The 7th Month Maternity Shoot: The "Visual Lockdown"
[Author's POV]
The Watson estate was transformed into a high-end photography studio. Keifer had hired Julian, a world-renowned maternity photographer, to capture the "Double-Heir" glow. However, Keifer's definition of "capturing the glow" was very different from Julian's.
To Keifer, this wasn't art—it was a "Classified Asset Documentation." He had already background-checked Julian three times and had Bridget standing in the corner of the room with her arms crossed, looking like a "Style Consultant" but acting like a sniper.
The Pose: [Jay's POV]
I was standing in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, draped in a sheer, floor-length white silk gown that made me feel like a cloud. The 7th-month bump was perfectly rounded, and Alexander and Aurora were currently doing "Acrobatics" for the camera.
"Beautiful, Jay! Just tilt your chin up," Julian said, stepping closer to adjust the lighting. "The way the light hits your 'Glow' is 1,000% ethereal. Now, just let the silk fall off one shoulder..."
[Keifer's POV]
"Negative."
I stepped out from the shadows of the parlor, my "Alpha" frequency hitting the room like a power surge. I walked over to Jay and pulled the silk back up, pinning it firmly in place with my hand.
"The 'Shoulder Exposure' is not part of the agreed-upon 'Visual Interface', Julian," I growled. "Keep the lens focused on the 'Double-Heir' architecture and the face. Everything else is 'Restricted Data'."
"Keifer!" Jay laughed, swatting my hand. "It's a maternity shoot! It's supposed to be artistic! You're glitching the vibe."
"The vibe is 'Protected,' Weify," I whispered, leaning down to kiss her temple while staring directly into the camera lens with a look that said, 'Try me.'
The "Intruder" Glitch: [Jay's POV]
Julian tried to pivot. "Okay, okay. Let's try a solo shot. Keifer, if you could just step out of the frame for a moment? I want to capture the 'Mother-to-be' in her natural, serene state."
Keifer didn't move. He actually stepped closer, wrapping his arms around me from behind, his large hands forming a heart shape over Alexander and Aurora.
"I am her natural state," Keifer stated, his voice a 1,000% possessive baritone. "The 'System' is a package deal. If you take a photo of the Empress, the Emperor is in the metadata."
[Author's POV]
For the next hour, it was a battle of wills.
Julian: "Could we get a shot of Jay sitting alone on the velvet sofa?"
Keifer: "Only if I am sitting behind her as the 'Support Structure'."
Julian: "Maybe a close-up of just the bump?"
Keifer: "My hands must be in the shot to 'Verify Ownership'."
The "Jealousy" Peak: [Jay's POV]
At one point, Julian reached out to move a stray strand of hair from my face.
The air in the room hit Absolute Zero.
Before Julian's fingers could even touch a single hair, Keifer's hand shot out, catching the photographer's wrist in mid-air. The speed was 1,000% terrifying.
"Did I give you 'Write-Access' to my wife's face, Julian?" Keifer asked, his eyes turning into blue ice.
"I... I was just... the lighting—" Julian stuttered, his "System" clearly crashing.
"Use your words, not your hands," Keifer commanded, letting go. He then turned to me, his expression softening instantly as he tucked the hair behind my ear himself. "Is the 'Hardware' okay, Jay? Did he startle the Prince and Princess?"
"Keifer, you're being a 2,000% jealous dork!" I giggled, pulling him down by his collar. "He's just a photographer, not a 'System Threat'!"
The Final Shot: [Jay's POV]
In the end, the best photo wasn't the one Julian posed.
It was a candid moment when I was laughing at Keifer's ridiculous protectiveness. He was looking down at me, his "Ice King" mask completely melted, his eyes full of a love so raw it felt like a 1,000,000% power surge. One hand was on my bump, the other was cradling the back of my head.
"That's the one," Julian whispered, clicking the shutter.
[Keifer's POV]
I looked at the digital preview. It showed Jay—glowing, laughing, and utterly mine—and me, looking like a man who had finally found the only "File" worth saving.
"Archive it," I told Julian. "And then delete the memory of this day from your brain. If I see these photos on a 'Public Server' before I approve them, I'll buy your agency and turn it into a parking lot."
"1,000%, Mr. Watson!" Julian squeaked, packing his gear in record time.