made up largely of Eagle Union, Sakura Empire, and Dragon Empery shipgirls, with a few representatives of the Northern Parliament, Ironblood, and Royal Navy.  Everyone got along for the most part, but there were some frictions.  Takao was generally respected for her integrity and her work ethic, but many of the Eagle Union girls found her uptight and unapproachable.  Though my own background was Eagle Union, I had lived in the Sakura Empire for a few years in my youth, and having a bit more understanding of Sakura culture and tradition helped me work well with the more traditional ladies like Takao and Souryuu.  It also helped that I wasn’t a shipgirl, so none of them saw me as a rival in any way:  Takao and Saratoga’s epic sandcastle building battle was just one of many examples of rivalry between those two factions.

When I saw Takao in the office on Friday morning, I had to admit to myself that I had missed seeing her the night before.  For her part, she took the earliest opportunity to ask – in a barely audible whisper, lest anyone overhear – if I had been all right without her.

“Yes, thank you.  You’ve been very helpful, and I was just fine.  Although I am looking forward to this evening.”

If she hadn’t been blushing before, she certainly was now.  “Er, if, um, if you can’t wait that long, Commander....”  I felt like she was making an offer which she was hoping I would decline.

Luckily, I knew exactly what to say.  “I appreciate your willingness to be of service, Takao.  But I should try to refrain from anything too shameless in the office – during working hours, at least.”  Her shoulders visibly relaxed, and she nodded her assent.

At eight o’clock sharp that evening, there was... no knock at my door.  Takao’s punctuality was legendary on the base – as was my own tardiness – so I got a little concerned.  To my relief, at 20:10 the knock came.

Scurrying inside, a blushing and breathless Takao explained, “I’m very sorry for being late, Commander.”

“It’s quite all right.  Is everything okay?”

“Yes, but... well, Shoukaku and Zuikaku were walking across the yard, and I... I didn’t want them to see me... um....”

“You didn’t want them to see you going into the commanding officer’s quarters so late in the evening?  I understand.”  A thought occurred to me.  “Would you prefer it if we restricted night duty to the office?  Would you be more comfortable with that?”

“I think we should do it wherever you wish to do it, Commander.”

I should have known she would say that.  “Well, personally, I prefer it here, if that’s all right.  In the office is fine, but there are always some personnel working in the Command Building overnight, so I worry that if we do it there too often, we might get caught.”  I hastily added, “Not that I would be ashamed to be caught with you, Takao, but....”

“No, I understand, Commander.  This may be part of my duty, but... it is still not something I would wish to be seen doing.”

“Yes, I wouldn’t want... well, frankly, I don’t want to risk damaging your reputation.  Your comrades think very highly of you, and I wouldn’t want you to... feel uncomfortable in front of them because they had seen you...”  I really had no idea how I wanted to finish that sentence, but Takao came to my rescue – sort of.

“Shall we... shall we begin, Commander?”

“Um, would you like some green tea first?”  She was probably wondering why I kept offering her tea whenever she offered me sexual favours.  In my defence, though, she really liked tea.

“Perhaps afterwards, thank you, Commander.  What can I do for you this evening?”

“Could... could we try something different this evening?”  She tensed up, so I continued rather cautiously.  “Would you be comfortable giving me a blowjob?”

“Oh!”  I think she was expecting me to ask for something else.  “Um, I would be happy to give you a blowjob, Commander, but... I’m afraid I’m....”  Her voice dropped to a whisper.  “I’m not very good at them.”

I resisted the urge to take her hand – that might still fall within the vaguely-defined category of ‘unnecessary bodily contact’ -- and told her, “You’re good at everything you set your mind to, Takao.  But I’m happy to do something else if you’d rather not.”

“No, no!  I will not shy away from any task you assign me, Commander.  I just... don’t want you getting your expectations too high, that’s all.”

Usually, her humility was one of her most endearing qualities, but at times like this I wished she could have a higher opinion of herself.  On an impulse, I asked, “Takao?  May I kiss you?”

Her eyes got big as saucers, and she blushed an even brighter shade of red.  I cursed myself for requesting two new things at once – I was supposed to moving slowly – and backtracked.  “I mean, if you’d rather not, that’s okay.”  And then I cursed myself again for making her think she was slowing things down.  “I’m sorry, should I stop asking these things?  I just don’t want to... you know... help myself without permission.”

“No, it’s all right, Commander,” was her quiet response.  “I appreciate your asking permission for these things.  It... it’s very kind of you.”

“Well, like I said before, I don’t want to take advantage of you.”  It didn’t seem like she was going to answer the question one way or the other, so I suggested, “Should we... move over to the sofa?”

Once there, she helped me off with my trousers and I sat down.  I asked, “Where would you like me to cum?”  I guessed that cumming in her mouth might be a bit much for her.  “Could I cum on your breasts again?”  She nodded, and removed her tunic and bra.

She knelt down in front of me and started to focus on my cock, but paused.  Tentatively, she leaned forward and whispered, “You may... kiss me... if you like... Commander.”

My hand was trembling as I raised it to cup her cheek.  I brought my lips to hers, softly and gently:  the way she tensed up made me wonder if she had been expecting something more forceful.  My suspicion was confirmed after I finally broke the kiss.

“You’re... you’re so gentle, Commander.”

I couldn’t resist another tender kiss, before saying, “Of course I’m gentle with you, Takao.  And may I say... you are incredibly kissable.”  As I expected, she got flustered and turned away from my gaze.  Her kisses were delicious, but a little awkward, and I suspected her previous partners had been more interested in fucking her than in kissing her.

Refocusing on my penis, she got to work.  I would have disagreed with her statement that she wasn’t very good at oral, but she was certainly awkward with it.  It seemed like she didn’t quite know what to do with her tongue while my cock was inside her mouth.  But it still felt amazingly good, partly because it was Takao.  Once, while she was licking my shaft, she caught me staring, and I had to apologise.  But the sight of this beautiful lady – so shy and so sexy, all at once – licking me and sucking me was irresistible.  When she inadvertently made a slurping noise and startled herself, it was so adorable I almost giggled out loud.

“Oh my... Takao, this is so good... this feels so good... aahhhh....”

She paused long enough to murmur, “I’m glad you’re enjoying my mouth, Commander.”  Then she returned to her task.

All too soon, I was reaching my limit.  “Oh!  Takao, I’m going to cum!”  She immediately pulled me out of her mouth – in retrospect, I made the right choice not to cum in her mouth, but at the time I just whimpered – and wrapped her luscious boobs around me.   “Ohhhh!  Takao!”

A few moments later, I was looking down at her perfect breasts covered in my semen.  It was quickly becoming one of my favourite sights.  She examined the fruits of her labours, then looked up at me.  I smiled at her.  “I thought you said you weren’t very good at this?  That was marvelous.  Thank you.”

I leaned down for another kiss, which she returned a little more eagerly than the previous ones.  I thought her lovely amber eyes looked a little softer and a little warmer than usual, as she told me, “I’m very glad that I can give you this much pleasure, Commander.  I really am.”

Again, I couldn’t resist another kiss, but I told myself not to push my luck.  Instead, I helped her clean up and asked, “Should we have tea and then cuddle, or cuddle and then have tea?”

“You’re still hard, Commander.  Do you need another orgasm?”

I hadn’t planned on asking for another, but how could I say no?  My second orgasm was just as nice as the first, and now I was cleaning up another (slightly smaller) load of cum off my secretary’s chest.  But two orgasms in quick succession had tired me out, and I immediately fell asleep on Takao’s pillowy bosom while we cuddled.

“Hmm?”  I opened my eyes and blinked a couple of times.  “I’m sorry, I seem to have dozed off.”

There was an encouraging warmth in her response, “Not to worry, Commander.  I’m very pleased that I was able to ease your stress so effectively.”

I squeezed her a little more tightly.  “With you on night duty, Takao, my stress may become a thing of the past.”  A little squeeze from her told me she had appreciated that.

Then the timer went off.

“Argh,” I moaned, but I knew I wouldn’t get any sympathy from the methodical heavy cruiser lying beside me. 

But this time she let me make her tea.

Chapter Text

The next evening, we agreed to meet at 2100 hours, in the hopes that fewer of Takao’s comrades would be out and about then.  I confess that the extra hour between eight and nine weighed heavily on me.  It gave me plenty of time to think about what I wanted to request tonight – and then to second guess myself again and again.

But when Takao arrived, I felt more confident.  One of the many things I liked about having her as my secretary was that her presence helped keep me grounded.  The awkwardness of our first few night duty... um, ‘assignments’(?)… made me worry that this would be disrupted, but I felt much better after sharing some tea with her the night before.

“Takao, reporting for night duty, Commander.”

“Thank you, Takao.  Was the coast clear this evening?  Good.”

As usual, we got right to business.  Walking over to the sofa, I asked, “May I kiss you?”

“You... you don’t need to ask, Commander.”

“Are you sure?”  She nodded, so I said, “Thank you.”  Then I kissed her soft, sweet lips.  “I’d just like to cuddle tonight,” I told her.

To my surprise, she didn’t seem to like hearing that, though she didn’t object.  As I lay in her arms, I could feel the tension in her body, and I was unsurprised to hear her ask, “Commander, are... are you... dissatisfied with my service?”  It amazed me how such a powerful warship – so strong and confident on the training ground and on the battlefield – could be so insecure in more intimate situations like this. 

I was ready for this question.  Raising my head to give her another little kiss, I responded, “Far from it, Takao:  quite the opposite, in fact.  I’m enjoying night duty very much.”

She was genuinely puzzled.  “Then... then why haven’t you... requested intercourse?  Am I....”

I interrupted her.  ”Are you not good enough?  Are you not pretty enough?  Are you not experienced enough?  Are you not something else enough?  No, it’s nothing like that.  I do want to have sex with you, Takao, I actually want it very much.”  She turned bright red when she heard that, though I was pleased that she didn’t break eye contact.  “But I want to take my time.  I want to make sure that – when it happens – we're both ready for it.  Think of all this as... training.”

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.  “You’re not teasing me again, are you, Commander?”

“No, I’m not.  I want us to be comfortable with each other, I want us to understand each other, I want us to work together as well in the bedroom as we do in the office or in naval exercises.  I feel confident that sex with you is going to be amazing, Takao:  I want to take it seriously.”

She stared at me for a moment or two, before replying in a penitential tone, “I’m sorry for being so lewd, Commander.”

Now I was the puzzled one.  “Lewd?  How were you being lewd?”

Now she broke eye contact, saying, “I shouldn’t be rushing you into having intercourse, I should be letting you decide what we do and when.”

I kissed her cheek and assured her, “You’re just clarifying what is expected of you, as every good officer should.  It’s like mission planning.  You’re not being lewd, you’re being thorough – you're being Takao.” 

She turned her face back to mine.  “Thank you, Commander.”  I kissed her cheek again and settled my head back on her bosom.

I was saddened by the sound of the timer going off, but delighted when Takao asked, “Shall I make us some tea, Commander?”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

Sunday was another day off for her – well, a day off from night duty at least.  As I played tennis with Bremerton in the morning, I saw Takao hauling an armload of cleaning supplies to the Sakura shrine.  As I had a lunch of steamed buns with Ning Hai and Ping Hai, they shared a new tea which Takao had recommended to them.  In the afternoon, as I was playing hanafuda with Souryuu, she told me how Takao was helping her and Fusou plan a field trip for the destroyers from the various factions.  And, as I had supper with Cleveland and her sisters in the Eagle Union’s Last Chance Saloon (the name was Nevada’s idea, apparently), they told me about Takao’s clumsy but well-meaning attempt to get them to join a kendo club she and the Kongou-class battlecruisers wanted to organize.

Monday morning brought concerning reconnaissance reports from the northern part of our sector.  Takao and I spent much of the day closeted with my senior officers, trying to piece together what the Sirens might be up to and how to respond to it.  As a result, the day’s routine administrative tasks were neglected.  Reluctant to let those pile up – as they undoubtedly would, if Tuesday’s reports proved as gloomy as Monday’s had – Takao and I worked a little late to get them out of the way.

It was only suppertime, but my body felt like it was midnight, I was so tired.  Takao, who hadn’t spent the previous day resting and relaxing, seemed fresh as a daisy, though, and her quiet energy kept me going.  As I hit ‘Submit’ on the last ‘Approval of Leave Request’, I sat back in my chair and heaved a deep sigh.

“Commander?  I know it’s not our usual time, but if you would like to move to the couch....”

“That’s a lovely idea -- if you don’t mind.”  She closed the office door and joined me on the couch.  “Takao, would you mind sitting on my lap?”

“Oh!  Of course, Commander.”  She sounded a little nervous, as she always did when I suggested something new.

She straddled my lap, and I put my hands around her hips.  I asked, “Are you comfortable like this?”  She nodded, then flinched when I reached around for her ponytail.  She might have thought I was going to pull it or something, but she relaxed when I just brought it around and draped it over her shoulder and down her chest, letting the end pool in my lap.  “You have such lovely hair, but I can’t imagine how long it takes to brush it in the morning or after training.”  I leaned forward and kissed her a few times, before pulling her closer and resting my head on her shoulder.  My face nuzzled into her hair and the crook of her neck, and I purred at the softness and warmth.  Tentatively, she put her arms around me and held me. 

We stayed like this for a little while, then I pulled back a little and kissed her again.  “Mmm, your lips are so soft and sweet, Takao.  I wish I could describe them more poetically than that, but just know that I love kissing you.”

Compliments of any kind always flustered Takao, but this one threw her more off-stride than most.  “Th-thank you, C-commander,” she stuttered quietly, averting her eyes.  “B-but there’s really no need to flatter me.”

Realizing that my reference to poetry had been ill-advised, I took a more serious tone.  “This isn’t flattery, these are facts.  I’ve kissed your lips several times now, and I feel I am qualified to speak to their softness and their sweetness.  However, I do plan to continue my investigations,” I continued with mock formality, pausing to kiss her again, “and if I find it necessary to revise my initial findings, I will be sure to let you know.”  The look on her face told me she suspected me of teasing her, so I clarified, “Seriously, Takao, what do I have to gain by flattering you?”

She thought about that for a moment, but finally answered, “I don’t know.” 

“I’ve never lied to you, Takao, and I’m not about to start now.  I know that night duty is part of your broader duties as secretary ship, and I take this just as seriously as everything else you do for me.”

After a long pause, she turned back to me.  She searched my face again for signs of teasing, and found none.  “Thank you,” she whispered – and she kissed me.

I would have been happy making out all evening, but my stomach chose that moment to get grumbly.  Takao broke our kiss and asked, “Should we get some dinner, Commander?”

“Yes, I suppose we should.” 

Perhaps I sounded as deflated as I felt at the interruption, for Takao leaned back in for one more kiss and whispered, “I will still come to your quarters at our appointed time, Commander.  Can you wait that long?”

“Barely,” I replied with a smile.

And so, later that evening, I was sitting on my own couch with Takao straddling my lap.  This time, though, her tunic and bra were off, and I was fondling her breasts while I kissed her.  They were delightful, but even more delightful were Takao’s little hums of appreciation at my touch.  But when I pinched one of her nipples, she gave a little yelp that grabbed my attention more forcefully.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “are your nipples very sensitive?”  Blushing – as usual – she bit her lip and nodded.  “I’ll be more careful, then.”

She shook her head, though.  “You... you don’t have to be, Commander.  I am here for your pleasure.”

I kissed her and replied, “Yes, but I want you to be comfortable, remember?  If the day ever comes when you want me to ravish your nipples like a wild beast, you can let me know and I’ll happily oblige.  But until then, I will be a gentleman and mind my manners.”

She looked apprehensive.  “Are you holding back because of me, Commander?”  Damn, I had done it again.  “Please, if you want to have your way with me, you can.”  But her tone suggested that she would rather I didn’t.  Not for the first time, I sensed mixed emotions within her:  anxiety about moving too fast, but also anxiety about moving too slowly.

“I know I can, Takao.  I know I can have you anytime I want, anyway I want.  Trust me when I say that I am quite comfortable with the pace we’re setting.  Every time I’m with you, I discover something new about you, and I’m enjoying the journey.  We’ll reach our destination soon enough, and I know it will be worth the wait.”

She seemed unconvinced, but just said, “All right, Commander.  I just...”  Her voice dropped so low, I could barely hear it.  “I just want to please you, if I can.”

I pressed my lips to hers and pulled her close.  She gave a little squeal of surprise, but returned my kiss more eagerly than usual.  There was another squeal when she felt my tongue probing at her lips, but her own tongue came out to meet mine without much hesitation.

I only broke the kiss when we had to pause for breath.  Panting just a little, I told her, “If you can please me?  Takao, there is no ‘if’ about it.  You do please me – very much.”

“But... I want to please you more, Commander.”

“You will, my dear, you will.”  Then I took a long, deep breath and claimed another long, deep kiss.

She seemed much more at ease for the remainder of the evening.  And a very pleasant evening it was, too:  a boobjob, a cuddle, a cup of tea, and – a wonderful new addition to our night duty routine – a goodnight kiss.  Lying in bed that night, all I could think about was how her long raven-black hair would look trailing over my pillows.

Tuesday brought more reconnaissance reports, more strategy meetings, and another late night for me and Takao to make sure we didn’t fall behind again.  That evening, we snuggled on the couch in my office, but this time I switched things up:  she lay in my arms, and it was divine.  I was back in her arms in my quarters later that night, which was only fair.

“You know, though, Takao, it seems to me that, if you... give me service... in the office earlier in the day, you shouldn’t have to come to my quarters later that evening.”

To my delight, she looked a little crestfallen.  “I... I don’t mind, Commander, really I don’t.”

I stroked her hair – she had obviously taken note of how much I liked her hair, because tonight she had made sure to have her ponytail trailing down her chest for me to play with while we cuddled.  “As long as you’re sure.  I don’t want to overwork you.”

I felt her diaphragm vibrate and I thought I heard the faintest of giggles.  “This hardly feels like work, Commander.”

I squeezed her tight and said, “I'm very glad to hear that.”

Wednesday was much the same as Tuesday in almost every respect.  Thursday was Takao’s calligraphy class and a break in her night duty, but nevertheless I heard a knock on my door at her usual time.

“Takao?  Is everything all right?”  My first thought was that the Command Centre had received some particularly alarming report.  I knew that I would have been notified of any such emergency by phone rather than a messenger on foot, but my mind was so full of worst-case scenarios it was not at its clearest.

“Yes, Commander, I’m... I’m reporting for night duty.”

“But it’s Thursday... what about your calligraphy class?”

“We finished half an hour ago, sir.  I know it’s not my regular evening, but you looked so stressed today that... I was worried about you.”

With the door safely closed to prying eyes, I pulled her into my arms for a kiss.  “Thank you,” I whispered.  My head swam with thoughts of Takao – how beautiful she was, how diligent, how caring.  “You take such good care of me.”  That got a smile, and my heart leaped to see it.

Over at the couch, I made my boldest request yet.  “Takao?  May I give you an orgasm?”

Her eyes got wide as saucers, and the way her entire body immediately tensed up told me what her answer would be.  “I, um, I... I don’t think....”

