The Shackles Of Affection | Male Warship | Azur Lane

Chapter 24 | Alive

Chapter will be short! Just skimming to Chapter 25 where we get back to port! So Expect another time skip

---Cowpens Point Of View---

---??? Later---

Tsking as I woke up, from a horrible nightmare! Rubbing my face as I turned off my side atop the bed, with a sigh and a groan. "W-What... Happened?" I think to myself, the effects of the very special mirror sea the sirens had pulled me and Sekiryu into, upon leaving had knocked me out cold! An left me disoriented! "How long was I out... Where had I ended up!? What bed am I in? Please be my bed back home... I miss home..." I think to myself as I groan in a pouty and whinny tone, I turned over further atop my other side. To lazy, and way to tired, to exhausted! To get out of the bed. The room was dimly lit. Only illuminated by a port hole on the other side of the bed, which had a new moon shining in, and reflecting off the waters outside. Well, I suppose the side I was facing now. Placing my hands elsewhere, in a different manner as I laid on my other side. I found one laying atop... Something higher up then the rest of the bed... My head on a oddly warm... Pillow. Gentle and soft welcoming arms wrap around me, a hand rests atop my head, and begins to run through my hair softly, slowly, and gently. Whilst the other gently hugged me against, and atop them the way that I was.

"If it helps you sleep... Lay there as long as you have to honey~ You've earned it." Hornets voice quietly whispers, clearly tired and followed by a yawn, but noticeably loving and gentle like that of a mother talking to her child as she sits awake with them asleep, helping to passively calm and sooth them through a terrible nightmare. "Suddenly don't want to be in my bed! I'm in a better BED!" I think, with a gentle smile that of a relieved man. What I was laying my head atop wasn't a pillow, but more so "her" pillows if you get my drift, and what my hand had laid atop was her lower stomach. Yawning yet again, a few minutes later, she paused her running of fingers in my hair, then returned to it. "It's... Odd that we're in the same bed together... See I always thought that the day we shared a bed together would be at the earliest about a year into this relationship, likely, you know, after doing the deed? But... This... this is far more innocent from that. An far more welcoming than that would have been. To go what feels like forever! Trapped inside someone's made up reality pushed into a box! Suppressed, and freed into a unrelenting HELL! A hell! That forced my hand into first of many blood. (Kills) This... This moment felt and made it feel all worth it. It was simple sure! But to me. This very simple moment meant the world to me.

Somehow! I can't help but feel like she felt the same. Feeling way to comfortable, that despite having been asleep for God knows how many hours already! Just in her embrace, I felt the need to fall asleep creeping up fast! I decide... Though it was a bit cheesy... To let her know. Closing my eyes, before quickly falling asleep. I mumble, in what to her, must have sounded like sleep talking. An to be honest by now it basically was. "Love you honey~" planting a kiss on my head. Whispering as she laid back her head unto the pillow to fall asleep herself. "I love you too~"

---Morning---

Limping against me across the flight deck, overhead, F4F's launched from escort carriers go onto patrol, I keep an arm around her, beneath hers, and she, keeps an arm over my shoulders. As we reach the bridge, out came Enterprise, wearing her jacket, with all it's different ribbons and battle-stars etc. Hornet spoke in a slightly painfilled voice, her leg was a good deal messed up after that battle. My doing unfortunately as Sekiryu. With this greeting tone. "Hey E" Instantly E begins scolding Hornet. "I told you to stay in bed till we got home. You're in no condition to be out and about." Averting her gaze with this annoyed! Yet understanding frown. "I know" Looking to me as she stopped in front us. She stares at me for a moment or so. I can't tell what her expression was meant to mean for me. It was all business after all.

