KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Alternate Ending: Nightfall 71

"Fine," Dex mumbled. "You really are the Gift Master."

"Only for some people," Biana noted. "He gave the rest of us mood candy. Again."

"And you loved every bite of it," Keefe insisted. "Besides, you've seen Foster's room. She was in desperate need of personal stuff. And she's been bugging me for a drawing, so I kinda had to--"

The rest of his sentence was choked off by Sophie's tackle-hug.

He laughed as he flailed to keep both of them from toppling over. "Don't worry," he grunted. "Breathing is overrated."

"It is," Sophie agreed, unwilling to loosen her grip. "Those paintings, Keefe...I still don't know what to say."

"Um, I thought we were agreed you'd be declaring it the Best Gift in the History of the Universe! And feel free to add that it's way better than anything the Fitzster has given you."

It was, actually--but saying that didn't seem fair to all the awesome things Fitz had done. So she went with a simple "thank you."

Keefe pulled her a little closer. "Anytime, Foster."

It was probably her cue to let go, but...she couldn't seem to do it.

She just...wanted to stay in Keefe's arms.

In a way that was actually kind of confusing.

Keefe had stopped drawing, stopped painting. He'd told her as much when they were in Alluveterre. She knew he'd started doing a little bit of his artwork again--at least enough to add that Panakes blossom bead to the necklace he'd given her--but she hadn't realized he'd picked it back up to this degree.

But she'd asked him to.

And he apparently had. For her. To make her these paintings.

And it was making her think...

Really bewildering things.

There was a warmth in their hug that she couldn't deny. A closeness, an intimacy between them that maybe had been there all along, unacknowledged until now.

But...

What about Fitz?

Sophie pulled away from the hug at last, and stole a glance at Keefe.

He was looking at her with a curious--and maybe hopeful?--expression on his face.

She was probably imagining the hopefulness.

But he could obviously feel her shifting emotions--a thought that made her blush--and was choosing not to call her out on them.

Probably because he didn't want to reject or embarrass her in front of their friends or her parents.

Which was somehow really humiliating and really sweet at the same time.

So she mumbled another 'thank you' to Keefe and began opening the rest of her midterms gifts.

But she barely noticed what she was seeing, couldn't remember what she'd said--though she knew she was talking and laughing and thanking her friends for their gifts--because she couldn't stop thinking about that hug she and Keefe had just shared.

And he was watching her carefully, and he still had a sort of cautious optimism in his features.

When they made eye contact, he held her gaze, smiling softly at her.

She liked Keefe.

She liked Keefe.

How long had she liked Keefe?!