(no subject)
Title: Betty and the Bat (Ficlet #12)
Fandom: Batman Begins/Ugly Betty
Characters/Pairing: Betty Suarez, Christina McKinney, Justin Suarez, and Hilda Suarez
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,407
Summary: Like Cinderella getting ready for the ball...
Notes: This is the 12th part in a rather unusual crossover which takes place after Season one of Ugly Betty and the end of Batman Begins; it's AU from there.
Sorry about the delay on this one. I got caught up in midterms (well... one midterm, at least) and didn't have much time to write. This has been written for awhile, but I'm OCD about these things and like to be four ahead of what I'm actually posting, so I had to write way into the Ball before I could even think about posting part one. Anyway, spring break is coming up and I'm going home on Wednesday, so hopefully I can pump out some more in a more rapid pace.
Without futher ado, part twelve.
• Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, part 10, and Part 11
Betty flinched, but she didn't say anything. Hilda was there and she didn't want to be accused of complaining, even though she didn't think saying 'ow' when you were poked in the side with a sharp pin really counted as complaining. Still, she didn't want to tempt it. Besides, everyone, including herself, was in such a good mood. She was perfectly happy keeping her mouth shut as Christina worked around her.
"I swear I had this hemmed two days ago. It's like you shrank an inch," Christina said through the pins in her mouth. She carefully folded up the satin purple fabric and stuck another pin through. Pursing her lips, she lifted the hem and peered underneath and Betty's feet. "Betty!"
Damnit, she'd been caught. How was she supposed to know that Christina would be able to tell by the length of the hem? "What?" She decided to go for innocence.
"You know what." Much more quickly than she'd put them in, Christina started pulling out pins and the hem fell back down to an appropriate length. "Where are those shoes? And this is going to have to be steamed now."
"Sorry," Betty drew out the word with a long sigh. She squirmed around for a moment, working quickly to kick off the gold flats she'd been wearing. Yes, they were flats, and yes, they were from Payless, but they were comfortable. That was what counted, wasn't it?
"You were not walking out of here in those." Her friend pulled a horrified face, looking at the cheap shoes kicked across the room.
"Didn't that Amanda chick find you a pair of Choos?" Hilda piped up as she finally looked away from the mirror, her mascara, and her eyelashes. "You're choosing Payless over Choos? Are you insane, Betty?"
"We knew she was insane when she didn't want to go to this thing in the first place. It's the social event of the year" Justin, her younger nephew, strutted into the room looking very smart in his new charcoal grey suit, red tie, and shiny cufflinks. He wasn't wearing Jimmy Choos, but from the look of his feet they were something just as expensive. Betty couldn't help but looking at him in something akin to shock.
"Don't call your aunt crazy," Hilda scolded, swatting Justin on the shoulder. For his part, Justin looked absolutely horrified that someone had dared to touch and possibly wrinkle his designer suit.
The flurry of activity around her made Betty grin brightly. Laughter bubbled up within her for no apparent reason, but she couldn't help but let it out as she looked around the room. There were clothes, shoes, and makeup everywhere sitting on equal footing with the dirty coffee mugs, empty pizza boxes, and dangerously placed silverware. Betty had stopped trying to clean and organize things hours ago when Christina had first arrived, needles and thread in hand and clothing bags thrown over her arms.
It was as if she hadn't had the time to spend with her family and best friend like this in forever. Even if they were technically preparing for what was a work function for her, it was still spending time with them and there were all going to the same place in the end: Metropolis.
"Ouch!" Betty jumped as a burst of hot air hit the back of her ankles and feet. She turned to see Christina kneeling by her with an iron and hitting being rather liberal with the steam button.
"You complain too much," Hilda muttered.
Betty managed to keep smiling. "It's an exclamation of pain."
"Stand still, Betty," Christina hit the steamer again and tugged on the hem of her dress.
"It's fine, Christina," She did her best to hop away from the blonde woman on the floor. She still wasn't quite used to walking with so much fabric swirling around her. Betty turned around to offer her hand to Christina. "Get up… you're going to wrinkle your dress and mine is done. It looks amazing, thank you."
