Work Text:
''Haah...''
It was late afternoon, and the Commander was certainly feeling the fatigue of a long day at work – his wrist aching as he painstakingly signed another form and filed it into an envelope, popping it down in his 'finished' tray to be sent out the following morning. Then he pulled over the next document, reading through the lines intently, his eyes hurting from doing it for so long.
Rubbing at his eyes he continued reading, the words all blurring in his sluggish mind. Another shipment of ammunition; the fifth this week. He signed off on it and folded it up into an envelope too, putting it aside.
Another document. Another delivery. Another signature, and another envelope that ended in the finished pile.
Until a gentle hand laid itself on his, stopping him from taking the next document. ''Commander, you should take a break.''
He looked up, offering a tired smile to Hanazuki – the Destroyer giving him a very concerned look. ''It's alright, I'm almost done.''
The pink-haired girl looked down at his work. ''There's still a lot there Commander; just leave it for later.''
''No, I can't.'' Gently he brushed her off, taking the next document. ''It's my responsibility as your commander to get this done. If you girls can handle fighting the Sirens, the least I can do is make sure you're supplied to do it.''
Hanazuki was quiet, biting her lip in concern, and demurely went back to her own duties.
X-x-X
Z28 stared at the plate of food in front of her, brow creased in open worry.
''Was it not good enough, Commander?'' Z28 asked in concern, noticing the food still left on the plate.
The Commander was a hard worker, so she had taken it upon herself to bring him meals so he could keep eating whilst working – maximising his efficiency. However this time he hadn't eaten all of it; nor had he the last time either. Some sausages, perfectly fried and cooked, were still left uneaten and some greens were left untouched barring the marks of a fork nudging them around.
''Hm?'' The aforementioned man looked up from his work, offering an apologetic smile. ''Sorry, I've just not got much of an appetite right now. Sorry for wasting your time making it.''
''You should eat more, Commander.'' Z28 chastised gently, taking the plate. ''It's not good for your health to skip meals.''
The Commander however just shrugged and went back to work, too focused to notice the worried look on Z28's face.
X-x-X
''I wonder if they'll be okay...''
''They will, Commander.'' Murmansk reassured her superior, petting his arm. ''They won't be gone for long.''
Despite her words the Commander still looked stricken with anxiety, worriedly watching as Cleveland and her sisters sailed out of the base with an escort of Destroyers, heading off on a regular convoy escort mission. It was regular and banal and yet the Commander couldn't quell his nervousness, worried something might happen.
Murmansk wasn't foolish; she had seen the Commander sneaking back into the command building at night during long sorties to keep an eye on various fleets, even at the cost of sleep. And when she caught him he merely brushed aside any attempt at coercing him back to bed, staying awake on nothing but pure caffeine and anxiety. And she could see the toll it was having on him; the bags under his eyes and slump to his shoulders betraying his exhaustion.
Unfortunately they couldn't just cease all night operations to give him some sleep, no matter how much she and some others wanted to.
''Come on.'' Murmansk said softly, tugging on his arm and pulling him away from the shoreline. ''Let's get you some snacks to nibble on~''
The Commander agreed with murmur, worry still strong in his tired eyes.
X-x-X
''It's quite late Commander, you should go to bed now. I can continue from here.''
The Commander shook his head, his head swaying from the movement. ''No, no... I can do it fine, you should go to bed Amagi; your health will suffer if you don't get some rest...''
''I can survive a night.'' Amagi responded, gently holding his shoulders and stopping him from getting up to get another pen. ''Just take a break and go home for the night. It's alright to rely on me, you know.''
He was quiet for a moment... but ultimately shook his head. ''Sorry, I can't. You shouldn't have to cover for me. Just go home Amagi; get some rest.''
''I should be telling you that.''
''Do I need to make it an order? I will, if it means making sure you're well-rested.''
At that Amagi could only sigh. She knew she couldn't go against his orders, no matter how silly they may be. ''...if your not in the dorms within the hour, I'll come back and drag you there.''
''Got it, got it...''
X-x-X
Belchan frowned slightly as she swept the floors within the office, unable to not notice that the floors were clean despite her just starting.
She knew why of course. The Commander liked to have a clean office, so he took it upon himself to clean it regularly... even while doing that on top of his regular work load. She had volunteered to do the task for him, even learning directly under Belfast's wise tuition, but the Commander still cleaned up after himself out of habit. Leaving her with little to clean, and a head full of worry – no thanks to how exhausted the Commander looked behind his desk.
''Um... Master...'' Belchan gently piped up, stopping her sweeping. ''Would you like me to bring you some tea?''
''No, no, it's fine. Can't trouble you with that.'' The Commander murmured, scribbling his signature down almost mechanically, his arm stiff and back rigid.
