--: Keifer's POV: --
The world inside the cottage was a haze of stifling heat, heavy, jagged breathing, and the intoxicating, primal scent of Jay-Jay. She was draped over me, her body moving in a slow, rhythmic friction that was driving me to the absolute brink of insanity. Every slide of her skin against mine felt like a brand. I gripped her hips with a possessive strength, my fingers digging into the soft flesh of her waist, pulling her down firmly onto me as if I could pull her into my very soul.
I couldn't get enough. I leaned up, crashing my lips against hers in a desperate, searing kiss that tasted of hunger and relief. A low, guttural moan escaped the back of my throat, muffled by the heat of her mouth.
"Ah... Keifer... please..." she gasped, her voice a broken, airy moan that vibrated through my entire chest, sending white-hot sparks through my nerves. Her head fell back, her fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me closer as her own soft whimpers filled the quiet spaces between our breaths.
I shifted my focus to the elegant column of her throat, my breath hitching as I found that sensitive, pulsing spot right below her ear. I sucked the skin there, marking her deeply, staking a claim that I had been too afraid to make all day. I could feel her heart hammering against my chest, echoing my own. Each move she made was a silent plea, and I answered by lifting her hips, driving deeper, feeling the scorching heat where we were connected.
"Oh god, Jay... you're so—" I broke off with a choked moan, burying my face in the crook of her neck as we both pushed toward that blinding peak.
Just as I felt the world starting to tilt on its axis, just as we were lost in the sheer, blinding intensity of each other—the world outside decided to scream.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Arghh!! For fuck sake, not noww!!
"KEIFER! JAY-JAY! OPEN THE DOOR!"
The sound of Thyme's roar, followed by the heavy, rhythmic thudding of a dozen fists against the wood, hit us like a bucket of ice water. My heart stopped, then restarted at a terrifying, sickening pace. Jay-Jay's eyes snapped open, wide with pure, unadulterated panic. She clamped her hands over her mouth, her breath hitching in a silent sob of terror, her body going rigid beneath mine.
"Shit!" I hissed, the word feeling like glass in my throat.
I didn't have time to be gentle. I gripped her waist and lifted her off me—literally pulling her away from my reindeer that had been buried deep inside her only seconds before. The sudden separation was a cold, jarring shock that made us both gasp in a mix of physical ache and mental horror. We both scrambled, stumbling over our own tangled limbs as we dove for the floor, the floorboards creaking under our frantic weight.
"Clothes! Now! Get dressed!" I whispered, my voice a jagged, trembling wreck.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
My brain was a chaotic mess of adrenaline, leftover pleasure, and pure, paralyzing fear. I snatched my dress from the rug, pulling it over my head so fast the fabric hissed against my skin. My heart was thundering against my ribs like a trapped bird, and I was sure everyone outside could hear it.
Keifer was a blur of frantic motion, hopping on one leg as he yanked on his trackpants, his muscles still twitching from the sudden stop. We both lunged for the bed, grabbing the duvet and snapping it upward to hide the twisted, sweat-soaked sheets. We smoothed it out with frantic, shaking hands, trying to make it look like we'd just been having a peaceful, innocent nap. Keifer snatched the empty silver foil from the nightstand, sprinting to the bathroom to bury it deep in the trash before dashing back out to throw on a t-shirt. He didn't even notice he had it on lopsided.
Ohh God!! We're dead..😭😭
BAM! BAM!
"WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! OPEN UP OR WE'RE TEARING THE ROOF OFF!" Ci-N's voice was relentless, followed by a chorus of rowdy whistling.
Keifer took one last, shaky breath, rubbed his flushed face with his palms to try and dull the tell-tale crimson, and finally turned the lock.
--: Keifer's POV: --
The door was practically shoved open before I could even lean against the frame to act casual. The entire Squad poured in like a tidal wave. Section E and otgers crammed into the small space. MJ and Kavin leaned against the dresser near the door, their smirks sharp enough to draw blood.
"Finally!" Ci-N shouted, his eyes darting around the room with a predatory, mischievous glint. "What took you so long? We've been pounding on this door for ten minutes! Were you two building a fortress in here or what?"
I cleared my throat, trying to channel every bit of calm I didn't possess. I looked back at Jay-Jay, who was standing behind me like a shield, her face a shade of red that matched mine perfectly.
