How Did We Get Into This Mess - KOTLC Oneshots

Echoing Doubts

 ("It's always one step forward and three steps back.")

Tw: Attempted Suicide

Sophie knew what it was like to feel controlled. To feel as if the choices she made were engineered by someone else. She knew how it felt to be a puppet. Sometimes Sophie felt like her only purpose was to be the Black Swan's meat sack, with conveniently labeled buttons. So she could empathize with Keefe, knowing it was ten times worse for him.

The longer you spent oblivious to it, the more it stung. It would never stop coming back, echoing doubts to seed in her mind. In a way, Sophie almost wished she had never known she was the moonlark. Then maybe her fears would lessen. It was a weak, flimsy idea. No matter what, the voice stayed. Just differently.

Sophie wondered how loud Keefe's voice was. If it was constant, or waiting patiently so it could strike when it hurt the most. Like hers.

Though constant was just as bad. Neverending taunts that couldn't be silenced. Breaking down self confidence to replace it with self deprecation. An eternal nightmare.

Nowhere to run. Fun.

All this cycling in Sophie's head, Edaline squeezed her adoptive daughters hand. Elwin opened the door, ducking his unruly mop of curls into the waiting room. A solemn nod.

He was going to be okay. As soon as Sophie had seen the note, she dialed Elwin. When they finally found Keefe, time was rapidly running out. The residue in the vials by him were eventually what saved him. Elwin was able to create an antidote, but his vitals were nowhere near stable . . .

The fact Keefe had tried to end his own life sent Sophie into a spiral of What-If's. He had even broken in the process. She had no idea Keefe was having a crisis, she screamed at herself, a wave of heavy shame rolling down her back.

It's your fault, it'syourfault, IT'S YOUR FAULT!

Sophie bit back tears she thought had dried, eyes red-hot. Half-moon crescents cut into her palms from her fingernails pressed deep in her skin to keep from pulling out yet another eyelash.

He was going to be okay.

Right? Right.

Elwin beckoned her in, a meaningful glance sent Edaline's way. Sandor waited silently behind them all. It was fine. She was fine. It was going to be okay.

Sophie's sorrowful attempts to convince herself fell flat. It was time to heal Keefe.

Elwin had decided they should heal Keefe's physical wounds before his mental state. As he was stuck in a dreamscape, he couldn't feel any pain. It was simple logic, but Sophie selfishly wished she could talk to him. To hear him crack another joke.

She closed her eyes, a flashf Keefe's previously mangled body, glass shards among swollen red skin passing quickly in the front of her mind.

Sophie placed her fingers on his temple. And dove into a swirl of chaos.

(What do you guys think? Worth the wait? Probably not, my mean brain tells me. Never mind that, just remember to comment, vote and request for a part 2 to various oneshots. Time to type up the next one. *Not me being incredibly proud of 518 words.*)