Belchan worriedly looked at him, glancing around for aid but finding none – nobody else was around. Thus with tentative boldness Belchan approached his desk and petted him on the hand, gaining his attention onto him. And allowing her to give him her best puppy-dog look.
''Please?'' Belchan pleaded. ''I-I really want to make you some?''
At that he melted a bit. ''...okay, just one cup please.''
Belchan swiftly smiled and went about her new task – though privately she knew such a tactic wouldn't work forever. Sooner or later he'd get used to her pulling that trick.
But at least for now it worked, and she could keep him hydrated and a little bit healthier for it.
X-x-X
''I can handle the inspection Commander, you don't have to stress yourself.''
''It's alright Leander, it's still early; no reason I can't stretch my legs a bit.''
Leander bit her lip and nodded, standing aside and letting the Commander into the storage building to do an inventory check. Still she followed him, making sure he didn't have fall or faint; his complexion was a bit paler than she was used to and it worried her severely. Had she not respected him so much she would've outright grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to bed, but she didn't dare do something so rude lest she hurt his feelings.
So instead she just kept an eye on him, helping him where she could and listing all the things in the inventory. She knew it by heart by now but worded her sentences in a way that made it seem like he was the one doing most of the work, satiating his stubborn desire to be helpful. She could see others peeking in through the warehouse doors too, concern on their faces for their adored Commander.
Leander waved them off. She had it handled. ''I don't feel so good Commander, could we take a seat for a minute?''
Nigh-instantly he agreed, and Leander flushed lightly as he fawned over her, worriedly checking her temperature.
Still, she had got him to sit down for a minute, and after some subtle coercing got him to drink some water and rest in the shade. With him a little more focused on her she was able to help him with the inventory, 'passing the time' by filling out the boxes together using her knowledge, all whilst making it seem like he was the one helping her, instead of the other way around. A bit manipulative of her, perhaps, but she was willing to be if it meant easing his burden.
Unfortunately she could only play the act so long until he had to leave, and she still had work to do at the warehouse – so with some reluctance Leander waved him off, watching him tiredly march around the building and out of sight.
And soon several of their spectators approached her. From behind a tree came Z28 and Belchan, from behind the building sashayed Amagi, from a tree branch Murmansk hopped down and from behind a box of materials came Hanazuki, all of them gathering together in front of the warehouse.
''The Commander's not looking so good.'' Hanazuki worriedly stated, looking at the other girls around her. All of them were well-aware of it, and none of them could ignore it.
''No, he isn't.'' Amagi agreed with a graceful nod. ''Dare I say he's almost looking as bad as I when my illness flares.''
The comparison was a worrisome one, as Belchan hurriedly brought up. ''H-He isn't sick is he?''
''No, he's just overworking himself.'' Murmansk assured the petite maid. ''He's too overprotective of all of us and working himself to the bone.''
''I almost wish he'd just let us do all the work at this point.'' Leander agreed with a sigh, tucking some strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear. ''At least then he'd been in better health.''
''Mm.'' Z28 nodded in quiet agreement. ''So... what can we do...?''
Amagi put a finger to her chin, humming. ''The best course of action would be to give him a break, but he won't accept one willingly... unless...''
''Unless...?'' The others all inquired curiously.
Amagi just smiled, eyes gleaming. ''Unless it's an order from HQ. If you'll excuse me, I'll go make a few calls~''
Eagerly the other girls agreed, and all began formulating a plan to pay the Commander back for his hard work.
X-x-X
The next day the Commander found himself with a mandatory 'day-off' from HQ, something about him having too many leave days stockpiled and regulations and something-something rules.
Whatever the reason behind it the Commander reluctantly accepted it, understanding that since it was an order he had to comply – leaving his usual daily tasks for Belfast and Monarch with some hesitance, though both were more than willing to accept such a duty. Thus, with nothing to worry about, he found himself crashing at just past nine and sleeping in well past eight in the morning; stirring only when a gentle voice whispered to him.
''Wakey wakey, Commander~'' An angelic voice cooed.
Shifting slightly the Commander mumbled an agreement, his eyes fluttering open as he woke. His vision was hazy and his mind groggy, taking him several long moments to finally wake up fully – and when he did he rolled onto his side, staring at the familiar face leaning over him. Hanazuki.
The Destroyer had a gentle smile on her face and had a hand on his shoulder, giving him one last nudge before letting him go, content that he was awake.
''Hanazuki...?'' He groaned, putting his elbow under himself and sitting more upright. ''What are you doing here...?''
The Destroyer just giggled prettily. ''The others and I are here to make sure you have a relaxing day off.''
''Others...?''
