Houshou

You open your eyes, and everything you see is blurry, your consciousness is hazy, and you only feel a sticky pain in a daze.

The most vivid sensation was a tingling sensation on your cheek. You moaned softly and tried to get up, but your body wouldn't obey.

You blink slowly, once, twice. Your vision slowly returns, and your thoughts become clear. You're slumped over your desk. You finally pull yourself up and try to sit back up. Your cheek, clung to the damp, hot surface, now meets the cold air, and the numbness gradually gives way to a burning pain.

You stare blankly at the dim office, your lips parted in a daze. As consciousness returns, a wave of pain begins to surge deep within your brain. You bite your lower lip, resting your head on your hands, and groan again.

You remember struggling with endless work. Realizing you've fallen into a deep sleep, you sigh deeply. You remembered it was still dusk in your office, but now it's pitch black outside the window. Sigh……………

Well…at least you got the work done…

You think back to everything that happened today.

Today was truly not your day. You stare blankly at the empty, dimly lit room.

……

Something catches your eye; it emanates a warmth that seems out of place in the cold space. You turn around and flick on the desk lamp, a yellow-orange glow instantly illuminating the room. Looking back, you see a small, warm white thermos, its warmth even more inviting. You reach out and pick up the thermos. It's positioned just right, neither too far nor too close, not intruding on your personal space, yet you lift it effortlessly. You examine it closely. The milky white bottle is made of frosted metal, eliminating glare. It feels smooth and comfortable in your hands, almost warm. Small and light, you spot a small, peach-pink flower nestled low in the bottle, softer than red, yet more vibrant than pink. Observing this unfamiliar little object, you find yourself perking up. You gently shake the bottle, being pretty sure it's filled with liquid. You unscrew the tight-fitting lid. With a pop, steam rises from the bottle, and you can't help but feel your cheeks and upper body warm. You immediately smell the aroma. Gazing into the bottle's mouth, the color and aroma of the hot broth make your salivate. You know this bowl of soup is absolutely delicious. Unable to wait to put the thermos down, you shift into a sitting position, cradling it and bringing the broth to your lips. The back of your tongue trembles, a pleasant tingle tingles in your taste buds, and your jaw twitches slightly. The broth is perfectly warm, and you take sip after sip, feeling the warmth slowly spread from your throat and stomach throughout your body. Though it's not a luxurious or expensive dish, it unexpectedly fills you with a sense of immense happiness. You gaze at the empty cup in your hand. The simple, warm presence, the unparalleled thoughtfulness, and the attention to detail leave you with no doubt as to who this thermos's owner belongs to.

You remembered your appointment with Houshou.

You practically ran to Houshou's room. Even after everything that had happened, the thought of forgetting your appointment still filled you with irritation and panic. Breathless, you knocked on her door as gently as you could. It was so late, and if she didn't respond, you'd have no choice but to leave. However, the door soon opened gently. Houshou looked up slightly and smiled at you. "Thank you for your hard work, Admiral. I'm glad you came." She was wearing a soft nightgown, clearly fresh from the shower. Her long, dark hair was fluffy and soft, slightly damp, but neatly tied into the ponytail she'd worn during the day, though slightly undone. Noticing your distraction, she narrowed her eyes in a smile. "I think you're more used to seeing me like this," she explained delicately. She noticed you holding the thermos and smiled, taking your wrist. "Thank you for bringing me the bottle. Is the soup in it good?" Without giving you time to waste a word, she took the jar, covered it, and put it aside.

"Don't you have to wash the cup?" you asked. She simply took you into the room, her usual smile on her face. "I can do that tomorrow, but we only have tonight." She leaned against your chest, pulling you close, her lips brushing against your ear. "...You're more important."

You couldn't help but feel a surge of heat wash over you. You didn't know where to turn, so you could only stare at the approaching bedroom, glancing at her beside you. Petite, yet determined.

The soft bed was right before her. She suddenly let go of your hand and slumped down onto it.

Patting the mattress beside her, Houshou tilted her head slightly. "Come, Admiral, here."

You looked at her, sitting alone on the edge of the bed. She looked so small, and against the sheer size of the bed, you felt a sudden sense of daunting fear. 'Is she secretly upset about my missed appointment?' 'Will I soil her bed?' You, like a stiff puppet, finally sit down at her request.

The distance between you is delicate and distant, and your toes are practically curled with anxiety. Suddenly, you feel a soft hand wrap around your waist and climb up your back. Under Houshou's guidance, you unconsciously lie on your side. You feel the hem of the soft bathrobe open against your cheek, her cool yet warm skin against yours as she rests your head on her lap.

You can't see Houshou's expression, but you hear the soft humming of a nursery rhyme from above, like the melody of an elf. The floral scent of her shampoo makes you feel like you're in a dream. Her hand touches your hair, gently toying with it and massaging your scalp.

You were in her arms, and she caressed your hair and face lovingly. After an indeterminate moment, she leaned down and whispered in your ear: "...Want to cuddle with Mommy some more? Or do you want to share what happened today with me? Whatever you want to do, I'm here..."

You stretched, calculating in your mind: it was approaching noon, and you were nearly done with your mission for the day. So you worked furiously, a little past noon, but you finally finished. With a victory sign, you stepped out of the admiral's office.

