Jeff finally made it back to their lodging in the city hall a guest room meant for patrollers who needed a place to crash.
The moment he stepped in, he let out a low whistle. Damn… this really reminds me of those high-end apartments back on Earth. What a lucky dude I am, he thought, dropping his gear by the door.
"Guess Rover isn't back yet," he muttered under his breath, scanning the room.
He quickly stashed the guitar in its case under the bed before slipping into the bathroom. A quick shower later, he tugged on a fresh shirt, ran a hand through his damp hair, and felt just a little more alive.
"Alright, time to get things ready," he said to himself.
He set the small dining table, laid out the food he'd picked up at the market, and brewed a pot of tea. The aroma filled the room, warm and inviting, just as the doorknob rattled.
Looks like Rover's here, he thought, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Welcome back," Jeff greeted, turning just as Rover stepped in.
She yawned, dragging her feet inside, her face pale with exhaustion. The faint smudges under her eyes said everything.
"Looks like we both could use a pick-me-up," Jeff chuckled, studying her. "You look haggard as hell. Tea?"
Rover blinked, caught off guard. Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, she just stared. "You… didn't have to," she murmured, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks faintly pink.
Jeff shrugged, flashing a lopsided grin. "I made extra. Thought you might appreciate it."
He poured her a cup, watching her shoulders sag as she sank into a chair.
"That face says it all. Yangyang and Chixia must've worked you to the bone patrolling all day," he teased.
Rover's hand twitched, instinctively brushing over the faint marks along her jaw, half-hidden with makeup. "That obvious, huh?"
Jeff leaned back, his eyes soft, his voice lowering. "Nah. You look great. The eyeliner really brings out your eyes. I just noticed it by chance."
Her heart skipped. She fumbled with her gloves, breaking eye contact as warmth crept into her cheeks.
"I grabbed some food too," Jeff continued, sliding a plate toward her. "Table's all set. Come on, let's eat together."
They shared the meal quietly, the clatter of chopsticks and soft steam filling the silence. For once, there was no battle to fight, no orders barking in their ears just the strange, peaceful comfort of each other's company.
Afterward, Jeff took it upon himself to wash the dishes. Rover watched him from the couch, her eyes following the way he moved so casually, so… practiced. Her chest tightened. He looks too used to this… I wonder who else he's done this for.
By the time Jeff rejoined her in the living room, he was carrying the teapot again. He refilled her cup, careful, steady.
"Careful, it's hot," he said, passing it over. His fingers brushed hers.
Rover shivered at the fleeting contact. She quickly raised the cup to her lips, hiding her face behind it. One sip, and her eyes widened. "This tea… it's amazing! Where'd you get this?"
Jeff chuckled, leaning back into the couch. "Glad you like it. Wasn't sure if it'd be to your taste. Got it from the market—a nice lady gave me a discount. Worth it, I'd say."
The mention of another woman twisted something inside Rover. Chixia's words echoed in her head, Yangyang's too.
"So… how was your day? Did Chixia and Yangyang treat you well on patrol?"
Rover's cheeks heated. She fidgeted, remembering the talk about confessing. "We… fought a few Tacet Discords in the Central Plains."
"Anything interesting happen?" Jeff pressed, his smile easy.
Rover hesitated. "We, uh, messed around in the Patroller camp during our break."
Jeff chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Man, I'm jealous. I spent my whole day sparring with the instructor and fighting simulated hordes in the training room. I'm fucking beat."
"That sounds rough…" Rover murmured.
"You don't know the half of it," Jeff laughed, before softening. "But enough about me. What else happened?"
Rover froze. Chixia's teasing words rang in her mind: You have to tell him you love him straight to his face. But now, staring at him across the tea table, all her bravado crumbled.
She forced a smile, evasive. "Mostly girls talk. But, uh, I'm under a non-disclosure agreement, so I can't share more than that." She joked weakly, hoping he'd let it slide.
Jeff laughed, but there was a tinge of sadness in it. His gaze dropped. "NDA, huh? So that's how she must've felt."
Rover blinked, startled. "What do you mean?"
"My old sweetheart," Jeff said quietly. His jaw tightened, eyes distant. "I wasn't always… working the best of jobs. There were times I had to do things I'm not proud of, just to put food on the table."
The words hit Rover like a stone to the chest. They were right after all. I wasn't the first. The thought sent her spiraling.
Jeff's voice pulled her back. "She'd ask always ask about my day. If anything interesting happened. And I couldn't tell her. Not the truth, anyway."
