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| Jinzhou City Hall – Living Quarters |
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(Jeff's POV)
Morning came slowly.
Jeff woke to the faint rise and fall of another person's breathing against him.
His eyes opened just a fraction, lashes heavy, and body reluctant to move. The room was quiet and smelled of sex except for the distant bustle of the city beyond the walls from somewhere outside.
Then it hit him.
The warmth against his arm.
The weight across his chest.
Rover.
She was still asleep, curled into him like she belonged there, hair spilled across his shoulder, strands catching the dim morning light filtering through the curtains. Her face, usually so composed and sharp, was completely unguarded now.
Her lips were slightly parted, her breathing slow and even, one hand resting loosely against his chest as if she had fallen asleep mid-thought… or mid-embrace.
And he remembered what they did the last night. How passionate it was. Jeff didn't move. Didn't dare to. He just watched her entrance at the sight. Memorizing her face and committed it to his memory.
The faint flush still lingering on her cheeks… the way her lashes cast soft shadows under her eyes… the subtle crease between her brows that hadn't fully relaxed, even in sleep.
"She really is beautiful…" he thought.
For a moment—
Everything felt… right.
Then—
"Didn't take you long."
He heard in the back of his head. The voice of her dead lover.
Jeff's breath hitched.
"…Lena."
The name slipped out before he could stop it.
And just like that—
The warmth in the room was gone.
She stood at the edge of his vision. Suddenly manifested as if she's really there.
Lena.
Exactly as he remembered her.
Eyes that once held warmth now laced with something bitter…and somewhat disturbing. Her arms were crossed, posture relaxed in a way that felt almost mocking as she glanced between him and the sleeping woman in his arms.
"It didn't take you long for you to have sex." she said, tilting her head slightly, lips curling into a faint, humorless smile. "Not that I'm surprised."
His fingers curled slightly against the bedsheet. "Why now…" he thought, a flicker of frustration mixing with unresolved guilt. A bad combination.
Then a Lena manifested beside Rover watching the sleeping woman with intrigue and undisguised envy and disgust.
"Pretty," she murmured, almost thoughtfully.
Then her expression turned stone cold.
"But you'll ruin her too."
Jeff's chest tightened at that statement.
"You always do."
"Looks like your keeping your promise to this woman, trying at least. You'll probably fail and make this woman miserable one way or another. Like you did to me."
"That's not—" he started under his breath, voice barely audible.
But she cut him off.
"Looks like you've already found a replacement."
Her words landed heavier than they should have. Because part of him—
Hated how easily they could sound true.
"No one will ever replace you," he thought instinctively, the response immediate—she laughed.
"Keep telling yourself that," Lena said, her eyes locking onto him. "You say it's different this time. That you're doing better. That you won't mess it up again. Watching you devote yourself to this woman saying to yourself that you're doing it for her."
She leaned in slightly.
"Disgusting."
Jeff looked away.
Just for a second.
But that was enough.
"Because the truth?" she continued, voice lowering. "You need her more than she needs you."
That one—That one hit.
Hard than he would like to admit.
His hand unconsciously tightened where it rested near Rover's. "And you hate that," Lena added. "You hate that she's the one holding you together."
Her gaze flickered back to Rover.
"You cling to her like she's the only thing keeping you from falling apart," Lena said. "Like a parasite that can't survive without its host."
Jeff's jaw clenched. "Stop," he muttered in futility. Hoping this episode of his would stop soon.
But she didn't. "I almost feel sorry for her," Lena went on, her expression changed into something even more colder now. "She doesn't even know what she's getting into."
A pause. "She's setting herself up for disappointment."
"...You're wrong." The words came out firmer this time. Even if he didn't fully believe them himself.
Lena's lips curved slightly.
"We'll see."
Then suddenly Rover stirred awake.
Her fingers twitched against his chest, her breathing hitching slightly as she began to wake up.
Jeff's head snapped back to reality.
And just like that—
Lena was gone.
Silence returned agian.
But it wasn't as peaceful anymore.
Jeff exhaled slowly, forcing his shoulders to relax as he looked down at Rover again.
She shuffled into bed again, brows furrowing slightly before her eyes began to flutter open, golden irises slowly coming into focus.
"…Jeff…?" she murmured, voice still thick with sleep.
Jeff forced a small smile, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face.
"Morning," he said quietly.
And this time—
He held onto the moment a little longer.
Because he wasn't going to let ghosts decide what came next.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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Hello everyone, feel free to leave your collections, powers, reviews, and comments as you see fit. Sorry for the long update, I was busy with work. I'm currently trying to write a Resident evil fic, but my main writing focus would still be on this fic. Mt. Firmament and Changli's arc is on the horizon. That's all; thank you for reading this fanfic, and I hope you have a good day.