---**Chapter 54: Breaking Point***Bing's POV*The following week felt like walking on a knife's edge. Bing's symptoms were becoming harder to hide. The fatigue that once settled in only after a long day now plagued them from the moment they woke up. The nausea no longer limited itself to inconvenient bursts but hung around like a storm cloud, threatening to break at any moment.Bing continued to push through, relying on their usual discipline and professionalism to mask the cracks forming beneath the surface. They meticulously planned their days, ensuring every task was completed on time, every detail accounted for. But it was becoming a losing battle.The constant fear of discovery gnawed at them. Every conversation felt like a test, every glance from a colleague like an accusation. Bing could see the concern in Safari's eyes growing day by day, but they still couldn't bring themselves to confess. They couldn't burden him with this, not when they weren't even sure how to handle it themselves.By midweek, the strain was starting to show more visibly. Bing found themselves avoiding communal spaces, choosing instead to work in their office or find a quiet corner where they could catch their breath. Even then, their mind was constantly racing, trying to keep up with the mounting pressure.It was during one of these moments of solitude that Bing first noticed something else was wrong. They had just finished a particularly difficult task and leaned back in their chair, rubbing their temples to ward off a headache. But the motion triggered a wave of dizziness, so intense that they had to grip the desk to steady themselves.Bing took a deep breath, waiting for the sensation to pass, but it didn't. Instead, the dizziness was accompanied by a gnawing hunger that twisted their stomach in knots. It wasn't the usual kind of hunger, though; it felt sharper, almost painful. They hadn't eaten much that day—too busy, too nauseous—but now it seemed like their body was rebelling against the neglect.With a sigh, Bing pushed away from their desk and headed to the kitchen. They needed something to eat, anything to calm the gnawing feeling. When they arrived, the room was mercifully empty. Bing grabbed a piece of toast, figuring it was bland enough not to upset their stomach further.But as soon as they bit into it, they knew it was a mistake. The taste, the texture—it was all wrong. The nausea they had been trying to suppress all day surged to the surface, and Bing had to drop the toast and rush to the restroom.They barely made it in time, their body heaving as the little they had eaten was violently rejected. Bing gripped the edge of the sink, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they tried to regain control. This couldn't keep happening; they couldn't keep pretending everything was fine when it so clearly wasn't.After a few minutes, Bing managed to pull themselves together enough to leave the restroom. They splashed water on their face and took a few deep breaths, hoping to wash away the evidence of their weakness. But as they caught sight of themselves in the mirror, Bing knew they couldn't keep this up much longer.Their reflection looked back at them, pale and drawn, with dark circles under their eyes. Bing had always prided themselves on maintaining their composure, but now they looked as fragile as they felt.That evening, as they sat on the edge of their bed, Bing stared down at their hands. They were trembling slightly, the stress of the day still coursing through them. Safari had already gone to bed, his breathing steady and comforting in the otherwise silent room. Bing wanted nothing more than to lie down beside him and forget everything, if only for a little while.But as they sat there, the weight of their secret pressed down harder than ever. They could no longer ignore the signs—the nausea, the fatigue, the changes in their body. Bing knew what it all meant, even if they were too terrified to admit it.The next morning, Bing woke up before the alarm, the first rays of dawn filtering through the curtains. For a moment, they just lay there, staring at the ceiling, listening to Safari's steady breathing beside them. Bing could feel the warmth of his body, the familiar comfort of his presence, but it did little to ease the tension coiled in their chest.As they got dressed, Bing caught a glimpse of themselves in the mirror, and the sight made their stomach drop. They looked exhausted, drained, the strain of the past few weeks etched into every line of their face. Bing forced themselves to look away, focusing instead on the task of getting ready for the day.But even as they went through the motions, Bing couldn't shake the feeling that something was fundamentally wrong. The guilt, the stress, the fear—it was all becoming too much to bear. And with every passing day, Bing knew they were getting closer to a breaking point.That day at work was no different from the others, yet it felt heavier somehow, like the air itself was pressing down on them. Bing moved through their tasks with mechanical efficiency, avoiding unnecessary interactions and focusing on just getting through the day.But as the hours dragged on, the strain became more pronounced. Bing found themselves making mistakes—small ones, but mistakes nonetheless. A typo in an email, a misfiled document, a meeting they nearly forgot. Each one felt like a tiny failure, a crack in the armor they had so carefully constructed.By the time the workday ended, Bing was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. As they packed up their things, they could feel Safari's eyes on them, watching, waiting for them to say something. But Bing couldn't; they just couldn't find the words."Are you sure you're okay?" Safari asked, his voice soft but insistent. Bing could hear the concern in his tone, the worry that had been building for days."I'm fine," Bing replied automatically, even though they knew it was a lie. "Just tired."Safari frowned, clearly not convinced, but he didn't push further. "If you need to talk, I'm here," he said instead, his hand reaching out to squeeze Bing's shoulder gently.Bing nodded, grateful for his support but also painfully aware of the distance between them. They wanted to tell him, wanted to let him in, but the fear was still too strong. Instead, they just leaned into his touch for a moment, drawing comfort from the warmth of his hand."I know," Bing whispered, their voice barely audible. "Thank you."As they left the office together, the silence between them felt heavier than usual, filled with unspoken words and unacknowledged fears. Bing knew they couldn't keep this up forever, that eventually, the truth would come out. But for now, all they could do was hold on and hope they would find the strength to face whatever came next.