I shook my head and kissed her gently.  “It’s okay, Takao, you’re allowed to say no.”  I suspected she thought having an orgasm of her own would be selfish.  “May I make a slightly smaller request, though?”  She nodded.  “May I touch you, Takao?  I mean, touch you... in new places?”

“Of course, Commander.  I have offered my entire body to serve you.”

“Thank you.  I promise to treat that as the precious gift it is.”  I kissed her softly and pulled her in for a hug.  “Tonight, I want your legs.”

“My... legs, Commander?”

“Hm, I probably could have phrased that more clearly, couldn’t I?  What I meant was, I want to focus on your legs – kiss them, touch them, caress them.”

“Why?”

“Why?  Because they’re amazing, that’s why.  Long and shapely and strong and graceful....”  Her blush deepened with each new adjective, so I tried to curb my enthusiasm.  “Why don’t you take off your pantyhose and leave your uniform on?”

She did so, and sat down on my couch.  As I expected, her legs were immaculate, strong and trim, and not a stray hair to be seen.  I knelt in front of her – which I think disoriented both of us a little – and picked up one of her feet.  Then I looked over at her shoes, where she had taken them off at the front door.  “You know, I’ve never told you how much I love your shoes.”

This was probably the last compliment she was expecting in this situation.  “M-my shoes, Commander?  There’s nothing special about my shoes.  Atago has much fancier ones.”

“True, she does, and I am always impressed by how effective she is on the battlefield in a pair of heels.  But I’m not a very fancy kind of guy, and I’ve always liked sensible shoes.  Yours are classics:  cute and practical, just like you.”  I didn’t need to look up to know that she was blushing.  Really, I made her blush so often, I should probably have sent her to sickbay to get her circulation checked.

“Are your toes really sensitive?”

Her eyes got wide as saucers – they did that a lot – as she stammered, “I, er, I... I don’t know.”

No matter how often I saw her get flustered, it never got any less adorable.  “Well, let’s find out together, shall we?  Tell me if it’s too much.” 

As I leaned in to kiss her big toe, she got alarmed.  “Commander!  No, my feet are dirty!”

I disagreed, but an idea occurred to me.  “Don’t worry, we can rectify that.  I’ll be right back.”  A few moments later, I was back in front of her with a bowl of warm water and a soft wash cloth.

“Wh-what are you going to do?”

“You said your feet are dirty:  I’m going to wash them for you.  Then I can kiss your toes.”

She was speechless, and I felt confident none of her previous partners had ever done anything like this.  I awarded myself bonus points for originality, but knew I couldn’t rest on my laurels.  I took my time, gently rubbing the wash cloth over her feet and between her toes.  I knew there was a foot-washing ritual in the Sakura Empire, but I couldn’t remember any details about it, and I worried that I might be committing a cultural faux pas.  “I’m a Christian,” I told her, “and in my faith washing someone’s feet is an act of humility.”  Then I remembered a wedding I went to as a teenager, where the couple washed each other’s feet.  As the layers of meaning started piling up, I wished I had thought this through.  “But mostly I’m just getting your feet clean so I can kiss them.”

I looked up at Takao’s face and saw her staring at me in awe.  The moment she saw me looking at her, she turned bright red and covered her face in her hands.  As I dried her feet with a towel, I gently inquired, “Is this still all right?”

She uncovered her face and nodded, but the blush remained.  I lifted one foot to my lips and softly kissed her big toe.  That seemed to be well-received, so I kissed all the others one by one.  My hands caressed her arches and her heel, my lips kissed her instep, my eyes followed her long legs up to where my secretary was still staring in disbelief.

Finally, I started moving up her legs.  “Mmmm,” I purred, “I can feel your muscles – your skin is so soft, but your muscles are so firm.”  A little further up, I caressed her calves and kissed her kneecap, and was rewarded with a little moan of pleasure.  Meeting her gaze, I asked, “Do you like the way I’m touching you?”  She nodded vigorously, her bottom lip firmly clamped between her teeth, as if she was afraid of what might come out of her mouth.  I gently squeezed her calves, which got another little moan.  “There’s so much strength here, so much power.  I see you on the training ground and on the battlefield, moving with speed and grace and precision.  It’s like... watching a wolf racing across the ground, or an eagle taking to the sky.” 

Whimper.

“Takao?  Are you okay?”  I straightened up and looked into her eyes -- moist and needy.

She finally released her lower lip and whispered, “Please don’t stop, Commander.”

Too much poetry, I told myself – if you could have called that poetry.  My hands rubbed her thighs, and I heard another moan.  I knew she didn’t like me staring at her, but I couldn’t tear myself away from those eyes.  She held my gaze longer than I expected, but a finger trailing down her inner thigh finally made her look away – but not before I heard another moan.

In a warm, loving voice, I asked, “What can I do for you?”  She just shook her head, but looked at me again with what I felt sure was longing and desire.  If she wasn’t going to ask me for anything, though, I thought it best to err on the side of caution.  So, I resisted the urge to move my hands closer to her panties – plain white cotton never looked so sexy – and pulled myself up onto the couch beside her.  When I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in for a kiss, she responded more eagerly than she ever had before. 

We made out for a while, before her passion subsided.  She went from eager to timid in a heartbeat, but didn’t pull away from me.  Instead, she leaned on my chest and hugged me tight.  All she said was, “You’re so gentle.”  But I read a litany of painful memories in those few words.  I kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tight, before lying down and cuddling her to my heart.

The timer went all too soon.  Not wanting to push my luck, I rose without complaint, but not without a kiss and a ‘thank you’.  When she was about to go put the kettle on for us, I took her hand in mine.  “Takao?  That was wonderful, it was just what I needed.  These reconnaissance reports have been weighing on my mind so much, and my head is just filled with thoughts of more battles and more bloodshed.  I don’t know why I’m more stressed about this sort of thing now than in the past, but... you make me feel so much better.  There is no one I would rather have at my right hand than you, Takao.”

I was deliberately vague about whether I was referring to night duty specifically or to her role as secretary ship more generally, and I couldn’t tell exactly how she interpreted my words.  But her face lit up, in probably the biggest smile I had ever seen from her.  “Thank you, Commander, that means the world to me.  You are, in my humble opinion, the finest commanding officer I have ever had, and it is an honour to serve under you.”

The best response to that seemed to be a hug, so I pulled her into an embrace, which she happily returned.

Sitting beside each other on the couch with our cups of tea, we left the worries of the day behind us and I made her tell me about the field trip she was helping Souryuu and Fusou organize.  Then she asked me questions about why swords weren’t as popular as guns in the Eagle Union, and I suggested she and the Kongou-class sisters put on a kendo exhibition to generate interest among the other factions.  These were my favourite moments with Takao:  ones where she relaxed a little, and we just talked like friends.

When she finally left, my quarters felt emptier than they ever had before.

Chapter Text

The next morning, I sat at my breakfast table, eating the sausages and eggs which HMS Glasgow had prepared for me.  She didn’t live in, but she came to make me breakfast and supper (when I was home for it), and to keep the place much tidier than I ever could.  It occurred to me to wonder what time Takao got up for her morning training routine.  When she started staying over, I expected she would probably want to be out of here before Glasgow showed up.  Even as I thought about that, I was torn between chastising myself for counting unhatched chickens and daydreaming about how nice it would be to wake up next to Takao.

When I had told Takao that I didn’t know why I was more stressed about the current military situation than I had been over earlier crises, I wasn’t being completely honest with myself.  The latest reports strongly suggested a build-up of Siren forces in an unexpected quarter, one which only my fleet was in any position to counter.  Any moment now, I expected a call from Azur Lane Fleet Command, ordering me to send a large force to investigate and eliminate the threat.  That force would inevitably include Takao:  she and her sister were the Sakura Empire’s finest heavy cruisers.

It was very hard to kill a shipgirl, but not impossible, and the Sirens always seemed to have a surprise or two up their sleeves.  So, whenever I sent any of my people into harm’s way, there was no guarantee they would all come back.  I had sent Takao on sorties before, of course, but now it was different.

The thought of Takao being lost at sea was enough to turn me off my breakfast.  But keeping her back – not sending her into battle, for fear of her getting hurt – would have been the biggest insult I could have possibly made to her.  She didn’t hold grudges, but that would be something she would never forgive me for.

On the bright side, Takao and I found a solution to the question of someone in ‘reserve’ for night duty – a solution that didn’t involve anyone other than Takao providing sexual favours.  The Sakura light cruiser Jintsuu and the destroyer Naganami would be appointed joint secretaries in the very likely event that Takao had to be away for several days or more.  Jintsuu was a clever strategist and, though some said the purple-haired foxgirl was too cautious, I considered her a trusted advisor.  Officially, Naganami was appointed to give her some experience of administrative work, but unofficially she was there because – if rumours were to be believed – hugging her or cuddling with her big fluffy skunk tail had healing properties.  As far as Takao and I were aware, Atago was the only one who knew about Takao’s night duty assignment.

The moment of truth came Saturday morning, when Fleet Command ordered me to send a task force to intercept and eliminate the new Siren threat.  The Eagle Union battleship North Carolina was appointed flagship for the operation, and with the sharp-as-a-tack aircraft carriers Shangri-La and Souryuu at her side, I felt confident the operation was in good hands.  Takao and Atago were assigned as well:  unfortunately, Takao’s reputation for being uptight and her sister’s reputation for being flighty often cost them more senior positions on big missions like this.

Saturday was spent in mission briefings, preparing for a pre-dawn departure on Sunday.  Come Saturday evening, we were still in the office, finishing up the last details.  It was after 2100 when Takao finally walked me home.  She followed me in – after double-checking that no one could see us – and immediately guided me to the couch.  “I don’t know how long I will be gone, Commander, so... may I give you some orgasms this evening?”

“Are you sure?  You have to leave early tomorrow.”

I was selfishly delighted by her immediate response.  “I always have time for you, Commander.”

That night, she gave me a boobjob, a blowjob, a cuddle, another blowjob, and even another quick snuggle.  She politely declined our usual cup of tea, considering her early departure time in the morning.  As I kissed her goodnight, I struggled with what to say.  The best I could come up with was, “I know you will fight bravely, and you will fight well.”

She gave me a little smile, and quietly declared, “I shall not shame my title of being ‘The Strongest’.”

“I know you won’t.”  I wanted to say so much more, wanted to tell her how much I would miss her, wanted to tell her how much she meant to me.  But this was neither the time nor the place, so instead I said, “I’ll be waiting for you at the docks when you sail home in victory.”

Her eyes looked a little sad, as she gave my cheek a gentle stroke and said, “Please take care of yourself while I’m gone, Commander.”  Then another kiss, and she walked off into the night without a backward glance.

As it turned out, though, the whole affair ended in an anti-climax.  Two days out, when they were expecting to meet the Sirens, the reconnaissance planes lost contact with the enemy.  Three days of fruitless searching failed to re-establish contact, and I finally had to call them home.

The only bright spots in this thoroughly unsatisfactory episode were that Jintsuu was very relaxing to work with; that Naganami’s tail was so fluffy and cuddly that I began to wonder if it really did have healing properties; and that Takao (and everyone else) got home safe and sound.  The evening after the task force returned, I treated them to dinner at The Imperial Teahouse, a banquet hall run by the battleship Hiei.  They had all been in low spirits when they had returned, but an evening of good food and sake cheered them up considerably.  I like to think my speech thanking them for their service helped too, but frankly my public speaking style is rather plain – sincere, but far from eloquent.

At the end of the evening, everyone began to head back to their respective dorms – Kii and Ise arm in arm, though a little unsteady on their feet; Nevada and Biloxi strolling together, hand in hand; and North Carolina asking Kirishima if she liked bunny girls (alas, I didn’t catch her answer).  Takao walked me home, of course, and when we got there I invited her in.

“Takao?  I can tell the mission is bothering you.  Would you like to have some tea and talk about it?”

She shook her head and answered glumly, “I’m sorry for being so gloomy, Commander.” 

I took her hand and replied, “There’s no need to apologise.  You all had a very frustrating time of it out there.  And I know it was probably worse for you, since it’s so long since you’ve been in the thick of the fighting.  You’re a marvelous secretary ship, Takao, but I know you’re a warrior first and foremost.”

“But it’s not my place to burden you with my woes, Commander, when you have so many of your own.  I’m supposed to be easing your burden, not adding to it.”

I could think of two or three arguments to use against that logic, but I saved them for another day.  I so wanted to act like her boyfriend, and be all caring and supportive, but we were still a long way away from that.  So, I fell back on what she was comfortable with.  “Would easing my burden ease yours, at least a little?”

“Yes, it would, Commander.” 

“Could I hold you in my arms while you make me cum with your hand?”

As we stretched out beside each other on the couch, and she laid her lovely head on my shoulder, I stroked the fingers that were about to caress my cock.  “I love your hands, you know.  They’re so strong.  You have so much strength – in your body, in your katana, and in your rigging – and you wield it with such grace and precision.  Your hands are so powerful, yet so gentle.  They can destroy our enemies, but they can also draw beautiful characters on paper, and they can soothe and comfort me.  Your touch grounds me, Takao, it lends me your strength and helps keep me going through the darkest of days.”  I kissed the top of her head and added, “Which is partly a very long way of saying that I missed you, and that I’m glad you’re home safe and sound.”

She seemed to be looking at her own hand as if she had never really seen it before.  I let her look for a moment, then brought it up to my lips.  Lacing our fingers together, I told her, “You know, now that I have you in my arms, I think this is really all I need.  Is that okay?”

She whispered in reply, “Yes, Commander.  If you’re happy... then I’m happy.”

I couldn’t resist a bold declaration.  “You deserve to be happy, Takao.”

We drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms, waking an hour or so later to the realization that we hadn’t set the timer.  But neither of us were particularly bothered by that.

* * * * *

The next few weeks went by quickly.  Expanded reconnaissance missions failed to relocate the Siren forces, and we all started to think our enemy was just toying with us – it wouldn’t have been the first time.  Takao quickly settled back into the office routine, although I could tell Jintsuu was sad to give it up.  We kept Naganami on to assist Takao, partly to lend credence to the fiction that we were giving her practical administrative experience, and partly because her big fluffy tail and sweet smile brightened everyone’s day.  Given the rising tension of wondering what the Sirens were up to, we all needed some extra brightness around the office.

One evening, not long after the unsuccessful sortie, as Takao and I cuddled facing each other, I asked, “Takao?  Is it just me, or have you been a little on edge the last couple of days?”

“I’m sorry, Commander,” she replied, just as I suspected she would.

“There’s no need to apologise.  If there’s something you want to talk about, though, you know I’m here for you, right?”

She nodded, but said nothing.  Several moments passed, and I thought the conversation was over before it had even begun.  But then....

“Commander?   Now that you have Naganami – and her tail – do you still need me?”

What I wanted to say was, ‘I will always need you, Takao.’  What I actually said was, “If I didn’t need you, would we be cuddling right now?”

She seemed satisfied with this answer, but I wasn’t.  I hated having to explain myself in terms of what I did instead of what I felt.  But I worried that too much emotion too soon might push her away from me.

Timidly, she asked, “Do you... do you wish I had a tail?”

“Hmm, I’m tempted to say ‘yes’, but I don’t know if I could handle you being any cuter than you already are.”  Of course, that was met with a blush.  But now I was wondering what her tail might look like, if she had one.  “May I ask a personal question?”

“Of course, Commander.”

“I know that you’re a dog-girl, but what kind of dog are you?”

“I’m a Shiba Inu, Commander.”  

“Do you... like having your dog ears touched?  Judging from the way your entire body just tensed up, I’m guessing the answer is ‘no’?”

“Well... it’s... they’re....”

“It’s okay, Takao, you don’t need to explain.  I was just curious, that’s all.  I hope I didn’t offend you?”

“No, not at all, Commander.  I... I appreciate you asking before touching them.  They’re... sensitive.”

“That’s good to know.  If you ever do want me to touch them, all you have to do is ask, but until then I’ll be careful to avoid them.”

“Thank you, Commander.  You’re very considerate.”

“You deserve consideration – everyone does.”

That night, I lay in bed, dreaming of a picnic in a park:  me, Takao, and a couple of Shiba Inu puppies playing in the grass.

And I began to think Atago had read me like a book when she had suggested I might be risking more than Takao was.

* * * * *

In mid-October, another build-up of Siren forces was identified.  Again, we monitored the situation and gathered intelligence.  Again, Fleet Command ordered me to send out a task force to deal with it.  Again, the SIrens vanished just before we got there.

When the task force got back, their frustration was palpable.  The Sirens were happy to engage with our forces further south and west, but for some reason evaded us in the north.  They were clearly up to something... but what?

Some of the Eagle Union ladies organized a special Movie Night to cheer everyone up.  Reno was one of the organizers, so no one was surprised when a superhero movie was chosen.  I was delighted to see it was one of my favourites, Captain America.

I wanted to go with Takao, but I didn’t have the nerve to ask her like it was a date.  Instead, I mused out loud about how such morale-building exercises were an important part of the duties of senior officers.  Sensing an opportunity to do her duty, Takao immediately volunteered to accompany me. 

“I am afraid, though, that I have little knowledge of this type of movie,” she told me.  “Is there any recommended reading that I should do beforehand to prepare?”

“You’re lucky you’re asking me that question, instead of Reno.  She would immediately have you loaded down with ten or twenty years’ worth of comic books.  But don’t worry, this movie is pretty stand-alone, especially compared to some of the others in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

The concept of a ‘cinematic universe’ seemed to baffle Takao, but I explained it as well as I could.  She was a traditional girl, and she only really grasped what I was saying when I suggested a comparison to great samurai legends of the Sakura Empire’s past.  Then she got quite excited about the movie, and I wished more than anything that I could go with her as her boyfriend rather than as her commanding officer.

The evening was a big hit, and a few of the ladies were swooning over how hot Captain America was – others were swooning over how hot Agent Carter was – and some were swooning over both.  Takao seemed enraptured, and I confess I found myself watching her more than the movie.  Atago – who I suspected of being afraid of the dark, though I knew she would never admit such a thing – was cuddled up beside me, and noticed where my gaze kept straying.  She whispered in my ear, “Heehee, it seems like a certain commander is smitten with my sister.”

I whispered in return, “Smitten doesn’t begin to describe it, onee-chan.”  She giggled again and kissed my cheek.

As Takao walked me home after the movie, I asked her, “So, what did you think of it?”

“Captain America is an exemplary soldier – heroic in every sense of the word.”  She paused and gazed thoughtfully at me.  “He reminds me of you, Commander.”

That stopped me in my tracks.  “Really?”  Only in my dreams did I bear the slightest resemblance to Captain America.  “How?”

“Well, what makes Captain America heroic is not his extraordinary physical strength, but his strength of character.  His kindness, his courage, his selflessness – these are the qualities that make him great.  They are also... if I may be so bold, Commander... the qualities... that make you great.”  She was blushing furiously by now.  If this had been almost any other shipgirl, I would have put this down to flirting, but this was Takao:  she was dead serious.