Under normal circumstances, Betty tended not to stare into mirrors. It was probably the worst possible thing for her self esteem on a normal day. It wasn't that Betty thought particularly horribly of herself, but sometimes one simply didn't need to look into the mirror and see busy hair, braces, and thick glasses. Tonight was different.
The dress had to be a few seasons out of style given that it had been sitting in Faye's secret room for so long, but Betty didn't care at all. Not even Amanda had mentioned it in her usual catty manner once she'd seen her try it on. Mean spirited as it was, Betty couldn't help but love the fact that she'd made Amanda speechless with, dare she even think it? Her beauty? She didn't feel particularly beautiful, but she did feel pretty.
She grinned as she turned to look in the mirror. "And I pity any girl who isn't me today," she said quietly underneath her breath. Her hair was still bushy, she was still wearing glasses, and her braces were lined in purple rubber bands which only vaguely matched her dress, but she still felt pretty.
And witty, and gay.
The fingers running through her hair were gentle, pulling some of the hair away from her cheeks and pushing it behind her ears. "You look beautiful." Hilda bent forward, kissing Betty on the cheek.
"Thank you."
"You do," Christina agreed. She stood, swiping briefly at the fabric of her dress around her knees where she'd been kneeling. Other than that, though, Christina looked gorgeous, in her opinion. Her red strapless dress looked stunning, as did Hilda's two toned blue off the shoulder. They were both Christina's creations, dresses which she'd hurried to finish once Betty had extended the invitation to the charity ball. She'd then proceeded to go above and beyond, finding accessories in the Mode closets for all three of them and a child's sized Armani suit for Justin. Everything but Christina's dresses would have to be returned in the end, but for now they were dressed to the nines and would remain that way for the entirety of the evening.
"My friends are going to be so jealous." Justin joined them in front of the mirror, examining the cufflinks that came with his suit. He ran his hand through his slicked back hair and smiled quite smugly.
"We spoil you," Betty and Hilda said at the same time. They covered their mouths as they tried not to laugh too hard at the boy, holding manicured hands over painted lips.
Justin glared at the both of them and gave an audible 'hrumph' in the back of his throat. "I'm just saying, I'm going to look good when I meet Bruce Wayne."
"No. Noooooo," Betty turned around to look at her nephew, shaking her head vehemently. "No, no, no, no, no."
Lately, Betty had been very big on rules. Rules for herself, rules for Bruce, rules for Justin, rules for Hilda. Rules for Christina weren't necessary, because, for the most part, Christina held together very well. Justin and Hilda, on the other hand, Betty had felt the need to sit down on the couch and talk out a few things with. There only a few ground rules for the charity ball and Betty didn't think she was out of line at all.
Betty pointed a finger in the air, looking quite serious for a moment. "Rule number three: Don't bother Bruce. Please?"
Justin leveled her with a look. "I'm not going to bother him. I just want to meet him. He's your boss!"
"Rule number one: Don't bother Bruce," Betty felt the need to reiterate her list of rules once more. "Rule number two: Let me do my job. Rule number three: Don't bother Bruce."
"I can't believe you have to work," Justin said, crossing his arms and looking rather pouty. "This is the biggest social event of the year."
"You said that already, and that's why I'm going, Justin. To work." A small hit of pride eased its way into her voice. She could barely help it, taking her odd assistant-cum-friendship with Bruce as a point of pride. It was no longer that he'd trusted her with the secret at this point -- though Betty was still proud of that - but that she felt as if there was something between them. Explaining that to Hilda and Christina hadn't come easy, no, instead it had come with laughing and teasing about her supposed crush on Bruce Wayne. Betty denied anything of the kind.
She smoothed down the fabric around her thighs and fingered the gorgeous ruching that made up the bodice. Hilda pulled a bit at her hair, running a brush gently through it. Her hair was bushy as it ever had been and for the moment, Betty was actually alright with that. She didn't look like that kind of girl… the Amanda type. She wasn't the assistant who slept with her boss.
No, she was the assistant who tried to sleep with the accountant who got his girlfriend pregnant. Which would be the better track record? Betty wasn't entirely sure. Though, she was rather sure that Bruce hadn't gotten anyone pregnant. Way to stay positive.
