SOLANDIS // KotLC Oneshots

No... just- no.

Sophie stared at the scuffed toes of her sneakers. She drummed her fingers on the headboard. Sophie wasn't usually this impatient, but this was important. Team Valiant had been loaded with tons of new information, expected to work with it and ask no questions. It wasn't right, piling on this work where everyone was stressed and had personal issues. Sophie had decided, as leader, to talk to each member separately. Wylie had suggested she also privately talk to their other friends, the ones who hadn't been chosen. He'd just been by, and Sophie decided to heed his advice, starting off with Keefe.

Keefe would be interesting. His ideas are... different. Maybe he could make me feel better.

No, this was professional work. He would most certainly not make her feel better, but positively benefit to the team. But, she acknowledged with a sigh, he would lift her spirits anyways.

The worst part was that Sophie hadn't realized how awful things were until her chats. Everyone was so stressed, had about a million things to say about their own problems. That was the only reason they were there. To complain about their own lives.

She flinched. Why was she thinking like this? She was being selfish. Everyone had their own problems, and she should empathize with that. Still, it wouldn't have hurt to ask her...

Iggy let out a loud burp, cutting through her thoughts. Sophie exhaled as slow and long as she could at the stink. "Ugh, who raised you?"

As a response, he burped again.

She covered her head with a pillow, grumbling to herself. What was taking Keefe so long? It's not as though he was raiding Slurps & Burps and the candy store to keep her entertained-

"I got things! Candy, to be precise. And some solutions from Slurps and Burps," announced an all too familiar voice.

Well that sure made her sit up with a start.

"Really? I thought that wasn't the topic of today," Sophie forced disapproval into her voice, trying to cover the amusement. "And how'd you even get in here? Grady would never-"

Keefe shrugged, spilling most of the candy out of his hands onto her desk. "I supposed I would bring these to keep us distracted. And also, Grady isn't here. It's just Edaline."

He moved over to a chair in front of the bed. "Right, so what was the topic again, Lady Foster?" he smirked.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. She was beginning to think Keefe didn't have any expressions other than the Smirk. "As leader of Team Valiant, I was checking in on all the team members. I know, I know. I'm also talking to all my other friends. About how they're holding up... how are you holding up?"

A shadow crossed over his face, but he rubbed it off. "Yeah, well, I'm just dandy. Pranked Bangs Boy, gossiped with his sister, flipped off Fitzy, dyed Biana's hair yellow, almost got incinerated by Marella, and just raided Dexipoo's store. What's new?"

Sophie couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. Keefe's smirk widened at that. "For those who want the details, we gossiped about how everyone here is as oblivious as a brick and how we're obviously the smartest."

"Who, you and Dex?"

He sighed. "No, no. See, this is proof. I was talking about me and Linh."

Sophie stared, confused. "But Dex is obviously the smartest and you're one of the most creative..."

"Ugh. I can't. I just can't." Keefe slumped over. Just as quickly as he had, be shot up straight. "So I brought some stuff over to dye Iggy's fur. What do you think, Foster?"

Sophie turned to the vials, hating how easily she got distracted. "Maybe purple with blue swirls?"

"Hmm. Depends on the kind of blue. Maybe we can make him a little cheetah, with yellow and black spots."

"I like that... how about a zebra?"

"Maybe. OOOO, maybe we should color a picture of Fitzy's face onto him-"

"No... just- no." This time Sophie didn't hold in her laughter. Soon they were both doubled up, gasping for breath.

"Fine," Keefe fake-pouted. "Let's do a rainbow!"

"YES!"

And so, the rest of their time was spent experimenting on Iggy, landing on a slightly crooked yet pretty result.

"You know," Sophie mused. "Maybe we could do faces. One friend face per week. You should bring Dex over and we can discuss that."

Keefe clapped. "See, Foster? That's what I'm talking about!"

"Ugh, maybe you're right... but we didn't talk about you!"

He sighed. "There's so many things about me... I'm pretty messed up, Sophie. But there's no point in talking about that. All I want you to know is that we'll be fine, as long as you're fine. So don't worry about me."

"But I want to worry about you!" Sophie protested. "There's so much to worry about!" She tugged out an eyelash.

"Trust me, there is, but there's so much, there sort of isn't. Like Alden would say, 'there's no reason to worry.' So do me a favor and listen to Golden Boy Sr. for once," Keefe didn't miss a beat.

"But I could help you!"

"You could?"

"Yes!"

"How, Sophie. How could you help me?"

"I could..." what could she do?

He smiled sadly. "See? You can't. Again, do not worry about me. It's time for me to go, but remember me by eating that candy. If I disappear, you can say 'the last thing we have left of all that hotness is his generosity and a piece of his hair, which is by the way stuck in the corner of the door in my room."

"I'm- I'm not even going to ask."

"See you later, Foster," he plastered the Smirk back onto his face. "Love ya."

"Ugh, that is so cheesy!" Sophie snapped, trying to suppress her flaming cheeks.

"But it's true."

"No... just- no. Go away, weirdo."