My head and my heart were full of emotions – which I scooped up and stuffed in a mental box labelled ‘LATER’.  Aloud, I told her, “Thank you.  There is no one in this fleet whose good opinion means more to me than you, Takao.”  As we resumed our walk, I couldn’t resist adding, “If you’ll pardon me for saying so, though, it seems like a case of the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Oh?”  She clearly suspected me of teasing, but then she got my meaning.  “Oh!”  Then she blushed and averted her eyes.  If I had a dollar for every time I made Takao blush, I could have retired by now.

Arriving at my quarters, I invited her inside.  As soon as the door was closed, I took her in my arms and claimed her lips in a kiss.  My passion took her by surprise, but after a little squeak of alarm, she eagerly welcomed my tongue.  However, the squeak was a sign that I had temporarily abandoned the gentleness which she appreciated so much.

I cupped her cheeks and tried to bring my heartbeat under control.  “Sorry,” I whispered, “I’m sorry for getting carried away like that.”

A little breathlessly, she assured me, “It’s all right, Commander.  It... it just took me by surprise, that’s all.”

“Can we cuddle?  Please?”

“Of course, Commander.”

Soon I was resting in her embrace, my head on her bosom, her arms wrapped around me.  “I love lying in your arms, Takao.  It’s so restful, so comforting.  There’s so much strength in every part of you – strength of body and strength of character.  I always used to think of you as my sword, but now I think of you as my shield too.  In your arms, I feel completely safe – I feel invulnerable.  Who needs a vibranium shield when I have you?”  I worried that I had said too much, but my anxiety was eased by her reply.

“I will always protect you, Commander.  Always.”

“Thank you.”

Chapter Text

The night after she compared me to Captain America, Takao stood just inside my front door, kissing me.    After a few weeks of night duty, her kisses were less awkward and less hesitant than they had been.  She seemed to really enjoy kissing me, and Lord knows I enjoyed kissing her.  I especially loved being soft and gentle with her, and watching her muscles relax as she responded to my tenderness.

“Takao?  Would it be okay if we went into the bedroom tonight?  Would you feel comfortable there?”

She didn’t answer right away, but there was confidence in her reply when it came.  “Yes, Commander, that would be fine.”

As we walked in, she looked around the bedroom with apprehension.  Her eyes lingered on my soccer trophies, my posters, my dresser – on everything but my bed.  I sat down on the bed, in the hope that seeing me there might reassure her that she was with someone she trusted.

Finally, she came over and stood before me.  “Um, what would you like me to do for you, Commander?”

“Would you lie here beside me?  I want to cuddle you.”

“But... all we did last night was cuddle too.”

“Yes, but last night we cuddled on the couch, and tonight we’re cuddling on the bed, so it’s different.”  My lame argument didn’t even convince myself, let alone Takao.  But she made no objection, and soon she was lying in my arms.

Needless to say, the bed was much more comfortable than the couch, but my partner was anything but comfortable.  Her body was tense, and I thought I felt her hand trembling as it rested on my chest.

“Commander?”  There was a tremor in Takao’s voice that worried me.  “Are you... are you really happy with me being on night duty?  If you would prefer someone else, I understand completely.”

“Come here,” I said gently, “Lay your head on my pillow.”  Now I could see her face and look in her eyes.  “Would you prefer that I assign someone else to night duty?”

She didn’t seem to know how to answer that.  Finally, she said quietly, “No, Commander.  But... I don’t understand why we haven’t had intercourse yet.  You’ve waited weeks.”  Her voice dropped to barely a whisper.  “The... other men... I have been with... could barely wait five minutes.”  That was the first time she had openly acknowledged that she had had previous partners.

“Takao, do you want me to be like the other men you’ve been with?”

What I saw in Takao’s eyes at that moment was the closest thing to fear that I had ever seen there.  “No.”

I stroked her cheek and said softly, “Well, I think that’s as good a reason as any to take our time, don’t you?” 

“But... at least I knew what they wanted from me.  You seem to want something different, Commander, but I’m not sure what that is.”

My heart swelled with emotions which I struggled to keep in check.  “Try not to worry, Takao.  Calm your spirit and dedicate yourself to the task.”

She considered that for a moment.  “Yes... yes, that is good advice, Commander.”

I smiled warmly, and told her, “Of course it’s good advice:  you gave it to me.”

She gave me a funny look, then leaned into my embrace, and I felt her body relax. 

This was the third time she had asked me if I was dissatisfied with her service.  I had always put it down to a lack of self-confidence in such matters, but now I wondered if I had misread her.  I had assumed that she was only in a rush to have sex because that’s what she thought I wanted, or because she thought sex was the only way she could relieve my stress.  But what if she wanted to have sex with me for her own sake?  What if all this kissing and cuddling and giving me orgasms was getting her more excited than I realised?  And then it occurred to me that only once had I offered to give her an orgasm:  her response to that had made me reluctant to offer again.  Maybe we were both so focused on my needs that we were neglecting hers.

“Takao?  Are you horny?”

To my surprise, she recoiled at the question, pulling away from me.  She was avoiding eye contact, but I could still see the pained expression on her face.

“I’m sorry,” I said earnestly, “was that the wrong question to ask?”

“Please, Commander,” she whispered, “please don’t make fun of me like that.” 

“Make fun of you?”  I was horrified – and puzzled – that she thought I was mocking her.  “I wasn’t making fun of you, Takao, I swear I wasn’t.  At least, I didn’t mean to.  I just wanted to know how you were feeling, what sort of mood you were in.”

I didn’t know what else to say.  I desperately wanted to give her a hug, but her body language was not encouraging.  She turned away from me and didn’t say anything, and silence filled the room. 

“Takao, may I ask... why do you think I was making fun of you?”  I spoke as gently as I could.  “I’ve clearly hurt you, and I’m very sorry.  But I didn’t mean to hurt you and I’m not really sure how I did.  Could you explain that to me, please?”  I paused, then added, “Or would you rather go home now, and we can talk about this tomorrow?”

She rolled back to face me again and shook her head vigorously.  “I’m sorry, Commander....  I’m sure you didn’t mean to make fun of me.”  I waited for her to say more.  When she didn’t, I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off with “I don’t want to talk about it, Commander.”

“Okay, fair enough,” I said.  “If... if you ever do want to talk about it, though, I’m here for you.”

She shook her head again.  “No, Commander, I’m supposed to be here for you.  I’m supposed to be serving your needs, not succumbing to my weaknesses.”  Tears welled up in her eyes and broke my heart.

The urge to hug her was almost overwhelming now.  But I knew that I had to be careful:  a proud warrior had just referred to her own weaknesses, and I needed to acknowledge her vulnerability without being patronising.  I needed to be present without being invasive, supportive but not coddling. 

I gestured for Takao to roll over, facing away from me.  Then I spooned up behind her and wrapped my arms around her.  “Even the strongest and most skilled warrior has weak points, Takao,” I whispered in her ear.  “Tell me, where is a warrior at their weakest?  From which quarter are they most vulnerable to attack?”

“From the rear, Commander.”

“Yes, from the rear – from the back.  Is your back exposed right now?”

“No, sir, you’re... shielding me... you’re protecting my rear.”

I squeezed her tight.  “And I always will, Takao.”

I heard a sniffle, felt her squeeze my arm, and heard her murmur, “Thank you... thank you.”

I held her in my arms for a long while, and gradually I felt her body relax.  When I thought the moment was right, I asked, “Takao?  Can we talk?”  She tensed up again, but rolled over to face me.  “Again, I’m sorry if my question hurt you in any way.  I’m just getting worried that... well, that you aren’t satisfied with my performance on night duty.”

That took her by surprise.  “What?  No, Commander, I didn’t mean....  It’s not my place to complain.”

“But is it not your duty as my secretary ship, and as a senior officer, to alert me to things I may have overlooked?  When I make an error in the office or on the training ground, you never hesitate to mention it.”  I couldn’t help remembering one instance, early in my time here, when a poorly-thought-out gamble in a naval exercise earned me a half-hour lecture from Takao right there on the docks.  And she wondered why people thought she was uptight.  “Why should this be any different?  If I’m missing something, or doing something wrong, shouldn’t you tell me?”  It still felt uncomfortable talking about intimacy in terms of duty, but I was determined to understand things from her point of view, if I could.

“That... that makes sense, I suppose.”  She didn’t sound entirely convinced, though.  “This is just such an... unfamiliar situation for me....  I’ve never... been with a man like you, Commander.  I... I’ve never met a man like you.”

I kissed her nose.  “And my mission briefings have left something to be desired, haven’t they?”  I stroked her cheek, and was delighted to hear her purr and to see her lean into my touch.  For the first time, I got the sense that she needed me – needed my presence, needed my touch, needed my affection.  “I told you once that I’m enjoying the journey we’re on, and I am, but... maybe it’s time for me to pick up the pace.  I was so worried about moving too fast, I never considered the possibility of moving too slow.” 

I kissed her lips, and her response left me in no doubt of her desire.  I wanted to make love to her right then and there, but I was still hesitant – still scared, if I’m being honest.  I had already stumbled on one sore spot tonight, I didn’t want to risk opening another old wound.

“May I... see you naked?”

“N-naked, Commander?  As in... completely naked?”

“Yes, please.  Let’s cuddle in the nude tonight, if that’s okay.”

She considered my request for a moment, and finally nodded.  As she stood up, she asked, “Would... would you like to undress me, Commander?”

“I would like that very much, thank you.”

As eager as I was to see her in the nude, I took my time.  Unbuttoning her tunic, I gently removed it and laid it carefully on a nearby chair, the same way she always did.  Reaching around to undo her bra and release her marvelous breasts, I kissed the tip of her nose – which made her go adorably cross-eyed for a second – and asked, “Are you okay so far?   I know this is new for us.”  She nodded, so I continued.

Sitting down on the bed while she stood before me, I carefully pulled down her skirt and pantyhose.   With slightly trembling hands, I pulled down her plain white cotton panties to reveal a bush trimmed just as tidily and precisely as Takao did everything else.  I was amused to see that she was shy even down there:  her labia were completely closed, offering no glimpse of her clitoris or anything else.

“C-commander,” she murmured, “please d-don’t stare at me down there.”

Immediately looking up at her, I replied, “Of course, I’m sorry.”  I thought it best to stand up, otherwise my lustful gaze was sure to stray back there.  As she began unbuttoning my shirt – her eyes fixed firmly on my breast pocket – I fought back the urge to shower her with compliments she didn’t want.  Soon, I was naked too, and now that she had no shirt pocket to stare at, she wasn’t quite sure where to look. 

She laid down on the bed and reached up to invite me into her embrace, but there was apprehension in her face.  Her own emotions may have been mixed, but mine became clearer with every moment of intimacy we shared.  I leaned down to kiss her – sweetly and gently, as I always did – and said, “Thank you for this.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Commander.  My body is here for your pleasure and comfort.”

I was far from comfortable with that statement, but I just replied, “I know, and I never want to take that for granted.  I never want to take you for granted.”  Then I gave her another kiss and laid down in her arms.

I’m no ladies’ man, but I am certainly no virgin.  So, when I say that I had never felt anything so wonderful as lying next to Takao’s naked body, just know that I had some previous experiences to compare it to.  Even without the liberty to roam my eyes over her muscles and curves, I knew that this really was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.  And when I thought about all the beauty on the inside too....

We cuddled in silence, our arms around each other.  I felt more than heard her heartbeat, felt it gradually slow as the cuddle progressed, felt her body relax a little more with each passing minute.  It seemed like, every time I touched her somewhere new, every time I did something new, her instinct was that it was going to be bad in some way.  My kindness and gentleness seemed to genuinely surprise her, even though she had been working alongside me for months now.  She knew my character better than anyone else on the base, and I knew she trusted me a great deal, but perhaps her previous experiences made her doubt whether any man can really be trusted in the bedroom.

She tensed up again when I placed my hand on her hip, but soon relaxed when all I did was gently caress it for a few moments, before sliding my hand up her side and around to her back.  As my head rested on her bosom, my eyes lingered on the delicious nipples right in front of me.  There was so much more to her than just her body – but that didn’t change the fact that her body was breath-taking.

The timer went off -- twenty minutes was never enough, but there was no such thing as ‘enough’ time with Takao – and I reluctantly pulled away.  Maintaining eye contact, I told her, “Your body does give me pleasure and comfort, you know.  But it’s more than that.  You give me pleasure and comfort, Takao.”

Her only answer to that was a soft, sweet smile – but that was enough for me.

I kissed her smile and said, “Shall we do this again tomorrow night?  And... maybe something a little more?”  She nodded without hesitation, and I beamed at her.  “But, for now, let’s have some tea.  And another kiss.”

We got dressed and sat on the couch with our tea.  Takao seemed at ease now, as we chatted about the upcoming Halloween festivities on the base.  Halloween was a fairly new introduction to the Sakura Empire, and the traditional Takao still seemed a little puzzled by it.  She hinted at some friction the year before, when Atago had tried to talk her into wearing... something.  She wouldn’t tell me what it was, just mumbled, “Such shameless attire....”

“Will you dress up for Halloween, Commander?”

“Oh, probably.  I always look goofy in costumes, but I look pretty goofy to begin with, so it really doesn’t make much difference.”

“You don’t look goofy, Commander,” she responded promptly, “you’re very handsome.”  She immediately realised what she had said and turned bright red.

I pretended not to notice her blushing, and said, “I was thinking of dressing up as Captain America, but I wasn’t sure how the other factions would react to that.  As a representative of the Sakura Empire, Takao, would you object to me being Captain America?”

“Are you purposely teasing me just to see my troubled face, Commander?”

“No, I’m trying to impress you – there's a difference.  I can always dress up as something else -- maybe a pirate.  That’s a classic, and suitably nautical for a naval base.  Will you be dressing up?”

“Oh, I’m sure Atago will try to get me to wear something shameless again.  She dressed up as a mummy last year, but she didn’t use nearly enough bandages, so more of her skin was exposed than was covered.”

“Atago is a very beautiful woman,” I observed in what I hoped was a dispassionate tone, “and very aware of her charms.”  Takao just grunted.  “But I suppose these things balance out in the end.  She’s very aware of her charms, while her sister seems completely unaware of hers.”

She jerked her head around to face me.  I kept my eyes firmly on my teacup, but I could feel her gaze studying me intensely.  I finally turned to face her with as innocent an expression as I could manage.  “More tea?”

She immediately averted her gaze and mumbled, “No, thank you, Commander.”

But I noticed that her goodnight kiss was a little longer and a little more passionate than usual.

* * * * *

The next day, Takao seemed ill at ease.  I worried that she might still be bothered by my blunder the night before, so I waited until we had a quiet moment to ask her about it.

“I’m sorry to make you worry, Commander.  My morning training didn’t go very well today, and... that’s been troubling me.”

“Fair enough.  I know how seriously you take your training.  I hope it goes better tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Commander, you’re very kind.”

….

“Um, Commander?”

“Yes?”

“W-would you like a boobjob?”

“Oh!  I would love one, thank you.”  That seemed to come out of nowhere, but who was I to complain?  So, a few minutes later, my office door was locked and Takao’s big, beautiful breasts were wrapped around my happy cock.  I reveled in her rhythmic movements, and gazed affectionately at her lovely face, her expression the very picture of focus and concentration.  Until....

Knock!  Knock!

Her eyes went wide with alarm, and her cheeks turned their customary bright red.  But, half a second later, she had sprung into action, passing me my pants and underwear, and grabbing her tunic. 

“Just a moment!”

When we were finally looking respectable again, Takao unlocked the door and Bremerton came bouncing in.  “Sorry to disturb you guys, but we just got this in from the recon team.”

Casting a quick glance over the report she handed me, I commented, “It looks like the Sirens are getting ready to tease us again.  Let’s increase the patrols in that area and try to get a handle on things.”

“Aye aye, Commander,” Bremerton said with a salute and a smile.  “And don’t worry, you two:  your secret is safe with me.”

“Um, secret?”

Bremerton said nothing, just smiled and looked down at the table in front of the couch.

Takao’s bra.

Bremerton looked back up at our blushing faces.  With a wink, she turned and left, closing the door behind her.

I thought Takao was literally going to die of embarrassment.

Chapter Text

That evening, Takao and I cuddled on my couch, while she apologised for the hundredth time.

“I’m so sorry for my negligence, Commander.”

“I know, but I told you, it’s okay.  She didn’t see anything shameless.  She wasn’t shocked or anything like that:  she seemed amused more than anything else.  And if Brem says she’s not going to tell anyone, we can be confident she won’t tell anyone.”

“That’s true....  She’s a good person, I can understand why you’re such good friends with her.  She reminds me of Atago in some ways.”  Pause.  “She probably thinks I’m uptight too.”

“Are you going to change who you are, just to please them?”

“No, but....”  She hesitated, and nestled a little more into my embrace.  She murmured into my chest, “D-do you think I’m uptight, Commander?”

“No, I think you’re cautious and conservative, a very traditional and serious sort of person.  And I wouldn’t want you to be any other way.”

“Really?”

“Really.  I spent too much of my youth trying to be someone I wasn’t, because I thought that’s what other people wanted me to be.  And all it accomplished was making myself miserable.  I want you to be comfortable with who you are, and that’s what will bring joy to the people who truly care about you.”  People like me, I thought to myself.

“Commander?”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to move to the bedroom now?”

“Yes, I would,” I replied, kissing the top of her head.  “Let’s go.”

We stood by my bed and I undressed her – slowly, meticulously, trying to get a look at every inch of her without staring.  Once we were both naked, I pulled her into a tight embrace and gave her a long, deep kiss, which she almost seemed to melt into.  “Is it all right if we try a few new things tonight?”

“We can do anything you want, Commander.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”  There was longing in her eyes, and I’m sure she saw the same thing in mine.

In a heartbeat, we were on the bed.  I drew her long, lovely ponytail around to her chest and laid her head on my pillows, all the while showering her sweet lips with kisses.  Once she was comfortable, I began kissing her ear and then her throat, and she responded with quiet moans.  Slowly, I made my way down to her chest.

She gasped when I started kissing my way toward her nipples, but I assured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”  She relaxed a little, but she was still nervous while I explored her breasts with my lips.  I resisted the urge to lavish them with affection, instead trying to be soft and gentle with my touches.  Gradually, as she realised I wasn’t going to... do whatever she was afraid I might do... her body calmed itself and more soft, breathy moans emerged.

“I’ll always remember the evening you volunteered for night duty – the evening you first offered yourself to me.  You made me feel so good – better than I had felt in years.  I couldn’t believe how lucky I was, to have this wonderful lady giving me such pleasure.  I still feel lucky every time I’m with you.”  Her only response was a quiet whimper.

I reluctantly moved on from her breasts and resumed my downward journey.  Her belly button was sensitive, and her moans got a little deeper and a little louder.  But she tensed up again when I started moving towards her pussy.  Thinking discretion to be the better part of valour, I moved around to her hips, and was delighted with the reaction I got there.

Her hand stroked my head, and I purred at her touch.  But I eventually gave in to temptation and brought my head around so I could kiss her hand, her palm, her fingers.  I held her hand, while my lips started working their way up her arm, and soon I was kissing her collarbone and her throat again.

