How It Should Have Been: Sokeefe AU

Episode 41.5: (Fitz's POV)

A/N: That's right, we're doing a .5 chapter again-

Really taking after Shannon, huh. Anyway, this will start right before Fitz leave the cafeteria in a huff

Before:

"Did you all have a nice weekend?" Linh asked innocently, a smile flitting across her face.

"Yep, very good," Biana grinned. Sophie braced herself for the horrifically unsubtle hint about to come her way as Biana continued. "I have some news, actually. Although I think it won't be news to most of you..." she grabbed Dex's hand.

"I have some news, actually. Although I think it won't be news to most of you..." Fitz's eyebrows furrowed as Biana grabbed Dex's hand, as realization sparked.

"Oh YES, you're together publicly!" Maruca said, clapping her hands together excitedly. "Finally! I mean, I'm sure we all knew already, but-"

The words sent a wave of anger through Fitz's system. He brought his hand down on the table, ignoring the sting as his palm made contact. He hit it harder than he meant to, and winced internally.

But he didn't regret it, even as all eyes turned to him.

Because even though he was her brother, even though they'd had a big old heart-to-heart the other day, Biana had told him last.

Fitz's fists were clenched, and he knew it, but he couldn't make himself uncurl his fingers.

"Something wrong, brother dear?" Biana asked, tension ringing through her tone. Fitz knew she'd been worried about telling him, how he might react.

He wasn't being fair.

"Nope," Fitz said slowly. But the words were bursting up, because images were flashing through his head.

Keefe and Sophie and Biana and Linh and Dex, all with the same look on their faces.

The resigned look, the 'oh, there he goes again' look. But Sophie and Keefe's faces were angled away, and Fitz felt a quick surge of guilt that he quickly tamped down.

"Only wondering if I'm always the last to know."

Fitz regretted the words, but it was too late to go back now because it was true.

Biana sighed wearily, but Fitz noticed her white knuckles as her hand clenched into a fist. "We were keeping it from everyone-"

"Not everyone," he reminded her. His nails were digging into his palm but he hardly registered the pain. "Everyone knew, you said. Except me."

"It isn't like that-" Dex tried.

"Right." Fitz took a deep breath, but he suddenly couldn't stand looking at all of their faces. Not because they were liars (he wasn't being fair to her, to them) but because of the pitying gazes they were sending him. The annoyance, and guilt, and sympathy.

They all knew, and Fitz couldn't stand it.

"I want you to know I'm very happy for you," Fitz told the happy couple. Even if their day, their announcement was ruined and it was all his fault. His anger, his pettiness, his guilt.

He strode out of the cafeteria.

(Linh's POV)

Sophie stood up, presumably to go after him, but Biana stopped her with a hand on her arm.