#sokeefe

One of us is lonely, one of us is only waiting for a call…

Keefe, struggling alone in the Forbidden Cities, convinced that solitude is the only way to keep his loved ones safe. He’s willing to be lonely forever if that’s what it takes to keep them from getting hurt because of his unpredictable new ability. 

Sophie, worried sick and emotionally confused by Keefe’s parting letter, waiting desperately for him to reach out. Hoping every day that Keefe will respond to her or the alicorns. 

Sorry for herself, feeling stupid, feeling small. Wishing you had never left at all…

Sophie lies in her bed, wrapped up in a blanket, eating the baked goods Edaline brought her. She clings to Ella as she cries about Keefe. As she wonders what his goodbye letter meant. “You mean a lot to me, Foster. More than you’ll ever know.” And simultaneously, she feels stupid for even caring if he has a crush on her when there are so many much bigger things to worry about. She’s the Moonlark for crying out loud! But she doesn’t want to be the Moonlark right now, she just wants to be Foster. Everything feels too heavy to bear without Keefe’s lighthearted commentary and stupid jokes; everyone else is too serious and it’s stressing Sophie out. Why’d Keefe have to leave right when she needed him the most?

They passed me by, all of those great romances, because of your robbing me of my rightful chances…

Did Sophie even like Keefe like that? She’d been crushing on Fitz for so long, but when she found out she was unmatchable, she told Keefe, not Fitz. Being with Fitz had made her feel queasy, but the idea of being with Keefe made her feel fluttery inside. The one time she’d almost kissed Fitz, Silveny went into labor, and Sophie was relieved. She’d been so nauseous she thought she might puke at the thought of kissing Fitz. But thinking about kissing Keefe? That got her face all red and her stomach full of butterflies. All of his teasing, flirty comments had to mean something, right?

Keefe watches couples walk around the Forbidden Cities, laughing and talking without a care in the world. He spots a blonde girl, and his heart jumps involuntarily before his brain reminds him that it’s not Foster, it’s just a human girl. He looks back on his life in the Lost Cities, thinking about how meeting Foster changed him forever. He used to be a player, but after meeting Sophie, he knew she was the only girl he would ever want. And then he watched her fall for his best friend. 

My picture clear, everything seemed so easy…

Being friends with Keefe was easy. Infuriating at times, definitely, but Sophie always knew Keefe had everyone’s best interests at heart. Sure, sometimes his actions were rash and caused more trouble than good, but he was only trying to help. Sophie had hoped that after Keefe transferred to stay with Elwin, that he’d be ok, and she could have her friend back. God, she hoped Keefe was ok. She really needed her friend back.

But then you dealt me the blow, one of us had to go. How you hurt me, I want you to know…

After learning that his new ability could sense other people’s unmanifested Talents, Keefe knew he had to leave. The blow of telling Dex that Rex would be Talentless had crushed both Dex and Keefe, and Keefe had to make sure he never had to feel that hollow, Talentless feeling again. He did not want to be used as a Talent detector by the Council, or worse, his own dad. No way was Keefe going to crush any kids’ spirits like that. His powers were too volatile, too dangerous. This was the easiest way to keep everyone safe and happy, right?

One thing Sophie kept getting stuck on was that Keefe said goodbye in a letter. He couldn’t even say goodbye to her in person, couldn’t explain himself to her face. She has so many questions that the letter doesn’t answer, at least not fully. The fact that Keefe thought this letter would be the last time he ever spoke to her both enraged Sophie and opened up a cavern of sadness in her chest. She could never, ever forget about Keefe, even if he told her to in his letter. But all of the sadness and anger swirling in her chest don’t conceal the sharp sting of abandonment that Sophie feels. He promised not to run off again, after what happened last time. He promised her that he wouldn’t run from his problems. And yet. Now he’s left her an emotional wreck, unable to go to Foxfire or keep up with their other friends, or be involved in Team Valiant. The worst part is, he doesn’t even know how hard his absence is hitting Sophie. He has no clue how much it hurts. No clue how many nights Sophie stays up late, broadcasting her thoughts telepathically, trying to reach him.

One of us is crying, one of us is lying in her lonely bed…

Keefe lies awake, crying, thinking about all the things he can’t protect his friends from. His mother, the Neverseen, even himself. Though his absence protects them from him, it also means he can’t be there to help them fight the Neverseen. He’s completely cut off from any information about what’s going on. His friends could be dead for all he knows. But still, it’s not safe for him to return to the Lost Cities. Not yet.

Sophie is lying in her bed, hugging Ella and remembering the window slumber parties she and Keefe had back in Alluveterre, when he was having trouble sleeping because of the information about his mom. Even though it wasn’t that long ago, it feels like it happened in a different life, one full of fuzzy monster pajamas and throwing shoes at Keefe’s window. She’d give anything to have a window sleepover with him right now.

Staring at the ceiling, wishing she was somewhere else instead…

They both stare at the moon, one from the Lost Cities, the other from the Forbidden Cities. They look up, each thinking of the other, hoping that somewhere, somehow, they’re both looking at the moon together. Sophie would give anything to be where Keefe is, and Keefe would do anything to protect Sophie. And so, the star-crossed lovers have to settle for sharing the moon, just for now.

One of us is lonely, one of us is only waiting for a call…