Rover bit her lip, her chest aching. "Are you able to be more open with her now?" she asked softly, though part of her already dreaded the answer.
Jeff's gaze sank to the floor. His shoulders slumped. "I can't. She's… well, she's dead."
The words lingered between them, heavy as stone.
Rover's lips parted slightly, her voice soft. "I'm so sorry about that…"
Jeff only shook his head, a rueful smile tugging faintly at his lips. The expression was gentle, but it carried a weight she couldn't ignore. "It's nothing to be sorry about. That's just the way life goes sometimes." His voice dipped lower, quieter. "It happened a long time ago now."
Rover's chest twisted. A part of her was… relieved, disgustingly relieved, that there was no rival in love still lingering in his heart. But that feeling was immediately drowned by the ache of seeing him wear that expression hollow, and resigned, yet forcing a smile. She hated it. She hated that look on his face.
Jeff picked up the teapot, movements steady, pouring another round of tea for them both. The earthy, rich aroma curled through the air, softening the room.
Rover cradled her cup in both hands, her curiosity slipping past her hesitation. "Do you still… hold a candle for her? Even after all these years?"
Jeff froze mid-motion, considering her question carefully. He set the pot down, eyes distant. "Would you hold a candle for someone you can't meet, and have no chance of ever meeting again?"
Her brows furrowed slightly, lips pursing. "…It's a hard situation. I don't know what I'd do if I were in your shoes." She shook her head, her voice firm despite her uncertainty. "But… I wouldn't judge you for moving on."
That seemed to break through his guarded expression. His eyes softened, the faintest crinkles appearing at the corners as he gave her a lopsided wink. "So, what you're saying is… I should be looking for a girl now?"
The corner of Rover's mouth twitched despite herself, and a tiny laugh slipped out. She shook her head, feigning exasperation though her cheeks were burning. "That's for you to figure out, not me."
"You know," Jeff leaned back into the couch, his tone lighter, almost teasing. "You might be her."
Rover nearly choked on her tea. "Don't be ridiculous."
But Jeff only grinned wider, unfazed. His gaze held hers, steady and warm. "Don't laugh. Think about it, we both woke up in the Gorges Spirit, somehow connected. We went to life and death situations together, and now, here we are. In the same room and enjoying the same cup of tea. Funny how life goes sometimes." He lifted his cup, taking a casual sip, as though the words hadn't just left a heavy silence between them.
Rover's face flamed hotter. She pressed her lips to her cup, trying to mask her reaction as she savored the rich flavor. What's wrong with me? Why am I laughing so much tonight? She hid behind another laugh, shaking her head. "I could be her, yeah."
Jeff blinked, his grin faltering just slightly as her words landed. His expression shifted surprise first, then amusement tugging at his lips. A chuckle escaped him, his eyes bright with something more than mirth. "You could be… her?"
Her eyes widened as the implication hit. Her entire face went hot, but instead of taking it back, she leaned forward with a playful grin, cheeks blazing. "Yeah… I could be."
The air between them stilled, heavy and charged.
Their laughter died down, leaving only the faint crackle of silence. Their gazes locked, neither one looking away. Rover's pulse hammered in her chest, her fingers tightening around the warm cup. The implication of her words hung between them like a spark threatening to catch fire, the tension thick enough to drown in.
Jeff was the first to break the silence, his voice cutting through the thick tension that hung between them. "Ah almost forgot something."
Rover blinked, tilting her head as he suddenly rose from the couch. She watched him disappear into the bedroom, her curiosity piqued. When he returned, something long and wooden was cradled in his arms.
Jeff grinned, his boyish charm back in full force. "Tada."
Rover's eyes widened, her lips parting. "A… guitar?"
"Yup." He held it up proudly, the polished wood catching the soft lamplight of the room. "Picked it up at Ganxue's souvenir shop. Originally six hundred shell credits, but she gave it to me for four hundred. Total steal, right?"
Rover's gaze softened, her heart stirring at the thought of him wandering a shop and choosing something so… intimate. "Wow. So you can play?"
Jeff's grin widened, though there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And you know what the condition was for the discount?"
Rover tilted her head, suspicion mixing with amusement. "What?"
Jeff settled the guitar in his lap, fingers brushing lightly over the strings as he leaned forward, locking eyes with her. His smile turned almost roguish. "That I serenade this beautiful girl in front of me… and completely sweep her off her feet."
