Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 82: The World With Family (?)

Chapter 82: 82: The World With Family (?)

"I want us all to sleep together."

Zara’s heart skipped a beat. She glanced at Winter, whose expression mirrored her surprise. His brow furrowed slightly, a small frown appearing on his face as he processed Leo’s request.

"Sweetheart, don’t you want to sleep with Mommy tonight?" Zara asked gently, trying to coax Leo out of his sudden stubbornness.

Leo shook his head, his grip on her sleeve tightening. "No, I want Uncle Winter too."

As the fire crackled softly, casting warm flickers of light around the small camp, Leo clung tightly to Winter’s sleeve, his small hand gripping with surprising strength for a three-year-old. Zara sighed, gently trying to coax him.

"Leo, sweetheart, you can’t be stubborn about this," she murmured, smoothing back his curls. "Winter needs his space too."

But Leo’s lip began to tremble, his big eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Please, Mommy," he whispered, glancing between her and Winter. "I want us to sleep together. Please?"

Zara looked up at Winter, searching his face for a sign of what to do. He avoided her gaze, but a small frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. Of course, he seemed hesitant.

He looked like he was caught between the desire to maintain distance and the soft spot he clearly had for Leo.

Winter finally sighed, his voice low but gentle. "Leo, it’s okay. Let go, and I’ll bring my sleeping bag over, alright?"

Leo’s eyes lit up, but he didn’t release Winter immediately. "Promise?"

Winter’s gaze softened slightly as he nodded. "I promise."

Only then did Leo’s grip loosen, his little fingers sliding off Winter’s sleeve. Zara watched as Winter walked to the other side of the fire, where his things were laid out. Leo sat up, his gaze never leaving Winter, his tiny hands clenching his blanket nervously. Winter quickly packed up his sleeping bag and belongings before heading back towards them.

Leo’s happiness was obvious, his face glowing with excitement as Winter returned. Zara couldn’t help but smile faintly at her son’s delight, though her heart was heavy with the tension between her and winter.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Sam and Richard exchanging knowing glances. Sam’s voice was low, but the words carried across the campfire. "Trouble in paradise, huh?" he said, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Richard chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Young folks these days. Always something."

Zara felt her cheeks flush hot with embarrassment. They were probably under the impression that she and Winter were together. The last thing she wanted was for their personal tension to become fodder for campfire gossip. She kept her eyes on Leo, pretending she hadn’t heard, and focused on settling him into the sleeping bag. Her hands moved instinctively, tucking him in and smoothing the fabric around him.

"Sam, you’ll take the first watch," Richard said, his tone gruff but practical. "Winter, you’re up after him, so get some rest."

Winter gave a curt nod, his thoughtful frown deepening as he laid his sleeping bag next to Zara’s. He didn’t say anything, but Zara noticed the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes seemed far away.

He probably would be getting as little sleep as her. It would take some time to get used to other people around them while they rested. Something she hadn’t had an issue with when it was only her and winter.

Leo, already snuggled under the covers, reached out for Winter with one small arm, tugging him closer. "Come and sleep! Come and sleep! Mommy says if you dont sleep on time you wake up mean and squishy."

"Squishy?" Winter asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Hmmn," Leo nodded, sitting up slightly. "Your face would be like this," he pressed his hand against his face, making a cute grumpy expression.

"What sort of face is that?" winter asked, a smile creeping into his cold face.

"A squishy one, that’s why we need to sleep now!" Leo explained, looking at Winter as though wondering why it was so hard for him to understand.

Zara hesitated for a moment, watching the scene, her heart ached at how easy it was for the two of them to be around each other.

"Ok, Ok. I am lying down." Winter sighed softly and lay down, letting Leo nestle against him.

The child yawned, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he wiggled closer to Winter, his small arms wrapping around him. "Uncle Winter, don’t be sad," he murmured sleepily. "I love you."

Winter’s expression softened as he placed a hand gently on Leo’s back. "I’m not sad, Leo. Just thinking."

Leo’s eyes fluttered closed, but his little hand reached out towards Zara, tugging lightly on her sleeve. "Mommy, come too."

Zara hesitated, then lay down on the other side of Leo, her body stiff as she kept a small distance from Winter. The awkwardness hung between them like a thick fog, the tension from their earlier argument still strong between them.

She hadn’t expected winter to hold this quite to heart. She could understand but she was surprised. It didn’t seem like his type of personality. She guessed she still had a lot to learn about him.

