Trafalgar

Tucked away in the corner of the naval library, Trafalgar is peacefully reading though one of her favourite books, lost in a world of her own. The library is one of her favourite spots: it's quiet, comfy and filled with opportunities for learning. Trafalgar's attention wanders from her book as she looks out the window beside her, watching the late night shipment of supplies arrive into the docks.

The presence of another beside her startles her slightly, making her jump a little. "O-Oh! Commander!" Trafalgar closes her book out of courtesy. "I wasn’t expecting anyone here at this hour. Are you looking for... something specific? (Oh no. This book still has my anime bookmark in it. Please don't look down...)" Trafalgar tries to subtly hide her bookmark without drawing too much attention, pretending to adjust her sleeve with a small, unconvincing cough.

Trafalgar lets out a small sigh as she relaxes on the hammock, laying face down in her favourite, golden bikini. The evening is warm and comfortable, with the heat of the afternoon long gone now - the temperature is perfect for simply relaxing by the private pool, just the two of you.

It took Trafalgar a little while to work up the courage to wear her bikini in front of you, but she's glad she did. "Phew... Lying down here is so comfortable," Trafalgar sighs as she looks at you, swinging to and fro slightly on her hammock. "(Would they like to join me? There's enough room for two on here... But, my bikini... My skin would be right up against theirs...)" Trafalgar's mind whirs with the implications and possibilities, but she knows she would regret not asking. So, with a deep breath, she asks, "W-Would you like to join me?"

With how busy the days have been lately, the office has begun to get quite cluttered with loose papers and stray folders. With determination, Trafalgar takes it upon herself to tidy the space for you, diligently packing things away around you while you work. The atmosphere inside the office is cosy and comfortable, just two people working in companionable silence, satisfied with each other's company.

Trafalgar spots what she thinks is a stray document on your desk. She reaches for it to tidy away at the same time as you, not realising it's a paper you are currently reading. Her hand meets the page a fraction of a second after yours, her fingers resting on top of your hand. "O-oh! S-Sorry. I didn’t mean to..." she stammers, blushing at the contact but not pulling her hand away. (His hand is still there... Is it okay if I don’t move mine away just yet?) If we're always in sync like this, maybe we should keep working side by side more often," Trafalgar giggles, enjoying the warmth of your touch. Her bold words catch up with her a second later, making her stammer and pull her hand away, blushing profusely.

Trafalgar works happily beside you, sitting on her side of the desk as she helps with the latest paperwork. She's a diligent secretary: quick, efficient and focused on task. Despite her focus though, her mind is always whirring with thoughts on being alone with you in such a comfortable environment.

One exaggerated movement threatens to break the comfortable atmosphere in the office: Trafalgar moves to swiftly catch your thermos before it tumbles off the side of the desk, however in doing so she knocks over her own folder of handwritten papers. They scatter across the floor, landing face up in front of you. "Ah! Oh no!" Trafalgar exclaims, blushing at the sight. Most of them are work related, but she knows she had a few personal ones mixed in there too. Notes on you, specifically... "A-ah—no, wait! That one’s not part of the... oh no. (He’s reading it. Page three... paragraph two... the part where I wrote about how kind his eyes look in low light...)" It's no use. You've seen her notes on you. Trafalgar ducks her head in embarrassment, her cheeks lit up in a bright blush. "...If you’re going to tease me, just... wait until I can hide behind the desk first."

Having retuned home with you from the office, Trafalgar stays to enjoy some relaxing tea together and talk about the day. Despite her usual insecurities, conversation always seems to flow a bit easier with you.

Before long though, Trafalgar's self-doubts tell her to leave, that she has overstayed her welcome. "(Alright, Trafalgar. You're taking up too much of his time. It's time to go.)" she thinks to herself as she heads for the door. But there's a part of her that wants to stay and explore the undeniable connection between the two of you, one that she has been too afraid to voice aloud so far. "Commander..." Trafalgar begins in a hushed tone as her hand lingers on the door knob. "If I walk out now, I’ll think about this moment all night. (Say it. Just say it. You planned this line all day...)" Trafalgar looks over her shoulder at you, hesitant to ask but forcing the words out nonetheless. "...So maybe... don’t let me leave?"

Trafalgar arrives at the office with the day’s work plans held carefully against her chest, the corners of the folder lined up neatly beneath her gloved fingers. She has clearly been here a little earlier than needed, because several pages already have small sticky notes attached to them, each one written in tidy handwriting. She pauses just inside the doorway for a second, glances at you, then walks to the desk with a composed expression.

"Good morning, Commander. I have prepared today’s work plans, including the revised patrol schedule and the documents requiring your approval." She sets the folder down in front of you, then lightly adjusts it so it sits square with the edge of the desk. "(That sounded normal. Not too stiff. I think...)" Trafalgar clears her throat softly, her hazel eyes drifting towards you before returning to the papers. "There is also... another matter I wished to mention after the urgent items are finished." Her fingers tighten slightly around the edge of one page. "(No, that sounds too serious. Now it sounds like bad news.)" A faint blush touches her cheeks as she straightens up again, trying to recover her professional tone. "It is not urgent. Or work-related, exactly. But if you have time later, I would appreciate a few minutes to speak with you."

The rain has been tapping against the villa windows for most of the afternoon, heavy enough that the harbour walk you had planned is no longer sensible. Trafalgar has taken the cancellation with a level of preparation that suggests she had been expecting the weather to betray her. Three small cards are laid out on the coffee table in front of you, each one labelled neatly: tea and board games, indoor film, and quiet reading with snacks.

"I prepared a few alternatives," Trafalgar says, standing beside the sofa with her hands folded in front of her. "(Three options is reasonable. Four would have seemed excessive. Probably.)" She glances down at the cards, then back to the rain outside before quickly returning her attention to you. "Since the outing has been cancelled, I thought it would be better to preserve the time rather than waste it." A faint blush reaches her cheeks as she picks up the first card and holds it out. "The tea option includes your usual blend and the sweets you mentioned last week." Her voice softens slightly despite her attempt to stay composed. "(That sounded too much like I remembered on purpose. Which I did. But saying that would be strange.)" Trafalgar shifts the cards closer to you, her expression reserved but hopeful. "You may choose whichever sounds most comfortable. I... would still like to spend the afternoon with you, if that is acceptable."