The Prince (A KOTLC Selection Fanfiction)

Chapter 15

The figure steps forward, and I can see that it's a certain silver-banged boy. Tam tugs on his bangs before answering.

"I don't usually get much sleep. What about you?"

I frown. "Why don't you usually sleep?"

Tam sighs. "Because of stuff."

I roll my eyes. "Wow, so helpful."

Tam narrows his eyes at me. "I don't think I like sarcasm on you."

"Well, I don't like it when you change the subject!"

"Ugh, just tell me why you were awake!"

I sigh. "I couldn't sleep either. Now tell me why you're awake."

Tam slumps down onto a bench, his head in his hands. Finally, he looks up at me and mutters, "Nightmares."

Ugh, I hate nightmares. They suck.

I sit down on the bench next to him. "Want to tell me about it?"

Tam frowns at me. "How do I know you won't tell everyone about this?"

I sling an arm around him. "Because we're friends."

He actually looks surprised. "We are?"

Didn't you get the memo, Tammy? I was pretty sure that after base quest we were the best of buddies.

I give him a gentle squeeze, then let my arm drift back to my side. "Yeah. I won't tell anyone."

Tam gives me a furtive look before beginning. "You know how, earlier, I was talking about shadowflux and how I can control it?"

I nod, remembering that it was the volatile element that left painful echoes in you. How is that related to anything right now?

"I control it, but I... I'm scared of it, too. It's such a strong element."

My eyebrows furrow in confusion. "So then what's bothering you?"

Tam sighs. "I- well." He looks down, unable to meet my eyes. "I had to let some of the shadowflux under my skin."

"Wait, but doesn't it give you an echo?"

He nods, and for the first time I can feel the anguish simmering under his skin. "But it's much calmer. Still, even though it's calmer, it haunts my subconscious, especially when I sleep."

I move my hand away from his, unable to stand it. The pain from him felt like lava, like a thousand needles under my skin. How could he live with this, day after day? 

"That. . . that sounds horrible, bangs boy." 

For once, Tam doesn't say anything about my use of the nickname, instead curling up into a ball. His gaze travels around the garden before it lands on something.

I follow it, until I realize that he's looking at an ice-blue flower. I nudge him.

"Do you like that?" I gesture towards the flower. He gives me a half-hearted shrug, so I quickly grab a small pot, expertly digging the flower up by it's roots and repotting it. Then I hand it to Tam, who looks marginally happier.

"Thanks, Keefe."

I give him a smile. "No problem." Then I grab his hand, tugging him up, and we walk back towards the palace.

I'm glad that I don't feel any pain from him now.

After he goes back to his room, I finally realize that we were holding hands the whole time.

The next morning dawns bright and early, and I yawn, stretching. After quickly bathing and getting changed into a casual outfit, I confidently stride down to the guest wing, knocking on Sophie's door.

She mumbles something before opening the door a bit, peeking through the crack to see me grinning at her. 

We stare at each other for a few seconds before she lets out a squeak, closes and locks the door, and shouts, "I'll be out in a minute!"

A few minutes later, Sophie emerges, and I quickly take her arm. Off we go.

"Where are we going?" she asks me. 

I smirk at her. "On a date, of course."

She goes silent, blushing. We head up the stairs, turning to the right, where I've set up a small breakfast for the two of us. I pull out a chair for her, then sit down in my own seat. 

We talk in between bites of food. Sophie tells me about her home, Havenfield, with the large pastures and the animals there. She then tells me about her adoptive parents, Grady and Edaline, who seem like such sweet people.

"I'd really like to go there one day." I tell her, which makes her give me a smile that makes my heart flutter.

"I think you'd love it there." she says to me.

I sigh, leaning back in my chair. "I'm stuffed."

Sophie laughs. "It's just breakfast, Keefe."

"Bleh." I poke my tongue out at her, making her giggle. I finally manage to get up, grabbing her hand.

"Let's go somewhere fun." I grin at her.

For some reason, that ends up to be my room.

I lie back on my bed, staring at the ceiling, as Sophie looks around my room, seemingly in awe. She raises an eyebrow at all the pranking potions I have, but is completely amazed by my drawings.

Why are you so amazed, Foster? It's not that hard to draw stuff. 

She picks one up of my mother. 

"Wow, Keefe!" Sophie smiles, "This is so lifelike."

"Eh, thanks." I toss a piece of paper at her, which hits her on the nose. She frowns at me, a bit playfully.

"Anyways!" I shout, getting off my bed, "You should go back to your room now. I'll walk you there."  She shrugs, taking my hand.

We wander back towards her room, amiably chatting about food, for some reason. When we finally reach her room, I pause for a second.

"Foster, wait." 

Sophie looks confused as she turns around. "Yeah, Keefe?"

I gently cup her face before leaning in and kissing her. After I pull back, her face is tinted pink.

I smirk at her. 

"See ya, Foster."

~~~~~~~~~ AUTHOR'S NOTE ~~~~~~~~~

So we got a short chapter today! ....Sorry. Buuuut I'm kinda excited for the next chapter? So yeah?

Here we have a fine selection of Keefe and Tam bonding a bit, and becoming friends. Then, later, as our dessert, we get a nice moment of Keefe and Sophie going on a date, with that certain je ne sais quoi that is brought about by their little kiss. 

Anyways, I hoped you guys liked the chapter!