Sophie’s heart fluttered -much against her will- as she whispered to her imparter, “Show me Keefe Sencen.” It was only a second or two before Keefe answered, leaving Sophie to wonder what he was doing up so late. Then again, he wasn’t the only one up at midnight.
He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and his blonde hair was matted in some places, wild in others. Despite the way it should’ve made him look tired, he actually looked like a model - his expression perfect and the everything about him looking on purpose. Sophie hoped he couldn’t see her blush at the thought. Today wasn’t her lucky day, she thought, as Keefe smirked and teased her, “What’s that look for, Foster? Taken over by my masculine good looks?” He tousled his hair even more and flashed her a grin, causing Sophie’s cheeks to ignite further as she shook her head, laughing, and replied, “Nope. Just noticed you seem... tired.”
Although it was a sentence to divert the attention elsewhere, it was true. Dark bags hung under Keefe’s beautiful, ice blue eyes and Sophie wondered how long it had been since he last slept.
He smirked and simply said, “Uh-huh. Don’t think I’m not on to you, Foster.” His smirk turned softer, more into a smile, as he asked, “Anyways. Is there a reason you felt the need to hail me during the early morning hours or could you just not resist the opportunity to chat with the Amazing Lord Hunkyhair?”
Sophie shrugged and said casually, “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter much. I bet you have much more important things to do, like fixing up your hair and-“ her words were cut short by Keefe’s interrupting sentence:
“No, no, I’m really good! Seriously, I’m not that busy for you I just- Ah.” Keefe glared as Sophie burst into giggles.
“I see what you did there,” he remarked sullenly. “I’m still on to you, though,” he added, trying to regain some dignity.
Sophie decided not to think about what that meant and let Keefe off the hook. She tugged a loose eyelash as she mumbled, “Well, honestly I was just wondering if you were, well busy. I’ve just been missing home and it’s what humans call Christmas-time right now and...” Sophie sighed, letting her hand fall into her lap.
“Forget it, sorry. I’m just rambling now. Just... nostalgia I guess. And if you aren’t too busy then maybe...” Sophie didn’t try to finish her sentence as she looked at Keefe’s bright eyes light up even brighter, and his teeth gleamed in a real smile.
“Well, Foster, I may be able to fit you in my schedule. I mean, I’ll have to cancel a few things, seeing as I’m a little too popular for my own good, but,” he batted his eyelashes dramatically, “if these plans involve certain elf cookies I may be able to squeeze them in.”
Sophie rolled her eyes and laughed, then placed her hand over her mouth and whispered, “Of course they do. Also, try not to be loud, I would prefer not to have my legion of bodyguards following us around. How soon can you be there?”
Keefe’s stare seemed to look right through the glass of the orb in her hand and straight into Sophie’s weird, gold flecked eyes. “Anytime you need me,” he whispered. “Plus, since it involves cookies, I’ll be there in five!”
Before Sophie could reply, or try to piece together the small moment, the Imparter clicked off and turned blank as Keefe exited the hail.
A small grin light up her face as she drew her blanket around her shoulders, grabbed her old human laptop, a CD, and of course, Keefe’s elf cookies.
About five minutes later, as promised, Keefe’s grinning face flashed in Sophie’s window and she felt the small butterflies in her stomach backflip. Keefe waved as Sophie opened the window and held a finger up to her lips. “Shhh, take these,” she handed Keefe the laptop and the CD.
Keefe groaned, his eyes light with teasing. “Aw, Foster, why can’t I carry the cookies?” he reached his hand out to grab the package from Sophie.
She swatted his hand away, small lightening bolts spreading throughout her arm from the point she touched him, and not from her powerful enhancing.
Keefe didn’t reach for the cookies again, but he did wag his eyebrows and whisper, “Interesting emotions you got there, Foster,”.
Sophie rolled her eyes for the second time in ten minutes and lowered herself outside as Keefe moved aside, keeping an arm near in case she fell. She hoped dearly he didn’t feel the fluttering in her heart, as a result of that.
“So, wears Gignator?” Keefe asked, crunching a cookie.
