Keifer's POV:
The iron gate of my house stood half-open, the night air still heavy with everything that had just happened inside. Jay stood a little to my right, arms crossed tight around herself, like if she loosened even a little she might fall apart. Elara was on the other side, calm in that unsettling way she had—not cold, not warm, just… steady. Too steady for a night like this.
My phone buzzed.
I looked at the screen and sighed before even picking it up.
"Percy."
I answered. "What now?"
The words didn't even leave properly before he started.
"How is Papa? Where is he? What happened to him? Why didn't anyone tell me? Is he fine? Is it serious?"
I pulled the phone a little away from my ear and frowned. "Slow down. First—how do you even know?"
A pause. Then, very casually, "Felix told me."
"…How does Felix know?"
"Edrix told him."
I narrowed my eyes. "And how does Edrix know?"
There was a grin in his voice now. "Don't you remember? You hacked her phone."
I shut my eyes and rubbed my forehead.
This is what happens when Section E breathes.
I muttered something under my breath that definitely wasn't polite, then said, "He's in the hospital. Jay's with him.
Situation's stable for now."
"Oh," Percy said, softer now. Then, immediately, "Tell Jay I'm coming . Also—tell her I owe her food."
"You owe everyone food," I replied and cut the call before he could add ten more questions.
I slid the phone back into my pocket and looked at Jay. "Percy knows."
She groaned. "Of course he does."
I softened my voice. "You want dinner? We can—"
"With Papa," she cut in immediately. "Hospital. Please."
I nodded without arguing. "I'll drop you."
She started walking, then paused and looked back. "Elara's coming too."
Elara blinked once, like she hadn't even been expecting to be asked, then simply nodded.
We got into the car.
Jay's POV
The traffic light turned red.
Keifer's hand found mine automatically, thumb brushing slow circles against my skin, like he was grounding both of us without even thinking about it. His knee nudged mine lightly. His shoulder leaned just a little closer.
Sad romance mode: activated.
I sighed without realizing it.
He looked at me. Soft. Concerned. Too handsome for my emotional stability.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
"I'm alive," I said. "Barely."
His lips twitched. "Dramatic."
Before I could reply, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Hello?" Elara said flatly. "Do both of you have selective blindness, or can you genuinely not see that I am also sitting here?"
Keifer froze.
I froze.
Then both of us blushed like criminals caught red-handed.
Elara leaned back against the seat, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded. "If you want to stare into each other's souls, at least wait till you drop me off. This is public suffering."
I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.
Keifer tried. "We weren't—"
She tilted her head. "You were."
I tried again. "We just—"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Breathed romantically."
We both gave up.
The light turned green. Keifer drove. Elara smirked in victory.
I spotted him before anyone else.
Papa.
Lying on the bed, looking tired but stubbornly alive, and beside him—Aries. Sitting straight, holding Papa's hand like he'd been doing it for years, not hours.
Something in my chest twisted.
I walked in without slowing down. "That's my father."
Papa turned his head slightly and sighed. "Jay."
That one word carried everything—complaint, relief, love.
I crossed my arms, trying not to cry. "I see you've already been claimed."
Aries looked up, startled. His eyes met mine, unsure, guarded.
I tilted my head and said, half serious, half teasing, "Fine. I'll share my father with you…"
Then I pointed at him.
"…if you agree to share my mom with me."
Papa laughed softly despite himself.
Aries frowned. "What?"
I leaned closer, lowering my voice but not my attitude. "You and Mom have misunderstandings. Big ones. I know. But if I'm ready to accept him"—I nodded toward Papa—"then you should be ready to accept her too."
Aries clenched his jaw. He looked away, conflicted, guilty, angry—all of it mixed together.
Before he could respond, a familiar voice came from behind us.
"What are you both doing here, standing like you're planning a crime?"
Mom.
I turned instantly. Aries stiffened beside me.
She stepped closer, her eyes flicking between us, confused. "Aries?"
I didn't give him time to build walls.
"He's ready," I said immediately, with a straight face. "Ready to share you with me… if I share my father with him."
Aries' head snapped toward me. "Jay—"
Mom didn't let him finish.
Her face broke.
All the tension, all the years of silence, all the wrong assumptions collapsed in a single second. She stepped forward and hugged him—tight, desperate, like she'd been holding that hug back for years.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I thought you hated me."
Aries froze.
Then slowly—hesitantly—his arms came up around her.
"I didn't hate you," he said, voice rough. "I just… didn't understand."
Neither of them noticed me wiping my eyes.
When Mom finally pulled back, she cupped his face gently, like he was still a child. Then she smiled at me—soft, grateful—and walked away to give us space.
Aries exhaled deeply.
I nudged him with my elbow. "See? Sharing isn't that hard."
He shot me a look. "You're impossible."
I grinned. "Runs in the family."
For the first time that night, the hospital room felt lighter—like something heavy had finally been put down.
Mom had barely stepped away when the peace lasted all of three seconds.
"OH MY LITTLE SISTER—"
I closed my eyes.
"And my BABY—"
Aries visibly flinched.
Percy appeared out of nowhere, arms wide, smile wider, ego widest. He pulled me into a crushing hug first, then slung an arm around Aries' shoulders like he owned him.
"My two favorite people in one hospital room," he announced proudly. "God really loves good-looking families."
