[Keifer's POV]
The world outside the Blue Suite was blanketed in a heavy, silent snowfall, but inside, the temperature was perfect. I was propped up against a mountain of pillows, and Jay was tucked firmly into my side, her head resting on my chest. My arm was draped over her shoulders, pulling her so close that I could feel the rhythmic vibration of her breathing against my ribs.
It was that rare, golden kind of morning where the "Watson-Jay Constant" felt unbreakable. We weren't engineers, we weren't heirs, and we certainly weren't "The Royal Couple" of the university. We were just two people who had survived a storm, finding warmth in the aftermath.
I was tracing idle circles on her arm, and Jay was tracing the patterns on my palm with her fingertip—a silent, tactile conversation that meant more than any words we could have spoken. I leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of her head, just as she let out a soft, contented sigh and snuggled deeper into my chest, her leg tangling with mine under the duvet.
"I could stay like this for the entire month," I whispered into her hair.
"The math supports that decision," Jay murmured back, her voice thick with sleep and a hint of a smile.
Suddenly, the heavy mahogany doors to the suite swung open.
"Jay, darling! I brought some of that herbal tea for your—"
Mamma Serina froze in the doorway.
The silver tray in her hands tilted precariously as her eyes widened to the size of saucers. I felt Jay go rigid for a micro-second before she instinctively tried to hide her face in the crook of my neck, her cheeks instantly flushing a deep, brilliant crimson.
I didn't move. I just looked up at my mother, my arm still firmly anchored around Jay's waist.
"Mamma," I said, my voice deadpan but with a definite streak of "Watson confidence." "Ever heard of knocking?"
Mamma Serina stood there, her mouth slightly agape, looking between the two of us. She had seen us holding hands, and she had seen us being "sweet," but seeing us completely entangled in bed, lost in a bubble of pure, unfiltered romance, was clearly a "System Overload" for her maternal brain.
"I... I..." Mamma stammered, her face turning a shade of pink that almost matched Jay's. "I thought you were still... you know, recovering! I didn't realize the recovery involved... that much proximity!"
"It's the most effective treatment for stress, Mamma," I replied, a smirk finally tugging at the corner of my mouth. "High-level thermal regulation via physical contact. Very scientific."
Mamma finally blinked, a slow, knowing smile beginning to replace her shock. She set the tray down on the nearest console table with a sharp clack, her eyes sparkling with that mischievous look she only got when she was about to tease us.
"Well," she said, smoothing her silk robe and regaining her composure with impressive speed. "I suppose if the 'Science' requires you to cuddle all morning, I shouldn't interfere with the research. But do try to make it down for lunch, Keifer. Your father is starting to think you've moved into this room permanently."
She turned to leave, but stopped at the door, glancing back at us one last time. "And Keifer? Use the deadbolt next time. I'm a mother, not a ghost."
The door clicked shut, and for three seconds, the room was silent. Then, Jay let out a muffled groan of pure embarrassment against my chest.
"I am never going downstairs again," she whispered, her voice vibrating against my skin. "Never. My humiliation is now at 100%."
I laughed, a deep, genuine sound that felt like it cleared the last of the tension from the room. I tightened my grip on her, pulling the duvet up higher. "Don't worry, Jay. According to the data, Mamma is currently 90% shocked and 10% already planning the wedding guest list. We're safe for at least another hour."