hi here's some sophitz :D
pulling this outta my drafts super quick so uhh im gonna hope its okay
edit: HEY WAIT i just realized this is the 69th published part of this fic.... what do you mean of course im mature—
word count: 2.4k
warning: breakup
"So, guess who's coming over this weekend?"
Fitz lowers his spoonful of food and looks up at his father. "Who?"
"Family." Out of the corner of his eye, Fitz sees Biana grimace slightly. Understandable really, considering how the previous family gatherings had gone. But Alden doesn't notice, so he continues, "Not all of them of course, but it'll still be quite a large family reunion."
Della says, looking at Fitz and Biana, "You two are going to help me clean this house up, by the way."
Now it's Fitz's turn to grimace. He glances around the room, with its smooth marble floor and artfully arranged decor and sparkling chandelier hung high up in the air. The whole house is polished to perfection, as everything concerning the Vackers is. "Do we really need to clean this up more?"
"Of course," Della says, reaching forward for some pudding. "Some of the rooms haven't been dusted in ages. Also honey, I love you, but your room's a mess. And Biana's certainly isn't much better."
Fitz considers. "Fair."
Biana laughs, reaching forward to take some of Fitz's dessert, and the conversation returns to normal. Fitz takes a bite of his pudding, savoring the taste as he mulls over the upcoming family reunion. He'd never been fond of them and now, he prays this one would be bearable. Prays no one would ask about her.
▪▪▪
The thing about Vacker family reunions is that the family is big. Hundreds of people, thousands if you count people who are only distantly related to you, and Fitz is expected to know every single one of them by name and face.
He remembers spending a good chunk of his time back when he was seven to pore over the family tree, trying to memorize everyone. Every aunt and uncle and grandparent. All his first cousins and second cousins and third cousins. He has to keep count of all the new in-laws. The fiances and significant others who may not technically be part of the family yet, but who come anyways so they can meet everyone and be appraised by the entire family.
And then, all those family members are so, so judgemental. They always have opinions--ones that are rarely positive. Sit straighter. Smile brighter. Work harder. Fitz always has about five people trying to give him advice on how to fix his hair, insisting that it looks like plastic. They'll look him over, noting every single flaw, every single imperfection, and by the end of it, Fitz will feel like diving off a cliff would be more bearable.
It's always a competition with them. Fitz has some cousins he's met maybe two times his whole life, but he just knows they're comparing themselves to him constantly. They got a higher grade than him, they got more compliments than him, they have a bigger house than him, they're just better than him.
The constant raised eyebrows and forced praise and harsh gazes are, to put it simply, suffocating. Fitz has enough of it to deal with at school, but at least there he's a Vacker. There, at least people have the illusion that he's perfect. Here, his last name is only more of a reason to be criticized as brutally as can be.
But family reunions can never be avoided. Even if he managed to excuse himself--which would never happen--his family would decide he was a failure in some way. He needs to be there, to smile and laugh and talk about mind-numbingly boring topics that make him want to claw his own eyes out.
