KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Flashback 17: part 2 (Keefe POV)

And then...she brought up the memories of his that she saw in Alluveterre.

And he just...froze.

Was this what she needed to know?

Did she need proof that he was willing to let Fitz see those types of memories?

He'd had a hard time letting her see them.

It had been humiliating, actually.

But he realized after that...he trusted her with them.

It was when he'd first started to realize that his crush on her was growing into something more.

He knew she wouldn't pity him, or decide he was too weak to have around.

And Fitz may not know just how dark things got sometimes--but he was still Keefe's best friend.

He could trust Fitz with these things too.

"What happened?" Fitz asked.

Foster shrugged, and Keefe knew she was letting him decide how to proceed.

She'd keep it a secret, even from Fitz, if Keefe wanted her to.

But he knew she wanted to see just how serious he was about this.

He held her gaze for several seconds, studying her face.

Knowing that part of letting them search his memories meant he was going to let both of them see the depth of his feelings for her.

He wasn't sure how much it would change their friendship, but he knew things wouldn't be the same.

He just wanted to stare at her a moment longer, before things got awkward, before there was no turning back.

Then he spun to face Fitz, and told him about all the difficult and dark things Foster had seen that day.

And it cost him. He and Fitz had an unspoken agreement not to talk about the more difficult parts of Keefe's life--which meant they never discussed his home life.

Being around Fitz and the Vackers was a respite. He didn't want to bring his misery with him.

Fitz knew, and supported him as best he could, and that was enough. Keefe rarely wanted to talk about it. So, yeah...telling Fitz definitely cost something.

But he did it, and he didn't regret it.

Letting Fitz see more of those types of memories would cost even more. Strip away a little more of his dignity.

But again...it was right. It was necessary.

He could feel Foster's surprise and turned to look at her. "What? You thought I wouldn't tell him?"

"I wasn't sure," she admitted quietly.

He glanced back at Fitz, who seemed at a loss for words and didn't seem to want to look at either of them. "You're going to see some dark stuff in my past," he warned Fitz. "Both of you are. But...it doesn't have to be an issue--as long as you guys agree to one thing: no feeling sorry for me."

"I won't," Fitz promised, looking at him at last.

"I don't," Foster added.

After insisting, again, that he could handle them seeing his humiliating childhood, he held her gaze as she studied his face, and seemed to be encouraged by what she found.

And then Foster asked a good question, and one Keefe probably should've thought of.

She wanted to make sure Fitz and his echoes could handle the anger it would cause him. He assured them both that it would, and asked Foster if Silveny would be able to keep the nightmares away.