Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 85: A world Where Talking Works!

Chapter 85: 85: A world Where Talking Works!

Winter stood in silence for a moment, his eyes fixed on Zara as she adjusted Leo’s shirt, the fabric tugging slightly against the boy’s small shoulders. He had always prided himself on keeping control, but Zara... Zara had a way of throwing him off balance. Her presence, her silence, her words—everything about her seemed to reach deep within him, unravelling the threads he had so carefully woven.

Sam’s words echoed in his mind. "Guilt and regret—they eat at you when you get separated from someone you care about." Winter couldn’t ignore the truth in those words. He’d been pushing Zara away, drawn it out for so long he honestly couldn’t tell if he was really angry.

What am I supposed to say to her?

Winter sighed, pushing the thoughts aside. Now wasn’t the time for indecisiveness. He had to say something. He couldn’t just stand here, torn between his pride and his desire to fix things.

It wasn’t just about Leo anymore, wasn’t just about the secrecy she’d kept from him. It was about them—what they were, what they could be, what he feared they might never be. The thought of Zara walking away, of her finding someone else—someone who could understand her better, trust her more, care for her the way she needed to be cared for—gnawed at him. He took a deep breath, his gaze shifting to Zara, who was about to climb into the sedan.

He took a slow breath and stepped toward her. He reached out, his hand brushing lightly against her arm as he gently tugged her away from the sedan.

"I need to speak with you."

For a moment, there was a flicker of confusion in her eyes, but she didn’t hesitate. Zara nodded, telling Leo to sit tight in the car, and stepped back from the sedan.

Her eyes widened slightly as she silently followed him toward the stream, not resisting.

Winter stopped at the edge of the stream, his eyes not meeting hers as he stood there, looking out into the distance. The noise of the water flowing over the rocks was soothing, almost calming. Winter allowed himself to close his eyes, letting the sound wash over him.

His thoughts kept looping, the anger still bubbling beneath the surface, but something softer tugged at him too.

Zara stood next to him, fidgeting silently. He could feel her watching him, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

"I’m sorry for dragging you out here," Winter finally said, his voice low, as though speaking louder would break the fragile moment. "I just... need to talk to you. Away from the others."

Zara nodded, though her gaze was still fixed on him. She could tell he was struggling, just as she was.

The words he’d rehearsed in his head seemed to have abandoned him. What could he say? How could he tell her everything without sounding like he was accusing her? Or a broken record. How could he admit that he’d been scared, too?

The silence stretched, long and tense, until finally, Winter spoke again.

"I’m still angry," he began, "I know I’ve said it before, but I’m angry because you didn’t trust me. You kept something so important from me, and I don’t know why. It’s not just about the damn powers, it’s about us. It’s about trust."

"Winter-"

He shook his head, frustration evident in every line of his face. "I felt like you were keeping me at arm’s length like I wasn’t someone you could count on."

Zara’s eyes softened, but she didn’t interrupt again. She was waiting for him to continue, to let the words spill out.

"I know I’ve been... cold," Winter continued, his voice breaking slightly as he looked away, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "But it’s because I didn’t know how to handle it. I didn’t know how to handle you, Zara. I didn’t know how to handle the way you make me feel."

Zara’s breath caught at the quiet confession.

"That wasn’t my intention, it honestly just happened. Like I told you that night."

"I get that," Winter replied, his tone laced with frustration. "But why didn’t you trust me? Why did you think you had to carry this alone?"

"I didn’t mean to keep it from you," she said softly, her voice shaking slightly. "I never wanted to hurt you. You have to understand, Winter, I’ve always had to protect Leo on my own. I didn’t think anyone would understand, and I didn’t want to put him in danger. I didn’t trust anyone with that... I just got so used to it...It was nothing against you."

