KOTLC After Stellarlune-A Sokeefe Story

Everglen (Keefe POV)

"Dude, are you okay?" Fitz asked.

Oops. Keefe had forgotten he was supposed to be paying attention instead of stressing about Alden. "Yeah, sorry. A lot on my mind I guess. What were you saying?"

Fitz rolled his eyes. "Only that Biana and Dex totally kissed yesterday."

Keefe's eyes widened. "Wow. I could tell they were getting close, but wow. Can't believe our little Dexy was so bold. You don't mind, do you?"

"Naw, Dex is cool. I'm glad he doesn't hate my family anymore. But... do you know how embarrassing it is that my little sister has kissed someone and I still haven't?"

This was going to get awkward fast.

"Your time will come. I mean...you're almost as hot as I am." Keefe smirked. "How many girls try to give you crush cuffs every year at school?"

Fitz rolled his eyes. "That doesn't mean I actually like any of them."

Fitz was trying, but Keefe could feel the sadness and bitter regret coming off of him all the same. He was glad he didn't detect anger at the moment, though. Fitz really was starting to deal with his anger issues.

"Ehh, eventually another girl will catch your eye. Probably one NOT trying to drop hints left and right."

"Preferably one that likes me for me, and not for my looks or my family." Fitz looked away. "Sophie was unique that way."

"Unusual, but not unique. There's someone else out there for you. Someone even better suited for you. I'm convinced everything works out for the best. At least, that's what I have had to tell myself the last few years."

Fitz nodded. "You're right."

Just then there was a knock on Fitz's door. Alden peeked in. "Fitz, can you go help your mom with something? It should only take a few minutes." Fitz got up and left the room. Keefe made as if to follow him, but Alden stopped him. "Keefe, can we talk for just a minute?"

"Sure." Alden's emotions felt steady, maybe slightly remorseful.

"Keefe, I'm sure you remember the conversation we had the morning of Alvar's tribunal. And in light of recent events, I think maybe I owe you an apology."

"It's nothing, it's not a big deal," Keefe mumbled.

"All the same, I wanted to make sure we were okay. Keefe, Della and I have always considered you as dear as one of our own children. I didn't take it lightly, what I said that day. I was looking out for Fitz, but also for Sophie and for you. I  knew Sophie and Fitz's feelings for each other, and I could see—though Fitz could not—that you had feelings for her too. What I didn't see was the strength of your friendship with Sophie, or the potential for it to become something more. Perhaps I should've left the feelings to the Empath, like you said."

Keefe looked at Alden. "Sophie was completely unaware of her feelings too, for a long time. But I knew there was a chance. That was hard to let go of."

"And that was what I was hoping to help you avoid. The waiting and hoping can be very painful, especially if nothing comes of it."

"I know, and I appreciate it."

"But Keefe, I want you to know that Della and I are happy for you and for Sophie. We love her dearly—I think you know that initially we wanted to adopt her ourselves—so it made perfect sense to us that she would wind up with our son, and wind up part of our family. But Keefe—you are our family too. And if you and Sophie someday do end up marrying—" oh, we will, Keefe thought to himself—"then we would consider the both of you to be part of our family. And now I've had that same talk with Fitz that I had with you. To let go, to accept the truth and to try to be happy for his friends. Maybe I shouldn't have meddled at all, you are teenagers and your feelings can change. But history tells us that in times of war, young people have to grow up faster and often it causes what's truly important to take sharper focus." Keefe nodded in agreement.

"I feel like we all stopped being kids a long time ago."

"That's because you did. Keefe, listen to me." He paused for a moment, making sure he had Keefe's full attention. "I sincerely hope you didn't take that conversation to mean that I didn't think you deserved Sophie, or that I wanted you to just step aside to keep my own son happy. I love you like a son. Your happiness matters to me every bit as much as his does."

Keefe's eyes filled with tears. Oh, this isn't at all embarrassing. Crying in front of his friend's dad. Great. "I know. All the same, it's nice to hear."

That night, Keefe could tell Sophie was itching to chat with Dex, so he kissed her goodnight and headed back to the Grove.

But his conversation with Alden had left him longing to talk with Sophie.

It was a relief to have cleared the air and to know that Alden and Della were happy for him. They were the only true parents he had. Their approval meant more than he would admit.

But the memories of his past conversation with Alden just made him want to be able to put his arms around Sophie and remind himself that those days were over.

He still found it hard to believe that finally, finally, she had chosen him.

So maybe he should get up a bit early tomorrow.

Flori came and woke him before the sun, just as he'd asked. She then went to wake Sophie—with Gigantor's prior approval, of course.

He was waiting for her outside the door when she came down. She was already dressed in her Foxfire uniform and looked adorably sleepy.

And maybe a little confused. But she looked cute confused, too.

"You okay, Keefe? What's going on?"

"Don't worry Foster, no one's dying. I just wanted to sit out and watch the sun rise with you this morning."

The sweet smile that lit up her face just then? Adorable. 

Keefe took her hand and they walked further into the grounds, passing through the gate overlooking the cliffs. He chose a spot far from the edge, because Sophie would absolutely be the one to ruin a romantic gesture by tripping and falling off a cliff.

But she'd look awfully adorable doing it.

And thankfully she knew how to teleport. That would totally help if she Fostered it.

Sophie sighed contentedly. "You never got the chance to tell me last night what made your day so interesting. Was it the news of Biana and Dex, or something else?"

"Alden pulled me aside to talk to me."

Sophie, who has been leaning—somewhat sleepy—against Keefe's shoulder, sat up and turned to face him. "He did?"

"He wanted to talk to me about the conversation we had before Alvar's tribunal. He wanted to make sure I knew that he and Della are happy for us. And he was worried he had hurt me—and that conversation was painful—but I always knew he was just trying to help me avoid pain, not add to it."

Sophie smiled warmly at that. "They love you," she said simply.

"They're pretty fond of you too. Said we'll always have a family with them. But it was strange, talking with Alden like that, it just reminded me of that awful day. Upset that Alden knew how I felt about you, upset he seemed to think it was such a lost cause. Worried Fitz knew too. Then the tribunal was awful. And then after..." they both shuddered as they remembered. "I almost lost both of you that day. If you hadn't had that panic switch...well, anyway. A lot of negative memories surrounding that day. I just really wanted to be close to you after remembering all of that."

Sophie leaned in and kissed him, and with the sun slowly rising before them, bringing out the gold flecks in those brown eyes of hers, Keefe thought she never looked more beautiful than she did in that moment.

Okay, that was really sappy. But Keefe decided feeling sappy was okay considering how long he waited for her.

So he put his arms around her and pulled her in close to look at the sea and the sky for a few more minutes before they had to begin their day.