Let me show you - A Sokeefe story

Waves

KEEFE POV -

The second they stepped out of the door the breeze hit them, Sophie's emotions turned calmer more serene. They reached the edge of the patio, Sophie stopped, looking down at the sand. Feeling her hesitation Keefe gave her hand a light squeeze. She looked up at him, he tried to give her his most reassuring smile. It was a soft inviting smile, something about it made Sophie smile back at him. Instinctively, he reached up tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear, her skin was warm against his fingers, he almost didn't want to pull away but he knew his lingering hand would turn a normal situation awkward very fast.

He settled on just staring at her, she was still smiling, turning her focus back to the sand in front of them. Her smile was enough to make his palms sweaty, he stretched his fingers before tightening them again around hers- hoping she wouldn't notice. She didn't smile as much these days, and Keefe couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for it. Even though it wasn't directly his fault it was his mothers. If there was anything Keefe could do to make Sophie smile, he was going to do it. Determined to remind her that there's more to life than all fo the disaster that surrounds them and their friends.

She took a small step into the sand, letting her toes sink. Keefe was watching her tentatively, feeling her reluctance and a twinge of sadness, he assumed it was because this reminded her of a distant memory from her human life, her human family. Then out of nowhere, her mood brightened and she grinned up at him, almost as if someone had flipped a switch on her emotions. Sophie had more moodswings than anyone he knew. Sometimes he had a hard time telling her emotions from his own, but this giddiness was definitely Sophie's. It sparked a light airy feeling inside of him. He couldn't help but return her grin, letting a small laugh slip out.

"Lets go, Foster." He pulled her hand lightly urging her to follow him. Her giddiness stayed as they walked, but there was something else there that Keefe couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. That happened often with Sophie, she always had some underlying emotions he couldn't decipher- Unless of course she was enhancing him, but that was a completely different experience..
It was almost as if he was feeling emotions she didn't even know she was feeling, deep inside of her. He never knew what to do with those emotions, sometimes it felt wrong. If she didn't know that she was experiencing these feelings why should he get to know?
With most people Keefe tried to avoid physical contact to keep from feeling their emotions, but with Sophie.. It was different. It was always different with Sophie.
All he had to do was be near her and he could feel her emotions effortlessly. It took a while to get used to it but eventually it was almost second nature to him. Sometimes he would give anything to block her emotions out, though.. He wanted Sophie to be happy-always, but he couldn't help but selfishly feel hurt when he felt how her emotions had changed every time she looked at Fitz -for years. What made it worse were Fitz's feelings for Sophie were similar to hers but neither wanted to admit it first.
Although they had broken up they both still held feelings for the other, and sometimes the tension between them was so palpable Keefe was sure even someone who wasn't an empath could feel it. Sometimes Sophie's anxiousness was enough to make him sick to his stomach, he couldn't imagine how Sophie could handle it if he barely could and they weren't even his emotions.. He often tried to make jokes when around the two of them to help them both loosen up.

He cared about both of them deeply, they were probably the two most important people in his life and he wanted them to be happy even if it cost him his own happiness. Fitz's father agreed, Keefe started to remember the moment Alden had approached him before Alvar's tribunal.. He never told anyone about the conversation, no matter how many times Ro had tried to push him to. She even tried to get him to confide in Tam and Dex about it. Because although Fitz was his best friend and had been for years he spent more time with Dex and Tam than he did Fitz these days.
Fitz was still searching the world for Alvar, who we weren't even sure was still alive at this point. The last time Keefe had seen him was when he and Sophie found him at Candleshade and he didn't look good.. Keefe internally shuddered. He shook his head not wanting to ruin Sophie's mood with his own sour feelings.