Chapter: Stay the Night – Keifer's POV
I should've left.
That was the plan.
Come over. Make sure she's okay. Survive the chaos. Go home.
Simple.
Except nothing in this house is simple anymore.
After the third round of pillow war, Kuya Angelo finally climbed upstairs himself and stood at the doorway like a disappointed principal.
The room went silent immediately.
Feathers floating midair.
Ci N frozen in a dramatic pose.
Aries holding a pillow like it was evidence in court.
Jay sitting on the bed trying not to laugh.
And me… standing there like I absolutely had nothing to do with it.
Kuya Angelo looked at the destruction.
Then at us.
Then at me.
"You," he said calmly. "I expected better."
I raised both hands slightly. "I was dragged into this."
"Liar!" Jay whispered loudly.
Ci N pointed at me. "He joined willingly!"
Aries nodded. "Enthusiastically."
Traitors.
Kuya Angelo pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Dinner in thirty minutes. Clean this up."
"Yes, Kuya," Jay answered immediately.
He looked at the rest of us.
"That includes you."
Ci N saluted.
Aries rolled his eyes.
I nodded.
When he left, the silence lasted exactly two seconds.
Then Ci N whispered dramatically, "We live in fear."
Aries smacked him lightly. "We live because of him."
Jay laughed and started picking up pillows.
I helped her quietly.
"You okay?" I asked softly.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"You look… lighter."
She paused for a second.
"I feel lighter."
That did something to my chest.
Dinner was surprisingly peaceful.
No shouting.
No wars.
Just food, quiet conversations, and occasional teasing.
Ci N talked about school.
Aries argued about football.
Jay mostly listened, smiling softly.
I caught Kuya Angelo watching her a few times.
Not suspicious.
Just protective.
After dinner, I stood up and grabbed my jacket.
"I should head home," I said.
Jay looked at me immediately.
Not sad.
Just slightly reluctant.
"I'll walk you out," she said.
Before she could move—
Kuya Angelo spoke.
"It's late."
I paused.
"It's fine," I replied politely.
He looked at the clock.
"It's almost ten."
"I've driven later."
He leaned back in his chair slightly.
"You can stay."
The room went silent.
I blinked.
"I don't want to impose."
"You're not," he said calmly. "You're already here."
I hesitated.
I wasn't expecting that.
Staying over felt… different.
More serious.
Jay looked between us quietly.
Aries suddenly leaned forward.
"Yes, stay."
Ci N's eyes widened.
"Sleepover?"
Kuya Angelo shot them a look.
They both immediately straightened up.
"I mean," Aries corrected himself. "For safety reasons."
Ci N nodded seriously. "Yes. Safety."
I looked at Kuya Angelo again.
"You're sure?"
He studied me for a moment.
Then said, "If you're going to keep showing up anyway, you might as well stay when it's late."
That almost sounded like approval.
Almost.
I hesitated one last time.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
And that was the biggest mistake.
Because the second the word left my mouth—
Jay gasped.
Aries jumped up.
Ci N screamed.
"YESSSS!"
"SLEEPOVERRR!"
Jay clapped her hands like a child.
Aries pointed at me dramatically. "Welcome to the chaos officially!"
Ci N started jumping in circles.
"This is historic!"
Kuya Angelo stood up slowly.
Silence.
"Sit."
All three of them froze.
Jay immediately sat down.
Aries followed.
Ci N dropped to the chair like he was in military training.
Kuya Angelo looked at them sternly.
"This is not a festival."
"Yes, Kuya," they said together.
"And if I hear one scream after eleven—"
"We won't!" Ci N answered too quickly.
Kuya Angelo narrowed his eyes.
"Good."
He walked away toward his office.
The second he disappeared—
Jay leaned toward me, whispering excitedly, "You're staying."
I couldn't help smiling.
"Apparently."
Aries stood up again. "Okay, arrangements."
Ci N raised his hand. "I volunteer to sleep anywhere except the floor."
"You always say that," Aries muttered.
Jay looked at me shyly. "You can take the couch."
I pretended to look offended.
"The couch?"
She tried not to laugh. "Or… Aries' room."
