Repairs of the Body, Repairs for the Heart

By Major Mike Powell III

Not too long ago, Special Destroyer Fubuki came to the realization that the sight of her best friend, her adorable roommate, Mutsuki, crying was the most heartbreaking sight imaginable.

It was sunset when Fubuki broke Mutsuki out of her sheer denial, the delusion that her sister ship Kisaragi, would one day return home, that she would come back to her.

That day, when Mutsuki broke down into a sobbing wreck in Fubuki's unrelenting embrace, the Special Destroyer felt her heart clench painfully in her chest. Fubuki cried alongside Mutsuki, she shared her pain.

Nobody knew, she never said it out loud…but Fubuki made a vow that night, after seeing Mutsuki's adorable face, blissfully asleep, free of the silent grief over Kisaragi's demise.

Fubuki swore to herself that she would never let anything make Mutsuki cry again.

Was it conceited? Selfish? Perhaps. More than likely. But Fubuki would protect Mutsuki's smile and heart from any and all sorrows.

And now, holding a still fully-clothed, drenched, sobbing Mutsuki in her arms in the repair docks…Fubuki felt like the worst, biggest hypocrite in land, sea or even the air.

"M-Mutsuki-chan-!"

"You idiot, Fubuki-chan!" Fubuki choked back tears of her own upon being on the receiving end of that cry of anguish. Her friend buried her adorable face in the crook of Fubuki's neck and then, hugged the Special Destroyer like her own life depended on it.

Mutsuki knew that her heart did.

"You dummy, Fubuki-chan! How could you be that careless?! You almost...you almost…! Damn it, you could've been sunk, Fubuki-chan!" Mutsuki's beautiful eyes stunned Fubuki when the other girl's face entered her field of vision.

Mutsuki's gaze, the sheer, raw emotion in those eyes spoke a thousand more words than Mutsuki ever could speak out loud; anguish, grief at what could have been lost, frustration…as well as overwhelming relief. And something else.

"Mutsuki-chan…I…I'm sorry! I'm so sorry…I was reckless, I can see that now. Mutsuki-chan, I'm sorry…!" Fubuki had to break the eye contact. She could not hold the girl's gaze. Fubuki felt too utterly ashamed.

Fubuki turned her eyes downwards and to the side.

"Fubuki-chan…hold me. Please." The Special Destroyer's eyes widened in surprise and she turned her gaze back to Mutsuki's face.

The look Mutsuki was giving her was impossible to decipher, so Fubuki simply did as Mutsuki asked. She slowly, hesitantly, wrapped her arms around the girl's tiny waist and embraced her tightly yet as gently as she could.

Mutsuki then surprised Fubuki by fully straddling the nude Fleet Girl's lap and pulling her head in to rest on her soft, warm bosom.

"…Mu-Mutsuki-chan…?" Fubuki whispered her confusion. She could not fight a content sigh from escaping her when Mutsuki gently, affectionately combed her fingers through Fubuki's rich, silky brown locks.

Mutsuki's sweet, gentle voice lulled Fubuki into a sense of peace.

"Fubuki-chan, I already lost Kisaragi-chan. A piece of me sunk with her, I'm not going to deny that. But, Fubuki-chan…please. Please. Never do something this reckless again, alright? Please, promise me you won't take unnecessary risks again. I already lost Kisaragi-chan…I can't lose you too, Fubuki-chan."

Mutsuki's words tugged at Fubuki's heart strings. She was so sweet. Mutsuki was the sweetest person Fubuki had ever met. After such a close call, that incredibly-close brush with mortality…Fubuki did not feel worthy of Mutsuki's affection, but now that she knew what the girl felt for her…

Fubuki moved her face to rest her cheek right above Mutsuki's heart. She let out a shaky sigh.

"Mutsuki-chan…I promise. I promise I won't get obsessed over getting experience ever again. I will never do something like this again. I promise, Mutsuki-chan." Fubuki whispered the vow, and the girl holding her sighed with relief.

"Thank you, Fubuki-chan…thank you." She replied and planted a soft, gentle, lingering kiss on Fubuki's forehead.

"…ne, Mutsuki-chan?" The Special Destroyer asked in a tiny voice, the shiest Mutsuki had ever heard.

"Yes, Fubuki-chan?"

"You're still wearing your uniform…why don't you take it off and just…soak here with me for a bit, please?" Fubuki's face burned with such a hot blush, that Mutsuki could have sworn that she felt the heat coming off of the brunette's cheek on her still-clothed chest.

Or perhaps it was just the bath's water soaking through her clothes.

Either way, Mutsuki smiled sweetly and gave an affirmative sound before pulling away (the two Fleet Girls immediately missing the close contact) so that Mutsuki could take off her uniform.

Just a moment later, Mutsuki lay half-way on top of Fubuki, leaning against the comfortable seat within the bath, their arms wrapped around each other.

Whatever that was left unsaid between them would eventually be cleared up, no doubt. However, in this moment, as they cuddled and held each other as close as can be, closer than friends ever could be, they felt safe and loved. For now, this was alright.

~FIN~