Warlocks are evil-- Detz

Time to Tell the Family

The brattails were delicious, and Fitz had to admit, Juline had to have been one of the best cooks he'd ever met.  He finished the lushberry juice Dex had given him, and once he was done a question came to mind.

"Why were you up so late?"  Fitz asked.

"What do you mean?"  Dex turned his head to Fitz, setting his cup on the tray they'd taken back up to Dex's room in order to avoid the triplets.

"I mean, you're not exactly easily woken up."  He tried to joke, but the joke ended when he caught just the slightest change in Dex's eyes.  "What happened?"

Dex shrugged.  "Just a nightmare, y'know?  And, in case you're wondering, it wasn't right before you came in seeking refugee.  I woke up a little over an hour before you got here."

"Oh."  Fitz said.  He wanted to ask what it was about, but he had a pretty good guess.  It had been his brother that helped cause the trauma that would surely haunt Dex for a good portion of his life- if not all of it.  He tried to change the subject after Dex coughed.  "Start any new projects?"

"Kind of, actually.  I'm updating the panic ring for everybody, " he stood up, moving over to his desk and grabbing a silver ring that looked almost identical to the one he was wearing now, "so it would actually be really helpful if you could try this on.  It'd help me figure out the size of Keefe's as well, since I'm pretty sure you guys have the same sized hands."

"Sure."  Fitz said, happy that he'd been able to change the subject so easily.  The older boy slid the ring onto his finger, examining it once it was on all the way.  "I think it's a little big."

"It definitely is.  Here, I'll adjust it."

Fitz then tried to take the ring off his finger to hand it back to Dex, but Dex slid the ring back on.  Fitz gave him a confused look before Dex began shifting the circular part, making the ring click as Dex tightened it.

"Is that better?"  Dex asked, his fingers lingering on Fitz's.

"Yeah, thanks."  Fitz smiled.

"Course.  Just hit that if you need any help and it'll alert mine and everybody else's as to where you are.  I'm also trying to work it so that you can choose if you'd just rather have one person help you in case - well, in case something like tonight happens again."

Fitz didn't know what to say after that, and the silence was deafening.  It reminded him he'd have to tell his parents today, or else Elwin would, and that was almost a fate worse than death.

"You okay?"  Dex asked, noticing his friends silence.

Fitz cleared his throat, willing his voice not to crack as he said, "Yeah.  I just need to tell them today.  What time is it?"

"About two now."  Dex said after a moment.  "Do you really think it's going to hurt them that badly?  I mean, I can't see how it would.  You get beat up a lot.  Remember that bug that stabbed you?"  Dex cleared his throat, now also willing his voice not to crack.  "I mean, that was terrifying, but Della didn't even show a sign of breaking, and Alden only broke that one-singular-time because he did something he maybe shouldn't have done in the long run.  Then there's Biana who would just want to drop-kick whoever those warlocks were into oblivion, but she wouldn't break either.  I don't even know if she's capable of breaking.  She's one tough girl.  You're sure it isn't anything else?"

Several moments passed before Fitz gave his response.  "I don't know.  I guess you're right, it wouldn't hurt a lot to know I got a little hurt.  I just - I'm just so scared that they'll over react.  And their worries seem to just be piling up, and up, and up, and now I'm adding to that.  They already have a lot going on without learning that their son was just trapped in an alley way in supposedly one of the safest places for an elf, with nobody there to help him.  Plus with Alvar's memor-"

"Fitz, you're over complicating everything.  You're making this a way bigger deal than it needs to be.  It's entirely understandable that you don't want them to know, and even more so that you came here last night-in fact that was down right pretty responsible.  However, they're going to find out eventually, and again, it's not like you were kidnapped by the Neverseen and left with burns all over you and a broken mind.  Besides, they won't even have to see the bruises, and it's not like anyone's going into detail about them."  Dex grabbed Fitz hands, "You need to focus on breathing."

Fitz didn't realize his breathing was getting faster until Dex said those words.  He tried to stop himself from panicking.  Dex was right, it's not like it was a huge deal considering everything else.  His parents wouldn't lock him in the house until he was 319 years old, and the warlocks would be found.  He wasn't going to be treated like a baby, or be pitted for a few bruises.  Fitz was over complicating it all.

"Better."  Dex said after a few minutes.  "I know how scary it is telling your parents something bad happened, especially when it was to you, but they need to know."

"Why?"  Fitz asked, hating his voice for cracking.

Dex shrugged again.  "Because they love you, and want to make sure you're okay, and that you'll be okay.  Trust me, I know it's intimidating, and if I'm honest I barely know any of the other reasons than those, but it just feels right to tell them, so that's what we're going to do."

"We're?"

"Yes, we are."