ALWAYS, kotlc

stories

"Tell me a story," Sophie decided, curling her knees up against her chest as she leaned her head affectionately on Keefe's shoulder.

Keefe looked over and raised an eyebrow at her.  "Where'd you get that idea, Foster?"

Sophie cuddled closer to him.  "Fitz used to tell the best ones."

"Ha ha, nice tactic," Keefe observed, laughing.  

"Don't worry, he's dating Marella,"  Sophie assured him.  "He's not bothering anyone anytime soon."

"Mmm hmm," Keefe said absentmindedly, shifting their position slightly.  "He better not be- but okay, I'll tell you one."

"Go ahead," Sophie urged when he hesitated, nudging her shoulder against his.

"Okay," Keefe agreed. "Once upon a time, there was a girl."

"A girl?" Sophie asked him, dubiously.  "Not an elf? Or a girl elf? Or maybe a female elf?"

"Shut up, Foster," Keefe said gently, making Sophie giggle.  "It was an elf- who thought she was a girl. And she was beautiful- she had this wavy blonde hair that felt like silk and brown eyes that were flecked with shiny golden spots."

"And what was this girl like?" Sophie asked, well aware that he was describing her- but she loved it, curling into a ball and pressing herself into Keefe's chest.

"She was brave, and kind, and loyal," Keefe continued, grinning at her.  "And she was always there when you needed a laugh, or a friend, or a hug. She always did what was right, no matter how she felt or how people around her felt."

Sophie sighed contentedly, motioning for him to go on.

"Well, one day, this guy that looked and smelled like mastadon poop told her that she was an elf," Keefe said matter-of-factly, wiggling his eyebrows at her which made her almost snort out the mallowmelt she was eating.

"Ha ha," Sophie told him.

"And then," Keefe stage-whispered, dropping his voice dramatically. "She met, the great, amazing, LORD HUNKYHAIR!"

He got up from the sofa, twirled around girlishly, and struck a dramatic pose.  Sophie laughed so hard that she dropped the mallowmelt on the ground and shattered the mug; she didn't care, she was too busy laughing until her stomach hurt.

Keefe cleared his throat mock curtly and took a seat next to her again.  "Well, as soon as this girl- or elf -kicked the mastodon poop guy's rear end in the Great Splotching Championship, she and Lord Hunkyhair were-"

"Don't finish that sentence," Sophie teased lightly.

Keefe chuckled and then went on.  "And after a whole lot of drama, they admitted how much they loved each other."

Sophie curled her fingertips into his and finished it exactly the way she wanted it to end.

"And they all lived happily ever after."