Too Real: a Sokeefe Fanfic

Chapter 11

"Are you sure about this?" Keefe whispered to Sophie.

"He won't even talk about it. So technically, we can do whatever we want." Sophie replied. "Maybe we could actually have a conversation, but if he dares to glare at us I will scream at him."

Keefe shoved her gently. "Soon all that will be left is to tell my parents so...fun! Let's see what he does."

After pulling her gloves on, Keefe and Sophie casually connected their hands. Sophie had decided that while the gloves weren't obnoxious, she preferred her bare skin. Sophie glanced over to her father ever so often, but he hadn't seemed to notice their connected hands yet.

"Jeez, Keefe your hands are freezing." Keefe acted offended. He knocked against Sophie's shoulder playfully. Grady's eyes drifted over to the scene. Both Sophie and Keefe became more subdued and sat up straighter.

"How's the rest of the Black Swan doing, Keefe?"

"Fo— Mr Forkle is trying to keep everyone in hiding. No trusting the Council, and we try not to go out in public if it can be avoided."

"What are you doing for the Black Swan?" Grady asked, a bit sharply.

"Um, I'm helping Marella with managing her new powers. Reading up on Empaths. Training for skills like telekinesis, levitating, that sort of thing."

"Well, it's a good thing for you to do that work for the Black Swan." Grady returned, a note of finality in his voice.

There was a frenzied flurry of knocks on the door. Bianca came racing through the living room, yelled "Fitz got his Matchmaker's Scrolls!" She then circled around the room, whispered "I'll message you later," to Sophie, exited the back door, and appeared to light leap back home.

Before the conversation could resume, Fitz can walking through the door. "Where—" he said, and Sophie pointed out back. He sighed and trudged along.

"How has Fitz gotten that nonsense back so quickly?" Sophie asked the room at large.

"Nonsense?" Keefe asked.

"Well, it's pretty much useless. It doesn't change who anyone's marrying, just whether or not they have a hard time," Sophie remarked, wandering into the kitchen, looking for something sweet.

"Have you sent in all the forms yet, Keefe?" Edaline inquired. Grady glared at her, but she just rolled her eyes and sipped from her drink.

Keefe followed Sophie out of the room, and murmured, "Yeah, a few months ago."

Sophie searched the shelves, then settled on some mallowmelt. Spotting Keefe, she held one out to him.

"Wawone?" She inquired unintelligibly. Keefe shook his head. "C'mon, here." Sophie pressed the piece against his lips. He smiled, and Sophie declared herself victorious. As she turned to leave the kitchen, he grabbed her arm.

"Wait," He said. "You're gonna be able to get all of your Matchmaking done soon?" Sophie sighed. "But aren't you?" She shrugged halfheartedly. "Sophie, you have to at least see what is says who your matches are. What if I'm on it?"

"I do not have to do anything." Sophie said, rather sharply. "Well, Keefe, getting my scrolls says I believe in all that stuff they say about bad matches."

Through tight lips, Keefe explained, "But we're automatically a bad match if you don't get me on your list."

Sophie looked a bit thrown for a second, but before Keefe could work out what that meant, he saw a mischievous gleam in her eye. "I thought that only matters if we get married," Sophie innocently smirked.

"Well, yeah," Sophie couldn't tell if Keefe was being serious or not.

"Keefe! Have you thought about us getting married?" Questioned Sophie bemusedly.

"I happen to have thought about it a little." Keefe I need to ask Edaline something," Keefe left the kitchen and turned into the living room, where Edaline abruptly stopped her conversation with Grady.

Sophie stomped away dramatically. "Honestly, Keefe. I can't even talk to you." Keefe ran back and pressed his lips to her cheek. Sophie smiled. "But seriously. You think we could get married?"

"Of course." Keefe answered. "I mean, after we get matched."

Sophie groaned. "Keefe, I don't want to get matched."

"Of course you're getting matched! We're bound to be compatible." Keefe advised, eyes soft.

"I am NOT showing support to the people discriminating against those without Talents." Sophie confirmed.

Keefe nodded. "I know it's not ideal, but I don't want to go through—or for you to go through—all the messed-up stuff that will happen if we get labeled a Bad Match. You're already singled out all the time."

"I don't care about any of that. After what they've Dex's mom's been through, I will not act for a moment like I agree with matching." Sophie fumed. "After all, it doesn't matter. We're planning on staying together anyways."

Keefe stepped backwards and crossed his arms. "But if it won't change anything, why don't we just see if we match, so that we don't have to go through all the judgement for being a bad match?" Keefe retorted.

"Look, Keefe, I'm pretty sure we'd be on each other's lists. You can look at yours once you get it. I just think it'd be worth it to protest this. I mean, your parents are already not...approved of, and I'm the Girl Who Was Raised by Humans."

Keefe hesitated. "I'll think about it. I think you are just thinking about this like a human," Sophie crossed her arms, and Keefe rushed to say, "—and that doesn't have to be bad, it's just weird for me to think about not being Matched. It's a big milestone for elves. You know, something I've always wanted. But I'll think about it."

Sophie looked at him quizzically.

"What?" Keefe asked.

"Why, Keefe Sencen, I didn't know you were like this." Sophie said tauntingly. "You pretend to be all vain but you're an old sap."

"I try," Keefe responded dryly. Sophie laughed and kissed him. This kiss was the first one that simply radiated warmth and gratitude. Sophie traced the shape of Keefe's cheekbone with her thumb. When Keefe broke away, he stayed close enough that she could feel his breath ghosting her skin. Sophie looked into the ice blue of his eyes and smiled at the familiar smirk on his face.

"Why're you smirking at me like that?" Sophie had to tease Keefe.

"It was our first real fight as a couple." He admitted. Sophie tried to come up with a retort, but she just laughed, clutching her stomach. Keefe joined her, and that's how Grady found them—red faced, and Sophie crying from laughing so much.

Thanks so much for reading this! I'm terrible about keeping any sort of schedule and there isn't really a big reaso for why I haven't written anything in a month. But I have one chapter ready to go for tomorrow. (Yes, tomorrow tomorrow.)
Love you!
-the author