ᕙ༼Jay Jay's༽ᕗPOV
I shifted against him, my voice small and trembling. "I just want to stay in our widdle bubble. No want to go to the big, loud building."Keifer's heart beat steady against my cheek as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Oh, is my tiny princess feeling shy today? Does she just want to stay tucked in Keifer's arms forever and ever?"
"Yes," I whispered, sniffing. "The projects are too big and the people are too many."
"My poor widdle baby," he cooed, pressing soft, lingering kisses to my forehead. "Keifer gonna keep you so close, okay? You can be my widdle shadow. If the world gets too loud, you just hide right here. No one's gonna bother my precious girl while I'm around."I curled my fingers into his shirt, feeling a little braver.
"You promise to hold my hand under the big, scary table?"
"I promise," he murmured, rubbing his nose against mine. "Every single minute. Now give me a widdle smile? Just a tiny one for your Keifer?"
I leaned my head back against Keifer's shoulder, my heart still racing from the "red" that had flickered in my mind. He's my home, my safe place, and right now, his arms were the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
But then, the room started to feel small as everyone stepped forward."Jay-jay," my papa said softly, his voice trembling with a weight I'd never heard before. "I've spent your whole life away from you... missing every moment. Please, give me just one week. Let me at least try to be the father you deserved."I felt my breath hitch. I wanted to say yes, but then Angelo stepped in.
"She should stay with me," Angelo insisted, his eyes hard and protective. "I know how to handle the things that trigger her. I can keep her safe."
"No, she needs her girls!" Gemma added, reaching for my hand. "Stay with me, Jay. We can just hide from the world and talk all night."
The voices began to overlap, and the air turned cold. I could feel the panic rising, the phantom smell of iron—of blood—creeping into my senses.
My hands started to shake, and I felt like I was drowning in the noise.Keifer felt it instantly.
He pulled me into his arms, his large hands cupping my face to block out the others. "Hush! Everyone, just stop!" he growled, his voice a low warning.Then, he turned to me, his gaze softening into that gentle, private look he only has for his girl.
"Look at me, my butterfly. Just Keifer, okay? No loud voices. No scary red. You breathe for me."he said in lower voice just I can hear.
"I... I want to go with Papa," I whispered, clutching his shirt. "He's been alone for so long. I want to be his girl for a little while."
Keifer sighed, pressing his forehead against mine. "Is my princess sure? You gonna be okay in a house without your Keifer to protect you?"
"I'm gonna be brave," I murmured, even though I was terrified. "Papa will keep the bad dreams away."
"He better," Keifer whispered in a silly, baby-talk voice, trying to make me smile. "If Papa doesn't give my baby enough cuddles, or if the scary blood-thoughts come back, you tell him Keifer is gonna zoom over and steal you back, okay?"
"Otay," I snuffled, feeling a tiny bit of peace return.
"My brave, widdle Jay," he cooed, kissing the tip of my nose. "One week. Then you come back to your Keifer and we don't ever let go again."
The goodbye was the hardest part. Keifer held me close, thinking I was just heading home for a week. He didn't know yet that Papa was taking me all the way to Piraeus.
He pressed a warm, lingering kiss to my forehead, his eyes full of love."See you soon, my brave widdle Jay-jay," he whispered, booping my nose one last time before his car pulled away.
Then, everything moved in a blur. I was whisked away to the airport with Papa, Percy, little Rosee, and Mamma Riccee. The flight felt like a dream, the humming of the engines keeping the "scary red" thoughts at bay while I rested my head on Papa's shoulder.When we finally landed and the car pulled up to the gates, my jaw dropped.
"Is... is this it, Papa?" I whispered, clutching the soft edge of my sweater.The mansion was massive. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, with giant white pillars reaching toward the sky and beautiful pink flowers blooming everywhere. It was so big and grand, but my heart felt a little tiny inside.
A/N: -friends the mension ➡️
Papa took my hand, his thumb rubbing over my knuckles. "It's all yours, my little bird. A big, safe castle for my girl. No bad things can get through these walls."
Little Rosee grabbed my other hand, swinging it back and forth. "Look, Jay-jay! It's a pwincess house! We gonna play so many games!"
I looked up at the towering balcony and the sparkling chandelier hanging outside. It was beautiful, but it felt so far away from Keifer's warm chest.
"Does it have a widdle room for me?" I asked, my voice small. "A room where the shadows don't hide?"
"The best room in the whole house," Papa promised, kissing my hand. "With the softest bed and the brightest sun. No more scary dreams here."
As we walked up the stone steps, Mamma Riccee hugged me from the side. "We're gonna fill this big house with so much love, you'll forget the world was ever loud."
Papa led me up the grand staircase, his hand warm and steady around mine. When he pushed open the heavy double doors, I gasped. The room was like a soft, glowing cloud. There were fairy lights twinkling like tiny stars against the curtains, and the rug felt like walking on a giant marshmallow.
