KOTLC "Choose em'" Oneshots

sokeefe 7

Keefe:

It was dawn at the Shores of Solace and the crashing waves glistened in the morning light. Keefe sat cross legged in the sand, his hair unstyled, his eyes dim. He was deep in thought until he heard Ro clear her throat from the swing on the dock. He looked up tiredly and saw Cassius. "Father," he said bluntly.

Lord Sencen spoke harshly, "Son, you disappoint me. Go inside and get yourself together. I can't stand all of the pity for yourself radiating off of you."

"It's not pity for myself. I just can't take this life anymore. But you wouldn't understand because your life is perfect."

Cassius stood there, "I might understand more than you could imagine." He turned on his heel and stalked away.

Ro stood up from the swing and came over to drag Keefe, "Come on Hunkyhair, we can visit SoPhIe."

Keefe stared off into space with a sparkle returning to his eyes with the thought of Sophie, and then did a slight nod to acknowledge Ro. Keefe loved Sophie and held onto that as he glittered to Havenfield.

Sophie:

Sophie had woken up at 3 am to the loudest Iggy burp and fart that stunk up her entire room. She evacuated to the couch, where she overthought about her friends and relationship. She knew she liked Fitz, but Keefe had merit (and he didn't ever get mad at her for something she had no control over). She wrote this in her journal.

By the time she was done writing, the pages of her memory journal were overflowing with words about all of her friends. On Fitz's pages, there were more negatives to him than anyone else: he had gotten angry at her about Alden, and most importantly he had bailed on Sophie because of matchmaking. His one good thing was his life-saving factor. On Keefe's pages, there was just the whole trust issue thing (with him going to the Neverseen and the whole cache thing—but in the long run it was minuscule). He also had a life saving factor.

Both boys were handsome, saved Sophie, and had moderate personalities. One had teal eyes and was Sophie's cognate (which she realized got to his head), and one had endearing ice blue eyes and could help with her emotions. She got butterflies in her stomach when near both of them, but the butterflies had disappeared when Fitz revealed his true, angry self.

She looked up from the pages, glad to be away from her head and the words, to see the beautiful horizon in contrast to the rolling hills. She quickly noticed two figures and squinted her brown eyes to try to guess who it was. It was Ro. And Keefe.

Keefe:

As soon as he arrived with Ro near the pastures, he saw Sophie scramble out the door and run towards him—and he couldn't contain his dazzling smile-turned-smirk. "Hey Foster," he exclaimed dazedly as she hugged him tightly—he could feel her emotions and it made him jittery (and he was still deep in thought).

"Keefe," she sighed out, sounding relieved. Could she possibly be glad it was him instead of Fitz? (The answer is yes). "What are you doing here? Are you okay?" She glanced at Ro to possibly get an answer.

"Yeah, Foster. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? And why are you up so early?" He flashed his smirk and tore his fingers through his hair to try and make it look better than a rats nest.

"I'm up early because some little imp decided that he was going to burp and fart and gas me out of my room."

Ro laughed as she pushed Keefe forward, "Looks like there is another prankster in our midst, Hunkyhair."

Sophie fake gasped, "of course, it's all your fault Keefe."

Keefe stared at her dumbfounded and hurt by her trying-to-be playful words. The floodgates broke and he collapsed to the ground, his thoughts about his mother and father and his legacy and his crush on Sophie running rampant.

Sophie:

Sophie had run out the door to give Keefe a hug as soon as she saw him arrive. She asked how he was, and he said he was fine (even though she knew he wasn't)—so she played along. Keefe had asked her why she was up so early so she was obligated to tell him and Ro the story about Iggy—which was not funny AT ALL. As soon as she had said something about it being Keefe's fault that Iggy was a prankster, she saw Keefe fall before her.

Sophie got down on her knees before him, "hey Keefe. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry, okay?"

Silence.

"Keefe I know something is going on and you're going to tell me...or...or Ro will." The empty threat hung in the air before Keefe rubbed his eyes and sat up to look at Sophie.

"I can't take this anymore, Sophie."

"You can't take what. What can you not handle?"

"My mother. My supposed legacy that's going to ruin my life. My awful father who can't even tell me he loves me. I've been used my entire life and I can't take it. It's so overwhelming to have to feel everything that you are feeling, that my 'family' is feeling, that our friends are feeling...that I am feeling." He sobbed even more.

Sophie didn't know what to say after that, but the whole "feeling" thing stuck with her, so she scooted away to try and alleviate his burden. "I'm sorry Keefe. Im sorry that I'm different and cause you this much...burden. I don't think I could handle feeling anyone else's emotions—I can't even figure out my own."

Sophie looked down at the ground and pulled the grass up with her hands (which is technically illegal in some places in the Forbidden Cities). Sophie could tell that Keefe was trying to reign in his thought and emotions, and she wished she could help him.  She stewed on this for a brief second before blurting out, "I like you."

Keefe:

Keefe had had his innermost everything bubbling at the top of a cauldron that threatened to spill (which it did). He had expressed what he could to Sophie, but he doubted she would understand or be able to help. Then Sophie said, "I love you." Well that turned the tables.

Sophie stumbled to find the right words, "I mean, um, I thought that would help. About feeling emotions from me."

He could feel embarrassment radiating from her but he let his eyes wander upwards to Sophie's, "I love you too."

Ro dramatically clapped before saying, "wow I can't believe Freaky Mind girl confessed before you did, Hunkyhair."

"Oh. Uh wow. That was actually really unexpected. I definitely forgot that anyone was here. But I meant it." Sophie stuttered out, a cute flush rising to her cheeks.

"I meant it too. And Sophie, it did help."