Hey everyone! It's FandomQueen713 back after way too long of not writing. (Though that's not completely true, I've been trying to write a Klance from Voltron fanfic so if any of you are VLD fans maybe look out for one? XD)
Anyways, I'm sorry for not working on this story, I've been going through some friend drama (sigh) but things are better and I'm trying to be more consistent with writing so we'll see.
Without further ado... here's the disclaimer because I'm paranoid and they're kind of fun
Disclaimer: If I owned these characters I would've made Sokeefe happen a longgggg time ago so haha I definitely don't *sighh*
The emo kid with the bangs (Tam?) cleared his throat loudly, startling Keefe. Keefe glanced over towards him.
The two were standing a little off from the rest of the group. Biana and Linh were playing one of those dance games, while Sophie, Fitz, and Dex cheered them on.
"I saw what you were drawing." Tam's voice was quiet, cool, and cut through Keefe's mind.
Keefe gathered every bit of control in him not to blush. "So? I draw? Is that an issue?" Oh god, please tell him that Tam wouldn't tell anyone.
"Drawing is fine, obviously. Though, you don't seem to be the artist type." Tam added distastefully, flicking his bangs from his eyes. "No, the 'issue' is what you were drawing."
"Oh no, I drew a girl, how awful of me."
Tam mocked Keefe's sarcastic response. "Oh no, I'm obsessed with a girl and draw her like a creep, how embarrassing of me."
"Look, Bangs Boy. She's objectively pretty and a nice subject to draw. Don't take it personally. No need to be jealous, I'd be willing to draw you like one of my French girls." He completed the flirting with a wink. Good. Distractions. That would change the subject and Tam would hopefully forget.
"What." Tam didn't even bother saying it like a question, his face deadpan.
"You don't know Titanic? The part that's like "draw me like one of your French girls"? Uncultured much?"
"I know what you meant. I'm just confused how you could think I, or anyone for that matter, could be attracted to you." Tam paused. "And you definitely obsess over Sophie."
"I do not!" Keefe cleared his throat, repeating himself with less emotion.
"Righttt. Just know that if you hurt her I will hurt you. Oh, and stay away from my sister too." Tam walked off, grabbing Fitz's arm as he passed and pulling them to some other arcade machine. Keefe stared after him, annoyed. Who did that guy think he was?!
Keefe turned back to where Linh and Biana were now giggling, seemingly deciding where to go next. The lanky guy with the strawberry blonde hair, Dex (?) was nowhere to be seen. Well, until Keefe glanced over and caught sight of him behind one of the games where you try and grab a prize. He had taken apart a panel in the back, examining the parts from what Keefe could tell. He headed over, kneeling beside him.
Dex started at his presence but relaxed once again, greeting him. "Hey."
"'Sup. What are you doing here?"
"... I'm trying to get one of the prizes.. in a more unconventional way.."
"Wow, what a rebel." Keefe grinned. At first glance, Dex seemed so innocent and pure. But clearly, he was a nerd willing to break the rules time to time. "What are you going to do if one of the people who runs the place finds you?"
"They won't. And before you start thinking up some plans, I don't do this with anything else, my little sister just always wanted that unicorn pegasus plushie thing and so I figured I'd get it for her. But I've tried to get it fairly in the past and it hasn't worked."
"Alicorn. And that's kind of sweet."
"Yeah, well, at this rate I won't even be able to get it either way. I can't figure out how the stupid claw to grab stuff is wired to this!"
"Oh, simple. Here." Keefe yanked at a few of the wires, replacing them in sequence, leading the claw to drop right onto the plushie and pick it up. "Now just press the start button over there and it should get the plushie." Dex was staring at Keefe with wide eyes, not moving.
"You know how to build and wire things?! I thought I was the only one in this group who would!"
Keefe scratches the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, I actually built my motorcycle from scratch. But mechanics isn't really the thing for me.." I'm more into art, he wanted to add, but said nothing.
Just keep putting the facade of being the joking flirt, it's safer that way. If they don't know the real you, they can't hurt you.
"Wow, that's awesome. Well, you definitely have a talent for it, that's for sure." Dex got the stuffed alicorn, smiling happily. "Bex will love this. Thank you." Keefe shrugged in response, letting a smile play on his lips. "Oh, and Keefe? If you ever were up to playing some pranks on the rest of the group- not stupid ones, I mean actual pranks - I'd definitely be up for it."