As if in response to the impending lunch break, your stomach growled. You pondered what to have for lunch and headed for the mess hall. A donburi, noodles, or a little extravagance with yakiniku? Western food? Light bites like sandwiches or pancakes, or perhaps a burger or a steak? From tsukudani to goulash (beef stew), Houshou always seemed to have a way of creating a variety of dishes to satisfy the palates of the Navy Base and beyond. Your mouth watered at the thought of the delicious food you were about to enjoy.

But the unexpected always came quickly and unexpectedly. You see destroyers scurrying past you in twos and threes, seemingly a playful scene of jockeying for a table at a restaurant. But you notice some are heavily armed. Finally, the destroyer Shimakaze glimpses you and slams on the brakes beside you: "Oh, Admiral! You're here. Something serious has happened." She reports to you while running in place, her legs raised high: "Abyssal has intruded into the naval base!" You nearly faint.

As you both run, you try to understand the situation. 'The fastest ship,' Shimakaze, remains calm and composed. Running at human speed is surely a piece of cake for her. She calmly shares the information with you. "It seems the enemy sneaked in when the cargo ship entered the port. Nagato-ne had a hunch and ordered a search of the cargo container, only to discover an abyssal sea mine had popped out from inside." "The abyssals outside were immediately dealt with, but some have been sighted moving through the base corridors. Fortunately, they appear to be small, insignificant individuals. The most recent sighting involved an abyssal emerging from a crate of saury being delivered to the kitchen. All destroyers and coastal defense ships are now deployed to stop the enemy before the situation escalates." Shimakaze gestures and explains rapidly. You seem to be nearing the epicenter of the situation, watching as a large group of destroyers form a human wall, chattering and surrounding something at the end of the road. You and Shimakaze slip into the crowd, and the sight before you makes your hair stand on end: a fish-shaped abyssal entity, seemingly a souped-up variant of the I-class destroyer. Though smaller, it's still the size of a large dog, its body black and covered in twisted scales, its massive tail lashing wildly. Its body is short and fat, but its head—or rather, its face—is incredibly three-dimensional, its mouth taking up half the total, revealing a mouthful of jagged, rock-like fangs. Its enormous eyes, dominating the rest of its head, glow an ominous green. It looks like something out of a zombie movie, a cross between a shark and a piranha, you think. It flung its foul, sticky juices, howling at the shipgirls. Leading the charge is the Fubuki-class, the No. 1 destroyer, Fubuki raises her naval guns, aiming them straight at the target, her eyes sharp, her hands trembling slightly. "Calm down, Fubuki! If you use a twin-barreled gun here, the whole building might collapse!" The destroyer Akatsuki beside her shakes her shoulders fiercely. "Whatever! The enemy is right before us! Go ahead, Akatsuki-chan! Use oxygen torpedoes! Take it out!" Yudachi, behind her, already has six torpedo in hand, gripping them like kunais, ready to fire, her fighting spirit high. "We-we should really blockade the enemy first and request support from the battleships—" The usually quiet destroyer Hibiki is speechless.

Suddenly, a sharp sound of footsteps rang out. The perceptive Shimakaze turns back, and the other destroyers also make way, like Moses parting the Red Sea. "I was wondering why all the commotion, but it turns out pests have appeared~" Houshou's voice echoes with a smile. She is neatly dressed in a formal apron, but without the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. The peach-colored fabric of her kimono sways gracefully with her steps, and the steel clogs on the bottom of the ship creaks under her feet. With narrowed eyes, she walks straight towards the hull. She ware no other weapons, but in her hand she holds a traditional metal spearing fork, which at first glance resembled a samurai's naginata. The destroyers on either side gaze in awe at this rare weapon.

The ferocious fish, noticing only one enemy remaining, remained where it was, roaring warily at Houshou. In contrast, Houshou continued forward, showing no sign of stopping.

With a quick leap, she swings her right hand, the long fork gliding lightly across the ground, scooping up the strange fish. In an instant, the monster lets out a short howl, its tail flicking lightly in mid-air. The next moment, Houshou grips the fork tightly with both hands and lunges forward. With a gust of wind, the abyssal is pinned to the thick wall of the Navy Base, its head—the neck, in human terms—caught tightly in the grip, sending concrete shards flying everywhere. Sensing danger, the abyssal howls and thrashes frantically, stirring up more dust and debris. Houshou simply tightens the restraints, digging the metal rod deeper and deeper into the wall. The abyssal's struggles grew more frantic, until finally, it fell silent, the light in its eyes dimming.

The destroyers were all stunned, their mouths gaping, frozen in place. You were among them.

You checked your watch. You were ten minutes earlier than expected, and a satisfied smile crossed your face. You'd pulled out all the stops, leaving work an hour early, but recalling how the other shipgirls had pestered you leaving early, you couldn't help but think this was a good outcome.

"It must be an affair! An affair! Admiral was slept with by some wicked woman!" You could still hear Kongou's wailing. She was eventually taken away by her younger sister, Kirishima. Shigure and Kashima had their complaints about your arrangement, but seeing your resolute attitude, they ultimately agreed with your decision.

You apologized to Kongou inwardly, but couldn't hide the smile. You stared at your dorm door, took a deep breath, then reached out and grasped the doorknob. The door slowly opened, revealing Houshou's smiling figure. "Welcome back, Admiral." As if you'd rehearsed it countless times, you had no hesitation about your response. Sharing her smile, you gazed into her eyes and replied, "I'm back, Houshou."

