In another Universe. A FOSTER-KEEFE AU.

XX. THE ART OF SOULMATES.

      Though the science behind soulmates had been explored many times, no one has quiet yet figured out the how and why of it. I suppose that is for the better, because to explain human sentiment… we’ll be better off explaining what lies beyond us. Even if the questions around soulmates remained unanswered there is one solid theory, soulmates forget. How do soulmates meet? I’ve always thought it of as a magnetic situation where our very being was attracted to the other, but if this was true how it is that we’ve never meet before our eighteenth birthday. Easy, we have. We just forget because it’s not the right time to meet each other. Because no matter how meant to be you are one person with the forces of the world stacked against you, and you will set it off on whoever’s closest. - Elwin Heslege

5 years old.

       Keefe was crying when he saw the girl. Her hair caught in the sunlight, Keefe wanted to touch it. To his surprise the girl walked right over to him and looked at him curiously with those brown eyes that Keefe didn’t know was going to haunt him forever. 
         “Why are you crying?”
         Keefe glared at the girl to try to seem more strong. “I fell.”
         The girl knelt down in front of him and observed the cut running through Keefe’s leg. “Where are your parents?”
          Keefe looked away from the girl.
          The girl stayed quiet. “My parents passed away.”
           When he looked back the girl was crying, when Keefe reached out to her she turned and set her backpack down. “My mom says I should always carry around a first aid kit cause I’m clumsy.”
          Keefe then watched as she carefully took out the kit and disinfected the wound, Keefe didn’t’t wince once.
          When she finished she looked up and smiled. The girl held out her hand. “I’m-“
          “Sophie!”
           She whipped around. “Stay right here, I’ll be back.”
            Keefe watched as she disappeared from his sight. Sophie. He won’t forget. But the memory was already fading away.
           
10 years old.

      Sophie reached out towards the book when another pair of hands snatched it away. “Hey! That’s mine.”
       The boy who had the book raised his eyebrow at her. “Really? I don’t see you holding it.”
        Sophie tightened her fists. “I’ve been waiting three months for that book to come out-"
        “Really? So have I.”
        Sophie refrained herself from saying that it was impressive. “I don’t care. That book is mine, I saw it first and reached for it first.”
        The blue eyed boy smirked. "Tell me why I should give it to you."
        Sophie narrowed her eyes and gasped. "OH MY GOD THEY'RE RESTOCKING."
        The boy whipped around as Sophie snatched it from his hands. "Pleasure doing business with you."
        The boy gasped. "That is so- YOU CHEATED."
        Sophie shrugged and was about to snap back when she saw a notebook fallen to the ground it's pages to whipped to beautiful drawings.
         "Wow." She bent down and picked up the notebook. "These are amazing! OH MY GOD THESE CHARACTERS LOOK EXACTLY HOW I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE!"
          When she looked up the boy was staring at her, his cheeks pink. Sophie felt herself smile. "Th-thank you."
          Sophie handed him the book and notebook back. "Well, you obviously deserve it better. And your drawings are worth the last book and more."
           "And more?" The boy repeated his eyes twinkling. "Wait, here. I'll be right back."
           Sophie watched as he ran out the corridor.
           "Sophie?" Sophie lift her head to see Edaline coming her way. "Did you find the book?"
           Sophie frowned and looked back at the shelf. "I guess it's been sold out."
           She sweared there was something else.
           "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. I know how you were looking forward to it."
           Sophie shurgged and held Edalines hand. "I'm sure if I cry in front of Biana she'll get it for me."
           "Sophie Foster!"
        Even if Sophie had stayed the boy did not come back.

12 years old.

       "AHHH!" Keefe screamed. The girl screamed back.
       "DON'T KILL ME! I HAVE AN IGGY!"
       Keefe blinked out of confusion. "What?"
       The girl stopped cowering. When her eyes settled on him she narrowed her eyes. "Why are you in the woods?"
       Keefe scoffed. "I should be asking you the same thing!"
       The girl nodded with suspicion in her eyes. "Okay, blink twice if you've been kidnapped."
       Keefe stared at her. She might have been pretty but boy. "I have not been kidnapped!"
       "Then why are you in the woods?" The girl asked, finally standing up and dusting herself off.
       "Your the one who jumped on me! Why are you here?"
       The girl shrugged. "I'm doing a project and I was bored. Now, your turn."
       Keefe inspected the girl. "I'm building something."
       The girl gasped. "Building something?"
       She gasped even higher when she saw the pile of sticks she had toppled over when she scared him. "Your building a treehouse, aren't you?"
       "None of your business." Keefe told her and started picking up the sticks.
       The girl leaned down and helped him. "Can I see?"
       Keefe rolled his eyes. "Why should I show it to some strange girl in the woods?"
       The girl pouted then lit up. "Maybe I can give you something in return?"
       Keefe narrowed his eyes at her. "Like what?"
       The girl reached into her pocket and brought out a weirdly intricate crown made out of flowers. She stepped closer to him. Closer. Closer until she placed the crown on his head. "Now, you can pretend your the king of the woods."
       Keefe's breath hitched.
       "My mother told me how to make it so that even if the flowers wilt they won't fall."
       Keefe took a step back. "That doesn't make sense."
       The girl nodded. "You'll see."
       She turned her head around. "So where is it?"
       "I'm still not showing it to you." Keefe said. He turned around and started walking.
       "That's not fair! I gave you a crown!"
       "Which I didn't ask for!" Keefe screamed back.
       "Just wait! I'll come back with something amazing and annoy you to death!"
       Despite himself, Keefe smirked. "I highly doubt that!"
       But when Keefe found himself back at the treehouse he didn't realize he had a flower crown in his head until Fitz pointed it out to him. Since then Keefe had been on a mission to convince Fitz that there are Elves in the woods.

18 years old.

       When Sophie fluttered her eyes open she saw Keefe asleep peacefully and drooling. It was all she needed to fall back asleep.