The safe house was quiet, the only sound the soft hum of the air conditioning. Kelechi sat at the small kitchen table, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. Malik stood by the window, his silhouette outlined against the city lights.
The tension between them had been palpable since their return from the failed operation. Words had been exchanged, trust questioned, and now silence hung heavy in the air.
Malik turned from the window, his gaze meeting hers. "We need to talk," he said, his voice low but firm.
Kelechi nodded, setting her cup down. "About what happened?"
He nodded, taking a step closer. "About everything. About us."
She met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't know what you want from me, Malik."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I want honesty. I want to know where we stand."
Kelechi stood, pacing the small room. "I don't know if I can give you that. My past, my mission, everything is so… complicated."
Malik stepped forward, his presence steady and unwavering. "I know it's complicated. But that doesn't mean we can't figure it out together."
She stopped pacing, turning to face him.
"And what if we can't? What if this… whatever this is, is too much?"
He reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "Then we'll face it together. But we can't do that if we don't talk."
Kelechi looked down at their joined hands, her mind racing. She had spent so long building walls, keeping people at a distance. But with Malik, those walls felt less like protection and more like isolation.
She took a deep breath, meeting his gaze. "I don't know if I can trust you completely. But I want to try."
A small smile tugged at the corner of Malik's lips. "That's all I ask."
They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them. But in that silence, there was understanding. A tentative step forward into something new.