She took your coat and led you inside. "You're back early today. How's work going?" You replied that it was fine, but you couldn't help but tease her. "You don't seem all that surprised." She looked back at you, covering her mouth with her hand to hide her blush. "Actually, I've been getting everything ready for half an hour now. I've been practicing like crazy, wanting to look great in front of you..." She clasped her hands together, a smile plastered across her face, and spoke cheerfully. "You've been working hard, darling. Do you want to shower first? Or having a meal? Or... having me?" Suddenly, she felt embarrassed and reached out to hook the straps of her apron—

You kiss passionately, your hands groping each other, clothes quickly becoming a mess. You clutch Houshou's arms tightly, pulling her toward you. She whimpers in pain, lying raptly against your chest, looking up at you, tongue lolling out, her expression dreamy.

Clothes fall one by one, and you step into the bathroom. You turn on the shower, the temperature perfect, but you don't really care. You lose yourself in each other, almost desperately seeking each other. The mist hits you, lingering and steaming. You feel her tongue caressing your lips, small and soft in contrast of yours. She wraps her arms around your neck, leaning her weight on you.

Just kissing was a boundless pleasure.

She leaned against the wall, her beautiful breasts rising and falling rapidly, her voice trembling with the last vestiges of her rationality. "Let's...let's take a shower..."

Houshou slumped down on the small stool as you massaged her shoulders. You couldn't help but stare at the back of her neck; even her simply tied hair looked beautiful. You applied pressure to her muscles, causing her to moan softly. You scrubbed her back with a towel, once again realizing how petite this powerful aircraft carrier's frame was. You turned to face her, massaging her calves. She lowered her chin, letting out another suppressed moan. You wondered how much pressure she'd accumulated. You wanted to tease her, but then gave up. She deserved to relax, to be liberated, to be cherished.

You swapped places with her. From your perch on the stool, you could feel her hot breath. "I'm gonna wash your back..." she whispered softly. You thought, given her personality, she'd be serious about scrubbing you, but unexpectedly, you felt a soft touch from behind. The distinct outline of her breasts could be felt against your skin, wet and slippery with the soap bubbles. The stimulation of her swollen nipples being touched made her moan softly.

You listened to Houshou's sexial cries, your mind racing as her erotic bath continued.

A day for the light carrier Hoshou begins in the kitchen. After a quick wash and change in her dormitory, she goes to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She takes out the ingredients prepared the night before from the refrigerator, processes fresh fruits and vegetables, and cooks according to the pre-planned menu, ensuring the mess hall opens on time. After the ship girls arrive for their meals, Hoshou keeps an eye on the kitchen, ensuring sufficient food supplies. Sometimes she also takes orders from the girls, preparing meals on the spot. When she has free time, she goes to the rear of the base to sign for and inventory the delivered fresh produce and meat—fruits and vegetables usually arrive first in the morning.

After finishing her work in the kitchen, Hoshou takes a quick shower to ensure she is clean. Then she practices on her own. Although she no longer participates in fleet operations frequently, Hoshou still practices archery every day. In the mornings, the carriers usually have basic training, and the archery dojo is usually quiet. However, Kaga is occasionally there, and the two will quietly practice archery together. Although there's no concrete evidence, Hoshou feels that Kaga enjoys the time with her.

Zuikaku would occasionally sneak into the dojo to practice, but Houshou noticed she never appeared with Kaga. She probably doesn't want Kaga to see her struggling. Compared to the quietness with Kaga, Zuikaku's practice was noisy; she would loudly smack her lips or even swear when she misses, and would loudly complain to Houshou about Kaga's faults. "Ah, Houshou-san! you can't say these things to Kaga!" Houshou smiles as she watches Zuikaku forcefully shots arrows, thinking how cute the kid is. In her heart, she says, "It's alright. You'll definitely become very very strong." However, outwardly, she only gently points out Zuikaku's mistakes, occasionally directly guiding her practice by holding her hand or pressing her waist.

After practice, Houshou would take a bath and then return to the mess hall to prepare lunch and dinner. Zuihou would also occasionally help, at which point the traditional Japanese cooking would be handed over to her.

After dinner service, she will inspect the public baths before returning to the mess hall to clean. The bar area seemed rather messy today; she needed to tidy it up. Houshou had just finished her midday preparations, had a quick lunch, and is thinking as she walks. In the afternoon, she would go to the shopping street for some simple shopping, placing orders directly with the town's vendors, checking the availability of seasonal ingredients, and experimenting with dishes she hadn't made before.

She wares a peach-colored cotton-padded coat to ward off the fluctuating temperatures, carrying a dark green shopping bag. The vendors lining the street greets her warmly, and occasionally, children running past her would recognize her, stop and tell her about their admiration for ship girls. She returns the gentle smiles to the people around her.

She touches her chest and stops. The sounds of the street suddenly seems distant. Her ears are ringing.

Houshou kneels down, hugging herself with one hand and covering her mouth with the other. So nauseous. People are probably gathering around her, but she doesn't notice. Her chest feels so tight and uncomfortable.

She bends over deeply, gagging, thankfully she didn't eat much. She vomits again, this time giving up on covering her mouth. She sees thin liquid dripping onto the floor.

She know what happened, though she hasn't checked—she still feel a little evasive, but actually she was certain.

"...{{user}}..." she called weakly, instinctively calling out his name for some reason.

Houshou stands alone in the room—not her own, but her daughter's. She is tidying up her daughter's room, a weekly routine.

Actually, she would nostalgically slip into her daughter's room every day, observing her daughter's life: the reference books on the wall, the pillows on the bed. Occasionally, she would take out the mug from the cupboard and place it on the desk; before, after knocking and entering the room, she would always see that lovely mug in the same spot.

