How Did We Get Into This Mess - KOTLC Oneshots

Look Before You Fall

( When you have it all, you better look before you fall )

Keefe lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was contemplating the mess he and Sophie had become. Was this really what it had come to? Him being too afraid of letting himself feel freely had only led to despair. Keefe knew that all too well.

A crack had splintered its way into his fragile bruised and battered heart. Of course he wasn't good enough for a real relationship. It was just going to be a facade, a carefully crafted illusion. How long could Keefe bear to fake it?

But what he was really afraid of? Was liking it. Not being able to keep his emotions in check and doing something he'd regret. There are no second chances for an empath. Drifting to sleep, his dreams were almost as bad as his sleepless thoughts.

Jailed by coils of colored mist, pink currents pushed Keefe to his knees as blue wrenched his arms backwards. Darkness surrounded him, the tinted smoke jarring to the eyes. The weight of the world crushed his back as his bones snapped with the sickening crunch of grotesque pain.

Rearing his head up, yellow glow escaped Keefe's mouth and life left his eyes. Bonds disappearing, the endless black consuming his very soul, he stood up a hollow shell of what he once was.

An endless falling sensation stretched on.

"Keefe? It's time to get ready for the debut"

Keefe rubbed his eyes blearily, trying to get a sense of his surroundings. 

"Debut?" He repeated, barely awake. 

"Of 'Team Foster Keefe,' remember," Sophie reminded the boy, peering over his bed frame to fluff his hair.

"What are you doing," Keefe asked suspiciously. He gave Sophie side eye.

"I swear, you're like a cat,"Sophie said with conviction, rubbing Keefe's head. Instinctively, Keefe pushed his head up for a better feeling. "See?"

"Get outta here, I gotta change" Keefe said, unbuttoning his pajama shirt and pulling it up over his head with a yawn. Sophie's cheeks turned crimson and she rushed out, slamming the door shut in a hurry.

It was fine. He could do this. It wasn't like Sophie actually liked him.

Never had his own words hurt so much.

Stepping into the halls of Foxfire with Sophie's hand in his was surreal. Sure, they held hands a lot. But this was distinctly different. With her staring up into his eyes, smiling, he could almost convince himself it was real.

"Why, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were enjoying this," Keefe whispered to Sophie. Her laugh rang out, drawing even more attention.

"Who's to say I'm not," Sophie giggled, drawing closer. 

Fakefakefakefakefakefake-

"I'm off to Telepathy," she said, turning to face him. "Wish me luck!"

"Good luck," Keefe whispered as Sophie ran off, hair streaming behind her.

POV SWITCH

All she had to was be a good actress. Fooling her cognate should be easy! Sophie tried to be optimistic, putting herself in a lovesick frame of mind.

"Good of you to join us," Tiergan commented. Fitz turned to Sophie, eyebrows furrowed. Clearly deep in thought, he steepled his fingers.

"Are the rumors true," the Vacker asked.

"What rumors?" She made sure to blush, looking down at the floor. And to top it off, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"So it's true then," Fitz whispered. It wasn't quite bitter, just hinting at regret.

But when she met up with Keefe after class, the rhythm was set. Which was why she didn't expect him to deviate.