A Pirate's Crush

22. Well? Whaddya Say, Commander?

"You need a partner for the art fair? Then... take me."

...there. I said it. Kinda. Whatever, it's good enough... right?

I nervously glanced at Richelieu. She had a big smile, giving me a thumbs up. I guess I'm doing alright?

"So whaddya say?" I asked.

He stared for a moment. A totally neutral face. Is he thinking?

"A date with Jean Bart, huh?" he said.

Tch... he said that like I'm some kinda celebrity.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah!" I stammered. "If it's security ya need, then I'm your ship. And... might as well make a date out of it."

...yeah, that sounds more reasonable than "I have a huge crush on you, please date me." Can't overwhelm him... or give too much away.

"But I thought you all were going together?" he asked, gesturing to Richelieu.

"Nothing's set in stone," Richelieu said. "Our commanding officer's safety should be top priority. More importantly, it's a splendid opportunity to get to know each other outside of work. And you'll have a fun, beautiful girl all to yourself."

I blushed at her words, but I didn't let it break my resolve.

"It might help our productivity too," I said. Having a practical reason for a date might help my chances... right?

"Before I answer, can I ask you something, Jean?" he asked.

Argh, damn it! Just say yes or no, you dumbass!

...it's fine... it's fine. Just hold out a little longer and answer him.

"Ask away," I said.

"You seemed really angry earlier, but then you were suddenly calm," he said. "Are you sure you're okay? You're not still silently angry or anything? Like, one wrong move is going to set you off again?"

...is that the vibe I have? I guess it's not unreasonable to think, especially when my frustration came to such a screeching halt.

No matter. Nothing to do but press forward.

I shook my head. "No, I'm fine. I promise. Again, I apologize. It's just... well... I'm sure you know how nerve-wracking asking someone out can be."

"Commander, if I may interject," Richelieu said. "And pardon my transparency, but Jeanie isn't like that. As she said, you're no stranger to how heavily stress can impact you, so please don't let her outburst blur your vision. In front of you is an astonishing girl inside and out, and I can say from personal experience that she's a joy to spend time with."

I felt my cheeks flush red. He stared for a moment, and my stomach turned. Did I blow it by screaming at him?

"Honestly, I'm impressed with how you calmed yourself down," he said. "It must take a lot of willpower to slam on the brakes like that."

He thought that was impressive? Losing my cool and coming back down? Eh, I'll take my wins where I can get 'em.

"Hmph... m-merci," I said, blushing even more.

Richelieu nudged me and whispered in my ear.

"You answered his question, now push him to answer yours."

Heh... even Richelieu's getting impatient. She's right, though. No more beating around the bush. I want an answer.

I gave her a nod and turned back to the commander.

"Alright, so... d-do we have a date or not, Commander?" I asked.

Another beat of silence. Is this it?