How It Should Have Been: Sokeefe AU

Episode 17: (Keefe's POV)

He would never forget what she had said.

"Lots of people care about you, Keefe," She had told him, her eyes large with concern. And the emotions he had felt had told him that she wasn't lying. She believed what she had said.

He tried to remember that. He'd even drawn it. He was about to flip through to find it when his imparter went off.

Keefe checked who it was. It was Fitz.

The dreaded conversation was going to start now.

Keefe made sure his eyes were perfectly normal and there were no tears or redness before answering.

"Hey, Fitzy!" he said with a cheer he did not feel. "You called to have The Talk? Well, here it is. When two people love each other very much, they-"

"Ugh, Keefe!" Fitz stopped him before he could get to the good part. "Does everything have to be a joke with you?"

The words echoed something Cassius had said earlier that week, and Keefe forced a smile. "Who said that I was joking?"

"Seriously, Keefe. I actually need to talk to you."

Keefe sighed. "Fine."

"Okay, so stuff is happening." Fitz looked as uncomfortable as Keefe felt. At least that was something.

"Yup. It is," Keefe agreed, concentrating on a particularly colorful flower.

"And things are changing."

"Uh huh."

"Including dating and stuff," Fitz said unsubtly.

"Right." Keefe was determined to make him say the words.

"Like... me and Sophie."

"Yes, I know who you are," Keefe said, just to be annoying.

"I just wanted to ask you... um, how do you feel about it?" Fitz said the last bit in a whisper, almost as though he didn't want Keefe to respond. So of course he had to. And, to make it as awkward as possible, he said,

"Why do you think I'd have a problem with it?" Keefe blinked innocently.

"Because... you know... I just wouldn't be completely okay without asking you how you felt about it." Fitz mumbled.

"Um, what? What, are you... asking for my permission, or something? Little too late for that, I think."

"No! No, I'm not asking for permission. We don't need that."

That stung a little, but it was true.

"No, I just want to tell you to back off." Fitz said the last bit with determination. It was obviously what he had wanted to hail him about.

"Excuse me?" Keefe was shocked. Did Fitz really think he was trying to make a move on his girlfriend?

"Yeah," Fitz said, growing confident. "I know your... feelings. And you always tease her, and you were over at her house yesterday..."

"Dude, are you serious? I was helping her with her mimicking!"

"Right, and that's the only reason you went."

It wasn't, but Keefe wasn't gonna admit that to Fitz.

"I went to help my friend with her midterms, which she has trouble with. There was nothing going on." Keefe made sure Fitz heard the annoyance in his tone.

"Uh-huh," Fitz grunted, unconvinced.

"Fitz, are you seriously jealous?" For once, Keefe was serious with his friend. "Do you seriously not trust me? Do you not trust Sophie?"