Reputations Aren't Worth It | Fedex Fanfiction

Chapter 20

"Think he knows you're planning on labelling your relationship as a bad match and divorcing Elowyn?" Biana asked as she and Fitz walked up to the front doors of Everglen once they made it past the gates.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Elowyn talked to Lord Vincent and he told our dad." Fitz sighed, smoothening out his cape.

"... So, what're you going to tell him?" Biana questioned, looking at Fitz as they stood outside the doors.
Fitz glanced at the doorbell and he bit his lower lip.
"The truth." Fitz said, pressing the doorbell.
Biana felt herself smile and she elbowed Fitz.
"Hah, you've changed." Biana grinned.
"Mmh? Maybe I just finally want to be happy." Fitz grinned back at Biana.

The door opened and Fitz and Biana looked up at their father.
"What are you doing here?" Alden looked at Biana, raising his eyebrows.
Biana smiled at her father.
"I wanted to visit mother. And I wanted to eavesdrop on your conversation with Fitz." Biana said.
"And such a warm welcome-"

"Ah! Biana! Fitz!"
Alden stepped aside as Della made her way over and smiled at her children.
"How are you two?" Della asked, as she stepped aside to let them in.
Fitz allowed Biana to enter the house first before he followed behind.
"I'm extremely happy." Biana smiled at her mother.
Della went over to Fitz, about to take off his cape. Fitz smiled at his mother and gently placed his hands on her wrists.

"I don't think I'll be here long, I just came here to talk to dad." Fitz said.
"And... I have a feeling I'll want to make a quick escape if things gets too heated."
Fitz glanced at Alden and Alden raised his eyebrows.
"Excuse-?" Alden began.
"That's reasonable." Della sighed softly, taking her hands away.
"Well... it was lovely to see you again Fitz. I'm... sorry to hear your marriage failed."
Fitz did not see a hint of sadness or shame in his mother's eyes, he only seen how proud she looked at him.
"Thank you." Fitz nodded.

"Biana, would you like some tea and update me on things?" Della asked, smiling at her daughter now.
"I'd love to." Biana smiled back.
Della turned around and made her way to the living room and Biana followed behind her.

Fitz and Alden looked at each other.
"Will we speak here or shall we talk somewhere else?" Fitz asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Let's talk in my office." Alden said.
"Come along, Fitzroy."
Alden turned around and made his way towards the stairs. Fitz bit his inner cheek as he followed behind his father.

Fitz was the first to enter his father's office and Alden shut the door behind him as he entered the room behind Fitz.
"What the hell are you doing?" Alden scowled, glaring at Fitz.
Fitz looked at his father and he remained calm.
"It's funny how we had a chat which started exactly like this years ago when you found out I was dating Dex." Fitz said, staring directly into his father's eyes.
Alden raised his eyebrows but he decided to ignore Fitz's comment.
"Fitz. I do not understand why you are divorcing Elowyn. She is the perfect girl for you-" Alden began.
"She doesn't make me happy." Fitz cut off his father.

Alden stared at Fitz and Fitz took a deep breath, scoffing as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"I have spent my entire life trying to impress you." Fitz snarled. "Trying to make you proud of me."
Fitz shook his head.
"I don't understand why I put myself through so much misery to make you proud of me. I don't understand why I broke up with a guy I really liked just because you couldn't deal with the fact I am bisexual. Just because he is seen as an outcast too."

Alden scoffed.
" Why are you bringing up Dex right now?" Alden questioned, shaking his head at Fitz.
"That boy is not worth your attention, he is not worth ruining your reputation as a Vacker-!"
"Dex is worth every single bit of my attention!" Fitz snapped.
"He's-- he's worth it all. He's worth it even if my reputation will be ruined. Dex is the only person who I have ever loved, he is the only person I have ever longed for!"

Fitz glared at his father, his face scrunching up. Alden stayed silent as he stared at his son and studied him. But his expression of frustration was extremely clear, and Fitz didn't stop.
"He deserves everything, and I deserve nothing." Fitz scowled, clenching his hands tightly into fists as he stared at the ground.
"I don't deserve to have another chance with him. I don't, truly. But he has finally come back into my life after years of me putting up with your bullshit! Of putting up with Elowyn and Lord Vincent's bullshit!"

"My bullshit?! How do you think I felt when I had to listen to you cry over that... that unworthy boy?! Fitzroy, you are throwing away the life you have always wanted-!" Alden began to shout.
"I never wanted this!" Fitz yelled back.
"All I ever wanted was to be happy! To marry someone I love! But I had this ridiculous need to make you proud and I hate myself for it! I threw away years of my life to do whatever you wanted me to do! I had to keep up impressions because I wanted you to believe I was happy! I didn't run away when I had the chance to at my wedding because I knew how disappointed you'd be in me and-! "
"That is ENOUGH!" Alden yelled.

A silence overcame the two of them for a few moments. Fitz stared at his father and Alden glared back at Fitz.
"I want you to go back to your wife and to not ruin everything for a stupid boy. I want you to apologise and I want you to-" Alden began.
"I am going to file Elowyn and I as a bad match." Fitz stated sternly.
"Fitz-" Alden attempted to scowl.
Fitz took a step forward, his glare making his father gulp. Alden had never seen his son this determined or angry at him before.

"She agreed to sign the papers once I get them. I will move out of that place and temporarily stay with Biana once we have signed the papers and I have packed my things. And I will finally be selfish and I am going to talk to that 'stupid boy' and I am going to try and make up to him for how I treated him and to prove I am worthy of his love. He is worthy of mine, I must now prove myself. " Fitz continued to speak.
"And you? You are going to suck it up and deal with it. You are a sad, old man, who cannot deal with the fact that I can make my own decisions. That I'm not a vulnerable, easy to manipulate, teenage boy anymore. That you have no control over me."

Fitz dug out a crystal from his pocket.
"Sometimes reputations aren't worth it." Fitz said, holding eye contact with his father as he held up the crystal.
Alden was about to speak before Fitz had light-leapt away. Alden stayed silent as he was now left alone in his office.

Fitz had stood up to him, and now Alden had lost his golden boy of a son.

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Word count:1254