Hanazuki didn't need to answer, as the Commander soon heard voices from deeper within his house chatting away. He could hear Leander's musical voice and Belchan's eager replies, or Amagi's mentoring tone and Z28 chipper chirps. He flushed at the idea that they were all in his home so early, a bit embarrassed about the mess he'd left, but when he looked around his room he found that his lazily-discarded clothes from last night were already gone; a fresh uniform folded and neat on his dresser.
''You've been working very hard recently, Commander.'' Hanazuki softly explain to him, her tail swishing behind her. ''We're all very worried about your health, so we'll handle all the chores and duties today, okay? You just rest and relax; we'll take good care of you~''
His cheeks tingled, pinkness colouring them. ''I-I suppose it's alright...''
The fox-girl just giggled once more, clapping her hands together. ''Good~ I'll go run a bath for you now while breakfast is being made, okay?''
The Commander murmured an agreement, slipping out of bed as Hanazuki departed. Clad in only a shirt and sleeping shorts he was mindful not to go walking about just yet, instead meandering around his bedroom and gathering up a fresh change of clothes – reluctantly leaving his white officer uniform and instead taking out a pair of green camouflage-patterned cargo pants and a grey shirt, collecting some other items like socks alongside them.
Soon Hanazuki poked her head back into his room, voice angelic as she told him his bath was ready, and with a thanks of his own the Commander departed his bedroom. The narrow hallway outside his room was quieter than the living room further down, the bustling of many voices active in both it and in the kitchen. Resisting the urge to go say hello the Commander instead slipped inside the bathroom, a wave of warm air greeting him.
His bathroom was far from the largest, but it was big enough for his needs. White-tiled walls, a hard dark blue floor and with a wide bathtub at the far end of the room with a glass screen so it could double as a shower without spraying water all over the floor. Said bathtub was already full with hot soapy water, a yellow rubber duck floating atop the steamy water cheekily.
''Hahah...'' Chuckling under his breath at the sight the Commander tugged on his shirt, pulling it over his head. Trust Hanazuki to add a little duck to it.
He was surprised however as the door behind him pushed open a bit, allowing an individual to slip inside – and when he glanced back he was embarrassed to find the aforementioned Hanazuki there, a light pink hue to her cheeks but a gentle smile on her face regardless.
''Come on Commander, I'll help you relax~'' The angelic fox-girl smiled – a little embarrassed, but too caring to let that stop her.
Thus with rosy cheeks he nodded, allowing Hanazuki to lock the bathroom door and begin to strip herself, her back to him. He did the same, pulling his sleeping shorts off and leaving them in the hamper – entering the bathtub first at Hanazuki's suggestion. The pink-haired girl took a little longer to strip than he did thanks to her intricate clothing, and out of politeness he didn't stare too much, simply waiting until she was naked. She covered herself with both arms as she approached the bathtub, whispering a cheery thanks before slipping into the water behind him, her body warm against his back.
''Mm~'' Hanazuki snaked her arms around his stomach from behind. ''You just relax, okay? I'll make your stress go all away~''
Hanazuki followed up on her words the moment he gave his consent, her hands dripping with water as they slid up to his shoulders – and gave him a shoulder rub. Her lithe fingers pressed down with gentle intent but a firm touch, applying the right amount of pressure to his stiff muscles to coax out a low groan from his throat. Hanazuki giggled at that, shifting her hands up close to his neck and working on the muscles there, easing the stiffness within them.
''Y-You're good at this...'' The Commander murmured, leaning back slightly.
Hanazuki hummed her thanks. ''I do my best, Commander~''
He just inhaled a slow breath and nodded, melting into her dexterous fingers. She loosened up all the tense muscles in his shoulders and upper-back, and once he was as good as putty she just wrapped her arms around him, letting him lean back against her – effectively cuddling him like an oversized teddy bear. He could appreciate the position, their shared nudity less lewd and more intimate, trusting each other not to do something perverse.
After soaking for a good five minutes Hanazuki then began to actually wash him; lathering up a wash cloth and doing his upper body, humming a sweet tune into his ear as she did everything for him – naturally leaving his lower body for him to do. He took his time doing so, just savouring their closeness for as long as the moment would last.
However a knock at the door drew their attention – Murmansk. ''Commander~ Breakfast is almost ready~''
''Understood.'' The Commander needed to raised his voice only slightly to be heard.
''Time to get out~'' Hanazuki sang, petting his shoulder. ''I'll wait until you're out and drain the bath, don't worry about it~''
Nodding slightly the Commander climbed out of the bath, plucking up a towel and drying himself off – listening to Hanazuki hum a cutesy tune as she bathed for a little bit longer. To his delight the towel he chose was warmed up already, leaving it pleasantly warm against his skin and drying him that little bit faster, and in record time he was dried up and swiftly dressed himself, finishing the last few buttons before departing the bathroom.
