The conversation started like this:
Jay: "I'm tired of packing overnight bags."
Keifer: "Then stop going home."
Jay: "That's not how apartments work."
Keifer: "It could be."
Jay: "Are you asking me to move in?"
Keifer: "I'm suggesting it. There's a difference."
Jay: "What difference?"
Keifer: "Asking implies I need an answer. Suggesting implies I'm planting a seed."
Jay: "That's manipulation."
Keifer: "That's strategy."
Jay: "Same thing."
Keifer: "With you? Always."
She moved in two weeks later.
The moving process was... chaotic.
Not because Jay had a lot of stuff. She didn't. Her apartment was functional, not cozy. Medical journals, surgical tools, exactly three changes of comfortable clothes.
The chaos came from their families.
The Mariano Group Chat:
Percy: JAY IS MOVING IN WITH KEIFER
Percy: OFFICIALLY
Percy: LIKE ACTUAL LIVING TOGETHER
Percy: SHARING A BATHROOM
Percy: WHAT IF HE SEES HER TOOTHBRUSH
Percy: IS THAT WEIRD
Aries: Percy. Breathe.
Percy: I CAN'T. THIS IS HISTORIC.
Mom (Reycee): Anak, that's wonderful! When can we visit?
Dad (Jasfer): I liked that apartment of hers. The one we helped buy. Now it's empty?
Jay: Dad, it's not empty. It's just... less full.
Dad: That's empty with extra steps.
Percy: KEIFER BETTER APPRECIATE HER TOOTHBRUSH SITUATION
Aries: I'm leaving this chat.
Percy: NO YOU'RE NOT
Percy: YOU LOVE DRAMA
Aries: I tolerate you. Different thing.
The Watson Group Chat:
Grandfather: My boy, moving in together? Progress!
Keifer: It's practical. She's here most nights anyway.
Grandfather: Practical. Sure. That's what we'll call it.
Mom (Serina): Keifer, this is wonderful! I'm so happy for you both.
Dad (Keizer): Does this mean we get to keep the Mariano business connections forever? Asking for professional reasons.
Mom: Keizer.
Dad: What? I'm celebrating.
Keigan (16): Does Jay need help moving? I can carry things. I'm strong now.
Keifer: You're sixteen.
Keigan: Exactly. Peak physical condition.
Keiren (5): KUYA IS JAY LIVING WITH US NOW? DOES SHE KNOW BATO LIVES HERE? DOES SHE LIKE BATO?
Keifer: She loves Bato, Keiren.
Keiren: OKAY GOOD. BATO WAS WORRIED.
The actual moving day was a production.
Percy arrived first, naturally, carrying a plant Jay had never seen before.
"This is for your new home! It's a fern. Very low maintenance. Like me."
"You're not low maintenance."
"I'm emotionally low maintenance. There's a difference."
Aries came next, carrying two boxes of Jay's medical journals. He set them down, looked around Keifer's apartment with the same assessing gaze he'd used the first time.
"Bigger than I remember."
"It's the same size."
"Feels bigger. Less hostile." He glanced at Keifer. "You've softened the place."
"I've added... warmth."
"Her." Aries nodded toward Jay. "She's the warmth."
Keifer didn't disagree.
Reycee and Jasfer arrived with food.
Enough food to feed a small army. Or one Percy.
"Anak, I made your favorites!" Reycee pulled Jay into a tight hug. "And I brought extra for Keifer. He's too skinny. All that CEO stress."
"He eats, Mom."
"He eats what? Numbers? Stress?" Reycee shook her head. "I'll feed him properly."
Jasfer shook Keifer's hand warmly. "So. You're officially housing my daughter."
"Yes, sir."
"Sir. Still formal." Jasfer grinned. "Good. Means you respect me. I respect that." He lowered his voice. "Seriously, son. Take care of her. She's terrible at taking care of herself."
"I know. I plan to."
"Good answer."
The Watsons arrived in their usual style—all at once, with Keiren leading the charge.
