Jay's PoV
The mornig light hit different when I don't wake up alone.
For what felt like years I didn't feel the weight on my chest. Just morning warmth. Him. Keifer. His arm draped around my waist like it belonged there, like it never left.
I didn't move at first. Just laid there, eyes half closed letting myself feel it—his breath on the back of my neck, lazy rise and fall of his chest against mine. Safe. Warm. Almost terrifying.
He shifted slightly and mumbled something that felt like my name and a swear word in the same breath.
I smiled into the pillow.
"How do you manage to be clingy and unconscious at the same time" I asked without turning around
"Years of practice" he mumbled "I have a lot more to do"
God.
I could feel the smile tug at the corner of my mouth before I let myself feel it. It'd been a while since smiling didn't feel like lying.
"You hungry" he asked nagging his nose on my shoulder
"Starving" I said
He dragged himself down with a dramatic groan "Then get up my queen. Let's make pancakes"
"We?" I repeated
"Yes. Rule number one of reconciliation: shared carbs and shared kitchen disasters. You burn them and I'll act like their gourmet"
I laughed. Actually laughed. The sound even surprised my body. He noticed. He always does.
I think it meant something like he didn't wanna make a moment. Din't freeze or gave me a wide eyed look like I was a miracle. He just kissed my cheek like it was normal.
Like we were normal
——————
One hour later, we stood infront of the stove, covered in flour, two cracked eggs that never made it to the bowl and a slightly blackened pancake that we decided to name oops #5
"You know" O said trying not to laugh while he scraped the batter off the counter with a spoon "we could've just ordered a meal"
"That's quitter talk" he said solemnly, licking batter off his finger
"That's salmonella talk" I said
He grinned ear to ear "worth it"
He suddenly turned, holding some flour on his palm
"Don't—" I warned
"Don't what" he asked acting all innocent
"Don't you dare—
Too late
The flour hot my shirt. I gasped. War.
"Your dead"
"Already was" he said running as I lugged towards him with a gist full of flour. Teady to attack. He dogged.
We stumbled, laughing hard, hearts beating like drumsnot from tension but from.....life?
Just being alive at the same pace without breaking.
That's a second—only a second where the laughter fadded and something softer creeped in. I looked at him, still holding my wrists. He looked at me like I was the only thing that kept him tethered to the planet
That's when the knok came
"Are we expecting someone"
"I don't think so"
Keifer stared at the door, then finally opened it. Him.
The last person I wanted to see.
To be continued