The voices of the others became much more apparent as he walked out into the hallway, luring him down into the living room. Beige wallpaper met burgundy carpet, a wooden table situated off to the right-side of the room with a couch and two chairs, the TV situated directly in front of them. On the other side of living room was the open kitchen, nothing but a counter separating the two rooms; plenty of sunlight pouring in over the granite counter-tops through the square, paned-glass windows.
''Ah? Good morning Commander!''
Murmansk was the one to greet him, a bright smile on her pretty face as she set the table cutlery. Behind the counter busy at work was Belchan and Leander, the latter instructing the former as they fried what smelt like bacon, the delicious smoky scent rich in the air. Z28 on the other hand was attending to something in the oven, whilst Amagi was sat on the couch watching TV, a picnic basket next to her as she idly checked it every so often.
''Breakfast is just about done, Master!'' Belchan merrily called out to him.
''Ah... thanks, girls.'' The Commander bashfully replied.
Murmansk giggled, beckoning him over and getting him seated – shushing any attempts at helping set the table, not that there was much left to set anyway. True to Belchan's words breakfast was soon done; a plate full of bacon, scrambled eggs, sliced fried potatoes and baked beans laid out before him, a mug of freshly-brewed coffee laid down not a second later. Murmansk chirped a thanks as her own plate was laid down, the scraping of kitchen cutlery on plates filling the room as Leander methodically dished up everyone's breakfast whilst Z28 continued cooking.
Hanazuki came out of the bathroom fully dressed a moment later, smiling merrily as she took a seat. ''Thank you Leander-san~''
''It's fine~'' Leander cheerfully replied.
The others began to gather too as dishes were served. Amagi stayed on the couch and had hers on the living room table alongside Z28 and Belchan due to the lack of space around the main dining table, whilst Leander joined the Commander on his right; all of them tucking in with various sounds of delight. The bacon was well-done but not too crispy, the potatoes soft but with a slight crispy rim and light orange-brown tinge, the scrambled eggs were fluffy and the beans melt-in-the-mouth delicious.
''Mmph, sho good~'' Murmansk held her cheek as she chewed, bliss shining across her radiant visage.
''It's very good.'' Amagi agreed warmly, gracefully cutting one of her fried potatoes in half and sliding it into her mouth, humming.
Belchan, Z28 and Leander all giggled at the praise, their gazes turning to him for praise. To which he gave them.
''It's delicious.'' The Commander said with a mouthful of warm potato and bacon.
''Don't talk and chew~'' Amagi called out from the couch, tone chastising like a mother's.
Snickering filled the air, and together the group of seven continued their wholesome meal. They cheerfully chatted with him and each other, mentioning how Akagi and Akagi-chan had gotten into a spat over who got what, considering they were essentially one in the same. Or how Enterprise had tied herself to an arrow and launched it into the sky in some strange attempt at becoming airborne; later found hanging from the wall of the cafeteria by said arrow and rope, rather nonplussed given her situation.
More interesting stories arose from Murmansk, who merrily told of how Tashkent was mugged in an alley, only to beat the guy up and, through a series of convoluted events, became the leader of a gambling ring for an evening before getting bored and coming back to the base. Which explained where the Destroyer got that big briefcase of cash out of nowhere a last week; he'd thought she'd just gone to the casino and won big.
Soon all of them finished with their meals, their plates gathered up by Leander and Z28 before being washed off in the sink, allowing the others to just all relax.
Inevitably, the Commander got curious and had to ask Amagi the obvious question. ''What's with the basket?''
''This?'' The fox-woman smiled kindly at him. ''We were thinking of going on a picnic together. There's a nice little spot up on the hill we picked out, if you're up for it.''
He flushed, scratching his head bashfully. Amagi clearly still remembered that he liked picnics. ''Aha, sure...''
''Then let's get ready then.'' Amagi gracefully rose to her feet. ''We'll just be a few minutes Commander.''
''Of course, it's no rush.''
''Hmhm, of that I am aware~''
X-x-X
A short fifteen minutes later everyone was ready and departed as planned, taking the long walk to their destination.
Leander had taken a sun-hat out with her, the wide-brimmed hat shielding her face from the sun as she merrily walked alongside him. Up ahead was Murmansk and Hanazuki, the two amicably talking whilst further up ahead was Amagi, the motherly woman chatting with Belchan and Z28, sharing some cooking recipes for the two to try in their own time – something related to fish, if his hearing was correct.
The hill around them was brightly-lit despite the many lush trees; mottled shadows wavering across the dirt pathway that slowly ascended upwards towards the picnic spot. This far away from the base there was little in the way of chatter, only the serene sounds of nature around to disturb the peaceful quiet, the slow howl of a strong wind occasionally joining in. And naturally the girls had forbidden him from carrying the picnic basket; Z28 herself being the one to proclaim herself responsible for it.
