My Sniper System in a Zombie Apocalypse World-Chapter 62: What Silence Allowed

Soon enough, the girls finished bathing. Without realizing it, they had spent hours there. Their talk had dragged on, and they kept washing again and again, trying to scrub away the smell that clung to their skin until they finally felt clean enough.

When they stepped out, their eyes went to the window near the balcony.

Jaxon was already there.

He had changed into clean clothes and was done with his own bath, even though they had gone in before him. He sat on the couch with his back to them, rifle resting nearby, his posture still guarded.

"Mister..." Hae-in called out softly, excitement slipping into her voice as Claire helped her walk closer.

Claire suddenly lifted a finger to her lips.

That was when Hae-in noticed it. Jaxon’s eyes were closed. He was asleep.

"He’s probably exhausted," Claire whispered.

Hae-in nodded slowly. "Mm. After all that fighting... and carrying me the whole time, it’s not surprising." Her voice softened. "We should let him rest."

"I’ll keep watch outside," Elaine said quietly. "You all should rest too."

They all nodded. Hae-in returned with a blanket and carefully draped it over Jaxon’s shoulders, making sure not to wake him. She leaned closer, her voice barely more than a breath near his ear.

"Thank you... once again, Mister."

A short distance away, Na-rin watched the scene. Her brows knit together slightly, something unreadable passing through her eyes, but she said nothing.

Soon after, they all moved to the rooms, one by one, finally allowing themselves to rest.

While everyone else went to bed, Elaine pulled a chair close to the window and sat down beside Jaxon.

With nothing else to do, her eyes slowly drifted to him.

Elaine found herself watching him longer than she meant to. Her thoughts wandered, feelings she kept buried deep inside. The quiet made it easier for such thoughts to surface.

Time passed quietly. Then Jaxon stirred.

He rubbed his eyes and turned his head, only to find Elaine looking straight at him. "What?" he asked, still half asleep.

Elaine flinched, not realizing he had woken up. "Oh... hey. You’re awake." She turned her gaze away, feeling caught.

Jaxon sat up a little and noticed the change in Elaine once she had cleaned up. Even in simple t-shirt and jeans, she looked striking. Her long blonde hair fell loosely around her shoulders, her green eyes calm but bright. There was a softness to her now, something gentle that drew his gaze without effort.

She was like someone ’far beyond his league’ before all this chaos, a perfect beauty.

’She must have been popular,’ he thought.

"Sorry. I guess I fell asleep," Jaxon said, stretching his neck. "How long was I out?"

"About an hour," Elaine replied. She glanced at him again, just for a second, as if fixing his face in her memory. "You should rest more. I’ll keep watch."

Jaxon stretched his arms and looked out the window, scanning the quiet street below. "The others?"

"They’re sleeping."

He nodded and turned his attention back to the street when Elaine spoke again.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Aren’t you scared of them?" she asked softly. "The infected..."

"Who wouldn’t be?" he replied.

Elaine let out a small, awkward laugh. "Yeah... that was a silly question."

"I’ve gotten used to them, I guess," Jaxon said after a moment. "They’re easier to deal with than people."

Elaine blinked. "What?"

He did not explain as silence settled between them.

"I’m jealous of you," Elaine said quietly. "You’re strong. You face them without hesitation."

Jaxon kept his eyes on the window, watching the empty street. From their perspective, it might look like courage. But the truth was simple. He moved because he had to. It was always survive or die.

"When we ran from the classroom," Elaine continued, her voice lower now, "I thought it was over. That we would end up like them." She paused. "Then we met you. And somehow... everything changed. You gave us hope."

Jaxon finally spoke. "You’re stronger than you think," he said honestly. "Stronger than me, in a way."

"If I were in your place," he went on, "without a weapon, without what I have, I don’t think I would have lasted long. I might have given up."

He did not say the rest, but the thought lingered. Before all this, he had been just an ordinary guy, spending his days gaming, living an easy life. Without the system, without the power it gave him, he would have been no different. Maybe even worse.

And because of that, he respected them. They kept moving forward with nothing but their will.

"I might not believe you," Elaine said, her eyes telling him he was only saying that to comfort her. Even without words, Jaxon could feel it.

He stayed quiet for a moment, letting the words hang between them, then spoke softly. "Before all this, I was nothing special. Jobless, directionless, living off my family... I didn’t know what to do with my life, I just drifted, spending my days playing games to numb myself."

The truth was stark, far from the image she had built in her mind. She had imagined him as a soldier, someone trained, disciplined, maybe even untouchable. The mystery of him had been alluring, but the truth unraveled that illusion.

"But you’re strong now. You’re capable," Elaine said softly, her gaze steady on his. "And I think... you’ve found your purpose." She had seen it herself, his will to survive, to keep pushing no matter what. There was something driving him forward, something she couldn’t name, but she could feel it.

"You’re strong too," Jaxon said quietly and smiled. "...And you’re pretty." The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Elaine’s eyes widened slightly, then she turned to face him fully. Her heart thudded faster than usual.

Silence hung between them for a few long seconds. Finally, Elaine spoke.

"Say... I have a favor to ask," she began, her voice soft. "If I become... one of those monsters..."

"You won’t," Jaxon interrupted.

Elaine hesitated, biting her lip. "If I happen to become..." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"No," he said again, his voice calm. "I won’t let that happen." His eyes finally met hers, holding the green of her wide, startled gaze.

Elaine blinked, and slowly, she found herself believing him. Then, with a small pout, she added, "Then what if you become like them?"

Jaxon’s gaze drifted to his rifle for a moment. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken fears. "I won’t become like them either," he said finally. "I won’t recognize anyone... even you."

Elaine felt a small, involuntary smile tug at her lips. Heat rose to her cheeks as she brushed her blonde hair back with her fingers, sweeping it behind her ears, feeling a strange comfort in the moment.

Jaxon turned to her once more, and the simple smile and gesture made her even more striking. The morning light from the window brushed her face, highlighting the pale curve of her neck and the soft slope of her jaw. Her green eyes, bright and unguarded, and her lips; rosy, slightly parted seemed to draw him in.

He hadn’t been in a relationship before, but even so, he wasn’t blind to the way her gaze held him.

Then, almost instinctively, Jaxon reached out and held her hands, fingers intertwining with hers. Elaine’s hands felt warm and delicate.

She turned to him, and their eyes locked again. Every heartbeat felt louder, every shallow breath between them noticeable.

Slowly, as if pulled by gravity, their faces drew closer. Her soft breath brushed his lips, carrying a faint scent of flowers and soap from her bath. Her eyes fluttered, then met his, unwavering.

When their lips met, it was gentle at first. Soft, warm, and tender, like discovering something fragile yet undeniable. He felt the curve of her lips against his, the slight warmth, the subtle tremor of her breath.

Her hands tightened around his slightly, guiding him closer, and Jaxon could feel the steady warmth of her body. The taste, the softness, the small inhale she took when their lips parted briefly, it all lingered, and he leaned in again, savoring the quiet intimacy.

When they finally parted, it wasn’t with haste. Their foreheads rested together, breaths mingling. They didn’t speak, they just sat there, hands still entwined, quietly watching the streets outside the window, letting the calm of the moment settle around them.