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The commander looked at the cards in front of himself, he was playing a simple game of solitaire with himself as per usual, his hands moving over the cards as he finished his game and got up. He walked around his small place, looking outside he could see the rain coming down outside, it was going to be a long and cold day, later most likely this rain was going to turn to ice which was going to cause a lot of problems and would mean that they were going to be stuck inside. As he looked out at the nasty weather, he heard the doorbell go off.
The commander turned wondering just who would be there at this time of night, and why they would be there. He knew he had to let them in, if they were out in this weather, they had to have gotten stuck outside or something. He had no clue, but he opened the door to help them and let them out of the cool, damp weather. As he saw the woman it was, he had to say that he was more than a bit surprised to see the veteran Argus at his door, the beautiful white-haired woman slipping quickly into his home to get out of the weather.
The commander couldn't hide his surprise as he opened the door to find Argus, the veteran, standing outside. Her elegant white hair and presence added a touch of unexpected warmth to the cold and rainy night. He quickly ushered her inside, understanding that she must have been caught in the inclement weather.
"Argus, what brings you here?" the commander asked, closing the door behind her to keep the chill outside. He noticed her attire, probably not suited for the weather, and gestured for her to make herself comfortable.
Argus gave a small smile, a blend of humility and gratitude. "Commander, I hope I'm not intruding. I was passing by, and the rain caught me off guard. I thought it best to seek shelter for a while."
"No intrusion at all," the commander reassured her, appreciating the unexpected company. "It's a dreadful night out there. Make yourself at home. Can I offer you something warm to drink?"
Argus nodded appreciatively, "That would be lovely, Commander. Thank you."
The commander prepared the warm herbal tea for both of them, using the microwave to expedite the process. As he waited, he turned to Argus, curious about her unexpected visit.
"So, Argus, were you out and about, working on something significant?" he inquired, wanting to understand the reason behind her presence at his door on such a stormy night.
Argus took a moment to collect her thoughts before responding, "Well, I was taking a walk and lost track of time. The rain caught me by surprise, and I found myself quite a distance from Royal Navy Dorms. Your place was the closest, and I thought it best to seek refuge here."
The commander nodded, understanding the situation. "No worries, Argus. You're welcome here anytime, especially on a night like this. Here's your tea," he said, handing her one of the warm cups as the microwave beeped to signal that it was done.
“I don’t think you're going to make curfew, the weather is supposed to only get worse and worse of the course of the night, this cold rain will turn to ice, and we might be stuck here tomorrow too,” the commander informed her as took the cups and put them out of the microwave letting them cool off to not be too hot for a moment.
After a few moments he carried the cups over and put them on his countertop looking over at Argus, “So, you okay staying with me tonight?”
Argus looked genuinely grateful for the offer, appreciating the warmth and hospitality extended to her. "Thank you, Commander. I wouldn't want to trouble you, but if you don't mind the company, I'd be grateful for a place to stay for the night. The weather does seem to be getting worse."
The commander smiled, reassured by her acceptance. "No trouble at all, Argus. It's better than braving the icy rain outside. Feel free to make yourself comfortable. If you need anything, just let me know."
The commander started to cook up some chili for them on this cool night, he figured that having a warm meal would help them both. He cooked it up as he had that and put a bowl of it on the table for Argus, “I figure you skipped dinner right,’ he said as he handed her the bowl as he would sit down next to her. “So, I will take the couch, you can have my room tonight if that is okay.”
Argus graciously accepted the bowl of chili, the warmth from the meal adding to the comfort of being indoors on such a cold night. She nodded appreciatively at the commander's gesture and replied, "Thank you, Commander. I did indeed miss dinner, and this is very thoughtful of you."
As they sat down at the table, enjoying the hearty meal, the commander brought up the sleeping arrangements. Argus looked slightly surprised but then smiled, touched by his consideration.
"That's very kind of you. I appreciate the offer, Commander. I'll make sure not to overstay my welcome," she replied with a genuine smile.
The commander chuckled, "No worries, Argus. Make yourself at home. If you need anything during the night, just let me know. I'll set up the couch, and you can rest in the room."
They continued their meal, chatting about various topics, finding comfort in each other's company amidst the storm raging outside. As they ate, the chili it was at least warm and nice, he could see the snow starting to fall outside through the window, it looked so cold. "I think it is going to be good we are inside," he said as he walked over taking the bowls to the sink and washed them, when suddenly the power went out in the whole of the house.
