Sofitz Love

Fitz's POV

Fitz glanced at Sophie arguing with Keefe. His mother's dinner was lovey, like it always was, but his stomach churned and spun unpleasantly. Why didn't he sit on the other side of Sophie? She was sitting in between Biana and Lihn, and now Sophie probably thought he liked Lihn. But I don't! He thought angrily, stuffing food in his mouth. 

Jarring laughter shook his thoughts away. Finding the source of the sound wasn't hard, for Keefe seemed delighted while Sophie's face was red and her fists were clenched tight. 

"Keefe," Marella scolded. "Stop teasing Sophie. She's probably going to blow if you continue, you know."

Della cleared away the plates and told them to play outside while the sun was still up.

"Base Quest!" Fitz called when everyone was outside. "I call Sophie!" Numerous voices said. Sophie looked around awkwardly. "How about this," Biana suggested after a moment of silence. "The boys will write down their names on a piece of paper, and each girl will pick out one name out of this brand new hat I got! It's so pretty! It has purple sparkles and- 

"Yes! We get it Biana," Marella interrupted. "Just go get the hat, paper, and pens please." 

"Why does this remind me of Seven Minutes in Heaven?" Sophie mumbled.

A few minutes later Biana had given out papers and pens. Fitz wrote his name and dropped it into the hat. 

"Ok," Biana said. "Marella, you go first." Marella walked up and stuck her hand in the hat, then pulled out a piece of paper. "Keefe," she announced, looking slightly startled. 

"Lihn," Biana continued. Lihn plucked a name delicately and said, "Tam." Relief was not quite covered in her voice. 

"Sophie, you're next." Sophie pulled out a piece of paper. "Fitz," she read, her face going red. Fitz felt excitement flow through his body.

Biana glanced at Wylie then told everyone to pair up. "Ok! On team one, there's going to be Lihn, Tam, Keefe, and Marella. Got it? Team two has me, Wylie, Fitz, and Sophie."

Keefe groaned. "No fair," he whined. "A Vanisher and a super mega powerful Telepath?" 

"You've got a Shade, who can hide you guys in shadows; so stop complaining," Biana replied. "You guys can base first."

All four of them ran.

"Wylie, you stay here and guard our base; Sophie, Fitz, and me will find them. Ready, Sophie?" 

Sophie nodded and closed her eyes. Then she opened them. Her eyes looked far away and glazed, but despite that, she ran. Fitz and Biana following close behind. 

Sophie held up a hand to signal them to stop, and crouched behind a bush. The other team was walking quietly past them. Then Sophie, Fitz, and Biana all pounced on them, tagging them all out. 

Keefe shoulders slumped. "I really thought we could beat the you guys this time," he said, disappointed.

Sophie laughed. "Maybe next time," she said.

The sun was setting so they found Wylie and all went back to their room. The girls all left to change in Biana's room while all the boys went to Fitz's. 

After everyone was all changed, they got under the covers of their sleeping bags. "There's this thing that humans do at sleepovers," Sophie whispered as the lights went off. 

"What?" Fitz asked. 

"They all tell scary stories before they sleep," she answered. "And I thought that maybe we could do something like it?"

"Sure!" Biana answered excitedly. Clearly she missed the part "scary".

"I'll go first," Sophie said. "But the way I'm going to do it, I'll need permission to enter your minds."

Everyone quietly gave their permission. 

Soft memories floated into Fitz's mind, first everything was peaceful. Then the peacefulness turned to horror as Sophie shared her nightmares of the Neverseen. Sharp pictures poked his mind, slicing his consciousness, and threatening everyone's safety.

Then as soon as it started it stopped.

"Well," Biana whispered, her voice trembling. "I think we can all agree that Sophie is never sharing a scary story ever again."

After a few minutes Fitz fell asleep, only to be woken up by blankets shifting.

Squinting in the dark, Fitz found Sophie's sleeping bag empty. Fitz crawled out of his own sleeping bag and walked through the already opened door. He saw somebody's shadow walking towards the door to one of the many balconies in Everglen. 

Soft crying tugged Fitz closer. 

"Sophie?" Fitz whispered quietly, stepping on the balcony. "Fitz!" Sophie said, startled. Her face was tear stained. "What's wrong?" Fitz asked, wrapping the blanket that was left on the bench around her. 

Sophie laughed quietly. A beautiful sound, Fitz thought.

"It was my own doing," she said. "I transmitted the nightmares that always left me awake to you guys and I'm afraid that has awakened some kind of nightmare-monster inside of me." She chuckled darkly.

Fitz directed her back indoors when she shivered in the cold night air.

But Sophie twisted out of his grasp. "I'm...just gonna stay out here for a little while longer," she whispered. "You're cold!" Fitz argued. "I'm fine," she grumbled, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. A few minutes passed and Fitz heard soft breathing.

Twisting slightly, he found Sophie asleep, leaning against him.

Fitz studied her face. How her eyelashes fluttered in the slightest movement, how her lips were slightly smiling even in her sleep. I could stare at her all day and not get bored, Fitz thought.

Fitz gently scooped Sophie up and walked back to the sleeping room. She protested slightly with a grumble; but besides that, everything was quiet. The blanket fell when Fitz opened the door.

In the sleeping room, Fitz eased Sophie into her sleeping bag. Her fingers tightened ever-so slightly around his forearm. 

Flits climbed under his own blankets and soon fell asleep.