Bruce was out of the question, not to mention out of her league.
"Stand still for a second." Hilda picked up the hot flat iron from the table and started attacking Betty's hair. With the vehemence she was using to go at it, Betty was inclined to stand as still as possible. "Justin, go get Betty's shoes. Her real shoes." Justin stopped admiring himself in the mirror long enough to nod at his mother's instructions and dash away up the stairs. Betty's feet cringed in advance and Christina took the opportunity to kick the Payless flats quickly underneath the living room couch where they would no doubt be lost for years.
She supposed, in the end, the Choos would be worth it. She was there to work, after all, not dance. Choos would inhibit pretty much any and all dancing. At least she'd be paying attention to everything else.
She could hear the thumping around upstairs as Justin looked around for the shoe box. Betty had shoved it underneath her bed earlier that evening. "Oh, and Hilda?"
"Yeah?" Hilda dragged the iron through her hair.
"Don't make out with my boss tonight."
"Pfft." Her sister rolled her eyes. She gestured quickly to her face and chest "That was not my fault. I can't help having all this."
"Well, keep all that in there." Betty reached behind and poked Hilda in the stomach. "You know just… keep your hands to yourself."
Hilda rolled her eyes again and exchanged the iron for a brush and a shiny gold clip. With a quick maneuver of her hands she pulled Betty's hair back and up, snapping it together and stepping back to admire her work. Betty looked at it and had to admit, despite the few bits of frizz popping out around the edges, her hair looked quite nice. Nicer than she'd ever been able to do by herself, though if she'd tried very hard she might have been able to help Hilda do hers. It was like her odd ability to cover Bruce's black eyes, but being completely unable to cover her own acne. Some things in life just weren't fair.
There were a series of loud thumps as Justin thundered back down the stairs holding a white shoebox in his hands and a small metallic clutch in the other. Betty recognized both as items Christina and Amanda had proffered for her from the Mode closets.
"The car's here. Justin, be a dear and bring those over here," Christina said hurriedly and Betty got the message quickly. She lifted dress and her feet, placing the latter in the gold shoes placed on the floor in front of her.
She nearly tripped in the heels as she tried to run over to the window to peer outside. There was indeed a long black limo sitting at the curb outside and next store Gina Gambarro was chewing gum and peering conspicuously through her living room window at Alfred Pennyworth as he stepped out of the car and began making his way up the Suarez's front walk. Betty quickly closed the curtain, not wanting Hilda to catch any glimpse of Gina. "Alfred's here," she chirped instead.
Christina was suddenly hovering again, going over Betty's dress with a fine toothed comb. "Do you have the tickets?" she asked, pulling every so slightly at the ruched bodice. She stepped back and examined her work.
Betty nodded only after Justin handed her the clutch purse. She opened it up to check that everything she'd placed inside of it that morning was still there. The tickets, her chap stick, a few dollars, and her house keys all sat neatly inside and she smiled, pleased.
The doorbell rang.
"You look wonderful," Christina said, touching the sleeve of Betty's dress once more.
"You do too." Betty smiled at her friend and pushed her glasses up on her nose.
"It's not too late for contacts, Aunt Betty."
"Justin!" she scowled and fiddled with her glasses a bit more.
"I was just kidding!" Justin said, ducking as Hilda reached out to swat the back of his head. "Don't mess up my hair."
She wasn't going to admit it, but a sudden flash of horror zapped through her mind. Introducing her family to her boss? Bringing them out in public? What was she thinking?
No, no. This was going to be fine. Fine. There was nothing to worry about. Was there? Betty watched as Justin fussed with his hair and Hilda applied some last minute lip gloss. Her sister needed to not make out with her boss (not only was that simply bad tactics, but Amanda would likely try and rip Hilda's hair out if she put the moves on her date. Oh, she was going to owe Bruce big time…) and her nephew just needed to behave and not maul any of the celebrities that might show up.
Everything would be fine.
"Mom, Gina Gambarro's looking out her window again!"
Or maybe not. Betty slunk past Alfred, trying to resist the urge to cover her hands with her face as her sister went into a Gina Gambarro themed tirade.
