they can have my legacy - fedex (the legacies series 3)

3

sophie had promised she'd wait for him at the end of the foxfire schoolday, but of course she was gone by the time he got to the leapmaster.

he knew deep inside that she had left without him, but instead of just accepting it & going home, he began to wander the halls, looking for her. maybe she had had to stay after last-period to help a teacher clean up some mess she had made. maybe she'd... gotten lost? somehow?

he didn't see fitz until it was too late, didn't hear his shout until he had plowed into him, knocking them both onto the dirty, hard stone floor.

fuck.

oh shit! i'm so sorry! i didn't see you! he could feel himself blushing, & found that he couldn't look fitz straight in the face.

fitz stood up abruptly, turning away so his back was facing dex. he cleared his throat loudly & awkwardly. clearly, he said, voice icy.

dex scrambled up, mortified. are you okay? i'm so sorry!

fitz turned, glaring at him. his face was ever so slightly pink. chill out! i'm fine, okay? from the corner of his eye, dex noticed his hands balling into fists.

o-okay! he said, backing up. sorry!

& that would have been it, if not for the universe's absolutely shit timing. because just at that moment, magnate leto strode down the hallway, walking so fast & so purposefully that his black ponytail was flowing behind him like a cape, & saw the two of them.

he smiled. dex! oh, & fitz! this is perfect! you kids need to come help me with... something. an awkward cough. school-related. obviously. i mean, what else would your principal need your help with?

dex rolled his eyes. right. okay. sure.

here, come inside of my office so i can explain your very school-related task! leto bumbled, ushering them inside of the large, triangular room.

for a moment-- not even a moment, probably a split second at most-- dex & fitz forgot they weren't exactly speaking to each other. for the tiniest little blip of time, they made eye contact & both rolled their eyes, unified in making fun of the adult.

then fitz blushed again, & glared, & dex quickly looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets.

once they were in the safety of leto's office, he explained what he needed. on my request, tinker has designed a gadget that forces its user to tell the truth when asked questions. we're planning to use it if we manage to find & interrogate members of the neverseen, particularly gethen. as you both know, gethen is beyond skilled at mental blocking, but this gadget will render that moot.

fitz shifted in his chair. you're not... why are we here?

leto smiled, oblivious to the elf's discomfort. i had actually been searching for dex. tinker requested that he take a look at it & tell her what he thinks could be added. we also need somebody to test it on. we were just going to use dex, but you came along, & that's better anyhow.

fitz stood up abruptly. what? hell no. you're gonna test some sketchy truth-gadget on me? uh, sorry, that is not happening.

leto smiled. of course! don't worry, fitz, it is perfectly natural that you would not want to tell anything personal to adults you barely know, myself & tinker included. we'll make sure you can be alone with dex while wearing the gadget.

what? fitz shook his head furiously, backing away. no. nope. sorry. i have... a thing. to go to. i forgot.

leto pulled out his imparter. alden vacker.