"You should have," he murmured. His voice softened, but there was still an edge to it. "But I... I know I might have overreacted, too. I didn’t give you a chance to explain. I just... shut down." He looked down at his hands, then back at her. "I didn’t want to feel weak. I didn’t want to feel like I couldn’t protect you."

for a moment it seemed like he was looking through Zara, looking at someone else. He quickly shook his head, eyes focused on her. Her brows furrowed but she waited patiently.

Winter felt a flood of shame wash over him as he realised what he was doing. Why would he use her to...Maybe she was right not to trust him if he couldn’t look at her without seeing ghosts of his past.

He took a step back but Zara stepped closer, her eyes searching his. "You are important, Winter. More than you know. I was wrong to keep this from you. But you’ve been distant too, and it hurt. I thought we could have faced this together."

His anger had been a shield, a way to protect himself from the fear that he wasn’t enough for her. That she didn’t need him.

But now, hearing her voice break with that raw honesty, his chest tightened in response. He wasn’t angry anymore. He was scared. Scared of losing her. Scared of the distance that had grown between them, even though they were standing here now, inches apart.

There was a long silence between them, the only sound the soft murmur of the stream. Winter stood frozen, his mind racing. She probably saw the fear he knew was in his eyes, a mirror to her own, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the walls between them seemed to crumble.

"I wasn’t trying to shut you out," Winter admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t know how to make sense of it. And when I thought you might leave... that you might leave me, it was like I couldn’t breathe."

Zara’s breath hitched at his words, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She bit her lip, struggling to keep her composure. She knew he had been a straightforward and vocal person, but hearing all these words. She swallowed hard, trying to find the right words but nothing was forthcoming. Was he saying he wanted to be with her, like that?

Zara reached out, her hand brushing against his. "We can’t keep doing this. We need to trust each other, Winter. Completely."

He looked down at their intertwined fingers, his heart pounding. "I don’t want to lose you, Zara. We’ll figure this out together."

Zara’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, a hopeful smile breaking through. "I don’t want to lose you either."

They stood by the stream, the soft rustle of leaves and the gentle babble of water filling the silence between them. Winter’s eyes lingered on Zara’s face, his expression softened, the lines of tension slowly easing from his brow. His gaze drifted lower, pausing at her lips, his breath catching for a moment. He shifted slightly, the space between them narrowing.

Zara’s chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, her heart thudding in her ears. Her eyes darted between his, searching for a sign of what was to come. A slight quiver ran through her as her lips parted.

Winter leaned in, his head tilting slightly.

But just as he was about to kiss her, a high-pitched voice broke through the moment.

"Mommy! Winter!" Leo’s voice called from the sedan. "Are you coming? We’re waiting!"

Zara and Winter both froze, their faces flushed with the sudden interruption. Winter let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair as he pulled away from Zara, his heart still pounding in his chest.

Zara gave him a sheepish look, her cheeks flushed. "I guess we should get back."

Winter didn’t respond at first, his eyes still lingering on her. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he glanced toward the car and caught sight of Sam, Richard, and Mike, their faces teasing, their eyes glinting with amusement.

"Yeah," he coughed into his fist. "Let’s go back, it’s getting dark."

They made their way over to the sedan, shoulders brushing, spirits a little higher. Winter got in first then Zara. Leo wasted no time crawling over winter to her side. "Why didn’t you enter?" he asked curiously.

Zara floundered, trying to find the words.

"Adult talk," Winter saved her, flicking Leo’s nose.

He gasped as he grabbed his nose with both hands, pouting at winter.

"Are you two finally okay?" Mike asked, a mischievous grin on his face.

Winter’s mouth twitched in amusement, his initial annoyance fading into something lighter.

Zara, too, seemed to relax a little, her shoulders easing as she gave a soft laugh.

"Yeah," Winter said, his voice surprisingly light. "I think we are."

Zara shot him a quick glance, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. The tension between them had shifted, easing into something new.

Much better than it was before.

With the sun setting on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the landscape, a sense of anticipation filled the air.

They had approached the outskirts of City H.

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