It was going to be an interesting night.
Fandom: Batman Begins/Ugly Betty
Characters/Pairing: Betty Suarez, Christina McKinney, Justin Suarez, and Hilda Suarez
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,407
Summary: Like Cinderella getting ready for the ball...
Notes: This is the 12th part in a rather unusual crossover which takes place after Season one of Ugly Betty and the end of Batman Begins; it's AU from there.
Sorry about the delay on this one. I got caught up in midterms (well... one midterm, at least) and didn't have much time to write. This has been written for awhile, but I'm OCD about these things and like to be four ahead of what I'm actually posting, so I had to write way into the Ball before I could even think about posting part one. Anyway, spring break is coming up and I'm going home on Wednesday, so hopefully I can pump out some more in a more rapid pace.
Without futher ado, part twelve.
• Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, part 10, and Part 11
Betty flinched, but she didn't say anything. Hilda was there and she didn't want to be accused of complaining, even though she didn't think saying 'ow' when you were poked in the side with a sharp pin really counted as complaining. Still, she didn't want to tempt it. Besides, everyone, including herself, was in such a good mood. She was perfectly happy keeping her mouth shut as Christina worked around her.
"I swear I had this hemmed two days ago. It's like you shrank an inch," Christina said through the pins in her mouth. She carefully folded up the satin purple fabric and stuck another pin through. Pursing her lips, she lifted the hem and peered underneath and Betty's feet. "Betty!"
Damnit, she'd been caught. How was she supposed to know that Christina would be able to tell by the length of the hem? "What?" She decided to go for innocence.
"You know what." Much more quickly than she'd put them in, Christina started pulling out pins and the hem fell back down to an appropriate length. "Where are those shoes? And this is going to have to be steamed now."
"Sorry," Betty drew out the word with a long sigh. She squirmed around for a moment, working quickly to kick off the gold flats she'd been wearing. Yes, they were flats, and yes, they were from Payless, but they were comfortable. That was what counted, wasn't it?
"You were not walking out of here in those." Her friend pulled a horrified face, looking at the cheap shoes kicked across the room.
"Didn't that Amanda chick find you a pair of Choos?" Hilda piped up as she finally looked away from the mirror, her mascara, and her eyelashes. "You're choosing Payless over Choos? Are you insane, Betty?"
"We knew she was insane when she didn't want to go to this thing in the first place. It's the social event of the year" Justin, her younger nephew, strutted into the room looking very smart in his new charcoal grey suit, red tie, and shiny cufflinks. He wasn't wearing Jimmy Choos, but from the look of his feet they were something just as expensive. Betty couldn't help but looking at him in something akin to shock.
"Don't call your aunt crazy," Hilda scolded, swatting Justin on the shoulder. For his part, Justin looked absolutely horrified that someone had dared to touch and possibly wrinkle his designer suit.
The flurry of activity around her made Betty grin brightly. Laughter bubbled up within her for no apparent reason, but she couldn't help but let it out as she looked around the room. There were clothes, shoes, and makeup everywhere sitting on equal footing with the dirty coffee mugs, empty pizza boxes, and dangerously placed silverware. Betty had stopped trying to clean and organize things hours ago when Christina had first arrived, needles and thread in hand and clothing bags thrown over her arms.
It was as if she hadn't had the time to spend with her family and best friend like this in forever. Even if they were technically preparing for what was a work function for her, it was still spending time with them and there were all going to the same place in the end: Metropolis.
"Ouch!" Betty jumped as a burst of hot air hit the back of her ankles and feet. She turned to see Christina kneeling by her with an iron and hitting being rather liberal with the steam button.
"You complain too much," Hilda muttered.
Betty managed to keep smiling. "It's an exclamation of pain."
"Stand still, Betty," Christina hit the steamer again and tugged on the hem of her dress.
"It's fine, Christina," She did her best to hop away from the blonde woman on the floor. She still wasn't quite used to walking with so much fabric swirling around her. Betty turned around to offer her hand to Christina. "Get up… you're going to wrinkle your dress and mine is done. It looks amazing, thank you."
