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Walking Home (Decadence and Candira)

Sophie wondered at the way he'd seemed to accept it so easily, but she could tell he was more tense than usual, especially when she saw the clothes he'd chosen. She let him stew, though, chuckling inwardly at the way he was so nervous about it. She smiled and dried her hair with a hair dryer until she was satisfied with the way she looked. It just had a little curl to it today, enough to be pretty. With a light dusting of make up, a spritz of perfume, and a casual brushing of her teeth, she was finished for the time being in the bathroom.

She walked into her room and pulled on a nice blue sundress and sandals. Once she put on her watch and her necklace, she was ready. Sophie grabbed her purse and phone and smiled when she saw Keith. The poor guy still looked pretty nervous. Well, it wasn't like he shouldn't be. Her father had never really taken to Keith, and his opinion of him lowered quite a bit when he learned that Keith had been picking on his little girl. Her mother had thought the world of Keith and been on his side for quite some time. It had hurt her mother to find that Keith hadn't seemed to feel the way she'd thought.

Still, Sophie felt bad for him. She walked up to him and squeezed his shoulder. "Hey, ready to go?" Both of them had dressed a bit more conservatively than they might have if it was just the two of them, but her choice had been more subconscious. He was trying to make a good impression, she could tell. She smiled and got her car keys. "Relax, okay? You look like you're going to freak out."
 
Keith decided to keep his lip ring on. He thought about removing it for the sake of making a good impression with her parents, but then he made up his mind not to. What about that top button on his polo shirt? He let that one loose as well. There was no reason to hide anymore, and he was letting his nervousness get the best of him. He was going to treat this as though it were like any other day, so he let loose a bit.

He quickly applied the eyeliner, then brushed his teeth before straightening out his hair once it had dried. He was looking as sharp as ever--with a particularly dark edge, of course. He glanced over at Sophie every now and then, getting a whiff of her perfume and feminine wiles. He felt like wrapping an arm around her waist, but he figured he'd surprise her at another time and place. When she appeared wearing her sundress, he couldn't help but lay her a warm glance. She really did look lovely in it. "You look absolutely gorgeous," he said, eying her.

After having his shoulder squeezed by her, he nodded. "Are you ready?" He followed her as she grabbed her car keys. Goddamn, was he itching to drive. He was already getting sick of following her around. It was supposed to be the other way around. It just sucked he didn't have a car anymore, and thinking about it made him want to jack something even more. Anyhow, it was time to eat now, and he could tell she noticed how tense he seemed.

"Freak out?" He chuckled. "I'll be fine. I mean, they're just your parents. I've met them before."

Yeah, but that was a long time ago, he thought to himself. Too long ago.
 
Sophie was not above compliment-fishing, but a compliment from him was so very honest that she couldn't bring herself to do it. Besides, one was enough. "Thank you. Pretty sharp yourself, Keith." She smiled and took him in now that he was more relaxed. This was much better. Still, it was pretty conservative for Keith's general style. It was something she found herself appreciating. Though her parents didn't control her love life, but it would be nice if they didn't hate him.

"I'm ready when you are." She smiled and thought about letting him drive, but thought better of it. Maybe another time. She was quickly reminded of the trouble he'd recently gotten himself into and frowned as she remembered he'd be going to court soon and that he would be going to his "friends" for their help...and he would have to do a "favor" for them.

"Yes, you have met them before," she said softly. Only then he was a cute little boy who'd been a steadfast friend to their little girl. Now...he was not. But he was quickly growing in her estimation.
 
"So where's the place?" Keith asked as he slipped his feet into his shoes. "It better not be Vinnie's," he added with a tongue in cheek. He stood beside her, waiting for her to put on her shoes, as well as to help her keep her balance in case she lost her footing. He leaned his shoulder against the wall with his hands halfway in his pockets, watching her.

"You sure you don't want me to drive?" He asked, teasing.
 
"It's my parents' house," Sophie said, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Mom made a huge breakfast with dad's help, and they invited us over." She chuckled and slipped into a nice pair of sandals before she got ready to leave. "You want to drive? Maybe on our way back. But I might not get my sweet little car back if you borrow it," she teased, pecking his cheek as she walked around him and opened the door.

"C'mon. Don't want the food to get too cold." She smiled and then left the apartment, glad for once that nothing strange was on the outside of it.
 
Well, that was unexpected. He thought that maybe they were going to a restaurant of some sort. That just made it even more...

His hands dove deeper down his pockets. It wasn't until he felt her lips on his cheek did he begin to relax somewhat.

