The sun was higher now.
Jay and Keifer lay tangled together. Neither wanted to move.
Jay: "We should pack."
Keifer: "No."
Jay: "We have to."
Keifer: "No."
Jay: "Keifer."
Keifer: "Jay."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
He kissed her forehead.
They finally got up. Packed slowly. Each item a memory.
The dress from the first night. The necklace from the picnic. The note with the dares.
Jay held up the note. "We never finished these."
Keifer: "We did enough."
Jay: "We did more than enough."
Keifer: "Same thing?"
Jay: "Same thing."
Their last breakfast on the balcony.
Ocean view. Coffee. Each other.
Jay: "I'm going to miss this."
Keifer: "We'll come back."
Jay: "Promise?"
Keifer: "Promise."
Jay: "Every year?"
Keifer: "Every anniversary."
Jay: "Jayfer forever?"
Keifer: "Jayfer forever."
The car arrived.
They took one last look at the villa. The beach. The memories.
Jay: "Ready?"
Keifer: "With you? Always."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
He kissed her.
They got in the car.
Drove away.
The flight home was quiet.
Hands held. Silence comfortable.
Jay leaned on his shoulder.
Jay: "Thank you."
Keifer: "For what?"
Jay: "For everything. The honeymoon. The dares. The necklace. The memories."
Keifer: "Thank you for saying yes. For marrying me. For being you."
Jay: "Smooth."
Keifer: "Honest."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "No."
He kissed her.
The Fernandez house came into view.
Jay: "Home."
Keifer: "Home."
Jay: "Ready for the chaos?"
Keifer: "Always."
Jay: "Same thing?"
Keifer: "Same thing."
They walked in.
The door opened.
"THEY'RE BACK!"
Chaos erupted.
Ci-n: "SISTER JAY! BROTHER KEIFER!"
Rakki: "Finally!"
Percy: "DOCUMENTING THE RETURN!"
Mica: "WE MISSED YOU!"
Calix: "So much!"
Freya: "It was too quiet."
Edrix: "Too peaceful."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Rory: "Welcome home. Probability of happiness: 100%."
Drew: "I won bets on your return time."
David: "We all won."
Eren arrived with Kevin the Fourteenth. "Kevin missed you."
Josh nodded. Wiped a tear.
Baster hummed a "welcome home" melody.
Aries and Ella hugged them.
Aries: "You're back."
Ella: "We missed you."
Aries: "Don't leave again."
Ella: "For a while, at least."
Aries: "Same thing?"
Ella: "Same thing."
Yuri and Liana waved.
Yuri: "Welcome back."
Liana: "We heard it was perfect."
Keifer: "It was."
Yuri: "Good."
Yuri's grandma appeared. "DID YOU BRING ME SOUVENIRS?"
Jay's grandma appeared. "DID YOU BRING ME SOUVENIRS?"
Yuri's grandma: "I ASKED FIRST!"
Jay's grandma: "I ASKED LOUDER!"
Yuri's grandma: "VOLUME DOESN'T COUNT!"
Jay's grandma: "IT DOES TODAY!"
They went back to arguing.
Everyone smiled. Normal.
Tita Gema ran over. "MY BABIES! YOU'RE HOME!"
Jasfer: "Finally! I missed you!"
Serina: "Welcome home, anak. Welcome home, son."
Jay: "Thanks, Mom."
Keifer: "Thanks."
Serina: "How was it?"
Jay: "Perfect."
Keifer: "Really perfect."
Serina: "Good."
Grazel Jay ran over. Flower basket full again.
Grazel Jay: "AUNTIE JAY! UNCLE KEIFER! I HAVE NEW FLOWERS!"
Jay: "Where did you get those?"
Grazel Jay: "NEW GARDEN!"
Denzel: "We replanted."
Grace: "She's been preparing for your return."
Grazel Jay threw flowers at them.
Grazel Jay: "WELCOME HOME FLOWERS!"
Keifer: "Thank you."
Grazel Jay: "NOW KISS!"
Jay laughed. Kissed Keifer.
Grazel Jay: "GOOD! FLOWERS WORK!"
Percy: "HONEYMOON DEBRIEF! I NEED DETAILS!"
Ci-n: "ALL THE DETAILS!"
Rakki: "Not ALL the details."
Freya: "Some details."
Edrix: "Select details."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Jay: "The honeymoon was perfect. The villa was beautiful. The beach was amazing."
Mica: "And?"
Jay: "And what?"
Rakki: "You know what."
Jay's neck was still slightly visible. Marks fading but there.
Freya: "We saw the hickey on the call. We KNOW."
Jay's face went red.
Keifer: "She has no comment."
Percy: "KEIFER COMMENTING! DOCUMENTING!"
Keifer: "Percy."
Percy: "KEIFER!"
The chaos continued.
Laughter. Love. Home.
Jay and Keifer stood together. Watching.
Jay: "I missed this."
Keifer: "Me too."
Jay: "Even the chaos?"
Keifer: "Especially the chaos."
Jay: "Same thing?"
Keifer: "Same thing."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
He kissed her.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Rakki: "Those two."
Mica: "Forever."
Calix: "Always."
Freya: "Finally."
Edrix: "Perfect."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
The night ended.
Jay and Keifer in their room. Their bed. Their home.
Jay: "Best honeymoon ever."
Keifer: "Best life ever."
Jay: "Together?"
Keifer: "Always."
Jay: "Jayfer forever?"
Keifer: "Jayfer forever."
He kissed her.
The stars watched.
Home.