after unlocked: a sokeefe fanfic

Chapter 69-Sophie

[TW: drug use, implied/mentioned/discussed. Hopefully this doesn't trigger anyone, and I wasn't sure if it even would, but just in case.]

***

The shared silence between the two girls was more strained than Sophie would've thought. Tempted as she was to break the silence, she didn't, more for the sake of herself rather than staying silent in case he was listening.

Instead they passed through the halls, silent as wraiths, invisible to any eye. Sophie glanced over her shoulder again, struck by the feeling that someone was watching, could see them.

They were invisible, she reminded herself.

Invisible.

The silence became more strained. Biana, clearly sensing Sophie's uneasiness, glanced over at her.

Sophie met her teal eyes, relieved when she gave her a weak smile. Sophie returned it.

After a few more moments of silence, Biana finally broke it in a soft, nearly inaudible voice.

"He'd be here. If he was alive."

It took Sophie a moment to realize who she was talking about.

There was nothing she could say that would comfort Biana. Alvar probably wouldn't have been here, but he definitely would've been exiled or deep underground.

And not just six feet under.

"We were really close. For a little, you know. I really looked up to him."

Sophie nodded.

"I wanna know if he regrets it." Biana glanced sidelong at Sophie. "I wanna know if he regrets leaving his little siblings, his parents, literally everything good in the world. And I wanna know—" she hesitated. "If he resents me. For being born. Because for a little while it almost seems like he liked me."

Sophie's heart cracked a little at the word, 'like.' It should've been love. Biana shouldn't have wondered any of it—she shouldn't wonder whether Alvar loved her, whether he resented her—older siblings weren't supposed to give that type of doubt to their little sisters or brothers.

She wanted to tell Biana as much, to showed she understood, but honestly?

She didn't really understand.

At least, not firsthand. Maybe she'd read about it, or seen it, or heard others talk about it, but her experience with siblings had been... normal, if she excluded the parts about unknowingly reading everyone's thoughts around her all the time.

She and Amy had been sisters to each other. And while it hadn't all been positive, Sophie had tried to never hurt Amy, in any way, and vice versa, besides normal sister snarks.

Biana sighed. "Brothers," she said wryly.

"Fitz would never do anything like that to you," Sophie said quietly.

A small smile touched Biana's face. "I know. He may be annoying and my only source of entertainment, but he's really sweet." She gave Sophie another sidelong glance. "You know, sometimes."

Sophie rolled her eyes.

They were silent for a moment. Sophie hesitated. "For what it's worth, you always have a sister in me."

Biana looked at her, smiling again. "I know."

"How sweet."

Their momentary, comfortable silence vanished at the sarcastic voice. Sophie spun around while Biana renewed their invisibility. She searched the hall and the adjoining halls, seeing nothing. Only darkness. Chills ran up her back.