He didn't speak much after they left the apartment, spending most of his time gazing out of the window of her car. He thought about her parents, and about how much he'd hate meeting himself if he were Sophie's father. Oh, he'd see the lip ring, the eyeliner, the dark brown, swept hair that covered over his eye. He'd judge, like most people. But the worst part of it was, Keith was the real deal. They would have a real reason to judge him. He was a small time car thief and a rising porn star. And he was a monster...at least that's what the old-school anime and manga portrayed his secret to be. He sighed, clutching the handle on the ceiling of her car. He knew already this wasn't going to go well. No wonder why he was so fucking nervous.

Keith kept his mouth shut nevertheless. Sophie looked so peaceful this morning, despite whatever happened between them earlier this morning, for better or worse. He didn't want to mess with that. He felt like thinking about something else.

"So your parents have a new place now," he said. "They've decided to live nearby so they can keep a good watch on you in case the big bad wolf shows up?"

As he said that, he could see the wolf in the mirror staring back at him when his eyes moved past his reflection. Was that how he felt about himself right now? Oh my fucking God, this was going to get awkward.
 
Sophie smirked and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. It didn't seem like he was relaxing much at all. She seemed to pick up on his line of thoughts about him being the big bad wolf however, so she just shrugged. "Personally? I just think they wanted a smaller place. Now that I'm not living there, they don't need quite so much room, they're getting older so they wanted all one level, so yeah. The fact that it was close to where I was going to be just sealed the deal."

She smiled at him and then turned her eyes to the road. "Besides, even if they had moved in to protect me, I'm not sure they could have handled Jeff and that big guy. What was he made of, concrete?" she asked, changing the subject to try and loosen him up a little. She wanted to remind him that there were far worse people in the world.

"I promise, I won't let my parents eat you alive, okay?" She grinned and then pulled into the driveway of a lovely house that belonged to Sophie's parents. It had a sort of class to it, but it still looked homey.
 
"You know, I think my feet still hurts from dropkicking him yesterday," he replied. "So I think you may be right about that."

He then threw out a laugh that almost seemed nervous. "Oh, don't worry about me," he replied. Really, what could he possibly say at this point? She knew he was nervous, but still, he had that male urge to want to make her feel comfortable and that he had things in control. He had so much more to learn, it seemed. He was only twenty, anyhow.

Her parents were well off, it seemed. The house may have been one-story high, but it was very cozy and welcoming. Probably a pleasant place to have a 4th of July BBQ. Keith was too wasted for his last 4th that he forgot how many girls (may have been some guys thrown in there too) he slept with, to recall any other sort of pleasantries.

"So we're here," he said, looking at her. He then opened the car door and left, reappearing on her side.
 
Surprised at how quickly he appeared on her side of the car she chuckled and stepped out. Happily, she took his hand in hers--both a show of reassurance, and because she wanted to, and walked to the door with him. Sophie smiled and rang the bell to be greeted by her mother. Instantly the older woman pulled Sophie into a hug, complimenting her dress and hair. A moment later, she noticed Keith.

For a moment, it appeared as though her brain had stopped functioning. "Oh, I'm sorry, I had a blonde moment," she said, laughing. In truth, she'd been surprised at the boy Sophie had brought home. He was handsome...in a decidedly alternative way. Even so, he was not the normal sort that she'd seen with her daughter over the years...Unless...

"Oh, my goodness, it's Keith!"

Sophie laughed and nodded. "Yup. All grown up...almost," she teased.

"OH! Where are my manners? Come on in, we're taking breakfast on the porch, so why don't you go out and join your father?" She smiled and ushered them both in. Sophie's mom, for all her faults was a nice, warm woman, that looked like she wasn't a day over 30. All in all, she looked very much like her daughter. Her hair was a shade lighter, however, with less brown undertones. "I just have to grab the condiments."

Sophie nodded and took Keith's hand. "Mom's always had a soft spot for you," she said as her mom disappeared into the kitchen. "Dad's another story..." she said, walking out into the screened in porch with him.

((Sorry, I don't feel very descriptive as far as their house goes...))
 
There was that aching sense of dread in the pit of his stomach as they neared the door. Keith could feel his strength leaving him as he stood there, watching Sophie's finger press the doorbell and hearing the muffled ring inside the house. Someone once said that there was no fear in the bang, but in the anticipation of it. It was Hitchcock, he thought.

