OVERLOOKED ㅤkotlc

002. My Warden Trash

I don't like Everglen.

I know I should—my friends live here, and I don't hate the Vackers anymore, and it's a beautiful place. What's there not to like?

But every time I come, I have to squint at their gates, and I think it's dumb. I know it's good for security or whatever, but I just—don't like it.

After a minute or two, those blinding gates swing open, and at first I just see a silhouette. It takes a couple of blinks to realize that it's Alden.

"Hi, Dex," he says. He sounds curious, but his voice hides any concern he might have. Unlike Dad, Alden isn't very transparent. "What brings you to Everglen?"

"I need to talk to Fitz about something," I say. "About that mission?"

Alden looks confused for a moment, and then he gets it. "Oh—is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure. Keefe might be hurt, I think."

Another "oh." He pauses. "Well—" Bet he's going to say no reason to worry. "No reason to worry, okay?" Called it. "Elwin's going to fix him up right away!"

I just nod. He gets the hint and guides me into their home, leading me up their second floor and to Fitz's room. With a kind smile and a "good luck," he leaves me there.

And at first, I have absolutely no idea what I'm supposed to do. Knock? Barge in? Open the door? Call his name? Ask why he didn't answer Sophie, because he definitely doesn't seem too busy holed up in his bedroom?

"Fitz!" I finally decide to say. I reach for the doorknob, then stop and knock. "Fitz, it's Dex and it's important, so come out."

I can hear his footsteps, then the door opens. He looks worried. "Is everything fine? Does this has to do with... what does this have to do with?"

"The mission, Keefe's hurt, and—I came to tell you, since you weren't responding to Sophie, and we need to go to the Healing Center."

Fitz takes a moment to process this, then his eyes turn dark with the same look I saw on the night he called my Warden trash. "Alvar better have not hurt Sophie or Biana."

"Or the others," I say, words curt. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little annoyed from that night. I know he has every right to be angry at Alvar, but at me? I'm not so sure.

"Or the others," Fitz agrees, as if it's an afterthought. "And, Tam—was he there?"

"Yes, but—"

"I swear, if he hurt one of them—"

"Fitz, we need to go to the Healing Center."

"I know. I know." He sighs. "But—do you know if Tam... rebelled or anything? Or was he, just—going along with it and being cooperative? Because—"

"Fitz. We're going now. Okay?"

"Okay, but—"

And that's it. I'm frustrated with him. First he got pissed at Sophie for no reason, and then he did it to me, and then to Keefe and Sophie, too. "Look," I snap. "If you can control yourself, let's go, and if not, then—a little time-out will work, yeah?"

I freeze. What am I doing? Fitz has every right to be upset. Why am I taking this out on him? Ah, I'm a hypocrite. There's a small silence between us. His eyes are wide and he's staring at me. Honestly, I'm surprised too, but... for some reason, I'm not saying sorry.

"I can control myself," he says slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I'm sorry if I offended you somehow, Dex." He looks disappointed. His eyes say, I thought you were done with insulting me, and that's worse than if he lashed out at me again.

And of course, my instinct is to defend myself. "Well, I'm sorry," I say, and I realize a small part of me is. A small part, though. "But Tam's our friend, and he did it to save a whole timeline, and his twin."

Now he looks annoyed. "I'm aware."

"Okay. Good. You just seemed eager to pin the blame on him." And I really don't want to deal with one of your temper tantrums, Fitz.

His eyes narrow. "Did you forget Tam's my friend, too? I know it's not his fault."

I don't want to argue about this. It's silly, and shouldn't even be an issue. "Good for you. Well—I'll let you get ready; I'll see you at the Healing Center later."

"Yeah, see you," he says reluctantly, obviously dreading seeing me again. The feeling's kinda mutual.

With that, I hold my pathfinder up to the light of their shiny castle, trying to ignore his gaze on me. To Foxfire.

AUTHOR'S NOTE !

DJSKD this chapter's kinda short and trashy aaa :')

ANYWAY this chapter is dedicated to changmingling ilyvm gRanDsOn lets grow up already 🤪