Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44907704-20200201232939/@comment-44907704-20200202013244

"Get out!" Lord Cassius commanded as Keefe stayed as still as a statue. He held his glower and refused to drop his father's gaze, even as he began to approach him.

Exchanging a quick glance at Sophie, he held on tight to her elbow while saying through gritted teeth, "Only if you promise me you won't do anything to hurt her."

"I wouldn't dream of it in a million years, Keefe. I would never resort to violence."

"That's not the same as 'no.'"

Lord Cassius attempted a lame eye roll that made Sophie almost want to laugh — then regretted it a moment later when his ice eyes met hers in a staring version of a headlock. Keefe immediately nudged her back gently while holding his glare on his father, forcing him to return the look. "If Sophie gets so much as a tear when I check up on her later, I will make Ro give you her poison ball and you will be forced to swallow it."

For a moment, Lord Cassius looked like he was going to crack up — before it registered her that Keefe had said "later."

Later.

Way to go about putting off the inevitable.

"She can reach out to you telepathically if, at any point during our conversation, she feels as if her privacy is being invaded," Cassius said simply, winking. "I'm sure she has her own ways of punishing me before you resort to such, ah, unnecessary force."

Keefe still looked hesitant as he pulled out his Pathfinder and mouthed to Sophie,'' Be careful. ''Before her chance was taking away, she stepped forward with the same amount of reluctance and wrapped her arms around him, feeling a burst of warmth like the elvin world's warmest volcano — did they even have volcanoes?

"Please be careful," they both said in unison as Keefe added, "Don't be afraid to find new ways to beat the snot out of my dad, Foster. I believe in you."

And then he was gone.