Then the door opened. She looked a bit older, but she was still Sophie's mother. The way her eyes lit up outlined her cheery nature, and it made Keith relax a little bit watching her embrace her daughter. Soon, her gentle eyes met his, and the way her gray eyes sort of resembled Sophie's put him even more at ease. Her sense of humor further cemented that. He cracked out a smile--not that wry grin or that simmering smirk, but a simple, warm smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Renard," he said, feeling that wolf shifting into a gentleman. It might have been the skin of a gentlemanly sheep, but he was sure there were no wolves behind his smile. At least not any bad ones.

And then they were inside. The hand in Sophie's grip was clammy and a little stiff. It held on firmly, nevertheless. His eyes wandered around, loosely scanning the place while nodding. Sophie's words about her mother were soothing enough, but it was the mention of her father which really had him reeling once again.

He scoffed, smirking in an attempt to brush away his unease. "I'm thrilled to hear that," he said. His hand then gave her a slight squeeze, nearly slipping from the light sweat moistening his palm.
 
Other girls would have let go of his hand and gingerly wiped the sweat from it. Sophie held on and gave him a little reassuring squeeze. She wasn't going to throw him to the lions without any kind of protection. Smiling, she couldn't help but think that it was kind of cute the way he wanted to show her it didn't matter, even though it clearly did. Still, Sophie's mom would help keep him safe...at least through breakfast.

The house was furnished eclectically, and though it was neat, it looked lived in and comfortable enough. Sophie's mom was an art teacher, so paintings and sketches she'd done were hung all over the house. The hard wood floors were well taken care of and shone nicely. The fact that they were wearing shoes didn't seem to matter at the moment however. In fact, Sophie's mom was pretty laid back about it unless she'd just cleaned. Today, even she was wearing shoes in the house.

When they reached the door to the back porch, Sophie glanced at him and opened it, leading him through. The deck floors had been sealed so no insects could come through and the screened in porch also had windows to keep it winter-appropriate as well. There was a ceiling fan with a nice light, but the sun was what usually kept the room lit. For at night, there were also sconces on the wall.

The table--a metal wire number--was covered with a table cloth, and set with a great deal of dishes. There was a bowl with cut sausage links, a plate with bacon, a bowl of scrambled eggs, a lazy susan with butter, syrup and small bowls of berries and whipped cream.

Finally there was room in the center for a covered dish of french toast---her mother's specialty. Her father, who had helped with the meat side of things was sitting in a wire-mesh chair with a soft, but supportive cushion strapped to it. He smiled the instant he saw his daughter walk through the door. "My little girl!" he said, cheerfully.

Sophie was forced to let go of Keith's hand to hug her father and smiled, as he pulled away. "So pretty today," he said, and then he looked over at Keith. The smile faltered for only a tiny moment and he looked back at his girl. "Who's your friend, Soph?"

"Dad, this is Keith. Keith, this is my dad. You remember, dad, Keith and I used to play together."

It was all too clear that Spencer Renard had not forgotten. He hadn't liked the little kid back then--always hanging around Sophie and getting her into trouble. And always playing in that chair of his. He never thought little girls should have little boy friends. Sophie should have been playing with little girls her age. It never sat well with him that they had been such good friends. The move of Keith's parents had relieved him a little, though it was sad to see the kind of parents he'd had and the way Sophie had missed him.

Spencer also remembered the fact that Keith had made Sophie cry on a number of occasions for no good reason. The fact that he'd hurt his daughter quite a bit. It just didn't make sense to him that Keith would be here with her today. Nor that she was smiling about it. Clearly, he would need to get to the bottom of this. If that emo kid wanted to hurt his daughter again, he had a tire iron and some friends down at the police station that might look the other way.

The older man fixed a smile on his face for now, however, deciding not to upset his little girl. He'd have to wait till he was alone with the kid. Was that eyeliner? And what was up with his hair? At least his clothes were nice enough, but really? "Why don't you have a seat? Breakfast will be ready shortly," he said, taking his seat again.

Sophie, in a move of diplomacy, sat next to her father, putting a little buffer between him and her father. Her mother, however, would have full access to the boy in question. Speaking of her mother, Deliah Renard came out of the house with a pitcher of orange juice, and a pitcher of milk on a tray. She set them down on the table in the proper places and the put the tray down on a shelf nearby. "Alright, folks. Let's eat. I'm a hungry gal." That said, the covers were taken off of the food and set aside while everyone passed the food around and took what they wanted.

"It's so nice to have company, isn't it? Now Keith, don't be shy. You tell me how everything tastes, okay?" She smiled sweetly and then loaded up her plate with pretty much everything on the table before adding her toppings to the toast and digging in. "Mmmmm, delicious," she said after a bite. She raised her glass of orange juice and toasted to her daughter, who did it back and then ate.
 
