KOTLC After Stellarlune-A Sokeefe Story

Angry

Author's note:
My content will never be mature. I don't use "foul" language and I personally do not think it's right to write about sexual content—that's meant to be private.

But I did want to let you know that I do address, in this story, that mature themes exist.

Keefe was running a few minutes late. He was supposed to come over after the Foxfire day ended. Sophie figured he'd gotten caught up talking and didn't think much of it. It wasn't until he strode into her room, face hard and trembling from head to foot, that she realized something must have happened. Sophie jumped up and rushed over to him.

"Keefe, what is it? I've never seen you look so angry."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. 

"Keefe?" She asked again after a moment.

"I had a visit from my dad just now."

Sophie grimaced. "That doesn't sound good."

"No. No, it wasn't. He made sure I knew he didn't appreciate that I'm not making higher grades than Fitz. That we have so much more to prove now thanks to my mom. What he didn't understand is that I'm not a kid anymore and I'm not just going to take it when he acts like a jerk."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm not just going to cower and let him talk down to me anymore. I used to just take it, and maybe have some bitter or snide remarks but my rebellion was quieter. But today I decided. I'm through. We really had it out." He paused for a second and shook his head. "There's no point giving you a play-by-play. I think you get the gist. But I'm just so...frustrated."

Sophie went to put her arms around him. He was still shaking. "I'm so sorry, Keefe."

He laughed bitterly. "Yeah, so am I. I'm surrounded by people that have parents who love them, who support them. Meanwhile, all I've ever had is parents who lie, whose emotions made it all too clear I was nothing to them. And most of the time I've come to terms with that. I have Alden and Della. I have Grady and Edaline now, thanks to you. And even Elwin...also partly thanks to you and the number of injuries we've sustained since we met," he added with an attempt at a smirk. "But today...today I'm angry."

Sophie squeezed him tighter. "I'm so sorry. How can I help? Do you want to go for a walk? A ride with Silveny?"

"Yes. No. I don't know." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Maybe, yeah. I have all this nervous energy I need to get out."

"This is why humans hit things...and sometimes each other," Sophie told him. "I know elves have better ways to deal with things, but I don't know what that would be."

"Usually I can hide my anger behind jokes, but not today." He shrugged.

Sophie leaned up on her toes to peck him on the cheek. "I love you. I'm sorry." She took his face between her hands and looked intently into his eyes. "But you listen to me. You may feel like you are nothing to your parents but that is NOT who you are. They were stupid and wrong and blind. Ask each and every one of our friends and they will tell you the same thing. You are an incredible person, Keefe. My favorite person."

Keefe looked like he was going to say something but Sophie kept going.

"And the fact that you are so kind, and caring, and so able to show me how much you love me—when you didn't have that growing up—it's astounding. You amaze me. So don't let your parents get in the way of knowing who you are or how important you are. Got it?"

Keefe attempted a smile. "I know all of that, but I still love to hear it, especially from you. I know my parents did everything wrong—but still, you want your parents to like you, you know?"

"Well just think... everything your parents did to you, stops with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you are nothing like your parents. Someday, you'll be a really great dad. Our kids will know—with or without being Empaths—how much you love them."

He smiled softly, though the traces of anger were still very present. "And how much I love you. They'll always know that too."

Before she could respond, he leaned down and kissed her. Something about his demeanor reminded her of the day they'd first heard about Ro's injuries. That sense of urgency, of desperation. But he wasn't scared or grieving this time: he was angry.

But Sophie understood why it felt similar.

He was seeking a distraction.

He was being less careful than he usually was.

Holding her just a little tighter.

Kissing her just a little rougher.

And maybe Sophie liked it a little too much.

She responded in kind.

Leaning into him as close as she possibly could.

Weaving her fingers into his hair and clutching it in her fists.

His sharp intake of breath indicated he was aware of it. Welcomed it.

He began kissing along her jaw and slowly, slowly down to her neck.

This is new, Sophie thought dazedly as a sigh escaped her lips.

He really seemed to like hearing that.

But after a moment, he released her and backed away, breathing hard. "No."

Sophie just looked at him, also breathing hard, and waited for him to speak again.

He brought a shaky hand up to run his fingers through his hair. Sophie could tell he was trying to pull himself together. "Sophie...I love you. But I don't know that we should be alone together right now. My chosen source of comfort if I stay here..."

"Oh." Her cheeks turned red as she realized where they had been headed a moment before. "Oh."

His eyes darted from Sophie to the bed mere feet away from them.

And then he backed away another step.

"We made a commitment to only doing things in the proper time. But I've never been so tempted...I'm not going to let my dad get in the way, not with this. I love you too much for that. I told you, I don't want to mess this up. You're too important."

Sophie gave him a small smile. "Why don't you go hang out with Fitz? He has done really well figuring out how to handle things when he gets mad. He could probably help you figure out how to calm down."

Keefe smiled. "You're right. I'm so sorry about this."

"Don't be. It's just as much my fault as yours. And you stopped before things went too far."

"Barely," he whispered. He slowly, carefully stepped back towards her, held both of her hands in his and kissed her goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow, Foster."