Anomaly; Stranded The Series (bxb)

Chapter 10: First Kiss

The night felt heavier than usual, the air thick with humidity and the weight of everything unsaid between them. The ocean, once calming, now seemed to echo the tension that had been building for days—maybe even years. Eli sat beside Jonah, his legs pulled up to his chest, staring at the dark water that lapped at the shore. The confession still hung in the air. He could still feel it, sharp and raw, like an open wound.

Jonah was quiet, his usual energy muted. His knees were bent, his arms resting on them as he absentmindedly drew circles in the sand with his fingers. The distance between them felt like both nothing and everything at the same time, a small gap that contained a universe of emotions. Eli didn't know how to fill it, didn't know how to close that gap without completely falling apart.

He swallowed hard, his heart pounding. There was no avoiding this conversation. Not anymore.

"You don't have to say anything," Jonah said suddenly, his voice low, barely more than a whisper. He kept his eyes on the sand, but Eli could hear the tension in his voice, the frustration mixed with exhaustion. "I know this is a lot for you."

Eli clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he fought the rising panic. He wasn't used to this—being vulnerable, being open. It wasn't who he was. Not even close. But Jonah had cracked him open in a way he hadn't expected, leaving him exposed and raw.

"I... I need to say something," Eli replied, his voice trembling. He could feel Jonah tense beside him, waiting for the next words, as if everything hinged on what came next. Maybe it did.

Jonah turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting Eli's for the first time since the confession. There was a softness there, something vulnerable and hopeful that made Eli's chest ache. How had he missed this for so long?

"I don't want to pretend anymore," Eli admitted, his voice rough, his throat tight. "I don't want to act like this is nothing. Because it's not. You're... not."

Jonah's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing slightly in confusion. "Then why—"

"Because I was fucking scared, Jonah," Eli interrupted, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. He ran a hand through his hair, frustration boiling just beneath the surface. "I've been scared for a long time. I didn't know how to deal with it. Hell, I still don't know how to deal with it."

Jonah's expression softened, his eyes searching Eli's face. "Scared of what?"

Eli let out a shaky breath, staring down at his hands. "Of what it means. Of how everything changes. Of how... I change. I've been hiding from it for so long, I didn't even realize how deep it went."

Jonah's gaze didn't waver. He didn't push. He just listened, giving Eli the space he needed to get the words out. It was one of the things Eli had always admired about Jonah—his ability to wait, to be patient even when everything else was falling apart.

"I've always cared about you," Eli continued, his voice softer now, more measured. "More than I should have. But I couldn't let myself think about it. I couldn't let myself admit it. Because... what if admitting it changes everything?"

Jonah's lips parted slightly, his expression open and raw. He didn't speak. He just let Eli keep going.

"I've spent my whole life trying to fit into this box," Eli said, his chest tightening as he finally voiced what he'd been avoiding for so long. "This... version of me that makes sense to everyone else. And to myself. But when I'm with you, none of that shit matters. I don't want to fit into a box. I don't want to pretend."

Eli let the words hang there, the truth heavy between them. He wasn't sure what he expected from Jonah—maybe anger, maybe relief—but the silence that followed felt like it stretched for miles.

Then, Jonah let out a breath, a quiet laugh slipping through his lips as he shook his head. "You idiot," he murmured, his voice trembling with emotion. "Do you really think any of that matters to me? Do you think I give a shit about what version of you you're trying to be?"

Eli blinked, caught off guard by Jonah's response. "I just... I didn't want to lose you."

Jonah's eyes softened, his hand reaching out to gently brush against Eli's, their fingers barely touching. The simple gesture sent a jolt of electricity through Eli's body, making him feel hyperaware of every inch between them.

"You won't lose me," Jonah whispered, his voice breaking. "But I can't keep waiting for you to figure out what you want."

Eli's heart pounded in his chest, his throat tight with the weight of the moment. This was it. The moment he'd been avoiding, the moment where he had to make a choice—step into the unknown or lose Jonah forever.

"I don't know what I want," Eli admitted, his voice trembling. "But I know I don't want to lose you. I know that much."

Jonah's breath hitched, his eyes searching Eli's face for some kind of answer, some kind of resolution. But Eli didn't have all the answers.

"I'm scared of what this means," Eli continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared of what it means to be... this with you. But I'm more scared of not having you in my life."

Jonah's eyes were glassy, his hand still hovering near Eli's, like he was waiting for permission to close the distance between them. The tension was thick, electric, like the air before a storm.

"Do you feel the same?" Jonah asked, his voice quiet but filled with a desperation Eli had never heard from him before. "About me?"

Eli's heart pounded in his chest, his throat tight. Yes. He did. He always had. But the words wouldn't come—they felt too big, too terrifying. Instead, Eli nodded, his breath shaky as he met Jonah's gaze, letting the truth settle between them.

Jonah's eyes flickered with something—relief, hope, fear—but then, without warning, he leaned forward, his lips crashing against Eli's in a kiss that felt like everything all at once. Desperation, fear, longing—it all poured out in that single moment, in the press of their mouths, in the way Jonah's hands fisted in Eli's shirt, pulling him closer.

Eli froze for a second, his mind racing, his body unsure how to respond. This was real. This was happening. And it was terrifying.

But then, something inside him broke free, and he kissed Jonah back, hard and fierce, like he'd been waiting for this moment his entire life. The fear was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but it was outweighed by something else—something deeper.

Jonah's hands slid up Eli's chest, his touch sending shivers down Eli's spine as the kiss deepened. Eli's fingers tangled in Jonah's hair, pulling him closer, needing more, needing everything.

It was messy, frantic, full of years of unspoken tension and emotions that neither of them had known how to handle. But it was real. It was raw. And it changed everything.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them breathless, their foreheads resting against each other, Eli could feel Jonah's heart racing in time with his own. The world felt still, quiet, like nothing else existed but the two of them.

Jonah's breath was hot against Eli's lips as he whispered, "You don't have to figure it all out right now. We'll figure it out together."

Eli nodded, his chest tight with emotion. He didn't know what the future held. He didn't know how this would change them, or what it would mean for the rest of their lives. But in this moment, with Jonah so close, Eli knew one thing for sure.

He wasn't running anymore.