KOTLC After Stellarlune-A Sokeefe Story

Ro (part 5)

After a few minutes, Sophie got curious. "You said you almost took her advice a couple of times. Now I want to know--when was that?"

"Well, even before I met Ro, there were several times I almost told you how I felt. But I was always interrupted or chickened out."

Sophie was immediately flooded with memories--his arms around her while riding the Eckodon. His ability to inch so close their shoes almost touched before she noticed. His hand skating along her hairline where she had braided it.

Keefe continued. "And of course I tried to be around you, and alone with you, as much as possible. But then one day, while we were waiting to go free your parents from Nightfall, I was so close. There were a couple of times that day where it seemed like you would lose your train of thought if we made eye contact. And then you got so adorably upset when you saw how your emotions affected me."

"I remember that," Sophie said. "I tried to back away but ran into the wall, and you just...followed me."

"Yup. And when you fell speechless again, I thought okay, it's now or never. So I leaned in and began to tell you that there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for your speechlessness--which of course I'd have said was a direct result of your deep feelings for me—and that I was tired of playing nice. And I would've kissed you. Or at least...I would've tried."

Sophie remembered. How had she not understood? "But then Mr. Forkle showed up and that was the end of that."

"Exactly. And then there were little moments after that. You came to me when Tam told you my mom was going to use him to harm me. And obviously I didn't know you were coming over. And this is why I know you love my abs," he said impishly. "Your feelings were very fluttery. But then you were so upset at being unmatchable, and I knew why you had chosen to register in the first place, and it wasn't for me." A ghost of pain crossed his features at that memory. "So I kept my mouth shut and my lips to myself, again. Ro was pretty mad at me for that."

Sophie glanced at Ro, still not awake. Before she could say anything, Keefe continued.

"Every time I wanted to say something, fear kept me back. Afraid you wouldn't choose me. Afraid I didn't deserve you anyway, not after betraying you, not after everything my mom has done. And I didn't want to betray Fitz too. But it was hard. And then when I unnecessarily upset you by giving you my theory about Bronte being your father...you were so upset at that. I wanted to console you but I was afraid I'd let something slip if I did. But I'd never seen you so upset. So finally I pulled you in and held you while you cried—"

"Is that why I heard you say "screw it" before hugging me?"

Keefe laughed softly. "I didn't think you even heard that. Yes. My resolve crumbled, I knew you needed me. But then it took all my mental strength not to tell you everything. I wanted to tell you your biological parents didn't matter. That we could stop searching and that you would still have options, even if Fitz couldn't handle it. I was never so tempted to "play dirty" as Ro put it. Tempted to tell you and then kiss you, right then and there. But it didn't seem right to make a move on a girl sobbing in my arms, so I just went on comforting you. And then Fitz showed up..."

"And tried to kiss me...until Ro interrupted." Sophie shuddered. "I almost kissed him and you were right there and would've had to see it." Sophie got up out of her chair and moved away. "Ugh, how could I have been so stupid? I could've saved all three of us some heartache if I hadn't—"

"Sophie, don't!" Keefe quickly got up and strode over to her. "Don't beat yourself up over this. Things have worked out just how they should have. Honestly if I had pushed in too soon, it probably would've just left you really confused and you would've been left trying to choose between us, and that would have put a lot more strain between Fitz and me. THAT is the path that would've been more painful. But now I don't have to wonder. You chose me on your own, even when Fitz wanted you back, and not just because you felt like you had to choose between us."

Sophie looked up at him. "I just hate that you spent months—years really—in pain over me."

Keefe had somehow gotten even closer. "It wasn't all bad. Flirting with you was a lot of fun. Your friendship alone, even without it being more, got me through so much. No one has ever wanted to help me and take care of me like you always have. And there were always those little moments that told me not to lose hope." He smiled. "In Lumenaria, when I first found out about your enhancing...that rush as I got such a clear reading of your emotions. I could see clearly then that your feelings for me WERE deeper than just friends. It's hard to describe, but it was...warmer. And you were happy that I was home, but it was more than that. That knowledge alone kept me from losing hope completely, even when you were dating Fitz. There was no guarantee that you would ever even recognize your own feelings, but I knew, deep down, they WERE there."

Sophie smiled as she remembered wondering why he had been grinning, but that particular memory was so tainted by what happened right after, that she had forgotten until just now.

"Besides," Keefe continued, "it makes all of this now so much better. Now, I can remember how awful it was, but I can remind myself that things have changed." He reached out, placing his hands on the small of her back and pulling her right up to him before whispering "now I can do THIS."

And then, he was kissing her. And everything that had happened between them, all of the near misses, all of the heartache, every memory they shared--the good and the bad--was replaying in both of their minds as they shared this one perfect kiss.

When they finally broke apart, Sophie--slightly lightheaded--began to laugh a little. "Do you ever wonder what it's going to be like when you are back at school? Or next time the whole group gets together? I think everyone knows we are dating by now, but I honestly don't know if they'll be able to stand being around us if we're being this sappy all the time."

Keefe pouted. "I'm just making up for lost time. Think of all the kisses and heart-to-hearts you owe me to make amends for the way you strung my poor heart along for so long," he proclaimed with a mischievous glint in his eye. He feigned innocence as he added "I just want my fair share, is that really too much to ask?"

Sophie smacked him on the arm.

"Hey now!" Keefe protested, though he couldn't contain his laughter for a moment. "Don't pretend you don't love being sappy with me. You can't lie to an empath, remember?"

"True," Sophie whispered with a hint of a grin on her face as she leaned back in. "I guess I don't mind owing you that much," she added right before her lips found his again.

"Wait, what?" a groggy and pained voice said behind them.

Ro was awake.