{this whole plot credit goes to Andrea51923}
The bathroom was warm, fog curling at the edges of the mirror as Jay guided Keifer to sit on the small stool near the shower.
He lowered himself slowly, the bandages on his arm tugging slightly, but the second she placed her hand on his shoulder, a quiet shiver ran through him.
"Don't move, idiot," she muttered.
Keifer should've smirked… but he couldn't. Not when her fingers were sliding gently through his hair, wetting the strands with warm water, her touch softer than anything he ever deserved.
The second her nails grazed his scalp, Keifer's eyes fluttered shut. His breath left him in a shaky exhale.
God. He didn't even know he could feel like this.
Her nails scratched lightly at his scalp as she massaged shampoo into his hair, moving slowly, methodically—like she was touching something fragile. Him. Keifer. Fragile.
It made him want to laugh, but the sensation of her hands made him melt instead.
He leaned forward unconsciously, forehead resting lightly against her stomach. Jay froze.
"Keifer—"
"Just a moment," he whispered, voice hoarse. "Feels… good."
She sighed, pretending to be annoyed, but her free hand came up anyway, resting atop his head, thumb brushing gently near his temple as she rinsed the shampoo out.
She was so careful around the injury on the side of his face that his chest clenched painfully.
When she finished rinsing, she began towel–drying his hair, standing behind him and rubbing gently, her fingers brushing his neck.
Every small touch felt like heaven and torment at once, because he could've lost this. He could've lost her.
He tilted his head back, looking up at her with damp eyelashes and a stupidly soft expression he would deny until death.
"Done?" she asked, pretending she didn't notice.
"No," Keifer said immediately, leaning back into her hands again. "Not yet."
"Keifer."
"Jay." His voice dropped, softer. "Just… a little more."
She huffed, but her hands slowed, gentled further. She dried every strand until his hair stood up in a fluffy mess that made him look younger—Jay almost laughed. He looked so peaceful, so at ease. Like the world wasn't a monster waiting to take him away.
But eventually, she stepped back. "Okay, done. Now go rest—"
He didn't even get to answer.
Because the moment the bathroom door opened—
Percy's eyes widened.
Aries's jaw dropped.
Both froze, staring at Jay and Keifer stepping out together, Jay with the towel still in her hand, Keifer's hair obviously freshly washed, his shirt still slightly damp at the collar where she had wiped water off his neck.
A dangerous silence stretched.
Then—
"WHAT. THE. HELL." Aries said, eyes blazing.
"bosssssss—YOU WENT IN—TOGETHER?!" Percy screeched.
Jay and Keifer both blinked.
And then all hell broke loose.
"You—out!" Percy pointed at Keifer as if banishing a demon."You—away from my sister!" Aries barked."What were you two even— NO WAIT I DON'T WANT TO KNOW—"
"WE WASHED HIS HAIR!" Jay snapped.
"HAIR?! HAIR?!" Percy cried. "SO THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL IT NOW?!"
Keifer's expression flattened. "You two are idiots."
"DON'T TALK BACK!" Aries lunged—Jay caught his hoodie from behind.
But Percy had already pulled out his phone.
"KING ANGELO—GET HERE. RIGHT. NOW."
Jay immediately slapped the phone out of his hand.
But it was too late.
Heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway.
Angelo burst into the room like a demon summoned from hellfire, eyes blazing murder.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SISTER?!" he roared and marched toward Keifer.
Keifer didn't even flinch. He simply stepped slightly in front of Jay.
Aries and Percy were behind Angelo like backup soldiers itching for war.
Angelo drew his arm back, about to punch Keifer so hard the ancestors would feel it—
When Ion stepped in with the deadliest glare imaginable.
"Angelo."
He froze mid-punch.
Ion crossed her arms. "Explain. Now."
Percy and Aries immediately started pointing fingers at Keifer like five-year-olds.
"They came out together—""He washed his—""She touched his—""He was in her—""Their hair—""BATHROOM!"
Ion blinked once.
Then, very calmly, she turned to Angelo.
And before he could say another word—Ion grabbed his hoodie, yanked him down, and kissed him.
Angelo's brain short-circuited. Percy gasped. Aries choked on air. Jay covered her mouth, eyes huge. Keifer stared, impressed.
Ion pulled away and said firmly:
"Stop trying to murder people before knowing the full story."
Angelo, still stunned, nodded like a scolded child.
Ion squeezed his hand. "Jay is fine. Keifer is fine. And if you hit him, Jay will hit you. Understood?"
Jay nodded aggressively behind her.
Angelo sighed. "Fine… but I swear if he tries anything—"
"He won't," Ion said simply.
Jay rolled her eyes. "Can all of you get out? It's late."
Percy hugged her instantly, clinging. Aries followed. Angelo ruffled her hair grumpily. Ion hugged her gently.
Keifer watched from behind her, expression soft—but protective, his hand always hovering near her back like he needed to make sure she was okay every second.
And even though the room was chaotic and loud and ridiculous, Jay felt her chest warm.
Keifer's damp hair brushed her shoulder.
And she realized—
He still smelled faintly of her shampoo.
And he was smiling. Slowly, quietly.
Like washing his hair wasn't just comfort.
It was home.
Her hands.
Her presence.
Her.
And he wasn't letting go anytime soon.