He felt that. The gentle squeeze back which said nothing yet spoke volumes. He looked at her with eyes which told her that everything was fine, yet it was clear the entire sand castle was already dipped into the sea. Yeah, he was okay, but really, he was feeling like he was fucked. But still, even if the world were about to end at the stroke of noon, the smell of bacon always seemed to alleviate the situation.

The sweet, distinct aroma of sausage, bacon, and eggs caught the attention of Keith's nose, drawing his attention away from his inner turmoil and sent it diving towards the table outside. Nestled in a field of covered plates, there was a distinctly larger plate in the center, which Keith wondered for a moment what it was, until he smelled what seemed like french toast, which deliciously filled in the blanks for his appetite to whet over.

Just as he was enjoying the thought of sinking his teeth into a thick, chewy mound of french toast, he saw him. Keith could remember how anxious he felt around Sophie's father. That keen, watchful eye which always seemed to judge him whenever he bounced on his recliner always made him nervous. Maybe that was why he was feeling so tense right now. It was like some kind of negative nostalgia. He never felt comfortable sitting in a room alone with the man, and the fact that he hardly ever paid any attention to him, let alone took any time to greet him, made it seem even more clear that he wasn't welcome around Sophie. Now that he was all grown up, that feeling still remained, carried over from childhood with the same fervor and passion like his very first kiss.

"Hello, sir," Keith said, nodding. He forced a smile from his lips, noticing her father's abrupt smile cut short at the sight of him. He was about to pull out his hand for him to shake, but his offer to sit down and take a seat made him hesitate, so all he was left to do was comply with the man's orders.

He didn't like how it was going already. It seemed as though her father hadn't changed at all--if not, he only hardened and became even more protective of Sophie. Mulling this over as he sat down, Keith just began to feel that there was a chance he could be right. Maybe Sophie was too good for someone like Keith. It didn't matter whether or not they grew up together, walked home as kids, shared an innocent kiss under a swaying tree, or did math problems together. What mattered was the present, and Keith just wasn't the same wide-eyed, brave kid anymore. He was...different now. And that difference didn't seem to match what someone like Sophie was best for.

Then Sophie took the seat between her father and him. He welcomed the gesture, but it only seemed to make it even more apparent this was going to be an uphill battle. She was protecting him now, as ironic as it seemed, since this wasn't a battle which could be won with fists, headbutts, and Heineken bottles, it was diplomacy, and it was something he was grateful to have Sophie (and perhaps her mother?) on his side.

His mind went back to food once Sophie's mother appeared with the morning refreshments. Even as a child Keith was always amazed how pretty her mother looked. No wonder why the sight of her put him at ease. She shared quite a resemblance to her daughter, for whom Keith could simply not stop thinking about. She did lack some of Sophie's more prominent curves, but the lady had some impressive features of her own.

He quietly helped pass the food along, keeping a careful eye on Sophie's father as he contributed to the movement of plates. "Oh, you know I will," he replied to Deliah, picking out a few bacon strips. "So far, I love it already, and I haven't even tasted it yet."

Deliah chuckled. "Be sure to try the french toast," she said. "It's my specialty."

Spencer, on the other hand, kept his eyes down on his breakfast. The food on his plate was meticulously shuffled in a neat arrangement which nearly looked uncanny at how ordered it looked. The sausage links were packed in a perfect square, while the french toast, eggs, and the bacon seemed placed in a perfectly symmetric pattern. Keith then began to understand what Sophie got from him. He just hoped she didn't inherit his attitude towards him as well.

Once it was time for Keith to load up his plate, he kept his servings conservatively limited. For some reason, he wasn't feeling as hungry as he should have been, even though he still had an appetite. All that milk he drank from Sophie that morning must have filled him up. The sight of the pitcher of milk didn't help either. It just made him want to steal furtive glances at Sophie, but he knew that wasn't going to be a good idea. He just continued to eat, even though there was only one piece of french toast, a couple drops of syrup, and one bacon and sausage link, with about a tablespoon portion of eggs. He better pile some more later before her parents start thinking he was trying to starve himself.
 
Sophie smiled at him and made sure that her father remained civil. "Great stuff mom. You too dad." She smiled and happily munched on the free food she'd wrangled out of her parents. She always did love big breakfasts with her family. Had she been there to help, she might have added a potato dish to the already perfect set up. But that might have been just a little much.