The Commander sighed fondly. He couldn't say he didn't appreciate the gesture; allowing him to walk unburdened for a change.
A quiet giggle next to him drew his eye down to Leander. The strawberry-blonde smiled warmly at him, subtly slipping her lithe hand over and intertwining her fingers with his, holding his hand. ''It's a lovely day today isn't it, Commander?''
''Yeah.'' He chuckled embarrassedly in agreement. ''I hope Monarch and Belfast don't mind being stuck in the office though...''
Leander was quick to chase away any such worries, pouting up at him and bopping him on the nose with a dainty finger. ''They'll be fine, Commander. Unlike you, they know how to take a break. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from them.''
He flushed. ''I-It's not that bad, is it?''
''Mm, your work ethic needs some adjustments, Commander~'' Murmansk's lilted voice reached his ears; the fox-tailed girl slowed down until she was walking by his side. ''It's no good for your health you know~''
''I know, but it's normally manageable...'' He weakly defended himself. ''I mean, sorta anyway...''
Leander squeezed his hand. ''It's not, Commander. You don't have to push yourself so hard; you can always ask us for help if you need it, even if it's just for a break.''
''Mm.'' Hanazuki hummed an agreement of her own. ''I wouldn't mind coming by and making some tea for you Commander. We could go outside for a bit and just talk; a little break wouldn't hurt.''
''Ah, I could bring Tashkent and Grozny around as well!'' Murmansk merrily added with a bright smile. ''We could play cards! I've gotten really good at keeping a straight face now~''
''Considering Tashkent just hosted a gambling ring, is that really a wise idea?'' The Commander had to ask.
Murmansk just giggled. ''It was only for a night! It's fine~''
Leander tickled his arm with her fingers, smiling warmly as she rested her head on his shoulder. ''You can rely on us more, Commander. We'll always be here to help you.''
''I...'' His cheeks tingled. ''Thank you, girls...''
''Aw, you're blushing~''
''I-I'm not-''
''Eheh, you look so cute like that, Commander~''
Between the three girls teasing him, his cheeks remained red all the way up to their destination. The dirt path took them to a flat plateau of grass, the trees growing sparse as the hill became predominantly grass with a few bunches of taller grass dotted about. What was most encapsulating about the spot however was that it overlooked the land ahead of it; the hill declining down into a lush grassland, some farms visible in the distance.
With a cheerful declaration of 'here we are~' Leander skipped ahead, joining Z28 and helping the Destroyer unpack. The others joined in, and soon they had a large blanket laid out across the grass, the picnic basket laid in the centre to keep it held down. When taking into account the length of their journey it had been just over an hour since they'd eaten, meaning that none were quite ready for lunch yet.
Perhaps as such, it was Murmansk who merrily skipped up to him. ''Commander, do you want to see a secret~?''
The musical tone piqued his interest. ''Sure?''
Smiling brightly Murmansk took his hand in her own, whisking him away from the others with an errant giggle – leading him back towards the treeline. Rather than pull him back the way they came she instead took him down another, albeit much more grassy pathway a couple dozen metres away. The shade of the thicker trees left the path bathed in shadows, the coolness a welcome reprieve from the heat beyond the tree's reach.
''It's this way.'' Murmansk winked back at him, bringing one finger up to her lip. ''Ssh~''
His curiosity only growing the Commander followed after her, the two of them soon trudging off of the dirt path and over to one tree in particular, the trunk thicker and more rugged than the surrounding ones. Murmansk looked around for a second, still holding his hand in a loose grip, before finally she brought a hand up and held it next to her lips, speaking in a soft voice.
''Kola-san~ Murmansk cooed.
A brief rustle, then more rustling – before a brown furry creature ran down the length of the trunk, coming down to the roots.
A squirrel.
''There you are~'' Murmansk smiled happily, kneeling down. ''How are you? Did you find lots of yummy nuts~?''
The squirrel, naturally, didn't respond, but did cock its head to the side slightly. It looked between him and Murmansk almost inquisitively, remarkably placid despite how close they were to it.
''This is...?'' The Commander drew out the words curiously.
''Kola-san.'' Murmansk finished for him with a smile. ''He's adorable, isn't he~? I found him a few weeks ago with an injured leg, so me and Hanazuki nursed it back to health~''
The squirrel in question shifted about slightly, sniffing in her direction. Giggling prettily Murmansk took out a small plastic bag from her coat pocket, revealing it to be full of nuts. With as much eagerness as the small animal could muster Kola-san crawled halfway up her leg, sniffing at the bag and prompting the cruiser to hold the bag a little higher.
''Commander, do you want to feed him~?'' Murmansk offered kindly.
He scratched his head slightly. ''I could try...''
