KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Alternate Ending: Stellarlune 42 (take 2)

Fitz frowned, shaking his head slowly. Then he looked at Keefe. "I should've known," he said at last. "I'm such an idiot. It was right there in front of me." He looked at Sophie. "All this time, I thought you liked me."

"I did," Sophie told him. "I just failed to realize that I liked Keefe, too. And you and I...it just didn't work. Every time we tried, we ended up fighting and it was painful."

"And it works with Keefe?" Fitz asked bitterly. "Just like that? I can't believe you guys kissed. When I tried to kiss you, we got interrupted, or you panicked, so I tried to take it slow for your sake."

"Fitz, listen," Keefe said, before Sophie could try to respond. "Why don't you and I leave and we can talk everything through?"

Fitz shook his head. "I came here for a reason. We need to go see Wylie," he told Sophie. "But we need to finish our Inquisition first. I just...don't know how I'm supposed to work with you now."

The pain on his face made Sophie's heart ache. "I didn't mean to break your trust, Fitz, I'm sorry."

"Are you sure?" Fitz asked earnestly. "It's not fair to any of us—especially Keefe—if you're just...I don't know, rebounding to Keefe because I hurt you."

It was Sophie's turn to shake her head. "No," she said truthfully. "No," she repeated, meeting Keefe's eyes. "That's not what this is."

Fitz turned away, tearing his hands through his hair.

Keefe used that opportunity to smile at Sophie, looking grateful and relieved.

Were you worried? She asked him.

Not really...but it's nice to hear, all the same.

"I think I need to sit down," Fitz mumbled at last, sinking to the ground.

I'm sorry it happened this way, Keefe added.

Me too.

"Fitz...maybe we should just finish our Inquisition? Talk things through that way."

Fitz looked up at her. "I was going to ask you about Keefe," he said quietly. "I just...felt like I should, but wasn't really sure why. Now I know."

Sophie didn't really know what to say to that. He wasn't wrong.

"It's my own fault," he mumbled, looking at the ground. "My stupid temper...getting so worked up about the Match...I'm the one that ended it." His head snapped up. "Does Keefe know that you found one of your parents? Did you tell him who it is?"

Keefe's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but there was nothing accusatory in his face.

"No, actually. I meant it when I told you no one can ever find out."

"And it doesn't matter," Keefe said quietly, looking at Sophie. "I don't care about any of that." He smiled reassuringly at her.

"Another mistake," Fitz whispered. "My fault, all my fault. If I hadn't freaked out on you, things would've turned out differently. I'm just going to have to come to terms with that, I guess."

Sophie hesitated. "I'm sorry."

I won't say this to him because I'm afraid it'll just hurt more, but you need to know, she transmitted to Keefe, that's not true. Even if he hadn't broken up with me, it was still going to be you. It's always been you, Keefe. I just...took a long time to see it.

I really want to kiss you again for that, Keefe replied, the expression on his face unfathomable. But I guess that'll have to wait.

Then he spoke aloud. "I understand if you're angry with me," he said to Fitz. "But I hope eventually you'll forgive me. I don't want to lose my best friend."

Fitz looked up at that, surprised, a different kind of hurt on his face. "How little you must think of me," he whispered, his eyes wide. "But I guess that's my fault too. Of course you won't lose me. I don't know how to move forward or how to handle being around you both right now, but...you're still my friends." He sighed. "But I can't pretend I don't feel betrayed."

"I should've been honest with you from the start," Keefe told him. "But it was hard to admit how I felt about her when I knew how she felt about you. It would've been really embarrassing, so I kept quiet."

Fitz pulled himself to his feet. "I can't talk about this now. Sophie, we need to finish our Inquisition and then go see Wylie. We're hoping that you and I can trigger hidden memories, because I couldn't do it alone." He tried to smile. "I need my Cognate."

Sophie knew they'd have to talk about it during their Inquisition, though the hardest part was probably already over. So she smiled at him. "Let's go inside then."

And the three of them turned to walk back toward the house. Fitz kept his eyes determinedly forward, not looking at either of them as they walked.

So Keefe placed his hand gently on the small of Sophie's back. Their minds were still connected, so she heard when he asked, you okay?

I'm fine. And also...I really, really like you.

That's good, Foster. Because I really, really like you too.