Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

A Date

Sophie managed to find the answer to her question the very next day. Keefe's empathy mentor was fascinated by the way Sophie's enhancing affected Keefe's empathy—particularly his claim that he could read heart emotions. As such, she'd been granted permission to attend a couple of his training sessions, and his mentor had assigned him to create a log of the differences he felt when enhanced, and to try to document precisely how he could discern which emotions came from where.

"You know, it's kind of a big ask," Sophie told Keefe as they sat in his room in the Gold Tower. "What if I don't want your mentor knowing all of my emotions?"

Keefe smirked. "Technically I wouldn't have to take a reading of your emotions, I would only have to have you enhance me while I read someone else's," he pointed out. "In fact, we should probably do that so I can really impress her, since I'd also have to sort your emotions from the other person's. And considering your emotions are already so much stronger to me, that's a lot to be dealing with. But either way, don't worry. I only have to list the emotions, I don't have to make any assumptions at the thoughts or situations causing them. Emotions without their cause are disjointed and fairly meaningless to the casual observer."

"Then why do you always seem to know exactly what I'm thinking?" She countered.

"Because I'm not just a casual observer," he reminded her. "I know you, Foster."

"Better than anyone," she agreed without thinking.

Keefe's smile turned warmer, and it wasn't until he glanced down at the crush cuffs on her wrists and cleared his throat, his smile fading, that she realized she probably should have assumed that Fitz was the one who knew her best.

They got to work, and Keefe still refused to tell her what her heart emotions were. "I'm telling you, there's no coming back from it, once you know," he insisted. "Besides. There's no point unless you figure it out on your own. It's no good me just telling you."

"I don't know what you mean."

He smirked. "I know."

Sophie rolled her eyes but didn't prod him any further. Instead she changed the subject, fiddling with her crush cuffs. "Did you ever register for the match?"

Keefe's eyebrows shot up. "That's an interesting subject change."

Sophie shrugged. "I realized I didn't know. Everyone else has, except Dex, and now that he and Biana are dating she says she may not even bother picking up any lists."

"Hmm," Keefe said, looking at her thoughtfully. "Well...yeah, I have. Right around the time you did, I guess. Figured it was time."

Sophie had mixed feelings about this. She wanted him to be happy. Yet for some reason, the thought of Keefe having a list full of girls' names—most of whom probably already had a crush on him—and dancing with them all at his Winnowing Gala made her hands ball up into fists.

If Keefe noticed, he didn't address it.

But the next time she hung out with Keefe, she didn't wear her crush cuffs. It hadn't even been a conscious decision, she'd just... left them off.

A few weeks later, their friends were all gathered at Havenfield, enjoying the midterm break from Foxfire.

"It's nice being on break from school without having to risk our lives for anything," Marella commented.

"You could always go wander too close to the gorgodon enclosure if you're feeling nostalgic," Keefe told her with a smirk.

"Sure," Marella countered. "After you."