Finally, I returned to her lips, and she leaned up into my kisses.  “I love kissing you, Takao.  I love everything about being with you.”

“I love the way you kiss me, Commander,” she murmured.  “I love the way you touch me.”

“May I kiss you and touch you some more?”

“I’m yours, Commander... I’m yours.”

“Thank you.”

My lips started traveling down her torso again.  Slowly but surely, I made my way back to her belly button – taking some time to linger on her luxurious breasts along the way – but this time I didn’t turn to the side.  My kisses and caresses crept ever closer to her crotch, my senses alert as I felt her body tense up.  First, I circled around to her hips, then down to her thighs.  I reached down to caress her calves, remembering how much she had enjoyed that the other night.  Sure enough, I heard soft, breathy moans drifting down from the head of the bed.

At last, I arrived at my destination, having thoroughly enjoyed the journey.  Takao was trembling, and every sound she made was filled with need and desire.  Her labia were still closed, but where they met was glistening with moisture.  Ever so gently, I kissed her outer labia the way I had first kissed her lips.  Her moans suddenly rose in pitch, prompting me to look up and ask, “You okay?”

She took a deep breath and replied quietly, “Yes, Commander... please continue.”

I kissed her labia some more, before gently running my tongue up the cleft.  Her moans rose in pitch yet again, and I continued cautiously.  Slowly, my tongue burrowed its way towards her pussy, lapping up her juices and reveling in her softness and warmth.  Her breathing was becoming more rapid now, and frankly so was mine.  For all that we had done over the previous few weeks, I still couldn’t believe that I was now eating her pussy. 

Her clitoris was small, nestled shily within its hood, but my tongue cheerily invited it to come out and play.  At my first touch, she squealed and arched her back, so I paused to let her collect herself.  When I returned to her clitoris, her entire body shivered.  I had clearly found another sensitive spot, and I wanted to explore it further – I wanted to make her cum so badly. 

But all too soon, I heard, “No, Commander!  Please don’t!”

I immediately pulled back and climbed up the bed.  My face now next to hers, I asked, “What’s wrong?

She covered her eyes with her hand, and murmured breathlessly, “It feels... too good.  I... I don’t want to... lose my senses... in front of you... Commander.”

“Then I won’t let you.  I promise.”

Her hand fell away from her face, and deep amber eyes stared at me in disbelief. 

“Takao, I don’t want to see anything that you don’t want me to see; I don’t want to hear anything that you don’t want me to hear.”

She just kept staring at me, so I leaned in for a kiss.  “I would love to give you an orgasm, if you want one.  We can take it slow and easy, keep it nice and gentle.  Or we could do something else.”

It took a while, but she finally regained the power of speech.  “I’m supposed to be giving you orgasms, Commander, not the other way around.”

“I know,” I responded, not wanting to argue with her, “but I want to make you feel good too.”  I smiled and kissed her again.  “After all, the secretary ship carries a heavy burden too:  isn’t it my duty as her commanding officer to ease that burden for her?”

“No, it isn’t.”

I chuckled.  “Well, it was worth a try.”  Another kiss.  “Seriously, though, what can I do for you?  You’re always doing wonderful things for me, but I never do anything for you.  Please let me do something for you.”

She hesitated, and seemed to struggle for words again.  Finally, she gave up, and I thought I saw a tear in her eye.  I pulled her into a hug, and she buried her face in my chest.

“I... I don’t know... how to ask for... what I want.” 

I held her close to my heart, and told myself I had pushed too hard.  Thinking it was time to fall back on more familiar ground, I asked, “Would you rather please me than have me please you?”  She nodded, and I thought I felt her thigh press more tightly against my cock.  “Would... would you like to please me with... your pussy?”  I braced myself for her reaction, but to my relief she nodded again, and now I was sure she was rubbing her thigh against me.  “May I make sure you’re nice and wet?  I’ll be gentle.  I want this to be as comfortable for you as possible.”  That got another nod, so I crawled back down to her crotch.  Glancing at her face, I saw – was that anticipation or trepidation?  I kissed and licked her pussy some more, being careful to avoid her clitoris – her sweet and tempting clitoris – and added my saliva to her own juices.

While I ensured proper lubrication – as Takao no doubt would have described this – I pondered my choice of position.  As I said before, I was no virgin, but an embarrassing amount of my sexual knowledge came from porn and hentai, which didn’t seem to offer the best guide for making love to someone like Takao.

When I was back at the head of the bed, I kissed her nose – she always went cross-eyed when I did that, and it was adorable.  “This might sound weird, but... your pussy kind of tastes like pomegranates.”

Her eyebrows jumped in surprise.  Tentatively, she asked, “Do... do you like pomegranates?”

“I do now,” I said with a warm smile, and was rewarded with a little smile in return.  “Are you ready for me?”  I prayed that I had phrased my question better than I had the other night.

“Yes, Commander.”

“Is there a particular position you’d prefer?”  She didn’t say anything, but got on her hands and knees.  I was surprised, and a little disappointed.  “Really?  Are you sure you want to do it doggy-style?”  As soon as the words left my mouth, though, I worried that this might be the wrong thing to say to a dog-girl.

Sure enough, she looked away from me, but not before I caught a glimpse of pain in her face.  Damn, I thought, I did it again, I hit an old wound.  This time, however, I was more proactive.  Leaning in, I kissed her earlobe and said, “I’m not trying to make fun of you, Takao.  I just want to make sure this is the position you want – not the position you think I expect.”

“It’s... it’s embarrassing to do it while you stare at me, Commander.”  I should have expected that, quite frankly, but I had really wanted to see her face when I penetrated her for the first time.  I wanted her to remember that she was with me now, not one of the other men whose actions still seemed to haunt her.  I wanted her to feel safe.

“Fair enough.”  As I knelt behind her, I tried to wipe away any awkwardness I might have created.  “I’m not complaining, of course.  This is one of my favourite positions.”

“What are your other favourite positions, Commander?”

“Besides ‘Takao from behind’?  Well, there’s ‘Takao on top’, and ‘Takao in my lap’, and ‘me on top of Takao’.”  She blushed and giggled, and I felt much better about what was going to happen. 

I leaned forward and kissed her earlobe again.  “I’ll be gentle,” I promised her.  I rubbed my hand up and down her back a few times to soothe any nerves she might have had, but I noticed that my own hand was trembling.

She noticed it too, and asked quietly, “Are you nervous, Commander?” 

I realised that I was – quite nervous.  “Hehe, I am, to be honest.”  Suddenly, my head was spinning and caution was being thrown to the wind.  “I mean, can you blame me?  I’m making love to the most beautiful lady in the Combined Fleet.”

Not for the first time that evening, she turned and stared at me in disbelief.  “B-b-beautiful?”

“Yes... beautiful.”  Had I said too much?

“Y-you’ve called me cute before, but... never beautiful.”

“Well, I think it’s about time I started, don’t you?”  As you can imagine, she had no answer for that.

I positioned the tip of my penis near her entrance, and quietly announced, “I’m going to... enter you now.  Is that okay?”

“You don’t need to ask, Commander.”

“Yes, I do.”

“I’m ready for you, Commander.”

With my hands on her hips, I slowly slid into her.  My heart was pounding as I went deeper, the folds of her pussy squeezing and caressing my shaft.  I let out a long, low moan, and I thought my mind was going to go blank.  Somehow, I managed to stammer, “How does this feel?”

Her mouth hung open, and she closed her eyes and moaned as she reached the bottom of my cock.  “You’re... you’re inside me....  My Commander is inside me.”  She opened her eyes again and asked, “Does it feel good, Commander?

“You feel amazing, Takao, you feel incredible.  I love this.” 

I wanted to tell her how much she meant to me, how many times I had fantasized about this, how happy she made me feel.  But all I could manage was, “Ohhh... ohhhh... oh, Takao.... mmmmmm.”

The view before me was breathtaking.  Her bottom was so round and soft and warm and beautiful -- even her anus was cute, although I expected that was the last thing she wanted to hear.  I could see the muscles in her back and in her broad shoulders, could feel the strength that radiated from every part of her.  Her long black hair hung down and spilled over the pillows, and her dog ears twitched adorably.

I didn’t pound her pussy, I kept my thrusts firm but gentle.  Partly, I didn’t want to be too rough with her, and partly I didn’t want this to end.  All too soon, I could feel my climax rising.  “Oh!  Takao, this is so good... so incredibly good... I’m going to cum soon.”

“Please cum inside me, Commander.  Please?” 

 My cock erupted inside of Takao, flooding her pussy with semen and eliciting a little squeal from the beautiful heavy cruiser.  My orgasm seemed to go on forever, and finally I drooped over her back, moaning and groaning.  Of course, she had more than enough strength to support my weight.  But I really wanted my arms around her, so I dropped to the bed and pulled her down into my embrace.

When I had caught my breath a little, I gasped, “I’ll... I’ll clean us up... in a moment... but... right now... I just need... to hold you.”

“How was I, Commander?”

“How were you?”  I kissed her lips and told her, “You were perfect, Takao.  You’re always perfect.”

“Thank you for being so gentle.”

“As if I would want to be anything but gentle with you.”

We cleaned up our juices, and soon I was stretched out on the bed with Takao in my arms again. 

“How was that for you, Takao?”

“It was good, Commander.  I take great pride in giving you so much pleasure.  I... I consider myself very fortunate to be able to serve you... in so many ways.”

I kissed the top of her head and murmured, “I think I’m the fortunate one here.”  I gently stroked her hair and basked in her warmth.  After a while, I said, “You know what I love?  Your hair ribbon.”

“My... my hair ribbon, Commander?”  She was probably thinking to herself, ‘First sensible shoes, now hair ribbons – this guy has some weird fetishes.’

“Yes.  Everyone thinks of you as an incredibly serious and practical person, uninterested in finery and indulgence.”

“Are you saying I’m not, sir?”  There was genuine confusion in her voice.

“I’m saying there’s much more to you than that.  You always keep your hair in a ponytail, but you could do that with a simple black hair elastic that people wouldn’t even notice.  Instead, you tie it back with a ribbon – plain white, with no ornamentation – but made of good silk and always tied in a perfect bow, contrasting brightly with your black hair and complementing your crisp white tunic.  It’s a delightful combination of practical and beautiful – just like you.”  I hoped she wouldn’t dwell on the fact that I had basically rehashed my ‘sensible shoes’ compliment of a few weeks earlier.  But this one was no less sincere than that one had been.

“I... I never thought of it that way, Commander.”

“Well, it often takes other people to notice things that we’ve never noticed about ourselves.  I’ve noticed quite a few things about you, so don’t hesitate to ask if you’re ever curious.”

She didn’t respond to that, and the rest of the snuggles was spent in companionable silence.  That damn timer went off all too soon, and Takao rolled out of my embrace to turn it off.  She sat staring at her phone for a moment – I thought perhaps she had gotten a text or something – then turned to me and asked, “I... I know how much you like cuddling, Commander.  Would you... like an extra twenty minutes?”

That was a first.  “I would love another twenty minutes, if that’s all right with you.”

She tapped her phone to reset the timer, and laid her head on my pillow.  “This time, you can snuggle up to me, Commander.  Um, I know how much you like that.”

As I lay in her arms, all I could think was, ‘Sex and double cuddles with Takao?  Does life get any better than this?’

Later, as we sat on the couch with our tea, we chatted about our shopping trip into the city with North Carolina the next day.  It was a business trip, sort of:  we were buying some things for the office, but also picking up some things for the big Halloween party in a few days.

“By the way, do you know what your sister is dressing up as?”

Takao turned bright red, and mumbled, “I...  I can’t tell you.  She made me promise to keep it a surprise.”

“Ah, well, I wait with bated breath.  Will you be dressing up?”

I didn’t think it was possible, but she turned even redder.  “She wants that to be a surprise too.”

“Takao?  She’s not making you wear something you’re not comfortable with, is she?”

“No, not really,” was her timid answer.  “It’s... it’s something she thinks you’ll like.”

“Of course I’m going to like it.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because you’ll be wearing it.  And you don’t need to look at me like that:  I’m not teasing you.” 

She seemed unconvinced, but decided to change the subject.  “Would you like another cup of tea, Commander?”

“That would be lovely, thank you,” I said, kissing her cheek.

It was past midnight when she finally went home, much later than usual.  I had hoped that having sex might be the turning point for Takao, the moment when she realised that I wanted and needed her as a woman, not as a weapon.  But that only happens in fiction. 

Still, tonight there had been double cuddles and a second cup of tea.  She seemed just as reluctant for the evening to end as I had been.  Tonight there had been real desire and real passion – a sense that being with me was becoming more than just performing her duty.   But we had a ways to go yet.

Chapter Text

Our shopping trip the next day was not as enjoyable as I had hoped it would be.  Wishing to minimize our time away from the base when the Sirens were so active, the three of us split up our tasks and went our separate ways.  We got done much more quickly that way, but I missed out on the chance to be with Takao – and to ask North Carolina whether Kirishima liked bunny girls.  I picked up my Halloween costume and some personal items, and by lunchtime we were ready to head back.

The afternoon brought more recon reports, a long video call with Fleet Command, and cuddles with Takao in my office.  The evening brought supper and a beer with Bremerton and her sister, Baltimore.  And 2100 hours brought Takao to my front door.

“How are you doing, Takao?  You seem a little... down.”

She shook her head and gave me exactly the answer I was expecting.  “It’s kind of you to worry about me, Commander, but unnecessary.  My training was... less than ideal again today, that’s all.”

“What do you mean, that’s all?  That’s like a master chef saying they messed up their signature dish, but it’s no big deal.  I probably kept you up too late last night, and you weren’t sufficiently rested this morning.”  I wanted to add that spending the night with me would save her the five minutes it took to walk back to her dorm, but I didn’t think that would be very persuasive.

“But, if you need me here, Commander, I should be here for you.  I mustn’t neglect my duty.”

“Takao, you are the last person on this base who is going to neglect their duty.”  But I didn’t want duty, I wanted intimacy, so I kissed her.  That had become my default action lately:  when in doubt, kiss Takao.

“W-would you like to fuck me again tonight, Commander?”

It was the first time I had ever heard her say ‘fuck’, and I found it a little disorienting.  The way she had phrased the question made me a little uncomfortable too.  I thought it was time to clarify something.  “Takao, I know you’re offering me your body as part of your duty to me.  But please do not for one moment think that I see you as a walking, talking sextoy.  For me, night duty is about being with you – the details of what we do are less important than the fact that... that I’m doing them with you.  Sex, snuggles, tea, conversation – these are all part of night duty in my mind.  Yes, I want to have sex with you again tonight, but what eases my burden and brings me comfort isn’t the sex in and of itself.  It’s you.”

“I...  I don’t understand, Commander.”

Still a ways to go yet.  I leaned my forehead against hers and murmured, “You will, Takao.  You’ll figure it out.”

“Can’t you explain it to me, Commander?  Please?”

“I wish I could, I really do.  But I’m afraid that trying to explain myself will just confuse you more.  So, I’ll just try to show you instead.”  I cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips.  “Come see what I bought today.”

We went into my bedroom and I emptied a little pharmacy bag on the bedside table.  “Um, I hope this doesn’t seem weird or anything....”  I showed her a sleep mask and a set of earplugs, and her eyes widened in alarm.  “Oh, don’t worry, these aren’t for you, they’re for me.  Wait, that probably doesn’t sound much better, does it?  Um, I was thinking about what you told me, about not wanting to lose your senses in front of me.  And, um, I thought that... maybe....  If I wear the mask and the earplugs, then you wouldn’t have to worry about me seeing or hearing anything you didn’t want me to.  You could have orgasms without being embarrassed or anything like that.  But, um, now that I say all this out loud, maybe it sounds kind of lame.”  My shoulders slumped a little, as my brilliant idea seemed to shrivel up under scrutiny.

“You... you would do that for me?”

“Of course!  I would do... anything for you.  I want you to be happy... in your duty.”

She looked at the mask, then back up at my face.  “I’m always happy in my duty, Commander... because...”  She dropped her eyes, and added timidly, “Because it’s for you.”

I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her as tightly as I could.

After a while, I reached for the top button on her tunic and asked, “May I?”

She gave me a little smile and replied, “Of course you may, Commander.  I serve you, and you alone.”

Although she was still thinking of our intimacy as her duty, that was the most romantic thing she had ever said to me.

Soon, I was sitting on the edge of the bed with Takao in my lap and her left nipple in my mouth.  I kissed it and licked it as slowly and as gently as I could, wanting to pleasure her but not too much.  She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head.  Her every touch made my heart dance with joy.

I looked up at her and asked, “W-would you like me to try the mask and earplugs?”

“Okay.”  She picked up the mask from the bedside table, and put it on me.  It felt odd suddenly not being able to see her, but I could still feel her skin beneath my hands and smell her scent in my nostrils.  Almost immediately, though, she took the mask off again.  “I’m sorry, Commander, I don’t like the mask.”

“But...”

“Commander,” she explained quietly, “if I have to choose between having an orgasm and being able to look in your eyes... I choose your eyes.”

I retract my earlier statement.  This was the most romantic thing Takao had ever said to me.

Soon, we were stretched out on the bed, Takao lying in my arms, our lips and eyes locked on each other.  My hand wandered down her torso to her crotch, and my fingers began teasing her labia, tempting them to open up and let me in.  They needed very little coaxing, and now my finger was running up and down her inner lips.  Takao gasped and broke our kiss, giving me a chance to assure her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.  Let me know if it’s too much.”  She nodded and reclaimed my lips.

A few more minutes of this, and her juices were flowing freely.  “Are you ready for me?”

“Yes, Commander, I’m ready.  Um, could... we try a different position tonight?”

“Of course.  What would you like?”

“Anything where I can see your face.”

I kissed her and responded, “I would love that.”

I knelt between her legs and caressed her thighs.  My eyes roamed up and down and all around her lithe, lovely form.  I expected her to ask me not to stare, but instead she asked, with trepidation, “W-what are you thinking about, Commander?”

I gathered my thoughts and met her gaze.  “I wish you could see what I'm seeing right now.  I wish I could describe what I'm seeing right now.  I wish I had the words to tell you... how special you are.”

She shook her head, and sadness crept into her eyes.  “No, Commander, thank you for your kind words, but I am unworthy of your praise.  My weakness far outweighs my strength, and I have to work much harder to serve you as well as you deserve.”  Sadness crept into my own eyes, as I reflected that, if she believed herself unworthy of my praise, she probably believed herself unworthy of my love.

I leaned forward to plant a tender kiss on her lips.  “Well, let’s just agree to do our humble best for each other... and appreciate each other for what we are.”  Another kiss, and I raised myself back up.  My cock got in position and I took her hands in mine.  “Ready?”  She nodded.

Slowly, gently, easily, I entered her.  “Takao?  I love being inside you.  It feels like heaven.”

“I love having you inside me, Commander.  It... it feels... like heaven.”

