After the End

Chapter 6: Breaking the Silence

The tension had been building for so long, I could no longer contain it. My heart raced each time I saw him, but I had pushed the feelings down, buried them beneath layers of determination to survive and help Five. But now, sitting across from him, watching the way his eyes flickered with quiet thought, I knew I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I had to say something.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this—falling for someone in a world that had already ended. I had kept my distance, stayed focused on our mission, but the more time passed, the more I realized that Five wasn’t just another survivor to me. He had become more. He had become everything.

And now, I was at the breaking point. The silence between us had become too much to bear.

Five was focused on something in the corner of the room, going over notes and old plans we had tried to use for his teleportation. His brows furrowed in concentration, lips pressed into a thin line as he scanned the papers, frustration etched into his every movement. He didn’t notice me staring at him, and maybe that was for the best. My emotions were raw, and I wasn’t sure if I could keep them from spilling over.

Before I could stop myself, the words escaped my lips. “Five… I need to tell you something.”

He looked up, his expression unreadable, as always. “What is it?”

My chest tightened, but I forced the words out. “I… I’ve been keeping something from you. For a long time now.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t speak, waiting for me to continue. I swallowed hard, my palms sweating as I tried to gather my thoughts. How could I even begin to explain this?

“I’ve… felt something for you,” I finally said, the words coming out in a rush. “For a long time. Longer than I wanted to admit to myself. I didn’t say anything because… well, it didn’t seem right. We’ve been through so much, and the world… it’s already gone. But I couldn’t keep it inside any longer.”

Five’s expression didn’t change, not immediately, and for a second, I feared the worst. Maybe he didn’t feel the same way. Maybe I had ruined everything. But then, after what felt like an eternity, he let out a slow breath and stood up, moving closer to me.

“I know,” he said quietly.

My heart skipped a beat. “You… you know?”

He nodded, his gaze softening in a way I hadn’t seen before. “Xiaina, I’ve felt it too. For a long time. But like you, I didn’t know how to say it. Or if it was even worth saying, given… everything.”

My pulse quickened as his words sank in. He had felt the same way, all this time? A mixture of relief and disbelief washed over me, but I still couldn’t fully process it.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Five’s eyes flickered with something like hesitation before he answered. “Because I didn’t think it would matter. We’re stuck here, in this broken world. What difference would it make if we—”

“It makes a difference to me,” I interrupted, my voice trembling. “You… you mean more to me than just survival, Five. I know we’re in this mess, and I know the world’s fallen apart, but that doesn’t change how I feel.”

I stood up, closing the distance between us. We were only a breath apart now, and I could feel the tension between us shifting, becoming something else entirely. My heart pounded in my chest, but I didn’t back down. Not this time.

Five’s hand brushed against mine, almost hesitantly. It was the first real moment of contact we’d had that wasn’t just out of necessity. His touch sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt myself leaning into it, wanting more.