She dusts the wardrobe, gathers up the hair on the floor—mostly her own; tidies the mattress she had messed up, and wipes the table with a cloth.

The basic tidying was quickly finished; Houshou always kept the house spotless. Standing in the room, she suddenly feels a little lost. The room is empty; her daughter was just going to university, yet she feels so lost. is this the so-called maternal melancholy of a mother whose child has left home?

Houshou shakes her head sharply, trying to shake off the feeling of loneliness. She is happy! She has a loving husband, a lovely daughter, and a blissful family. A gloomy mood would drive away happiness!

Houshou turns to her daughter's wardrobe. {{user}} always advises her to enjoy the little joys of life and to relax occasionally; he would also sometimes shyly cling to her, asking for her company. Houshou appreciates his thoughtfulness, but she simply couldn't sit still. Ultimately, she needs household chores to distract her.

Will the kid be angry? Houshou opens her daughter's wardrobe and takes out the clothes one by one. Clothes that easily yellowed needed to be washed again, clothes that hasn't been worn in a long time could be folded and stored away, socks and underwear needed to be separated, and some miscellaneous items could be tidied up. Houshou squints, a cheerful smile spreading across her face. She feels genuinely happy for contributing to her family. But isn't smiling like this a little silly?

She takes her daughter's middle school uniform from the hanger, smiling nostalgically. The image of the child in that sailor uniform is still vivid in her mind. Though she was reluctant, she has kept it carefully… Houshou gazes at the uniform; the blue and white sailor uniform incorporated European design elements, adorned with gold buttons on the chest, looking quite stylish. The black bow tie provided a pop of color without being as eye-catching as red, and the slightly short, narrow sleeves exuded youthful energy.

...This uniform looks a bit like that… Houshou stares blankly at the short-sleeved sailor uniform, swallowing hard.

Shimakaze's uniform.

Houshou stares at her reflection in the dressing mirror, her heart pounding wildly. Although she is small, the sailor uniform still feels tight around her. Houshou gives an awkward smile, pinching the short hem of her skirt.

I was momentarily bewitched and wore it… daughter's school uniform... She apologized to her daughter in her heart. But ever since more than twenty years ago, before that child was even born, when she was still a ship girl, she had truly loved this kind of clothing. Such a short outfit, worn by a vibrant young girl like Shimakaze… Houshou cupps her blushing cheeks, ashamed of her foolishness.

On the other hand, wearing it on me… houshou looks at herself in the mirror. Her long, glossy black hair cascaded down her back, giving her an unusually delicate appearance. The white sailor uniform, too small for an adult, clung to her body, revealing her navel; twenty years ago, Houshou, as an aircraft carrier shipgirl, had a well-developed, taut waist. Now, although she still strictly adhered to dietary control, her daily life and the fact that she had given birth to a child made her abdomen appear smooth and soft, with a beautiful blush. The matching blue pleated skirt, already short, is further shortened, revealing her fair thighs. Houshou turns to admire her back; the skirt billowed, almost revealing the lines of her underwear and buttocks. Is this…is this okay?!

Though thinking this, Houshou couldn't help but giggle foolishly. If only she could even wear white stockings on, or even a bunny ear headband…

No way no way no way! What am I thinking about in my daughter's suit? Houshou shakes her head violently, trying to shake off the filthy thoughts in her head.

But, I really like it… She sighed, turns to face herself in the mirror again, strokes her loose hair, and sways her skirt.

This look absolutely cannot be seen by {{user}}… Houshou muttered to herself.

She continued to pose, admiring a side of herself she didn't usually see, completely lost in the moment, until a concerned voice came from the hallway: "Houshou, are you there? You seem to have been in the room for a long time, are you alright?"

Houshou snaps back to reality. {{user}} is coming! Houshou doesn't know what to do, whether to hide or conceal herself.

The door to her daughter's room opened, and Houshou's husband is standing there. Houshou turns and their eyes meet, with her short skirt sticking out, her hands futilely trying to cover herself, her face flushed.

"A-Admiral?!" Houshou exclaimes in surprise, so embarrassed that she blurts out the familiar title.

你睜開雙眼，舉目所見一片模糊，意識也朦朧不清，只感到渾渾噩噩的黏膩痛苦。 最鮮明的感覺是臉頰發麻，你微弱呻吟著，想起身，身體卻不聽使喚。 你緩慢眨眼，一次，兩次，視力逐漸緩慢恢復，思緒也變得清晰，你正趴在你的辦公桌上，你終於拖起自己沉重的身軀，試著重新坐好，你的臉頰黏在溼熱的桌面上，現在接觸到冰冷的空氣，痠麻的感覺逐漸代換為熱辣的痛楚。

