How Did We Get Into This Mess - KOTLC Oneshots

The Drawing Lesson Oneshot

Edaline called up to Sophie. "Grady's gone now!"

Sophie quickly transmitted the information to Keefe, and in seconds, he was at her bedroom doorway.

"Took him long enough." Keefe dumped a pile of sketch pads, notebooks and art supplies down, somehow without breaking a thing.

"Telekinesis?" Keefe scoffed theatrically.

"A magician never reveals his secrets." Definitely telekinesis then.

Sophie noticed he'd brought all of his notebooks except the gold one she'd seen in his memories. Sophie looked Keefe up and down, trying to assess his cleanliness.

"Am I deemed fit for the bed Foster?" Sophie wordlessly scooted over and Keefe plopped down in the spot she'd been in. Keefe cleared his throat.

"As your esteemed teacher, I have one rule."

Rules? Keefe?!? Yeah right.

"No fancy Telepathy tricks."

Sophie was on board with that.

"Okay." Sophie let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and the blonde-haired boy laughed. A light rosy color rose to Sophie's cheeks. With a flick of her wrist and a twitch of her foot, all the stuff flew to the purple comforter.

Keefe slid his legs forward and rested the sketchpad on his thighs. Why was Sophie noticing his thighs?!? Sophie jerkily grabbed a sketchpad to distract herself from Keefe's body. After many failures and slip-ups, Sophie finally copied Keefe's position exactly.

Sophie looked up at Keefe, unsure of what to do, and suddenly their lips were centimeters apart. She debated closing the gap but told herself it was typical rebound behavior. A tremor ran through Keefe while Sophie didn't breathe. Instead, Keefe enveloped Sophie in a warm hug -and for all the reasons- Sophie softly cried into Keefe's shoulder. Tightening the embrace, tears silently rolled down Keefe's cheeks, him leaning on Sophie, with Sophie nestled on his chest.

They cried for Calla. For Kenric. For Mr. Forkle. They cried for the losses and they cried for the heartbreak, for the ashes of the innocent. They cried for the evil, the prejudice, and the pain. They cried for the world and they cried for each other. Keefe didn't send calming breezes, it would have been the deepest insult to influence someone's raw feelings in such a way.

The pair pulled apart and dried the salty drops with their capes. Sophie sniffled and took a pencil. She started to draw, Keefe's hand guiding her amateur fingers.

The curves of the plaited braid, the rough jaw, the compassionate look in her eyes. Sophie switched out to a green, and together they shaded Calla's skin. In went the woven skirts and Keefe switched back to pencil, sketching in a Panakes blossom bodice. The stout gnome held out a fathomlethe and her hybrid sleep vine was twined around her short neck.

Next was Kenric, with his coarse, curly red hair, and a constant smile. Then came Mr. Forkle's Wanderling, and after that was Silveney, Greyfell, and the newborn twins, the light in the dark. They drew hope, fear, and sadness. Together they drew the mirrors in the silver tower, the moment of dark uncertainty. If they didn't draw away their feelings, they would have broken under the burden.

Sophie set aside the drawings and art supplies. Abruptly feeling the cold, Sophie and Keefe burrowed under the covers, holding on tight. Keefe didn't dare think of letting go. Sophie basked in the embrace that said: you are safe, you are loved. They both knew, whatever happened, they would always be there for the other.

(A/N You know the drill. I AM BEGGING YOU TO COMMENT AND VOTE. And the other drill: first person to comment gets the dedication. So far I've been posting oneshots I've already written, I have a lot, but my next one is a mini I am currently- as of TODAY I'm working on. Please promote this story and share it with your friends/followers! May you be blessed with the best of Sokeefe)