''Don't worry, just hold it in your palm and stay very still~''
Trusting Murmansk's words he let the cruiser pop the bag open, the rustling of the plastic audible as she poured a handful of nuts into his palm. At her whispered instruction he lowered his hand close to the ground, prompting Kola-san to approach, sniffing cautiously. The squirrel looked up at him inquisitively, tentatively laying a hand on his index finger; the squirrel's small claws pressing down on his skin painlessly as it half-crawled onto his hand, going for the nuts.
Then with a soft sound that he couldn't quite name, Kola-san nabbed some of the nuts, munching. After a second he darted his head in again and swiped another few, cheeks bulging slightly as he ate his fill.
''See?'' Murmansk whispered into his ear quietly. ''He's not too shy~''
The Commander could only nod slightly, and at Murmansk's playful suggestion he slid his other hand above Kola-san. Sensing his hesitation Murmansk tenderly guided him the rest of the way, holding two of his fingers and guiding them down the squirrel's back – petting him. Kola-san didn't mind, too busy munching away on nuts to really care what they were doing.
''His fur's soft...'' He couldn't help but note aloud.
''Mm, not as much as his sister's though~''
''Sister's...?''
As if on cue several more squirrels descended from the tree, all of them tentatively climbing upon the two as the Commander awkwardly fed them.
He would return to the others with three squirrels still climbing upon him, earning a round of laughs from his picnic companions. The fact that he was now Kola-san's favourite feeder gave him some solace, though.
X-x-X
The whole afternoon was spent out on the hill, playing with squirrels or getting a lap-pillow from Amagi, the latter lulling him into a pleasant nap – to which he later woke up from and found Belchan napping on his own lap.
Eventually they returned back to his house, the amber sky slowly fading to purple and with flocks of birds cawing into the distance. Rather than head back inside immediately though they opted to stay out a little bit longer, enjoying the cool air for as long as it would last. Which they spent by playing hide-and-seek.
His residence was the perfect location for it. His house aside, he had a sizeable garden with plenty of trimmings – a shed, a row of trees before the brick wall, some shrubs resting underneath a cherry blossom tree, several thick trees near the side of his property along with some shrubs and a bench on the other side, it was an uncharted wonderland for such a game. As such it only made sense they'd play it there.
''Okay, I'll start counting down from thirty~'' Hanazuki merrily called out. ''Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight...''
The Commander quietly slipped away from the pink-haired Destroyer, the others all doing the same bar Amagi; the fox-woman currently sat on the grass with an amused smile, watching. He spotted Leander heading for the shed and Belchan for the flowers, prompting him to go for the trees by the brick wall. Shadows fell over him as he dipped behind them, carefully ducking under the branches before putting his back to the wood.
Until a familiar voice whispered to him. ''Commander, up here!''
He looked up, spotting Z28 sitting up on the one of the lower branches. She grinned at him and leaned forwards as much as she dared, offering a hand – and when he took it she hauled him up with a grunt of effort, using her superhuman strength to lift him. He managed to get a grip on the branch next to hers, climbing up onto it, but it was too thin to support his weight. Z28 solved that issue for him, shifting closer to the trunk and whispering for him to get behind her. The Commander did so, a light flush colouring his cheeks as he held onto Z28, the shortstack giggling at his embarrassment.
''How'd you find this so quick?'' The Commander whispered to her. He hadn't even seen her run over.
Z28 just winked back at him. ''Me and my sisters always play hide-and-seek; I'm a natural~''
Just then Hanazuki's raised voice reached their ears. ''-and zero~ Ready or not, here I come~''
The two of them fell silent, straining their hearing. Thanks to the thick leaves of the tree they couldn't see Hanazuki moving about, able to only hear the slow crunching of grass and the occasional amused comment from Amagi – cheekily leading the fox-girl in the general direction of one of the hiders. And soon she stumbled upon one.
''...Leander-san~ I can see your shoes~''
The lilted words were followed by the sound of a bush rustling – before the cruiser squeaked, caught. One down Hanazuki went in search of her next target, meandering around and growing closer to the Commander's spot... before Hanazuki walked past after only peeking around the trunks, the swish of her pink tail scarcely seen from up high. Instead the Sakura girl went down towards the bench, curiously poking around; until she poked a certain maid hidden behind it.
''Found you~''
Belchan whined, but conceded her defeat. Once more eliminated Hanazuki made her way across the garden – when this time Amagi piped up.
''Perhaps you should check the trees again~ I think there might be something in that area~''
Mentally cursing the mischievous fox-woman the Commander tried to make himself as small as possible, as did Z28. He all but squished her against the tree, their legs curling up as much as they feasibly could to minimise how much they hung down. The slow trudging of footsteps passed by underneath them, passing by-
-before they stopped.
'Dammit.'