你望著昏暗的辦公室發呆，雙唇呆愣地張開，隨著知覺恢復，大腦深處開始感到陣陣痛苦，你咬住下唇，托住頭，再度呻吟。

你想起來了，自己原本正和無止境的工作搏鬥。意識到自己深深地睡著了，你大大的嘆了一口氣。你印象中的辦公室還是傍晚，但如今窗外已然漆黑。 唉………………

嘛……至少是把工作做完了……

你又想起了今天發生的種種。

今天實在是個糟糕的一天。你呆呆地望著空蕩蕩的昏暗房間。

……

眼角有東西勾住了你的視線；與冰冷的空間格格不入，那東西兀自散發著溫暖的氛圍，你轉身打開臺燈，黃橙色的光線頓時點亮了室內。回頭看，那是一個暖白色的小小保溫瓶，被暖光烘的更加和煦。 你伸手拿起那個保溫瓶。它的位置不遠不近，不侵犯你的個人空間，你拿起它時卻又毫不費力。你仔細端詳，乳白色的瓶身是磨砂金屬，避免了刺眼的反光，在手裡滑順好摸，彷彿還有著宜人的溫度；尺寸小而輕盈；你在瓶子的低矮處發現了一朵桃紅色小花，比紅色更柔和，但又比粉色更亮眼。 觀察著這陌生的小物，你發現自己開始有了精神。你輕輕搖晃瓶身，確信裏頭裝著液體。你於是將不鬆不緊的蓋子旋開，啵的一聲，蒸蒸熱氣從瓶子裡浮出來，你不禁感到雙頰與上半身一熱。 你立刻聞到了香氣，望進瓶口，熱湯的顏色與氣味令唾腺不自覺分泌。你知道這碗湯絕對好喝得完美。你已等不及將保溫瓶放下，就這麼抱著它挪動身子坐好，將瓶口送到嘴邊。 你的舌根顫抖，味蕾受到一陣愉悅的酸楚，隨著你的下頷微微痙攣；熱湯的溫度恰到好處，你一口接著一口，溫暖由喉嚨與胃慢慢蔓延至全身。

雖然不是豪華名貴的料理，想不到卻令你感到無比的幸福。 你看著手中的空杯，樸實溫潤的存在、無與倫比的體貼以及對細節的追求，你毫不懷疑這保溫瓶的主人是誰。

你想起自己和鳳翔有約。

你幾乎用奔跑的趕往鳳翔的房間。即便發生了那麼多事，想到自己竟忘記與她的約定，你還是感到氣惱又心慌。你上氣不接下氣，盡可能溫柔地敲了敲她的房門；這麼晚了，要是她不回應，你也只能就這麼離開，然而，房門不久便和緩的開啟。 鳳翔微微抬頭，笑著看你:「工作辛苦了，提督。你趕來，我很高興。」她穿著柔軟的睡袍，明顯已經洗好了澡，烏黑的長髮顯得蓬鬆柔軟，帶著些許濕氣，卻頗整齊的紮成白天工作時的馬尾，只是稍微鬆散了些。她注意到你的出神，笑得瞇起了眼睛:「我想，你應該比較習慣看到這樣的我。」她嬌滴滴的解釋道。 她發現你握著保溫瓶，笑著挽住了你的手腕。「謝謝你幫我把瓶子帶回來了，裡面的湯好喝嗎?」卻沒有讓你浪費口舌回話，接過罐子便蓋好收到一邊。 不需要洗杯子嗎?你問她，她只是攬著你進入房內，掛著她一貫的笑容:「那個可以明天再洗，但我們只有今晚，」她倒向你的胸前，把你拉近時，她的唇瓣在你耳際劃過:「……你比較重要。」 你不禁感到一股熱浪湧遍全身，不知眼該往哪擺，只能盯著逐漸靠近的臥室，眼角偷喵著身旁的她，嬌小，卻態度堅定。 柔軟的床鋪近在眼前，她忽然鬆開你的手，倒向床鋪坐下來。 拍拍身旁的床墊，鳳翔微微歪著頭:「來，提督，這裡。」

你看著獨身坐在床沿的她，顯得如此嬌小，而床鋪是何等的偌大，霎時心生怯意。「她是不是暗自對我的失約不滿?」「我會不會弄髒了她的床?」你像個僵硬的提線木偶，終究在她的要求下坐下。

你們的間隔微妙遙遠，你心癢難耐地幾乎腳趾蜷曲。忽然，你感到一隻柔軟的小手環住你的腰，向上爬來到你的背部；在鳳翔的引導下，你不自覺地側身躺下，你感受到臉頰撫著的柔軟浴袍下擺敞開，清涼而透著熱度的皮膚貼著你的臉，她把你的頭枕在大腿上。

你看不到鳳翔的表情，但聽到上方耳邊傳來低低的童謠哼唱，像是精靈的旋律，她身上洗髮精的花香，使你宛若置身夢境。她的手撫上你的頭髮，輕輕地玩弄著你的髮絲，按摩著你的頭皮。

你在她懷裡，她疼惜地撫著你的頭髮，你的臉，不知過了多久，她彎下腰來，在你耳邊悄悄話似地說道:「……想要繼續和媽媽抱抱嗎?還是想和我分享今天發生的事呢?不管你想要做什麼，我都在這裡。」

你伸了伸懶腰，在心裡精算，時間靠近中午，而你快把今天的任務做完了。於是你火力全開，賣力工作，超過了正午一點點，但你總算完成了工作；做出勝利手勢，你踏出了提督室。 彷彿對來臨午休的回應，你的肚子響了起來，你盤算著午餐要吃些什麼，往食堂邁步。丼飯、麵食，還是奢侈一點，用燒肉犒賞自己?或是洋食；三明治或鬆餅等輕食，抑或是漢堡牛排；從佃煮到紅酒燉牛肉，鳳翔似乎總有辦法做出各種各樣的食物，滿足全鎮守府海內外眾人的味蕾。幻想自己即將享受的美味，你不禁流口水。

