The adventures of Prinz Eugen and the young engineer Volume 1.

Chapter 26

The hours went by and in the end all retired from the Saloon and went to get some rest. Saying their goodbyes to all the other Shipgirls, the young engineer waited outside in the cold for Prinz Eugen to get her coat on. Feeling the warmth of his cheeks and the slight disorientation of the alcohol made him forget the ice cold air and snowfall. Looking up and over the harbour he realized what a beautiful picture was in front of him. The light of the stars and moon that broke through some of the clouds, reflected on the ice and snow and tinted the night in a pale blue, making an otherwise dark night look like a painting from a fairytale.

Hearing the doors behind him move he turned around just in time to stabilize a stumbling Prinz Eugen. "Well, I would say someone had enough for today." He said in a teasing manner. "Ohh, so you are able to fight me with my own weapons? How interesting." She replied in a slightly slower than usual manner. "So, I will see you in the morning then I guess? I don't know but I think I will be off duty and sleep in a bit." She continued with a slight chuckle. "I see you around then." She finished, slightly waving her hand and walking off towards the Shipgirls dorm. She managed about 8 steps before slipping on a frozen puddle and landing straight on her butt. Walking over to her the young engineer offered her a hand without saying a word. Looking up to him the young engineer saw a mixed expression on the cruiser's face. Her facial expression was one of anger or annoyance but her eyes were widened in surprise. Not saying a word, she grabbed his hand and let herself be pulled up by the young engineer. He waited next to her, while she brushed the snow off her coat and legs. When she started to walk again, the young engineer held out his right arm for her to hold on to. Looking at him with about the same expression as seconds before, he was not sure if he was going too far with his behavior.

But to his surprise the heavy cruiser did not reject nor took up his offer to hold on to his arm. Instead she wrapped his arm around her and her left arm around his waist. Securing herself that way she looked the young engineer in the eyes. Now it was his time to be astonished. He did not expect this to happen. With a gesture of her head towards her dorm the two started walking.

Arriving at her room the young engineer let go of her so she could open the door. She fumbled with her key for a bit but got the door open. She turned around to face him: " Thank you for bringing me up to my room. I would have managed it alone as well, but I did enjoy the opportunity to be so closely assisted." She said. Looking still somewhat confused due to the situation the young engineer could not answer here quickly enough and she continued. "Seems like I managed to shut you up for once. I did not manage that since the first week of you being assigned to me. Since then I have not seen this expression of yours either." She chuckles. "Well, I would say we should go to bed and get some rest. I am sure you will manage to find your way to your place right?" The young engineer nodded and with that the cruiser turned on her heels and walked into her room, closing the door with a slight push of her hand while walking in. When the door closed behind her and the young engineer made his way to his resting place he realized that she just moved absolutely flawless when she left into her room. He realized that she most likely pulled a trick on him and pretended to be more inebriated than she actually was. Wondering why she did that he went to bed as well.