Under normal circumstances, Betty tended not to stare into mirrors. It was probably the worst possible thing for her self esteem on a normal day. It wasn't that Betty thought particularly horribly of herself, but sometimes one simply didn't need to look into the mirror and see busy hair, braces, and thick glasses. Tonight was different.
The dress had to be a few seasons out of style given that it had been sitting in Faye's secret room for so long, but Betty didn't care at all. Not even Amanda had mentioned it in her usual catty manner once she'd seen her try it on. Mean spirited as it was, Betty couldn't help but love the fact that she'd made Amanda speechless with, dare she even think it? Her beauty? She didn't feel particularly beautiful, but she did feel pretty.
She grinned as she turned to look in the mirror. "And I pity any girl who isn't me today," she said quietly underneath her breath. Her hair was still bushy, she was still wearing glasses, and her braces were lined in purple rubber bands which only vaguely matched her dress, but she still felt pretty.
And witty, and gay.
The fingers running through her hair were gentle, pulling some of the hair away from her cheeks and pushing it behind her ears. "You look beautiful." Hilda bent forward, kissing Betty on the cheek.
"Thank you."
"You do," Christina agreed. She stood, swiping briefly at the fabric of her dress around her knees where she'd been kneeling. Other than that, though, Christina looked gorgeous, in her opinion. Her red strapless dress looked stunning, as did Hilda's two toned blue off the shoulder. They were both Christina's creations, dresses which she'd hurried to finish once Betty had extended the invitation to the charity ball. She'd then proceeded to go above and beyond, finding accessories in the Mode closets for all three of them and a child's sized Armani suit for Justin. Everything but Christina's dresses would have to be returned in the end, but for now they were dressed to the nines and would remain that way for the entirety of the evening.
"My friends are going to be so jealous." Justin joined them in front of the mirror, examining the cufflinks that came with his suit. He ran his hand through his slicked back hair and smiled quite smugly.
"We spoil you," Betty and Hilda said at the same time. They covered their mouths as they tried not to laugh too hard at the boy, holding manicured hands over painted lips.
Justin glared at the both of them and gave an audible 'hrumph' in the back of his throat. "I'm just saying, I'm going to look good when I meet Bruce Wayne."
"No. Noooooo," Betty turned around to look at her nephew, shaking her head vehemently. "No, no, no, no, no."
Lately, Betty had been very big on rules. Rules for herself, rules for Bruce, rules for Justin, rules for Hilda. Rules for Christina weren't necessary, because, for the most part, Christina held together very well. Justin and Hilda, on the other hand, Betty had felt the need to sit down on the couch and talk out a few things with. There only a few ground rules for the charity ball and Betty didn't think she was out of line at all.
Betty pointed a finger in the air, looking quite serious for a moment. "Rule number three: Don't bother Bruce. Please?"
Justin leveled her with a look. "I'm not going to bother him. I just want to meet him. He's your boss!"
"Rule number one: Don't bother Bruce," Betty felt the need to reiterate her list of rules once more. "Rule number two: Let me do my job. Rule number three: Don't bother Bruce."
"I can't believe you have to work," Justin said, crossing his arms and looking rather pouty. "This is the biggest social event of the year."
"You said that already, and that's why I'm going, Justin. To work." A small hit of pride eased its way into her voice. She could barely help it, taking her odd assistant-cum-friendship with Bruce as a point of pride. It was no longer that he'd trusted her with the secret at this point -- though Betty was still proud of that - but that she felt as if there was something between them. Explaining that to Hilda and Christina hadn't come easy, no, instead it had come with laughing and teasing about her supposed crush on Bruce Wayne. Betty denied anything of the kind.
She smoothed down the fabric around her thighs and fingered the gorgeous ruching that made up the bodice. Hilda pulled a bit at her hair, running a brush gently through it. Her hair was bushy as it ever had been and for the moment, Betty was actually alright with that. She didn't look like that kind of girl… the Amanda type. She wasn't the assistant who slept with her boss.
No, she was the assistant who tried to sleep with the accountant who got his girlfriend pregnant. Which would be the better track record? Betty wasn't entirely sure. Though, she was rather sure that Bruce hadn't gotten anyone pregnant. Way to stay positive.
