Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 80: This World Of Trust

Chapter 80: 80: This World Of Trust

Zara followed Winter a few steps away from the campfire, her heart pounding against her ribcage. The campfire’s flickering light danced on his tense shoulders, casting long shadows on the ground.

Winter stopped abruptly, turning to face her, his expression tense but his eyes dark with something she couldn’t quite name—hurt, maybe? Disappointment?

"What was that in the car?" His gaze pierced through her. "The toy—where did it come from?"

Zara looked away, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her coat. She took a deep breath, her mind racing for the right words. "Leo... he has this ability," she started, "He can store things in a kind of alternate space. It’s like... it exists alongside him."

Winter’s brow furrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line. "An alternate space?" he repeated, the scepticism clear in his tone. He rubbed a hand over his face, exhaling sharply. "Leo has a storage space?"

Zara nodded, her hands fidgeting nervously. "Yes, but it’s hard to understand. He’s just a child, Winter. He doesn’t even fully comprehend it himself."

Winter’s face twisted in disbelief, a flicker of something like betrayal flashing in his eyes. "Why didn’t you tell me?"

Zara stammered, her voice faltering under his intensity. "I... I didn’t know how to explain it. I was waiting for the right moment."

"The right moment?" Winter’s tone grew colder. "And when was that going to be? We’ve been together for almost months now. "You didn’t need to lie, Zara."

Zara gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "I’m not lying! It’s not that simple, Winter. I was trying to protect him."

"Protect him by keeping me in the dark?" His tone was accusatory, his arms crossing over his chest. "What else haven’t you told me? How much more do I have to do to earn your trust?"

"I do trust you," Zara insisted, her voice breaking slightly. "I’ve trusted you with so much! It’s just—"

"Do you?" he interrupted, shaking his head. "Because it sure doesn’t feel like it. I thought we were past keeping secrets."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut, leaving her breathless. "I didn’t mean to—" Her eyes glistened, the tears threatening to fall. "I just... I didn’t.

It’s hard to understand how it works, and I didn’t want to overwhelm you with something so... strange."

"That’s not good enough," Winter said, eyes narrowed. " What stopped you from telling me? we could have figured something out together. Or is this how it’s always going to be? You keeping me at arm’s length?"

Before she could answer, Sam’s voice cut through the night. "Hey, is everything okay over there? Dinner’s ready."

Winter didn’t look away from her, his gaze still heavy with accusation. "We’re coming," he called back, his tone flat. He shook his head once more. "I just didn’t expect this."

As he started to turn away, she grabbed his arm, her voice a desperate whisper. "Winter, please wait, if we could just talk... I trust you. I do."

"Let go of my hand Zara," he said calmly, facing the campfire.

"If you could just listen—"

"You’ve made it clear you didn’t want to talk about this," he said, pulling his arm away gently. "Dont let an outsider like me intrude on your family details."

Leo, who had been standing quietly by her side, suddenly stumbled forward, clutching Winter’s leg. "Don’t be mad at Mommy," he said, his small voice trembling. "Please?"

Both adults froze, looking down at the child. Winter’s expression softened, his rigid stance relaxing as he knelt to Leo’s level. "We’re not mad, buddy," he said gently, scooping the boy into his arms. "We’re just talking about you."

Leo tilted his head, his wide eyes filled with innocent curiosity. "Talking about me?"

Winter nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, about how special you are."

Leo’s cheeks flushed, a shy smile spreading across his face. "I’m special? Like a superhero?"

Winter chuckled, ruffling Leo’s hair. "Exactly like a superhero."

Zara watched them, her heart aching as she saw Leo’s face light up. The sight tugged at her heart, a bittersweet ache that she couldn’t shake. Winter’s final glance at her before he turned back towards the campfire was filled with more than enough words on what he thought about all this and her, leaving her standing there, feeling more alone than ever.

She watched as Leo nestled into Winter’s arms, talking animatedly about his "superpowers," completely absorbed in his conversation with Winter, not even noticing that she wasn’t there. She wrapped her arms around herself, the cold night air biting at her skin.