I almost felt as though I may be in-trouble for something... Like what happened to Nevada or what I did to Missouri! Reaching up at her highly decorated navy jacket and ripped off her Navy Unit Commendation ribbon then her Distinguished Flying Cross stepping forwards. "These belong to you" She spoke without breaking the tone she was already using with Hornet. Holding them out to me. I stared down at them in her hands. Didn't take them. "But these are your-" She moved in, pinning them to my clearly award and ribbon-less fatigues. Stepping back, moving into attention! Saluting me! Which was so odd to see! The highest ranked ship! The FLAGSHIP! Saluting anyone at attention as if in the presence in one higher ranked or to her drill sergeant! Odd but a clear sign of respect.

---Minutes Later---

Entering the Command room/planning room on the fourth floor. We're greeted with 3 of my sisters shouting and arguing with Missouri! All parties in volved, being held back by bandaged up cruisers! Like Honolulu! Missouri shouted something as we walked in at Cleveland! "-AND A TRAITOR! AND IS IN CAHOOTS WITH THE IRON BLOODS!" & after saying it! My sisters roar with anger! Clevelands face glowing red with anger! As she tried to claw her way forwards from Kentucky's hold! Whom was desperately trying to keep her from doing something stupid... Like punching Missouri! My other sisters shouting with anger. Cursing, and threatening him all the while Hornet's *And the Yorktown sisters* Grandma Nevada, a bandage around a quarter of her head, more towards the corner, and over one eye as a result! With one arm in cast, and one leg in splint, covered head to toe in bruises, nasty gashes, and temporary stitches and gaws, limped across the room with crutches, and then slaps the shit out of Missouri!

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK THAT WAY ABOUT MY GRAND BABIES MAN LIKE THAT!" Missouri pouts silently under his breath in a bratty fashion with a comical white outlined inner pupil look. An unsure look on my face, and a small sweat mark on the side of my face as we stopped in the doorway. E, standing behind us. "Is this a bad time to announce I'm in the room?" I asked, Nevada turning away, and suddenly losing the stereotypical angry mother animated look on her face! Facing towards us. "Not at all Young'un! Uh... OH!!!! Hornet sweetie! What are you doing out of bed!?-" Moving towards us via crutches with honestly good speed given she was on crutches! Must not be her first.... Second... Or third time on them... OH! and with a grandmotherly worry on her face. Before Nevada could finish, Hornet speaks with a tone of impressed and startle! "Grandma!? Why are you out the bed!? You're in worse shape than I am!" Worried for her grandmother's wellbeing. Waving a hand as she stopped in front us, speaking as though it was nothing!!!

"Oh, don't you worry about me sweetie! All Or nothing armor remember!? The most important bits are untouched!" She proudly proclaimed, hitting her good fist against her chest with eyes closed and animated stars around her head, this look of self-pride to her claim! "Mmmhmmm! And if we hadn't fished you out of the water, you'd have met the bottom granny!" A submarine in the room reminds in a playfully tease-ful tone! You can hear the glass shattering in her ego! As she turned her head and that angry grandma look returned to animated on her face! "WHO SAID THAT!?" She shouted back at them! The submarine scoundrel's fleeing the room out another door as she did. Guess we'll never know. Returning her gaze unto us. She looked to me and spoke. "Young-un! I want you to know that I'm not faulting you for what happened." I raise my eyebrow, and she clarifies. "From what I've gathered from the others.

You were trapped within that Japanese carrier, before you split in two. What you did to me as part of him. It wasn't your fault. So I want you to hear me! There is no bad blood between us" As she said this, Cleveland is the first to had had been released or more so break free of those keeping them from Missouri. In an instant. Nearly teleporting to me. Nearly knocking me, and in turn Hornet atop our butts! Hugging me with every ounce of strength she could muster up! Noticeably bursting into relieved tears of what I'll call of a mother's heart having been put back together. It was a bit of an ugly cry! But she, and my sisters had earned the right of such. That and she hid that from the world via burying her face into my lower chest. I take my focus seemingly rudely from Nevada's conversation, but to her, and the others, it was anything but rude. My sisters had lost me, and for months, they thought I, was gone forever. Holding me tight! She never let go. Soon accompanied by our sisters! Whom cried into me! Holding me tight enough to split iron.

---End Of Chapter 24---