She noticed how little Keith was eating and wondered if it was just because of his nerves or if there was more to it than that. She made a note to ask him about it later. The pretty redhead filled in her parents about how she was helping Keith study and a select few other things about her life, being careful not to mention anything about Jeff. The last thing she really needed was for them to freak out.

Not to mention the fact that she didn't want to explain Keith's involvement. But damn it all that was when her mother jumped in. "So, Keith, what have you been up to lately?" She asked, taking a rather decadent bite of syrupy toast. Spencer lifted his eyes from the plate in interest and nodded. "Yes, tell us about yourself," he said. Deliah was ready to kick his shin if he did so much as grunted the wrong way.
 
The fullness was almost overwhelming. It was like he did not have to eat at all. Nevertheless, he tried to fill his plate, taking another slice of french toast, along with some more bacon. He accepted the orange juice just to appear polite, but he only took a few sips. Deliah's french toast was incredibly good, and even though Keith felt like he had consumed an entire watermelon by himself, he was able to find the willingness to devour it, ripping through his plate as he always liked to do. Spencer eyed him as he ate, studying him with a silence which only meant to Keith that he was already disapproving him.

Keith took a few more bites before he began to feel a little sick. He slowed down, taking in smaller portions, until he could only nibble. He shifted in his seat, feeling as though he were going to burst. "This is so good, Mrs. Renard. Mr. Renard," Keith said, trying his damn hardest to keep his composure in check. If he wasn't careful, this could get even more awkward.

Thank god Sophie was here, and that he was at least in good terms with Deliah. He was beginning to feel as though he may be able to survive through this until Deliah brought up the dreaded question. Keith could only swallow his food to mask a large gulp before beginning to reply. "I've...just been going to class. I have a few classes with Sophie," he replied, smiling. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but I think it may have something to do with art."

That was the truth, and it was a plan which simply emerged the moment he said it. Art...sounded much better to him than anything else. It also suited his appearance, so there was no reason to hide that. He could tell her father would be disappointed with an answer like that. There was no money in art--well, unless he became a teacher or something, but still, Sophie's father wasn't going to be so easy on him; he was sure of it.
 
Spencer received a sharp kick in the shin as Deliah caught the look on his face. She was not pleased that this morning was being upset by her husband's insistence that this boy was trouble. Surely, he deserved the benefit of the doubt. If Sophie was okay with his presence here, then she could accept him to. For now. She smiled at the thought of him being in the arts. "Ah, a fellow artist. Well, I certainly hope it pleases you."

Spencer coughed a little when he remembered his wife was an art teacher. He couldn't exactly disapprove of Keith's decision without stepping into some very dangerous waters with his wife. Sophie smirked and glanced over at Keith. He had no idea what a safe comment that was in this house.

Breakfast had been delicious, but almost all of them were finished eating now, so his portions would have gone unnoticed. Deliah grinned and seemed to be delighted. From what she could tell, he'd matured enough for her daughter to have forgiven him, and he was taking a direction in his life. She was sure he'd had his fair share of troubles in life, what with his parents. And all of their troubles. She'd heard rumors, but she wasn't going to ask more than he was willing to tell. For now.

"Well, thank you for inviting us for breakfast. This was really good."

"Oh, of course. You're welcome any time. I suppose you have some studying to do, right?" Sophie nodded and smiled. "Well, if I can just get some help bringing the dishes back in, we'll let you two be on your way. Do call later, though, Sophie."

Spencer got up and started collecting plates. "Bit off more than you could chew, eh?" At least he had a healthy appetite. Still, something didn't quite sit right. "Sophie, grab the meat dishes will ya? There's only room for about two people at a time at the sink and meat goes bad faster than your mom's toast or eggs."

Sophie did what she was asked and left Keith alone with Deliah.
 
"Yes sir," he said, nodding. There was no way he was going to get on his bad side by being coy, so Keith played it safe wherever he could.

He was ready to join Sophie with helping them clean up when he realized they were split in pairs, and he was left alone with Deliah relaxed in her seat, gazing peacefully at him with her elbows resting on the table. "Please Keith, have a seat," she said, smiling. "You still haven't finished your food."

"I...just wanted to help..." he said, pausing in mid-sentence with his thumb pointing in the direction Sophie and her father went.

She chuckled, shaking her head. Her eyes were thin slits as she laughed heartedly. "No, no. It's fine. Are you okay with that? It seems like you might need to make that to-go."

"Yes, I think I will have to, regrettably," Keith said, feeling more relaxed around her. "Thank you for breakfast, Mrs. Renard. If I had been hungrier, I would have easily finished it."

