❝ Don't you know by now that you're stuck with me? ❞

―

JULY 4, 2022.

One thousand, one hundred and ninety days. Three years, three months, and three days. If he had counted correctly, then that meant it was July 4th. Theo always liked the fourth of July. There was something about the fireworks in the sky that brought him a strange sense of happiness and hope that he could not explain. But for Theo, the fourth of July was so much more than fireworks and red, white, and blue.

The fourth of July was Malina's birthday. For the past three years—who knows how long it has been for Malina—Theo had looked up at the sky and wished her a happy birthday. He hoped that somehow she was able to hear him. He wrote her a letter for the past two years, tucking them away in the front pocket of his backpack. He held onto them in hopes that one day he would be able to give them to her.

Theo took a seat in the chair in the ruins of the Argyle Public Library that had become their new base camp. Placed in front of him was a small desk. Theo pulled his notebook and a pen out of his backpack. Searching for notebooks and pens had become one of his favorite pastimes.

Theo began writing his letter to Malina.

Dear Lina-Bear,

Happy Birthday. The year is 2022. By now you would be twenty-six years old had the apocalypse not happened. There is nothing more than I want than to celebrate your birthday with you. We always had so much fun, just me, you, and Mama Laura. Stuffing our faces with all the junk food in the world as we watched all of your favorite movies until the sunrise.

Do you still like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz? I cannot count the number of times we watched those movies. I found Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Five found The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in some of the rubble of the library the other day. When I read them, I imagine that you are right next to me, listening and throwing in occasional commentary.

I promise you, Lina-Bear, that I will return to you and we can eat all the junk food we want. We can watch Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz as many times as you want.

You are my entire world, Lina. We will meet again, and when we do, I'm never leaving your side ever again. But I have learned that the world can be quite unpredictable. As long as I have the choice, I will find you always.

I miss you. You're the best sister I could have ever asked for.

Love,
Theo

Theo closed his notebook and placed it in his backpack before he walked over to the pile of books that Five was sitting on. Across from him was another pile, which Theo claimed as a seat. Theo looked up at the sky above him. It had gone dark, signaling that night had fallen. There was not a single light in sight, not even the moon, which Theo had always found odd. He had just always figured that the moon was impossible to see from all of the ash and dust that covered the earth.

"Do you ever miss seeing fireworks?" Theo asked.

Five turned to look at him. "Yeah. I think I miss sneaking out with my siblings to see them more than the actual fireworks themselves, though. They were the most annoying people I've ever met in my life—other than you, of course—but I do miss them."

Theo hit Five on the arm. "Hey!"

"Okay, you're not as annoying as you were before," Five continued to tease him.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but you were the one that did everything he could to get me to talk to you," Theo recalled. "So if anything, you're the annoying one."

"Only because I felt bad for dragging you here," Five responded. "I was trying to overcompensate."

"Were you now?" Theo asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. "And are you still? Overcompensating?"

"No." Five shook his head before changing the subject back to the original conversation. Anyway, what about you? What did you do on the fourth of July?"

"Well, that depends," Theo told him.

"On what?" Five asked.

"On who I was living with," Theo explained. "Back when my parents were alive, I used to just sit at home with them and watch the fireworks show on the TV because my dad hated large crowds. In my foster homes, we did absolutely nothing."

Five nodded his head as a way of telling Theo that he was listening.

"And then when I moved in with Mama Laura, we usually sat outside on our front porch and watched the ones that the city set off. And told you before that it was Malina's birthday, right?" Theo asked, receiving a nod from the other boy in response. "After watching fireworks, we went inside and celebrated Lina's birthday by watching her favorite movies and eating junk food."

"Did you write her letter?" Five questioned.

Theo nodded. "Yeah. I just finished it. I just hope she didn't forgive me and that she knows I haven't forgotten her."

Five shook his head. "I don't think that's possible. You sound like the greatest big brother, and you adore her more than anyone else. It seems like you've always put her happiness before your own. You don't just forget someone like that."

"Yeah," Theo nodded. "I hope you're right."

"I can't wait to meet her one day," Five added.

Theo smiled. "I can't wait for you to meet her too. She'll be thrilled. At least the Malina I remember would."

"I tend to have that kind of effect on people," Five joked.

Theo rolled his eyes as he picked up a rock and tossed it at the boy. It hit him in the chest, bouncing off before landing at his feet.