She didn’t seem to mind me staring at her now.  I probably should have been paying more attention to her broad hips, her toned tummy, her bouncing breasts, her strong legs wrapped around me.  But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her sweet, beautiful face, looking up at me with devotion.  I went as deep as I could with every thrust, but kept my rhythm slow and gentle.

After a few minutes, I shifted my weight slightly and the resulting change in the angle of my cock found a new sensitive spot.  Takao’s eyes got wider and her breathing got faster, and I took careful note of the spot I had just discovered.  But I had made her a promise, so I leaned forward and shifted my cock to hit a different spot.

“I’m sorry, did that feel too good?”  She nodded, and I said, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise.”

“I know you will, Commander,” she whispered.

But apparently, I had already pushed her pleasure up to a new plateau, and she wasn’t coming back down.  Instead, I wrapped her in my arms and maintained a slow, steady rhythm, while showering her lips and cheeks and throat with kisses.

“Is this okay?”

“Oh, yes, Commander... this... this feels so good.”

“Too good?”

“No... no, this is... perfect.”

And so, to my eternal joy, I was able to guide her gently to orgasm.  She didn’t lose her senses, she didn’t fall apart in my arms, she just moaned soft, breathy moans and gave the cutest little squeal when she came.  I’m sure it wasn’t the best orgasm she had ever had, but it was the first one I had been able to give her – and I loved it.

She held me tightly, and I paused my thrusting to just be in the moment.  Her breath was warm against my ear, her voice thick with emotion as she whispered, “I...  I didn’t know... it could be like that.”

“Are you okay?”

She squeezed me even tighter.  She squeezed me so tightly that it hurt, to be honest – she was a heavy cruiser, after all, and in top physical condition.  “That was beautiful, Commander.  Thank you... thank you so much.”

“Any time, Takao, any time.  Believe me, it’s my pleasure."

“May I make you cum, Commander?”

“Do you want to take a break first?  You must be sensitive right now.”

“May I... may I suck on your penis, please?”

“Of course you may -- as if I would say no to you.”

She finally let go of me, and – after a moment to refill my lungs with air – I kissed her.  Then I lay down, and she crawled between my legs.  This was the first time she had given me a blowjob anywhere other than a couch, and she seemed a little unsure what to do.  I suggested, “If you lie down beside me, with your feet at the head of the bed, then I could touch you while you suck on me.”

So, she stretched out, and I caressed her legs, her hips, and her back.  She took me in her hand and gave a little hum of satisfaction as I slid between her lips.  She had given me plenty of blowjobs before, but this one seemed different.  Perhaps it was just the unfamiliar position, but she seemed freer and less methodical than usual.  Being Takao, she was still earnest and hard-working, of course, and I don’t think it ever occurred to her to tease me in any way.

“That feels wonderful,” I told her.  “Where would you like me to cum?”

“Inside me,” she replied promptly.  Then she got embarrassed by her own eagerness and blushed.  “If... if that’s all right with you, Commander?”

“That’s much more than all right, Takao.  Would you like to ride me?”

“I’m here to serve you any way I can, Commander,” she said, as she straddled me.  “It is my duty... and my pleasure.”  And she impaled herself on my cock.

We were both a little surprised by how quickly she mounted me, but I certainly wasn’t going to complain.  I stroked her thighs and hips, and smiled up at her.  She hesitated for a moment, before pulling her ponytail around to the front and letting it drape over my chest.  Blushing again, she explained, “I... I know you like my hair.”

Without thinking, I blurted out, “I like everything about you, Takao.”

Her eyes got wider and her blush got brighter, but she just whispered, ”Oh.  Th-thank you.”  Without another word, she started rocking her hips back and forth.

“Ohhh,” I moaned, “this is so good.  I love watching you move, Takao.  Everything you do, you do with grace and elegance.  Perfect balance... perfect control... oh, gosh... I have more compliments for you... but they’ll have to wait, because this just feels too good.”

Soon, I threw my head back on the pillow and came.  After the first wave of my orgasm had crashed over me and gushed into Takao, I pulled her down into my arms.  She eagerly returned my embrace, and I held her to my chest while I rode out the rest of my orgasm.

Then I lay underneath her, panting and trying to bring my emotions under control.  Every time I touched her, every time I kissed her, every time I thought about her, I was filled with joy.  And these moments of intimacy were like mana from heaven.  But... could I tell her that?  I had to try, even if she didn’t understand.

“Takao, every day and every night, you give me your best – you give your best in everything you do.  I hope that, someday, you’ll realise what a precious gift that is – what a precious gift you are.”

I thought I heard a sniffle -- it might have been mine, to be honest – and her voice trembled slightly.  “Commander... I know this will sound selfish... but... I think that each and every moment we spend together is a blessing.”  My heart soared.  Was that a declaration of love and affection rather than of duty and loyalty?  No, it wasn’t, because the next thing she said was, “I could never have dreamed of a finer commanding officer than you.  Serving you has been the greatest honour and the greatest joy of my life.”

So near, and yet so far.

* * * * *

The following evening was the Halloween party.  Takao had said she would pick me up and escort me – just like she escorted me everywhere else.  Saratoga once teased me that she saw me going somewhere without Takao one day and didn’t recognise me.  Even the usually-serious Enterprise once joked that Takao and I should just get married, since we spent all our time together anyway.

Married....

I shook my head.  Daydreaming about picnics and puppies was one thing, but marriage?  I wasn’t even in love with her....

Oh, who was I kidding?  I was head over heels for her.

But marriage?

I shook my head again.  Right now, I had a party to focus on.  I could plan out the rest of my life later.

I surveyed myself in the mirror and winced.  Atago had insisted I dress up as a headmaster or something.  So here I was, in a three-piece suit and tie that I hadn’t worn since my cousin’s wedding two years ago....  Wedding...  Another shake of the head.  So here I was, in a three-piece suit and tie, and an academic gown over top.  If my old college instructors could see me now, they’d die laughing.  I had done well enough in college, I guess, but back then I was more interested in playing soccer than in studying.  No doubt, Takao would have told me to focus on my work and not get distracted by frivolities.

I wondered what kind of wedding dress Takao would want?

Why even ask that question?  If she didn’t see herself as a possible love interest, she wasn’t going to see herself as someone’s bride.  Maybe, if I proposed to her, she would accept because somehow marrying her commanding officer was a secretary ship’s duty?

With a sigh, I tried to focus on the festivities ahead.  This was my first Halloween on the base, and I was looking forward to it with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.  About 95% of the girls under my command seemed to fit into one (or both) of two categories:  sexy and adorable.  If they all got dressed up in sexy and adorable Halloween costumes... this was going to be a long night.

Having said that, I couldn’t wait to see what Takao was wearing.  The only time I had ever seen her out of uniform was when she was literally out of her uniform on night duty.  I had never seen her wearing anything else.

A knock on my door told me my wait was over.  Answering it, I saw my secretary wearing... the cutest damn school uniform I could have imagined.  Her long legs were clad in her usual black pantyhose and sensible shoes, but above that she wore a black sailor-themed schoolgirl skirt and top.  The shirt was a little short, exposing her midriff, and I anticipated that she would spend the entire evening trying to pull it further down.  The most interesting part of her costume, though, was her katana, which she really did never leave home without.

“May I come in, Commander?”

“Oh, yes, of course.”  I realised that I had been staring at her, and wondered just how much my mouth had been hanging open.

“Atago made me wear this.  It’s awfully tight, but it’s much less shameless than her other suggestion.”  I would have to ask Atago later what her other suggestion had been.  Takao blushed, and murmured, “I... I hope you... like it, Commander.”

I was at a loss for words.  “I... Wow... I...  don’t have the words to describe how good this outfit looks on you, Takao.  Thank you so much for wearing it for me.”

Her wide eyes made me think she hadn’t expected my thanks.  To further illustrate my appreciation, I put my hands on her hips and leaned in for a kiss.

“This is so sexy, Takao.  I mean, you’re sexy in your uniform too.”

“I am?”

“Very!  But this is... a different kind of sexy, if that makes sense.”  Of course it didn’t make sense to Takao, I told myself, because she didn’t think of herself as sexy in anything – and the blank look on her face told me I was right.

“Er... thank you?”

“Yes, well, thanks for coming to pick me up.  Shall we go?”

“Ugh, yes, I suppose we should.”

“You’re not looking forward to this, are you?”

“If it is anything like last year’s party, there will be a great many shameless costumes and a great deal of shameless behaviour.”  To be fair, though, Takao had a fairly broad definition of ‘shameless’.  “But it is your duty as our commander to attend this event, and it is my duty as your secretary ship to escort you.  And I have brought my katana, in case anyone tries to molest you, Commander.  Heh, just kidding.  It’s because Atago’s scared of ghosts.”

Her rare attempt at humour was – like everything else about her – adorable.  I smiled and kissed her.  “I know both she and I are safe with you around.”  But her characteristic reference to duty reminded me that this was not a date, no matter how much I wished it was.

Chapter Text

The party was in full swing when we got there.  Atago spotted us before we even got inside the venue, and came bouncing out to meet us.  She wore a school uniform similar to Takao’s, but with a white sweater, and I thought the two of them looked great together. 

Of course, Atago had to tease her sister.  “Now, Takao, you take Headmaster’s left arm and I’ll take his right.  Otherwise, he’ll be stolen from us the moment we get inside, heehee.”  Takao blushed and grumbled, but – to my surprise – took my arm.

So, I entered the party with a beautiful heavy cruiser on each side of me, and I was blushing almost as much as Takao.  My arrival was met with great excitement, and soon I was caught up in a whirlwind of ladies and girls showing me their costumes and competing for my attention. 

The light cruiser Isuzu ran up to us, wearing a black and orange witch’s costume.  “Oh, Commander!  I’m so glad you’re here!”

“Hello Isuzu.  I love your costume – especially those orange star-shaped things in your ponytail.”

“Oh!  Oh, thank you, Commander.”  She looked around the room rather nervously.  “It l-looks l-like everyone’s enjoying Halloween....  Um, Commander?  A-all those Halloween monsters are just people in costumes, right?  There aren’t any real ones roaming around, right?”

Takao patted her shoulder reassuringly.  “Have no fear, Isuzu.  There are no monsters here tonight – and, even if there were, I have brought my katana to deal with them.”

“Oh, thank you, Lady Takao!  I mean, I’m not scared or anything...  Umm, err, uh... can I hold your hand?”

Takao smiled at her.  “Of course you may.  Here, hold my left hand, so that I may protect you with my sword in my right.”  She took Isuzu’s hand and suggested, “Shall we find your sister?  Then we can seek refreshments.”

I watched them sail off into the crowd together, then turned to find Atago grinning at me.  “Heehee, it looks like I should have suggested that Takao add a school bag to her costume – so she would have something to carry a certain commander’s heart in wherever she goes.” 

I blushed and tried to think of a reply, but suddenly found myself double-teamed.  Bremerton swaggered up to us in a cowgirl costume, saying in a comically overdone drawl, “Well, howdy there, sheriff.  Looks like someone’s eyin’ up their perrty little deputy while she’s helpin’ a damsel in distress.”

“What?  I wasn't...  I mean...  Ugh, was it that obvious?”

Atago giggled and kissed my cheek.  “To everyone except Takao.”

“Don’t worry, Commander,” Bremerton reassured me, “if anyone sees you drooling, they’ll just assume you’ve heard that Helena baked some pumpkin pies for the party.”

“Oh, did she?  Pumpkin pie is my favourite.”  Helena was one of the best cooks in the Eagle Union dorm, plus I was desperate to change the subject.

We were joined by a perky blonde in an eclectic costume of black and gold, carrying a scythe.

“Hey, Cleveland!  Um, what are you supposed to be?”

“Hey, Commander!  I’m the Grim Reaper, can’t you tell?”

“Cleve, you are the least grim Grim Reaper I can imagine.”

“Thanks!  You look pretty snazzy:  should I call you ‘professor’?  Hey, do you wanna try some of Helena’s pumpkin pie?  It’s awesome!  She’s the best!”  Cleveland never tired of singing her wife’s praises, much to Helena’s embarrassment.

“Brem mentioned that, it sounds great.  Let me say ‘hi’ to a few more people and I’ll come try a slice.”

Bremerton and Cleveland moved on, leaving me alone with Atago again – but not for long.  Through a sea of witches and pirates, the Ironblood battleship Gneisenau approached.  Gneisenau was by far the most serious and businesslike of the small contingent of Ironblood ships under my command.  So, I was shocked to see that she was dressed as a succubus – thigh-high boots and stockings, skimpy black leotard, black elbow gloves, a demon’s tail and horns, and long purple hair cascading down her back.  My brain almost refused to believe that this really was Gneisenau, until reassured by the familiar sight of her pushing her red-framed glasses back up her nose. 

“Guten Abend, Herr Kommandant.  These Halloween festivities are quite interesting, in a good way.  Getting dressed up in these costumes isn’t such a bad experience either.  Commander, what do you think of my costume?”

As I pondered the most diplomatic way of answering that question – the truth was, she looked incredibly hot and sexy – out of the corner of my eye I saw Takao making straight for us, dragging poor Isuzu in her wake.

“It’s quite eye-catching – very attractive.”  I was determined not to let my eyes roam over her ample curves – curves which I had never really noticed before, but which were now on full display. 

Takao had now arrived and delivered her opinion in icy tones.  “Shameless, I would have called it.”

“Everyone wants to be a witch for Halloween,” Gneisenau explained, “so I chose something a little bit different.  At first, I was too embarrassed to wear something like this, but after seeing your reaction, Commander, I think I chose correctly, hehehe.”

Was she flirting with me?  And, more importantly, was Takao going to draw her sword?  My secretary was staring daggers at the battleship, who seemed blissfully ignorant of the hostility being directed at her.  “Um, is... is your sister here tonight?”

Right on cue, Scharnhorst’s hearty laughter boomed out across the venue, followed by a more high-pitched giggle.  Gneisenau smiled warmly and pointed to one end of the room, where her sister and Oklahoma were having some kind of pirate showdown – and loving every minute of it.

“Altere Schwester and that Eagle Union girl have been inseparable since they found out they were both dressing up as pirates.  I can’t remember the last time I saw her enjoying herself this much outside of the battlefield or the training ground.”

Nevada and Biloxi wandered over, hand in hand, arriving in time to hear that last comment.  Nevada said in her easy-going drawl, “She ain’t the only one that’s having fun.  My little sis is having the time of her life.  There’s somethin’ that gets me real emotional about seein’ Oklahoma makin’ new friends.”  Biloxi leaned in to kiss her girlfriend’s cheek, and Nevada’s smile got a little bigger.  “Be sure to ask her about her costume, young ‘un,” she told me.  “She’s been dyin’ to show it to ya.  You wouldn’t believe how much work she put into that – did it all herself, too, and payin’ attention to every detail.”  The pride and love in her voice whenever she talked about Oklahoma warmed my heart.  Not for the first time, and not for the last, I thanked my lucky stars that I was surrounded by such wonderful people.

Nevada turned back to me and said, “Now, I bet you haven’t eaten one bite since you’ve been runnin’ around talkin’ to people.  I know you.  Let’s get you some pumpkin pie, young ‘un.”

And so, the evening continued much as it had started.  Everyone wanted to talk to me, everyone wanted me to try Helena’s pumpkin pie (it was delicious, by the way – I had two pieces), and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely.  All too soon, it was time to head home, but it took half an hour for me to say my goodbyes and get out the door.

Takao walked me home, of course, and I said, “Thanks for looking after Isuzu this evening.  That was kind of you.”

“Not at all, Commander.  She’s a good girl, but timid.  It humbles me to think that my presence was enough to ease her fears.”

We were far enough away from the party (I hoped) that I risked taking her hand in mine.  “She’s far from the only one who finds your presence comforting.”

Takao looked around us nervously, before squeezing my hand and replying quietly, “Thank you, Commander, but I think the comfort you find in me is rather different from the comfort she finds.”

“Only partly.  I think Isuzu and I – and all your friends and comrades – would agree that your strength, courage, and determination ease our fears and calm our spirits.  And we appreciate you very much.”

Soon, we reached my quarters and I could see under the porch light that she was still blushing from my earlier compliment.  “Would you like to come in?  Or are you too tired?”

“I’m not too tired, Commander.”

“Would you tell me if you were?”

“Um... yes... yes, I... I think I would.”

“Good,” I said and opened the door.

Once safely inside, away from prying eyes, I swooped in for a kiss.  Her lips weren’t as receptive as usual, prompting me to ask, “Is everything all right?  I hope a certain Ironblood battleship didn’t spoil your evening.”

“What a shameless costume that was!  I really couldn’t believe it!  It was as bad as Atago’s other suggestion for my costume.”  I would really have to ask Atago about that.  “And... and the way she... flirted with you, Commander...  I... I really couldn’t believe it.”  By the end, her outrage had given way to something else – something new.

“I couldn’t help but notice that whenever she got anywhere near me, you seemed to appear out of nowhere.”

“Well... well, of course I did, Commander.  It’s my duty to... to protect you... from....”

I pulled her into my embrace and whispered, “To protect me from anyone who might want to take me away from my Takao?”

Her eyes got very wide, as they often did when I was being intimate with her.  “Y-your Takao?”

I kissed her lips softly.  “The very first time I was inside you, you called me ‘my commander’.  You said, ‘My Commander is inside me.’  I love being your commander – I love being yours.  And I love the idea of you being mine – my Takao.”

“Commander?  W-would... would you like me to dress up like that for you?”

“No.  Don’t get me wrong, Gneisenau’s outfit was really sexy, and she looked gorgeous in it.  But never in a million years would you feel comfortable wearing something like that, even in the privacy of my bedroom.  And why would I want you to do things that made you uncomfortable?”

“But... if it would please you....”  I appreciated her offer, but I could tell her heart really wasn’t in it.

“Takao, there is a reason why you are in my arms right now, and Gneisenau isn’t -- and it has nothing to do with what the two of you are wearing tonight.”  The confusion in her amber eyes seemed to call for clarification.  “It doesn’t matter what she or anyone else dresses up as for Halloween, none of them are you, and the only one I want to be with is you.”  To illustrate my point, I kissed her – a lot.

After a few minutes, I suggested, “In keeping with the... scholarly theme of our costumes, shall we retire to my study?”  She smiled shily and nodded, her cheeks flushed from our passionate kissing.

In the study, her attention was immediately drawn to my many Pokemon plushies.

“Oh!  I.. I wasn’t expecting you to have a collection of stuffed animals, Commander.”

I chuckled, “Doesn’t really fit with my rugged, alpha-male image, does it?”  She looked at me in confusion, before realizing that I was joking.  “I love stuffed animals, and I love Pokemon, so I really love stuffed Pokemon.”

She regarded them with interest.  “I have heard of Pokemon, but I confess I know nothing about them.  Do you have a favourite, Commander?”

