Oneshot Collection

Let It All Out: Keefitzex

Request from the wiki! Keefitzex- I don't really ship it romantically, but this could be seen as romantic or platonic if you want

Never mind the title, it sorta fits but-

Fitz found Keefe sitting on his porch swing, tears running down his cheeks.

He hesitated, wavering over whether or not to sit beside the empath. But Keefe must have heard him, because he looked up, his teary eyes widening as he hurriedly sat up, scrubbing the wetness from his cheeks.

"Fitz," he said quickly, his voice somehow strong. "I... what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," the telepath responded honestly, making his choice and sitting down next to Keefe. Keefe's throated bobbed, and Fitz took a deep breath, readying himself for his next words. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the empath replied too quickly, his eyes still red. "I'm fine."

Fitz raised an eyebrow, and Keefe scowled, crossing his arms. "Nothing. Happened."

Normally, Fitz would have dropped it. But Keefe's face was... devastated, almost, and he was sick of letting Sophie comfort him, done with backing away and not talking. "I don't believe you."

Keefe's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Because Fitz always let it go and believed him and let him go to other people. And he was sick of it.

"Talk to me, Keefe," the telepath said quietly. "Just this once."

"This isn't something we should be talking about," Keefe protested.

"Why?" Fitz pressed, resting his elbows on his knees. "Why? What happened? If it's something with your dad-"

"It's not," Keefe snapped. "I just..."

Fitz raised an eyebrow. He scooted closer, until he could feel Keefe's heat warming him from their almost touching thighs. "What?"

"Sophie rejected me." Keefe didn't meet his eyes, his fingers twisting tightly on his lap. "I... confessed. And she..."

Fitz winced, remembering how she'd rejected him, too.

"I think we should... stay friends. I love being your friend, Fitz. I love being your Cognate. I don't know if I'm ready..."

"For more?" Fitz's heart was breaking into pieces, but he didn't let that show on his face. Instead, he smiled gently at her. "Okay. If you ever change your mind..."

Sophie smiled tightly, and Fitz knew she wouldn't be changing her mind. "I know."

She walked away, and Fitz watched the way her long hair bounced against her back. His chest squeezed, and he breathed deeply. In, and out, in, and out.

Part of him wondered if there was someone else. If Keefe had confessed, if she'd realized who she really liked. If she'd passed over him for another.

But his heart broke a little more at the thought, so he pushed it from his mind before exhaling deeply and turning to walk away.

"I'm sorry," Fitz began, but before he could say more, a familiar figure appeared.

Keefe glanced up, saw Dex, and looked back down, trying to subtly sniff his tears back.

"What's wrong?" the technopath asked, forehead furrowing with concern as he sat down on Keefe's other side. "Did something happen?"