ᕙ༼Keifer's༽ᕗPOV
The morning sun was peeking through the curtains, but the warmth in the bed had nothing to do with the weather. I woke up feeling her soft weight still pressed against my chest, her breathing shallow and peaceful. I didn't want to move, but as she started to stir, I felt her body tense.
Suddenly, a small, broken sob broke the silence. I looked down, panicked for a second, seeing tears already tracking down her cheeks."Hey, hey," I murmured, cupping her face and kissing her nose to try and catch the tears. "What's wrong, baby? Why are you crying?"
"I don't... I don't wanna leave," she whispered, her voice cracking into that tiny, precious baby talk she only ever used when it was just us. She looked so small and cute, like a heartbroken kid, and it took everything in me not to just tuck her back under the covers forever. "I have to leave my peace here. Don't wanna go 'way."
"Who said you're leaving it behind?" I asked softly, wiping a tear with my thumb. "I'm coming with you. Wherever you go, I'm right there."
She let out a cute little hiccup, her bottom lip trembling as she looked up at me with those big, glassy eyes. "But I wanna stay... like I stayed here dis week. Just us."I felt a tug in my chest at how much she leaned on me. She was being so needy and sweet, I could barely handle it.
"What do you mean, princess? Tell me exactly what you want."She buried her face in the crook of my neck, her voice muffled and tiny, making my heart skip a beat.
"Wanna stay necked in my bed... right 'bove you. Just here. I don't want the real world, just my keifer."I bit my lip, a laugh bubbling up in my throat because she sounded so stubborn and sweet at the same time. If I laughed, she'd definitely give me a little punch, so I kept my face neutral, though my eyes were probably dancing. I stayed quiet, just rubbing her bare back until her sobbing started to turn into quiet, sleepy sniffles.
"Okay," I said, my voice thick with affection. "But we have to get moving for now. Come on, let's get you some clothes on."
She looked at me with those big, watery eyes, completely refusing to move an inch. She shook her head, her messy hair flying everywhere. "No. You make me wear dem. You do it." She hiccuped again, her voice going even smaller. "And... you have to give me bathy first. Carry me."
I couldn't help it then—I let out a soft chuckle and kissed the tip of her nose again. She was being a total, adorable brat, but she was my brat."Fine," I whispered against her skin, my heart melting. "I'll take care of everything. Bath, clothes, the whole thing. You don't have to lift a single finger, baby girl."
I scooped her up, towel-less and beautiful, and headed for the bathroom. She clung to me like a tiny koala, her head resting on my shoulder as she let out one last contented sigh, the crying finally stopped.
I carried Jay-Jay into the bathroom, which looked like something out of a dream—glass walls covered in vines, warm candlelight flickering everywhere, and a pool of water that looked more like a hidden oasis than a bathtub.
A/N:-friends the bathroom ➡️
I lowered her gently into the warm water, but the second her skin hit the heat, the "brat" in her came right back out."It's too hot, Keifer! Make it more cold-y," she whined, splashing a bit of water at me with a pout that made her look impossibly cute.I couldn't help it; I let out a loud laugh, the sound echoing off the glass roof.
"It's the perfect temperature, you little menace. Stop being a baby."
"Am not a baby! You're a meanie-pants," Jay-Jay grumbled, using that tiny voice that always melts my resolve. As I knelt down to start washing her shoulders, she suddenly reached out, her wet fingers locking around my wrists.
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she gave a sudden, sharp tug.
Splash.
I went tumbling right into the water, clothes and all. I emerged sputtering, wiping water from my eyes while Jay-Jay practically doubled over with giggles. "Now you're in the bathy too!"
"Oh, you're going to pay for that," the response came with a playful growl while lunging forward. The two splashed in the oversized tub, the water sloshing over the sides.
