Chapter: Not Letting Go
(Keif's POV)
I woke up before Jay.
Which was rare.
Usually she was the chaotic hurricane that woke everyone up.
But today…
She was quiet.
Curled against me.
Her head resting on my chest, her arm wrapped around my waist like she had decided I was her personal pillow.
My arm was still around her.
And honestly?
I didn't move.
Because yesterday kept replaying in my head.
The lake.
The snake.
Jay collapsing in my arms.
For a second yesterday… I genuinely thought I was going to lose her.
Just remembering it made my chest tighten.
My grip around her tightened slightly.
No.
Not happening again.
Jay shifted slightly in her sleep and pressed her face closer to my chest.
"…Keif…"
She murmured my name softly, still half asleep.
My heart did something stupid.
I sighed quietly.
"Yeah… I'm here."
Her breathing slowed again.
Still sleeping.
Cute.
Too cute.
I looked down at her face.
Her hair was messy.
Her lips slightly parted.
And without thinking—
I leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Soft.
Gentle.
"Good morning, Barracuda."
She didn't wake up.
But a few minutes later she started moving again.
Her eyebrows scrunched slightly.
Then her eyes slowly opened.
She blinked once.
Twice.
Then looked up at me.
"…Why are you staring at me?"
I smirked.
"Because you're glued to me."
She looked down.
Realized she was hugging me again.
And immediately tried to move away.
"Wait—"
She tried to sit up.
But the moment she moved her leg—
She winced.
I immediately grabbed her waist.
"Don't."
"I'm fine."
"No."
"Keif—"
"Jay."
She rolled her eyes.
"I can walk."
"No."
"I'm not dying."
"You fainted yesterday."
"That was dramatic."
"You got bitten by a snake."
"And I survived."
Before she could argue more—
I suddenly lifted her.
Straight into my arms.
Princess style.
Jay blinked.
"…What are you doing?"
"Carrying you."
"I have legs."
"Not using them."
"Keifer."
"No."
"Put me down."
"No."
"KEIF."
"No."
She stared at me like she wanted to murder me.
But I just walked out of the room.
Still carrying her.
Down the stairs.
Into the living room.
Where everyone was already there.
Cin.
Aries.
Ella.
Keigan.
Keiran.
The moment they saw us—
They froze.
Cin slowly put down his drink.
"…Why are you carrying her like a kidnapped princess?"
Jay immediately pointed at me.
"Because this idiot refuses to let me walk!"
I shrugged.
"She got bitten yesterday."
Aries smirked.
"Protective boyfriend mode."
Jay groaned.
"I hate all of you."
But I still didn't put her down.
Not once.
Not even during breakfast.
I sat down on the couch.
Jay still in my arms.
Cin stared at us.
"…Bro."
"What."
"You've been carrying her for like twenty minutes."
"And?"
"Are you planning to put her down?"
"No."
Jay tried to stand again.
I tightened my arm around her waist immediately.
"Sit."
"I want to walk!"
"No."
"Why?!"
My voice lowered slightly.
"…Because I almost lost you yesterday."
The room went quiet.
Jay froze.
Her expression softened a little.
Then she sighed dramatically.
"…Fine."
Cin clapped slowly.
"Wow."
Aries laughed.
"Barracuda surrendered."
Jay glared at them.
"Shut up."
But she didn't try to leave again.
And honestly?
I kept her with me the whole day.
Kitchen?
She was in my arms.
Living room?
On my lap.
Balcony?
Still carried.
Every time she tried to walk—
I stopped her.
Every.
Single.
Time.
By afternoon she gave up completely.
"You're insane."
"Probably."
"You're not letting me walk even one step."
"No."
"Keif."
"Hmm?"
"You're overreacting."
Maybe.
But I didn't care.
Because every time I remembered her collapsing yesterday—
My chest tightened again.
So instead of answering—
I pulled her slightly closer.
And kissed her.
Right on the lips.
Jay blinked in surprise.
"Keif—"
But I kissed her again.
Deeper this time.
Her hand grabbed my hoodie instinctively.
And after a second…
She kissed back.
Slow.
Warm.
The kind of kiss that made the whole world disappear for a moment.
Then suddenly—
Cin's voice exploded from across the room.
"BRO CAN YOU TWO STOP EATING EACH OTHER'S FACES FOR FIVE MINUTES?"
Jay immediately pushed me slightly.
"SEE?!"
Aries laughed loudly.
"Too late, we already saw everything."
Ella covered her eyes dramatically.
"I feel single."
Keigan leaned toward Keiran.
"…Is this normal?"
Keiran nodded.
"I think kuya Keif is obsessed."
Jay buried her face in my shoulder.
"This house is embarrassing."
I smirked.
Then tilted her chin up again.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Don't you dare—"
Too late.
I kissed her again.
Deeper.
Longer.
Her fingers grabbed my hoodie again.
And somewhere behind us—
Cin screamed dramatically.
"THIS IS TORTURE."
Aries laughed.
Ella threw a pillow at us.
And Jay—
Despite pretending to be annoyed—
Didn't pull away.
Not even once.