𝓃𝑜𝓇𝓂𝒶𝓁- sophiana

acceptance

tw: homophobia

BIANA'S POV

Blinding lights hit her eyes as she groaned, pushing herself up. The pain hit her head like a wave, getting worse every second as she fell back down to her pillow and curled inward. Footsteps rushed to her side, and she rubbed her eyes, attempting to ignore the harsh light above her. Three silhouettes stood over her, and one of them held an elixir to her lips. She parted them slightly, recognizing the taste of Youth and drinking it all in one gulp.

It was pulled away from her, and she coughed, not ready for the harsh dryness of the air. She rubbed her eyes, sitting up in her cot. "Hi, mom. Hi dad." She smiled, waving at Alden and Della, leaning over her with worried expressions. "Good afternoon Biana, how are you?" Alden said, oddly formal. "Good? Did something happen?" Biana said, concerned. "You'll...see. Your friends are...you'll see later when you get the all-clear from Elwin." Alden nodded towards the doctor.

Biana sighed, knowing it wasn't worth it to argue. "Do I need to take any elixirs?" She asked, looking at Elwin. "No...not for now. I did all the needed tests while you were asleep, and you seem fine. Tell me if you start feeling unwell, and for the next week, visit me at lunch every day." Biana nodded, grateful she could leave. "Okay. I'll see you Monday, I guess." She nodded, taking Della's hand as she pulled herself off the cot. "Are we going home?" She asked, getting nods in response.

Alden pulled out his home crystal, taking the hands of his wife and daughter. "Everglen!" He said, the warmth of the light covering the three of them and taking them to their home. Alden still looked immensely uncomfortable, as he had since she asked what happened. They walked through the gates, opening the front doors and entering the living room.

She saw all her friends crowded in the living room, Keefe...crying? She had NEVER seen Keefe cry, and Sophie and Dex were crowded around him, comforting him. Fitz was off to the side, a swirl of emotions on his face, but the biggest one was confusion. "Hi..?" She said awkwardly, all heads swirling to look at her. Faces of happiness sprung until her parents walked in behind her. Smiles and widened eyes were replaced with scowls and glares.

SOPHIE'S POV

[TWO HOURS EARLIER]

Sophie had just returned from Elwin's office, checking on Biana. Elwin convinced her to go home after hours of waiting for Biana to wake up. She walked through the gleaming crystal gates, pushing open the front doors and collapsing onto the couch. Alden, Della, Dex, Fitz and Keefe followed behind her. Fitz sat next to her, but Keefe and Dex hesitated in the doorway. The adult Vackers sat on the loveseat to the couch's left, Della sighing as she sat down.

"What's up?" Fitz asked, gesturing to Keefe and Dex, standing in the doorway staring at each other. Keefe inhaled, glancing at Dex and walking towards the group of friends. They stopped in front of them all, singing again. "We have something to tell you," Keefe said, receiving multiple stares. "We're...dating." Keefe murmured, visibly wincing at the expected outcome.

Sophie's heart surged. Was this okay? She was constantly wondering if her friends would accept her. Was this her chance to know? She hoped they did, especially Biana's parents. She thought Keefe and Dex were amazing together, and she hoped desperately that they were accepted. Not just for their sake, but for hers, too.

There were a few snickers, from..the Vackers. All of them. "This is a shitty prank." Fitz laughed, adjusting his position on the couch. Oh my god. He thinks they're pranking us. Those words ran through Sophie's head, and she looked visibly uncomfortable listening to Fitz. "You think they're....joking?" Sophie said in disbelief. "Of course? Do you...see them? Both boys?" He enunciated the last word as if she didn't know. She let out a long breath, hoping no one would have to explain it blatantly.

She expected homophobia, but not believing it's real is a new one. Keefe and Dex sighed in unison again, gripping each other's hand. "Wait, you think they're telling the truth? I knew you were oblivious, but I didn't think you were stupid." Fitz smirked. Sophie's eyes widened, extremely hurt. "Fitz..." she whispered.

"What? You think TWO BOYS can date. That's stupid if I've ever seen it." He scoffed, looking to his parents, who were whispering to each other. "Wait, you guys believe it too? Oh my god. They're boys?" He said, his eyes scrunched together. "Fitz. Stop. We're dating." Dex said, visibly angry. He was only a few inches taller than Keefe, but Keefe looked a lot shorter, even though he was 6'0. "God, okay. Whatever. You're dating." Fitz said, looking annoyed.

"You're confused." A strong voice spoke, and Sophie had definitely heard that one before. Her father said those same words to her when she came out as pansexual to her human parents. Alden sighed, looking at them. "Look, you're just mistaking friendship for romance. Boys don't...like each other." He grimaced, Della, nodding her head.

BIANA'S POV

Keefe spoke up. "Hey." he hissed at her and her parents, and her eyes widened. "Keefe? What's wrong?" She asked, her voice heavy with concern as she rushed to his side. "Me and Dex. We're dating. Go ahead and lecture us, as your dad did." Keefe said, glaring. Her mind and heart exploded with emotions. She's not abnormal. She's okay. Her eyes welled up with tears without her permission, and she pulled Keefe and Dex into an embrace. "I'm so proud of you." Keefe looked surprised, uncomfortable, and happy all at once, and she was sure he was sensing those emotions from everyone else in the room.

"You're...okay with it?" Dex asked, grinning. "I'm more than okay with it." She said, and everyone took that as a simple, "I'm happy with it." Her parents whispered to each other again, gasping at every word. "Dad, Mom...how do you not accept it? It's just love." she said, her eyes filled with sadness. "There's nothing to accept. It isn't love." Alden snapped at her.

Biana's expression changed. Instead of sadness, it was disappointment and anger. "Can we go to...Rimeshire?" Sophie asked, nodding at Dex and hugging them both again. "Yeah, of course," Dex agreed, grabbing Keefe's hand and moving to direct sight of Alden and Della to kiss him. They kissed for a few seconds, Dex a flustered mess but filled with spite. Biana walked with Sophie behind Dex and Keefe, smiling at her without blushing or looking away. She was normal.

They walked out into the garden, outside of the gate, ignoring the glares and "concern" of Alden and Della. Dex grabbed his home crystal from his pocket as he grasped his boyfriend's hand, and Biana grabbed her leapmaster, twisting it to Rimeshire and holding Sophie's hand. She looked back at the girl behind her, and as the light blanketed them, the girl's cheeks were pink at the unexpected hand-holding.

a/n: 1180 words!!! that's a lot hhshfjsh. also,,, not me writing a whole keefex chapter because i have no idea how to progress a romance 😳