Keifer's POV
The room was quiet.
For the first time in days, there was no shouting.
No alarms.
No running footsteps.
Just silence.
At some point during the night, Jay had fallen asleep beside me.
She had curled toward me without even realizing it, her face resting against my chest.
One of my hands had ended up gently resting against the back of her head.
I hadn't moved.
I didn't want to wake her.
Early morning light slowly entered through the curtains.
I woke first.
But Jay was already awake.
She was lying beside me, staring blankly at the ceiling.
For a few seconds, I simply watched her.
She didn't seem to notice that I was awake.
Her expression was quiet, but something about it made me worry.
I carefully touched the back of my fingers to her forehead.
Warm.
Not much.
Just enough for me to notice.
"Jay…"
She turned her eyes toward me.
"Hm?"
"You feel a little warm."
She blinked slowly.
"I'm fine."
I almost laughed.
Of course.
"Go back to sleep."
"No."
She tried sitting up.
I immediately pulled her back into the pillow.
"Keifer."
"Sleep."
"I'm not sleepy anymore."
I stared at her.
She stared back.
Three seconds.
Then I pulled her into a ridiculously tight hug.
"KEIFER!"
I laughed.
She started laughing too.
"You'll choke meeee!"
"Good."
"KEIFER!"
I loosened my arms slightly but didn't let go.
"Now sleep."
She was still laughing.
"You're annoying."
"I know."
Jay shook her head.
Then slowly settled back down.
Her eyes closed again.
I watched her for a moment.
"That's better."
Within minutes, she was asleep again.
And this time—
she stayed asleep.
Late Morning
When Jay finally woke again, sunlight was already filling the room.
She blinked several times.
Then slowly sat up.
Her hair was messy.
Her blanket was twisted around her legs.
She looked toward the other side of the bed.
Empty.
"Keif?"
No answer.
She looked around.
He wasn't there.
For a second, she simply sat there.
Then she noticed something on the bedside table.
A glass of water.
And a small note.
She picked it up.
There were only a few words written on it.
Had to deal with something downstairs.
Eat something before you start pretending you're not hungry.
Jay stared at it.
A tiny smile appeared.
"Idiot."
She placed the note beside the glass.
Then her stomach growled.
She looked toward the door.
Maybe breakfast wasn't such a bad idea.
And somewhere downstairs—
Keifer was probably already waiting for her.
Even if he would never admit it.
Author's POV
By the time Jay finally walked into the dining area, breakfast was already halfway over.
The entire team had taken over the huge dining table.
Percy and Denila were arguing over something that absolutely did not matter.
Luna was eating quietly while scrolling through her phone.
Cora was talking to Alex.
Aries was stealing food from Angelo's plate.
Angelo noticed.
"Aries."
Aries didn't even look up.
"What?"
"That's mine."
"You weren't eating it."
"I was going to."
"You were thinking about eating it."
Angelo stared at him.
"Give it back."
Aries grinned.
"No."
Percy immediately laughed.
"Sibling love."
"Shut up," Angelo and Aries said together.
Denila burst out laughing.
Then everyone noticed Jay standing at the entrance.
Cora smiled.
"Good morning."
Jay gave a small smile.
"Morning."
Keifer looked up immediately.
His eyes quickly checked her face.
Better.
More rested.
No obvious exhaustion.
He relaxed slightly.
"Sleep well?"
Jay nodded.
"Yeah."
Percy looked at the clock.
"It's almost noon."
Jay frowned.
"So?"
Denila pointed dramatically at her.
"She slept through breakfast."
Jay shrugged.
"I was tired."
Keifer quietly pulled out the chair beside him.
"Sit."
Jay sat.
A plate was already waiting for her.
She looked at it.
Then at Keifer.
"You saved this?"
Keifer shrugged.
"Maybe."
Jay smiled slightly.
She picked up her fork.
Everyone continued talking.
For a few minutes, everything was completely normal.
Then Jay looked at Keifer's plate.
He had pancakes.
She looked at hers.
Then his.
Then hers again.
Keifer noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Jay."
"I'm not doing anything."
"You are absolutely doing something."
Jay smiled innocently.
Then—
she stole a piece of pancake from his plate.
Keifer stared at her.
The entire table went silent.
Jay calmly ate it.
Percy slowly lowered his fork.
"Did she just—"
Denila whispered dramatically:
"She stole from Keifer."
Cora laughed.
Aries looked impressed.
"Bold."
Keifer stared at Jay.
"You have your own food."
Jay nodded.
"I know."
"Then why did you take mine?"
She took another bite.
"Yours looked better."
Percy immediately burst out laughing.
"KEIFER, SHE'S ROBBING YOU AT YOUR OWN TABLE."
Keifer shook his head.
"Fine."
Jay smiled.
Then she stole another piece.
Keifer looked at her.
"Seriously?"
Jay nodded.
"Seriously."
He pushed the plate slightly closer to her.
"Take it."
Jay looked at him.
"Really?"
"Apparently I'm not allowed to have breakfast anymore."
She laughed.
A real laugh.
Everyone smiled.
Even Angelo.
Percy pointed at Keifer.
"Look at him."
Denila nodded.
"Completely defeated."
Keifer ignored them.
Jay reached for another piece.
He quietly moved the plate closer.
"Eat."
She looked at him.
Then smiled.
"Thanks, Keif."
Keifer smiled back.
"Anytime."
Aries immediately leaned across the table.
"Jay, can I have some?"
Jay pulled the plate away.
"No."
Aries looked offended.
"You just stole Keifer's!"
"Exactly."
Everyone laughed again.
And for the first time in a long time—
breakfast felt like breakfast.
Not a briefing.
Not a battlefield.
Not a room full of people waiting for something terrible to happen.
Just them.
Together.
And Jay—
finally laughing with them again.