And more HMS Tiger. Well, more of her and HM(A)S Australia, plus Amy.
Omake: A Cat's Surprise
"Australia, you there?"
"'Course I am. You need something mate?"
Amy Kirkpatrick pushed into the room looking up at HMAS Australia. The battlecruiser, oldest ship girl in Australian service even if she didn't show it all that often, looked right back. A red eyebrow rose over a brown eye, as the ship girl looked at the teenager. Australia had good reason to be confused, of course. Amy hadn't spent much time with
her. The Admiral's niece preferred spending time with Tiger. Something that had the elder battlecruiser pout, as she thought about it. The teenager didn't fail to notice that pout, and sent one of her own at the Australian warship.
Of course, the pout of a cute teenager was quite superior to that of a mature battlecruiser. Australia flinched back, holding a hand to her heart dramatically.
"Oh, it burns!" The redhead moaned, swaying on her feet.
"Oh Australia..." Amy just sighed, shaking her head fondly. "And get your mind out of the gutter, mate."
"You're no fun."
The teenager just shrugged. She knew why Australia had pouted. Before Tiger had told her the truth of Amy's feelings for the battlecruiser, Australia had often played matchmaker. She had claimed at multiple times that 'you two make a cute couple!'. Amy had found it somewhat amusing, really. But Tiger was easily flustered at the best of times, and if there was any one thing Amy cared about more than anything else, it was the feelings of her surrogate sister.
In point of fact, that was
why she was here.
"I have a question for you, actually."
Australia's eyebrow went up again, as she waved the teenager into her room, "Ask away. Something about Tiger, ain't it?"
"Of course it is."
"Mate, you talk about her as much as she talks about you. Sure there's nothing..."
"No!"
The battlecruiser waggled her eyebrows suggestively, before dodging back as Amy half-heartedly moved to slap her silly.
For her part, Amy sighed, "I like your jokes, but I'm being serious here."
"Fine fine," Australia waved her hand. "What's up?"
Sitting down on the battlecruiser's bed, Amy sighed again. Her blue eyes looked down at her hands, hands clenched in the fabric of her dress. The teenager looked distinctly downtrodden, as she did so. Downtrodden enough that Australia sat down next to her, a rare serious expression on the battlecruiser's tanned features. Amy looked over at her, the expression on her own face changing little. It was enough to get even the tough battlecruiser to frown, as she scooted a bit closer.
Amy didn't move away, in fact she leaned against the older girl. She may have been closer to Tiger than anyone else, but Amy
did know Australia enough to trust her. It was why she had come to the battlecruiser, instead of her aunt. Aunt Mary was nice enough, but she wasn't quite as...
in-touch with Tiger as the elder battlecruiser. And that was why she was here.
"Tiger's been quiet lately." Amy finally spoke up. "Ever since I told her I see her as my sister, actually. Did I upset her?"
"You're worried about
that?" Australia gaped, brown eyes widening.
Amy pouted again, "I'm being serious here mate! I'm really worried, Tiger
is the closest I've ever had to having a sister. What if I made her dislike me?"
"You...are worried she hates you." The battlecruiser repeated slowly, turning each word over like it was impossible to believe what she was hearing.
"Why is that so hard to believe?"
Australia just sighed herself, "Mate. Amy. I'm going to be brutally honest here, 'kay?"
"Yes...?"
"Tiger
loves you."
The teenager glared at her redheaded companion, making Australia hold up her tanned hands in placation, "Not in
that way. At least I don't think so. What I meant was, she loves you no matter the way it takes shape. Tiger may be pretty crap at
showing her feelings, but she's not a rock. And right now, I think she's not sure how to react."
Frowning now, Australia held up her hands and shook them a bit.
"I think she's just trying to process everything, honestly. Love that girl like my own sister, since she basically
is, at least on some level. And it worries me when she gets all moody, but I know it's not your fault Amy. If anything, you're what keeps her from doing it more often. I think she trusts you more than anyone, including me. Or the Admiral."
It was not an understatement, to say that the teen went redder than the battlecruiser's hair. To think that Tiger felt that deeply for her...
Maybe I shouldn't worry. I trust her, I just...
"Look, you're young." Australia's voice was unusually serious, as she looked at Amy. "And you're worrying for nothing, trust me. Just go talk to her, and it'll work out."
"You're kicking me out?"
"Right in one!"
Joking tone to her voice or not, Australia got to her feet and pulled Amy up as well. The battlecruiser tugged her younger friend along, despite Amy's protests. Never let it be said that HMAS Australia couldn't gt something done when she wanted to. Because the girl easily pulled Amy to the door, before pushing her out and slamming it shut without so much as a 'goodbye'. Leaving the teenager to stare at the door, before sighing again. Well then.
It was clear what she had to do now, and that Amy had little real choice in the matter. Time to go see Tiger, and get to the heart of the problem.
They really were like sisters, weren't they? Both avoiding the issue until pressed into doing it. Amy less so than Tiger, as she was more...outgoing. But well, she was a
teenager. She could be forgiven for having the occasional bout of illogical worry. Especially when it came to her 'sister', whom Amy valued more than most. And because she valued Tiger so much, she was going to go right to her now.
