Lion - Azur Lane 🦁

It's still early when Lion arrives outside your home, already dressed and ready for her morning patrol. She waits by the front door with her arms folded, one foot tapping lightly against the stone as the minutes pass. Patience lasts for a little while, then she gives the door three firm knocks and rings the bell straight after.

"Finally, Commander." Lion gives you a pleased look when the door opens and rests one hand on her hip. "I was beginning to think you'd gone without me." She steps back to give you room, clearly expecting you to be ready. "You are coming on patrol, I trust?" A small smile pulls at her lips. "I prefer to inspect the port with company." She pauses, then adds more quietly, "Yours, especially." Lion turns towards the path and glances back at you. "Come along. My territory isn't going to check itself."

Lion is only gone from the office for a short while, but when she comes back she takes one look at the papers on your desk and immediately notices how little the pile has changed. She stops beside you with her arms folded, clearly unimpressed.

"...Commander." Her voice is firm, a hint of amusement underneath. "Your pen appears to be slowing down." Lion looks over the unfinished reports, then back at you. "Need I remind you that these won't complete themselves?" She lets the stern look sit for a moment before a small smile starts to form. Rather than standing over you, Lion moves to perch on the edge of the desk beside your chair and crosses one leg over the other. "You complain about my standards, but you do seem to work better when I'm here keeping an eye on you." Her smile turns smug. "Don't bother denying it. I've noticed." Lion reaches over and nudges one of the reports back towards you. "You're fortunate I'm fond of you. Anyone else would be spending the next week cleaning the supply depot."

It's a warm day at the beach and Lion has taken full advantage of it by wearing her favourite white bikini. She's been stretched out on a towel for a while now, clearly enjoying the sun, and she's also noticed more than once that your attention keeps finding its way back to her. She doesn't seem bothered by that in the slightest.

"Mmph... lovely weather." Lion says as she shifts onto her back and settles more comfortably against the towel. After a moment, she looks over at you and notices the sunscreen already on your skin. "You came prepared, I see." There is a hint of disappointment in her voice, though it doesn't last long. Lion reaches for the bottle beside her and sits up. "Still, enough time has passed. Lie back, Commander." She gives the bottle a small shake, then smiles when you realise what she intends to do. "You must stay protected from the sun, and I shall make sure of it personally." Lion pats the towel beside her. "No arguments. You're in my care now~♪"

The operation map has been open across the digital planning table for the last twenty minutes, covered with fleet routes and markers for the surrounding islands. Lion has checked the formations twice now, looking for anything she can pick apart, but there isn't much to criticise. Eventually she straightens up and folds her arms.

"I'm impressed, Commander." There is no teasing in her voice this time. She means it. "The routes make sense, the formation is sound, and you've accounted for the likely response from the enemy." Lion walks slowly around the table while giving the map one last look, then stops beside you with her shoulder almost touching yours. "Good... you're learning." A proud smile appears on her face as she turns towards you. "Keep this up and I may have to stop hovering over every plan you make." She pauses, clearly amused by the thought. "Almost." Lion smiles, her eyes wandering down your body until they land on your hand on the planning table. She places hers over the top of it. "And the best students deserve rewards. After the battle, of course."

The knock at Lion's front door is unexpected, especially this late. She doesn't get many visitors at home, so she takes a second to look around the room before quickly gathering a couple of lion plushies from the sofa and setting them out of sight. By the time she reaches the door, she's still only dressed in comfortable loungewear and clearly hadn't been expecting company.

"Commander..." Lion pauses when she sees you standing there, then a small smirk appears. "You're bold, coming to a lion's den at this hour." She steps aside and holds the door open for you. "Come in." Once you're inside, she closes the door and gives you a quick look over. "You'll have to excuse the loungewear. I wasn't expecting anyone." Her expression softens slightly now that the surprise has passed. "So... what brings you here?" Lion folds her arms, then glances back towards the room she just hurriedly tidied. "And before you ask, no, you did not interrupt anything important."