"We were... we were trying to resolve our fight," I said, my voice only slightly cracking. "It got pretty emotional. We talked it out, and I guess we didn't realize how exhausted we were. We both just fell asleep. We didn't even hear you guys at first."
"Resolving your fight?" Ci-N stepped closer, his grin widening as he sniffed the air. "Is that what you call it? Because you look like you just finished a three-round wrestling match, Keifer. Why is your shirt buttoned wrong? And why are you breathing like you're out of air?"
The room exploded into a chorus of catcalls and booming laughter.
"Look at Jay's hair!" Felix laughed, nudging David. "That's not 'sleepy' hair, that's 'tumbled-in-a-dryer-at-high-heat' hair!"
"And look at Keifer's neck!" Calix pointed, howling. "Did a stray cat get in here, or did Jay-Jay finally snap and try to eat him?" Edrix, Rory, Drew and Blaster all joined in, making kissing noises and whistling.
"I don't know," Eman said, winking at Mayo and Kit. "The vibe in here is very... resolved."
"Stop it, you idiots!" Jay-Jay squeaked from behind me..
Tss, Profanity
Aries stood at the edge of the crowd, his arms crossed, his face a mask of pure, murderous rage. He was glaring at me with enough intensity to melt steel.
"Aries, baby, stop eyeing them like that," Percy said, leaning over and patting Aries on the shoulder with a playful, dangerous wink. "They're in a relationship. We have to agree to it eventually. Family is family!"
For the first time I agree with this self obsessed guy!! Chill brother in law, we're family.
Aries snapped, shoving Percy's hand off with a snarl. "He is NOT my family! And fuck off, I'm not your 'baby'! If you touch me again, I'll bury you in the sand!"
Huhh, Horoscope...
Laughter erupted once again, louder than before. But even with the distraction, the Section E pack didn't stop.
"So, Jay," Ci-N continued, leaning past me with a wink. "Was the resolution... satisfactory? You look very... refreshed."
--: Yuri's POV: --
I stood back, my eyes scanning the room. I had known them both for a long time. I saw the way Jay-Jay was fidgeting, her chest still rising and falling a bit too quickly. Then I saw it. A dark, unmistakable mark peeking out from the edge of her collar.
I felt a sharp, familiar pang in my chest—the old ghost of what I used to feel for her. I had made so many mistakes with her in the past. The forced engagement, the pressure, the arrogance... I had almost ruined her. And I had almost lost Keifer, the one guy who had always been believing in me, even when we were fighting over the same girls, again and again.
I didn't want to be that person anymore. I wanted her to be happy, even if the person making her happy wasn't me. I wanted Keifer to have what I couldn't, because he deserved it. I wanted to be a real friend, not a shadow from her past.
I slipped through the rowdy members of Section E and walked straight to Jay-Jay. I leaned in, my voice a low, private whisper that only she could hear.
"I think you should hide your collar, Jay," I whispered, my voice smooth and cautious. "Or at least fix it. I don't think anyone else has noticed it yet, but you have a very specific 'glow,' and that mark on your neck is a dead giveaway. Cover it up before Aries actually sees it and kills Keifer."
I saw her eyes go wide, her blush deepening until it was almost purple. I didn't wait for a response. I just gave her a small, supportive nod and stepped back into the crowd. I wanted her to know I was on her side, not as a rival, but as someone who genuinely wanted her to be at peace.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
My heart plummeted. I reached up frantically, clutching my collar and pulling it higher. He saw it. But he said he didn't think anyone else had yet. Thank God.
"What did he say to you?" Ci-N barked, noticing my sudden movement. "Did Yuri just win the 'tease Jay-Jay' contest?"
"Nothing!" I squeaked, my voice sounding like a broken whistle. "He just said... it's time for lunch! And I'm starving!"
"Oh, it's definitely time for something," Drew teased, whistling.
"Come on, lovers," Eren said as he led the group out. "The mansion is waiting. We've got a whole table of people waiting to hear about this 'nap'."
As the crowd finally started to filter out, still laughing, I stood there, rooted to the spot.
The storm of Section E was finally receding, their rowdy laughter and suggestive whistling echoing down the sandy path toward the mansion. I stood by the rumpled bed, my heart still trying to find its way back down from my throat. My fingers were white-knuckled as I gripped the fabric of my collar, Yuri's warning ringing in my ears like a siren.
I thought I was safe as the last of the boys filtered out, but then a shadow flickered by the door.
