keeper of the lost cities one-shot collection

'Love'

"What do you think it'll be like when we go back to Foxfire?" Sophie asked Keefe. They were sitting under Calla's panakes tree in the fading sunlight. Sophie was curled up in Keefe's arms, taking in his warmth as he trailed a light finger over her forearm. 

"I don't know," he said softly.

"All the girls will be super jealous," Sophie said, sitting up so she could look at him.

"Heyyyy," Keefe whined, trying to pull her back down. Sophie laughed, relaxing back into him. He sighed.

"You have no idea how many times I've dreamed of this," he said softly, still tracing circles over her forearm. She felt her heart flutter.

"You've dreamed of this?" She asked. 

He nodded. "Yep."

She moved so her head was resting against his shoulder and her arm was lying across his waist.

"I know it sounds crazy, but... yeah, I have." There was a long silence. "I doubt you would believe this," he said. "But I'm seriously in love with you."

Even though his words came out of nowhere, Sophie's eyes still widened and she looked up at him. "Why wouldn't I believe that?" She asked him.

"I always figured it would confuse you; lead you further into your oblivion, screw up our friendship." he murmured. "But... I never got over it. I thought sometimes it would pass, but nope. It never did." His ice blue eyes found her brown ones as he whispered, "I just fell harder when I tried to get over it."

Sophie knew she should respond, but her emotions were just so crowded with disbelief and a thousand other things that it was hard to come up with words.

So she kissed him. Keefe shifted, somehow moving closer to her as he stroked her cheek, then trailed his fingers along her jaw, leaving a tingly trail of warmth everywhere they touched. 

When she pulled back, his face was practically glowing.