Anomaly; Stranded The Series (bxb)

Chapter 11: Fallout

The kiss hung in the air, lingering long after their lips had parted. Eli could still feel the ghost of it, the press of Jonah's mouth against his, the taste of saltwater and desperation. For a moment, everything had clicked into place—like this was the answer to everything—but now, sitting in the quiet aftermath, Eli wasn't so sure.

Jonah had pulled away first. That much was clear. The warmth of his touch had faded, leaving a cold gap between them that felt impossible to cross again. Eli sat on the sand, his heart still pounding in his chest, his breath uneven. He'd thought the kiss would change things. He'd thought it would break the wall between them, finally giving them both what they needed.

But now? Now it just felt like things were even more complicated.

Jonah was quiet, too quiet. He stood a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest, staring out at the waves like they held the answers to questions neither of them could ask. His jaw was tight, his brow furrowed, and Eli knew—he could feel—that something was wrong.

The silence between them stretched, heavy and uncomfortable, until finally, Jonah let out a sharp breath and turned to face Eli, his expression unreadable. "We can't pretend that didn't just happen," Jonah said, his voice low but firm. "But... I need to know if this is real for you."

Eli blinked, taken aback by the question. "Real? Of course it's real."

Jonah shook his head, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not talking about the kiss, Eli. I'm talking about your feelings. What we just did—that's not just about surviving. It's more than that. And if it's not for you, if this is just because we're stuck here, then I need to know now."

Eli's stomach twisted. Jonah's words cut deep, striking at a fear Eli hadn't even realized he had until this moment—the fear that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't real. That maybe everything he'd been feeling was just a reaction to the situation, to the isolation, to the fact that they were alone on this island with no one else to turn to.

But it wasn't that. It couldn't be. Eli knew that what he felt for Jonah went beyond their current situation. He knew it had always been there. He'd just been too scared to face it until now.

"I'm not playing games with you," Eli said, his voice more defensive than he intended. "This is real for me, Jonah. I wouldn't have kissed you if it wasn't."

Jonah's jaw tightened, his eyes flicking to the ground. "You're saying that now, but... how do I know it's not just because we're stuck here? How do I know this isn't just some desperate attempt to feel something?"

Eli felt a pang of frustration rise in his chest, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "You don't," he admitted, his voice quieter. "I don't know either. I've never done this before. I've never been in love with my best friend before."

Jonah flinched at the word, his eyes snapping back to Eli's, sharp and searching. "You're in love with me?"

Fuck. Eli hadn't meant to say it like that, hadn't meant to drop that bomb in the middle of this already messy conversation. But the truth was out now, raw and exposed, and there was no taking it back.

"I don't know what to call it," Eli muttered, his voice strained. "All I know is that I care about you. More than I've ever cared about anyone. And yeah, I'm scared as hell, but that doesn't mean it's not real."

Jonah didn't say anything for a long time. He just stood there, his arms still crossed over his chest, his gaze shifting between Eli and the waves. The tension in the air was suffocating, thick with everything they weren't saying, everything they were too afraid to confront.