"JAY! JAY! I BROUGHT BATO TO SEE THE NEW HOUSE!"
Keifer caught his little brother before he could tackle Jay. "Keiren, inside voice."
"THIS IS MY INSIDE VOICE!"
"It's really not."
Keiren squirmed free and ran to Jay, holding up Bato. "Bato says congratulations on moving! He made a sign!"
The "sign" was a piece of paper with crayon scribbles that might have said "WELCOME" or might have been a dinosaur. Hard to tell.
Jay knelt down seriously. "Tell Bato thank you. This is the best welcome gift I've received."
Keiren beamed. "Bato says you're welcome! Can I see your room?"
"Keiren—" Keifer started.
"It's okay." Jay took his hand. "Come on. I'll show you."
They disappeared down the hallway, Keiren chattering about where Bato would sleep if he ever visited overnight.
Serina watched them go, eyes soft. "She's so good with him."
"She's good with everyone," Keifer said. "She just doesn't realize it."
Keizer clapped him on the shoulder. "You did good, son. Jasfer, we should celebrate. Where's your whiskey?"
"I didn't bring whiskey. I brought lumpia."
"Lumpia works. Lumpia is celebration food."
"Lumpia is always food."
"Exactly."
The afternoon blurred into evening.
Boxes were unpacked. Food was eaten. Percy gave an unsolicited tour of the apartment to anyone who would listen. Aries and Keigan discovered they both liked terrible action movies and bonded over arguing about which were the worst.
Keiren fell asleep on the couch, Bato clutched to his chest, exhausted from "helping" (rearranging Jay's shoes).
Reycee and Serina washed dishes together, chatting like old friends.
Jasfer and Keizer moved from lumpia to actual whiskey and somehow ended up planning a golf trip.
And Jay—
Jay stood at the window, looking out at the city, trying to process the fact that this was her life now.
This apartment.
This man.
These families.
All of it.
Arms wrapped around her from behind. Keifer's chin rested on her shoulder.
"Overwhelmed?"
"Maybe." She leaned back against him. "In a good way. I think."
"You think?"
"I'm not used to... this. People. Chaos. Love." She said the last word quietly, like it still surprised her. "Growing up, it was just us. Mariano chaos, but contained. This..." She gestured vaguely at the room full of people. "This is different."
"Different good?"
"Different... full." She turned in his arms. "My life was empty before. I didn't know it. I thought work was enough. Saving patients was enough. But this—" She touched his face. "You—"
"Me?"
"You made room. For all of it. For them." She nodded toward their families. "For us. For... feelings."
Keifer smiled. "Feelings. You say it like it's a disease."
"It felt like one. Before you." She kissed him softly. "Now it feels like... home."
From the kitchen, Percy's voice: "ARE THEY KISSING AGAIN? THEY'RE ALWAYS KISSING."
Aries: "Percy, stop watching."
Percy: "I'M NOT WATCHING, I'M OBSERVING. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE."
Reycee: "Let them be, anak."
Percy: "BUT MOM, IT'S HISTORY. I'M WITNESSING HISTORY."
Keizer: "Kid's got a point. First time my son's been in love. This is historic."
Jasfer: "First time my daughter's been soft. Definitely historic."
Serina: "They're perfect for each other."
Keigan: "Can we watch a movie or what?"
Keiren: (asleep, but somehow still heard) "Bato says shhh."
Jay laughed against Keifer's chest.
"This is insane."
"This is our life."
"I know." She tilted her head up. "I love it. I love them. I love you."
"Even when Percy watches us kiss?"
"Especially then. It's good blackmail material."
Keifer laughed—that real, warm laugh she loved.
"Come on." He took her hand. "Let's go be with our chaos."
"Our chaos," she repeated, testing it. "I like that."
"Good. Because it's not going anywhere."
They walked back into the room together.
Percy immediately started filming. Aries rolled his eyes but smiled. Their moms beamed. Their dads raised their glasses.
Keiren slept through all of it, Bato keeping watch.
And Jay thought: This is what it feels like. To be home.