Five just laughed before he stood up. "So, what should we read tonight? I was thinking about reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in honor of Malina's birthday."

Theo smiled at him, trying to keep himself from tearing up. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was her favorite book."

Five nodded his head. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland it is then. Is it in the wagon?"

Theo nodded his head. Five walked over to the wagon to grab the book. Theo made his way over to the flattened ground, where they had cleared away the rubble. Theo sat down on his blanket. Five sat next to him and opened the book. He began reading as Theo leaned his head on his shoulder.

"Chapter One: Through the Rabbit Hole. Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting with her sister at the bank and of having nothing to do..."

...

NOVEMBER 29, 2022.

"Guess what I found," Theo said as he approached Five, who was seated at the desk.

Five turned his head, looking up from his equations. Theo pulled a book from behind his back, holding it up in front of him. Theo was smiling, as if he were proud of himself. Five looked at the title of the book, unable to stop the small laugh that came out of his mouth.

"An Italian and English Dictionary with Pronunciation and Brief Etymologies," Five read before glancing up at Theo.

Theo nodded his head. "Exactly. I've been wracking my brain thinking about what you said to me, and now I can finally figure it out. Your sevret is going to be exposed, Five-A-Roni."

"Have fun with that," Five replied, looking back down at his equations. "Let me know when you think you've managed to figure it out."

"I will," Theo told him. "Just you wait."

Theo took a seat in one of the wooden chairs that they had found about two months ago. He opened the dictionary and began searching for the rods that he had heard Five say to him. Though it had been eleven months since Five had spoken it to him, the words Penso di amarti played over and over in his mind.

Theo wrote down the translations of the words as he found them. It had taken him roughly two hours to locate the words in the dictionary and then use the rough translation to make sense of it. Finally, as Five told him that it was time to eat, Theo had figured it out, and he could not stop smiling.

He stood up, placing the dictionary in his back pocket. He walked up to Five and took a seat next to him. Five handed him his food.

"So?" Five questioned. "Did you manage to figure it out?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," Theo said smugly.

"Oh, really?" Five responded. "Tell me then. What did I say to you?"

Theo leaned in closer to him. "Penso di amarti. I think I love you."

"Hmm," Five hummed, taking a bite of his food before speaking again. "Took you long enough."

"Did you really mean it?" Theo asked him. "Do you really think that you love me?"

"I don't just think I do anymore," Five told him.

"What do you mean?" Theo asked.

Five set his bowl down next to him as he shifted his body to face Theo directly. Theo set down his bowl and turned as Five grabbed his hand.

"Ti amo," Five spoke softly.

Theo gazed into his eyes, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Ti amo anch'io."

Five smiled at him. "You're learning."

"I am," Theo nodded his head, leaning in closer. "You know what else I learned?"

"Hmm?" Five asked.

"Baciami."

Five grinned at him. He did not have to be told twice. He leaned in, pressing his lips against Theo's. It started off gentle and sweet, with a languid feeling of simplicity. They could feel their hearts racing, pounding against their chests so loudly that you could hear them.

Five pulled away slowly. The two stared intensely into each other's eyes for a moment before Theo closed the gap, interlocking their lips once more.

...

MARCH 12, 2023.

Theo found it funny how one small detail or moment could have such a profound impact on people's lives. Take the "appy birth" sign, for example. He had found it in a pile of rubble—like pretty much every item he now owned—and it had become a staple of celebrating birthdays. With every birthday that arrived, Theo and Five would pull the sign out from the wagon and wish each other a "appy birth" instead of a happy birthday. It seemed like such a silly thing when he thought about it. How could something so simple and strange become a symbol of their relationship?

And then Five gave Theo a gift, or vice versa. Even when it was not their birthdays, they still gifted each other random items they had found that they thought the other would like. But then, after receiving a gift, that was the end of it, and they went back to their usual routine. There was no dessert, especially not after what the boys had started to refer to as "The Twinkie Incident."

But Theo's eighteenth birthday was different. It started off normal. Theo woke up and was instantly greeted by Five holding their birthday sign. He folded it up and put it back in the wagon that was starting to overflow with items. Five prepared breakfast, rationed, of course. The two boys had learned long ago how much they needed to eat and when.

"Okay, now that breakfast is out of the way, it's time for you to see what I found for you this year," Five told him, standing up and running over to the wagon.

