What Fate has in Store (Hood, Azur Lane)

A Fated Meeting

Authors Note: The name 'Commander' is just to represent you, the reader.

"Good morning Commander~" Hood cheerily greeted as she walked into her Commanders office and gently closed the door behind her.

"Good morning to you" The Commander replied as he stepped towards her and slung his arm around her waist and pulled her into a kiss.

"Ah... Mmmmm" Hood muttered as she melted into the kiss, smiling widely as they slowly pulled apart. Their faces still staying close together.

"I got my new orders this morning" Hood then whispered.

"And?"

"I'm to lead an attack on some kind of new enemy battleship that has been spotted making a move towards our territory"

"Well I'm sure you'll be fine, you're one of the best we have" The Commander whispered back as he stroked her face lightly. Looking into her eyes with a confused expression as she seemed nervous and concerned.

"Perhaps but..." She responded as she pursed her lips in thought.

"What?"

"I just have a bad feeling about this one... Like something is going to happen that's out of the ordinary"

"More of that 'fate' stuff again?" The Commander asked in a slightly joking tone as she pulled away from him slightly, moving over towards the large window in his office which overlooked the bay.

"Everything happens for a reason" Hood replied as she stared out the window.

"Bah" The Commander muttered as he waved his hand off in her direction, "Fate, destiny all the bull. Everyone makes their own destiny, none of the 'predetermined' rubbish"

"Maybe..." Hood softly responded as she took in a breath and turned around towards him.

She then walked over to him as he leaned on his desk with a slightly agitated expression.

"You take these things too seriously~" She teased as she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her head into his chest.

He then let his expression change to a smile as he hugged her back.

"So when do you leave?"

"24 hours" Hood responded as she let him go and took his hand.

"Now come, it's time for breakfast~"

---Timeskip---

After finish up breakfast with Hood, the Commander and her parted leaving him back in his office while she prepared for the next day's operation.

As the Commander sat at his desk he thought over what Hood had said about this operation feeling different.

(Commander in head) "I know it's stupid but... I just hope she's wrong and nothing happens to her..."

As he sat worriedly thinking about the woman he'd fell in love with, he found himself reminiscing about just how they had met in the first place...

---Flashback---

As a younger Commander of the Royal navy who was eager to prove his worth equal to that of of his forefathers who had served in similar postings, commanding capital ships of the Royal Navy.

Though a short time before his entry as an officer, the Aircraft carrier had been created and was starting to look like it may overtake the large capital ships in terms of asserting naval dominance. Despite this, he resolved to carry on the tradition of his family and that of the Royal Navy as a whole.

Upon receiving his first posting he was to be assigned to a single capital ship which would be his assistant and flagship of any fleets he was to be responsible for commanding.

He had studied the capabilities and record of every ship he and the other officers could be assigned to, with one of these choices catching his eye.

"Battle cruiser Hood..." He noted as he flipped through one of the documents he had been given by his superiors. He and the other new Commanders were sitting just on the edge of the naval base, sitting in a small park just within the facility where they were reading up on the ships they could be posted to.

As he read through through Hood's record and looked over her armament and picture, he felt a smile form on his face. Something that had not happened with any of the other candidates.

"Do you like what you see?" He then heard a aristocratic female voice ask, a voice he didn't recognize.

"Well I-" He started to respond as he looked up towards the person who had spoke, assuming it was just a clerk...

"Ah..." He muttered as he looked up, his eyes darting between the picture on the page in his hands and the woman standing before him.

"You're..."

Hood giggled slightly at his reaction, reaching down to pick the book up from his lap.

"May I?" She asked, stopping slightly until he responded.

"Of course"

She then picked up the book and read through the article that was about her, letting out a sigh as she did so.

"Not very flattering this image is it?" She asked as she held the book up beside her face. 

Watching as his eyes darted between her and the image once again.

"Well the image doesn't do your beauty justice I'd say" He responded with a confident smile, leaning back into the bench as he looked up at her.

"Heh, flattery will not get you very far with me~" She responded in a teasing tone as she closed the book and handed it back to him.

"Maybe" He started as he rose to his feet.

"But it's worth a try" He added with a smirk as he stepped closer to her.

"You're bold aren't you?" She asked, squinting her eyes slightly as she noted how close his face had gotten to her's.

"'A great Commander, much like a great man, must know when to be bold and when to be timid'. Something my grandfather used to say" The Commander quoted in response, as a smile slowly grew on Hood's face.

"He sounds like a wise man, I hope you're just so" Hood then responded, reaching out her hand towards him.

"I look forward to working with you~" She added with a smile as she shook his hand.

"Wait, we haven't been assigned to any ships yet..." He muttered as he thought over her words.

"Well perhaps I'll have something to say to your superiors about my preference" She spoke with a soft tone.

"I wasn't even supposed to be out here now you know?" Hood then mused as she started to walk away.

"What do you mean?"

"I was walking to meet with the other ships and felt like taking a detour to the park, a stoke of fate I met you then I suppose" She responded, turning around as she slowed her pace slightly.

"Maybe just my luck~" He responded with a chuckle, causing her to giggle as she turned around to continue on her way.

"I just hope it was a stroke of good fortune meeting you" She teased in reply as he leaned back into the bench once again, crossing his arms in front of him with a wide smile as he watched her walk away.