SOLANDIS // KotLC Oneshots

"Just not With you"

Slowly, I slid down, trying to process what had just happened. My hand automatically reached up to my cheek, where an odd stinging sensation lingered. 

What had happened?

It was too hard to focus on. How had I gotten the cut? A faint memory of something being hurled flashed at the back of my mind. Next to me sat a shard of shattered glass. For the most part it had missed, just barely grazing my cheek. I leaned back onto the cabinet. I didn't move. Couldn't move. If this had been any other circumstance, I would have hailed Fitz. 

But Fitz was...

Gingerly, I picked up my imparter, laying on the floor cracked. I parted my cracked lips just enough to force out, "Hail Keefe Sencen."

Just a few moments after, a very self-assured blonde figure popped up, smirking. "Heeeeey Foster-

The smile vanished.

"Foster?" he asked tentatively. My silence seemed to stiffen his resolve, and he straightened. "Hold up, I'll be right there."

So I waited. Waited for him to leap here, waited so I had someone to hold on to as I fell. As promised, there was soon a pattering of footsteps outside my room. They grew louder as he approached the bathroom, where I sat hidden.

"Sophie?" he called, proving he did realize the seriousness of what could have happened. 

"In here," I whispered.

Keefe pulled the door open. His eyes darkened. "Tell me what happened."

I looked down, still not sure if I knew entirely. Something about hurling a bottle. Arguments. And-

I loosened up my hair at the back, freeing it from the intricate swirls Biana had woven it into, and opted for a ponytail. Tonight had been a night of new understandings. Grady and Edaline were still out, which meant I had the house to myself for a while. Only one thing seemed to call out to me, however. I'd been to a Winnowing Gala.

Fitz's Winnowing Gala for that matter.

We'd gotten together about a month ago, but Della had insisted he host it. And I was glad she had, because I'd started to realize something when I'd gotten there. Watching Fitz interact with the other girls, I'd begun to think- was I really happy with him? I'd felt so uncomfortable when he'd introduced me and walked around displaying me like a shiny trophy. 

He knew what I disliked. He'd still done it.

So I felt as though we needed to talk. I slumped against the wall, waiting. I seemed to do that a lot these days. As I'd expected, Fitz soon walked in. Maybe 'walked' wasn't quite the accurate description. More like stormed. This time, I wasn't sure what the source of his anger was. He seemed to ignite at the smallest of things.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" he yelled. "Relaxing and acting like you've done nothing wrong!" He slashed a hand out, knocking some of my belongings aside. 

I straightened, sighing resignedly. "I know. This isn't the time. You need to understand-"

"And you need to understand that I have a reputation! Waltzing out halfway and creating a SCENE!"

As he raged on, I supposed I shouldn't have acted innocent. During the Gala, we'd had a row about how he was making me feel uncomfortable and how I wasn't happy with the way he kept flirting with random people.

He'd started walking closer, me walking backwards. By now his words held no meaning to me whatsoever. We'd backed all the way into the bathroom. 

"My name holds value to this society, Sophie. You need to learn to respect that."

And I'd had it. "Oh, shut the hell up. That's it. I'm done. Leave." I narrowed my eyes. "Now."

He froze. He straightened and nodded. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh. Well go ahead. See if I care." That was the moment I'd noticed he was holding an empty glass in his hand. It had probably consisted of lushberry juice sometime in at the start of the Gala.

It shot past my ear, grazing my cheek.

Before I knew it, I'd blurted all this out to Keefe, not bothering to keep the tears from falling. He leaned close so I could bury my face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be-"

"Shhh. It's not your fault. He was being a pain. He had no right to throw that at you. I'm sorry for not realizing something was up."

Despite myself, I chuckled. "And how would you have known?"

Keefe cringed, displaying a look in his eye that (Biana's note while editing this- that clearly meant "uhh because I totally don't stalk you and everything you do every moment of the day!" if Sophie wasn't so damn oblivious.) wasn't exactly clear of message. But anyhow, I let it pass for the moment, leaning in closer and inhaling. It was the first full breath I'd gotten in since... well, before.

As a response, he mumbled, "Don't worry, I'm here. You don't have to worry about that absolute b-"

"Language, young man," I teased.

And wouldn't you know it, just as I felt like my old self again, my imparter rang. Hail from Fitzeroy Avery Vacker. 

I groaned, about to decline, but Keefe looked up. "No, accept it. I'll move out of the way for a bit. Tell him exactly what you think."

So I did. Fitz's stupid annoying face popped up, the same face I used to think handsome. How had I ever? 

He shuffled his feet from across the screen. A slap mark was on his face. Biana's work, probably. (Um, yes.) "Sophie. I'm so sorry."

"I don't want to hear it."

"I really am. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry. Do... do you want to start over?"

"I would love to," I whispered.

A beam started to spread across his face, but then...

"Just not with you."

His features closed up once again. I ended the hail, turning back to Keefe. "So, how was that?"

He stared, considering. "I was expecting a lot more hurling abuse, but I suppose that will have to do."

I laughed, sitting back. Ending things with Fitz made me feel... a lot more free. And now, looking at the boy who'd just made me forget, I thought I had a very good idea who I would have liked to start over with instead.

A/N:

Yes, this really is your bestie Esme, not Biana. So, how was that? It didn't have any clear ships, but I think I liked it. I also added a reference from a movie. If you figured it out, type it in the comments <333