Keeper of the Lost Cities Oneshots

|•the water runs cold•|

Idea- Keefe dies and Sophie finds solace in the streams. The sun is gone for the fall, and the water is cold, like her heart.

(ok, so like, it sounds super dramatic and angsty bc it is)

oms hi! if you're reading this, I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while!

trigger warnings- hints of depression & suicidal actions.

spoiler warnings - minor flashback spoilers

context - keefe dies(idk how) but this is centuries after the actual series, so they're vv old.

wc - 603 words

Sophie quietly laced her boots, knotting and looping the ties slowly. The movements anchored her, and she loosened and re-tied the shoes multiple times before finally standing. The house was empty, the only sound the rushing water of the running stream flowing past the cottage.

The cottage he had built. They had built. Together. With the promise of a long, happy, prosperous life.

Sophie bent double, a low cry ripping from her. She slid to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself, as she sobbed, her tears hitting the floor with a parade of splashes.

Keefe.

Her wails rose to a high pitch as she remembered every second they had shared.

Keefe, laughing and tugging her away from the prank scene. Keefe, grinning as he boasted his Great Gulon Incident. Keefe, smirking as he swept her into his arms. Keefe, eyes softening, as she pulled him into a kiss. Keefe, eyes dark, as he laid her down on the bed. Keefe, tears glossing his icy eyes as Sophie descended the aisle, hand tucked into Grady's arm.

Keefe. Keefe, Keefe.

It was the universe's final punishment. But this time, it had gone too far.

Sophie stumbled up and out of the tiny cottage, falling to her knees by the stream. She dunked her hand in, cold zinging up her arm. It reminded her painfully of when Keefe had helped her with her body temperature regulation when she was recovering from the echoes.

The loss of Keefe was almost as bad as the echoes had been, maybe even worse. Especially since no song Flori would sing, and nothing Silveny transmitted would take away the pain.

Curling her numb fingers in the cold water, Sophie stared at nothing.

They had never had the chance to have kids.

The realization tore her heart in half. Their duties had them away for too long, and they had decided it wouldn't be a good situation for a kid; They knew how important a stable home environment was.

They had agreed to have a kid sometime after their jobs settled down. That had been over half a century ago.

Keefe wasn't coming back. He would never come back. Elves could do many things, but necromancy and resurrection were not one of their talents.

Sophie remembered the time she had asked Keefe about it. "Why have so many talents of you can't stop death?" she had wondered aloud.

Keefe had shrugged, tugging on one of her braids. "We can't break the cycle, Foster. It upsets the balance."

Oh, how Sophie wished that the Black Swan had added something useful when they had tampered with her dna. Something that could've saved or brought him back.

But no matter how much she wished, or cried, or cursed, nothing was bringing Keefe back, and nothing was going to bring the part of Sophie that had died with him back either.

Sophie stood, pulling her frozen hand from the icy waters. She kissed her palm, pressing it to the grass. "I am Sophie Foster." she called into the empty woods. "I have defeated the Neverseen. I am a genetic adaption. I have lived for centuries. There is no reason for me to stay. I thank you for your time." With one last look at the small house that had once symbolized the start of a new life, and now the end of a journey, Sophie smiled, and tipped backward into the river.

okie then. that was very angst ridden and sad. so, lemme know what ship i should do next, ig. this whole book is mainly sokeefe lol