ADJKLSFGKQWRD thank you guys soooo much for 1.9K views!!! I can't believe it! So as a treat, I'm going to give you guys a special Tiana chapter! This picks up right where the last chapter left off after Biana gets back from Havenfield. Also, I know I said that this was a 1K special, but you guys are the LITERAL BEST so it's more like a 1.9K special! Okay, Imma stop blabbering and get on with the chapter. I don't like long a/n's either...
"Sokeefe Sokeefe Sokeefe!" Biana flopped onto her bed, singing. "Sokeefe Sokeefe Sokeefe!"
She had just gotten back from Havenfield after talking with Keefe. Edaline had told her that the poor guy had been moping all day and cooped up in Jolie's old room, sleeping for most of the day. He had started out being depressed, but in the end, his hope was so infectious that I didn't want to leave the room.
"Sokeefe, Sokeefe. Sokeefe Rules Forever!" She sang, staring at the ceiling. "Not Sophitz! Not Sodex! Not Sota—!" Right on cue, she was interrupted by her Imparter.
Brrring! Brrring! Tam Song is hailing you! Her Imparter announced in its nasal voice. She quickly jumped off the bed and looked in the mirror, carefully brushing loose strands of hair out of her face and smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress before hurrying to pick up the Imparter and accepting the hail.
Tam's face appeared in the silver rectangle. "Biana?" He asked.
"Oh, um, hi!" She wasn't sure how to react. Should I act shy and blushing, like Sophie? Or flirty and upfront Marella? What's my normal self like again? She thought. She settled for a small wave.
"You sent me that notebook page of places where Sophie could be and the teams to go to the different places, right?" He asked, a note of hesitancy in his voice as he unconsciously brushed the silver bangs away from his face.
"Um, yeah," Biana said, propping her face up with her hand (is that what it's called?). "Why?"
"No reason," he blurted out, lowering his eyes. "I just thought, since we're the first team, do you wanna get started on searching the first place?"
Biana's cheeks heated up. Was he asking her out? Was it... a date? Don't be silly, Biana, she told herself. He probably just wants to get a headstart on finding Sophie. Because she's the special moonlark...
"Um, Biana?" Tam said, waving his hand. "You there?"
She jumped, still half in her thoughts. "Wha—? Oh, yeah. I-I think that's a great idea. How soon do you wanna start?"
"Um, maybe tomorrow afternoon?" He suggested, a faint smile on his face. "One thirty, so we have plenty of time to look?"
"Sure!" She said, trying to keep her excitement from boiling over. But some of it must have shown because Tam's smile only grew. He didn't smile much, but when he did, it looked good on him. Natural, even.
"Okay," he said. "See you tomorrow, then?"
"See you tomorrow," Biana agreed, grinning widely. And that grin stayed on her face long after the hail had ended.
~•✴︎•~
"Oh, what should I wear, what should I wear?" Biana stood in front of her mirror, wringing her hands as she dug deeper into her enormous walk-in closet. Piles of clothes were littered around her room, but she paid them no heed as she continued to delve into her closet.
"Too sexy and upfront," she muttered as she tossed aside a rosy dusk pink off-the-shoulder wrap-around dress.
"Too short," she said, flinging a short, showy, lilac dress aside.
"Too—" She started, but then her eyes focused on it, and she sat back, turning it to look at it from all different angles. "This. Is. Perfect," she gasped, standing up and sashaying over to the mirror.
The dress that she'd chosen was a short, long-sleeved dress that stopped above the knee. It had a light, pale peach pink background with flowers and leaves sprinkled all over it.
She quickly brushed on some pale pink eyeshadow, along with some mascara and some pink lip gloss, and then she was ready to go!
It isn't a date, it isn't a date, she kept on repeating to herself as she walked down Everglen's gleaming hallways to their Leapmaster 1000. It isn't a date. It isn't.
She took a deep breath and looked up from the ground. It was then that she heard something from a room to her right. A sort of whispery noise, along with the tinkling of crystals.
Wait a second... she hesitated before stepping to the right. Tam won't be mad if I'm a few minutes late, she thought, stepping closer to investigate to sound before carefully pushing open the door.
"Fitz?!" She exclaimed, blinking her eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight in the room. Only it wasn't bright sunlight. It was a chandelier's crystals, reflecting the light to make it brighter.
"What are you doing here?" Biana said, eyes roving around the room. "And isn't that the new chandelier that Dad bought a couple of days ago?"
"Wh-what?" Fitz said, jumping away from the chandelier. "What are you doing here?" He replied, eyes darting between her and the door behind her.
