(Jay's POV)
I woke up to a broken sound.
"…don't…"
I shut my eyes again, forcing myself to stay still.
Not my problem.
That's what I had learned.
That's what I kept repeating.
But then—
"Please…"
My chest tightened.
I exhaled slowly, staring into the darkness.
Why do I still care?
Silence followed.
And then another whisper.
So quiet… but it felt like it was right next to me.
That was enough.
I pushed the blanket away and got up.
His door was slightly open.
Of course it was.
I stepped inside without knocking.
He was on the bed, restless—his face tense, brows furrowed, breathing uneven. His hands were gripping the sheets tightly like he was trying to hold onto something slipping away.
"…don't leave me…"
I froze.
For a moment, I just stood there.
Watching him.
This man… who never listened when I begged.
Now begging in his sleep.
Something in me shifted.
Not forgiveness.
Not hope.
Just… something soft I couldn't completely kill.
I walked closer.
"Keifer," I said quietly.
No response.
He was still trapped in whatever nightmare he was seeing.
I sighed under my breath.
Then reached out.
The moment my fingers touched his arm—
He grabbed my hand.
Tight.
Desperate.
My breath caught.
"Stay…" he whispered, his voice breaking. "Please… don't go…"
I closed my eyes for a second.
This wasn't fair.
But still…
"I'm here," I said softly.
I sat on the bed, not too close at first.
But that didn't last.
He shifted suddenly, like he felt me—like he needed more than just my hand.
Before I could react—
He pulled me closer.
His head dropped against me, resting in the crook of my neck.
My body stiffened.
Warmth spread where he touched me. Too close. Too familiar.
And then—
His leg wrapped around my waist.
I froze completely.
He held onto me like I was the only thing keeping him from falling apart.
Not controlling.
Not forceful.
Just… clinging.
A small, broken sound left him.
And then I felt it.
His shoulders shaking.
He was crying.
My heart clenched painfully.
I had never seen him like this.
Never imagined I would.
The powerful, untouchable Keifer Watson…
Crying like he was breaking from the inside.
"…don't leave me…" he whispered again, his voice trembling against my skin.
My hands hovered in the air.
For a second… I almost pulled away.
This wasn't who I was anymore.
I wasn't the girl who stayed.
I wasn't the girl who hoped.
But then his grip tightened slightly—like even in his sleep, he felt me slipping.
And something in me gave in.
Just a little.
Slowly… hesitantly…
I wrapped one arm around him.
Not fully.
Not like before.
But enough.
"You're fine," I whispered, my voice softer than I intended. "It's just a nightmare…"
He didn't respond.
But he held onto me tighter.
Like my words mattered.
Like I mattered.
Only like this.
Only when he couldn't see me.
⸻
My fingers moved to his hair, gently brushing through it.
The motion came naturally.
Painfully naturally.
"It's okay," I murmured.
His breathing hitched again.
Another quiet sob.
And for a moment… I forgot everything.
The coldness.
The distance.
The way he made me feel like I was nothing.
All I saw…
Was him.
Broken.
Holding onto me like I was home.
⸻
Minutes passed.
Slowly, his breathing began to steady.
The grip around my waist loosened just a little—but he didn't let go.
Not completely.
He fell asleep again.
This time… peacefully.
⸻
I stayed there longer than I should have.
Longer than I meant to.
Staring into nothing.
Feeling everything.
⸻
Carefully, I tried to move.
His leg tightened instinctively.
A small frown forming on his face.
"…stay…"
I paused.
My chest tightened again.
"I'm not leaving," I whispered.
A lie.
Or maybe just… not yet.
Slowly, I eased myself out, inch by inch, making sure not to wake him.
It took longer than it should have.
But eventually… I was free.
⸻
I adjusted him gently, pulling the blanket over him.
He looked calm now.
Like none of it ever happened.
Like he never needed me.
⸻
I stood there for a moment.
Just looking at him.
Then I turned away.
⸻
At the door, I paused.
"…you only hold me like this when you don't know it's me," I whispered quietly.
No response.
Of course not.
⸻
So I left.
And this time…
I didn't let myself stay.