KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Cat Statue (Tam POV)

"You know, the more you hang around me the less your friends and your sister will like you," Rayni said the moment Tam's face appeared in the doorway to her room.

Tam shrugged. "I mean...no one else is here, since Wylie lives with his dad now and Linh went back to Choralmere." He scowled at that. He couldn't believe she was willingly staying at home just because of Rayni, especially now that she seemed to have forgiven Tam for trusting Rayni.

She'd even promised to give Rayni a chance.

But she hated that his time with the Neverseen had changed him.

It wasn't like he had wanted to be there. He only went to save Linh and the alicorns.

And he suspected it saved Sophie as well.

The only person Gisela wouldn't have harmed--yet--was Keefe. And that was only because she'd been saving something extra special for him.

Honestly, in comparison, his own parents weren't so bad. They'd abandoned him and Linh and left them to their own devices--not much better than leaving them for dead--but at least they hadn't done that.

And in some ways, it had reminded him of why he refused to trust people.

But Glimmer...Rayni...had been friendly, at least. And the more they talked, the more he realized she didn't have the full story. Didn't really understand what side she was on. Didn't know that the Black Swan would fight the same injustices, but avoid bloodshed if possible.

But she'd also shown him that the Black Swan needed to be more offensive and less defensive in their fighting style.

Sophie seemed to be realizing that as well--largely thanks to Rayni.

And, Tam suspected, desperation to get Gisela out of the way for Keefe's sake.

He wasn't sure what exactly was going on between them, but there was something there. Even Tam could see it, and he didn't focus much on Keefe if he could avoid it.

And maybe Keefe was part of why Tam kept coming back to Rayni now. She understood what it felt like, that day, to put Keefe through that torture. She'd been lured in on half-truths, thinking she was helping Gisela's son. Tam had been brought in by force, given no choice.

They had both been lied to and coerced.

And abandoned by their parents years ago.

Was it any wonder he was drawn to her?

Rayni raised her eyebrows. "So...you're only hanging out with me because there's no one else to choose from? Or because no one will see you with me and hate you for it?"

Tam rolled his eyes and sat down next to Rayni on her bed. "Neither. I'm just saying no one can hate me for it if they're not here to witness it."

Rayni said nothing, but picked up her beloved cat statue and held on to it.

"You know, you never told me why that was in my room when I first got to the hideout," Tam said, pointing at the cat.

"I just wanted it to have a personal touch," she told him. "Something that made your room feel like a real person's bedroom, instead of a place with no personality. Especially after I put those ethertine bonds on you. I wasn't ready to admit it to myself, but that was really unsettling. I didn't like doing it."

"Well that's good to hear."

"Plus, I was kind of hoping we could be friends, like me and Trix. He really struggled after Umber died, and was not as fun. Which is completely understandable, but I missed him."