Chapter Text
Biana slammed her homework on the table and stood up, making Dex jump.
"Okay, Dex, I've had enough of trying to be a polite best friend. You've been like this for weeks. You need an intervention."
Dex blinked at her. "I've been like what?" he asked, but his cheeks were tinged with pink. Guilty, Biana thought smugly.
"You know, dreamy, distant, occasionally oddly nervous, smiling at nothing, randomly blushing," Biana listed off. "All the symptoms of lovesickness. Somehow, I don't know who it is yet, so now is your chance to tell me before I find out in a likely much more embarrassing way."
Dex scowled. "I hate you," he groaned, hiding his face with his hands. Biana noticed amusedly that his ears were red.
"No you don't. Or at least you won't once I get you and your crush together."
"Like that'll happen," Dex muttered.
"Oh?" Biana arched an eyebrow, and smirked at Dex's panicked expression at accidentally giving potential data away. "Who could it be..." She tilted her head to look up thoughtfully, and then her eyes widened. "Wait. Do you like Jensi?"
"What? No way," Dex replied automatically, shaking his head. "Don't worry, I'm not after your boyfriend. Oh, and it's not you, either. Actually, maybe I shouldn't be narrowing down the list for you."
"Oh, come on!" Biana pouted. "I'll support you, as long as it's not, like, someone evil or someone already taken--oh, are they taken?"
Dex sighed. "You know what? I'll... I'll just tell you." He hesitated, looking concerned. "You... you'll still be friends with me after I tell you, right? I can't help who I like, you know."
"Of course I know," Biana replied, rolling her eyes playfully. "And of course. Besties forever, right?"
Dex nodded, fidgeting before blurting out, "I like your brother."
Biana's eyes turned comically large, and she fell back in her chair dramatically. "You like Fitz?" she gasped.
Dex blushed. "No, I like Alvar," he said sarcastically. "Yes, I like Fitz."
"You know, that actually makes a lot of sense," Biana mused thoughtfully.
"But you disapprove, right?"
Biana's eyebrows furrowed. "No?"
Dex exhaled in relief. "You complained about girls using you to get to Fitz, so I was worried you might think I was doing the same thing."
"Well, you're a boy," Biana pointed out jokingly. "Seriously though, as long as it doesn't hurt our friendship, I'm good with it. I'm thrilled, actually. You as my brother-in-law? Sounds awesome. I'll have to put extra effort into being your wingman--or wingwoman or whatever."
Dex grinned at Biana gratefully. "Thanks, Bee."
Biana grinned back. "My pleasure." She paused. "I won’t tell Fitz but I’m not hiding this from our friends. They can help me help you."
"If you must," Dex said, resigned.
~ ~ ~
Biana told Jensi at soccer practice after school.
"Dex likes Fitz," she told him quietly as they warmed up.
Jensi hummed. "I guessed as much--I've been sorta-friends with him since middle school--and it was pretty clear from the way he looked at him that he was attracted--you don't look at someone you just despise the way Dex looks at Fitz--I actually told him as much and he got annoyed but I think that's also how he realized it was actually a crush."
Biana grimaced. "I'm his best friend and didn't realize until he told me."
Jensi paused in his lunges to peck her on the cheek, and continued so fast their coach didn't have time to say anything. "Don't feel bad--he was probably trying to be subtle anyway--so maybe he was just good at hiding it."
Biana appreciated his reassurance, and was content to listen to him chatter about the new girl who'd joined his friend group.
~ ~ ~
She told Linh a few days later, when she came over to her house.
"I have a few outfits that are too small for me that I think would look stunning on you," Biana said as she emerged from her closet with her arms full of clothing. "Oh, and by the way, I have something to tell you."
"Spill the tea! Oh, and I'd love some if you can't wear them anymore. Although I don't think that qualifies as a few," Linh said as Biana dumped the clothes on the ground.
"First, I think this one is especially perfect for you," Biana said, holding up an iridescent dress in different shades of blue.
"Oh my gosh, it's so pretty!"
"I'm dying to do matching makeup for it, would you be down?"
"Of course!"
After Linh had picked out some more articles of clothing, she sat down at Biana's vanity as Biana began to do her makeup.
"Oh yeah, the tea is that Dex likes Fitz."
"...That makes sense, actually."
"Right, that's what I said! And they would be so cute together! Can you help me set them up?"
"Heck yeah!"
~ ~ ~
Roughly an hour later, Linh's makeup was finished and she was in the dress. Biana squealed when she came out of the closet.
The dress accentuated her petite figure and made her look like a mermaid with a very sparkly blue tail or a lady wearing a dress made of water. It matched perfectly with the shimmery eyeliner and eyeshadow. A pair of pearl earrings and a pearl necklace enhanced the water theme. White gloves covered her slender hands. Her black hair, tipped with silver, was in a neat French braid. Her eyelashes were perfectly curled, her dark eyes sparkled, and her cheeks were dusted with blush.
"How do I look?"
"You look absolutely dazzling, darling!" Biana exclaimed, her slight British accent stronger with her excitement.
Linh laughed, blushing more, as she spun around. "Thanks! I mean, you're the one who gave me the dress and did the makeup, so really, it's all you."
"I only highlighted your natural beauty," Biana replied. "So I can only take, oh, maybe half the credit."
"Still, thanks. I can't wait for Tam and Wylie's reactions when I get home." She giggled. "This is definitely the most extravagant we've gotten. They'll think I went to prom or acted at a play without telling them."
Biana giggled with her. "Well, we still have some time left. Why not go downstairs and maybe get Fitz to help us make brownies?"
Linh readily agreed. "Maybe we can subtly try to find out if he likes Dex back."