Freya was standing there. She turned to Edrix, who was waiting for her with a curious grin. "Go ahead, Ed," she said smoothly, patting his arm. "I'll join you in a minute. I need to ask Jay about a... emergency."
Edrix chuckled, winking at Keifer as he walked away. "Sure. Don't be too long, the hunger at the mansion is real!"
Once his footsteps faded, Freya stepped into the cottage and closed the door halfway. She didn't say anything at first; she just crossed her arms and looked at me with an expression that was half-amused and half-worried.
"Come here, Jay," she said, her voice low. "And stop clutching your neck like you're trying to choke yourself. It only makes people look closer."
My eyes widened in shock."Freya, I—"
"I noticed it when Yuri whispered to you,"she interrupted with a knowing wink. "I saw you pull your collar up and panic. Trust me, if I noticed, it's only a matter of time before others or, heaven forbid, Aries sees it. I didn't say anything because I'm not in the mood to witness a homicide today, and I'd quite like you two to stay alive for the rest of the trip."
I felt my face heat up for the hundredth time that hour. "Is it... is it that bad?"
"It's dark, Jay. Keifer clearly wasn't holding back," she teased, making me want to melt into the floorboards. "Stay right here. Don't move. I'm going to run to my cottage and grab my high-coverage foundation. We're going to paint that thing out of existence before you set foot in that mansion."
Before I could even thank her, she slipped out the door, moving with a speed that only a girl on a mission possesses.
--: Keifer's POV: --
The silence that followed Freya's departure was heavy, charged with the lingering electricity of what had happened and the sheer terror of what had almost been. I stood in the center of the room, my chest still feeling tight, my mind replaying the moment I'd had to pull away from her.
I looked at Jay-Jay. She was standing there in her sundress, her hair a mess of gold and tangles, her face flushed a beautiful, deep rose. She looked gorgeous, and she looked absolutely ready to kill me.
Suddenly, she lunged forward and hit my arm—hard.
"Ow! Jay!" I hissed, though a smile was already tugging at the corners of my mouth.
"This is all your fault!" she whispered-yelled, her eyes flashing. "We almost got caught! Aries was right outside the door! And now Yuri knows, and Freya knows, and I have a giant mark on my neck that needs professional makeup to hide! You... you're a menace, Keifer Watson!"
I stepped closer, ignoring the faux-anger and wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her flush against me. I looked down at her, my expression shifting into a playful, mock-offended frown.
"My fault?" I asked, my voice dropping into a low, teasing hum. "Let's review the facts, shall we? Was it me who was taking advantage of my sleep earlier? Was it me who woke up my 'little one' with all that moving back and forth and ofcourse the moaning?"
She opened her mouth to protest, her face turning even redder, but I didn't give her a chance.
"I was trying to be a 'saint,' remember?" I continued, leaning down until my nose brushed against hers. "I was the responsible one in the long sleeves. You were the one who threw the packet at my face, Jay. You were the one who climbed on me and started this war. I just... finished it."
"You didn't have to finish it so... loudly!" she squeaked, hiding her face in my chest.
"I couldn't help it," I murmured, my grip tightening on her waist as I kissed the top of her head. "When you look at me like that, and when you move like that... every bit of my self-control just goes up in smoke. I told you I was obsessed with you. You shouldn't play with fire if you don't want to get burned."
She looked up at me, her gaze softening despite her frustration. "We really are in trouble, aren't we? Section E is never going to let this go. Ci-N looked like he'd won the lottery."
"Let them talk," I said, my thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "As long as Aries doesn't find out the graphic details, I can handle a bit of teasing. It's worth it. Every second of it was worth it."
I leaned down to kiss her again, a slow, deep lingering kiss that reminded us both of exactly why we had risked everything, when the door creaked open again.
"Okay, I'm back! Break it up, you two! Save the romance for when I'm not trying to perform cosmetic surgery!" Freya marched in, holding a small makeup bag like a weapon. "Keifer, go wait on the porch. You're distracting the patient."
I laughed, holding up my hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. I'm going. Just... make her look innocent again, Freya."
"I'm being a makeup artist, Keifer, not a miracle worker," Freya joked, shooing me out.
As I stepped onto the porch, the warm tropical air hitting my skin, I leaned against the railing and looked out toward the ocean. My heart was full, my body felt alive, and despite the chaos and the narrow escape, I knew I wouldn't change a single thing.