Zuikaku saw the SDBs falling from the skies to her, dodge to the left and right to avoid the torpedoes had left her vulnerable to the dive bombers. She saw them pull up at the last minute disconnecting the small bomb. There is no where to run, no escape. She watches in horror unable to react scream make any sound she stares at it, fall almost gracefully. There is a flash
She woke up with a jolt, wide awake and breathing heavily, sweating with shaking hands, Enterprise looks around and sees she is in her room on the base she feels the arm of her girlfriend on her lap. She looks beside her to see her stir in her sleep, she opens her eyes slowly.
“E?” Zuikaku takes a sleepy look at her girlfriend, it took only a moment to register something was wrong. Eyes wide awake Zuikaku sat up and puts an arm around Enterprise’s shoulder the other lightly brushes her cheek.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMZhPnCFOU
“Whats wrong, what happened?” concern in her voice. Enterprise takes the hand on her cheek and holds it gently in both hands as if it were a fragile bird. “E whats wrong, I’m right here for-” Enterprise looks at her girlfriend’s concerned face. Enterprise takes a deep breath and releases it slowly
“Bad dream...” she says. Zuikaku is a little surprised then it occurs to her523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCCsQhtnTa
“Remembering that hit from Leyte?” Zuikaku moves closer to her, but is surprise when E pulls her into a strong and possessive embrace “E!? its ok you are alright” Zuikaku says from the hug.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfE1IEnDzG
“Not me” comes the small whisper.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39VCVTxbLf
“Not me-?” Zuikaku repeats.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYnE4nTUwQ
“I saw the footage of the fight at Cape Engaño” Zuikaku tried to suppress a shiver remembering the day of her sinking.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnm2vuqnMB0
Enterprise lets out a deep sigh “I remembered the footage back then the cheers and hoots, I hadn't thought about it much but...” she pauses and looks into her girlfriend’s eyes and looks away but holds her a little tighter.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENGiTbIbgg
Zuikaku is not sure what she is getting at at first, but then.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXkxlsjQeA
“You dreamed it was me, as in me now in those reels” not a question just a statement. Zuikaku feels sudden tenseness to the embrace.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTe1Kip7bHB
Zuikaku has been back a lot longer than Enterprise as have most of the IJN, most have come to terms with their sinking, they will never truly get over it some say but it does not dominate their lives. From what Zuikaku knows though, the survivors of desperate or lost battles those “Luck Ships” are the most troubled as they had to witness the loss of many loved ones the fall of everything they stood for.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjF3uq7ScRd
Zuikaku remembers an incident with Shigure being called a lucky ship, the poor girl had nearly lost it if not for Yukikaze.
Zuikaku pulled away from Enterprise her arms dropping to the bed, Zuikaku placed both arms on her shoulders523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaD0N5WDn9
“You had nothing to do with that” as Enterprise was about to say protest Zuikaku continued “and even if you were we were both fighting for our country I hold no grudge and I love-”
“I know I know, its just I saw so many go down and…its just..I I the thought of you it” her voice cracked as she tried to get out the word523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0k4d75a6L
Zuikaku took her face in both hands and brought their lips together, she pulled back after a moment523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyKPlmtkeP
“I am not going anywhere and thanks to you I am more prepared for anything they can throw at me.” she ran a thumb across Enterprise’s cheek “Also” She pressed her forehead gently against Enterprise’s “I have no intention of leaving you”
Enterprise looked at her girlfriend, “Neither will I”
Zuikaku leaned back “Now lets get back to sleep we have training with Kaga in the morning and I need all my energy to deal with her 5th Car rant”523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJ2JFJVziy
Enterprise frowned at this “I still don’t see why you let her do that you can easily out perform her and the so called 1st Car.”523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡms1khqrKfU
“Pride is important to her and if it keeps her moral up I will just put up with it, and she is nowhere near as bad as when she first got here”523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhCaVCYa7a
Enterpise lay down an arm extend out across the bed“That’s another thing, you are the shempai”523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRSfZrHpXv
“Senpai” Zuikaku corrected523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugLdHpIzfw
“Whatever you are the superior on this base miss secretary ship, she should be showing more respect” Zuikaku lay down on Enterprise’s arm and draped her arm over her to hug her just below her bosom.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG1aotmXre
“Yeah but it keeps moral up if ships see her giving me a hard time things can’t be that bad right” Zuikaku said as she nuzzled into her girlfriend hugging her gently.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPI8pAgxbHi
With a sigh Enterprise rubbed Zuikaku’s head with her free hand.
Enterprise thought to herself if she was told that she would be in a relationship with a Japanese ship 2 years ago she would have laughed made a joke about geishas and assassinations. But here she was in bed with a IJN ship and very much in love, not only that but loved back by the most prickly carrier she had ever met.
She remembered how she had laughed when Washington had asked her where to take a girl out on the base, recommended she try somewhere light like Hosho’s but not too late. She was even more surprised when she heard from SDakota that Wash had been pining after a Japanese Battleship none other than Kirishima who she herself had sunk. Probably not a good idea to ask how she felt about sinking her back then.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRdmzNzCU4
Enterprise looked over to see the peaceful face of her girlfriend fast asleep, its innocence betrayed the brave and dedicated ship she was to her friends and allies.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8NPRd0tsW
If she did not see it herself, she would not have believed she could make that face out side of the scowl she always wore when they first met. Those were some rough waters under the bridge.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaBafODmpa
“Well better get some sleep to put that 1stCarr in her place later”523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoRbBHtZLv
"Don't you dare" came a muffled response523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCaAG28KkF
She folded her hand under Zuikaku so she could pull her closer.523Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iREfbkNir
Putting her head back on her pillow it was not long before she drifted back into a peaceful sleep to the feeling of gentle breathing against her side.
