Coming Out of Her Shell (Darjeeling, Girls und Panzer)

Birthday Special!

---Darjeeling POV---

"Why did today have to be a school day?..." She muttered to herself as she slipped out of bed and got into the shower.

Truth be told she'd wanted to spend her birthday alone with James, but a day at school would make that impossible. She remembered her last birthday which was at school, all the members of the Tankery team made her day incredible.

Decorating the Tankery sheds and holding a massive party for her during the time they were at school that was allocated to Tankery.

"It was great but..."

Despite how much she'd enjoyed her party and how thankful she was to all her friends for doing so, she really wanted to spend her first birthday with a boyfriend just with him.Part of her giddy as she thought over the things he may do for her or what present he may give her. These thoughts may have been self centered and egotistical, but in this case she allowed herself to have them.

"At least he'll be there with me even if we can't be alone..."

---Timeskip: No One POV---

As Darjeeling entered the school grounds she felt a hand on her shoulder spin her around.

"Good morning beautiful~" James said with a smirk as he spun her around and into a hug.

Darjeeling gasped slightly as he did so, a soft smile forming on her face with a giggle as he pulled her in and rested his forehead on her's.

"Good morning~" She whispered back, giving him a light peck on the lips as a bright blush formed on her face.

"Looking good Commander!" Rosehip yelled out as she ran by into the school, causing Darjeeling to notice how many nearby students were staring at her and James.

(Darjeeling in head) "I shouldn't have done that so publicly, I'm so embarrassed..." Darjeeling thought to herself as she bashfully pulled back from him and took his hand as they walked inside the school building. Taking note that James hadn't wished her a happy birthday, worried he'd perhaps forgotten or maybe didn't care...

---Timeskip---

After a day mostly away from James due to their classes being different, Darjeeling felt very lonely and felt fear creep in as she started to really worry James had forgotten her birthday all together. Sure most of her classes wished her a happy birthday and some even sang the song for her, but she really just wanted to be with him.

She let out a sigh of relief as she left her final class for the day and found herself start to jog, then run, towards the Tankery sheds. Knowing that James would be there waiting for her as he had a while she just had a class.

"I know the others will probably be there too but seeing him will make me feel better!" She whispered to herself with a smile as she felt her heart begin to perk up again at the thought of seeing him.

As she approached the Tankery area she slowed down at the door and took a moment to breath and compose herself before entering the shed...

"Thank you everyone so much!" She was prepared to yell in reply to her team's birthday wishes, but as she opened the door she was surprised to see nothing out of the ordinary.

A look of confusion crossed onto her face, followed by one of sadness.

"Perhaps they forgot... Or perhaps it really isn't that important..." She whispered to herself with a slight sniffle as a single tear ran down her face.

"Oh yes it is~" She then heard a familiar voice call out from behind her, causing her to turn around with a surprised expression.

"J-James..." She muttered as she noted the small wrapped box in his hand.

"Happy birthday Darjeeling" He then said with a warm smile as he began to approach her.

She whimpered slightly at this sight and leapt forward into his arms, squeezing him tightly as she did so.

"It's alright~" James whispered with a chuckle as he rubbed her back.

"No one forgot"

"But you never said... and they never..." She muttered, not knowing what was going on.

"I didn't say because I wanted this to be a surprise. The others already had something planned for this afternoon but Rosehip, Assam and Pekoe helped me convince them to have your party later instead. So what we could be alone together for a bit"

"Ah... James..." She muttered with a shocked expression as she squeezed his uniform tightly.

"I-If you don't want that i-it's fine we can just..." James started, worried he'd made her birthday horrible for her.

A wide smile formed on Darjeeling's face as she leaned up and kissed him on the lips to silence him.

"I'm fine with this, I love it~" She whispered as she pulled away slightly, resting her head on his chest with a wide smile.

"Are you going to hug me all day or would you like to see your present?" James asked with a chuckle as she looked up at him, not removing her head from his chest.

"I like the first idea but I suppose I would like to see the present" She responded with a giggle and a blush at the thought of him getting her a present. Her mind racing as she wondered what it could be.

As she stepped away from him and he raised the box up she raised both of her hands to her mouth with a gasp as she saw the shape of the box, a small cube.

James chuckled at her reaction, "It's not that, though maybe one day~" He responded with a wink, causing her heart to skip a beat as he passed it to her.

Upon letting out a long breath she giggled slightly too, unwrapping the box and opening it.

"It's..." She muttered, lifting the small necklace out of the box with teary eyes.

"I hope you like it..." James muttered, gulping as he awaited her response.

"I love you!" She practically yelled, jumping onto him once again as she tightly gripped the box in one hand.

"I love you too" He replied with a surprised tone, not expecting that reaction.

"It's beautiful!" She said with a raised voice as she stepped back and wiped her face, still examining it.

"Do you want me to?" James then asked, picking it up and gesturing towards her with the two clasps undone.

"Yes, please"

"Okay" he responded as she turned around and he placed it around her neck slowly, clipping it together and giving her shoulders a slight squeeze.

"I love it~" She added with a whimper as she held it lightly in her palm and looked down at it.

"Thank you~" She added with a whisper as she leaned forward and hugged him much more lightly this time, giving him a series of short kisses as he slipped his arms around her waist...

"Woooooooooooooo!" A familiar voice then called out from the other side of the shed from behind a large set of wooden crates.

"Ah..." Darjeeling muttered as she realised who the person was.

"Couldn't help but peek eh? We were this close to- Oh never mind..." James asked with a chuckle as Rosehip, Assam and Pekoe came out from behind them.

"I-It's was Rosehip's idea!" Pekoe asserted with a stutter, causing Darjeeling to giggle as her and James leaned into embrace each other once more.

"Thank you" Darjeeling whispered as she squeezed him tightly. Feeling her heart flutter as James rested his head on top of hers and gave her a squeeze back.

---The End---