Keefe nodded, smirking. "We got a deal." He refixed the wiring in the back, replacing the panel. How Dex had managed to remove it without a screwdriver was beyond Keefe. Dex walked off, clutching the plushie in one hand tightly while running towards Linh and Biana. Keefe stood up, walking back to the front of the machine. He took a moment to look inside, taking into account the many stuffed animals in there. He pressed start, messing up the first time, and the second. On his third try he skillfully moved the claw and let it pick up a blue elephant. He was fairly talented with these kinds of games, admittedly.
"That was really nice of you." Keefe could recognize that voice anywhere, after the time he'd spent these past weeks obsessing over her (not obsessing! Stupid Bangs Boy.. no, Keefe just found her attractive.. and had a slight.. more than slight crush on her... but not obsessive).
"Hey, Foster."
She continued on, moving forwards so she was beside Keefe. "It was nice of you to help Dex like that. I know he really wanted to get this for his sister, and they don't go to the arcade that much. His family can't always afford going places like this." She paused, meeting Keefe's eyes. God, she's pretty. "But it was nice of you to help him out. Especially considering you clearly could have just won it fairly, which would have made him feel a little awkward, having someone else do something with ease that he couldn't."
Keefe let a smile grace his face, as he looked at her. Did she always have such long eyelashes? He really hoped he wasn't blushing right now. "Yeah, of course. I was just glad to be of help." Oh god, the way she was smiling up gratefully at him was going to make his heart melt. He was going to spontaneously combust soon, he knew it. "Anything for a friend." He added, wincing at how it was a little higher pitched than before.
Sophie let a small smirk come across her face. "But while you may be good at this, I bet I'm better."
Keefe raised in eyebrow confidently. "Really?! You're on."
Sophie's smirk widened. "Okay.. whoever gets that green animal thing back there first wins. And I'll even let you start." Keefe turned back to the machine determinedly. Even when she was being super competitive, she came across as sweet in his mind and made his heart swell. He was so screwed. He pressed the button to make the claw drop, and it misses the green plushie by a centimeter at most. He curses under his breath, stepping back to let Sophie step forward. She'd likely miss and Keefe would just have to—
"And here you go." Sophie said, eyes twinkling, and hand outstretched, holding the green creature out to him. "I believe I win?"
Keefe sputtered for a second, before letting out a hmph. "Fine, you won."
"Mhm. Oh, and take the plushie."
"What? Why?"
"I want you to have a souvenir to commemorate your loss forever."
Keefe cross his arms, refusing to smile as he snatched the toy from her. He then held out his arm, holding the blue stuffed elephant towards her. "Then here, you have a souvenir to remember you cheating forever."
"I did not cheat!"
"Suree." Keefe glanced downwards at the stuffed animal, his face heated. They technically had gotten stuffed animals for each other. He was such a mess.
Why do you even bother trying? It's not like she'd like you or want you around. No one ever does for long. Get over yourself.
The tag on the animal read 'Gregory the Gulon.' What the heck was a gulon, some type of cryptid? "So, Foster, what are you naming it?" He gestured at the elephant.
She hummed. "The tag says Ella the elephant, so Ella it is."
"Lamee. Mine is getting called Mrs. Stinkbottom."
Sophie let out a laugh, covering her face. "You're so immature."
"You're the one who laughed, Foster."
"Touché." She then let another smirk tug at the corner of her lips. "So you're calling her Mrs. Stinkbottom because it'll remind you of how much you stunk at this competition?"
Keefe playfully shoved her. "Shut up, Mysterious Miss F."
"How am I mysterious?!"
"You're the one who creeped up behind me while I was playing-"
I was walking past while you helped Dex."
"And you were cheating in this-"
"I didn't cheat, you're just a sore loser."
"And you still deny cheating even though we both know that's what happened."
"Oh my god, you're ridiculous."
"Hmm, changing the subject. Mysterious, wouldn't you think?" He playfully raised an eyebrow, leading her to dissolve into giggles again and smack his shoulder.