“Oh, yes, that would be Litten.”  I picked up the black-and-red Fire-type cat and handed him to her.  “The Litten in the anime is such a great character.  He endured a lot of hardships when he was little, but was rescued by a wild Stoutland – a kind of dog Pokemon – and they lived together.  But Stoutland was really old, and couldn’t get about much, so it was Litten’s turn to take care of him.  We first see Litten gathering and stealing food in the market, and later we find out that he was bringing food back to Stoutland.  He’s devoted to Stoutland and takes care of him until the end.  And then, after Stoutland passes away, Litten joins the main human character, Ash, and is a great friend to him and his other Pokemon – always helping and protecting everyone, putting himself on the line for his friends.”

“He sounds like a very noble character.”

As Takao handed Litten back to me, I was hit by a wave of melancholy.  She noticed it, and asked me, “Are you all right, Commander?”

“Yes...  Yes, I’m just...”  I cast my eyes over my collection, and then looked back down at Litten in my hands.  “I’m feeling a little silly right now, that’s all.”

“Silly, Commander?  Why?”

“Well, you’re a very serious-minded warrior who does beautiful classical calligraphy... and here I am trying to impress you with a bunch of stuffed animals and stories about an anime character.”  It suddenly occurred to me to wonder:  even if I could convince Takao that someone could love her as a person, would she want that someone to be me?  Had I been taking that for granted this whole time?

“Commander, I’m quite capable of appreciating stuffed animals.  More importantly, though, what you like about this Litten says a great deal about the sort of man you are.  It tells me that you’re kind and caring, and that you’re dedicated to helping and protecting people.”  Her voice turned shy, as she added, “Of course, I knew that already.”

I wrapped my arms around her – while still holding onto Litten – and kissed her.  “Thank you.”  I put Litten down and tried to gather my thoughts.  Her compliments made my heart soar, made me want to tell her how much she meant to me, but I told myself not to get carried away.  So, I tried to keep the mood light.  “Of course, most headmasters don’t have collections of stuffed animals in their study... unless, of course, they’re trying to put their young lady students at ease.  Now, Miss Takao, I refuse to believe that you’ve been sent to the headmaster’s office because you’ve done something bad.  Maybe you’re here... on Student Council business?”

“Um, yes, Comm – I mean, yes, Headmaster.  I needed to speak with you about... er, about... that thing... that I needed to speak with you about.”

“Well, as it happens, Miss Takao, there is something I would like to speak with you about.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, it’s... um...  hehe, we’re not very good at this roleplaying thing, are we?  Should we just skip ahead to the less awkward part?”

She nodded, so I helped her up onto the desk and moved in for a kiss.  But she was suddenly uncomfortable, and started to tremble.  Alarmed, I asked, ”Are you all right?”

She was clearly struggling to maintain her composure.  “Um, could... could we move to another room, please?”

“Of course.”  I had seen her flustered before, but this was more than that.

She hopped off the desk and ran out the door.  I saw her turn towards the bedroom, but balked in the doorway, and retreated into the living room.  I followed her and took her hands in mine.

“Takao?  Did I do something wrong?”

She shook her head and whispered, “No, no, it wasn’t your fault.  I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry.  Do you need some fresh air?  Or something else?”

“I... I need... I need you to hold me.”  I wasted no time in putting my arms around her, and she returned my embrace, clinging to me like a drowning sailor clings to a piece of wreckage.  We stood there for some minutes, before she pulled back just a little.  “Thank you, Commander.  Could... could we cuddle, please?”

So, I stretched out on the couch and she settled into my arms.  She closed her eyes and calmed her breathing, and I saw her lips moving in a silent prayer.  She was meditating, as I had seen her do a hundred times before, but this was the first time she had done it while cuddling with me.

After a while, she said quietly, “I’m sorry for that, Commander.”  Her voice was under control again, and I wondered if she would have preferred to pretend that nothing had happened.  But I couldn’t pretend.

“There’s really no need to apologise, Takao.  Are you okay?”

“Yes, thank you, sir.”  I thought that was all she was going to say, but eventually she added, “I’m afraid something... triggered some... unpleasant memories.”

“If you want to talk about it, I’m here for you.”

“No, Commander, I’m supposed to be here for you.  I’m supposed to be serving your needs, not succumbing to my weaknesses.”

“I hope I don’t need to point out the difference between being weak and being wounded.”  She didn’t say anything to that, so I continued.  “Look, I don’t want to pry, but I also don’t want to trigger such memories again.  Was it sitting on the desk?”

Silence.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to...”

“He used to fuck me on his desk.”

A knot formed in my stomach, and my chest hurt.  “Who?”

“Commander Dempsey.  I was his secretary ship... and he assigned me to... night duty.”  She paused, and we gripped each other a little more tightly.  “He was insatiable.  Even though we had intercourse almost every night, sometimes he still couldn’t get through the day without having me... service him.  He would pull down my pantyhose and panties, and fuck me on his desk, even though it was the middle of the day and anyone could have walked in on us.”  Her voice was strained now, and she was avoiding eye contact, but she continued.  “I suppose getting on your desk like that... reminded me of him.”

I stroked her hair and her back, and just tried to listen without dwelling on how much it hurt to hear all of this.  It must have hurt a hundred times more for her to say, let alone to have lived through.

“I put up with it, because it was my duty, and because I was doing good work in the office.  He was a good tactician, but he... wasn’t very good with administrative tasks... he was rather lazy, to be honest, and didn’t take paperwork and meetings very seriously.  I knew that he wouldn’t get the work done without me.”

….

“He... he always made fun of me....  He figured out my weak spots, and would zero in on them to get me aroused, then he’d mock me for always being horny.  He’d call me... he’d call me a horny slut, and lewd, and perverted.”

I had to interrupt.  “You know you’re none of those things, right?”  My own voice was thick with emotion.

“I do now.”

“That’s why I hurt you when I asked if you were horny, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said quietly.  “I know you didn’t mean it... but I spent three months as his secretary ship... three months being treated like a shameless whore.”  My heart was breaking hearing this.  “The first man who ever had me was just as bad...  He would make me cum even when I begged him not to....  He was relentless with my nipples and my clitoris....  He kept saying he wanted to see my ‘crazy side’, as he called it, and would make me lose my senses.  But at least that episode only lasted a couple of weeks before he was arrested.”

“Arrested?”

“Um....  I’m embarrassed to admit that he tricked me with a story about being able to increase the strength of my rigging through... outfits... and sex.”  In many ways, Takao was certainly one of the more naïve ladies in the fleet, and it broke my heart to hear that she had been taken advantage of like that.  “When Souryuu found out, she reported him.  Apparently, they found other wrongdoings too, and he ended up being court martialed.”

“Takao?  If you’ll pardon me for asking... have you ever had a positive sexual relationship with a man?”

“You.”

“That’s all?”

“You’re only the third man I’ve ever been with, Commander.  And you’re the best... by far.”

“Takao, do you mind talking about this?  Or should I stop asking questions?”

“It’s all right, Commander.”

“Why did you volunteer for night service with me, when you had these awful experiences before?”

“Because it’s my duty.  And I know you’re a good man.  But I thought that what those other men did to me... I just thought that’s what sex was.  I thought you would be nicer about it, but I expected it to be... much the same.  I didn’t know there was any other way... until you showed me.”

“I remember last night, when you came, you said, ‘I didn’t know it could be like that’.”

“Being with you has been a revelation, Commander.  Every time I’m with you, you’re so kind and gentle... so caring and considerate.  It makes me even more proud to be your secretary ship.”

“Takao?  Do you... do you think... you might ever be able to think of yourself as... more than just my secretary ship?”

“More than that, Commander?”  She sat up and looked at me in confusion.  “What more is there?  I mean, you already have Miss Cleveland as your Executive Officer, and I know you wouldn’t replace her.  Do you mean...”  Her eyes got a little wider.  “Do you mean flag lieutenant, sir?”

I wanted to scream.

“What I mean is...”  I sighed and sat up too.  “Takao, why do you think I assigned you to night duty – you specifically?”

“Um... because I’m your secretary ship?  And because I volunteered?”

“But you said yourself that I could have assigned anyone else if I didn’t want you.  So why didn’t I assign anyone else?”

“Well... I know men find my body... helpful in relieving their stress.”

“I’ve told you this before.  The reason your body gives me pleasure and comfort is because it’s yours.  You give me pleasure and comfort, Takao.  That’s why I assigned you to night duty and no one else – because you’re the only one I want to be with.”

“Oh... that’s so kind of you to say, Commander... but....  Recently, I haven’t been able to keep my composure during training.  Just from thinking about you, my form becomes sloppy.  If I am like this, would you still want to keep me by your side?”

Just from thinking about me?  “I’ll say this as many times as I have to:  there is no one I would rather have by my side than you.  No one.”

“Oh, Commander....”  She threw her arms around me and gave me a big hug.  Did she finally get it?  Then she looked me in the eye, with a determined expression on her face, and said, “I am honoured by your confidence in me.  I won’t let you down, Commander.  I shall strive even harder to be the best secretary ship I can be for you.  I shall serve you with my body and my spirit every day.  Please allow this lowly Takao to continue to offer you what strength she has in the pursuit of your goals.”

She didn’t get it, did she?

“Th-thank you, Takao.  Um, shall we... put the kettle on?”

Chapter Text

The next morning brought yet another order from Fleet Command to send yet another task force to deal with yet another Siren build-up in the north.  We all sat down to our mission planning meeting with grim determination on our faces, but without much optimism.

I was very grateful when 2100 hours brought Takao to my front door.

“Good evening, Takao.  What’s in the bag?”

She blushed and murmured, “Um, it’s... I, um... I brought my costume... to wear for you again... since you didn’t get to...er...”

I kissed her cheek and said, “That’s so sweet of you, Takao.  Thanks.”

She blushed even more and stammered, “Er, um, I... er... is it... all right if I... get changed in your bedroom, Commander?”

I took her hand in mine and asked, “Will you be okay in there on your own?  I don’t want to trigger any more bad memories for you.”

She squeezed my hand and replied, “Thank you for your concern, Commander.  It’s very kind of you.  I... I think I’ll be all right.”

“Well, I’ll be right here waiting, either way.  Would you like me to dress up for you again?”

“Oh!  No, that’s not necessary, Commander.  The role playing was Atago’s idea.  It makes me... it feels awkward.”

“I understand, I feel the same way.”  And I kissed her cheek again.

A few minutes later, Takao emerged from my bedroom wearing her school uniform.  I stepped forward, took her in my arms, and kissed her soft lips.  She gave a little squeak of surprise, then put her arms around me and returned my kiss.  When I finally pulled my lips away from hers, I told her, “I love you in this outfit, Takao.  I mean, I love you in your uniform too, but this is... special.”

“Special, sir?”

“Yes, because you wear your uniform all the time, but you only wear this for me.  And that makes me feel very special.”

She couldn’t maintain eye contact, but leaned a little closer to me.  “You... you are special, Commander,” she whispered.

“Thank you.”  I kissed her again, and asked, “May I make love to you tonight?”

Her eyes were full of longing, and all she said was, “Yes, Commander.”

Soon we were on my bed, me on top of her, my lips on her throat, her soft breathing in my ear.  When my hand slipped underneath her shirt, I was surprised to encounter her bare breast.  “You took off your bra?”

“Um, and my panties.”  Her voice was barely above a whisper, and she looked really uncomfortable.  I couldn’t resist lifting her skirt, to see that she had cut a hole in the crotch of her pantyhose, exposing her bare pussy.  When I looked back up at Takao, she had covered her face in her hands.

I kissed the back of one hand.  “I hope you’re not feeling... shameless... right now.”

She answered through her hands, “I am... I’m sorry.”

“You’re not being shameless, Takao.  You’re being kind and generous and caring – just like you always are.”

She peeked through her fingers.  “I am?”  The tone of her voice was pure disbelief.

“Yes, you are.  You didn’t dress up like this to... to go to a club and pick up guys... or anything like that.  You dressed up like this because you thought it would bring joy to someone you care about – and who cares about you.  And it has brought joy to me, because – like everything else you give me and do for me – it's a beautiful gift.  I don’t think it’s shameless at all.”

She finally removed her hands from her face and stared up at me in awe.  “You... you are the kindest and best of men, Commander.”

“Then perhaps I have some hope of someday being good enough to deserve someone as wonderful as you.”

“It is I who do not deserve you, Commander.”  She gently cupped my cheeks in her strong hands.  “Please allow me to serve you with my body.”

“It’s not just your body that I want, Takao.  I thought you knew that by now.”

There was genuine confusion in her face.  “But... you already have all that I have to give you, Commander... my body, my strength, my loyalty.  What else can I give you?”

Of course, what I wanted was her heart, but I was beginning to think I might never get it.  Maybe I was asking too much – asking for more than she could give me.  If so, then maybe it was time I focused less on what I wanted and more on what she had already given me.  Maybe I needed to give up on dreams of romance and weddings, and just be happy with night duty.

But I would still get her a puppy.

“Takao....  I... I want you to give me as much as you feel comfortable giving me.  And I will give you as much as I can give you... or as much as you want me to give you.  As long as I’m with you... I’m happy.”

“I feel the same way, Commander.”

Maybe that was enough.

I pressed my lips to hers again, and my hands began to rove up and down her curves.  I asked her, “Is it all right if you keep your clothes on while we make love?  You look so wonderful in this outfit.”

“Of course, Commander.  I’ll do anything for you.”

I took her hand and brought it to my lips.  Then I lifted her shirt up to expose her big, round breasts.  “You know I’ll be gentle, right?”  She smiled and nodded, and I began to rain kisses and caresses on her bosom.

With every touch, I was learning more about her – learning more about how to give her pleasure in a way she was comfortable receiving it.  She needed me to be soft, slow, and tender.  She needed me to take my time, and I was happy to do so – it forced me to curb my lust and just be in the moment.  That was important – even moreso on nights like this.  She was sailing into battle tomorrow, and neither of us could guarantee that there would be any more moments like this in the future.  I was determined to enjoy every second I had with her.

I kissed her nipples, carefully watching her face to make sure I wasn’t being too intense.  After what she had told me last night, I was more determined than ever to be as gentle with her as I possibly could.  Her eyes were closed, her breathing was a little rapid, and her hand rested lightly on my shoulder.  I couldn’t resist asking, “Is this good for you, Takao?”

She opened her eyes and looked down at me.  “This... this is perfect, Commander.  Thank you.”

Well, now I just had to come up for a kiss, didn’t I?  I purred as our lips met, and I told her, “You are so kissable.”

It was a hit-and-run compliment, though, as I was soon moving down her body.  I kissed and licked and nuzzled her labia, slowly teasing them open to reveal the sweet fruits they concealed.  Takao’s breathing got a little more rapid, and she let out a soft moan or two.  I placed the lightest of kisses on her clitoris, then started delicately licking her pussy.  She was delicious – she really did taste like pomegranates.  As her juices began to flow freely, I returned to her clitoris, caressing it with my tongue.  She gasped, and I paused to ask, “Too much?”

“No... no, I’m okay.”

I continued pampering her pussy for a few more minutes, then moved back up for a kiss.  “Are you ready for me, Takao?  Or should I continue what I was doing?”

She returned my kiss, and whispered, “I’m ready for you, Commander.”  A little more loudly, she asked, “May I help you get undressed?”

With her help, I was soon naked, and my schoolgirl-secretary lay back down.  I reached forward to catch her ponytail.  “Careful, you almost laid down on your hair.  I know that’s not very comfortable for you.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

Then I knelt between her legs and brought my tip to the entrance of her pussy.  Taking one of her hands in mine, I guided myself slowly but surely inside her.  Her eyes got a little wider when I penetrated her, but her sweet smile told me she was okay – hopefully better than okay.  As I reached as deep as I could get, I paused to drink in the sight of her.  “The school uniform suits you.  I mean, you look incredibly sexy in it, but that’s not what I mean.  You have a... a kind of youthful innocence about you, Takao.”

She giggled -- a rare treasure – and replied, “That seems an odd thing to say when you’re deep inside my pussy, Commander.”

“Fair enough,” I chuckled.  I started to move back and forth slowly and deliberately.  “But it’s like I said before.  There’s nothing shameless or lewd about you, there’s only kindness and sweetness and devotion and... and beauty.”  I leaned forward to kiss her, and added, “Incredible beauty... that takes my breath away every time I think of you.”

Takao gazed up at me with more desire – more need – than I had ever seen from her.  She bit her bottom lip and whimpered, and I caught a glimpse of her dog ears twitching.  It occurred to me that she wasn’t just reacting to my cock, she was physically responding to my compliments.  I highly doubted her previous partners had told her she was beautiful or kind or anything like that, and she certainly wasn’t used to thinking such things about herself.  And now here was a man she liked and trusted, showering her with compliments that she never knew she wanted.  Had I found another of her weak spots?  If so, I would have to be careful not to get carried away.

I slipped my arms underneath her and kissed her passionately.  She practically melted into my embrace, and I felt her hips rise to meet my thrusts.  I resisted the visceral urge to pound her pussy, but I did increase my pace.  She began to pant, and I had enough presence of mind to whisper, “Is this okay?”  She nodded and kissed me, so I maintained that rhythm as well as I could.  My pleasure was rising fast, and all too soon I was nearing my climax.

“Oh, Takao!”  I grunted, “I’m gonna cum!”

“Cum inside me – please, Commander!”

I squeezed her tight as I flooded her pussy.  She tightened her grip too, and let out a long, low moan of pleasure as she felt my cum filling her up.  Without bothering to wait until I had caught my breath, I gasped, “Oh... you... you give me... so much pleasure... so much joy.”  In the midst of my bliss, I tried to memorise the sensations of that moment:  her pussy enveloping me, her arms and legs enfolding me, her scent intoxicating me, her presence exhilarating me.

“I’m so glad, Commander.  Serving you brings me so much satisfaction... so much happiness.  I don’t deserve so much happiness.”

“You’re wrong, Takao.”  I looked deep into her lovely amber eyes.  “You deserve every ounce of happiness that this world can offer you.”  I had no expectation that she would believe a word of that, but I had to say it – for my sake, if not for hers.

After some more kisses, I rolled off her and reached for the tissues.  But she surprised me by asking, “May I, Commander?”  And she began licking our combined juices off my cock.

“Oh!  Oh, you certainly may.  That feels soooo good.”

“There, Commander, you’re all clean now – but you’re still hard.”

“Gee, I wonder why?”  She looked abashed, so I hastened to add, “I’m sorry, I just meant that you’re so beautiful and so sexy, and I love being with you so much, that of course I’m going to want as much of you as I can get.  You might have noticed that I’m rather greedy that way.”  She gave a little smile, and we both felt better.

“Would you like more, Commander?”

“I would love more – would you like more?”

She nodded bashfully.  “Perhaps I... I could ride you, Commander?”

“I did say that ‘Takao on top’ is one of my favourite positions, didn’t I?”

She looked adorable climbing on top of me, daintily lifting up her skirt while she positioned herself over my penis.  Once I was back inside her, I asked, “May I hold your hands?”

“Oh... I... I really like it when you hold my hands, Commander.”  So, we laced our fingers together and she started moving her hips. 

“You set the pace, Takao.”

“But....”

“That’s an order,” I said with a smile.