"That's what I was asking you," she said, leaning against the doorframe. "I heard some sounds and decided to investigate."
"Why were you walking by in the first place?" Fitz accused.
Biana's cheeks suddenly heated up. Don't tell him about Tam, she told herself. Even though they weren't the closest of siblings, Fitz would probably still beat Tam up because of her crush on him.
"Oh, just strolling around. I mean, we never really get to enjoy the beauty of Everglen, do we?" She said, trying to look casual.
He narrowed his eyes, and his mouth opened, looking like he was about to inquire further, but then he sighed. "If I don't tell you my secret, then you don't have to tell me yours. Deal?" He extended his hand.
She narrowed her eyes but shook his hand anyway. "Deal," and without another word, she left the room.
~•✴︎•~
"Sorry I'm late," Biana said, panting as she ran to the edge of the cliff.
"Whoa," he said, catching her in his arms. "Don't want you tipping over the cliff. Sophie isn't here, so you can't teleport,"
"Yeah," she said. The word tasted rotten on her tongue. Without Sophie, I can't do anything, can I? She thought bitterly. She shook her head, trying to dispel these troubling thoughts from her mind. After all, they were here to find Sophie.
"And by the way," he said as they walked toward the rocky path that led down to the seaside caves. "It's fine that you were late. I was there only a few minutes earlier than you. I lost track of time tracking Linh and Wylie."
Biana burst into laughter. "Stalking Linh and Wylie?" She said between peals of laughter. A rare grin peeked at the edge of Tam's lips.
"Not stalking," he said quickly. "Just... watching."
She grinned at him. "And I suppose that makes it less creepy?"
He shrugged, looking over at her. "Well, everything's for the greater good. (Grindelwald dun dun dun! Tammy Boi is actually him in disguise!) I do it to make sure Linh doesn't get hurt."
She also shrugged. "I suppose that's fair. But I think Wylie's good." She clapped her hands. "I mean, they're so sweet together!"
He stopped in his tracks and stared intensely at Biana. "But what if he's a Neverseen spy? What if he's evil and wants to take out Linh?" He shook his head, then resumed walking. "No, I've got to figure out his intentions first."
Biana smiled at his overprotectiveness. "You sound like Grady, you know."
"Yeah," he said quietly. they both fell silent as they remembered Grady, then Sophie, then what they were there to do.
"Let's start searching," Tam said brusquely, his other, more playful side gone. He stepped down the last steps of the stone staircase and headed into the cave without looking back to see if Biana was following. She looked at him sadly, before jumping down the staircase and following him.
"You search the right, I'll take the left," he instructed, not even looking at her.
"Okay," she said, before walking over to the right and brushing aside rocks.
They worked the entire afternoon. Once they were done giving the first cave a thorough inspection, they moved on to the next cave, then the next, then the next, until they arrived at the last cave in line.
By that time, Biana's hair was streaked with sweat, and she was dirty, hungry, and exhausted.
"Last one, right?" She asked, panting heavily.
Tam still didn't look at her. "Yep." Same as the other times, he headed to the left, and Biana took the right.
AFter a few minutes of halfheartedly searching, she discovered a note pressed under a rock.
"Tam, I think I found something!" She said, waving her arm. He immediately dropped what he was doing and hurried over to Biana.
"what is it?" He asked, studying it warily.
"It's a note," she said, unfolding it, taking a deep breath, then reading it out loud:
Where darkness dwells,
so do we.
A place for rebels,
people who did wrong.
Screams haunt your nightmares,
But others are comatose.
Like nobody cares,
in the silence that is eternal.
~ Your best friends
Tam snorted after she finished reading it. "Your best friends? More like our worst enemies. It's gotta be the Neverseen."
"Yeah," Biana agreed. "But I think they want us to go to a place... Where do you think that is?"
"Where darkness dwells... place for rebels... others are comatose?" Tam started pacing. "What does it all mean?"
Biana tapped her chin, thinking hard. Then she gasped. "I got it!" She said excitedly. "Exile! 'Where darkness dwells', it's underground and dark there! It's a place for rebels who broke the law, and the 'comatose' part. Hmm... That's the somnatorium!"
Tam gasped, realization dawning on him. "You're right!" Then he frowned. "Does that mean that we have to go there next?"
"I think the team that goes there is Fitz and Marella..." she said.
He nodded. "Okay, I guess we can go back and tell the—" He got interrupted as a wave engulfed him. He was standing near the cave entrance by the ocean and got completely and utterly drenched.
Silence fell. But then, Biana started laughing crazily. "Y-you're d-drenched!" She said, laughing her head off. Tam scowled darkly at him, but then I playful smile slowly appeared on his face.
