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“Do you mind going shopping with me?”
Stelle doesn’t think she’s agreed to do anything faster. Then again, it’s not like she’s ever told Natasha no when she asks for something.
They’ve been invited to Bronya’s family home near the ocean, which meant everyone needed to bring swimsuits. Stelle already had a rash guard and beach shorts that she bought a few months back, but when Natasha messaged her asking if she could go with her to buy some new swimsuits, suddenly Stelle also needed something from the mall.
Sunscreen, maybe.
But what Stelle initially thought would be a date turned out to be a pre-trip get together considering all their other friends are here as well.
It’s fine. Stelle loves her dear friends very much.
Even if they did ruin her plans to spend some time alone with Natasha.
Fortunately they all need different things, so they still split up to go to different stores, agreeing to meet up again for dinner before heading home.
March and Dan Heng go to buy some new film for March’s camera to bring to the trip, Himeko needs some skincare products so Serval and Bronya tag along with her.
Seele and Gepard volunteer to buy snacks, which they all know won’t last long enough to be actually brought to the trip, but they let them go anyway.
Stelle follows Natasha to the department store for a wider range of options, biting the inside of her cheek to contain her excitement.
She watches Natasha browse through the rack of swimwear, ranging from one-piece suits, to bikinis, to straight up thongs. Stelle tries not to imagine Natasha wearing them, but she wants to be a helpful little shopping assistant.
So when Natasha picks out a white textured bikini with a gold ring-linked top to hold out in front of herself, Stelle’s mind short circuits and she inhales too quickly she starts choking on her spit.
“Stelle! Are you okay?” Natasha asks, putting the swimsuit back on the rack and holding Stelle by the arms, no doubt ready to perform first aid if she needs it.
Does choking on your own saliva require CPR? Stelle thinks she might need it.
“I’m fine,” Stelle croaks instead, coughing a few times to clear her throat. Natasha gives her a doubtful look, but Stelle reassures her it’s nothing.
The next swimsuit Natasha checks out is a dark green one-piece with a deep V that reaches mid torso, and it definitely compliments Natasha’s features.
Stelle tells her that much, and the smile Natasha gives her is almost blinding.
“You should try it on,” Stelle blurts out, so loudly that it earns a few stares from other shoppers and some store clerks. Her face grows hot as she avoids their gaze.
Natasha seems surprised as well, but she just chuckles and says, “Should I? I quite like it, too.”
“Yeah,” Stelle answers breathily.
“Come with me?”
Oh, gods. “Sure!” Stelle’s voice sounds too pitchy, but if Natasha notices, she doesn’t comment on it.
The department store lady directs them to the fitting rooms, and Natasha picks out a couple more swimsuits to bring with her before heading there.
Stelle waits outside the row of fitting rooms while Natasha changes inside, drumming her fingers against her skirt. Maybe she should try a few on as well, so it doesn’t seem awkward, but she also doesn’t want to go through the hassle.
Several minutes later, Natasha peeks out from her stall and calls out to her. Stelle stiffly approaches, hoping that her face isn't as red as she thinks they are.
“What do you think?” Natasha asks, shyly moving from side to side to show off the dark green one-piece.
Stelle doesn’t trust herself to answer in a way that Natasha would probably appreciate, but she manages a, “It looks really nice on you,” while giving a thumbs up.
“Great! I’ll try on the others. Are you sure you don’t mind waiting out here? If you need to get anything, that’s fine.”
“Not at all,” Stelle says with a shake of her head. “I can get them later.” It’s a lie, but Natasha doesn’t have to know that Stelle only came here so she can see Natasha try on different swimsuits.
The second swimsuit Natasha tries on is more on the cute side, with high waist shorts and a ruffled bikini top. It’s a nice light shade of blue, and Stelle manages to honestly compliment Natasha on this one.
“You really think so?” Natasha smiles when Stelle says she’ll look pretty in it, pink dusting her cheeks. Stelle feels like she won. “Mm, I might get this one, then. But I have one last thing to try, okay?”
“Okay,” Stelle says, eyeing the said swimsuit. It’s a black two-piece bikini, and after Natasha closes the fitting room door, Stelle takes a few deep breaths.
She underestimated her mental capacity to go on this errand. Stelle already struggles keeping her thoughts innocent when Natasha looks absolutely gorgeous in everything she wears, and swimsuits are downright sinful on her.
For a doctor, Natasha is a dangerous threat to Stelle’s mental and cardiac health.
“Okay, this one might be a little small on me, so don’t laugh.” Natasha calls out.
“I would never,” Stelle answers, a little offended that Natasha thinks she would ridicule her. It’s quite the opposite actually. Natasha could wear the ugliest clothes known to mankind and Stelle would be there to hype her up.
But the thought of a bikini being small on Natasha has Stelle’s mind reeling. Would she survive this?
Maybe this is what March meant when she told Stelle she was “down horrendous”.
The door’s lock clicks, and Stelle holds her breath as it opens, revealing Natasha wearing the two-piece. The top looks okay, tight in all the right places. Instead of two straps over the shoulders, it’s a halter neck with a big hole in the middle of the chest area, perfectly showcasing Natasha’s under cleavage.
“Well?” Natasha asks hopefully, holding her arm in an attempt to cover herself as Stelle stares, but it only squishes her breasts together and—
“Good,” Stelle says, voice cracking embarrassingly. She swallows and tries again. “It looks really good, Nat. It definitely fits you well.”
“Really?” Natasha brightens up. She looks at herself in the mirror then back at Stelle. “But what about this side?”
She turns around and Stelle just about passes out. If the bikini top was enough to cause significant psychological damage to Stelle, nothing would have prepared her for the bottom half of the swimsuit.
Now she understands why Natasha thought it was small.
It’s not a thong per se, but it still exposes a lot more than the usual bikini bottom. It hugs Natasha’s ass nicely, and Stelle is one thought away from falling to her knees in despair.
“It’s great,” Stelle tells her, hoping Natasha can’t tell that the image of her ass in those bottoms is seared on her brain. “I think the second one is the best, though.”
It’s the best one for my mental health, is what she doesn’t say.
“Great! Alright, I’ll get both this one and the one you said,” Natasha says excitedly, closing the fitting room door again.
Wait.
What?
Natasha does end up buying the two swimsuits, claiming that since they’ll be spending a week at the beach, it’s better to have an extra. Stelle wishes she could argue, but unfortunately Natasha has a point.
She convinces Stelle to buy another swimsuit as well, picking out ones that she thinks would fit her. Natasha shows her one that zips up the back, offering to accompany her in the fitting room stall to help her with it, but Stelle quietly says she can do it herself, cheeks hot as she swiftly changes into it.
Stelle doesn’t even bother checking how it looks on her. As soon as she confirms that it does fit, she changes back to her clothes and emerges from the fitting room with the swimsuit in her arms.
“I’ll get this one,” she tells Natasha before going to the counter to pay. She misses the look of disappointment on Natasha’s face, who follows after her silently.
They look around for a bit more before going to the restaurant they all agreed to meet at for dinner. The others are already there when they arrive, and March comments on Stelle’s red face, sputtering when Stelle hurriedly covers her mouth with a hushed Shut up.
March looks between her and Natasha before smiling knowingly, quietly promising she won’t say bring it up anymore.
Stelle sighs.
This trip is going to be a blast.