After Unlocked, a sokeefe Fanfiction.

Startling

"Keefe? You okay?" Sophie asked as he bent over, leaning against her bed. He was twitching as he  stared into nothingness and she waved a hand in front of his face. Was something wrong? Oh please not again.

Finally he snapped out of it.

"Foster." Keefe looked straight at her, his eyes glinting with emotion as he rushed to hug her.

In his embrace Sophie soaked up the warmth he offered, pulling him close and enjoying the tight hold.

"What's wrong Keefe?" She whispered, stepping away from him slightly as they sat on her bed. Surprisingly her cheeks weren't red from the hug, maybe she was getting somewhere...

"I remember, Foster." He breathed out and Sophie's eyes watered, his voice raw with emotion.

"You... remember me?" Sophie asked, hope filling up inside her. Was this real?

"Yes. I mean everything's a little jumbled up but I think I've got it straight in my head."  Keefe said and smiled at her. At least he began to smile, until something, perhaps a certain memory, brought sadness to his eyes.

"Oh, right." He said softly, staring at Sophie. He glanced away from her and then to the floor, the mood suddenly somber.

"What's wrong?" Sophie asked, subconsciously placing an arm on his shoulder before he flinched away.

"I um." Keefe stuttered.

"I remember. What I... told you."

Oh. 

He meant...

He'd forgotten her right after...

And right before she could...

But now he was back. She could tell him... couldn't she? But before she could say anything Keefe stood up.

"You know what? I've been acting pretty pathetic. I remembered you. That's... that's great." He said, but his happy words didn't quite reach his eyes.

"That should be enough," he muttered under his breath just loud enough for her to hear.

"Why can't it be enough?" He whispered to himself. And at this Sophie knew she had to say something, because this was just too hard, seeing Keefe so...

Without his jokes, his smirks, his flirts. Sure some of it was a facade, but truly? Those small things he did were what made Keefe, Keefe. The jokes offered a smile where none could be found, the flirts added laughter summoned at such an opportune time, and most of all? His constant badgering offered a determination that no one could ever rival.

Keefe was... dare she thought it, amazing.

Now she had to tell him that.

"Pathetic? You're not pathetic." Sophie started, and Keefe raised a scoffing eyebrow at her.

"Don't believe me? Well listen to this. You're Keefe Sencen. Master prankster who keeps everyone on their toes," she glanced at Keefe who simply shrugged.

"You're the one who makes us laugh when we're discouraged, you laugh in the face of danger." Sophie saw a small smile from his lips, and she held back a laugh at her last sentence.

"You're kind, humble, and one of the best guys I know." By now Keefe was raising an eyebrow at her last comment.

"You're someone who drives the rest of us crazy, but..." we love you for it.

She knew the words she had to say, the ones on the tip of her tongue. The few syllables that would mean everything too Keefe.

But something was holding her back. Maybe it was the obliviousness she'd held onto all these years, the constant doubts that would never let her think of it.

Or it could be the fact that her last relationship hadn't ended well. Far from that actually, she wasn't sure of anything with Fitz anymore and she didn't want that to ruin another friendship.

But this time something was different.

She was sure of it.

Every part of her screamed to speak, to tell him, to give him a smile.

To tell him he was enough.

"Sophie. You do realize I can feel your emotions right now right? They seem very... complex." Keefe said and tried for a smirk that dropped on the edges, she glanced into his eyes.

"Oh Keefe... you choose the worst timing." Sophie said and he frowned, "what do you mean?"

"Well you just so happened to tell me you liked me, and then a second later you... forgot me." Sophie said, noting the irony, her obliviousness transferred to him in that very moment.

"Yeah, sorry... shouldn't have let my mom sneak up on me." Keefe said and Sophie's heart lurched.

"Wait so you're certain it was the Neverseen?" Sophie asked and Keefe nodded,

"I'll show you the memory later." He said and looked as if he wanted to say something. His mouth formed three different ways before he said, "Can I go see Kye now?"

Sophie stared at him, she couldn't leave things like this... she had too... she had to fix this. Keefe he looked so sad, his usual smirk was gone and his hair wasn't any of his usual style. His mood was without the snark and flirt that she was so used too.

She needed her Keefe back.

"Keefe... I-"

"It's fine Foster." Keefe said with a firm look in his eyes and stood up, "It was dumb to tell you right than when everything was... mixed up. And now things are even more hectic. "Sophie watched helplessly as he continued, still not finding it in her to stop him.

"It was a stupid thing to do and I was crazy to ever think that I could..." He shook his head, looking away.

"That I could ever have a chance. Cause I'm just... me. I'm just one pretty messed up person with a pretty messed up family and-"

"No."

It took a few seconds for Sophie to realize she'd interrupted Keefe, but she didn't regret it for a moment.

Keefe had to stop doing this, he had to see himself... the way she saw him.

And now she was brave enough to show him. Standing up she said,

"Don't you dare insult yourself." Sophie said, and Keefe flinched.

"Don't you dare insult the person who held me while I cried on his shoulder, the one who helped save my parents, the one I..."

Say it.

"You can't insult that person Keefe." Sophie said, her eyes connecting with his ice blue ones.

"I like that person." She said softly, staring into his eyes as realization struck.

"I love that person." She whispered, but seeing him stiffen she knew he heard it.

Without a word Sophie took a step closer, so close that she could feel his breath on her cheeks. They drew closer and close till their lips were a breath away. A moment later she leaned in and there lips touched.

And that's when everything went black.

~~~