Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

Nightfall 61 (Keefe POV)

A/N: @SparkleDemigoddess03 requested this...a long time ago, probably. *shrug*. This chapter depicts Keefe's POV of the moment he first rejoins his friends after his week of bed rest. I then realized I need to continue through the following chapter so that will be coming soon as well.

You can do this, Keefe told himself as Edaline let him in Havenfield's front door. She'll forgive you. It'll be fine.

Except...he wasn't even sure he deserved to be forgiven. Not after all the times he'd hurt her. He hadn't been trying to hurt her in Ravagog, he just...did what he figured he needed to do to make sure no one else took the blame for his horrible mom's actions.

But Foster clearly hadn't seen it that way. The last time he'd seen her...

But her emotions had felt so hurt and angry because she cared so much. Plus, she was the kindest, most patient and incredible person he'd ever met.

She'd forgive him.

Even if he had to beg.

Even if it meant being around Tammy Boy again, whose voice Keefe unfortunately heard as soon as he entered.

"Yeah, but . . . in a library."

Biana laughed. "It's too bad Keefe isn't here-you two could have a contest to see who whines the most."

Ah, the perfect opportunity in which to announce his return!

"I'd win," he called out, and all heads turned to look at him. He tried very hard not to look in Foster's direction, though he'd stolen a quick glance at her when he'd first entered. He hadn't seen her in a whole week, after all.

Had she always been that pretty?

And why were she and Fitz holding hands?!?

Please, please no. Fitzphie was an inevitability Keefe dreaded. Had it finally happened? And if so, why hadn't Fitz hailed him to tell him? If the roles were reversed, Keefe would be telling everyone he knew.

He kept his gaze far away from her as he stepped further into the room and folded his arms, looking at his friends--and Tam. "That's right," he announced, smirking at them all. "I'm back!"

Foster's emotions were hurling themselves at him like overeager gremlins, and...they were a confusing mix. There was shock, of course, but also pleasure and pain in equal measure. She was happy to see him, but also still smarting from what had happened with the ogre king.

"What are you doing here?" Foster asked.

He forced his smirk to stay on his face as he finally looked at her, and wow those warm brown eyes looked gorgeous even when narrowed with frustration.

It was a good thing he knew how to make her laugh.

"It's good to see you too, Foster-though yowza, that's a lot of emotions to hit a guy with all at once. In case you need help deciding, I'd go with the part of you that wants to run over here for an epic Team Foster-Keefe hugfest, and not the part that wants to rip off my arms and smack me with them."

She looked away, blinking hard, and he could feel her trying not to cry.

He stepped closer, encouraged by her emotions. She was upset, and that was much better than cold indifference.

He knew cold indifference all too well. His parents' emotions were either anger--particularly on his father's part--or the total lack of feeling or caring at which his mother was especially adept.

"In case you're wondering, I'm all healed," he told her, waving his arms in a silly little dance to show how he could move without any pain. "Elwin took me off bed rest last night. And you can barely see the scar. I'd show you to prove it, but it'd probably be weird to take my shirt off right now."