"I wanted to tell you," she whispered to herself, "I do trust you. I just couldn’t find the right moment."

She had wanted to tell Winter about Leo’s ability, but the timing had never felt right. Now, it was too late. He had found out before she could explain, and the trust they had been building seemed fragile once more.

*****

Sitting by the campfire, the warmth did little to thaw the chill settling in Winter’s chest. Leo was perched on his lap, his small hands gesturing animatedly as he chattered about his "superpowers." Winter offered a smile, ruffling the boy’s hair, but his mind was elsewhere.

He couldn’t shake the sting of Zara’s omission. She didn’t trust him. After everything they’d been through, all the moments they had shared, she still chose to keep this from him. The betrayal cut deeper than he expected. His feelings for her were more than just casual; he had come to care for her and Leo deeply. And yet, here he was, feeling like an outsider.

Winter glanced across the campfire, catching sight of Zara standing on the edge of the clearing. Her arms were wrapped around herself, her face a mixture of regret and sorrow. She looked so small and alone, but the hurt in his chest held him back. He didn’t want to be the one to reach out first—not this time.

"Winter, you okay?" Sam’s voice broke through his thoughts, drawing the attention of the others.

Winter nodded, turning to face him. "Yeah."

Sam didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t press further, instead offering a bowl of soup. "canned stuff, but good. You’ll like the taste."

Winter nodded, thanking him as he took the bowl. The others might have noticed the tension, but they chose not to interfere, giving him the space they thought he needed.

Good. Winter thought to himself. They weren’t that close yet.

His fingers absentmindedly stroked Leo’s hair as the boy leaned into him, warm and content. His jaw tightened as Zara’s words echoed in his mind. I trust you. I do. Did she? Her hesitation, her decision to keep this from him, said otherwise. They had been through so much together—hadn’t that earned him her trust? The fact that she had chosen to shoulder this burden alone hurt more than he cared to admit.

Leo shifted on his lap, looking up at him with those big, trusting eyes. "You’re not mad at Mommy, right?"

Winter’s heart clenched. "No, buddy. I’m not mad. Just... grown-up stuff. We’ll work it out."

Leo seemed satisfied with that answer, nestling closer. Winter wrapped his arms around the boy, drawing comfort from the innocence and warmth that radiated from him. Despite his hurt, he couldn’t deny how much he cared for this child. The thought of walking away from either of them was unbearable.

His gaze flicked back to Zara. He knew he had been harsh. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t pretend that her lack of trust didn’t affect him. They were supposed to be a team, yet she had kept him in the dark about something so significant.

He looked down at Leo, who was staring at the bowl content with curiosity. To think he had such a power. Honestly, he could understand why Zara would feel the need to hide it. Spatial power meant being able to carry things hands-free with no indication that you had them, getting up and going at a moment’s notice, and having the advantage in terms of supplies.

Fuck, this is so messed up.

He bowed his head slightly, his mind was being scrambled.

Zara eventually joined them, her steps hesitant, her eyes downcast. She took a seat across from him and not beside him, the firelight casting shadows on her troubled face.

"Leo, baby, come here. Let winter eat," she cleared her throat.

Leo pouted, then wriggled down from Winter’s lap before rushing over to her side. She thanked Sam as she took the bowl from him and set it on her lap.

"Look at all this food," she cooed, bouncing Leo. "What do we say?"

"Thank you!"

"You’re welcome kiddo." Sam smiled, clearly charmed.

Zara focused on feeding Leo, as she always did. Putting him first no matter what.

Winter’s thoughts continued to churn. He hated feeling this way— unsure of where they stood.

Leo’s laughter pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see the boy had finished his meal and was now having a tickle fight with Zara. Their gazes met briefly, but they quickly looked away, both unable to see the result of their actions in the other’s eyes.

As the night wore on, Winter knew they needed to talk again, to truly sort through the layers of misunderstanding and hurt. But for now, they just had to get to city H.