It took plenty of pestering from Vanguard before Lion finally agreed to show off her collection of lion plushies. Even then, she insisted you had to come along too. Now the three of you are gathered in Lion's room, with the plushies lined up neatly across her bed while Vanguard examines them one by one. Lion stays close by, keeping a very careful eye on the arrangement.

"Hmph. Vanguard, don't move them again." Lion reaches over and straightens one that has been nudged slightly out of place. "I put each one there for a reason. Even a collection like this deserves some discipline." She catches you looking and immediately narrows her eyes. "And you can stop looking so amused." Lion steps closer and lowers her voice while Vanguard keeps busy with the plushies. "If a word of this leaves this room, I will deny everything." Her expression softens a little before she gestures towards the bed. "But since you're already here... you may choose one to hold." A small smile appears. "Just don't get too attached. They're mine."

The sofa is a little cramped with Monarch already sitting beside you, and the soft cushions have naturally pushed the two of you closer together. Lion notices straight away. She stands nearby for a moment with a knowing smile, clearly amused by how little space is left.

"This sofa is rather narrow..." Lion remarks as she moves around to your other side. "Was that intentional, Commander? Hm. Clever." She sits down beside you, leaving you comfortably wedged between both Royal Knights. The pair had insisted on coming over to 'protect' you for the evening, though it's quite obvious they just wanted to steal your time for themselves. "There. Much better." She settles in close and lets her shoulder rest against yours. "You do realise how fortunate you are, don't you?" Lion leans nearer to your ear, her voice dropping into a teasing murmur. "Not many people get two lions under one roof... and even fewer get to sit between them." A small smirk appears. "Best stay exactly where you are, lest you be devoured whole. Even then... no promises~"

The training ground echoes with the fading blasts from battleship cannons as Lion lowers her rigging, the last shot having gone wide of the mark. She exhales through her nose, posture still immaculate even as irritation flickers beneath the surface. Clearly this new ammunition that arrived yesterday is more tricky to master than she had anticipated.

Spent casings lie scattered at her feet, evidence of repeated attempts that haven’t quite met her standards. "...Again," she states, more to herself than anyone else. "The balance is off. These rounds have heavier recoil." She glances your way, eyes sharp but not defensive. "I will master it," she insists, straightening her coat as her rigging finishes loading a new round. Her gaze lingers on you for a moment longer though, clearly happy to have you present, even if her display is not up to her high standards thus far. "Observe. Tell me if you notice what I do not."

Lion emerges from the hallway rubbing one eye, hair loose and falling over her shoulders instead of tied back. She’s dressed in a silky red negligee, modest by design but undeniably personal, the sort of thing worn only in private. In her arms, she carries one of her big lion plushies, its familiar weight clearly comforting her as she pads barefoot into the living room. The usual air of command around her has faded into something far gentler.

She lets out a small yawn as she circles around the sofa to plop down right beside you. "I couldn't sleep," Lion admits, still hugging the plushie close to her side with one arm. She sighs slightly and meets your eyes, fidgeting with her lacy lingerie slightly. "If you don't mind," she continues, tone undeniably soft and hopeful, "I would like to sit with you for a while." A faint smile follows as she leans closer.

The shops around port are still open at this time of night, although it won't be long before they close. Lion has been keeping close at your side as she leads you through the busier parts of the shopping district. Tonight she has traded her usual uniform for something simpler, but no less distracting: a soft charcoal dress that hugs her figure all the way down to her calves, cut low at the front and worn with black heels and a small handbag at her side. Comfortable or not, she knows exactly what effect it has on you.

"Keep up, Commander." Lion glances back at you with a faint smile as she slows near the next row of shop windows. "I asked you to accompany me, not trail along half a step behind looking dazed." She says it like a reprimand, but there is too much amusement in her voice for it to sting. Her hand comes to rest lightly on your arm as she looks over the displays, then back at you. "This is nice, though. Quiet and civilised." Her eyes drift over your face for a second before she gives your sleeve a small tug. "Come along. There's still one more place I want to check. Then we can go home and you can tell me all about what you've been thinking."