So this is a fanfic I posted a while back after some substantial edits. Enjoy!
(Oh yeah, this is from Dex's pov)
"...And while you do that, Fitz can help Keefe and I search Atlantis for clues on the Vacker Legacy. Oh, and Dex, you can stay and work on the projects."
Whelp, here we are, another so-called 'planning session', another time I'm relegated to gadget duty while everyone else does something that's actually important.
Sigh.
I really wish someone else would do the planning for a change. But around here, it's Sophie's Rules. And everyone follows them. That's just how it is.
Or maybe it doesn't have to be...
"No," I say.
I can tell from the look on Sophie's face that she's not used to this kind of open defiance. "What do you mean, 'no?'"
I narrow my eyes. "I said no. Every time you have something important to do, you do it with Keefe and Wonderboy, and leave me out of it.
"Well, that's because we're investigating something," Fitz explains. "And--"
I cut him off before he can finish. "We? Oh, I get it; you mean Sophie and Biana and EVERYONE BUT ME."
Sophie sighs. "Dex, I don't get what this is all about, so why don't we pretend like this never happened and we can be friends again?"
"Friends? Does ignoring someone 95% of the time count as friends now?" I snap back. "Because this isn't really friendship anymore. It's neglect." Does Sophie not realize what she's been doing?
Because if not, that adds a whole new meaning to the 'Foster Oblivion.'
"Dex," Sophie counters. "You should maybe stop here before you say something you might regret later."
"And now you're trying to tell me what to do. Again. You do it to everyone. And maybe you're all fine with it, but I'm not. Not anymore. I'm sick of being bossed around by you, Sophie. So I'm not going to take a backseat this time--I want to actually do something relevant."
By now everyone has noticed that Keefe has been uncharacteristically quiet during this exchange, so as if in response to the six pairs of eyes staring at him, he throws up his hands and claims, "Hey, don't look at me--I'm staying out of this."
Lonh also tries to say something, but it's quite peculiarly drowned out by the sudden rustling of the Panakes leaves.
And because it's apparently Fitz's job to join in and make things worse, he comments, "Dex, you should probably apologize to Sophie now."
"She'll get over it," I snap, thoroughly frustrated by now. "And why should I? Clearly nobody values me anyway--and you can be sure as heck that Sophie wouldn't be saying sorry to me if the was in my shoes."
Sophie's taken aback. "That's not true, Dex, and you know that. Think about it--the freaking Council asked you to make them stuff. AND you're a member of Team Valiant!"
"I never actually made anything for the Council except that Ability Restrictor..."
Which technically isn't true.
But they swore me to secrecy.
"...and I think we all know that was an unmitigated disaster," I finish.
Ugh. I wish I'd never made it in the first place, and if I'd known they were going to use it on Sophie...
Thank goodness that's over and done.
But to think about what might have happened if I had never taken it off...
"You're missing the point, Dex," Sophie presses, thankfully interrupting that rather dark train of thought. "We need you around here. And the Black Swan--"
"--also ditched me. I built that Evader and the Twiggler, but then what? I made you those Enhancing Blockers, which I get had some, uh...issues..."
Keefe laughs. "Some issues?"
Shut up, Keefe. You said you were stating out of this. "...but you still used Tinker's version. Twice, actually. And her Null--which really did more harm than good. But anyway. Clearly you don't need me, so just use her and leave me out of this." I say.
"But Dex..." Sophie pleads.
It's too late. "I've made up my mind," I declare, pulling out my home crystal. "I'm done. With all of this. Please don't come crawling back to me later claiming this was all a misunderstanding. Because it isn't. If you don't want to include me in your investigations, then don't include me at all. In fact, I'm officially leaving this group. I never wanted to be caught up in this mess. But here I am. So I'm done. Leave me out of all of it."
And I raise my home crystal up to the afternoon sunlight and let the light pull me away.
