Keeper of the Lost Cities- Deathgrip

Forgive and Forget

Sophie bunched her fist into Fitz's shirt and pushed him away with all her force, gasping for air. "Fitz!"

He stumbled off the bed, flushed and shoved his fingers into his dark hair. A string of curse words fell from his lips- the same lips that Sophie's had been on just a few seconds before. "Sophie, I'm so sorry, I think I read the situation wrong, that was so stupid of me! You can't tell Keefe, can we just forget that even happened?!"

Sophie stared at him, bewildered. He didn't have the guts to kiss her while they were dating, but now that she was with his best friend, he did?! "I'll consider what you told me. But yeah, you should go."

He shook his head and Sophie could swear she saw tears in his eyes. "See you, Sophie."

Fitz turned and walked out of the room.

Bile pooled in the back of her mouth, but as her eyes followed Fitz's retreating figure, she knew all the disgust she was feeling wasn't only directed to him. She hadn't pulled away when he leaned in after all. Sure, she had pushed him off and hadn't kissed him back, but what she had done was wrong. How could she do that to Keefe?! To both of them?!

She buried her face in her pillow, scrubbing her mouth frantically with her sleeve. She was going to tell Keefe. You couldn't lie to an empath. Plus, it would only make it worse if he found out form someone other than her. She had to tell Keefe. Even it completely destroyed their relationship.

* * *

Sophie raised her hand to knock on the door of Shores of Solace. Her hand didn't get to the door though, before two arms wrapped around her from behind, squeezing her so hard her stomach almost fell out of her throat. She knew who it was before she saw them though, recognized the smell- mostly hair product.

"Keefe?"

He grunted into her shoulder. "Sophie, I'm so, so so sorry! I swear I didn't mean to mesmerize you!"

Sophie sighed, leaning into him. "I know, Keefe. Grady told me. And I spoke to Fitz."

At the mention of Fitz, all her regret, guilt and angriness returned in one big, awful heap.

Keefe untangled his arms from her and spun her around, to face him. "What are those emotions for, Soph? I should be the one feeling them. Well, I am, but why are you?"

"Um... " Sophie struggled to find the right words, pulling out an itchy eyelash. Keefe's eyes followed the movement, narrowing.

"You good?"

She scrunched up her face. "Please forgive me, Keefe. There's no reason why you should, but I need you to."

His expression got even darker. "Sophie, if you can forgive me for all the things I've done, we can get through anything."

She nodded, barely reassured though. "Okay, well Fitz came over the other day. I- I don't know what... even happened, but somehow, he ended up... canoodling me... smackeroo..."

Sophie couldn't bring herself to say the actual word, and Keefe looked thoroughly confused.

"Huh?" Sophie looked at him, bugging her eyes out, and after a few moments, his expression cleared up. "WHAT?!"

She buried her face in her hands. "I swear it meant nothing! I pushed him away, and don't get too mad at him, he read the situation differently than I intended!"

Despite her reassurances, Keefe looked like he was about to pour multiple vials of Ro's flesh-eating bacteria on Fitz's face. "That slimy, no good..."

He trailed off, apparently choosing not to finish his sentence. Suddenly, his face went dead serious. "Sophie. Do you still like him?" 

She put her hands on her hips in disbelief. "Keefe! No, I don't like him! No part of me does! It was a heat of the moment! I was emotionally vulnerable but I will always belong to you."

It was true. She had learned a while ago that she loved Keefe. With love. Fitz was just some handsome speed bump on Life Boulevard.

Keefe looked completely convinced. "I like you too much not to forgive you. Don't ever do it again though."

He wrapped her in another hug.

"I think I'm tainted with a serious case of Fitz Lips though," she whispered.

Keefe smirked, but a little bit of a scowl was still in his eyes. "Hm? And what do you want me to do about it?"

She smiled, knowing it bothered him that the last person who kissed her was his best friend "I think you can come up with something..."

He bent down, a small smile still on his face and leaned in close. A brush on the lips was all she got though, nothing more. "How about we open my match list? Prove to Fitzy that we're meant to be."

A few weeks earlier she had told the matchmakers who her mother was, in confidence. They didn't seem to mind it too much since Oralie was no longer her real mother, but since she only knew one parent, she was able to be shown on other's match lists but not able to get one of her own.

Keefe seemed confident she would be on his. But she was still terrified.