Rover's breath caught in her throat. Her chest tightened, heart hammering wildly against her ribs. For a second, she forgot how to breathe. Her cheeks flamed, words tangling before they escaped. "Oh, Jeff…" she whispered, more to herself than to him.
Jeff chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck before shifting on the couch. He perched the guitar properly and began tuning it, plucking a few tentative notes. The sound was raw and unpolished, yet warm.
Rover folded her legs beneath her, propping her chin on her palm as she leaned closer, her lips quirking into a teasing smile. "So… what does this fine gentleman plan to sing for me? Just a warning I have very high standards."
Jeff froze mid-tune, blinking at her. His confidence cracked just enough to let the nerves show. "Is—that so?," he muttered, his voice hitching with embarrassment.
Rover laughed softly, covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers. Seeing him, usually so composed, falter like this made her heart ache in the sweetest way. "I'm just messing with you," she reassured, her eyes shining.
Jeff let out a heavy sigh of relief, shoulders dropping as his lips curved into a self-deprecating smile. "Thank god. Honestly, my singing voice isn't anything great. Just… bear with me, alright?"
Her expression softened. She shook her head gently, strands of hair falling across her cheek as she looked at him with unguarded affection. "Doesn't matter. The fact that you're doing this for me…" Her voice grew quiet, thick with emotion. "…makes me happy."
Jeff's hands stilled on the strings, his throat tightening. The way she said it, the way her eyes lingered on him.
Jeff adjusted the last string and exhaled softly, his thumb brushing across the polished wood. Damn, what should I play? he thought, his stomach tying itself into knots. Even now, I'm still nervous about crap like this… but fuck it, we ball.
He strummed the first chords, the mellow sound filling the quiet of the living room. Rover sat cross-legged on the couch, her chin resting on her hand, eyes locked on him with an intensity that made him swallow hard.
The first lyrics left his lips, soft and unsure at first:
"We're talking away…
I don't know what I'm to say…"
"I'll say it anyway…
Today is another day to find you..."
"Shyin' away..
Oh, I'll be comin' for your love, okay…"
Rover's breath caught. Her heart gave a violent little skip. Oh Jeff, you liar, she thought, her lips parting in disbelief. You have a beautiful voice. The way his voice trembled at the start only made him more endearing like he was singing only for her, no one else.
"Take on me… (Take on me)…
Take me on… (Take on me)…
I'll be gone… in a day or two…"
Rover pressed a hand over her chest, as though trying to hold her heart in place. The warmth of his voice wrapped around her, and suddenly all the hesitation and fear she'd kept bottled up slipped away. This must be what it feels to be in love, she realized. To care for someone so much you're willing to give them your everything… to throw your lot in with theirs, no matter what comes.
Her eyes glistened as his voice grew steadier, more confident, each word carrying a piece of himself.
"So needless to say, I'm odds and ends…
But I'll be stumblin' away…"
"Slowly learnin' that life is okay..
Say after me….
It's no better to be safe than sorry."
I love him, she declared silently. I love him so much. I love him more than I did yesterday and I already know tomorrow I'll love him even more, because every piece of him he gives me is another to fall in love with.
"Take on me… (Take on me)…
Take me on… (Take on me)…
I'll be gone… in a day or two…"
By the time Jeff strummed the last chord, his pulse was hammering in his ears. He lowered the guitar onto his lap, his palms slick against the wood. He looked up, his voice almost sheepish.
"...Well? How was it?"
Rover's lips curved into the softest, most radiant smile he had ever seen, her eyes glowing like she held the whole universe inside them.
"It was beautiful," she whispered, her voice trembling with honesty. "Thank you, Jeff."
Rover sat beside me, her lips curved in a smile so radiant it made the world around us blur. For a while she said nothing, just basked in the moment, her amber eyes shimmering like molten gold under the dim light. Then, as if making up her mind in a single breath, her voice cut through the silence.
"Jeff…" Her tone was soft, almost trembling. "Am I right to believe there's something between us?"
Her words slammed into me like a bucket of ice water. My pulse stuttered, and before I could gather my thoughts, a voice—familiar, and intimate—slid against my ear like silk.
"You're no stranger to this game, are you?"
I froze, the hair on my neck standing on end. I didn't need to turn to know who it was. In my mind's eye, Lena materialized long white turtleneck sweater clinging to her figure, leggings and boots completing the look I once confessed made me weak in the knees. She caught the way my gaze flicked over her and smirked knowingly.
"Do you like it?" she purred. "You used to call this irresistible."
