KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Perfection (part 1 of 3)

"Hmmm. You mean, most exciting thing up to that point, right?"

"What do you mean?"

Keefe smirked and leaned up against the Panakes. "Well I know it was my first kiss and everything, but I'd like to think that kissing me was even more exciting than holding my hand."

Sophie grinned. "It was perfection," she assured him.

And the look in his eyes as he straightened up and reached for her made her feel like she was melting into a puddle of goo.

"Good answer," he whispered, one hand on the small of her back, pulling her in close. He brought his other hand up to her face. "But personally I want to make absolutely sure of that fact."

The moment their lips met, it was like all the stress of the previous day just melted away.

The magic of their first kiss hadn't just been because of the beautiful setting of that clearing in the Grove, that was for sure.

It was Keefe.

Sophie didn't understand how it had taken her so long to see what had been right in front of her.

The thing was...she'd had feelings for Keefe for a long time. She just hadn't seen them for what they were. Why else was he the one she went to when she needed comfort or advice? Why else was he the one her thoughts would stray towards, why she'd catch herself worrying about him, wanting to go out of her way to find little ways to make him feel better when he was down?

Keefe was her safe haven and had been for a long time.

She'd been such an idiot.

But now?

Standing here with Keefe's arms around her, holding her close, tenderly kissing her...

It was a moment she never wanted to end.

"Wow," Keefe breathed, pulling back slightly to look at her.

And the look on his face...it made her melt all over again.

"I can't believe this is real," he admitted quietly. "I've hoped and waited for so long."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," Sophie said, feeling guilty for how long she'd left him waiting—and probably hurting—while she was busy choosing his best friend.

"Don't be," he said, shaking his head at her. "You don't know..." he leaned in and kissed her again, softly, before continuing, "you don't know how amazing it is to feel the way your emotions have changed."

"Then tell me," she replied, pulling back to sit down under the shade of the tree. Keefe sat next to her—this time leaving no 'friend space' like when they'd sat here a few days ago—and took her hand.

"Like this, right here," he said, indicating their hands. "I took your hand and could feel the little thrill it gave you. The way you seem to feel...I don't know, a rush of affection but also a sense of belonging. That's something you and I have both struggled with for different reasons, feeling like we don't belong. But things have always felt right when we were together. And now, your emotions show it so much more clearly than before. And then, that kiss just now..." he grinned. "It was different than the other night."