KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Distracted (Keefe POV)

Keefe stood to head to the Leapmasters. Fitz's eyes were still intent on his book, but Keefe saw Fitz's mouth curve into a slight smile before he mumbled, "heaven help us."

At Slurps and Burps, Keefe found Dex taking stock of their inventory while Kesler helped their customers.

Dex grinned when he saw Keefe walk in. "Fitz kicked you out of his study session, didn't he?" Dex asked before Keefe could even say a word.

"Yep," Keefe agreed. "Apparently I'm a distraction." He showed Dex the picture he'd drawn. Dex took one look at it and laughed so loudly that Kesler came over to investigate.

"You know, you really do have a gift," Kesler told him as he chortled.

"They're Cognates?" Dex asked. "Wow, I had no idea. They never talk about it."

Keefe smirked, but also remembered the days when Dex would have sounded bitter while saying those words.

Today, he just sounded amused.

Probably because he was in love with Biana, now, and had long since gotten over his crush on Foster.

It's hard to hate a nice guy when you're not jealous of him--especially if you're constantly smooching his sister and obviously planning to become part of the family one day.

As it turned out, Kesler insisted that they use their own free time to invent new prank elixirs, though he promised to stock his shelves with them if they were any good.

"But looking at the inventory Dex just took, it appears that we are running low on a few of our elixirs, so you're welcome to accompany Dex to his lab while he brews them up," Kesler offered as a consolation prize.

"Sounds good," Keefe agreed, and they headed back to Dex's lab.

Watching Dex make elixirs was more entertaining than watching Fitz read a book. Plus, it reminded him of the first time he'd met Foster, when she'd been so bad at the most basic alchemy assignment that she'd exploded the serum and burned her hand--and Lady Galvin's cloak.

She was such a mystery to him back then. Now, a few years had gone by, and he knew her so much better. Even so, she still managed to surprise him sometimes. She would probably always be the Mysterious Miss F.

"Um, Keefe? Did you hear what I just said?"

Keefe started. He hadn't realized Dex was talking. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Dex was carefully selecting ingredients from one of the many shelves in his lab so he could get started on the first elixir. "I said, Biana was really excited to get some 'girl time' today. I think Sophie was probably in for a major makeover. I wonder if any of the other girls were going to join them."

"I don't know," Keefe replied. "Any one of them would enjoy a makeover more than Foster would."

She didn't need one.

She already looked absolutely perfect.

"That's true," Dex said with a laugh. "I never thought I'd fall for a girl who cares about how she looks, but there's so much more to Biana than her love of fashion or makeup or hair products."

"Hey," Keefe said sharply. "There's definitely nothing wrong with a love of hair products."

Dex grinned. "I know, Keefe. I know." But then his eyes turned dreamy as he continued. "I'm just saying, I've realized it's okay with me that Biana cares about how she looks, because that's not all she cares about. She isn't shallow or vain, she's fierce and strong and loyal and incredible. I still can't believe she chose me."