KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

AU/AE: Stellarlune 37 (part 3)

"Welcome home," Edaline called out the moment they leapt back to Havenfield. "You have an angry bodyguard waiting—Keefe!!"

Edaline rushed over and pulled Keefe in for a big hug.

During the conversation that ensued, Sophie tried and failed to refrain from thinking about everything that had happened that evening.

She didn't want anyone to know what had happened between her and Keefe, but keeping something like that a secret was going to be incredibly difficult.

She was already feeling somehow torn between being ashamed of what they'd done and wanting to sneak away to his apartment to do it again.

Edaline turned to look at Sophie after conjuring some mallowmelt and bottles of Youth. Keefe winked at Sophie and blew her a kiss behind Edaline's back, and Sophie hoped she wasn't blushing.

"You can say goodnight, and don't be in a rush to come inside, but you should prepare yourself for a long lecture from Sandor when you do come in."

Sophie grimaced. "I know, I ditched him again—"

"Yes, which I do understand, but I've spent a lot of time this evening listening to him grumble and complain about how the whole reason we opted to keep you living here at home instead of living in the towers while you complete your elite levels is because he has such stringent protective measures in place at Havenfield, and that there's no point to any of it if you don't listen to him."

"And bring him along when I go somewhere," Sophie said with a sigh. "I know. But we really needed to get to Keefe quickly and without being seen—"

"I know, sweetheart. And I'm very glad you convinced him to come home. Keefe, I'm sure you're ready to get back to your apartment and crash, but please come join us for breakfast in the morning. I'm sure Grady will want to see you."

Not if he knew what we've done, Sophie thought wryly.

"Does he? What, does he miss calling me That Boy?" Keefe teased.

"Probably, but mostly I think Verdi needs a bath and he'll want to put you to work," Edaline told him with a wink.

She left them alone. Keefe was so excited about the mallowmelt that he hardly spoke until the whole tray was eaten.

"Wow, I missed good food," Keefe said. "Remind me never to leave again."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Sophie said quietly. "And we went through that tray fast. I didn't realize how hungry I was."

Keefe raised one eyebrow at her and brought a hand up to stroke her cheek. "We worked up quite the appetite earlier," he reminded her.

The simple touch of his fingers on her cheek somehow managed to make every inch of her feel like it was on fire.

Keefe chuckled softly as he registered her change in emotion, but the smile on his face was a sad one. "See, this is exactly why we shouldn't have slept together tonight. We're going to want to keep doing it and resisting will be difficult."

Sophie nodded. "But we are committed to being together," she told him. "And hopefully we don't have to wait long."

"People won't understand," he told her. "We literally went from confessing our feelings to me promising I'll propose to you in the course of just a couple of hours."

"I know. But we also went from first kiss to jumping in bed together in about that same time span, so...we don't seem to do things the usual way. But...this has been years in the making. And it's not like we don't know each other, know what we're getting into."