Leo squirmed until he was snug between them, his little arms hugging them both. For a moment, Zara felt the warmth of Winter’s body close to hers, their arms almost touching.

As the fire crackled softly, Zara’s thoughts drifted. She needed to apologize to Winter, to find a way to mend the rift she had created. Maybe during his watch or in the quiet of the morning before the others woke up. She glanced at him, noting the way his jaw was set, his eyes fixed on something above her head.

Not willing to look at me, huh?

Her musings were interrupted when Leo shifted between them, pulling their bodies closer together. His little hands tugged at Zara’s arm, dragging her until she was pressed against Winter’s side. Their faces were suddenly inches apart, their breath mingling in the cool night air.

"Good night," Leo whispered, his voice barely audible as he drifted off to sleep, blissfully unaware of the tension he had created.

Zara’s heart pounded in her chest, her eyes locked with Winter’s. The closeness was overwhelming, the heat of his body seeping through the layers of fabric separating them. Yes, Leo was between them, but he barely covered their torsos.

Her heart pounded as she noticed the way Winter’s gaze dropped briefly to her lips before quickly darting back up. She could feel the warmth of his breath, the closeness making her pulse quicken. She could be thinking wrong, maybe he had looked at Leo, not her...lips...

But she found herself licking them, suddenly feeling parched.

Zara wanted to say something, to break the tension, but her throat felt dry. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Winter seemed equally frozen, his eyes holding hers in a stare that was both intense and confusing.

Yet Winter was the first to break the spell. He turned his head, his gaze flicking away from hers, a muscle in his jaw twitching. Zara exhaled softly, her body relaxing just a fraction as the tension ebbed.

A rustling sound came from the edge of the camp. Sam’s voice called out softly, "Winter, a quick word before I start my watch?"

Winter nodded, his movements careful as he pulled himself from Leo’s grip and stood. He cast one last glance at Zara, his expression unreadable, before walking over to Sam.

Zara lay back down, her heart still pounding, her mind racing. She stroked Leo’s hair absently, trying to steady her breathing. The awkwardness lingered, but so did a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other.

*****

"Not much moves out there anymore, but it’s the quiet that gets you. Makes you think you’re safe when you’re not."

Winter’s eyes narrowed slightly, following Sam’s line of sight into the shadows. "We’re never safe. That’s why we take turns."

A heavy silence followed, both men lost in their thoughts. Winter was about to turn back to his sleeping bag when Sam spoke again, his voice softer, more personal.

"Don’t fight with your family," Sam said, his eyes still on the dark expanse beyond. "These are trying times. Anything can happen at any moment, and if it does, the one left behind won’t be able to live with the guilt."

Winter paused, his body tense. The words felt less like advice and more like a confession, as if Sam was speaking from personal experience. Winter glanced at him, noting the distant, haunted look in his eyes. Whatever Sam had gone through, it had left a mark.

"I get it," Winter replied curtly, not wanting to delve into emotions or pasts. He wasn’t here to share stories or bond; survival was the priority.

Sam’s gaze shifted to him, a faint, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Just think about it."

Winter gave a brief nod, his face impassive as he turned away and made his way back to the sleeping bags.

As he reached their little setup, he noticed Leo had curled up against Zara, the boy’s small form tucked neatly into her side. His lip twitched as he knelt down beside them, reaching out a hand to gently stroke Leo’s messy curls. Leo was too good, too pure for this world—certainly too good for someone like him.

To think he carried such a cheat code.

Winter’s eyes shifted to Zara’s face. She lay still, her breathing even, but he knew better. She wasn’t asleep; she was pretending, likely to avoid another confrontation. His gaze softened for a moment, taking in her features illuminated by the soft glow of the fire.

Sam’s words echoed in his mind, unwanted. The flash of Zara’s hurt, teary face from earlier resurfaced, bringing with it a pang of guilt he wasn’t ready to face.

With a deep sigh, he lowered himself onto his sleeping bag, the space between him and Zara narrowing as he lay down, his body settling into the hard ground. Leo shifted slightly in his sleep, his tiny hand reaching out to clutch Winter’s shirt. The warmth of the boy’s touch was both comforting and painful, a reminder of the responsibilities he bore.

Staring up at the dark sky, Winter knew sleep wouldn’t come easily tonight. His thoughts were too tangled.

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