"This is your sanctuary, my princess," Papa whispered, pointing to the balcony where the night air smelled like jasmine. "Whenever the world feels too big or you see the 'scary red' in your mind, you just look at your 'just breathe' sign and know you're safe here."
Suddenly, Mamma Riccee's voice drifted up from the kitchen, "Food is ready! Come and get it while it's hot!"
We all sat around the long dining table, and for the first time in forever, the air felt light. Percy was busy checking his reflection in a spoon, fixing his hair with a self-obsessed smirk. "I mean, let's be real," he muttered, "this lighting is doing wonders for my jawline."
Rosee giggled, kicking her feet in her high chair. "Jay-jay! Lookie! I gots a giant meatball! It's a widdle round house for the sauce!"
I giggled back, my heart feeling a tiny bit fuller. "Is it a yummy house, Rosee?"
"Vewy yummy!" she chirped in her sweet baby talk. "Does Jay-jay want a bite of the meatball house?"
"No thank you, sweetie," I said, smiling as Papa squeezed my hand under the table.It was peaceful—the kind of peace I hadn't felt since I was very small. But as I looked out the window toward the dark sky, a tiny pang hit my chest. Keifer didn't know I was here, miles and miles away across the ocean.
The room was glowing with soft, warm light, but even the marshmallow rug and the twinkling fairy lights couldn't quiet my racing heart.
I crawled into the big, fluffy bed, pulling the duvet up to my chin, but I felt too small in such a big space. I missed the way Keifer's chest felt—solid and warm. Without him, the shadows in the corners started to look like that "scary red" again.
A/N : friends the room➡️
I was tossing and turning, my eyes stinging with tears, when the door creaked open. Papa stepped in, his silhouette soft against the hallway light. He didn't even have to ask; he knew his girl was struggling.
"Still awake, my little bird?" he whispered, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed.
"It's too quiet, Papa," I whimpered, my voice cracking. "I feel widdle and scared."He reached out, tucking the hair behind my ear just like Keifer does. He began to rub my back in slow, soothing circles.
"Oh, is my tiny princess having big, scary thoughts? Is the 'red' trying to peek in?"
I nodded, sniffling. "I miss my safe place."
"I know, sweetheart," he cooed, his voice dropping into a gentle, protective tone that sounded so much like Keifer's. "But Papa is here now. I'm the big, strong wall between you and the scary things. Nothing—nothing—is gonna get past me to hurt my precious Jay-jay."
"You promise?" I whispered, looking up at him.
"I promise on a million stars," he said, kissing my forehead. "Now, I want my brave princess to shimmy-shimmy down into these clouds," he teased, helping me settle into the pillows. "Close those sleepy eyes. Papa's gonna stay right here and watch you breathe until the sun comes up."
"You call me princess too," I murmured, feeling my muscles finally relax. Keifer calls me that. He makes me feel safe... just like you.
"Me too ?mean?".papa asked.
"Nothing".I said close my eyes.
Papa's eyes softened, a tiny glint of a tear in them. "That's because i know you're royalty. My tiny, perfect girl. Now, no more talking. Just widdle dreams about marshmallow clouds and pink flowers, okay?"
"Okay, Papa," I breathed, my eyes fluttering shut. "Love you."
"Love you more, my little bird," he whispered, continuing to rub my back until my breathing went deep and even.
The moment the door clicked shut and Papa's footsteps faded down the hallway, my eyes snapped open. I scrambled out of the "marshmallow" bed and rushed to the door, turning the lock with a sharp click.
I stood there in the silence of this giant, beautiful room, but I felt like I was suffocating. I'm addicted to him. It's a physical ache in my chest that no soft rug or fairy light can fix. I'm so irritated—this bed is too soft, this room is too quiet, and it isn't him.
"I want Keifer," I whispered to the empty room, my voice trembling. "I want my safe chest."The air felt heavy, and the silence was too loud.
Restlessness took over, making every fabric against my skin feel unbearable. I needed to feel grounded, yet everything in this room felt artificial.I threw all my clothes our from my body.
After a few minutes of tossing and turning, the light of my phone cut through the darkness.A message from Keifer."You're awake, aren't you? Tossing and turning , necked because you can't settle down without me there."
My heart hammered against my ribs. It was as if he could see right through the walls, sensing my every movement and my lack of sleep. I looked around the room, a sudden chill running down my spine.
How could he possibly be so certain?
I wondered if he had somehow anticipated exactly how I would react to being back in this house.The phone began to vibrate, his name flashing on the screen. I answered quickly, my pulse racing.
"How did you know?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"I know your habits better than you do," he replied, his voice low and steady. "I know you can't stand the quiet, and I know you're probably pacing that room or staring at the ceiling right now. You don't belong in that big, empty house."
Hearing his voice made the distance feel even more painful. The comfort of his presence was the only thing that could actually stop the racing thoughts."I can't sleep," I admitted, clutching the phone tightly. "Everything here feels wrong."
