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Battleship 2025 - Team Strawberry
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Published:
2025-07-30
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356
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1/1
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6
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9
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Sensory Deprivation

Summary:

“Niles, we are not putting one of those giant, ugly containers in our beautiful apartment.”
“But—“
“No, I won’t hear it,” she said. Her husband loved to fill their apartment with junk he didn’t need and rarely used. It was fine before they were together, but now this was Daphne’s home too and she hated being surrounded by junk. She turned on her heel to head to the kitchen. What for? She wasn’t sure. Probably to make tea. What else was there to do when she was annoyed, or angry, or stressed, or any other emotion?
*
Niles misses his sensory deprivation tank. He tries to persuade Daphne they need one.

Notes:

This fic was written as part of the Battleship Exchange, which involves creating fanworks featuring specific tags. The tags have been left below to make them searchable within the Battleship collection.

Tags (3): Sensory deprivation, Helping character walk, Strawberries

Work Text:

“Niles, we are not putting one of those giant, ugly containers in our beautiful apartment.”

“But—“

“No, I won’t hear it,” she said. Her husband loved to fill their place with fancy things he didn’t need and rarely used. It was fine before they were together, but now this was Daphne’s home too and she hated being surrounded by junk. She turned on her heel to head to the kitchen. What for? She wasn’t sure. Probably to make tea. What else was there to do when she was annoyed, or angry, or stressed, or any other emotion? 

“My love, hear me out,” he said, following behind her. Three floors in this godforsaken apartment and she still couldn’t escape him. Maybe she'd have strawberries with her tea. That might improve her mood. 

“Niles—“

“—There’s a spa downtown that has them. Why don’t we have a spa day—massages, manicures, facials, hamam, the works—and you can try out the sensory deprivation tank there. If you hate it, I’ll never speak of it again.”

She ground her teeth. She did want a spa day. 

*

“Daphne?” Niles tapped very lightly on the tank door. “Daph? It’s time to come out now, sweetheart.” 

Slowly, carefully, he turned the handle and opened the door. Daphne lay on her back, still floating in the glowing pool of water, blackout goggles on her head. 

Reluctantly, she shifted her weight in the water until she was kneeling on the tank floor. She removed her goggles and tried to stand, legs shaky. 

“Oh—here you go,” Niles said, extending his arm to help her out. She rose from the water like a goddess rising from her bath and stood, blinking into the dim light. 

Niles watched her expectantly. 

“That was…” 

He braced himself. 

“…the best bloody thing I’ve done all year.”

He brightened. “So we can get one?”

She scoffed. “I’m not sharing mine. We’re going to need two.”

She took a step, still boneless, and stumbled. 

“Niles, you’re going to have to help me walk.”

“Not a problem, darling,” he said as she took his proffered arm and they walked, together, into the light.