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ELEANOR AND TARON are not the main characters of an action film, if you haven't noticed the lack of cameras and equipment.
As much as they are trying to convince each other that everything is going to be okay, they both understand that it probably isn't; their fair share of close calls serves as a reminder of that. They are two kids with a substantial amount of luck. Unfortunately, that luck will run out sooner or later; they won't move fast enough away from danger, or Eleanor won't wake up, or Taron won't be the one who walks out of the room.
Happy endings don't really exist, do they? Especially not during alien invasions. Eleanor and Taron will die, probably soon; no Columbia, no writing, no photography.
But at this moment, neither of them are too devastated by their lack of the future they always wanted. That could change, of course, whether it be in the next few minutes or even days — but right now, they don't entirely mind that they will be just two more names on the list of casualties of the invasion (if anyone ever composes one) because they have each other.
Cheesy, right?
In all honesty, Eleanor and Taron couldn't imagine anyone else that they would rather spend their last days on Earth with. They aren't giving up, of course, but they have come to terms with the fact that this could be it — they could die at sixteen. Besides, they have grown so much since their afternoon of watching Harry Potter and drinking tea;
Eleanor isn't as closed up as she was. Her walls didn't come tumbling down in a magical moment — unless you count drowning to be magical — and a knight in shining armor didn't break down her walls for her. It just... happened. Gradually, too — more or less. She is okay with showing her weakness. She isn't trying to be tough. She's afraid, and she's scared, and she's emotional toward the entire situation, and she really wants a cigarette.
Taron hasn't gone through much personal evolvement, save for a rather major realization: while surviving the trials and tribulations as of now with his best friend, Taron has realized that there really is no use in pretending that they are just friends. At least, he doesn't want them to be.
Taron has always admired Eleanor; her cool demeanor, her witty remarks, her extreme passion for what she loves, the emotional soul hiding inside of her that she has done a rather good job at pushing away — from everyone but Taron, that is, whether she knows it or not. He believes she has a beautiful mind and a gracious heart; things that would make her rather vulnerable when paired with her emotional nature, which is why she has gone to such lengths to hide in a shell of smirks, cigarette smoke, and one night stands.
Taron has always found her beautiful, too, but that was a given.
Now is the golden opportunity to tell her how he feels, to unleash his emotions and pour out his heart, even given the circumstances. But as he looks into her eyes for the few seconds before he speaks, Taron wonders if it is the right decision. The calm sea of their relationship is quite lovely and he wouldn't want to conjure up a storm if she happened to reject him.
