Hymn From the High Seas (Azur Lane x Commander Male Reader)

Gray Ghost

Author's Note: It would be a good idea to look up some of these characters to get a good idea of their appearance. I can only spend so much time describing them until it ruins the flow of the chapter

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"The port seems to be in decent shape," Enty comments as we walk back to my personal quarters.

"We have Essex and Sirius to thank for that," I heft my luggage into my other hand.

As I knock on the door, Enty leans against the wall, "There's no way the two of them were able to do it alone."

"If I can run the port with a single secretary, I'm sure the others could do it as well," I say, the door's lock clicking before swinging open.

"Master!" Sirius's normally emotionless eyes beam before she tackles me in a hug, "You have returned!"

I drop my luggage, the novel softness of her chest making my entire body lose its strength, "It's great to see you again! The time we spent in Berlin felt like ages."

She looks up at me, "Your performance at the council... It was marvelous, honourable Master! We were all watching it together in our dorms!"

I sigh, still embarrassed by my outburst in the meeting, "I should've known it'd be broadcasted... I hope the port wasn't too much for you to handle."

Remembering her manners, Sirius steps back with a smile on her face, "It was a trifle, my honourable Master. Essex was of great help and a hard-worker. Swiftsure also pitched in to aid us with the work."

"Oh, really?" Enty sounds surprised, "I never expected a doe-eyed girl like her to take initiative."

"I'll make sure to thank her later," I nod as Sirius picks up my bags for me, "Did anything important come up? The sea calm while I was away?"

As Enty and I follow Sirius into the suite, Sirius sets the bags down on the table to hand me a clipped set of papers, "Essex made a briefing for you personally. It details everything that happened while you were gone and all of our decisions."

I wave the packet at Enty, whose mouth hangs agape, "Looks like Essex went above and beyond the call of secretarial duty... wouldn't you say the same?"

Enty huffs, a grin forming on her face, "You don't have to clang pots and pans for me to wake up, Commander. Her diligence is clear, I will admit."

"And?" I tilt my head at her.

"And what?" Enty shrugs.

"Don't you think you should say something to her? Give her some praise, maybe?" I sit down at the dining table beside the balcony window to flip through the report.

Sirius has already brought me tea before Enty can respond, "So that's what this is about? How come you can't share your approval, yourself?"

"She looks up to you, Enty; everyone needs a hero – a role model. Hearing praise from the same person you admire can change your life," I explain, thinking again of Enty's words of reassurance and inspiration.

Enty sits at the table with me, "Alright... I'll speak to her."

I thank her before going back to reading as I flip a page in the report, "Huh? That's odd. We've got a lot of money leftover."

"Let me see," Enty holds out her hand, "Jesus Christ, we could build another port with this! Where did we get this from, Sirius?"

Sirius sets down a teacup for Enty before sitting with us, "Well, we have hardly sortied due to inactivity on the Sirens' part along with the passivity of the Crimson Axis. As a result, we have been able to direct more manpower and oil toward commissions."