"Well how would you like it if the same happened to you?" He asked, stepping closer to Biana.
She gasped. "You wouldn't dar—" Tam picked her up and started carrying her toward the water.
"Oh no, Tam Song! Don't you dare!" She said, shouting. But he only chuckled and waded in until the water was waist deep. And with a magnificent sploosh!, he dropped her in.
She rose, sputtering. She glanced down at her clothes. "Oh, it is SO on, Tam Song!" She dove for his chest, driving him down into the water. But he didn't stay there for long. He attacked her back, pushing her under. Biana tried to resist, but he still dragged her under. When she came back. up to the surface, she splashed a huge wave of water at him. He did the same, and it became a splash fight. After a few more minutes, it was clear that Tam was losing. Biana had beat him back, closer and closer to a wall of rocks. He tried fighting back, but it was no use against Biana's fierceness. Then suddenly, he had an idea.
Instead of retreating back and going on defense, he leaned forward, puckered his lips, and gently kissed Biana. After a few seconds, he pulled away, and then using his distraction, swam behind her so that he was taking the offense.
She turned around, slightly shell-shocked. She carefully hovered a finger over her lips.
"Did you just... kiss me?" She asked, staring at him in surprise.
In one second, his entire plan was forgotten. "Oh no. I'm sorry, Biana, did I hurt you? I didn't mean it, I'm so sorry. I like you so much, I don't want to hurt you. Oh no, did I just admit that? I'm so sorry. am I making you uncomfortable? I'm ranting, aren't I? But are you okay? That's the most important thin—" He was cut off by Biana placing her lips on his.
They both melted into the kiss. Biana wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him as if he was the only thing keeping her alive. His arms encircled her waist, gently pushing her closer. Biana smiled against his lips and snuggled closer, enjoying his warmth.
After a few more seconds, they finally pulled away. Tam looked at her, and this time, the shock was on his face.
"Me?" He whispered, staring at her quizzically. "Why me? Don't you like Keefe?"
"Don't you like Sophie?" She shot back at him.
He burst out laughing. "Me? No, of course not. She's not my type. Besides, I think she's got enough boys to juggle." He smirked, thinking of the love-triangle-formerly-square.
"Yeah," she agreed. "And for the record, I do not like Keefe anymore. It was a silly little crush, that's all."
He grinned happily, wrapping an arm around Biana and resting his chin atop her head.
After a few moments of enjoying the peace, she spoke up. "So... what does this make us now? A couple? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Are we even going to be on each other's match lists?"
Tam went quiet, then said, "Whatever you want to be. I don't want to pressure you. As for the match lists..." he trailed off, not finishing the sentence.
"Let's not worry about that for now," Biana finished, peering up at him. She looked around. "Anyway, we probably have to go now," she said reluctantly, pulling away from Tam.
He frowned slightly, but nodded. "Yeah, I guess we should go back to the others and tell them what we found." He followed her into the cave, where she collected the small white note.
Biana shivered as she looked at the sky. "It's getting darker," she noted, wrapping her arms around her in order to get some warmth.
Tam hugged her, letting his warmth soak into her.
"It's not fair," she mumbled into his tunic. "How are you always so warm?"
"I don't know," he answered truthfully. Then he heaved her up until he was carrying her.
Biana squealed. "What are you doing?" She said, squirming to get out of his grasp.
"What does it look like? Carrying you up to Havenfield, of course," he said, walking over to the staircase.
"I don't need your help! I can walk on my own! I'm not some damsel in distress!" She flailed her arms around, trying and failing to get out of his arms.
"I know you're not," he said, a hint of amusement in his face. "Didn't you say you were cold? I'm keeping you warm."
Biana rolled her eyes, but didn't argue back this time, instead burrowing her head into his shoulder.
Tam carried her all the way up to Havenfield, where he finally released her as they stood, facing the ocean cliffs with Havenfield behind them.
"Well," he started, clearing his throat. "Thanks."
"Thanks for what?" Biana inquired, blushing while twirling a piece of her chocolate brown hair.
"Thanks for coming here with me," he said awkwardly.
"Well... you're welcome," she said, blushing slightly. Taking a deep breath, she practically threw herself at Tam, cannon-balling into him and hugging him tightly. "Thank you too," she whispered.
They stood there, hugging, before Biana finally released her hold and backed up. "Bye!" She called, and with a smile on her face, sprinted toward Havenfield.
That day, she had finally revealed her feelings for Tam. And they were on track to find Sophie. Things were going well. She just hoped that they would stay that way.