"Don't call me that," Aries muttered.
Percy grinned. "Baby?"
"I said don't."
I laughed, wiping my tears. "You came fast."
"Of course," Percy said, suddenly softer. "Felix called. Then Edrix called. Then half the universe apparently knew before I did." He narrowed his eyes at Keifer, who was standing near the door. "Your people gossip faster than Wi-Fi."
Keifer didn't even deny it.
"How's Papa?" Percy asked, finally serious.
"Alive," I said. "Annoying. Complaining. Very much himself."
Papa scoffed weakly from the bed. "I can hear you."
Percy saluted him. "Good. That means you're fine."
The door slid open again.
"Jay."
Angelo stepped fully into the room, his eyes scanning everyone once again.
Then he frowned.
"Whose that girl?"
The question landed softly—but it shattered something inside me.
I blinked. "What girl?"
"The one who was here just now," Angelo said, serious now. "Tall. Quiet. Sharp eyes. Didn't say much but handled the staff like she owned the place."
My heart dropped.
"Elara."
The name slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.
I looked around.
She wasn't there.
Not near Papa's bed.
Not near the door.
Not leaning against the wall like she usually did, arms crossed, watching everything silently.
My stomach twisted.
"She was here," I said, panic creeping into my voice. "She was just—"
I turned sharply and ran.
I didn't think. I didn't tell anyone. I just ran.
Through the hospital room.
Into the hallway.
Past nurses, past stretchers, past people staring at me like I was losing my mind.
"Elara?" I called out, my voice echoing.
"Elara!"
Nothing.
I reached the waiting area.
Empty.
The lift doors opened—people came out—but she wasn't among them.
I ran to the stairs, heart pounding so hard it hurt.
"Elara!" I shouted again.
Still nothing.
My chest felt tight, like something heavy was sitting on it.
She had been there for me when everything collapsed.
She stood in front of angry hospital staff like a wall.
She didn't hesitate.
Didn't ask questions.
Didn't ask for thanks.
And I didn't even say thank you.
I slid my hands into my hair, breathing hard.
"I'm so stupid," I whispered.
Behind me, footsteps approached.
Angelo.
"She left," he said quietly.
I turned to him, eyes burning.
"She didn't even tell me."
"She told me," he replied. "Said you were busy. Said it was okay."
"It's not okay," I snapped, my voice cracking. "Nothing about this is okay."
Angelo studied my face, then sighed.
"That girl," he said slowly, "doesn't stay where she might become important."
I swallowed.
"She helped me," I said. "A lot."
"I could see that," he replied. "That's why I asked."
I rubbed my eyes aggressively, blinking away tears. "I didn't even get to say thanks."
Angelo tapped my forehead lightly. "Fool."
"Ow—"
"She didn't do it for thanks," he said. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't feel it."
I nodded silently.
That's when—
"Why are you hitting my wife, brother-in-law?"
Keifer's voice was steady.
Too steady.
I felt it—his arm behind me went just a little stiff. Not enough for anyone else to notice. But I did.
Angelo turned.
"…your what?"
Keifer swallowed once. Barely visible. Then the mask slid back into place.
"My wife," he repeated, lighter now, almost teasing. "Problem?"
Angelo stepped closer.
The space between them shrank fast.
"You're standing very comfortably for someone talking nonsense," Angelo said quietly.
Keifer smiled.
But it reached only his lips—not his eyes.
"That's because I don't run," he replied. "I improvise."
Percy muttered, "He's lying. He definitely runs."
Keifer didn't turn.
His shoulders were squared, posture perfect—but his fingers brushed mine for half a second, grounding himself.
Angelo noticed.
His gaze flicked down.
A slow, dangerous smile curved his lips. "You're scared."
I opened my mouth.
Keifer beat me to it.
"Of you?" He let out a soft laugh. "No. Of hospitals bills?
Absolutely."
Angelo leaned in, voice dropping. "You think humour will save you?"
Keifer's jaw tightened—just once.
Then the smirk returned, sharper. "It already is."
Percy laughed again, too loudly.
"Yep, humour. Definitely humour. Not fear at all."
Angelo's fists clenched.
"If we weren't in a hospital—"
"I'd still be standing here," Keifer interrupted. His voice didn't shake—but his breathing had slowed, measured. Controlled.
"Probably with security between us."
Angelo scoffed. "Coward."
Keifer nodded easily. "Alive one."
That did it.
"I would've killed you," Angelo snapped.
For a split second—just one—Keifer's eyes flickered.
Raw. Real. Afraid.
Then it vanished.
He smirked.
"I know," he said softly. "That's why I make jokes. Dead men don't get punchlines."
Percy lost it completely.
"Oh my God, I love this man."
Angelo turned to me, frustration burning. "How do you tolerate him?"
I looked at Keifer.
At the boy pretending bravery was effortless.
"At least he's honest about being scared," I said quietly.
Keifer glanced at me—surprised.
Then he smiled. This one real.
Angelo huffed, turning away. "Both of you are impossible."
Keifer exhaled slowly once Angelo stepped back.
Only then did I feel his hand relax.
He leaned closer and whispered, just for me:
"Next time… warn me before unleashing your brother."
I whispered back, "Next time… don't call me your wife."
He smirked again.
"No promises."