Damn the torpedoes, as the Americans would say!
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What do I do...
The battlecruiser that was the source of Amy's worries, was worried in her own right. She had been pacing in her room for some time now, her uniform jacket discarded and her skirt loose on her hips. Her white undershirt was loose as well, her taught stomach exposed as the battlecruiser moved through her room. Tiger brushed a bit of brown hair from her face, violet eyes focused on something sitting on her bed. The package had been sitting there and staring at her ever since she had returned from talking with the Admiral, and it wasn't likely to go away.
No matter how much it had her on edge.
"Hey...Tiger?"
The British girl twitched, as the voice of her worries spoke up.
"Come in."
Still, she didn't let it stop her. Tiger just turned to the door, tucking a lock of brown hair behind her ears. Amy walked into the room, a tense look in her every step. Tiger couldn't help but frown at that, even as she saw the other girl's blue eyes widen.
...probably at her state of relative undress.
"What do you need?" Tiger asked, unconsciously shifting to cover more of her body as her face flushed slightly.
"I need to talk," Amy replied softly, walking forward.
Tiger frowned at that, "Talk? About wha..."
Before she could finish the question, Amy had pulled her into a tight hug. Tiger flinched, but didn't pull away. Even as she felt Amy's hair pool against her exposed stomach. Even as she felt the urge to pull away, if only because she was uncomfortable at best with physical affection of this type. But Tiger was a battlecruiser, and it would hardly be in her nature to back down so easily. Even if she was extremely uncomfortable at the moment, to say the least.
"I..." Amy muttered, her voice muffled by Tiger's soft stomach. "I was worried, Tiger."
Now the battlecruiser felt a hint of anger in her system. Who had worried her friend?
"What...
who...worried you, Amy?"
"You."
And just as quickly as it came, the anger faded. Tiger's face turned pale, as she looked down on the girl beneath her. Amy had not looked up, if anything, she just squeezed tighter. Her arms tightened on the battlecruiser's waist, as Tiger warily placed her hands on the teenager's shoulders. Squeezing lightly, to try and calm her down.
Even though she didn't know what to say.
"Amy..."
"It's silly, I even went to talk to Australia about it." The teenager just continued speaking. "I thought you may not be happy. May not like that I think you're my sister. I know that I shouldn't think like that. You said you were going to try and get used to it, not that you didn't like the idea. But you've been avoiding me so..."
Tiger could only squeeze tighter, shaking her head. Her unbound brown hair fluttered around her head, tickling at Amy's face as well.
"I'm sorry. I...was trying to do something, and I wanted it to be a surprise. I know I worried you, but I..."
"Surprise?"
The younger teen pulled back, as Tiger shuffled slightly. Her face was red, as the battlecruiser gestured at the package on her bed.
"I went to Admiral Kirkpatrick and Australia, and asked them for help with something. I wanted to surprise you with it Amy, and I am sorry if I worried you. That was not my intention at all."
Amy didn't reply, as she walked over to the bed. She merely reached out, picking up the package, careful to not disturb Tiger's uniform. For her part, the battlecruiser shifted uncomfortably, as she watched Amy open the box. Watched as the teenager's eyes went, what in any other situation would have been comically, wide. Amy reached into the box, pulling out the items hidden inside.
This wasn't exactly how Tiger had planned to give the gifts to the dark-haired girl, but well...no plan survives contact with the enemy. She knew
that better than most.
Still, Tiger had been hoping to give this to Amy properly. As a proper gift, to show how much she
did value the other girl. Especially as she was soon to go on assignment with New Zealand, patrolling the coast further north. It wasn't her choice, but...well, it was what it was. Tiger valued whatever service she could give, and knew that it was not going to be often she was sent out. If that meant leaving Amy, she could hardly
not feel bad though.
Perhaps, moreso now than before.
"Tiger...I..."
For her part, Amy's eyes were still wide, as she held a little model of Tiger's old hull. And her other hand held a small little album, the binding falling open to show the pictures contained within.
Pictures of the two, sometimes with Australia or the Admiral featured as well.
"I'm going to be gone soon, at least for some time." Tiger began to explain, looking at the teenager seriously. "Patrolling up north with New Zealand. I won't have as much time to spend with you, so I...I wanted to get something you could keep with you. I still don't know how to
feel about...being sisters in all but blood. But I still wanted to do something nice."
Here, Tiger looked down at her hands.
"So I went to the Admiral, and against my better judgement, Australia. Your Aunt suggested the photo album. The model is Australia's doing, and I think it was one of her jokes. But...I wanted to try what I could. I hope..."
Amy just pulled Tiger into another hug, but there was none of the worry this time. Merely gratitude, as she hugged the battlecruiser tightly.
"Thanks mate," Amy's voice was soft, even muffled against Tiger's body. "Thank you. I'll keep these safe, while you're gone. Just promise me something, okay?"
"Anything."
"Don't get hurt. I know how you are, how you feel. Don't do anything risky...
please."
Tiger knew that was a promise she couldn't make. If it came down to it, she would fight until the end. It was her duty, her reason for existing. But...
"I promise."
She couldn't say no to
Amy, could she?