"Oh Keith, you haven't changed much," she said, laughing. After a few seconds she studied him in a peaceful silence. It was serene in a strange way...mostly because he could see Sophie so much in her face. "I wonder what else hasn't changed about you."

He broke out a smile. "I'm still the same Keith you remembered," he said, throwing out a chuckle of his own. "Yup, same old."

"Oh are you?" Deliah said, grinning. Her eyes wandered off in the direction of where Sophie disappeared to. Then they went back to Keith.

"I'm in love with her, in case you were wondering," Keith said. For some odd reason, he just felt like sharing it with her, as though somehow, he were saying those words to Sophie herself, except in a different form. "That's never changed," he finished. His green eyes were fixated on hers as he said that.
 
Deliah thought on what he'd said for a moment. She could tell, even when they were just little tykes that he'd felt that way about her. He'd always insisted on walking her home and whenever Sophie was too sick to play his green eyes took on a kind of sadness that was adorable. Of course, Sophie never saw it, so she wasn't aware of the things Deliah had been. She smiled at the memory and then frowned a little. After he moved away he had decidedly changed.

Knowing that Keith had liked Sophie when they were little made her believe that he still did when he started picking on her...but it still hurt her to know that for awhile he really had hurt her only daughter. "Well, there's something I think I've always known. You know, I lost a lot of points with Sophie when I defended you. She claimed that I hadn't understood the kind of teasing you did to her. She was hurt pretty badly."

She looked straight into his eyes as she continued. "Sophie gets her willingness to forgive from me. She'll admit when she's wrong. I almost admitted it about you. If Sophie somehow forgave you, then I suppose I should too. But I am a mother, Keith. When my daughter came home crying it hurt me too. I think I deserve a little explanation."

Inside the house, Sophie helped her father put the leftovers into containers and started to soak the dishes. Spencer looked at his daughter thoughtfully and sighed softly. "Okay, Sophie. How on earth did you and that boy end up as study partners...and why is he at breakfast again?" he asked, the stress in his voice making it clear that he was not pleased.

Sophie looked up at him and frowned. "Dad...."

Spencer shook his head. "No, don't 'dad' me. He has spent most of his high school career picking on you and making you feel horrible about yourself. I never really liked him when he was little--always getting you into trouble. Now how on earth did he get you to help him?"

Sophie fixed on her most determined and disappointed look courtesy of her mother. It sent a pang of guilt into his stomach. "Dad, calm down, okay? Look, nobody knows better than me how much he hurt me. I wouldn't do something that I hadn't thought through. We both just want to put the past behind us and move on."

"Sophie, you wouldn't even speak to him three days ago. What in the hell happened?"

"Look, some guy was giving me trouble. He would not back off. Keith was walking by and he saw it and...he got rid of the guy for me..." she said. Spencer gave her a look and raised an eyebrow. "Fine, there was a fight. Anyway, this guy sent his friend to bother me and Keith stopped him too. I figured I owed him so I offered to help him out and he agreed. And since then we decided to just put it behind us so we could work together, okay? Besides, we got assigned to be partners in our art class, so we kind of can't avoid each other now."

He looked very displeased. This was the same man that had told her never to accept an invitation to be someone's Valentine. The man who had told her that boys were not to be trusted and that she should be playing with little girls. The same guy who'd never liked Keith and had always thought he would mean trouble for Sophie. Unfortunately he couldn't argue with her.

"Alright, but you had better be careful," he said, stashing the breakfast meat in the fridge. "Finish up those dishes, hm? Then you can go," he said, heading back for the porch.
 
Keith smiled at her. Just a few days ago, it all felt so petty. All his anger and resentment stemmed from being rejected by her on Valentine's Day. He would get genuinely upset thinking about it, and then he'd just take it out on himself for getting bent out of shape over something so small and insignificant...yet it wasn't something he'd forgotten, was it?

"You won't believe this, but a lot of it has to do with us in Elementary School," he said, feeling embarrassed. His cheeks began to grow red; he had to look away from her as he continued. "It was Valentine's Day, and I really liked her. Every time we were together, it just felt so clear to me that there was nobody else I'd rather be with. I learned at a very young age what love felt like, and she was the reason behind it."

He paused, gauging her with vulnerable eyes. "I don't know why I feel so comfortable admitting all of this to you, Mrs. Renard. I've kept a lot of this to myself."

Deliah tilted her head--much in the same way Sophie would, and scooted in close to him. She rested her hand over his forearm. "I'm listening, Keith," she said. "Please, go on."