Hanazuki leaned back, looking up the tree and finding them – a warm smile spreading across her lips. ''Found you, Commander~''
A spark of curiosity filled the Commander. 'Does she not see Z28...?'
Keeping that thought to himself he replied to his pink companion. ''Alright, alright, you got me. I'm coming down.''
Hanazuki giggled... and went away. The Commander looked at Z28, earning a surprised look in turn from the Destroyer – before with a wink he began to climb down, making no effort to correct Hanazuki.
He dropped down the last few feet, grunting lightly and meandering out into the open. The only ones left to be found was Murmansk and Z28 so he made his way over to Amagi, expelling a breath as he took a seat next to her. A pat of her lap was all it took to convince him to lay down, releasing a pleased breath as he laid his head upon her soft thighs, her kimono smooth against the back of his head.
''...I wonder if she'll find her.'' The Commander murmured subtly up to Amagi.
The Battlecruiser ran her fingers through his hair soothingly. ''Ssh.''
He did; falling quiet and enjoying the cool fingers weaving through his hair. Leander and Belchan took their seats next to him, the former admiring Amagi's tails and cooing as she touched them whilst Belchan tentatively petted him too, an adorable look of curiosity as she ran her fingers through his hair. It was a pleasant, peaceful sensation.
''Um, Master...'' Belchan piped up shyly. ''You can use my lap too, if you'd like?''
The Commander spared a look up at Amagi, the older woman chuckling to herself and nodding. In response the Commander shifted slightly to the side and laid his head back into Belchan's slimmer thighs, sighing in content when the petite cruiser began to pet him more confidently, her lithe digits weaving through his hair and tickling out of his fringe.
''There, there... good Commander...'' Belchan happily pampered him, earning a giggle from Amagi and Leander.
A distant call of 'found you~' soon reached their ears, accompanied by a whine from Murmansk as she extradited herself from behind the shed, pouting.
''Now.'' Hanazuki said as she returned to the centre of the garden where they all were. ''Where's Z28 gone to...?''
''Who knows.'' Amagi amusedly commented. ''If you can't find her in five minutes though, then she's won.''
Hanazuki took that as a challenge. With a look of cute determination on her visage Hanazuki searched, poking behind bushes or around trees, even going as far as entering the shed to search – only to quickly retreat when she found a spider, frantically pawing at her tail to make sure no webs had gotten stuck there. After Murmansk reassured her that there was nothing stuck Hanazuki continued her search.
Until eventually, Amagi had to call it. ''Time's up~ Z28 is the winner~''
Barely a few seconds later Z28 hopped down from her spot in the tree, giggling at the look of disbelief on Hanazuki's face. ''Hehe~''
The pink fox-girl said nothing, but the puffy-cheeked pout she shot his way was any indication, she was quite unimpressed he hadn't betrayed his hiding buddy. The Commander chuckled sheepishly at that, rising back up to his feet and dusting off his clothes – only to let out a surprised 'oof!' when a certain Ironblood Destroyer tackled him in a hug.
''Thanks, Commander~!'' Z28 cheerfully thanked, grinning up at him. ''Knew I could count on you~''
The Commander smiled lightly, petting the Destroyer's head and ruffling her hair – earning a soft coo from Z28, her arms remaining wrapped around him in a hug. For an extended period of time.
''Z28?''
''Hm?'' The Destroyer looked up at him – and then blushed. ''Oh! Sorry, heheh...''
''Since you won last, Z28, you'll be the seeker this time.'' Amagi called out amusedly, interrupting their moment.
''Okay~!'' Z28 saluted, covering her eyes. ''Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight...''
Much like before everyone scattered, but the Commander lingered, debating his options. Amagi helpfully tugged on his arm, one finger touching her lips in a shushing motion before pointing behind her – at her tails.
The Commander took the hint, carefully stepping behind Amagi and leaning his back up against hers, her warm, fluffy fox tails slowly embracing him as much as they could. Then with a slow tilt of her umbrella she covered his front – leaving him completely concealed between her tails and umbrella, hidden from outside view. He doubted it'd work...
...but when Z28 finished counting and went off searching, he realised it did.
''Take a rest, Commander.'' Amagi murmured to him, amusement evident. ''Ten minutes of rest wouldn't do you any harm.''
''Heh... thanks...'' The Commander chuckled quietly, shutting his eyes – basking in the cool air of the evening.
He got his promised ten minutes, and then it was right back to hunting down his girls, catching them with only moderate difficulty.
X-x-X
Night fell shortly after, all of them returning inside his abode as Amagi and Belchan made dinner. The simple but filling stew was a wholesome one, bringing with it a night of amicable chatter..
Now though, an hour after dinner, everyone had resigned from the kitchen and huddled into the living room. The TV was flicked on and a movie was selected after a brief debate; the group as a whole choosing more of a dramatic action one. At first they were all up and eager, watching with enthusiasm and munching on some sweets that Z28 had kindly made for them, with a special bag of dark chocolate made for the Commander himself. One that she 'poured all of her heart into, just for him~' in her own words.
