Superb

The morning is already half gone and your desk is still covered with reports waiting to be checked. Superb sits beside you with a neat stack of finished paperwork at her elbow, reading through the next page with close attention. She reaches over to pluck a scone from the small plate of savouries she brought, insisting they would make the work more pleasant.

"Commander, this section needs your signature," Superb says, passing the report across the desk before reaching over to straighten another crooked pile. "And this one should have been sent to logistics yesterday. Poor organisation is hardly a superb look for headquarters~" She gives you a warm smile to soften the criticism, then notices the position of your collar and immediately reaches up to fix it. "There. Much better." Superb settles back into her chair and picks up the next form. "You may leave the routine reports to me for a while. I am perfectly capable of keeping everything in order." She glances towards you with a small, mischievous smile. "Though... once we finish this stack, I expect a proper thank-you~"

Superb has spent the morning helping out at the infirmary and she's taken a real liking to the dental chair. She stands beside it in pale stockings and a loose white medical blouse, the top few buttons left undone to reveal the edges of her pink bra beneath. She hums a melodic tune to herself as she arranges the equipment on the rolling table beside the chair, ensuring they are neat and precisely lined up. The door is left open, but the room is otherwise empty.

"Open wide, Commander~" Superb chimes, pulling on a pair of gloves before leaning over the chair. She holds your gaze for a moment before offering a warm, reassuring smile. "Do not look so concerned. I have studied the proper procedure thoroughly." She gently places two fingers beneath your chin and tilts your head upwards, her eyelids lowering slightly in satisfaction: hardly the mark of someone who is doing this purely out of profession. "A dental examination requires patience, steady hands and a cooperative patient. Fortunately, I possess two of those already." Her thumb makes a small, brushing motion along the edge of your jaw where she still rests her hand. "Now, let me see that superb smile, Commander~"

Superb steps into the doorway before you can enter, one hand resting against the frame while the other is held out towards you. She has clearly been waiting for this moment, judging by the pleased little smile on her face and the way she has positioned herself to block the entire entrance.

"Not so fast, Commander," she says, lifting her chin slightly. "You appear to have forgotten the proper greeting." Superb wiggles her fingers once, drawing attention to her waiting hand. "When greeting a lady of the Royal Navy, you should take her hand gently, bow and place a kiss upon it. Anything less would be terribly poor manners." Her expression is bright and warm, making it clear that she is teasing, although still expects the kiss all the same. "Come now. I know you are capable of something more refined~"

Having chosen to spend her time with you in the Royal Library, Superb sits beside you on the wide sofa with an old etiquette book resting open across her lap. The faded pages are filled with formal rules for courtship, complete with small illustrations and notes in the margins, probably left by someone who had been reading it recently. The handwriting seems awfully similar to Hood's...

Regardless, Superb has begun to bookmark several pages with the small pink ribbons she brought with her. "Listen to this one, Commander," she says, tracing a finger beneath the next rule before reading it aloud. "One seeking courtship should follow key rules when going a-wooing. Examples include: Ensuring your partner feels your closeness by offering your arm. Presenting carefully chosen flowers of their lover's favourite colour (where applicable)." She pauses, considering the passage with great seriousness. "The advice is rather old-fashioned, but we cannot judge it properly without testing each part." Superb flicks back over the other pages to remind herself of previously bookmarked tips, then closes the book and sets it aside. "We shall practice everything. Greetings, compliments, hand-kisses, dancing..." She stands and offers you a hand up from the sofa. "Come along now, Commander~"

The streets of the Royal Navy district are quiet by the time Superb unlocks the door to her house. She steps inside first and waits for you to follow before closing the door behind you. The sitting room is dimly lit until Superb flicks on the light, opting for a lowered light level regardless. Her home is a little more cluttered than her polished manners would suggest, but she pays it no mind as she steps over to the table and sets her handbag down neatly atop a pile of fashion catalogues.

"What a superb evening..." she says, turning back towards you with a warm smile, reminiscing about your date together. "You were charming, attentive and your table manners required very little correction. I could hardly ask for more~" Superb steps closer and trails her hands up the front of your clothes, though nothing is out of place this time. "Still, it would be rather disappointing to end such a lovely date with a simple goodnight at the door." Her fingers linger near your collar before she slides both arms around your neck, drawing herself flush against you. "Stay a while, Commander~" she murmus, her voice soft and smooth as she holds your gaze from up close.

Superb has spent most of the afternoon preparing the small sitting room for your arrival. Fresh flowers sit in a vase beside the sofa, lavender tea waits beneath a silver cover and several sheets of neatly written notes have been hidden beneath one of the cushions. She has rehearsed every line aloud, including where to stand, when to smile and exactly how long to pause before reaching the important part. By the time you arrive, everything is ready.

"Commander, thank you for coming," Superb begins, standing beside the tea table with both hands folded neatly before her. "There is something I have wished to tell you for quite some time. Your company has become..." She pauses, her eyes briefly drifting towards the cushion hiding her notes. "...become extremely..." The next line refuses to come. Superb clears her throat, tries to recover and manages only a quiet sigh. "Oh, this is hardly superb at all." She steps closer, abandoning the speech completely as she takes your hands into hers. "I wanted this to sound elegant. Romantic. Perfect." Her fingers tighten gently around yours while a warm blush reaches her cheeks. "But the truth is much simpler, Commander. I love you. I love the time we spend together, I love when you look at me and I would very much like to remain beside you for as long as you will have me." Superb offers you a nervous but honest smile. "There. No rehearsal or etiquette... only me."

What you may have expected to be a simple picnic has sprawled out to take over a quiet corner of the Royal Gardens. Superb has spread a wide embroidered blanket across the grass, lined it with several cushions and arranged a low folding table in the centre. She has arranged proper porcelain plates beside polished cutlery and set a vase of fresh flowers in the centre of the table. Her large wicker basket remains open, holding more food than the two of you could reasonably finish.

"Do sit down, Commander," Superb says, adjusting one of the cushions before patting it into place. "You said we should have a picnic. You never said it had to be plain." She begins uncovering the first course, revealing small sandwiches, savouries and warm scones wrapped carefully in cloth. "I considered paper plates, but they simply did not suit the occasion. Nor did plastic cups. And once I had chosen the tea set, everything else needed to match." Superb pours the lavender tea with a satisfied smile, then settles onto the cushion beside you rather than taking the space across the table. "Besides, spending the afternoon with you deserves a little effort." She offers you one of the sandwiches from her own plate, holding it close with a warm, expectant look. "Now, Commander, wouldn't you agree that this is truly a first-class picnic~?"

"Commander, you really ought to be more careful with where you look," Superb says, hiding her smile behind a porcelain teacup. You, her and Illustrious are seated around a small table in the Royal Gardens, surrounded by flowers and a selection of treats set out across the table. Illustrious sits beside Superb with fond and gentle amusement in her eyes, clearly enjoying how quickly the attention has turned towards you.

Superb sets her cup down and reaches across the table to straighten your collar, taking her time while Illustrious watches approvingly. "First Illustrious notices you staring, and now your posture has fallen apart. This tea party is becoming a complete etiquette lesson." She settles back beside Illustrious, the two of them sharing a cheeky smile at their shared teasing. "Still, I suppose we should be flattered. Two elegant ladies have invited you to tea, and you are doing your best to appreciate the occasion." Superb picks up a small piece of cake and holds it towards you with a warm, playful smile. "Come now. Accept your reward properly, Commander. Illustrious and I put a great deal of effort into pampering you today~"