Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 110

Chapter 110: 110

Winter’s lips moved against Zara’s with a softness that contradicted the tension coiled in his body. His fingers skimmed the curve of her jaw, tracing a path down to her throat, feeling the pulse beating rapidly beneath his fingertips.

Zara’s hands curled into the fabric of his shirt, holding him close as though he might disappear if she let go. The warmth of his body, the way he fit against her—it felt dangerously right. She sighed into the kiss, her breath mingling with his.

Neither of them wanted to pull away. But reality didn’t wait.

When they finally parted, the room remained still, as if the world itself was holding onto the moment just as they were.

Leo’s slow, even breaths filled the space from where he lay curled on the makeshift bed, deep in sleep.

Winter exhaled, his gaze fixed on her, searching. His hand lingered at her waist before he finally pulled back slightly, studying her expression as if bracing for regret.

But she didn’t regret it.

Zara met his eyes, her fingers absently brushing against his wrist before she laced them through his.

Winter exhaled a quiet laugh. "Took us long enough."

Zara smiled against his lips. "Shut up."

Winter grinned, but the warmth in his eyes didn’t fade. "We’ll figure this out," he repeated. "All of it. You, me, Leo... the orb in the sky, the creepy bastard at the farm base. We’ll handle it."

Zara nodded, her fingers brushing against his cheek. "Together."

Winter’s thumb traced over her knuckles, a quiet, grounding touch. He was the first to speak, his voice low but steady. "Want to talk about what this means for us?"

Zara’s lips parted, but no words came at first. She dropped her gaze to their joined hands, considering the weight of everything that had led them here. "I don’t know," she admitted softly. "I just—Winter, I’m scared of ruining this. Of losing you after I get too close."

His fingers tightened slightly around hers. "We’re past the point of pretending indifference, Zara." His tone was firm, unwavering. "You know that."

She nodded. She did know.

A small, almost breathless laugh escaped her. "This is real, isn’t it?"

Winter’s mouth quirked into a faint smirk. "Yeah," he murmured. "It is."

A slow breath escaped her lips, her shoulders loosening for the first time in days. She turned her hand over, threading her fingers through his. "Okay. Okay...just making sure I’m not dreaming."

"I could kiss you again," he said already pulling her close.

Zara huffed a laugh and rested her head against his shoulder, letting her eyes slip shut for just a moment. He didn’t move, just let her lean into him, his thumb still brushing over the back of her hand. It was a rare moment of peace in a world that didn’t allow much of it.

But there was still the matter of survival.

"We need to figure out how to get me into the lab," Zara said after a while, her voice quieter now.

Winter let out a slow breath. "Yeah. But drawing attention to ourselves isn’t exactly an option. If someone at the greenhouse is already keeping tabs on you, walking into that place blind could get us both killed."

Zara shifted, finally sitting up and pulling back enough to meet his gaze. "I know. But we don’t have time to sit around waiting for a perfect opportunity."

His jaw tightened. "You’re not wrong. But getting involved with the lab puts us in even more danger than we already are. You know that."

She nodded, fingers tightening around his. "What if trusting the wrong person backfires?"

Winter’s expression darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Then we deal with it. Together."

Zara let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. "Tomorrow, we start figuring out how to get inside."

Winter nodded. "We’ll need an indirect approach. Someone inside the lab has to be questioning things about the orb already. We just need to find them."

Zara tilted her head. "And if we can’t?"

"Then we make a backup plan," he said simply.

A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "You really think that far ahead?"

Winter huffed. "For a scientist, you’re pretty reckless, Zara. Someone has to."

"I’m not reckless, I’m just overly cautious. Plus what would you do without me?"

His lips twitched, but he didn’t argue.

A quiet understanding passed between them, their fingers brushing against each other on the table before Winter finally leaned back with a sigh. "Get some rest."

Zara shifted slightly, glancing at the window where the afternoon sun streamed through the gaps in the curtains. It was already past midday, and she had a feeling Winter could use some rest. His face was still drawn with exhaustion, despite the fire in his eyes when they spoke.

"You should rest," she said gently, brushing her hair back behind her ear. "It’s the afternoon, and you just came from the base. I’m fine here."

Winter glanced at her, eyes narrowing. "I don’t want to stay cooped up all day, Zara," he replied with a heavy sigh.

Zara frowned, that was right. Winter had fought with someone on base. She wondered what that was about. She bit her lip as she fidgeted in her seat, should she ask? He didn’t seem hurt so that was a plus.

Her gaze lingered on him, trying to piece it together, but Winter caught her stare, his lips curving into a teasing smile.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" he asked, his voice soft yet curious.

Zara blinked, quickly masking her thoughts. "Nothing," she muttered, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. "It’s just..." She paused, suddenly flustered.

"You sure about that?" he asked, his voice soft but teasing. "You’ve got that dumb look on your face."

Zara sputtered, snapping back to reality. "I do not!" she defended, narrowing her eyes at him. "I was just thinking."

"Yeah, thinking too hard," Winter smirked, clearly enjoying himself.

Zara shot him a glare, clearly flustered. "Stop teasing me. You’re the one who won’t rest when you clearly need it!"

Winter’s smirk deepened. "Leo’s asleep, so don’t get too loud."

Zara rolled her eyes, but her heart warmed at how easy it felt to fall back into the rhythm of their usual banter. She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she leaned back slightly. "You want to go outside? We can get some fresh air, look around. It’s not like we’re doing anything important right now."

Winter’s face softened, and he gave her a knowing smile. "I’d like that," he said, standing up and stretching his arms above his head. "But seriously, why aren’t you working? You’re supposed to be in the greenhouse, right?"

Zara shrugged casually as she moved to gather a few things. "We’ve been given three days off from the greenhouse," she said, a small frown curling on her lips.

Winter frowned as well, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Three days off? That sounds suspicious."

Zara nodded. "I agree. I don’t trust it either." Her voice dropped slightly. "They don’t give us time off without a reason."

They both fell silent for a beat, their thoughts heavy with the possibilities of what could be happening beneath their noses. The need to keep Leo safe weighed on them both.

Zara shifted, glancing over at Leo, who was still soundly asleep on the bed. "We can’t leave Leo with anyone," she murmured quietly. "I wouldn’t even if we had the option."

She sighed, leaning over to gently scoop the sleeping child into her arms. His small body shifted in her grip, a soft murmur leaving his lips as he curled up instinctively against her chest. She smiled down at him, her fingers brushing through his soft hair.

Zara glanced up at winter, her lips slightly parted. "Can you help me with the sling?" she asked, her voice soft.

Winter nodded without hesitation, stepping closer to her. He handed her the sling, his fingers brushing hers as he did. She shifted Leo carefully in her arms, moving closer to him so she could wrap the fabric around him. As she adjusted the sling, Winter’s hands brushed against hers again, helping her position it just right.

ara inhaled, the warmth of his touch sending a jolt of electricity up her spine. There was something simple, but magnetic about the way their bodies fit so seamlessly together in the quiet of the room, the soft press of his chest against her side as he helped adjust the straps.

For a long moment, neither of them moved, and Zara could feel the warmth radiating between them. The moment stretched, pulling them close without words. Then, with a subtle sigh, they both stepped away, Zara gently bouncing Leo to calm him.

Winter’s hands fell to his sides, his jaw tightening as he broke the silence. "There. All set."

Zara exhaled softly and adjusted the perfectly arranged sling, securing it around her, Leo settling comfortably on her chest, his small breaths steady once more. She glanced up at Winter, her expression soft but determined. "Ready for that walk?"

Winter smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing as he stepped closer. "Yeah," he said, his voice steady. "Let’s go."