Meanwhile, Rover kept speaking, her voice fragile, oblivious to the phantom taunting me. "I mean… all the handholding, the date, the kisses. I mean I'm not hiding it either. You must have picked up on it already on how obvious I was."
Lena drifted closer, circling Rover like a predator studying prey. Her eyes gleamed with something sharp with intense emotion of jealousy. "She is beautiful," Lena murmured, tilting her head. "Amber eyes like gold, cheekbones carved like marble. But she looks Asian, not Russian like me… You never mentioned dating someone like her."
"And you haven't exactly discouraged it either," Rover continued, her words tightening around my heart. "With the way you talk and make me feel, your vow… What's a girl supposed to think?"
Lena's lips curved into a sly smile as she looked straight into me. "Will she be the first one you betray me with?"
My chest tightened as memories of Lena stormed back her laugh greeting me at the door, the way she'd pull me close on cold nights, her body warm against mine. It almost hurt to breathe. Remembering our passionate sleepless nights.
"Ah ah ah." She slid a phantom hand under my chin, forcing my face forward. "Don't look away. She's pouring her heart out to you, Jeff. Own it. Didn't you promise me the same once? Why should she be different?"
Rover finally turned, cheeks flushed, eyes searching mine with naked vulnerability. "What am I supposed to think, Jeff?"
"Rover, I—"
"You can't hide behind excuses," Lena whispered, her voice dripping with mockery. "Not 'she isn't real,' not 'this is just a game.' Not this time."
Rover stepped closer, her hands trembling as they brushed against mine. Her voice cracked with the weight of hope and fear intertwined. "Or am I… just setting myself up for disappointment?"
"Or will you shatter her heart later?" Lena pressed, her lips brushing my ear. "When you find your answers of why you're here, when another woman tempts you, Phrolova, or maybe even the Shorekeeper who might hold the answers you so desperately seek. Will she still matter then?"
Her words cut deep, but the warmth of Rover's hands anchored me. I swallowed hard, heart thundering.
"No," I rasped, squeezing her fingers tighter. "Rover, look at me."
She lifted her gaze, eyes glistening like fragile glass.
"You deserve better than vague words and half-truths, I don't want you to get the idea that I'm just playing around" I said firmly, even as my throat threatened to close. "So here it is: I love you, Rover. I already gave you this useless heart of mine when I made that vow on you on that bench—take the rest. My loyalty, my right hand, my everything. Take it all, take everything you can get, take everything I can possibly give you and let's see who dares to fucking stand against us the two of us then."
Lena's laughter slithered through me like venom. "Oh, Jeff. You're saying all the right things again."
But I pressed on, ignoring her shadow. "When you look at me with those limitless deliquescent eyes of yours, I used to wonder what you could possibly see in me. But I know now. Love doesn't ask why. You and I, we couldn't stop this shit any more than Solaris could stop circling the sun."
Rover laughed at how cheesy it sounds, but tears streamed down her cheeks, her laugh breaking into sobs of joy. It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.
"I don't care how this story ends," I whispered, my voice breaking. "As long as I spend it with you, it'll be enough."
Her smile was radiant, brighter than the night sky. She leaned closer. My breath hitched as her lips hovered near mine, but Ethan's voice clawed through my mind.
"Are you still that good guy? The one who wouldn't deliberately hurt a girl?"
I kissed her but not how she expected. I pulled back from her hungry lips that were intent on going all the way, catching the flicker of confusion and alarm in her eyes. Then I cradled her face gently and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, pouring everything into that touch—my affection, my restraint, and my promise.
When I pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes shining, her joy barely contained.
"Let's not rush this," I murmured, voice rough. "Not something this important."
She nodded, her happiness overflowing as she smiled through her tears.
And Lena's whisper coiled around me one last time. "Always the perfect gentleman. But don't fool yourself, Jeff. You've only made it harder for her." she said softly, fading at the edges. "Because you know how heavy that promise will be."
I closed my eyes, shame mixing with relief. Yet when Rover curled against me later that night, her warmth pressed into my chest, I let myself breathe. For her, for now.
Author's note: Hello everyone, feel free to leave your collections, powers, reviews, and comments as you see fit. I hope I didn't make this chapter cheesy and cringeworthy. I'm kinda nervous. Now let's move on to Yinlin's arc – for sure this time. I hope to expand on Jeff a bit more as an original character and make him feel more alive, rather than a shameless self-insert. That's all; thank you for reading this fanfic, and I hope you have a good day.