Work Text:
“Sophie…”
Keefe leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. His soft lips moved against hers, and Sophie found herself leaning into him. His hand made its way to her waist, lightly tugging her closer. Sophie happily obliged, her hand tangling in his hair.
Sophie would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought of Keefe’s lips before, how it would feel if they were against hers—and it was so much better than she imagined. His hands on her waist pulled her tight against his chest, sending goosebumps down her spine. This boy was doing things to her head… Keefe tasted like the salt of the ocean, and he was warm and soft and—though she hates to admit it—much better than Fitz.
Fitz.
In the midst of all their tension, Sophie had forgotten all about Fitz. Suddenly she felt the need to pull away from Keefe. This is wrong. I’m with Fitz, she wanted to tell him. And she must’ve transmitted that thought, because he quickly pulled back. His cheeks were red, his hair mussed, his lips kiss swollen.
Sophie stared at him for a long while, before finally whispering, “Keefe, we…” She sucked in a breath. “We can’t.” And he already knew why.
“I know,” Keefe replied, reaching up to brush Sophie’s hair out of her face. His hand lingered on her cheek, his gaze saying more than his words ever could. The way he looked at her made her heart race.
Fitz hadn’t made her feel like that in a while.
Sophie bit her lip. Keefe’s eyes tracked the movement. “Keefe,” she whispered, too afraid to say it any louder. Too afraid to break the moment.
But Keefe doesn’t reply. Instead, he crashes his lips against Sophie’s, drawing out a gasp. His lips worked quickly against hers, to which she responded with equal fervor. Keefe’s hands grabbed at her waist, gently caressing her skin through her shirt. Sophie could feel the heat building between them, pooling low in her stomach.
Sophie was surprised at the fact that… she didn’t feel guilty. She expected to, but she only craved more of Keefe. Suddenly, Keefe pushed her down onto the bed. Sophie’s hands latched onto his shoulders as he slotted himself between her legs. “Keefe,” she mumbled breathlessly against his lips. He groaned and buried his face into her neck. “W-we should—”
“Please,” Keefe’s voice trembled against her skin, every plea setting her skin on fire. His lips ghosted against her jaw, sending a shiver down her spine. “Please, please, please, Sophie.”
The pleading in his voice made her stomach flutter. It only made it worse when his hand slid underneath Sophie's shirt. She grabbed his wrist, which made Keefe really pull back. He slowly removed his hand from her shirt, but it lingered a while. “Sophie…”
“Keefe,” Sophie started. Her hands travelled down his shoulders to his chest. Her fingers curled into his shirt as she said, “Should we be doing this?”
Keefe only laughed. “I don't care,” he replied, which drew Sophie's eyes back up. “Do you want this with me?”
Yes, yes, yes. Keefe lit up her insides, made her feel like she was on fire. Sophie realized she had never done this with Fitz. He had never had his hips pressed against hers. He had never kissed her like this. Fitz had never wanted to get farther than small things. Yet here she was with Keefe.
“Tell me you don't want this,” he said, “and I'll stop. Now, or at any point.”
Yes yes yes, I want this. Sophie, having a sudden burst of confidence, hooked her legs around his waist, holding on like she’d never let go. “I want this.” Her hands curled into his shirt.
Keefe's eyes lit up, and Sophie’s heart fluttered. “You’re sure?” He asked, slightly breathless. She made him like that.
Sophie nodded, tightening her grip on him. “Yes. Yes, I'm sure.”
Keefe's smile was the most beautiful thing Sophie had ever seen. “Good.” Then his lips came down on hers again.
This kiss wasn't soft and slow like their first one. It was hungry. Keefe kissed her like a starving man and she was his first plate of food—like he could never get enough.
Sophie moaned into his mouth as her hands slid underneath the hem of his shirt to run them over his soft skin. The muscles of his back twitched, and he made a sound low in his throat, like he wasn't expecting her to be so bold. And to be honest, neither was she. But she was. She felt like she could be—at least around him.
Keefe's hands traveled over Sophie's body—her waist, her hips, keeping her in place against him. Then he pressed his hips closer, the unexpected closeness drawing out a gasp louder than she wanted. She expected Keefe to laugh, but he pulled back to look in her eyes. He was a sight to behold—his hair mussed, eyes dark, lips swollen “Sorry,” he muttered breathlessly. “You okay?”
Sophie swallowed, her voice rough. “Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay,” she whispered. “Just… unexpected, I guess.” She huffed a soft laugh, a small break in the tension.
“Sorry.” Keefe looked away.
Sophie nudged his jaw so he was looking at her again. “It's okay. I didn't… I didn't hate it.” She smiled at him. “Although, maybe keep it PG-13?”
“I have no idea what that means, but I assume it means… no more of that, huh?” Keefe ran a hand through his hair.
“Yeah,” Sophie affirmed. “We can keep kissing and stuff, but… none of that.”