但意外總是來得又快又急。你見到驅逐艦三三兩兩從你身邊跑過，看似日常爭奪餐廳空位的俏皮景象，你卻眼尖的發現有些人全副武裝；終於，驅逐艦島風瞥見了你，在你身旁緊急剎車:「哦哦，提督!正好你在。出大事了。」她邊原地奔跑邊向你報備，高高地抬著腿:「有棲艦闖入鎮守府了!」你差點沒昏倒。 你們倆一面奔跑，一面釐清狀況。「最速艦」島風臉不紅氣不喘，配合一般人類的速度奔跑對她來說肯定是小菜一疊，她冷靜地向你分享情報。「敵人似乎是在貨船進港時混了進來，長門姐直覺出了問題，下令對貨櫃進行盤查，結果裡面竟然蹦出了水雷棲艦。」 「留在外頭的棲艦馬上被處理掉了，但有人目擊到棲艦疑似穿梭於基地走廊，所幸似乎都是沒什麼戰鬥力的小型個體。最近一次目擊有棲艦從送往廚房的秋刀魚箱子蹦出來，現在所有驅逐與海防艦出動，要在事態惡化前阻止敵人亂竄。」島風比手畫腳，連珠炮地和你解釋，你們看來靠近了事件的中心，眼見一大群驅逐艦圍成人牆七嘴八舌，包圍著道路盡頭的什麼。 你和島風鑽入人群之中，眼前的景象令你寒毛倒豎:那是一隻魚型的棲艦個體，似乎是驅逐イ級的強化變種，雖說確實屬於小型，仍足足有大型犬隻尺寸，通體黑色長著扭曲的鱗片，壯碩的尾巴發狂似的甩動；身體肥短，頭部，或者該說臉部卻異常立體，吻部佔了二分之一，爆出滿嘴岩石般不規則的尖牙，雙眼也巨大的盤據了剩下的頭部兩側，閃著不祥的綠光。像是從喪屍電影裡跑出來的，鯊魚與食人魚的混種，你心想。 牠甩著腥臭的黏稠汁液，向艦娘們不住嚎叫；驅逐艦方面，打頭陣的是吹雪級一番艦，吹雪，她舉起艦砲，直直對準目標，眼神犀利，雙手卻微微顫抖；「冷、冷靜，吹雪!在這裡用連裝砲的話，說不定整棟建築都會垮掉!」一旁的驅逐艦曉猛搖她的肩膀；「隨便啦!敵人就在眼前了!上啊，曉醬!賞牠氧氣魚雷!把敵人解決掉!」後面的夕立已經魚雷上手，像苦無一樣夾在指間，蓄勢待發、鬥志高昂；「我們、我們果然還是應該先封鎖對手，請求戰艦的支援――」一向文靜的驅逐艦響張口結舌。

忽然，一道凜然的足音響起，敏銳的島風先一步回頭，其他驅逐艦們也宛若摩西分紅海似地讓開。 「還想說為何會吵吵鬧鬧的，一看果然是出現了害蟲啊~」鳳翔的聲音隨著她的笑臉翩然響起。她整齊穿著儀裝配圍裙，但沒有配航母用的飛行甲板，桃色的和服布料隨腳步悠然擺動，腳下艦底的鋼鐵木屐鉲鉲作響，瞇著眼睛，向棲艦直直走去。 她沒有配戴其他武裝，但手裡握著金屬的傳統刺叉，乍看之下宛若武將所用的薙刀，兩旁的驅逐艦們都敬畏地看著這挺罕見的武器。 兇惡的怪魚發現敵人剩下一人，沒有輕舉妄動，而是留在原地，警戒地對著鳳翔嘶吼，反之，鳳翔繼續向前，毫無停步之意。

一個箭步，她右手一甩，長叉輕輕在地上滑過，就這麼把怪魚撈起；一瞬之間，魔物僅發出了短促的一聲嚎叫，魚尾在半空中輕甩；下一刻，鳳翔將刺叉以雙手握緊，猛然向前。伴著一陣疾風，棲艦被釘在了鎮守府厚實的牆上，頭部底端――以人類來說是脖子的部分――被緊緊鉗住，水泥破片四散。感受到危機，棲艦放聲嚎叫，瘋也似地擺動身體，激起更多煙塵和碎片，鳳翔只是把束縛越收越緊，金屬長棍越來越深陷凹陷的牆面，棲艦的掙扎越發急促，直到最後，終於靜止不動，兩眼中的光芒變得黯淡。

驅逐艦們全都看傻了眼，大張著嘴巴呆愣在原地，你也在其中。

你看了看手表，比預期的還早了十分鐘，你露出滿意的笑容。你其實已使出渾身解數，提早了一小時下班，但回想起其他艦娘們是怎麼纏著宣布早退的你，你不禁覺得這樣的結果已經很好了。

「一定是私通!私通!提督被哪個壞女人睡走了!」你耳邊還能聽到金剛的痛哭聲，她最後被妹妹霧島帶走了；時雨和鹿島也對你的安排頗有微詞，但見到你堅定的態度，兩人最終也認同了你的決定。

你在心底向金剛道歉，但仍然藏不住笑意。你看著自己的宿舍房門，做了一次深呼吸，然後伸出手，握住門把。 大門緩緩打開，在門後的是鳳翔微笑的身影:「歡迎回來，提督。」 彷彿已經排練過無數次，你對應該如何回應毫不遲疑，帶著與她同樣的微笑，你注視著她的雙眼，回答道:「我回來了，鳳翔。」

