Anyone But You- A Sokeefe Love Story

Chapter 15: Well, you're wrong.

TW: MENTIONS OF S*LF H*RM, CURSING

Keefe POV:

Keefe let out a sigh of relief and exhaustion as he flopped down on the creme-colored couch. He hadn't truly realized how tired he was until he saw the blanket and pillows beckoning him.

"So, do you want to take the bed? You seem like you could use the comfort." Sophie kicked off the black boots, emblazoned with SF, that Biana had gotten her for her birthday.

"I'll take the couch." Keefe answered, his response muffled by the pillows.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

                                                                                             ....

"Keefe?"

"Yeah?"

"I know it's like 2 am but is it cold in here to you?"

Keefe rolled over. "So it's not just me. It's freezing in here."

"Should we ask the staff about it?"

"At two o'clock in the morning? I don't really think they'd appreciate that, do you?"

"True."

Neither of them spoke for a minute. "Well, I can't sleep. I'm gonna make some tea, do you want some?" Sophie turned on the lamp sitting on the bedside table.

"Sure," Keefe sat up, blankets rolling off the couch in the process. "What kind?"

"They only have mint. Is that okay?"

"Definitely. Need any help?"

"Can you reach the ingrediants?"

"Jeez, Foster, didn't think you were that short," Keefe teased.

"Do you want tea or not?"

Keefe hastily got up as the brown-eyed elf stared him down. The threat of being tea deprived was genuinely terrifying to the sleepless boy. As he made his way to the small kitchen area and lifted his hand to grab the sugar, Keefe heard Sophie gasp.

"Keefe. What is that?"

Said person looked around, confused. "What is what?"

"That. On your arm." Sophie rushed to her friend's side putting her hand inches away from the others wrist.

Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfu- "Oh. That." Keefe put his arm down, staring at the angry red lines on his forearm.

                                                                                          ........

"I just don't understand, Keefe. You told us you stopped. You promised." Sophie paced the tiny hotel room.

"I don't know what there is to misunderstand, Foster. I lied. Some promises can't be kept. It's not really that big of a deal." Keefe placed his head in his arms, cursing himself for forgetting to put on a jacket.

"Why didn't you just talk to us? We're your friends, we're supposed to be able to help you!" Sophie was on the verge of tears, Keefe could tell.

"I don't want to bother you guys!" said elf said as though it was obvious.

"Keefe, you're not a bother-" Sophie began, but Keefe had had it.

"Majority rules, Foster. You're the only one that refuses to acknowledge you shouldn't care about this. Your fiance knows it, our entire group of friends know it! Why haven't you figured it out?"

"How have our friends sent that message?" Sophie evaded the question.

Keefe didn't hesitate. "Lady F, you are the only, the only one that talks to me when you don't need something. The only one who seems to...care." Keefe's voice broke, "Which is strange, since your fiance hates me more than my dad."

"Fitz hasn't said-"

"He doesn't have to! Actions speak louder than words, Fos-Boss. It was him. When we were in the alley, that was Fitzroy-freaking-Vacker. And don't think I didn't notice you practically had to fight to get me invited to your guys' wedding. He follows you like a shadow, making sure you don't do anything he doesn't like. I'm surprised that guy with teal eyes at the theme park wasn't him."

"It wasn't?" Sophie sounded relieved.

"No. But do you see how you were surprised it wasn't him? Surprised that he had at least a little bit of fucking decency left in him to not outright stalk you?"

Sophie was silent.

"So Foster, that brings me back to the inquiry. Why do you care?"

The 29 year-old mumbled something inaudible.

"What? I can't hear you."

"Because I think I need you, Keefe."

Keefe was taken aback. Did she just- was that a confession? No, no it couldn't have been. She was just mistaken. It was late, she didn't realize what it sounded like. No, she didn't like him. As much as he wished it were true, Keefe knew that Sophie Foster, the Mysterious Lady F, Fos-Boss, Miss I've-been-destined-for-Fitz-since-I-was-twelve, could never fall for someone like him.

That didn't make his reply come any easier. "Well, you're wrong." Keefe sobbed quietly as he bolted from the room.

                                                                     ........

A/N:

It's one am I have to get up early tomorrow but here's a chapter.

-author