#ig we gots a cliffhanger

[crymeariveronceagain]

Keefe pit fighting after a couple of years in the human world

This is a weird one that i had to look up and i got concerned so we're just gonna go with underground illegal boxing clubs that take in tons of money because i can see it and i vibe with the idea of black eyes and bloody lips so y'know what let's goooo

Sophie doesn't think it's him. After years, years, literal years of looking for him. This can't be him. The Keefe she knew wouldn't have blood on his teeth. The Keefe she knew wouldn't have cracked knuckles, wouldn't have heavy, dark bruises on his wrists. The Keefe she knew wouldn't have such messy, sweaty hair. The Keefe she knew wouldn't have scars on his mouth or on his arms.

And Keefe wouldn't look like he's going to kill someone.

He wouldn't do this.

But, she thinks, does she want this not to be him?

His eyes are dark and his stance is perfect. He moves like he's been here for years, hits like he's trying to break bone. He's not holding back, he's not trying to do anything gently.

His opponent is a tall man, who spits curses at him with every other breath.

Sophie watches and winces, watching him get up, over and over, kick the guy in the gut, slam into him with extra force. He moved like a warrior, like a war-seasoned, war-ruined man. His eyes were nearly unseeing, chasing after pain and rage and anger like there was no point to his existence.

The people around them were screaming cheers and obscenities, and the smell of sweat and blood hung heavy underneath the basement cieling. Someone screamed that "the kid should just give up! He can't win this!"

The probably Keefe person got cracked in the face with the taller man's elbow. The person who was probably Keefe cussed like someone could hear him.

Eventually, after gaining a split lip that started leaking blood down his chin, and a black eye, he managed to knock the guy over and hold him down. Sophie swallowed, the headlock and the guy slamming his fist's against Keefe making Sophie want to puke.

Someone shouted that "Lord Hunkyhair" had won the match, and Sophie's stomach dropped.

Yes, that was definitely Keefe.

And he was a whirl of violence and terror.

He spat a mouthful of bloody spit onto the dirty floor of the basement, and stepped out of the ring, wiping his face off with a ragged towel.

She watched him like he was the first drink of water she'd had in months.

Her hands shook, and she took a step towards him. A man brushed in front of him and handed him a stack of cash. "Get out of here, Kid. I don't wanna know where you learned to fight like that."

Keefe grinned, his eyes still dead, and his lip still bloody. "Thanks," he said. "I'll be back next week. Make you about thirty k? That sound about reasonable? I'll be sure to act super timid."

"Get out of here," snapped the older man. "This isn't a place for someone like you."

Keefe snorted. "And yet I wind up here."

Sophie followed him, quietly, up out of the basement. He glanced over his shoulder, and she kept her eyes on the ground.

His eyes narrowed.

She kept following him.

Three seconds later, she was pinned against the brick wall of a building near an alley. "I'm gonna give you ten seconds to tell me who the hell you are and what the hell you want." Keefe snarled, his voice entirely danger and violence.

"Keefe?" she whispered, softly.

"How do you know that name," he spat. His lip was still bloody.

"It's your name, isn't it? You're Keefe Sencen. My Keefe Sencen."

His eyes widened, and he pulled back away from her, his hands starting to shake.

Curse words fell out of his mouth like he couldn't control them, and he started backing away from her. "Foster," he said, his entire body shaking. "You gotta get out of here. Mom will find you, she--"

"She's dead, Keefe," Sophie said. "And I wouldn't care about her."

Keefe took another step back. "Why not?"

"Because I care about you," She said. "You're the person who always protected me, and I felt like crap not being able to protect you."

Keefe looked at her like she'd grown a third head. "Tell me," he said, slowly, "What I said to you the first day I met you."

Sophie blinked, her mind sorting through her memories. "You must be lost," she answered, after a moment.

"Project the memory into my brain," He said, like it was the most casual think in the world.

Sophie did.

And when she pulled out of his head, he was crying.

"Are you okay?"

Keefe shook his head.

"Keefe," Sophie asked, softly. "What happened to you?"