Aries choked. "Absolutely not."
Ci N grinned. "I support that idea."
"You support chaos," Aries snapped.
Jay looked between all of us.
"This house is too small for this much drama."
I stepped closer to her.
"I'm fine anywhere."
She looked up at me.
"Even the couch?"
"Especially if you visit."
Her cheeks turned slightly pink.
Behind us—
"Oh my God," Aries groaned.
Ci N covered his face. "I can't handle this."
Jay lightly hit my arm.
"Behave."
"I am behaving."
She smiled softly.
And for a second, the noise faded again.
Kuya Angelo came back briefly.
"Guest room," he said. "Keifer, you can use it."
"Thank you, Kuya."
"And lights out by midnight."
"Yes, Kuya," the three of them replied automatically.
He paused.
Then added, "That includes whispering."
Ci N's mouth opened.
Closed.
He nodded silently.
When Kuya Angelo left for the night, the house energy shifted again.
Not rebellious.
Just… excited.
Aries stretched dramatically. "Okay, rules."
Ci N immediately interrupted. "No rules."
"There are always rules."
Jay sat cross-legged on the couch. "What rules?"
"No screaming," Aries said.
Ci N raised his hand. "Define screaming."
"Anything above your normal volume."
"That's discrimination."
Jay burst out laughing again.
I leaned against the wall, watching them.
This felt… different.
Not just fun.
Not just chaos.
It felt like being let inside something.
Like I wasn't just visiting anymore.
"You're smiling like an idiot," Jay said softly to me.
"Am I?"
"Yes."
"Good."
She looked at me carefully.
"You sure you're okay staying?"
"I'm more than okay."
Ci N suddenly jumped between us.
"Group photo!"
Before I could react, he held up his phone.
Aries groaned but stood next to us anyway.
Jay ended up right beside me again.
Ci N squeezed in from the other side.
"Smile!"
We did.
Click.
He looked at the photo.
Then grinned widely.
"Perfect."
Aries glanced at it.
"You look like a married couple."
Jay nearly choked.
Ci N nodded. "With chaotic children."
I pointed at both of them. "Absolutely not."
Jay was laughing too hard to defend herself.
Then the clock chimed softly downstairs.
Ten-thirty.
"You should sleep," she said gently.
"Are you kicking me out already?"
"No," she smiled. "Just pretending to be responsible."
Aries stood up. "I'm going to bed before Kuya checks."
Ci N saluted dramatically. "Same."
They disappeared upstairs arguing about who gets which pillow.
I stayed in the living room with Jay for a moment longer.
The house was quieter now.
Calmer.
She stepped closer to me.
"You didn't have to stay," she said softly.
"I wanted to."
She looked down briefly.
"I like when you're here."
My chest tightened.
"I'll be here whenever you need."
She looked up again.
"I don't need you."
That made me pause.
She smiled softly.
"I choose you."
That hit deeper than anything else tonight.
I reached for her hand gently.
"And I choose you."
Footsteps suddenly echoed upstairs.
Aries' voice: "LIGHTS OFF IN FIVE MINUTES!"
Ci N shouted back: "STOP ACTING LIKE A DAD!"
Jay laughed quietly.
"You should go to the guest room before they drag you into something."
"Probably wise."
She hesitated for half a second.
Then stepped forward and hugged me again.
Not rushed.
Not embarrassed.
Just warm.
I wrapped my arms around her gently.
"This house is insane," I murmured.
"It is."
"I kind of like it."
"Me too."
Upstairs, something fell loudly.
Then Ci N yelled, "IT WASN'T ME!"
Aries shouted, "LIAR!"
Jay buried her face in my chest laughing.
"Welcome to the family," she whispered.
Family.
The word settled inside me quietly.
Not heavy.
Not overwhelming.
Just… right.
When I finally walked toward the guest room, I felt something I hadn't felt in days.
Not tension.
Not anger.
Not worry.
Just warmth.
Because tonight, I wasn't leaving her behind in a house full of problems.
I was staying.
And upstairs, three idiots were probably fighting over pillows again.
And somehow…
That felt like peace.