She actually rolled her eyes at that, and my smile got even bigger.  I couldn’t get over how cute and sexy she looked in this costume.  She mesmerized me with her rhythmic movements on top of me:  I had discovered that Takao always found a rhythm or pattern in whatever she was doing, and put it on continuous loop.  I felt like she approached everything from filing to fucking as if it were her morning training, with sets and routines and a dogged determination to hone her skills.  There were some around the base who called her unimaginative and overly conservative, but I just thought of this as part of her diligence and devotion to her duty – and I loved it. 

Obviously, I benefited from this diligence and devotion in the office every day, and now I had found that encouraging and supporting this workmanlike approach was the surest way to make her comfortable and to give her pleasure in the bedroom every evening.  And, sure enough, before too long she was panting again.  I expected her to slow down, but she didn’t, and she started to moan. 

I found these sounds sexy but concerning.  Even as my own breath was coming faster and faster, I asked, “Is this...”  But I didn’t get to finish my question, because her mouth opened in her loudest moan yet.  The sound of it startled her, and her hands flew up to cover her face.  I quickly told her, “We can stop, Takao, let’s stop.”

I placed my hands firmly on her hips and broke her rhythm.  She kept her hands over her face, and through them I heard her say, “I’m sorry, Commander, I’m sorry – you can keep going – you don’t need to stop for me.”

My hands slid up her sides and pulled her down into my embrace.  “Yes, I do need to stop.  I made you a promise, and I’m not going to break that promise for anything.”

“But you didn’t cum....”

“I don’t care.  You’re more important to me than any orgasm... you’re more important to me than anything.”

She had no answer for that, and just let me hold her for a while.  Her own hands slipped underneath me, while I stroked her hair.  Finally, she whispered, “Thank you.”

“Would you like an orgasm, Takao?  I think you were getting close there – we could gently ease you over the finish line, as it were.”

“No, thank you, Commander.  This... this is wonderful.”

We snuggled for a while, the silence enhanced rather than broken by the sound of our breathing and the beating of our hearts close to each other.  Finally, Takao said quietly, “I’m glad you like the costume, Commander.”

I kissed her forehead and responded, “I love the costume, and I love that you wore it for me.”

“Um... he... used to give me costumes.”

“He?’

“The first man I was with.  He gifted me outfits… he said they would enhance my strength.  Somehow, Commander Dempsey found them and he made me wear them too.”

“Is… is this… one of those costumes?”  I really hoped the answer would be ‘no’.

“No,” she assured me, “after Atago convinced me to resign as Commander Dempsey’s secretary, we burned them all.”

“Oh.  I... I’m surprised you feel comfortable… wearing something like this again.”

“It’s... different now.  I’m wearing this for you.  And I’m wearing it… because I want to wear it for you… not because you’re making me wear it.”  I squeezed her and kissed her again.  “Atago helped me pick this out.  I admit… I was nervous… but she said it would be good for me.  She said you would... erase those bad memories and replace them with new ones... good ones.  And... she was right.”

“I’m glad.”

She burrowed into my embrace like she was going to hibernate for the winter.  “Those men never wanted to cuddle with me.  They never held my hand like you do.  They were never as kind to me as you are.”  Pause.  “Why are you so different, Commander?”

“Because... when I look at you, I see strength and honour and dedication and beauty and generosity.  I don’t know why they couldn’t see that, but I do see it, and it makes me....”  It made me love her.  “It makes me happy and humble and... it makes me want to... make you happy too.”  Tell her you love her.  “I’m... I’m just trying to give you what you deserve.  You deserve to be....”  Tell her she deserves to be loved.   ”You deserve to be valued and respected and...”  And loved!  "And cherished.”

“Do you... do you really think so, Commander?”

“I know so, Takao.”

Another few minutes passed in silence – except for the voice in my head telling myself I was an idiot and a coward.  Then she said something wonderful.

“Commander?  W-would you... would you pet me?  Please?”

“Pet you?  Do you mean, pet your dog ears?”

“Yes.  Please?”

I tentatively raised a hand to touch them, and my first contact elicited a little gasp and a shiver.  “I’ll be gentle,” I told her, “I promise.”

“I know.”

The hair on her dog ears was the softest thing I had ever touched.  The ears themselves twitched, and peeked up from her head more than I had ever seen them before.  Atago’s ears were always straight up, but Takao kept hers so close to her head that some people didn’t even realise she had them.  She gave a satisfied hum and rubbed her face against my chest – and, for the first time, I really thought of her as a dog-girl and not as a shipgirl.  It reminded me how much I still had to learn about Takao, but I was delighted that she was willing to share these aspects of herself with me.

“I love your ears, Takao.  They’re so incredibly soft.  And they’re adorable, especially the way they twitch when you get excited.”  I was afraid she might think I was making fun of her or patronising her.  But she just purred – ironic, considering she was a dog-girl – and nuzzled my chest.  “You know... somehow I feel like this... this moment, right here, right now... is the most intimate moment we’ve ever shared.  And I love it so much.”

She squeezed me tighter, and murmured, “So do I, Commander.”

Chapter Text

I was up before dawn to send the task force on their way.  I hated the fact that I couldn’t go with them – that I was sending them into dangers which I would not face alongside them.  But having me on board the flagship, North Carolina, forced her to keep her ship manifested and prevented her from using her rigging to its full potential.  This handicapped her in terms of strength and manouverability, and disrupted her coordination with the rest of the fleet.  So, it just made sense for me to watch and lead from the Command Centre – but I still hated it.

Jintsuu, Naganami, and I worked steadily through the day.  Bremerton was duty officer and relayed hourly progress reports from the task force.  The stress of worrying about what the Sirens were up to – and worrying about what dangers Takao and the others might be sailing into – started to show, and Naganami moved her chair next to mine and kept brushing her tail against me.  At the end of the day, HMS Prince of Wales offered me a different kind of comfort by inviting me for a beer at The Royal Arms.  It occurred to me that Takao was far from the only shipgirl on this base who took good care of me.

The next day was more of the same until lunchtime, when a call came through from the Command Centre.

“Commander?”  Cleveland’s voice sounded a little strained, leading me to expect that the task force had encountered the Sirens earlier than expected.  “We’ve lost contact with the task force.”

“What?  What happened?”

“I don’t know – we're trying to figure that out right now.”

“Are they still on course?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”  I had a bad feeling about this.

“We haven’t just lost radio contact with them – their signals have disappeared from our radar.”

“Disappeared?”

“They’ve vanished.”

Fuck.

* * * * *

Needless to say, Naganami’s tail saw a lot of action over the next several hours.  I hastily assembled a relief force under Essex, but who knew what – if anything – they would find when they got to the task force’s last known location.  Fleet Command confirmed that nothing like this had happened before, leading us to suspect that the Sirens were testing some new weapon or... something.  Their technology was so advanced and so alien, we could barely understand the tricks they kept throwing at us.  If not for the shipgirls, humanity would have lost this war years ago.

Jintsuu and Cleveland finally forced me to go home around midnight.  But I got barely any sleep, worrying about the task force – and about Takao.  She and I were growing closer day by day, night by night.  If I were to lose her now....

No one was surprised when I appeared in the Command Centre a little after 0400 hours.  Nevada, who had taken over from Bremerton, handed me a coffee.  “Yo, Commander!  This’ll get your spirits up.”

“Thanks.  I assume there’s no news?”

“You think we wouldn’t tell you if there was?” she chuckled.

“Of course you would, I’m sorry.  I’m just...  I don’t know.”  I took a sip of coffee to stop myself from saying too much.

Nevada leaned in a little closer and said, “I know, young ‘un.  I know you don’t play favourites in this fleet, but I also know there’s one heavy cruiser out there that’s got you a little more worried than the rest.”

I looked at her in alarm.  “How -- I mean -- What do you mean?”

Nevada chuckled again.  “No need to play dumb with me, young ‘un.  Ain’t no one in this fleet known you longer than me, and I ain’t never seen you look at a shipgirl the way you look at that cute little secretary of yours.  But don’t you worry too much, young ‘un.  We’re doing all we can to find ‘em and bring ‘em back home safe and sound.”

Her easy-going confidence was just what I needed at that moment.  “Thanks, Nevada.”

“It’s no easy life we’ve got, is it?  Sendin’ the people we love into harm’s way.  I’d be up all night too if my sweet Biloxi were out there, or my little Oklahoma.  But we got ourselves a job to do, don’t we?  When the job’s done, maybe we can all find ourselves a little slice o’ paradise and settle down for some happily ever after.  But until then... we got a lot o’ sleepless nights ahead of us, young ‘un.”

“We sure do, Nevada... we sure do.”

Shortly after 0500 came the news we had been hoping for.  The task force reappeared on our radar – and all ships were accounted for.

“Azur Lane Pacific Station, do you copy?  This is Task Force Charlie.”  Shangri-La's voice came over the radio, and it was music to our ears.

Helena responded immediately from her communications post.  “This is Azur Lane Pacific Station.  We read you, Task Force Charlie.  What is your status?”

“Heavy casualties, but everyone’s alive.  North Carolina and Souryuu are out of commission – I'm in command.”

“Copy that, Shangri-La.  Essex and her squadron are just a few hours from your location – I’m sending you their coordinates now.”

“Thank heavens,” Shangri-La said with relief.  “There are no Sirens in pursuit at the moment, but if they did find us....”

I took this opportunity to join the conversation.  “Don’t worry, Shangri-La, Essex will get you home safely.  And they have Vestal with them, so she can tend to the wounded en route.”

“Commander?  Oh, thank you.  Um, Commander?”  She paused, and for a moment an ominous silence hung in the air.  “I’m afraid Takao is also out of commission – but she’s alive.  We all are.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and replied, ”I’m glad to hear it.  I look forward to a full report, but... for now, let’s just get you all home.”

As the radio fell silent again, I leaned my fists on Helena’s desk and hung my head.  Nevada put a hand on my shoulder and said, “They’ll be home before you know it, young ‘un.  Now, why don’t you go try to get some more sleep?  Gotta be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to meet ‘em at the docks, right?”

It was the next morning before Essex, Shangri-La, and their people got home.  The reception at the docks was a happy but sober one.  We were delighted to have everyone home safe and sound, but some of the ladies had taken a serious beating.  North Carolina, Souryuu, Takao, Atago, and Memphis were all still unconscious and had to be carried ashore on stretchers.  Their uniforms were torn, their bodies bloodied and bruised.  Most of the others weren’t in much better shape, but at least they were conscious and mobile.  Sickbay went from empty to nearly full in the blink of an eye.  My own eyes were blinking back tears as I watched Takao being carried away.

After lunch, Jintsuu, Cleveland, and I sat in my office with Shangri-La and Essex.  Shangri-La told a remarkable tale of a mysterious fog, jammed communications, and a stretch of open sea apparently cut off from the rest of the ocean.  “We were completely disoriented, Commander – we had broken our formation without even realising it.  And then... then there were Sirens everywhere.  It was like no other battle I had ever been in before.”

“It all sounds like something out of science fiction, but everything about the Sirens sounds like science fiction, so we shouldn’t be surprised if they have some kind of... I don’t know, pocket dimension technology or something.  Because you had completely disappeared from the Pacific Ocean – or, at least, from our Pacific Ocean.”

The battle itself sounded grim.  “North Carolina did her best, Commander, but they focused their fire on her from the beginning.  At least she was able to get us back into formation before she went down, otherwise we would have been overwhelmed.  Souryuu finally found us a way out, but then the weather went from calm to stormy in a heartbeat.  We made the best speed we could for the exit, but the destroyers couldn’t keep up in the rough waters.  Takao and Atago took the rearguard and covered our retreat.  I couldn’t believe how many hits they took....  they kept shielding the destroyers until we got out... and then they collapsed.  If it hadn’t been for them... a lot of us wouldn’t have made it out.”

* * * * *

I shifted my weight from one butt cheek to the other, and glanced over at the bed.  Takao was beautiful even under the lights of sickbay, and her peaceful face made me hope that her pain was receding.  Shipgirls heal incredibly fast, but she and Atago had suffered more grievous injuries than anyone else:  North Carolina, Souryuu, and Memphis had all regained consciousness, but not the Takao-class sisters. 

Jintsuu entered the room, prompting me to take my feet off the radiator.  “How is Lady Takao doing this morning, Commander?”

“She seems to be sleeping peacefully,” I replied, still gazing upon Takao’s lovely face.  “She’s going to be okay.”  I found myself saying those words at every opportunity, more for my own sake than for anyone else’s.  “Atago is stable too, but she hasn’t woken up yet either.”

“I understand from Miss Vestal that they will heal in time.  Be patient, Commander.  All will be well.”

“You’re right.  All will be well... in time.”

“Here are the documents I need you to sign, Commander.”

“Oh, thanks.”  I set my laptop on the windowsill and pulled out my pen.  “And thank you for all your hard work, Jintsuu, you’ve been wonderful.  I’m sorry for making you come back and forth from the office so much.  I know it’s inefficient, and you hate inefficiency.”

The foxgirl regarded me thoughtfully.  “I do, Commander, but I consider this... inefficiency for a good cause.”  She paused, carefully considering her next words.  “You’re in love with Lady Takao, aren’t you, Commander?”

I blushed.  “Is it that obvious?”

“You’ve barely left her side for three days, sir.  So, I would say it is fairly obvious.  If I may be so bold, Commander... does Lady Takao return your affections?”  Of course, she had known Takao far longer than I had, and knew that I had not chosen the most obvious romantic partner.

“I don’t know.  Maybe she does – in her own way.”  I shrugged.  ”But... probably not.”

Jintsuu’s expression was sympathetic, even pitying.  “Well, I hope Lady Takao recognizes the value of what you are offering her, Commander.  It may take her some time, but... please do not give up hope.  Now, I should return to your former office before Miss Cleveland gets too comfortable in your chair.”

“Tell her I said she could try it out, not set up housekeeping.”

I caught a hint of a smile on Jintsuu’s face.  ”It may already be too late, Commander.  Good day.”

Atago regained consciousness about an hour later.  Her first words were, “Is Takao all right?”  Once Vestal and I had reassured her about that, she asked about the destroyers and the rest of the task force.

“They’re all doing fine, onee-chan, thanks to you and Takao.”

“Heehee, your big sister isn’t just a pretty face, you know.”  She sounded utterly exhausted, but it was so good to hear her trademark teasing.

“I know that, onee-chan, I’ve always known that.  But I don’t want to tire you out – you get some more sleep.  If you need me, I’m right next door.”

“With Takao?  Heehee, she’s lucky to have such a devoted commander.”  She closed her eyes again.  “Take good care of her, Commander:  you know she deserves it.”  And before I could respond, she was asleep.

* * * * *

“C-commander?”

An angelic voice – soft and rich – floated across my consciousness.  I looked down at the Shiba Inu puppy sitting on the picnic blanket and thought, ‘That’s odd – I didn’t know puppies could talk.’

“Commander?”

My eyes popped open and my head jerked up off my chest, where my chin had been resting.  The sun had gone down and the only light came from my laptop and the equipment monitoring Takao’s Wisdom Cube.  But that was just enough light to glint off a pair of lovely amber eyes.

“Takao?”  I hastily deposited my laptop on the windowsill and pulled my chair closer to the bed.  “How are you feeling?”

“Is Atago all right?”

“She’s all right – the two of you took a lot of damage, but she’s going to be okay.  And everyone else in the task force is home safe and sound too.  Everyone’s going to be okay – and so are you.”  I stroked her cheek with trembling fingers.  “I’m so glad you’re awake.  How are you feeling?”

She thought about that for a moment before answering, “Tired... very tired... and very sore.”  Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it sounded stronger than I would have expected.

I kissed her forehead.  “I’m not surprised.  Like I said, you took a lot of damage.  But you’re healing... Vestal says you just need time.”

“Are you all right, Commander?  You’re crying.”

I chuckled, and wiped the tears from my cheeks.  “I’m just....  I’m so proud of you, Takao.  Shangri-La told me how you and Atago guarded the rear and protected the destroyers.  You put yourself on the line for your friends.”

“Just like Litten.”

I laughed out loud and shed new tears.  “Yes, just like Litten.”  Now I had a mental image of Stoutland trying to teach Takao how to use Fire Fang.  Shipgirls and Pokemon, I thought:  the ultimate anime cross-over.  I kissed her forehead again.  “I’m so happy to have you home in one piece – so happy.”

“Commander?”

“Yeah?”  I brushed her bangs out of her eyes, which were already starting to flutter closed again.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.  I, um... Takao... I love you.”

But the only response I got was a quiet little snore.  She was fast asleep again.

* * * * *

The next morning, I moved my chair to the end of the bed, to be out of Vestal’s way while she examined Takao. 

“Has the Commander really been here the whole time, Miss Vestal?”

“No, I haven’t,” I interjected with a mischievous smile.  ”I merely poked my head in once or twice.”

“He’s been a part of the furniture, Takao -- hasn’t left your side since they brought you in here.”

“This chair is more comfortable than the one in my office.”

“Poor Jintsuu has to walk over from his office whenever she needs him to sign something.”

“She appreciates the fresh air and exercise.”

“He constantly pesters me about your condition, even when he can clearly see nothing’s changed.”

“Good secretaries are hard to find.”

“He even offered to give you a sponge bath.”

“Wait, what?  I did no such thing!”  But Vestal had already sailed out of the room with a smirk on her usually innocent face, leaving Takao with a blush on hers.  “Really, Takao, I never offered to give you a sponge bath.”

“I... I believe you, Commander.  But I’m very sorry that I’ve disrupted your routine so much.  You really shouldn’t inconvenience yourself for my sake.”

“There’s nobody I would rather inconvenience myself for than you,” I told her as I brought my chair back to her bedside.  “Besides, this is a refreshing change from that stuffy old office.  And I’m sure the rumours of Cleveland planning a bloodless coup in my absence are exaggerated.”  My attempts at humour had failed to cheer her up, so I tried another approach.  “Takao?  You’re very important to me, and I was worried about you.  I felt less worried here, where I could see that you’re okay, than I was in my office – so it was actually less distracting to be here than it would have been to stay in my office.”

“I’m sorry if I worried you, Commander.”

“It comes with the territory.  Your job is to put yourself in harm’s way – my job is to send you there.  You do what you do because you’re committed to protecting people – protecting humanity.  I would never stand in the way of that, but that doesn’t mean....”  I wasn’t sure how I wanted to finish that sentence.  I loved her, but I didn’t know if she would ever love me.  And was this really the time and place to press the issue?  “You mean a lot to me, and... and I don’t want to lose you.  But there’s a war on, so....”  My voice trailed off, and all I could do was shrug.

She nodded thoughtfully, then opened her mouth to speak – and closed it again.  Finally, she reached for my hand and said, “No matter how badly I’m injured, I will make sure to always return to your side, Commander.”   She brought my hand to her mouth and kissed my fingers.  “Thank you for staying with me.”

I thought my heart was going to burst.  “I’m always here for you, Takao – always.”  I wanted to say more, wanted to tell her I would stay with her forever, if she would let me.  But her eyes were looking heavy, so I held my tongue. 

Sure enough, she was asleep again soon, her hand still holding mine – which made it difficult to get any work done for the rest of the morning, but I wasn’t complaining.