"It just never made any sense," he continued. "Whenever we were just hanging out, it just seemed so right, but then, every time there was that moment where you're expecting something to happen, she just went cold."

Deliah gasped, raising her hand to her mouth. "She broke your heart on Valentine's Day, did she?"

His eyes went up to hers. "...Yes," he said, nodding.
 
Deliah frowned. So that was it. Her little Sophie had turned into a heart breaker at such an early age because of what Spencer had told her. She sighed and put her head in her hands. She'd told him he was being too structured, that he was teaching Sophie to be too unforgiving and too hard. Of course, Deliah had been right.

"How terrible..." she really did feel for the boy sitting next to her. "I'm sorry that that's where this all stems from. But you know...Spencer told her a lot of things when she was little. He always disapproved of her little friends that were boys--especially you, since you were the closest. But he specifically told her never to accept an invitation to be a valentine. She just wanted to be a good girl, so she listened to him." With a sigh, she squeezed his shoulder.

"Spencer was very strict with her in regard to boys. I think part of the reason she always shut down was because she just didn't know what to do." Smiling at him. "It had nothing to do with her not liking you Keith. She just didn't know what you felt, and she had my super wonderful husband to thank for that. In his defense, he was just trying to be a good father."

At this, Spencer entered the porch again, a smile fixed on his face as he gathered some more dishes for the kitchen. "Sophie's finishing up some dishes, hun. Why don't you grab the toast and fix them a little left over box?"

Deliah winked at Keith and gave his arm another squeeze before taking up the rest of the breakfast foods and smiling at Keith. "I'll send Sophie out soon," she said, walking past her husband with a look that said, "You are in sooo much trouble."
 
Keith let his jaw drop. "So you're telling me that she's always felt that way about me, but has been holding back because of her father?" It began to make a whole lot more sense now. How could he even doubt her to begin with? All that time, he had assumed she was just being a prude or simply didn't like him at all. He never felt wise enough to see things from her point of view. Realizing this, a smile brightened his face. He really wanted to see her again. There was another layer in this relationship he had overlooked.

He couldn't blame her father though. Keith was mean to her in High School, no doubt, and he wasn't exactly a prince while he was in grade school either. But shit, he had to find a way to get on the man's good side...without having to change himself. There had to be some kind of compromise somewhere. He could understand how frustrated Spencer felt living as the only man in the house, all while having to maintain his sense of dignity as a man. Seeing Keith court his only daughter would simply make things worse since that put him on full defensive. As far as Spencer was concerned, Keith was the nasty wolf which came to snag his poor daughter away. Nasty wolves were usually dark in composition and the eyeliner didn't help with that either.

And now, he was standing alone in the backyard with Spencer, the patriarchal figure who was somehow indirectly responsible for this whole mess. Keith didn't want to blame him for it. It was like what Deliah said. He was being a good father, and if it weren't for him, Sophie might have been in a whole different place right now in her life. But still, knowing that much about the way he raised Sophie, he still couldn't help but feel a little contemptuous for him. In some way, Spencer had made Keith who he was. But still...he was the father of the one girl he truly ever loved.

"Let me help you with that, Mr. Renard," Keith said, gathering up some utensils and napkins, while lifting up some trays. He had no idea where to start, but if he could show him some gratitude for breakfast, that seemed like a swell place to start.
 
"No, no. You're a guest. Have a seat. I want to talk to you," Spencer said, gesturing for Keith to sit down. He breathed a sigh and shook his head. "I think you and I both know that I've never been a huge fan of you. You put my daughter through Hell in high school and I never want to see her that sad again. If I find out that you do anything to make her cry, know that I will find you and inflict as much pain on you as possible." He glared in Keith's direction and took a deep breath.

"That said, Sophie told me you protected her from some creeps that were bothering her. For that, you have my gratitude. At this point, it's the only reason I'm not punching you. You have to understand," he said. "She is my only child. My little girl. Now if you did something to get back into her good graces, I can't argue with her logic. But I can tell you that if you mess this up, you can bet your ass, that I'm going to make sure she sees the risk of ever trusting you again. I know what you can do to her heart, and I do not want to Sit back and just let the worst happen if I can stop it." The man was absolutely ferocious.

Deliah, by this time had relayed the information she'd gleaned from Keith to Sophie. "You know he told me you broke his heart on Valentine's Day. I told him why. It seemed to clear things up a lot for him."

Sophie started cleaning more dishes while Deliah put together two bento boxes of breakfast foods for them and smiled as she set the aside before putting the other food into tupperware and the refrigerator. The rest of the dishes were rinsed and put into the dishwasher. She looked at her mother and shook her head.

