#bellanthia

"So black tie means... black tie required, yeah? Not optional or anything?"

Cyanthia stares. She's not sure how much clearer it could get.

"That is correct," she says, taking in her captain's befuddled expression. "I am assuming this Ambrosia Co. gala was not as formal in the past?"

Bella shakes her head no, scrunching up her nose as she glares at the invitation, as if her scathing look could bend the letters on the page to her will. "I don't have anything black tie. I just have, like, a nice jacket."

"Well, we'll just have to get you something more formal, then!" Arnick pipes up, looking pleased at this turn of events. Cyanthia knows full well that Arnick doesn't need any more suits to add to his already plentiful collection (because really, it is a collection at this point), but the next best thing to buying a new suit for himself is helping his captain buy a new one. 

"Ugh," Bella says, and throws the gala invitation back down on the table with a slap. "D'you reckon if I wore a sports bra underneath, would anyone notice?"

"Probably not," Cyanthia says delicately. Bella shrugs, as if this small victory was enough.

"Alright," she says. "Guess we're going shopping, then."

--- Despite admitting that a shopping trip was necessary, Bella drags her feet somewhat the whole way, lingering behind Arnick and Tetrox as they pore over various outfits and ties and shoes and the like. Cyanthia drops back.

"What is on your mind?" Cyanthia asks. Bella sighs, putting her hands deep in the pockets of her hoodie.

"I dunno. I just always feel weird trying on fancy shit. So uncomfortable. I feel like it's not me, I guess?"

"Well, I suppose it is not as comfortable as a big sweatshirt," Cyanthia muses, "But there are other benefits, the way I see it. I always feel more confident when I am wearing something nice, or an outfit that I am proud of."

"I suppose so," Bella mutters, still protesting. "This outfit is nice!" She kicks a leg out, showing off the fabric of her pants. "These are nice leggings. They're made out of a good sturdy fabric, and they're purple."

Cyanthia can't help but laugh. "Yes, for workout clothes, they look very high quality. Maybe you can get some new leggings here too, while we are at it."

"Maybe something like this?" Arnick asks the group, turning back towards Bella and Cyanthia. He's holding up a very standard, but good looking, three-piece black suit.

Bella grimaces. "Is the vest necessary?"

"Yes."

"If you say so," Bella smiles wryly. "You're the expert here, Nicky."

"The vest is necessary if you wanna look super hot," Tetrox says to Bella with a razor-sharp, mischevious grin. "Trust me on this one, sugar."

Cyanthia rolls her eyes. Bella cackles. "Alright, alright! Hold onto your pants. I'm gonna try it."

"Let's find her some shoes!" Tetrox says, beckoning Cyanthia over while Bella and Arnick discuss sizing. 

"Oh—alright," Cyanthia says, looking back towards her two other teammates. Not that she's being selfish, but she'd like very much (okay, probably too much) to see what Bella looks like in the suit. 

Tetrox gives Cyanthia a gentle nudge, reading her look. "Don't worry! We'll get back in time to see her try it on."

"Ugh," Cyanthia says. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You know," Tetrox says as the two of them pore over dress shoes, "Bella told me people bring dates to this kinda thing."

Cyanthia sighs, a sharp sound escaping her lips. "I said I don't—wait, she said that to you? You were talking about dates?"

"A little," Tetrox giggles. "I mean, Nicky's going with me, right, so it just seems natural for you two to pair up. It wouldn't have to be weird at all. You could bring it up just like that. But yes, she did talk to me about dates."

Cyanthia turns over a pair of shoes with a tapered toe and a sleek gold accent around the tip, and decides she'll bring these back for Bella. "Did she say anything else?"

"Nope!" Tetrox says. "She, ah, well, it seemed maybe like a bit of a delicate subject, y'know, that she's going alone this year. I'm sure you could just ask her if you wanted to go as friends..." she trails off, looking at you pointedly.

"I'm sure I could," you sigh, the two of you heading back over to the fitting area. "But that is not what I want."

"Well, yeah, that's just what you say when you ask her," Tetrox snickers. "You go as friends, and then you leave as more than friends—"

"Oh, enough!" you snap. Your face is definitely burning red as you return to where Arnick and Bella are, where Arnick is browsing ties and Bella is sitting, looking somewhat disgruntled, in a very, very, very nice suit.

"You look hot as fuck!" Tetrox shrieks. Arnick shushes her indignantly from his spot over by the accessories. Bella smiles at the compliment, looking sheepish. Cyanthia wants to die. 

"Oh, nice shoes," Arnick says to Cyanthia, looking over at what she brought. "Sir, do you like those?"

"Oh, yeah," Bella says, looking grateful that the subject has changed from how she looks in the suit to literally anything else. "Those are super cool. Thanks, Cy."

Cyanthia is frozen to the spot, unable to respond at the moment, but thankfully Bella just takes them from her and begins to lace them up. She watches the way the dark fabric pulls taut against the muscles in Bella's shoulders, and the way it rides up her thighs just ever so slightly, and—

A nudge from Tetrox snaps Cyanthia out of her reverie. "What?" she snaps. Her heart is beating a million miles per hour.

"She asked you!" Tetrox says. "Not me!"

Cyanthia realizes Bella has asked her a question.

"Um—sorry, what did you say?" She asks, feeling stupid. Did she really not hear her at all?

"The shoes," Bella says. "You like 'em?"

"Oh—uh—yes," Cyanthia manages. 

"Wicked," Bella says, looking relieved. "Guess it's not so bad for one night."

Bella heads over to a full-length mirror to observe the outfit all put together, and Cyanthia gravitates towards her. Behind them, Tetrox is forcing Arnick to try on bowties with horrific gaudy patterns and blocking his attempts to escape. 

"Those two," Bella grins, looking over her shoulder at their antics. Cyanthia can practically hear Tetrox's voice in her head, urging her to ask Bella now.

Bella rocks back and forth on her heels, looking at the suit and the shoes and the tie on her, lips pursed. "What do you think?" She asks, looking Cyanthia's way. 

"Oh, uh." Cyanthia is taken aback. "I—well—you look great. I mean, the suit looks great. On you. That is." 

"Thanks," Bella says, while Cyanthia's brain feels like it's on fire. "I guess if you and Nicky and Tetrox all like it, then it's okay, right?"

"Of course," Cyanthia says, taken aback. "I—to be honest, I am surprised you feel like you need to ask us."

"This just isn't what I'm used to, I suppose," Bella says. "You guys look all dressed up most of the time to me, but when it's me wearing this kinda stuff—," she shrugs. "It's just hard for me to tell if I'm doing it right, y'know?"

"You are definitely doing it right," Cyanthia manages, and Bella visibly relaxes as she says that, giving her a grateful smile. 

Ask her, she pleads with herself. Ask her now.

"So, um—" Cyanthia starts, and Bella focuses her amber gaze on her, all six feet of her in the clean lines of the dark suit, and she panics a little.

"I—well, Tetrox said people usually take dates? To the gala? And if you weren't going with anyone, I was thinking we could go. Together." Well, if all else fails, blame Tetrox, she thinks. Cyanthia tries her best to maintain eye contact, to be sincere. 

Bella smiles. "Yeah, of course! That would be great, Cy."