Chapter Text

The next day, Takao declared that she was feeling well enough to resume her duties – an opinion which was shared by precisely no one.  But Vestal did finally allow a big group of visitors.  The destroyers Takao and Atago had protected on the mission had been clamouring to see their heroes, and now they practically swarmed the two heavy cruisers with hugs and thanks and adorable hand-made cards and presents.  Takao was very uncomfortable with the effusive praise, but it brought a tear to my eye to see how much she was adored and appreciated by these girls.

Vestal managed to keep Takao in sickbay for nearly a week, before releasing her with strict instructions to ‘take it easy’.  More specifically, Takao was ordered not to resume any kind of training until Vestal had given her the green light, an injunction that was met with what I can only describe as ‘sad puppy dog eyes’.  Not that I would have said that out loud.

Jintsuu, Naganami, and I eased Takao back into her regular secretarial duties.  She was as diligent as ever, but she tired easily while her body was still healing.  I took this into account as she and I eased her back into night duty:  for the first little while, all we did was kiss and cuddle.  Having her in my arms again was divine, but I could tell she was getting anxious that she hadn’t given me an orgasm in some time.  To be honest, my desire for her was building with each passing day, but I didn’t want to rush things while she was still recouperating.

One evening, as we lay on the bed cuddling, she asked, “Commander?  Would you....”  She paused, as if reconsidering her question, then continued.  “Would you make love to me?  Please?”

“Are you feeling up to it?”

“I’ve... I’ve missed it....”  Her voice was so quiet, I had to strain to hear it.  “I’ve missed being with you.  I’ve missed having you inside me.  I’m sorry if I’m sounding lewd, but... I need you, Commander.”

“You’re not sounding lewd, Takao.  I’ve missed being with you too.  And, if you need me, I’m all yours."  She had never asked me for anything like this before, and I was determined not to disappoint her.

I cupped her cheek and kissed her, deeply and passionately.  She returned the kiss with equal passion, and reached a trembling hand around to gently grip the back of my neck.  Her need was palpable, and it inflamed my own.  As my desire bubbled to the surface, I had to remind myself not to get carried away.  She needed me, but she still needed me to be gentle.

Soon, though, I was unbuttoning her tunic and raining kisses on her cleavage.  She moaned softly and pressed my face into her bosom.  I slipped one hand underneath her while my other hand groped her breast.  But temptation can only be resisted for so long.  At least I had the presence of mind to carefully place her tunic on the back of a chair, but I’m afraid her bra got no such consideration and was tossed aside unceremoniously.  Every square inch of her skin that I exposed fueled my desire and made me want her more.  It had been so long....

I had a promise to keep, though, so my lips and tongue caressed her nipples tenderly, and my fingers danced lightly across her flesh.  When I glanced up at her face, it was the picture of quiet bliss – her lips slightly parted, her eyes closed, her nostrils flaring as deep breaths slowly turned to moans.  But then she opened her eyes and looked down at me, and said something that took my breath away.

“Commander....  I want... I want to lose my senses in front of you.”

“Are... are you sure?”

She nodded, and tears filled her eyes.  “Please make me cum, Commander.  Please have your way with me.  Please make me fall apart in your arms.”

“Are you really sure?”

She nodded again.  “I know I’m safe with you, Commander.  You would never hurt me.  I’m safe with you – completely safe.”

I leaned up and kissed her.  Of all the thoughts swirling around in my head, the one that came out was, “Promise you’ll tell me if it’s too much.  At any time, for any reason, if you say ‘stop’ I will stop.  I will.”

“I know – I know.”

I kissed her again, but kissing her wasn’t going to help me decide what to do.  She had just given me a blank check, but that didn’t mean I could just throw away weeks of gentleness and intimacy and fuck her senseless.  As I wracked my brain for a plan, my eyes wandered down her body and I noticed for the hundredth time how incredibly beautiful she was... so beautiful....

I knew what I wanted to do.  I just hoped I had the vocabulary for it.

I leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose.  “Takao, do you know why I kiss your nose so often?  There’s two reasons.  One is that you have the cutest nose I’ve ever seen.  The other reason is that, whenever I kiss it, you always go a little cross-eyed, and it’s absolutely adorable – just like everything else about you.”  I looked deep into her eyes, now wide with amazement.  “And your eyes – they’re such a lovely shade of amber.  That’s my favourite colour, you know.”

“It is?”

“It sure is.  My favourite colour used to be green, but it changed after I met you.”  I rubbed the tip of my nose against hers.  “Everything changed after I met you.”

She whimpered.

I kissed her and told her, “Your lips are so soft and so sweet.  I know I’ve told you that before, but you didn’t believe me, so I’ll tell you again.  They’re soft and sweet and delicious and kissable, and I will keep telling you that until you believe me.  And then I’ll keep telling you, so you don’t forget.”

Whimper.

My kisses trailed along her jawline now, then down her throat to her shoulders.  “Mmm, I love your shoulders.  You carry the weight of the world on these shoulders, don’t you?  You’ve dedicated yourself to fighting a terrible foe, and you face that fight bravely and unflinchingly.”  I wasn’t sure if ‘unflinchingly’ was a real word, but I didn’t really care.  “These shoulders – so broad, so strong – bear the burden of hope – hope for a world of peace and tranquility, a world for which you are willing to lay down your life.”  I took her hand and brought it to my lips.  “But it’s not just about pitched battles with Sirens, is it?  You fight for peace in so many ways – protecting your sister from ghosts, and holding the hand of a young comrade when she’s frightened.”

Whimper.

I kept her hand in mine as I brought my lips back to her left breast.  ”You have such a big heart, Takao.  Your kindness, your courage, your selflessness – everything about you comes from your heart.  Even your love of tradition comes from your heart – you’re a person who understands exactly what she’s fighting to protect, and why it’s worth protecting.  I see it in your calligraphy – so calm, so graceful, so elegant – just like you.  You preserve a tradition that means something to you, and you share it with others, and you help them find peace and comfort and beauty.”

Whimper.

I gently removed her skirt, pantyhose, and panties.  Now she lay naked before me, and I realised that I was still fully dressed.  Mumbling an apology, I quickly rectified that unbalanced state of affairs.  She didn’t offer to help me, she just lay there gazing up at me with wonder and devotion.  I saw fresh tears in her eyes, so I leaned down to ask, “Are you okay, sweetheart?”  She nodded fervently, apparently either at a loss for words or perhaps incapable of coherent speech.

Reassured, I returned to her torso.  “I remember things, you know.  I remember the first time we cuddled, and the first time we kissed, and the first time I saw you naked.  I remember discovering how warm and wonderful you feel lying next to me, and how your scent intoxicates me.  I remember discovering how heavenly it feels to be in your arms, and how your embrace comforts me.”  I was kissing her tummy now, and my hands tenderly gripped her hips, while she ran her fingers through my hair.  I leaned up into her touch, and told her, “I love the way you touch me, Takao.  I love your gentle strength, the way you soothe me and protect me.  I’ve told you before:  your touch grounds me and gives me the strength I need to keep moving forward.”

Whimper.

“And I love touching you, Takao.  I love that you trust me enough to let me touch you, I love that you feel safe with me, and I love that you find pleasure in my touch.  Giving you pleasure is one of my favourite things in all the world, because you deserve all the pleasure and all the happiness I can give you – and more.  And to think that you – you, the most beautiful and the most wonderful person I’ve ever known – can find pleasure in my touch makes me feel on top of the world.”  Nearly every adjective was met with a whimper now, and her eyes were filled with longing and disbelief.  I brought my mouth back up to her breasts and hovered hungrily over her right nipple.  “May I give you pleasure, Takao?  May I make you cum?”

“Yes,” was her breathless reply, that one word infused with more desire and need than I would have thought possible.

My lips descended on the delectable nipple in front of me and my tongue lashed at it.  She cried out, and I flinched to hear it, but her hands grabbed my head and pressed me closer to her, so I took that as permission to continue.  While I ravished her right breast with my mouth, I groped her left breast with an eager hand.  She writhed beneath me, moaning and gasping, rapidly losing control under my loving assault.  I wasn’t rough with her, but I was forceful and determined, and my lust had freer rein than I had ever given it before.

She was responding to me with more passion than I had yet seen from her.  Her pleasure escalated quickly, and to my surprise she came without me even touching her pussy.  She announced her climax with a deep, breathy, “Aaahhhhh!” and a shiver from head to toe.  As I gave her nipple one last lick, I thought, ‘Wow, they really are sensitive.’

I brushed her bangs out of her eyes and leaned in for a kiss, soft and tender, as she gradually came down from her orgasm.  “Thank you,” I whispered, “thank you for letting me see that.  It means so much – your trust means so much to me.”  She panted and moaned, but said nothing.  I stroked her cheek and kissed her lips.  “That was beautiful, you know.  Everything about you is beautiful – strong and sweet and brave and beautiful.”  She whimpered and trembled, and buried her face in the crook of my neck.

“Need you....” I heard her whisper, ”I need you."

I reached down to feel her pussy and found it just as wet as I expected it to be.  While my fingers teased her labia open, I whispered in her ear, “I need you too.  And I don’t just mean I need you in my bed, or in my arms.  I mean I need you in my life – I need you by my side.”

I brought the tip of my penis to her entrance and began to rub it up and down.  Every time it touched her clitoris, she gasped and twitched.  If her clit was as sensitive as her nipples....

I held her in my arms and kissed her, while I began to concentrate on rubbing my cock against her clitoris.  If anything, it was more sensitive than her nipples, and she hadn’t come all the way down from her first orgasmic plateau yet.  So, what I held in my arms was not Takao the proud warrior, but Takao the adorable whimpering mess.  I was overstimulating her, both physically and emotionally, but I was giving her exactly what she had asked for.

Amongst the moans and whines and gasps, I caught a word.  “In... inside...  inside...”

So, I shifted from her clitoris to her pussy.  Once before, I had found a special spot inside her:  then, I had taken note of it so I could avoid it and keep my promise.  Now, I made a beeline for it.  The moment my cock found it again, Takao moaned more loudly than I had ever heard her and reared up her hips to meet me.

“Ahhhh!  Aaahhhh!  Ohhhhhhhhhh!”  Tidal waves of ecstasy crashed upon her shores.  Her body twitched and thrashed, and her strength was so great that she probably would have thrown me off like a bucking bronco if she hadn’t been holding onto me so tightly.  This orgasm seemed to last forever.  It reminded me of when I was a young midshipman on duty during my first big North Atlantic storm, exhilarated and awestruck by the power and majesty playing out before my eyes.

Gradually, her moans subsided, and she lay beneath me, panting for breath.  I felt compelled to ask again, “Are you okay, darling?”  She had no words, only a tired nod and a sweet smile.  Then she found a word.

“More.”

“More?”

“P-please.”

I kissed her forehead and pulled her up off the bed.  I sat back, cross-legged, and drew her into my lap.  She wrapped her arms and legs around me, and again buried her face in my neck.  I stroked her back and shoulders, kissed her hair, and petted her ears. 

Whimper. 

“Let’s take it easy this time,” I told her.  “You must be super sensitive right now.”  Plus, I needed a moment to catch my breath and bring my desire under control – if I could.  “Can you feel me inside you?”  A silly question, I thought, but I was feeling incredibly connected to her at that moment and really wanted to draw attention to that.  She nodded.  “Would you like me to fill you with my cum?”  Another nod, more vigorous this time.

“Hold me tight.”  My instruction was completely unnecessary, as she was already holding onto me for dear life.  “I love the way you hold me, Takao.  I feel so safe in your arms, so safe and so happy.  Every time I touch you, every time I kiss you, every time I think about you – you fill me with joy.  Being with you is nothing short of divine.” 

Whimper.

Slowly, I started to move her up and down my shaft.  She filled my senses.  I was hyper-aware of everything about her – the sound of her moans, the pounding of her heart, the warm softness of her skin, the scent of her hair, the taste of her lips, the strength of her muscles.  Every time she reached the base of my cock, her entire body shivered and she breathed rather than spoke the word, “Yes.” And my heart swelled at the thought that this amazing woman was freely giving me what other men had felt the need to force out of her.  This was – without exaggeration – the happiest moment of my life.

Her pussy clamped down on me, increasing both our pleasure.  The intimacy and ecstasy of the moment was getting the better of me, and I found myself increasing our pace.  She reciprocated, and soon – too soon – we were reaching our mutual climax.  I didn’t want this moment to end, but the pleasure she gave me was just too great.

“Aaahhhh!   Arrgghh!”  I grunted as I exploded inside her, pouring cum into her pussy just as I had been pouring compliments into her ear.  She responded with grunts and groans of her own, punctuated by a little squeal that was just to die for.  Through the haze of my bliss, I felt her trembling in my arms.  I had given her so much that evening, she must have been feeling completely overwhelmed.  There was no one more poised and confident on the battlefield than Takao, but in the bedroom she was shy and vulnerable.  I couldn’t protect her on the battlefield, but in these moments of intimacy – these moments when she felt out of her depth – I could be her shield, I could keep her safe, I could protect her the way she always protected me.

As the waves of our orgasms began to subside, Takao clung to me, as if she was afraid the ebbing tide would sweep her away from me.  Her breathing was ragged, but she had regained the power of speech – barely.  She gasped, “Hold... hold me.... C-commander... please.... don’t... don’t let go... hold me.... please... don’t stop... holding me.”

Her voice was cracking with emotion:  I could tell she was on the verge of tears.  I pulled her as close as I could, and whispered in her ear, “I won’t let go, Takao, I’ll never let go of you.  I’ll hold you forever, if you’ll let me.”

“F-for... f-forever?”

“Takao?  Think about how I touch you – think about how I kiss you – think about how I hold you – think about how I talk to you – think about how I make love to you.  And then tell me – what do you think is in my heart?”

“Y-your heart, Commander?”

“My heart.  Who do you think is in my heart?”

She hesitated for a long while, as if she knew the answer but refused to believe it.  “M-me?”

“Yes!  You!  You, you, and no one else but you.  I love you, Takao, I love you with all my heart.”

She dissolved in tears and squeezed me so tightly I thought my ribs were going to crack.  There was so much that I wanted to say, so much that I wanted to tell her, but it was really just repeating the things I had already told her.  And right now, she didn’t need any more words – she just needed me.  So, I held her and tried to stay in the moment as much as I could.

Finally, her tears subsided.  She pulled back a little, so we could look in each other’s eyes.

“Do you... do you really love me?”

“I do, Takao.  I have for some time now, to be honest.  That’s why I never considered anyone else for night duty – because the only one I want to be with is you.  No one makes me happier than you do.”  I had to ask.  “Do... do you believe me when I say I love you?”

“I do, Commander, I really do, because you would never lie to me.  But... I don’t understand how you can love me.”

“Actually, it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done.  You are incredibly and irresistibly loveable.  And, if you’ll let me, I’d like to spend the rest of my life explaining that to you.  But I need to know... how do you feel about me?”

She struggled to answer that, and I began to fear that I really was asking too much.  But then....

“I want to be yours, Commander – I want to be your Takao – forever.”

And now I had a new Happiest Moment of My Life.

“So... if I want to be with you forever... and you want to be with me forever....  Takao?  Will you marry me?”

Traditionally, a gentleman should be asking this question while down on one knee and presenting his lady with a ring – not sitting in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around each other and his cum dribbling out of her pussy onto the sheets.  And Takao was a traditional sort of girl.

“M-marry?  You... you want to marry me?”

“I’m sorry it’s not the most romantic proposal ever, but... you’re the only one in the world for me.  You can take some time to think about it – take all the time you need.  We can... carry on with night duty too....”  My anxiety was getting the better of me now.  I’ve asked too much, I told myself; I’ve pushed too far too fast.  “I’m sorry if this....”

“Of course I will marry you.”

“Really?”

“I love you, Commander.”

The evening just kept getting better and better.

“For you to acknowledge me like this, Commander, is the greatest honour.  From now on, this blade shall serve only you.  Please continue to treat me kindly.”  And once again, her face was buried in the crook of my neck – its new favourite place, apparently.

And I thought back to the words Takao had once shared with me – the wisdom which had inspired my clumsy but heartfelt journey to love.

“Small strokes fell great oaks, constant drops pierce through rock.  Those who train through the most humdrum of days shall seize victory in the most critical of moments.  That is my belief.”

Chapter Text

“More tea, Scott?”

“Yes, please.”

Takao held out the thermos and poured me another cup.  She looked wonderful in a white blouse and beige sweater vest, with dark brown woolen trousers – and sensible brown shoes, of course.

“Thanks.  Have I mentioned how nice you look today?”

“Heehee, five times now.”  She blushed and said, “Thank you.”

I leaned over and kissed her cheek.  “I just want to make sure you know these things – and that you don’t forget them.” 

“Heehee,” she giggled and covered her face in her hands.  When she pulled them away, she was still smiling, warm and affectionate.  “I never knew that I could be as happy as I am with you, Scott.”

“And I’m happy that you’ve stopped calling me ‘Commander’ outside the office.”

She giggled again, and it seemed to get more adorable each time she did.  “You know, Atago said that my expressions have been softened recently.  Heehee, that’s because now I smile whenever I think of you.”

“Oh, and speak of the devil....”

Crunching through the autumn leaves came a Shiba Inu puppy, bounding after a tennis ball thrown by the dog-girl following behind.  Atago looked lovely in her skirt and sweater combo – Takao was beginning to believe me when I told her she was beautiful, but she steadfastly refused to believe that she was more beautiful than her sister.  But, of course, Atago’s shoes weren’t nearly as sensible as Takao’s.

“Hehehe, hello lovebirds.  I told you I’d bring your little baby back to you safe and sound.”  She sat down on the picnic blanket and pulled the puppy into a big hug.  “She’s absolutely adorable, but not as adorable as the two of you.”  As if sensing a challenge, Kona rolled onto her back and offered her tummy to be scratched – which all three of us promptly did, to the puppy’s great delight.

Then a mischievous look crept into Atago’s eyes -- well, more mischievous than usual.  “So, Takao, how are your classes going?”

My fiancée immediately turned bright red.

“Um,” I asked, “are you referring to her mysterious Tuesday evening appointments that she refuses to tell me about?”

“Heehee, you don’t need to hide anything from him, you know that?”

Without making eye contact, Takao murmured, “I’ve... I’ve been undertaking bride training sessions in order to prepare for our wedding day.  As your bride, I won’t let you down.”

Bride training sessions?  I hadn’t even known there was such a thing.  But that wasn’t important right now.  I kissed her lips and said, “As if you would ever let me down in anything you do.”  Another kiss.  “But it doesn’t surprise me in the least that you’re training for marriage.  It reminds me of when you declared, ‘I shall do my utmost to become the best cuddling partner I can be for you.’  You tackle everything with such earnest sincerity – it's adorable.”

“Th-thank you, Scott, but I don’t think Atago really needed to know about that cuddling comment.”  Atago just giggled and gave Kona another belly rub.  “But... with my friends at my side and my beloved Commander in my heart, I shall continue to learn and grow.”