Our Bonds

Urgh... It's kind of difficult to breathe. It's as if something is pressing against my chest.

...

There really is someone on top of me...

I opened my eyes to see a sleeping puppy on my chest. No. Not an actual puppy. You know who I'm talking about,

"Shigure? What are you doing here?"

Wasn't she supposed to be sleeping with Rei? She didn't have to come out to the office area to keep me company.

"Mngh..." (Shigure)

I gently tapped her head, in an attempt to rouse her. Obviously, it didn't work. She is sleeping soundly on top of me. Shigure is awesome. Even if the heater on, I still need to wrap myself in a blanket. This destroyer is sleeping on top of me, on top of my blanket, wearing nothing but my shirt.

Eh? She is wearing one of my shirts? Furthermore, it doesn't seem that she is wearing anything else underneath. I can see her porcelin-coloured collarbone as she shifted around a bit. If you look a bit more carefully, you can definitely see a bit of her-

"Mng~" (Shigure)

"Wha- Woah! Oof!"

Shigure started shifting around, before rolling of me. I hurriedly caught and cushioned her fall. Was Shigure such a figety sleeper? That was dangerous.

"Muyaa~" (Shigure)

And she is still sleeping.

"Hey, wake up."

I gently shook Shigure. She just made some cute noise and continued to make me her literal body pillow. It's cute and all, but it's time to wake up. I poked her cheeks,

"Come on. Wake up."

"Mgh...?" (Shigure)

Ah. She is waking up. Her eyes are barely open as she sleepily looked around,

"Admiral... Good morning..." (Shigure)

"Good morning. Why are you sleeping here?"

Shigure just rubbed her left eye as she made some cute noises. Her right eye was half-opened but she closed it. She then proceed to lie back down onto my chest.

"Hey, don't go back to sleep."

"Mngh~" (Shigure)

I hear my office door knob turn and the door opening. I watched as the twins enter, before staring at us,

"Admiral? Shigure? What are you doing so early in the morning?" (Zuihou)

"No fair. I went in too." (Zuihou-chan)

"I don't know what you two are thinking but I can assure it's not whatever you two have in mind."

The door to my room swung open and a sleepy Rei, who was wearing nothing but my shirt, walked out, made a turn towards my bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Shigure! Why did you dress her like that?!

"Admiral?" (Zuihou)

I can sense bloodl.u.s.t from Zuihou,

"You got it wrong. It's not what you think."

"Oh? Then what it is?" (Zuihou)

"Last night..."

I hear the sound of toilet flushing, followed by running water. The door opened inwards and Rei sleepily walked out and was about to reenter my room,

"Don't go back to sleep!"

"!!!" (Shigure)

"!!!" (Rei)

Looks like me shouting woke the both of them up.

"Eh? Admiral? Shigure? What are you two doing in my room?" (Rei)

"Are you still asleep? This is clearly my room."

"Huh?" (Rei)

-------------------------------------

"I'm so sorry!" (Rei)

Rei, in her uniform, knelt on the ground in a Dogeza position. I had explained to her what happened last night and why she was in my room. Meanwhile, Zuihou-chan brought Shigure to the bathroom to wash up and get dressed.

"I get it. I get it already. Enough with the doges. You are making me feel awkward."

I'm not used to people doing that to me. It makes me feel guilty. Rei's head is off the floor but she is still kneeling.

"That was the second time. I didn't know you were a heavy drinker. I could have guess that, but not to the extent where you would vomit all over the place."

"I have no excuses." (Rei)

"Why are speaking in a formal tone? Ah, whatever."

Now that I think of it, Rei has been acting weird for quite a while. She would often request to leave the base on weekends, and come back exhausted and dejected. Maybe she has been drowning her sorrow in alcohol for a while now without me noticing.

"Is there-"

"Could it be, you are experiencing some kind of trouble outside?" (Zuihou)

Zuihou beat me to it.

"You have been staying out late every weekend. Avrora told me that even your work has become sloppy. Is there something wrong?" (Zuihou)

Really? How come I have no knowledge of such things happening to my subordinate?

"You know, you can always talk to me about your problems. I can probably give an advice or two. If not, I can still lend a listening ear."

"Really? You don't mind?" (Rei)

"It's part of the boss' job to listen to the worries of their colleagues and subordinates. Besides, how much experience do you think I have listening to the complains of these girls? Gargh!!"

Zuihou punched my sides, sending me flying off the chair.

"What Admiral meant is that, you can always talk to us. Like what this stupid, pervert Admiral always says, we are technically a family." (Zuihou)

"Y-yeah."

Ouch. Do you have to punch me that hard? You plane-freak loli. I gonna tie you up later.

"Rei, is there something bothering you? You are usually playful. It's unusual to see you like this."