The commander barely could see his hand in front of his face as he stood, there, he had to mentally go through the area around himself as he grabbed the flashlight and turned it on. He looked over at Argus as she seemed to be better at this then himself.
"So, it seems things took a turn, the heat is connected to the power, and we don't have power, so we have to figure this one out," the commander commented to Argus calmly. The commander looked out to find that all the nearby houses also had no power. "I think we might be out of power for the night, I think it is the storm."
Argus, though initially surprised by the sudden power outage, remained composed. She understood the situation and nodded in agreement with the commander's assessment. "It seems the storm has taken its toll. No worries, Commander. We can manage without power for the night."
"Now, Argus, let us go to my room, it has extra blanket in the closet, it should be the best place to put out some candles and um we will have to share the bed you and I, it is large enough, I am sorry for you having to well cuddle with me for warmth," the commander said not wanting her to think he was taking advantage of the weather to cuddle with her just for fun. Not that he disliked the idea at all.
Argus, understanding the practicality of the situation, nodded with a soft smile. "No need to apologize, Commander. It's a sensible solution given the circumstances. Let's go to your room and make the best of the situation."
The commander led the way with the flashlight, guiding them through the darkened house. Once in his room, they found the extra blankets and set up some candles to provide a warm and cozy atmosphere.
As they settled into the bed, the commander couldn't help but feel a sense of closeness brought about by the unusual circumstances. He glanced over at Argus, who was arranging the blankets, and couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you for being understanding, Argus. This is certainly an unexpected turn of events," he said, appreciating her calm demeanor in the face of the situation.
Argus returned the smile, "It's my pleasure, Commander. Sometimes, the unexpected moments bring people closer. Besides, sharing warmth on a cold night is not such a bad thing."
Argus, though initially surprised by the suggestion, smiled at the commander's consideration. "No need to apologize, Commander. Sharing the bed for warmth sounds like a practical solution given the circumstances. I appreciate your hospitality."
The commander walked with her as he found the small room with the decent sized bed the table near the bed had a couple of candles that he was given as gifts by different shipgirls while he was there.
He walked to the closet and pulled out a couple of heavy blankets and put them on the bed. He could feel the cold already in the air as the warmth slowly would fade, he figured this was important, and that they would need all the warmth they could find.
"Okay, let us um cuddle, I didn't think this night would go this direction, but I have to be honest with you Argus, I kind of like that it has, to have the chance to cuddle with you is really nice," the commander said bashfully.
Argus chuckled softly, appreciating the commander's honesty and bashful admission. "Well, Commander, unexpected situations can sometimes lead to pleasant surprises. I'm not opposed to a bit of warmth and companionship on this chilly night."
They settled into the bed, arranging the blankets around them, the commander pulled Argus close to himself, her head ending up on his shoulder as the warm blankets were around them, her arm around his chest as she looked up at him. Argus smiled happily as she looked at the commander. The warmth of the blankets, the warmth of their closeness was fitting for the warmth of their hearts despite the cold outside was on full display.
"Argus," the commander said softly, "I'm grateful you showed up at my door tonight. Despite the power outage and the storm, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Argus smiled warmly, "Likewise, Commander. Sometimes, it's the unplanned moments that create the fondest memories. I'm glad to be here with you."
"Agreed, maybe we should spend more time together from now on, and not just when chance brings you to my door," he said softly as he held her close.
Argus looked up at the commander, her blue eyes reflecting the warmth and sincerity of her feelings. "I'd like that, Commander. Spending more time together sounds wonderful. Perhaps we can create more moments like this intentionally."
The commander smiled, grateful for her response. "I'd like that too, Argus. Now, let's make the best of this night and enjoy the warmth we have right here."
As they lay in the cozy bed, surrounded by darkness but illuminated by the flickering candlelight, the storm outside seemed to fade into the background. The unexpected turn of events had brought them closer, and in that quiet moment, the commander and Argus found comfort and warmth in each other's company.
The room was filled with a soft glow, the gentle warmth of their embrace, and the sound of frozen rain drops tapping on the window. In that serene atmosphere, the commander leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on Argus's forehead.
"Goodnight, Argus," he whispered.
"Goodnight, Commander," she replied, her voice filled with contentment.