KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Glorious (Biana POV)

"Besides," Dex said, smiling at Biana, "the gates wouldn't stop dwarves or ogres from attacking if they wanted. But I think those days will be over soon. The Black Swan is finally on top of it."

"True," Fitz said. "Well, what are you guys up to this afternoon?"

Dex and Biana both shrugged. "I don't know," Dex said. "Want to just go for a walk? I've been stuck inside all morning."

"Absolutely," Biana agreed. She looked at Fitz, who winked at her.

"I'd join you, but I think I'm going to go work through some Telepathy exercises Tiergan suggested. Trying to keep up with Sophie is no easy task." Fitz headed upstairs without another word.

It may have been true, but Biana also knew he was just giving her and Dex some privacy.

Biana smiled to herself as she and Dex headed back outside.

"What are you smiling about?" Dex asked after a moment.

Biana--now also smiling because he had clearly been stealing glances at her while they walked--answered him. "That's the first time Fitz has mentioned Sophie without it looking painful."

"Ah," Dex said. He was quiet for a second. "Poor guy. I know how hard it is to like a girl who doesn't like you back. Although...I guess she did like him...it's kind of why I kept hating him even after I started liking you and your parents a bit more."

"She did like him. And he promised me he wouldn't let matchmaking get in the way. But then he did."

"Do you think they'd have wound up together in the end, if it hadn't been for that?"

"Fitz says no. He said after he talked with Keefe, it kind of sounded like Keefe and Sophie are both convinced that it would've played out this way regardless. Even if Fitz had told her the match didn't matter. And Fitz said he could sense the conviction in Keefe's voice, and felt it in his Cognate training with Sophie after that too. It's strange."

"What's strange?" Dex asked.

"Like...they just started dating maybe a couple of weeks ago, but they act like...like they've already been together much longer."

"That's probably because they've been so close for so long. They've been circling closer to each other from the start, I think. It's probably good that they started out with such a close friendship."

Biana couldn't tell if she was imagining it, but it seemed like Dex was walking closer to her than usual. Their arms kept brushing up against each other as they walked.

She hoped he didn't notice the goosebumps that erupted along her arm when that happened--but then she noticed he had goosebumps too.

When she glanced back up, she saw that he was looking at her. When their eyes met, he offered her a small smile.

And then...

He reached for her hand, twining their fingers together.

Some sort of elated storm of butterflies filled her stomach. It wasn't an altogether uncomfortable experience.

They had been hanging out more and more, talking about more serious and deeply personal things, but this? This was new.

And it made everything feel different.

"So...how are things at home?" Biana asked quietly.

Dex was holding her hand!!!

It was hard to think straight with him holding her hand...but she sure liked it.