Bruce was out of the question, not to mention out of her league.
"Stand still for a second." Hilda picked up the hot flat iron from the table and started attacking Betty's hair. With the vehemence she was using to go at it, Betty was inclined to stand as still as possible. "Justin, go get Betty's shoes. Her real shoes." Justin stopped admiring himself in the mirror long enough to nod at his mother's instructions and dash away up the stairs. Betty's feet cringed in advance and Christina took the opportunity to kick the Payless flats quickly underneath the living room couch where they would no doubt be lost for years.
She supposed, in the end, the Choos would be worth it. She was there to work, after all, not dance. Choos would inhibit pretty much any and all dancing. At least she'd be paying attention to everything else.
She could hear the thumping around upstairs as Justin looked around for the shoe box. Betty had shoved it underneath her bed earlier that evening. "Oh, and Hilda?"
"Yeah?" Hilda dragged the iron through her hair.
"Don't make out with my boss tonight."
"Pfft." Her sister rolled her eyes. She gestured quickly to her face and chest "That was not my fault. I can't help having all this."
"Well, keep all that in there." Betty reached behind and poked Hilda in the stomach. "You know just… keep your hands to yourself."
Hilda rolled her eyes again and exchanged the iron for a brush and a shiny gold clip. With a quick maneuver of her hands she pulled Betty's hair back and up, snapping it together and stepping back to admire her work. Betty looked at it and had to admit, despite the few bits of frizz popping out around the edges, her hair looked quite nice. Nicer than she'd ever been able to do by herself, though if she'd tried very hard she might have been able to help Hilda do hers. It was like her odd ability to cover Bruce's black eyes, but being completely unable to cover her own acne. Some things in life just weren't fair.
There were a series of loud thumps as Justin thundered back down the stairs holding a white shoebox in his hands and a small metallic clutch in the other. Betty recognized both as items Christina and Amanda had proffered for her from the Mode closets.
"The car's here. Justin, be a dear and bring those over here," Christina said hurriedly and Betty got the message quickly. She lifted dress and her feet, placing the latter in the gold shoes placed on the floor in front of her.
She nearly tripped in the heels as she tried to run over to the window to peer outside. There was indeed a long black limo sitting at the curb outside and next store Gina Gambarro was chewing gum and peering conspicuously through her living room window at Alfred Pennyworth as he stepped out of the car and began making his way up the Suarez's front walk. Betty quickly closed the curtain, not wanting Hilda to catch any glimpse of Gina. "Alfred's here," she chirped instead.
Christina was suddenly hovering again, going over Betty's dress with a fine toothed comb. "Do you have the tickets?" she asked, pulling every so slightly at the ruched bodice. She stepped back and examined her work.
Betty nodded only after Justin handed her the clutch purse. She opened it up to check that everything she'd placed inside of it that morning was still there. The tickets, her chap stick, a few dollars, and her house keys all sat neatly inside and she smiled, pleased.
The doorbell rang.
"You look wonderful," Christina said, touching the sleeve of Betty's dress once more.
"You do too." Betty smiled at her friend and pushed her glasses up on her nose.
"It's not too late for contacts, Aunt Betty."
"Justin!" she scowled and fiddled with her glasses a bit more.
"I was just kidding!" Justin said, ducking as Hilda reached out to swat the back of his head. "Don't mess up my hair."
She wasn't going to admit it, but a sudden flash of horror zapped through her mind. Introducing her family to her boss? Bringing them out in public? What was she thinking?
No, no. This was going to be fine. Fine. There was nothing to worry about. Was there? Betty watched as Justin fussed with his hair and Hilda applied some last minute lip gloss. Her sister needed to not make out with her boss (not only was that simply bad tactics, but Amanda would likely try and rip Hilda's hair out if she put the moves on her date. Oh, she was going to owe Bruce big time…) and her nephew just needed to behave and not maul any of the celebrities that might show up.
Everything would be fine.
"Mom, Gina Gambarro's looking out her window again!"
Or maybe not. Betty slunk past Alfred, trying to resist the urge to cover her hands with her face as her sister went into a Gina Gambarro themed tirade.
It was going to be an interesting night.