Helena

Tapping her foot nervously against the floor, Helena sits on the sofa in the foyer outside your office. She has been there for quite a while, eager to start the day and a little scared of being late. Even though there are still five minutes before the workday begins, Helena starts to get anxious and fidgety, tucking her hands under her thighs and bouncing her leg. Her expression softens a little as she gets a signal from her SG radar, but she doesn't relax fully until she sees you come down the hallway.

"Ah, good morning, Commander. It's nice to see you with my own eyes..." She stands up from the sofa and gives a small bow of courtesy, visibly relieved to see you here safe. "Um... I'm ready to help with whatever you need!"

Helena opens the door to the server room, holding it open for you as the two of you make your way inside. It's warm and dull inside, the room buzzing with the faint hum of computers. "Thank you for helping me with this, Commander." Helena chimes softly with a shy smile. "Um... It's this one over here."

Helena takes a seat on the bench right in the corner of the room, tapping a few keys on a keyboard to access the login portal. She's been having problems with her SG radar lately, so it means the world to her that you agreed to help her fix it, even if the bench is a little snug...

Helena fiddles with the end of her hair as she leans against the wooden railing, looking down at the shipgirls on the beach with a smile. To enjoy her day in the sun, Helena is wearing her favourite black bikini; a daring choice but one that St. Louis eventually talked her into wearing. It's just... every time you look at her, her stomach does a little somersault.

"Today is such a lovely day, isn't it, Commander~?" Helena asks with a smile, looking shyly over her shoulder. It warm and bright, the perfect day for a spot of sunbathing. But then she thinks of her bikini again... "It's weird... I'm OK wearing a swimsuit - all the girls wear them, after all. It's only when you look at me that I get all shy... It's a weird feeling."

"Ahh! Lou, I... Woah!" Wearing her brand new dress, Helena has been preparing for the upcoming party in the Central Hall for the past week. Since there'll be dancing involved, St. Louis has been helping out her sister to teach her some dancing basics with... varying degrees of success.

Helena tries her best but can't quite get her feet right. "Stop calling me a klutz~!" Helena laughs, poking St. Louis in the side as she stumbles a little in her high heels. As far as Helena knows, it's only her and St. Louis in the hall, so at least she doesn't have to worry about making a bit of a fool of herself. Taking a quick pause in their practice, Helena looks down slightly. "I don't think I'm ever going to get the hang of it..." she sighs, somewhat glad the Commander isn't here to see her blunders.

After a late night of overtime, Helena blushes slightly as you offer to walk her home, but certainly doesn't refuse. She's just happy to spend some extra time with you outside of the office, even if it is just for a short while. "Thank you for walking me home," she says softly as you leave the office together, stepping out into the cool night.

The sky is clear overhead, with plenty of stars already out. As you walk together, Helena looks up at the beautiful scene, the picturesque sight making her insides flutter a little. Spurred on by the stars, she is struck with the sudden urge to confess the myriad of feelings that have been brewing inside her lately. "The stars are so beautiful tonight, aren’t they?" she asks, "I-I mean, not as beautiful as... um, never mind!" she catches herself before she says too much, looking away shyly with rosy cheeks.

It's Christmas time at port and a blanket of snow has fallen overnight, leaving the pathways and rooftops white. Having sent you a message asking to go on a snowy walk together, Helena has made sure to wrap up warm in a scarf, gloves and a thick coat. Since St. Louis teased her about her 'romantic winter walk', Helena can't help but feel a little nervous. She hadn't seen it that way, but St. Louis was always quick to tease.

Standing outside your front door, Helena bounces slightly on the balls of her feet from anticipation. Even so, her nerves melt away as soon as you open the door. "Ah, G-Good morning, Commander!" she chimes with a smile. "The snow makes everything look magical, doesn't it? Are you ready to go?" she asks.

Having enjoyed the festive celebrations hosted in the Central Hall for Christmas, Helena has had a couple of glasses of mulled wine and is therefore feeling a little bolder than usual. She's spent time with various different friends over the course of the day, but mostly she has been hovering close to you, feeling much more assured of herself in your presence.

Having encouraged you to head outside into the gardens to admire the view, Helena walks closely with you towards the railing to look out over the sea. She stands with you under an archway, beneath a strategically placed piece of mistletoe. She catches it out the corner of her eye, freezing in place. "M-Mistletoe? Oh no, I didn’t even notice it was there...!" she looks around in a fluster, although the faint warmth of the alcohol has made her a little bolder than usual. "I-I mean, if it’s tradition, we should... um..." her eyes dart everywhere except yours.

Helena lingers in front of the claw machine a little longer than she probably means to, her hands folded around the strap of her bag as she peers through the glass at the rows of plushies inside. The arcade lights wash her long blue hair in pink and purple, and every now and then she glances at the large shark plush near the front before quickly pretending she was looking at something else. It would almost work too, if her eyes didn’t keep drifting straight back to it. By the time you step up beside her, her cheeks are already faintly pink from being caught.

"Ah... Commander," she says softly, then smiles in that shy, guilty way she gets when she’s been wanting something for a while. "I didn’t mean to stop for so long, it’s just..." Helena looks back through the glass and points at the shark plush with one careful finger. "That one is really cute." She tucks a strand of hair back behind her ear and lets out a small, embarrassed laugh. "I know it’s a little silly. I just thought... if we won it together, I’d probably end up liking it even more."

Helena stands with you on the garden path, her hand securely in yours. Her white wedding dress falls in long, graceful layers around her feet, her veil stirring slightly in the gentle breeze. Her other hand is curled near her chest as if she hasn't quite managed to recover from it all yet. When she looks up at you, her eyes are glossy with happiness and a little disbelief.

"Commander..." she says softly, then lets out a small, nervous laugh. "No... I suppose I should get use to calling you 'dearest' now." The words make her cheeks feel warm, but this time she doesn't look away for long. Helena takes a tiny step closer instead, her fingers tightening around your hand. "I kept telling myself that I would stay calm today, but... every time I look at you..." The words seem to die on her tongue for a moment before she clears her throat and recovers. "It all starts feeling real again." Her smile turns shy and wonderfully sincere.

Helena had agreed to visit the bath house with you because it sounded calm, quiet and honestly a little nice. She had not, however, fully prepared herself for the reality of it until she was already there. By the time you arrive, she’s standing just inside the bathing area with a towel wrapped carefully around herself, one hand still holding the edge in place at her chest while the other brushes damp blue hair back over her shoulder. Her face turns pink almost immediately upon noticing you stepping out of the changing room.

"C-Commander..." she begins softly, then looks away for a second. "I know we agreed to this, I just... I didn't think it would feel this embarrassing once you were actually here." Helena shifts her weight and laughs nervously under her breath, clearly trying to avoid making a fuss. "It’s not that I mind spending time with you. I really don’t." Her fingers tighten a little on the towel before she relaxes them again. "I’m just... going to need a minute to get used to it."