After much snacking and movie-watching though the eventful day eventually caught up to all of them. One by one all the girls fell asleep, starting with Amagi who fell asleep in her chair, snoozing away with her head resting against her shoulder. Next came Belchan and Z28, the two having been laid flat across the floor before dozing off, chins resting on their folded arms and their bag of candy forgotten.
The Commander himself was nearly asleep too, sat in the middle of the couch and with Leander on his right, her head lolled against his shoulder. Murmansk was on his other side, a dopey smile on her face even in her sleep, with Hanazuki snoozing away next to the Northern woman, her fox ears occasionally twitching in her sleep.
''...hah...'' He smiled tenderly. He was lucky to have such good companions.
Staring at the TV – stuck on the main menu – the Commander carefully extradited himself from between Leander and Murmansk, holding Leander's shoulder and adjusting her in such a way she wouldn't fall and bump heads with Murmansk. That obstacle cleared he searched about for the remote, finding it next to Z28 and plucking it up, turning the movie off for good and quietening the house.
Then with a slight smile he knelt down next to Z28, and picked her up too. She was surprisingly light, allowing him to carry her bridal style without disturbing her sleep, carrying her into the guest bedroom and sliding her into bed. The Commander was careful to not disturb her rest, tiptoeing back out into the living room and returning for Belchan, plucking the lightweight maid up and carefully carrying her into the bed as well. She shifted slightly but didn't wake.
Amagi however would pose a bit more of a problem. While he could carry her, he couldn't do it without waking her – those tails of hers were quite sensitive after all.
''Amagi.'' The Commander whispered into the Battlecruiser's ear, giving her shoulder a careful shake.
The brunette shifted lightly, a soft mumble arising from her before her eyes fluttered open. It took her only a couple seconds to orient herself, humming sleepily as she looked up at him. ''Commander...?''
''Time for bed.'' He told her quietly, smiling. ''Z28 and Belchan are in the guest bedroom. There's room for one more.''
Amagi took the hint, humming warmly and lifting herself up out of the chair. He offered a hand and she took it, allowing him to lead the sleepy fox-woman past the chocolate wrappers on the floor and around the chairs, soon leading her to the room in question.
She slowed as she neared the doorway, smiling back at him. ''We're lucky to have a leader such as you, Commander.''
He flushed lightly, chuckling sheepishly under his breath. ''And I'm lucky to have you girls.''
''Mm.'' Amagi wrapped her arms around him in a tight, cosy hug, petting his back as she spoke softly. ''Anytime you need me, I'll be there, okay?''
''I'll remember that. Night, Amagi.''
''Goodnight, Commander.''
With a slow flutter of cloth and a click, Amagi disappeared within the guest room. The Commander spent a moment to cherish the kind words she gave before quietly slipping back into the living room, approaching Hanazuki first. It was a bit tricky to get his hands under her because of her tail – the slightest touch risked waking her due to how sensitive was – but he managed, stifling a grunt as he lifted Hanazuki up and held her to his chest.
''Mm...'' The Destroyer hummed in her sleep, leaning into his warmth.
Smiling at the cute gesture he carried her into his bedroom, settling her down on the bed and tugging the covers out from under her, laying them over her a moment later. She snuggled into the sheets, and when he was sure she wasn't going to wake he went back for Leander, repeating the journey; holding the cruiser against him and being careful to not bump her head on the doorway as he went in.
He slid her into the spot just opposite of Hanazuki leaving some room in the middle for Murmansk. He went right back for the cruiser, once more leaning down and scooping her up, his cheeks warming up when she nuzzled his collarbone. The cute look of contentedness on her face was one he gladly memorised, looking away from it only as he dipped into his bedroom and carefully laid Murmansk down onto the spot between Hanazuki and Leander-
-and when he let go, she grabbed onto his arm.
''Mm... where you going, Commander...?'' A very sleepy Murmansk mumbled, squinting up at him.
''I was going to sleep on the couch toni-''
''No you're not~'' Murmansk's voice was musical even as she pulled him down, smiling playfully as she snuggled up against him. ''You're staying right here.''
''It'll be a bit of a snug fit with four people...'' He murmured into her shoulder.
''It's fine~'' The cruiser cooed back, cuddling up close with him. ''Nighty-night, Commander~''
Sighing fondly the Commander tucked them all in. ''Night, Murmansk.''
Together they fell asleep, and when the Commander woke up in the morning he found three sleepy girls clinging to him for warmth, much to the amusement of Amagi and Z28, and the exasperation of Belchan.
He was truly lucky to have such companions, indeed.
[END]