"Then let's talk until you can't keep your eyes open," he said softly.
The conversation started out so sweet, his voice a low, rumbling hum that usually makes all the "scary red" thoughts disappear.
"Is my panda finally getting sleepy?" he murmured, his voice softening into that protective tone I love. "Are you all tucked into your widdle bed?"
"Mm-hmm," I whispered, clutching the phone to my ear as I looked out at the Piraeus moonlight hitting the balcony. "The bed is like a big marshmallow, Keifer. But it's not you."
"A marshmallow bed?" He paused, his voice turning a bit more serious. "Wait... I know your apartment, Jay. You don't have a marshmallow bed. Where are you? Are you at Gemma's?"
My heart skipped a beat. I tried to play it off, my voice trembling. "I'm just... staying with Papa for a bit. He wanted to keep me safe."
"Okay... so where is Papa's house?" he asked, his tone shifting. The "Big Boss" was starting to peek through the baby talk. "I'll come by tomorrow morning to bring you breakfast. I want to see those sleepy eyes in person."
"You... you can't," I breathed out, the guilt making me feel dizzy. "Keifer, we're not in the city. We took a flight. I'm in Greece... in Piraeus."The silence on the other end was like a physical blow. I could hear his breathing get heavy and controlled.
"Greece?" He didn't sound sweet anymore. He sounded genuinely annoyed, his voice dropping an octave. "You're telling me you crossed an entire ocean and left the country without a single word to me? While you're still having those bad dreams?"
"I didn't want to disturb your work!" I cried, the tears finally spilling over. "I wanted you to sleep for once without worrying about me!"
"Jay, stop," he snapped, though I could tell he was trying to stay calm. "I don't care about the company or the projects. I care about you. How am I supposed to protect you from over there? You hid this from me like I'm some stranger."
I sobbed, "I just wanted you to have peace."
"This isn't peace, Jay. This is you shutting me out." He sighed, a sharp, frustrated sound. "I can't do this over the phone right now. I'm too worked up. Go to sleep. We'll talk when I've cooled down."
Click.
The line went dead. I stared at the screen, my heart racing. I only wanted him to be able to rest, but now I've made everything worse. I feel so small in this giant room, and the silence is scarier than it was before.
My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice as I stared at the "Call Ended" screen. The silence of the mansion was deafening now, and the "scary red" felt like it was creeping closer because Keifer was mad at me.
With shaking fingers, I started typing, the tears blurring my vision so much I could barely see the keys.
"Keifer, please don't be mad. I'm sowry I was a bad girl and hid it. I just saw how tired you were with the big company and the projects, and I didn't want my scary thoughts to be a heavy backpack for you to carry. I wanted you to have a night of sleepy peace without worrying about your widdle Jay. I'm so scared here without your heartbeat. Please answer me? I love you more than all the stars."
I hit send and watched the screen. My heart raced when I saw the two little checkmarks turn blue. He read it. He was looking at my words right now.
I waited.
One minute.
Five minutes.
Ten.
The typing bubble never appeared. The silence from him was worse than his angry voice. I curled into a tiny ball on the giant rug, right under the "Just Breathe" sign, because the bed felt too big and empty.
I clutched my phone to my chest, sobbing quietly so Papa wouldn't hear me through the locked door."Please, Keifer," I whispered into the dark. "Don't leave your tiny girl alone in the big castle."The crying exhausted me.
My breaths became shaky hiccups, and my eyes grew heavy from the weight of the tears. Eventually, my body couldn't fight the fatigue anymore. Still lying on the floor in the dark, clutching the phone that never buzzed back, I finally drifted into a heavy, sad sleep.
°♡˖꒰Author's꒱˖♡° POV
The 7:00 AM sun hits the glass walls of Keifer's penthouse office in Manila, but he barely notices the view.
Being the CEO of four different companies means his mind is always split into four different directions, and right now, a fifth direction—you—is causing a tension in his chest that no board meeting ever could.
He stares at jay message on his private phone. The anger isn't loud; it's cold and heavy. He hates being the last to know, especially when it comes to her.
He feels a flash of resentment—he shares his world with you despite the chaos of his positions, so why did you feel the need to hide this?Buzz.His work phone vibrates across the mahogany desk. It's the COO of his tech firm.
"Keifer, the acquisition is stalling. We need you on the line now."He sets her phone down, face-first. He intends to come back to it in five minutes, to deliver the sharp, disciplined lecture you deserve for keeping secrets.
But five minutes turns into two hours. He's juggling a shipping crisis in his logistics firm and a branding overhaul for his real estate empire.
By 9:30 AM, he's deep in a flow state, sketching out a project roadmap that will move millions of dollars. The hurt he felt at 7:00 AM is still there, locked in a compartment of his brain, but the message itself is buried under a mountain of executive decisions.
He's forgotten to reply, not because he doesn't care, but because he's currently playing God with his career—and he's still too ego-bruised to admit he's waiting for her to explain herself.