Jay-Jay's laughter was infectious, ringing out as she tried to dodge a retaliatory splash.Leaning in, a soft kiss was shared—a gentle, lingering moment that calmed the playful chaos of the splashing water. The air was thick with the scent of lavender and the warmth of the steam, turning the prank into a quiet, intimate moment of connection.
"Still want to play, or are you ready to behave?" was the whispered question against her cheek.
As the sun hit the glass roof of our little oasis, it was finally time to face reality. But the second I started packing our bags, Jay-Jay started up again. Her face scrunched up, and that tiny, heartbreaking baby cry filled the room.
"But Keifer... our clothes and things... dey staying here," she sobbed, her voice going so small and high-pitched. "I don't wanna leave our homey. If we go, it's not gonna be just us anymore."
I stopped what I was doing, looking at her as she stood there in my oversized hoodie, looking like a lost toddler. My heart pulled in two different directions.
God, I didn't want to leave either. I wanted to stay in this bubble forever where the only thing that mattered was her.But then I thought about the chaos waiting for me—my company's projects, school, the villains we had to deal with, and my brothers, Keigan and Keiren. They were probably wondering where the hell I'd disappeared to.
"I know, baby," I murmured, walking over and pulling her into my arms. She buried her face in my chest, her tears soaking into my shirt. "I don't want to go back to the real world either. But we have everything we need waiting for us there, too."
"Nooo," she wailed, her hands clutching the back of my shirt. "I wanna stay necked and sleepy with you! Don't wanna do worky or see mean people!"I felt a laugh bubble up, but I suppressed it, just kissing the top of her head. She was being such a dramatic little toddler, but she was so precious I could hardly breathe.
"You're being such a brat," I whispered, though there was no heat in it. "I'm coming with you, remember? The peace isn't the house, Jay-Jay. The peace is us."She let out a long, shaky hiccup, looking up at me with those big, glassy eyes.
"Promise?"
"I promise. Now, come here."I didn't give her a choice. I scooped her up, her legs automatically wrapping around my waist as she clung to me like a koala. I carried her out of our glass sanctuary and toward the big ship waiting at the dock.
"My brave girl is going to be just fine," I told her, kissing her nose as we stepped onto the deck. "And the second we get back to our room, we can pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist all over again."She let out one last tiny sniffle and tucked her head under my chin.
"Okay... but you gots to hold me the whole way."
"Always," I promised, feeling her finally relax against me as the engines roared to life.
The coastline was finally visible through the porthole, shimmering under the tropical sun. But inside the cabin, there was a playful debate in progress.Jay-Jay was darting around the small space, laughing as she dodged the outfit laid out on the bed. The oversized hoodie she wore hung off her shoulders, looking incredibly comfortable compared to the formal pink dress.
"Jay-Jay, come here," i said, leaning against the doorframe with a smile. "We're docking soon. You look great in that hoodie, but we have a formal welcome waiting for us."
"It's so comfortable, though!" she laughed, spinning away when he reached out. "The dress looks like a lot of effort for a sunny day."i watched her with pure adoration, shaking my head at her stubbornness.
"It's a beautiful dress, and you know it. Come here, let's get ready before the boat reaches the pier."i managed to catch her by the waist as she tried to slip past, pulling her into a gentle hug.
I sat her down on the edge of the bed, my hands resting on her waist to keep her from bolting again."You're being very difficult today," i murmured, his eyes softening. "But you're also being very cute."i helped her swap the casual hoodie for the elegant lace dress. As i zipped up the back,i caught her gaze in the mirror.
I leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to her shoulder, my reflection full of affection."Jay-Jay," i whispered. "You look absolutely stunning. I just want to walk down that ramp with you and show everyone how lucky I am to be by your side."She let out a small sigh, the stubbornness melting away as she looked up at him.
"Fine, you win. It is a nice dress."i smiled and kissed her forehead.
"There. You look perfect."She looked at her reflection, then back at him, a playful smile returning to her lips. "I'm taking the hoodie back the second we get to the hotel."
"Deal," i laughed, pulling her into one last hug.