KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Bed Rest (part 2)

"We did," Sophie told Keefe. "We found him unconscious and badly beaten. And Tam insisted on taking him to Tam and Linh's parents' house as a temporary hiding place. Mostly just because we knew it was somewhere no one would look, but I think he thoroughly enjoyed inconveniencing his parents."

Keefe smirked. "You know I'm not exactly Bangs Boy's biggest fan, but sometimes he's almost okay."

Sophie just rolled her eyes.

"You know I still haven't let him in the fan club though, right?"

"There is no fan club," Sophie informed him.

"Keeeeep telling yourself that."

She sighed but decided to drop it. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," he said, angling himself toward her gingerly, the movement causing him to wince.

"Why does Alvar's whole apartment smell so weird?"

"I have no idea," he told her. "But I've been wondering the same thing. Ro claims she searched the apartment and couldn't find the source of it, but I think her sense of smell is just messed up from living in Ravagog. Because it totally smells like rotting toenails and I really wish I could get rid of it."

Sophie couldn't stifle her giggle. "Rotting toenails? How do you even know what that would smell like?"

He shrugged. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked with a smirk.

"Actually...I'm not sure I would."

Keefe laughed--and then sucked in a sharp breath.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yep. Just...hurts to laugh, I guess. I honestly haven't done much laughing the last few days."

"Ro not exactly a laugh riot?" She guessed.

"I don't know, maybe if I gave her a chance she would be. I just...I don't know. I've been really worried."

"About what?"

"What do you think?" His voice was suddenly much softer.

"Worried about us going to Nightfall without you?"

"That's definitely part of it," he agreed. "But it's not all. I've been worried about you. About...about us. I keep waiting for some stupid thing I do to be the last straw. I know you say you'll never hate me, but...I've already lost your trust again. You can refuse to be my friend without actually hating me. I think that's what I'm afraid of."

For some reason, that made Sophie's heart flutter—especially the word 'us'—and it made her very aware of the fact that they were sitting so close, still holding hands.

And of the truth she'd been ignoring—that while the bandage around Keefe's torso covered him nearly as well as a tunic would, it did leave his arms bare.

His arms, which had impressive muscle definition. Proof that he was strong, even if he was injured right now.

The longer they sat there, so close, fingers entwined, the harder it was to ignore how good he looked or how fluttery he made her.

She wasn't sure what that meant, exactly, but...she didn't let go of his hand.

"I don't want to stop trusting you," she admitted quietly. "But sometimes you make it really hard."

"I know. But...it feels like you still trust me," he said cautiously, squeezing her hand. "Deep down, anyway. Like...for some reason your instinct is to trust me even when part of you says you shouldn't anymore."