Attacca ─ Five Hargreeves

10. The Story of Us

Genevieve could sense the storm coming.

Unfortunately, it didn't happen in the real world, not in this catastrophic land, but in her own head. It was there, the dull pain. She could feel it clawing tardily at her skull. It had been three years since the first strike, three years since she had felt such agony as if the moon had been dropped on her. They were eighteen, they were older now, yet that still hadn't tamed their fear for each other's lives. Now, it was growing even thicker.

The bond they have had been carved quite profoundly, trust had begun to be built again. Even though Five didn't always act for all to see, he often unveiled that he cared about her through small things, such as helping her cut her long hair with shards of glass or braiding it when she felt on fire (though at intervals his patience was as thin as a sheet of paper and ended up in a plain ponytail), or recalling the stories his siblings used to tell and conveying them to her in the lieu of the boring silence.

Meanwhile, the girl had a different approach, sometimes bolder.

For her personally, the boy was the literal epitome of her motivation to dredge deeper into the seams of her power. Therefore she ascertained that she could use her ability to siphon negative feelings, refurbish emotions for the better, basically detour a bad mood into a good one. And she tried it on him while he was sleeping, despite her energy was really on the verge of fading, she wanted him to always have hope here, always have that firm grip on his purpose of returning home to his family.

Genevieve had created enough happy memories with her family, she wished Five to have those too in his second chance thereupon.

Though their friendship had progressed at a congruent pace, major or minor quarrels still didn't escape both of them, they still had their bad days and sporadically took it out on each other, but they had now learned that every fight didn't have to end in separation. All that was needed was proper communication, sounder understanding, and a corrective conclusion. They were still flawed creatures who were prone to mistakes, yet time also dealt out all the moments for them to improve, to be better for each other.

However, there were some times when Genevieve didn't want him to know that her head felt like it was splitting in half. Because she knew the truth would only hurt them both.

"It's a good thing I never encountered animal carcasses," she tried to talk the pain out. "I had a dog once. Great Dane, he was so huge. Must be thinking I wasn't suitable as an owner since I was just two apples tall at that time."

"I never had a pet."

"I suggest don't," told the girl. "Goodbyes are truly agonising."

Five chuckled, shaking his head as his focus slightly scattered in raking up the debris of a convenience store. "You can heal them, Eve."

Genevieve almost dropped the items she found onto the ground, her eyes widening in shock. What was that again? Did he just address her with a nickname? That was new, and the very first time he ever called her by a name, might she add. Five didn't seem to realise what had come out of his mouth, yet she heard it clearly and it pledged a peculiar thrum to her heart.

The girl blinked repeatedly, initiating the shock to evaporate into serenity. "What did you just call me?"

And just like that, his body stiffened, hand movements slowed as realisation dawned on him. Five didn't turn around, but she knew he was honing in on an answer, ultimately settling on a lame response. "Uh... nothing?"

"Nice try," she stifled a sloppy laugh, she could literally feel the heat on her cheeks. "Why?"

"That's your name," the boy shrugged, attempting to purge the klutziness in the aerial.