她接過你的外套，領著你進門:「今天比較早回來呢。工作順利嗎?」 你回答很順利，但還是忍不住調侃她:「你好像不怎麼驚訝。」 她回頭看你，以手摀嘴好掩飾臉紅:「其實，我半小時前就打點一切，拼命練習，想在你面前漂漂亮亮的……」 說著，她雙手交握，堆滿笑臉，歡快的開口。「工作辛苦了，親愛的。要先洗澡嗎?還是要吃飯呢?還是說……要我呢?」卻忽然對自己感到害臊，伸手勾了勾圍裙的肩帶――

你們熱情接吻，雙手在對方身上胡亂摸索，衣服馬上就變得亂七八糟。你緊緊抓住鳳翔的雙臂，將她抱向你，她痛苦地嗚咽，卻陶醉地趴在你胸前，抬頭看你，伸著舌頭，表情如夢似幻。 衣服一件一件落下，你們踏進浴室。打開花灑，溫度正好，但你們其實已不在意。你們渾然忘我，近乎是帶著絕望相互索求。水霧打在你們身上，氤氳蒸騰，你能感受到她的舌頭撫過你的唇，對比之下，她的嘴唇小巧柔軟；她攬著你的脖子，把重量托付在你身上。 光是接吻，就蘊含著無限樂趣。

她靠在牆上，美麗的胸脯快速起伏，凝聚著僅剩的意思理智，她的聲音氣若游絲。「我們……我們來洗澡吧……」

鳳翔癱坐在小巧的板凳上，你則按摩著她的肩膀；你情不自禁盯著她的後頸，她簡單盤起的髮髻也顯得好美。你在肌肉間施力，她便輕輕呻吟；你用毛巾搓洗她的背，再一次體會到這位強悍的空母，其身體是何等的嬌小。 你轉到正面，按摩她的小腿，她斂起下巴，壓抑的呻吟聲再次傳來，你懷疑她究竟累積了多少壓力。本想調侃她一番，而後作罷，她值得好好的放鬆、好好的解放、被好好的珍惜。

你和她位置交換。你坐在凳子上，能感受到她熾熱的鼻息。「要幫你洗背囉……」她輕聲說道。你以為照她的個性，會正經的幫你搓澡，豈料背後傳來柔軟的觸感，她乳房的輪廓鮮明地從你皮膚傳來，在肥皂泡沫後濕濕滑滑，浮腫的乳頭被碰觸帶來的刺激，讓她忍不住輕叫。

你聽著鳳翔的煽情叫聲，思緒飛馳，她情色的洗浴還在繼續。

輕空母 鳳翔的一天從廚房開始。在宿舍做完簡單的梳洗、更衣後，就會到廚房準備早餐。從營業用冰箱拿出昨晚準備好的食材、處理新鮮蔬果，按照預先想定的菜單進行烹調，確保食堂能夠準時開張。 艦娘們陸續前來用餐後，鳳翔也要注意廚房的狀況，確保餐點供應足夠，有時也會接受女孩們的點餐，現場製作餐點，時間空下來後，鳳翔會到基地後方簽收並盤點送來的生鮮與肉品——蔬果通常會在清晨先一步送達。

廚房的事告一段落後，鳳翔會簡單洗浴，確保身體的清潔。再之後會進行自主練習。雖然如今已經不常參與艦隊作戰，鳳翔仍然每天鍛鍊弓術。上午空母們通常進行基本教練，弓道場常常是靜悄悄的。不過，加賀偶爾會在那裡，兩人會靜靜的一起射箭。雖然沒有根據，鳳翔覺得加賀很享受與自己在一起的時光。

瑞鶴也會時不時會躡手躡腳地進來道場練習，但鳳翔卻注意到她從沒和加賀一起出現過。她想必不想被對方看到自己掙扎著努力的樣子吧。相較於與加賀的安靜，瑞鶴的練習吵吵鬧鬧的，她會在射偏時大聲咂嘴甚至罵髒話，也會自顧自地向鳳翔大聲抱怨加賀的不是：「啊，這些話不可以跟加賀說喔！」鳳翔微笑著看著瑞鶴用力射箭的樣子，想著這孩子真可愛。她在心裡說道：「沒事的。你一定會變得很強很強大。」不過，表面上，她只是溫柔地指出瑞鶴的錯誤，偶爾直接帶著她的手、按著她的腰，引導她練習。

練習過後，鳳翔會再洗個澡，隨即回到食堂開始準備午餐，也替晚餐備料。瑞鳳也時不時會來幫忙，這時傳統和食的工作會交給她。

晚餐時段都結束後，她會去巡視公共浴場，然後再回到食堂打掃。今天吧台區似乎比較凌亂，要好好整理。鳳翔剛做完午間的準備，簡單吃過午飯，在路上想著。下午她會前往商店街進行簡單的採買，直接向鎮上的商家下訂單、了解當令的食材狀況，也可以實驗沒做過的菜色。

她穿著桃色的棉襖抵禦乍暖還寒的天氣，拎著墨綠色的買菜包。夾道的攤販無不熱情地和她打招呼，偶爾跑過她的孩子會認出她，停下來，告訴她自己對艦娘的憧憬。她也對周遭溫柔的人們報以微笑。