“He’s still inside, thinking I’m asleep. What about Ro? And, hey- how did you get that?”
Keefe places a finger on her lips. “Shhh, Foster. Some Keefe secrets stay Keefe secrets. Regarding the cookies, I mean. Ro is still vomiting in the- well, I’ll spare you the pleasantries. But I swear it’s not my fault,” He said, as Sophie raised a brow at him.
“She’s just sick, or something. The timing worked out just right so I could come here. Anyways,” he climbed down a little bit and then jumped to the ground. “What am I doing here?”
Sophie climbed down a bit more slowly, careful not to drop the things she was holding. She was all too aware of the fact falling onto a cute boy wasn’t something she wanted to be doing. Stop thinking of that, Sophie, she warned herself.
“Well,” she replied as she jumped onto the cool grass, breathing in the night air. “I’m feeling nostalgic for some good Christmas movies. My family and I would- well, my old family, er,” Sophie’s eyes filled with hot tears as she recalled the Christmas movie marathons her family every December.
“Shh, Foster, it’s fine. I get it. Christmas movies it is! Show me the wonders of humans! They can’t be better than these elf cookies, though.” Keefe’s hand was suddenly in hers as they walked to the gorgeous Panakes tree on the hill overlooking the pastures, and somehow Sophie didn’t find herself minding.
She was grateful Keefe didn’t try and make her explain, and she used her free head to swipe the tears off her cheeks.
“Here we are,” she announced, dumping the snacks and blanket onto the ground. “You brought the laptop, right? I got Dex to fix it up so it works with the weird Elvin world-waves. At least, that’s what I call it,” Sophie added, blushing as Keefe laughed softly and muttered, “‘World waves.’”
Sophie laid the blanket on the ground, popped the CD in the computer, and smiled as she sat down and watched the familiar scenes flash before her eyes. It reminded her of before she came to the perfect yet not-so-perfect Elvin world.
Keefe sat down next to her, finishing off the last cookie of the first package and draping on arm teasingly around her while saying, “And of course, there’s no one better than Lord Hunkyhair to watch these with. After all,” his smile was adorably cute as he flicked a hair out of Sophie’s face, “I’m always the favorite.”
Sophie laughed, picturing Grady grumbling about “That Boy” and Ro’s constant snarling about Keefe’s escapes. “I don’t know...” she began, and it wasn’t until later Sophie considered the fact maybe Keefe was saying he was her favorite. Of course, the thought made her blush, even more so as she realized Keefe’s arm was still resting on her shoulders.
She tried to comb her fingers through her bed-headed hair, but nothing really helped. Sophie didn’t want to think of what Vertina might say if she saw her right now.
Before she could stop herself, Sophie blurted out, “Sorry, I didn’t think to brush my hair or anything before you got here.”
“Ah, Foster, you’re too cute and teasable when you worry about your looks. Just embrace the fact my hair is all awesomeness you could possibly need in life, and know you look fine.”
Sophie laughed and chewed her lip thoughtfully as they continued watching the movie, giggling at Keefe’s confused comments and the animation on his face as he gawked at the show.
As the first movie ended and Sophie popped in the second disk, she noticed Keefe watching her thoughtfully, a small grin on his face. “Thank you for this,” she whispered. Her eyelids were so heavy, her limbs like lead, she fell asleep too soon to hear his soft response, “Of course, Foster. Anything for you.” And she was too deep in sleep to feel the small, sweet kiss he planted on her head. “Anything for you.”
~~~~~~ Keefe’s POV ~~~~~~
Foster fell asleep pretty quick, her hair falling in her face and that cute little crinkle on her forehead relaxing. She looked so peaceful, Keefe wanted to just stare at her like that forever. Creepy, dude, he thought. Acting a bit like Fitzy with the whole staring into her face thing.
He was exhausted, but even more glad to be here for her. To be here for her the way she had always been for him, helped him through the hard times, even if she didn’t know it. “Night, Foster,” he whispered. “And just so you know, you look perfect tonight.” And even though it was dark, in the glint of the moonlight, Keefe could have sworn he saw Foster smile.