Special S/O to @littlemissmelsie25 for suggesting this one!
Wow, it was hot in Foster's room.
He'd been here for almost two days already and it was not comfortable. Elwin and Livvy both said it was necessary for Foster's recovery, but he couldn't see how. She had to be sweating and dehydrating really badly just like he was--and since she was still unconscious, she couldn't drink any bottles of Youth to rehydrate.
But whatever. Keefe wasn't a physician.
But the heat made it hard to focus on his drawings--which was his whole excuse for being able to stay with Foster day and night. He could draw anywhere. The others had important jobs to do--especially those on Team Leaving-Keefe-and-Fitz-Out-of-the-Loop.
But if he were being honest with himself, he would also admit that just being in the room with her—even unconscious—was a distraction.
He didn't want to sit at her desk and draw memories.
He wanted to sit by Sophie's side. He wanted to hold her hand, talk to her, send her more soothing breezes just because he could.
She'd probably be embarrassed to be seen like this, with unwashed hair and pale skin, but Keefe didn't care.
She still looked beautiful.
Not that he could tell her that.
"Okay, I'm officially calling you Funkyhair until you go home and shower. Your hair is definitely lacking right now. And...you don't smell too great either." Ro crinkled her nose.
"Oh please, even sweaty and gross I still smell better than Ravagog does." Keefe frowned and looked over at Foster. "I wish I had brought a change of clothes. I could've just showered here. I don't want to leave her."
"I know you don't," Ro said with a sigh. "But I don't think Blondie's dad would take too kindly to you using her shower, even if she's unconscious in bed and nowhere near the bathroom."
Keefe shuddered. The wrath of Grady was scary. Mostly because he actually really liked Grady...and really, really wanted Grady to like him too.
"And you won't do yourself any favors if she wakes up and you look and smell like death," Ro added.
"I'm not trying to do myself any favors."
"Yeah, I know. That's the problem. You've just stood aside and let her choose him. It's obvious to everyone--everyone except Blondie and Wonderboy, anyway--that she likes you too. You could save yourself a lot of misery if you'd just come out and tell her how you feel. Then if she chooses you--and she'd be crazy not to--then you can be happy. And if she doesn't--it'll suck, but then you can move on."
Keefe shook his head. Ro didn't get it. "First off, it's not just about Sophie. It's about Fitz too. He's my best friend. I cant just jump in and try to steal his girlfriend. Even if she says no--and she probably would, at least right now, her head is too full of Fitz--" Keefe scowled and grimaced at the same time—"I'd always remember that I tried to steal my best friend's girl. And she'd probably tell him. And I'd end up losing both of them, and they're my closest friends. I can't do that."
"You won't lose them," Ro countered. "At least, I know you won't lose her. She's just as addicted to you as you are to her. And he'd come around eventually too. I know I make fun of him a lot--he's just such an easy target--but he is your friend."
"And second off," Keefe said, ignoring her, "I don't want to make anything harder for her. She already has so much on her shoulders. If I tell her how I feel about her, it'll just confuse her. And she'll feel like she has to distance herself from me, which would really suck, because she's one of the few people I have in my life that actually care about me. No one wants to take care of me the way she does. I don't want to lose that because she feels the need to set boundaries or put up walls."
"So all in all...you're scared. That's all it boils down to."
"I'm not scared," Keefe argued. "I'm being patient. Biding my time, seeing where things end up with her and Fitz. Not getting in the way, because this is what they both want right now. I'm hoping that will change, but I can't try to force it to. All I can do is be there for them both."
"And be miserable. Don't try to deny it, Funkyhair, you are miserable. You've stuck yourself in a corner, watching their romance unfold and not speaking up for yourself. Do you really want me to remind you of the tears I have seen you cry over her? I know you think it's not very macho, so I try not to bring it up, but it's true whether I talk about it or not. You're in love with her and doing nothing to help yourself."
"I'm just--"
"You're just too used to your nosy, stuck-up father telling you you're worthless so you think that you aren't good enough for her," Ro said heatedly. "You won't fight for yourself because no one has ever fought for you before so you don't think you're worth it. But she'd be happier with you and you know it."
"No," Keefe said in a loud voice, trying to ignore the fact that there was a small ring of truth to her words. "What I know is that I'm in love with a girl who prefers my best friend. And it sucks. And it hurts. I'm not keeping quiet because I'm scared, I'm keeping quiet because I know Sophie better than anyone, and I know that she's not ready to hear it."
And it wasn't true that no one had ever fought for him before.
Foster did.
No matter what stupid things he did, she fought for him and stood by him and made him feel wanted, made him feel important.
And in some ways that made it so much harder.
But it was also one of the things he loved about her--and appreciated about her friendship.
Ro just sighed again and held her hands up in mock surrender. "We'll revisit this when you're better rested, Funkyhair," she promised.
Thankfully, he was saved from responding by the chimes at the door announcing Fitz's arrival.
"How is she?" Fitz asked, walking towards Sophie to check on her.
"The same. Funny thing about being sedated, you sleep a lot and pretty much don't do anything else."
"True." Fitz sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at Sophie for several seconds. Then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead before getting up and walking towards Keefe.
Keefe was really hoping his face didn't show how much that hurt.
It's not like Foster would even know Fitz had done that.
Didn't stop Keefe from feeling jealous. Because Foster would have loved it if she'd known Fitz had done it.
Sometimes Keefe wished Foster had fallen for some idiotic jerk from whom Keefe could rescue her.
And Fitz might be an idiot sometimes, but he genuinely cared for Foster. That made it harder in some ways...and easier in others.
At least she would be happy.
Though Keefe wasn't always convinced Fitz really saw her. Thanks to all their freaky Cognate exercises, Fitz knew her really well but...Keefe wasn't sure Fitz always accurately interpreted what he knew.
"I can't believe she chose to do things the hard way. She'd be awake by now if she hadn't." Fitz shook his head and looked back at Sophie again.
Keefe snorted. "I can't believe you're surprised. I knew what she'd do the moment Livvy gave her a choice."
Ro cleared her throat meaningfully.
Both boys ignored her.
"Getting anywhere with those drawings?" Fitz changed the subject, much to Keefe's relief.
"No, of course not. Nothing ever works like it should. No memories coming back, no great revelations. No top-secret information planted into my brain, nothing."
"Sorry."
"Yeah, me too. Listen, since you're here, I'm going to head home and shower. I'll be back later."
Fitz laughed. "I don't blame you. It's hot in here. I already feel gross."
"Yeah, dude, you already look gross too." Keefe smirked.
Fitz rolled his eyes and punched Keefe on the arm. "Go on, get out of here."