two idiots and a turtle (a kotlc fanfic)

chapter one: in which someone is going to die

a/n: the art up above is by HEYDOROTHEA_! it's so cute aaah-

anyways, i hope you like this chapter!

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tam

"Yes, of course I have a crush on Keefe."

Linh's delighted grin fades, her silver eyes dimming as she registers the sarcasm in my voice, and then she pouts, trying to defend her side of whatever this was.

"But you two would be so cute together!"

That's- that's her defense?

I lift my head from the table, glaring at her through my silver-tipped bangs. "So?"

"Just- just because we look cute together didn't mean we would be good together. How could we? Keefe probably still hates me from when I put him into a coma, and. . ."

I don't speak the rest of my thought aloud. And I would never forgive myself.

Linh drops the subject with a sigh, looking mournful for a moment, before she stands up, brushing herself off. Oh, I hope I didn't upset her. I don't like it when she's pouty.

She holds out a hand to me, which I reluctantly grab before she drags me out of bed.

I step out of the beam of light that had light-leaped us to Foxfire, begrudgingly heading to my locker and collecting my things, before heading to my first class - The Universe. Ugh, we had a test today.

Did I want to or need to know the location of every star? No. But they teach it anyways. And I learn it. Foxfire is somehow better and worse than Exilium at the same time.

I wince as the shadowflux twinges painfully under my skin, reacting to my negative emotions. I wish I could get it out of me, but I'm stuck with it just as much as Keefe is stuck with his new powers.

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Keefe yet today. Where is he--?" I murmur to myself.

A sudden hush falls over the room as Keefe quietly walks in. Everyone's heard about what's happened to him, his new powers, and his inability to control them.

He sits down next to me, his ice blue eyes having lost their usual sparkle, dark circles underneath. Is he okay?

No- why do I care? Why should I care? He hates me.

I don't look at him, instead staring resolutely ahead as we each get our papers and start the exam.

Keefe hesitates as he stares down at the paper, pulling a mug of cinnacreme out and pouring something strong and bitter-smelling into it - coffee, I think?

He glances at me with a wry grin and murmurs, "I'm going to die," before drinking the whole thing.

My eyes widen as I watch him gulp it down. That didn't seem like it was going to be good for him.

The time passes monotonously, as I fill out my test, finally standing up and passing it to Sir Astin, the Universe teacher.

I sit back down at my seat, glancing over at Keefe. He's still filling out the test, eyebrows scrunched up in concentration as he stares down at his paper.

Hopefully he does well.

I glance at his hand, at the way his fist is clenching the pencil as he roughly scribbles down answers. He must be nervous.

After several tense minutes in which I try to not stare at him, he finally stands up, knocking his chair back with a screech and passing the paper to Sir Astin.

Shortly after that, the class ends, and we all stand up, about to file out of the classroom.

"Mr. Sencen, Mr. Song, stay behind." Sir Astin calls for us in his whispery voice.

I turn around, glancing over at Keefe before heading in front of the teacher. He stands up from his desk to face the both of us.

"Keefe, you didn't study very much for this test, did you?"

Keefe rolls his eyes, muttering something about how he had a photographic memory and how he'd be perfectly fine.

I wince as Sir Astin starts scolding him for not studying. Finally, he turns to me, looking at me with a slightly approving gaze.

"Tam, I'd like you to tutor Keefe for the foreseeable future."

My eyebrows raise at his idea. Tutoring Keefe? Was that really such a good idea?

And besides, what if Keefe didn't want me to tutor him at all?

After a moment, Keefe nods, assenting to this, and I gulp nervously. This wasn't going to go well.

The school day moves slowly, but at the same time, incredibly fast. I barely pay attention to my other classes (leading to me getting scolded by my Mentor, Lady Zillah), instead focusing on what was to happen afterschool.

I'd be tutoring Keefe. Alone. At one of our houses, presumably. I tug on my bangs again, trying to ignore the strange, twisting feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Ugh, I don't want to do this.

The bell rings, signifying the end of the day, and us students filter out of our classes, getting our things and leaping back home. I gather up my supplies, lagging behind so other people can leave.

Where is Keefe?

I search the halls for him, quietly calling out his name and hoping that I wouldn't need to argue with him for anything. I'm already tired enough as is.

I finally spot a figure at the end of the hall, recognizing it as Keefe from the messy golden hair.

He turns to me as I run up to him, but I'm shocked by what he's holding.

I stare at Keefe.

"Why do you have a turtle?"

Keefe gasps, affronted, hugging the undeniably adorable turtle closer to his chest. "Excuse me! This is my emotional support turtle right here!"

I stare at him yet again. "...Care to explain why?"

He smirks, his ice-blue eyes seeming to glow with mischief. "I'm planning a prank. Want to help me?"

I tug on my silver-tipped bangs nervously, considering this, before I sigh. I'm supposed to be tutoring him, not aiding him with another one of his infamous pranks.

But as I look at him, I can see a glimmer of something underneath his joking exterior. Pain. Fear. Desperation. He wants this to happen - he needed something normal in his life again. And who was I to take that away from him, that control over such a small aspect of his life?

This is going to be a bad idea, isn't it?

"Fine."