KOTLC Oneshots

Choose Me

"You have to get rid of it. Promise me."

Sophie looked up from her resting place by Calla's tree. It was night now and the time was coming to make their move with Elysian. The words came with pure desperation, but his voice didn't shake. The demand was steady and cut through her chest like a knife. Keefe's face met hers, his features twisted with more distress than she had seen in a long time. It hurt her to see him that way.

"Keefe, I can't promise you that. We might need it to help you."

His eyes widened in incredulity. "Help me? Foster, this is the fate of the world. Elysian is dangerous."

She stood up to face him and dragged one of her hands down her face. She shook her head. "I know but... we can't make these decisions right now."

She hoped he would back down but he stepped closer to her and determination glared in his eyes. "Fine, then I'm coming with you."

No, no, no, she thought. Not this again. She stepped closer to him, trying to ignore the butterflies that took flight in her stomach whenever he was close, and clenched her jaw. "No you're not." He seemed surprised at the forcefulness in her voice. The sky thundered in a way that matched the mood. Suddenly, the serene weather seemed to be shifting into a storm. He stepped back, but his eyes didn't leave hers.

"What?"

"I just got you back, I'm not gonna risk you getting hurt again."

He turned from her halfway and covered his face with his hand before responding, in a whisper, "I'm not that important."

Hearing those self-deprecating words he had said so many times before always made her heart drop. How could someone so amazing feel that bad about themselves? She felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but maybe it was just the sky's tears that had begun falling in a drizzle. The sky thundered again. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat and this time her words came out angrier: "Yes, you are. I don't need you getting hurt for me."

He turned back to her and faced her head on, moving closer. "Are you kidding? Foster, I would take that risk a million times over if it meant protecting you."

Sophie clenched her fists. "You wanna protect me? You want to help? Then stay here. Then listen for once, Keefe!" He jumped back. She had gone too far. She reached for his hand, but he dodged her. She hoped he couldn't see in her face how much that hurt. "I'm sorry. I just...I need you. So stay here." The drizzle picked up to a real rain but neither of them gave it notice.

"I'm not staying." His voice wobbled like it was losing it's balance on the verge of crying. She wanted to catch the tear that fell down his cheek with her finger. But now was not the time to be touching his face.

"Yes, you are. I don't need your protection. You need to stay here because you're the one who needs to be safe."

"Me? The world needs you Sophie, it doesn't need me."

"The world? I don't care about the world!" That seemed to freeze the argument for a second as they both stood in shock at what she had just said. It wasn't the kind of thing the moonlark was supposed to say. Her voice turned to a whisper. Tears slipped down her face at an uncontrollable rate but she didn't care to stop them, just as she didn't care to move out of the downpour that now soaked both of their hair. There were more pressing matters. "I never asked to be the stupid moonlark. It hasn't made me feel any better."

Keefe looked down at his shoes. He kicked the mud. "At least you're needed."

That comment caused Sophie's voice to rise again. "You don't get it!" She shouted with venom dripping from every word. " I DON'T WANT TO BE NEEDED. I WANT TO BE WANTED!"