/Line Break/
The ride back home was more enjoyable than the one to the arcade, despite the lack of Sophie behind him. He felt significantly lighter, as though a weight had lifted from his shoulders. He felt like that whole group of friends had now extended to him as well. He didn't really get to know Linh that well, but she seemed nice enough. Biana hadn't really talked much with Keefe, but she was a fun enough person, aside from the fact that she liked Keefe in an un-reciprocated way. Dex and Keefe had really gotten closer, already planning on some pranks and discussing some of Dex's inventions. Fitz and Keefe were always best friends of course. Tam.. well, Tam was like that one rival in the group. He certainly wasn't the closest with Keefe but it certainly added to the group's dynamic. And Sophie? Well, she was pretty., sure, but Keefe liked her for more than just that. She was kindhearted, funny, yet really straightforward. And somehow, being around her made him feel more complete. He forgot about his dad's hatred towards him and his mom's wish to be out of Keefe's life.
"Finally back?!"
Speaking of his parents...
"Yeah, Dad." Keefe straightened up as he placed his bike into the rack, tugging his jackets selfconsciously. His strict father was currently in front of the house for whatever reason, jaw clenched and arms crossed.
"Where were you?"
"With some friends after the bakery closed..?"
"Wasting money and time again, I see." His dad fixed a look at Keefe, who looked down. His dad made him feel like a nothing. Keefe had graduated last year (with a 4.2 GPA, which you'd think was impressive enough for his dad but no), and was attending a nearby college, majoring in art. His dad didn't exactly know what he was majoring in, since Keefe knew Cassius Sencen didn't believe art as a valid career path (Keefe had lied and said he was majoring in philosophy, which was barely a step up in his dad's mind). His classes weren't very demanding, and Keefe had managed to schedule his classes and job in a way that worked. But his dad was definitely not all that proud of Keefe for it, claiming he was wasting time and space, that he should try and do something with his life.
"Keefe, just get to your room already." His father rubbed his forehead, eyebrows furrowed. Keefe walked past, cautiously, up the stairs and to his room. He collapsed on the bed, sneaking the stuffed gulon out of his jacket and plopping it into the corner of his bed.
1 year. In one year, Keefe could get an apartment, escape his dad's disappointment, and hopefully be able to get his life truly started. Maybe even find his dream girl...
Keefe glanced back at Mrs. Stinkbottom. Maybe I've already found her..
And that's it for this chapter!
Sorry if it's worse in quality, and really sorry for the long wait again. I think I've finally got a more defined idea for the story line so hopefully I'll be quicker with updates!
Would y'all be okay if I added some other background ships later on in this fic? Oh also, I was thinking about if I added one of my LGBTQ+ OTPs for KOTLC here? I know that the fandom is really focused on the ships, but I haven't come across many who ship things like Linh x Biana, Dex X Fitz, or anything not heteronormative romantically.
Leave a review on that ig, it would be a huge help! (Don't worry, none of that would interfere with Sokeefe XD)
Now, on to the reviews:
gogurt-froma-gogurt-tree: Gosh, I'm glad you like it so far! The plot will only get more dramatic so enjoy~ Oh, and sorry for the late update, but it's here now! Hopefully you like this chapter just as much as the others XD
Keefoster0208: Finally updated, and haha, glad you like the story! Hopefully this chapter was enjoyable too. I know it was a little more of a filler chapter, but I did my best to add more character interactions.
Whytho123: Aw thanks! There wasn't really any more on the art in this chapter, but I hoped you liked it! I'm so glad you like the fic so far!
BuddingWriter101: Yess, the world needs more Keefoster! And lol, I haven't found many good Keefoster fics so I decided to try and make one! I'm glad you like it, and don't worry, there will be many more fangirling feels in the next few chapters ;)
MarsCraft: So glad you like the fic! Sorry the update took a while, but it's here now (3 months later whoops) XD
: Haha, no I'm probably worse at updating than you. XD But thank you, I'm glad you like it so far!
ElectricGrace: Ahh, your review made my week! I'm so glad you like the fanfic, and ha, I know Keefe's a little obsessed, it's only going to get worse, Sophie's only going to get more oblivious (or is she ;) ). And thank you so much for your review, I hope you like this chapter too!
And, that's it for the reviews. Follow, favorite, review, all that jazz *cue jazz hands*. I've started on the next chapter already so I think it'll be up sooner, but no promises because I suck at updating XD. But yeah, every review makes my week, so I'd really appreciate it if you took the time! Remember, I LOVE criticism, as long as it's constructive!
~ FandomQueen713