He returned with something in his hand wrapped in newspaper—another thing that had somehow become a staple of life in the apocalypse. Five held the gift in front of Theo, waiting for him to grab it.

With the present in his hand, Theo began to unwrap the newspaper. He looked down at the item in his hand, his eyebrows furrowed together at the small box.

"What's this?" Theo asked, glancing up at Five.

"Open it," Five replied, rocking back and forth on his heels.

Five opened the tiny box, revealing a small golden ring.

"It's a promise ring," Five told him. "I found it in the rubble of the jewelry store down the street. I know it's kind of cheesy and sappy, but I wanted to give it to you to let you know that though our circumstances may not be ideal, I do wish to continue building a future with you. And I hope that you will accept this ring and that you will want to build a future with me too."

Theo nodded his head eagerly. "I would love to build a future with you. No matter where we are. You're never getting rid of me no matter how hard you try."

Five smiled, overjoyed with happiness. He reached for the ring and pulled it out of the box before reaching for Theo's hand. He placed it on his ring finger. Theo smiled down at his hand, admiring the ring.

"I love you," Theo told him.

Five held Theo's hand in his. "I love you too, despite how annoying you can be."

Theo punched him in the shoulder. "Are you ever going to stop calling me annoying?"

Five shook his head, placing his hand on Theo's cheek. "Not a chance."

Theo chuckled at him before they both started leaning in, their lips colliding softly.

Five pulled back, resting his forehead on Theo's. They stayed like that for what seemed like the longest time before they separated, their hands still intertwined.

"I think this might be the best birthday ever," Theo whispered.

"You think so?" Five asked.

"Uh-huh," Theo responded. "Sure as hell beats the Twinkie Incident."

Five shuddered. "I will forever be haunted by the awful memories of the Twinkie Incident. Sometimes, I feel like I can still taste it."

Theo laughed. "It really wasn't my best idea."

"No," Five shook his head. "No, it was not. I, on the other hand, have fantastic ideas when it comes to celebrating birthdays."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "Do you now?"

Five nodded. "I've showered you with notebooks every single birthday before this one where I gave you a promise ring symbolizing my absolute devotion to you and only you. I think I have you beat."

"When did you become such a sap?" Theo questioned teasingly.

"I am not a sap," Five tried to defend himself. "I mean, maybe for you. But I don't think I would necessarily call myself a sap. I'm a romantic, Theo. There's a difference."

Theo laughed. "Don't tell me you're one of those 'I hate everyone but you' types."

Five's face fell. His eyes darted to the ground before he looked back up at Theo.

"And what's wrong with that?" Five questioned.

"Nothing." Theo shook his head and then pinched Five's cheeks. "I love that you're a complete sap for me."

Five swatted his hands away. "Yeah, yeah. Don't make me take back everything I said about devoting myself to you and building a life together."

"Hey, don't you know by now that you're stuck with me?" Theo asked.

"Don't remind me," Five said as he turned. "Now, are we going to just stand around acting like a cheesy couple from a teen movie, or are we going to go searching for supplies?"

Theo let out a quick laugh. "What do you know about teen movies?"

"I have a sister, you know," Five pointed out. "Allison made us all sneak out to see a movie at the theater once. I can't remember what it was called, but it was probably the worst thing I've ever seen."

Five grabbed the wagon as Theo looped his arms through his backpack straps.

"Don't hate on teen romcoms," Theo responded. "Some of them are actually pretty good."

"I don't doubt that," Five replied.

The two boys began walking further into the city; the search for more supplies had commenced. As they walked, Theo kept glancing down at the promise ring on his finger. He couldn't believe that he had someone who wanted to devote themselves to him. It was a dream that he never wanted to wake up from.

— EMILIA'S NOTES

translations:
ti amo - i love you
ti amo anch'io - i love you too
baciami - kiss me

okay so i know last chapter i said we'd see the little fc switch to charlie gillespie but i actually lied... it will be next chapter. it just makes more sense bc theo is 17-18 in this chapter so dylan just fits better

also i'm debating on just using dylan kingwell for season 4 since he's 20 (which is technically how old theo would be physically & i've been making gifs of him) or doing the little switcharoo to charlie...

also yes, five hates everyone but has a huge soft spot for theo if you couldn't tell. and i don't know about you guys, but i love it.

isn't it crazy that i still have so many more ideas? are we enjoying the apocalypse/through the years chapters?