Chapter: "Let Her Cry"
Keifer's POV
Morning light filtered softly through the curtains.
I didn't sleep.
I stayed sitting beside her the whole night.
Her hand in mine.
Every time she moved, I woke instantly.
She looked peaceful now.
Too peaceful for someone who broke down like that.
Then—
Her fingers tightened around mine.
Her eyelids fluttered.
"Jay?" I whispered.
Her eyes slowly opened.
Confused at first.
Then aware.
Then—
She looked at me.
And something inside her shattered.
Without saying a word, she suddenly sat up and wrapped her arms around me.
Tight.
So tight.
Like I would disappear.
And then—
She cried.
Not silent tears.
Not soft sniffles.
She cried loudly.
Broken.
Shaking.
The kind of cry you hold in for years.
My heart dropped.
"Jay," I whispered, holding her carefully. "Hey… hey…"
But she didn't speak.
She just cried harder.
Her fingers digging into my shirt.
Like she was holding onto life.
Footsteps rushed in.
Aries burst through the door first.
"What happened?!"
Cin behind him.
Yuri right after.
They froze.
Because she wasn't hurt.
She wasn't fainting.
She was just—
Crying.
Louder than I've ever heard.
Aries looked panicked.
"Jay? What's wrong? Did something happen?"
She didn't answer.
She just held me tighter.
And cried.
Jay's POV
I don't know why.
I don't know what broke.
I just woke up—
And everything hurt.
Not physically.
Inside.
The fear from last night.
The memories.
The years of pretending I was fine.
The strong girl.
The savage one.
The loud one.
It all collapsed.
And the only thing I could feel—
Was that I didn't want to be alone.
So I hugged him.
And the moment he hugged me back—
I lost control.
I cried like I was fourteen again.
Like I was scared again.
Like I never got to cry properly before.
Aries' voice sounded distant.
"Talk to us."
I couldn't.
If I opened my mouth—
I'd break even more.
So I just cried.
And cried.
And cried.
Keifer's POV
Everyone looked confused.
Panicked.
Unsure.
I shook my head slightly at them.
"She just needs to cry."
Aries' fists were clenched.
"She's scaring me."
"I know," I said softly. "But let her."
I kept one hand on her back.
Moving slowly.
Not forcing her to calm down.
Not telling her to stop.
Just letting her.
She buried her face in my chest.
Her tears soaking my shirt.
I didn't care.
Cin whispered quietly to Yuri,
"I've never seen her like this."
Yuri's voice was soft.
"She's been strong too long."
Aries looked like he wanted to fix something he couldn't.
I looked at him.
"She's safe," I said quietly.
That's all she needed right now.
Not questions.
Not solutions.
Safety.
After what felt like forever—
Her cries softened.
Not stopped.
Just tired.
Her breathing uneven.
Her voice small.
"…Don't leave."
It was barely audible.
But I heard it.
And so did Aries.
My chest tightened painfully.
"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered immediately.
She tightened her grip again.
Like she needed to hear it twice.
"I'm not leaving," I repeated.
Aries stepped closer slowly.
He placed his hand gently on her head.
"You're not alone," he said softly.
Cin and Yuri stayed near the door.
Silent support.
No jokes.
No teasing.
Just there.
Jay didn't answer.
She just cried quietly now.
Exhausted.
Drained.
But lighter.
Because for once—
She didn't hold it in.
Jay's POV
I'm embarrassed.
They're all here.
They saw me like this.
Weak.
Broken.
But none of them laughed.
None of them told me to stop.
Keif just held me.
Like I wasn't heavy.
Like my tears weren't inconvenient.
Like I was allowed to fall apart.
I whispered again,
"I'm tired."
He pressed his forehead gently against my hair.
"Then rest."
And for the first time in years—
Crying didn't feel shameful.
It felt safe.