Keefe chuckled, ducking his head so his lips could travel down to her jaw, to the sensitive spot behind her ear. “Your wish is my command.”
Sophie shivered, tipping her head back to give him more room. Keefe hissed as Sophie's nails dug into his back. He kissed down the curve of her throat, his hands never slowing, ever wandering, yet he never crossed the line she had drawn.
When they pulled back again, their faces were flushed, their hearts hammering in their chests.
“Still okay?” Keefe asked, his voice a hoarse whisper.
Sophie answered with a kiss—soft and slow, less intense than the others. “Better than okay.”
Keefe's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling Sophie as close as possible. His eyes looked into hers, looking every bit as enamored as she was. “I love you, Sophie.”
“I love you, Keefe.”
────୨ৎ────
Keefe and Sophie laid side by side, a sense of peace in the air. Keefe's fingers traced small patterns over Sophie's shoulder from where she laid on his chest. Her head rose and fell with every breath he took.
“I love you,” Sophie whispered, looking up at Keefe. “And I'll end things with Fitz. He deserves better.”
Keefe nodded his agreement. He brushed a strand of hair behind Sophie's ear. “I love you too, Sophie.”
Sophie smiled at him. But as she did, her mind drifted to something she didn’t. Fitz. This would absolutely break Fitz's heart. She couldn't do that to him. And telling him she cheated with his best friend would be even worse. How was she supposed to—
“Sophie?” Edaline called from the other side of her door.
Oh shit. Sophie's eyes widened and, almost on instinct, she pushed Keefe off the side of her bed. Keefe yelped and there was a thud as his body hit the floor—but she'd care about that later.
“Sophie, what was that?” Eda opened the door.
Sophie sat awkwardly on her bed, her arms crossed over her chest. She attempted to look casual, but from the look on her moms face, she wasn't doing a great job. She could hear Keefe shifting on the ground and she desperately hoped he would stay down until Edaline left. Her mother gave her a strange look. “I was just coming in to say dinner’s done.” She crossed her arms over her chest with a smirk that made Sophie nervous. “Does Keefe wanna stay?”
Keefe's head popped up from the side of Sophie's bed. “How'd you know I was here?” He asked skeptically. Sophie had the exact same question.
“I heard you. So did Sandor. You're lucky he came to me and not Grady.” Sophie's face flushed at the prospect of her mother hearing her with Keefe. “Since I'm an awesome mum, I won't tell Grady, but you are grounded for a week. One, for sneaking a boy into your room. And two, for not coming to me for advice. Mostly the first one.”
Sophie huffed a sigh of relief. “So…you won't tell Grady?” She asked. She would melt and die if her dad ever found out. It took him forever to be okay with Keefe, this would ruin it all over again.
Edaline shook her head. “I won't. I love Grady, but he'd probably have a heart attack if he knew.”
Keefe laughed and Sophie elbowed him. She didn't want to give her parents any other reason not to like him. But Edaline didn't seem to mind. In fact, she laughed along with him. It was obvious which parent favored Keefe more.
Edaline then sighed. “Since I don't know exactly what to make of this situation, I'll leave you to…collect yourselves. No funny business.” She shot Keefe a stern look before she stepped out.
Sophie blew out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. But the best part—what made her heart flutter in disbelief—was that Edaline didn't hate her. Or Keefe. She had expected much, much worse to come from this, but all she had gotten was a week of being grounded. Sophie had expected endless lectures, disappointed looks, the works.
But her mom had been…chill. She made a joke. She teased.
For once, her mom wasn't meddling or judged.
And she was so, so lucky for that.
A soft huff of laughter drew Sophie out of her thoughts. Her gaze snapped to Keefe, his hair still messy from her fingers, his cheeks flushed pink.
“Well,” he said, a lazy smirk on his face. Keefe made his way back into Sophie's bed, sitting next to her. “That was fun.”
Sophie blinked, then laughed—too high on adrenaline and nerves to keep it in. “Fun? Is that what you're going with?”
“What? Would you rather me use epic poetry?” Keefe teased, propping his chin up on his palm. “I can start writing ‘The Ode to the Magical and Spectacular Keephie Makeout Sesh’? ‘Cause I can. Might kill the vibe a little though.”
Sophie snorted, trying to shove him, but Keefe caught her hand mid-push. He didn't let go.
“Hey,” he whispered, drawing circles on her wrist, gentle and grounding. “I meant it. That was fun. But…it was also…everything. I've never done this before. The…makeouts and stuff.” Sophie's cheeks flushed, but he went on. “And I know I'm such a ladies man but…I'm glad it was you.”
Sophie's breath hitched.
“Don't freak out, Foster. I can feel it coming.” He laughed, lifting up her wrist. “Just saying it was…real. And I am very glad I have not been decimated by your mo
ther.”
Sophie laughed, her heart melting at his words. “Me too.”