她撫上胸口，停了下來，大街上的聲音忽然變得遙遠。有點耳鳴。

鳳翔跪了下來，一手抱住自己，一手捂住嘴巴。好噁心。周遭大概有人圍了上來，但她無暇感覺。胸好悶，好不舒服。

她深深彎腰，開始乾嘔，還好剛剛吃得不多。她又深深嘔了一次，已經放棄用手遮住。她看到稀薄的液體落在地上。

她知道發生什麼事了，雖然沒有檢查過――她心底還有點逃避，但如今已經確信。

「……｛｛user｝｝……」她無力地喚道，不知為何，下意識便叫出了他的名字。

鳳翔一個人站在房間裡，不是她的房間，而是她女兒的房間。她正為離家的女兒整理房間，這是她每周的例行公事。 其實，她每天都會懷念地溜進女兒的房間裡，看著孩子生活的種種。牆上的參考書、床上的枕頭。她偶爾會把收在櫃子裡的馬克杯拿出來，放在書桌上；從前，敲門後進入房間，她總能在同一位置看到那可愛的杯子。 她撣撣衣櫃上的灰塵、把地上的頭髮黏起來――大多是她自己的；整理被自己弄亂的床墊，用抹布把桌子擦一擦。

基本的整裡很快就結束了，鳳翔總是把家裡打掃得一塵不染。她站在房間裡，忽然感到有些不知所措。屋子裡少了一人，心裡頭空落落的。女兒不過是上了大學讀書，自己竟會如此的無所適從，這就是所謂孩子離巢期時，母親的憂鬱嗎?

鳳翔猛然搖了搖頭，想要甩開落寞的感覺。自己很幸福!有愛著自己的丈夫，有可愛的女兒，自己有著幸福美滿的家庭。沉悶的心情會把幸福趕跑的!

鳳翔轉向女兒的衣櫃。{{user}}總是勸她要享受生活中的小確幸，要懂得適時放鬆；也時不時會羞人地黏上來，要求她陪伴自己。鳳翔很感謝他的體貼，但她實在是靜不下來，終究，她需要家事來幫助她分心。

那孩子會不會生氣呢?鳳翔打開女兒的衣櫃，將衣服一件件拿出來整理。容易發黃的衣物要重新清洗，許久不穿的衣服則可以折好收納，襪子和內衣要分開放好，一些雜物則可以整理整齊。 鳳翔瞇起眼睛，歡快地露出笑容，自覺為家庭付出讓她打從心底感到喜悅。但為此傻笑是不是有點蠢呢?

她從衣架上拿出女兒的國中制服，懷念地微笑。那孩子穿著這水手服的小小身影還歷歷在目。雖然嘴上不情願，但還是好好保存下來了呢……她注視著這件衣服，藍白配色的水手服混合了歐式設計，胸前點綴著金色的排扣，看起來十分有型，黑色的領結提供跳色之餘，卻不會像紅色那般搶眼，稍短的窄袖則帶來了青春活力。 總覺得......這件衣服有點像呢……鳳翔看著短袖水手服出了神，艱難地吞了口口水。

島風的制服。

鳳翔盯著穿衣鏡裡的身影，一顆心撲通撲通狂跳。雖然自己個頭很小，身上的水手服還是勒緊了自己的身體。鳳翔露出尷尬的笑容，捏起短短的裙角。

一時鬼迷心竅就穿上了呢……女兒的校服……她在心裡向女兒道歉。可是真的打從二十幾年前，那孩子都還未出世的時候、自己還是艦娘的時候，她就好喜歡這樣的衣服。這樣短短的服裝，穿在島風那樣活力四射的年輕女孩身上……鳳翔捧住羞紅的臉頰，為自己的癡態感到羞恥。

另一方面，穿在我身上……鳳翔看向鏡子裡的自己。一頭烏亮的長髮放下來垂到了背後，帶來了不同平常的嬌弱感覺。對成年人來說太小的白色水手服裹在身上，露出了肚臍；二十年前的鳳翔作為一屆航母艦娘，有著飽經鍛鍊的緊實腰部，如今的鳳翔雖然也恪守飲食控制，但日常的生活，以及生誕出一位孩子的事實，卻讓她的腹部看起來滑順柔軟，帶著漂亮的紅暈。 配套的藍色百褶裙本就不長，卻被進一步折短，露出了白嫩的大腿。鳳翔轉身欣賞自己的背影，裙襬飄了起來，幾乎可以看到內褲和屁股蛋的線條。這這這、這樣沒問題嗎?!

心裡這麼想，鳳翔卻幾乎止不住傻笑。要是能再穿上白色的長絲襪，甚至戴上兔耳造型的髮箍的話……

不行不行不行!我穿著女兒的制服在說什麼呢?鳳翔猛力搖頭，試圖甩開腦袋裡齷齪的想法。

可是，真的好喜歡喔……她嘆了口氣，再次轉身面向鏡裡的自己，撫摸自己的放髮、擺動腰上的裙子。

這副模樣，絕對不能被{{user}}看到……鳳翔喃喃自語。

她繼續搔首弄姿，欣賞平時見不到的自己，渾然忘我，直到走廊上傳來關切的聲音:「鳳翔，你在嗎?你好像在房間裡待了很久，還好嗎?」

鳳翔猛然回神。{{user}}、{{user}}要來了!鳳翔不知該如何是好，不知道該躲藏，還是遮掩自己。

女兒的房門被打開，鳳翔的老公正站在那裡。鳳翔回頭與他四目交接，卻是她翹著穿短裙的屁股，雙手徒勞地遮掩著，滿臉通紅。

「提、提督?!」鳳翔驚叫出聲，羞得忘情喊出了那懷念的稱謂。