"He's changed, you know."

"Oh, undoubtedly. But I felt that he deserved to know."

"And you left him alone with dad?"

"He deserves a little piece of mind too, you know." She smiled and hugged her daughter close. "Mmm, I'm just glad things are patched up between you now, Sophie. It's so sad to loose such a dear friend that way."

"I love you mom, I do, but I can't leave him alone with dad. They'll rip each other apart."

"Well take your breakfast and we'll both go out, hm?"

So Deliah picked up a box and Sophie took the other and both of the radiant Renard women appeared at once.
 
Keith promptly listened to the man and took a seat. Her dad was sure showing some balls talking to him like that, since it rang with a steady, albeit, menacing truth. Keith listened, taking in Spencer's threatening words as his hands curled into fists. He nodded back, his single, visible eye serious, yet calm. It was all understandable. It was all understandable. It was what all good fathers do. Or did they? Keith's father wasn't like that. But then again, his old man never had a daughter.

He let angry Spencer finish. There was no way he'd come out of an argument without receiving any bruises, so it was always good to either keep his mouth shut or agree wholeheartedly. Luckily, Keith was a fan of the latter. Besides, didn't he promise her that he would never hurt her?

Keith nodded. "Yes sir. Her well-being is my well-being," he said, hoping that might calm him down. He doubted it. "You have my word that she won't ever get hurt because of me. She means too much to me already."

He then closed his mouth, covering his gritting teeth with his lips. This was...almost unbearable, but it wasn't nearly as bad as he had expected. Hitchcock had been right.

And then, from the corner of his single, revealed eye, Keith made out the Renard ladies entering the backyard.
 
Sophie smiled and Deliah nodded at him as if to say, "We're here to save you." And save him they did. "Well, boys, I hope you had a good talk." Deliah gave a pointed look at her husband as Sophie rejoined Keith. Deliah pressed the box into Keith's hands and smiled. "Well I hope you enjoyed breakfast. It was nice to see you again." She smiled sweetly and seemed to cancel out the bad vibes coming from Spencer.

Sophie nodded. "Thanks for breakfast guys. It was fantastic." She gave her parents a hug good bye and Deliah gave Keith a hug as well, Spencer offered a tightly-gripped handshake and then the two of them were shown to the door and freed.

"Well...thank you for coming with. I'm sorry I had to leave you with my dad. But, it wasn't so bad...was it?" She asked, looking a little worried about it as they headed for her car.
 
He thanked both of them, giving Spencer a silent nod before departing with Sophie, box in hand. "Thank you for breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Renard. It was so delicious." He then accompanied Sophie to her car, gazing at her profile as he walked beside her.

He looked at her in a new light now. It was like the dam's bricks began to shuffle forth, and the water of his emotions began to flow. No, he wasn't crying, nor was he having an accident. He was feeling like it was easier to open up to her about his more buried feelings.

"No," he said. "It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought, but it was still painful." He then paused once he said that. "Your mom told me about how you and your dad were. I'm sorry if I ever judged you that way. I just didn't know." He then bit his lip, looking at her. She looked even more beautiful to him now, after learning that it was not all her fault. He felt like brushing his fingers through her hair...which he did, stopping them in the driveway in front of her car.

The tip of his finger brushed past the soft lobe of her ear, bending it swiftly as his hand felt the curve of her head in that bundle of vibrant red. "It changed the way I look at things, and I think I can say I completely understand now. And, I just can't help but tell you that I'm feeling really happy about it now." His thumb stroked around the corner of her left eye, feeling the dimple of her temple. "I really want to kiss you right now, but I think your parents may be watching, so I can't--but I really do."
 
Sophie smiled at his comment about it still being painful. At least it was over now. And then he was apologizing to her. She looked at him, a little surprised at the way he was just coming out to say it. But it made her happy to know that he at least understood better now. Trying to explain to him hadn't worked so very well. But Her mom always knew how to handle stuff like this.

As he stopped her, she felt herself blush a little, heart beating faster as he brushed her hair behind her ear and told her he wanted to kiss her. She laughed and smiled up at him. "Well maybe you'll get a chance to do it later."

She unlocked the car and kissed his cheek, letting the innocent act stand as a reminder that it was not up to her parents who she dated. She smiled and then put her box in his hands, hopping in on the driver's side. Once he was in, she drove about two blocks away before pulling over and looking over at him.

"Okay, so I think you've definitely earned the right to drive home." She chuckled and undid her seatbelt, waiting for him to do the same.
 
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