The rain had eased to a drizzle, but the highway was still waterlogged, each step splashing through ankle-deep pools. The sky hung heavy with grey clouds, casting a dull light over the already bleak world. Cars abandoned long ago lined the road, so half-subrged, others overturned, rusting away in the elents.
The scent of damp earth and mildew filled the air. The trio continued trudging along the waterlogged highway, each step creating soft splashes as their boots t the shallow floodwaters.
Zara adjusted Leo in her arms, his small fra resting heavily against her chest. He had been recovering from his fever, but the journey was taking its toll. She could feel his warmth through her clothes, a mild difference from the cold wind around them.
Winter walked beside her, map in hand, his eyes scanning the horizon. He unfolded the slightly crumpled paper, its edges frayed from frequent use. "We’ve passed the last two landmarks," he said, his voice steady.
"We’re close now," Winter said, pointing to a faded landmark on the map. "Just a few more miles and we’ll reach the outskirts of City H."
Zara adjusted Leo on her hip as she peered over Winter’s shoulder at the map, nodding. "It’ll be a relief to finally reach sowhere safe," she murmured.
Then her gaze flicked to Leo, who was unusually quiet. His large eyes were fixed on Winter, watching him intently as he spoke. She reached out to touch his forehead, checking for any signs of a lingering fever.
"You okay, baby?" she asked softly.
Leo nodded, but his eyes didn’t leave Winter. "I’m okay, Mommy," he murmured.
Zara’s heart ached at his subdued deanour. He was usually so full of life, chattering away about everything he saw. Now, he was quiet.
They continued walking in silence for a few monts before Leo began to fuss, squirming in Zara’s arms. "What’s wrong baby? Hungry?"
Leo blinked and gave a small shake of his head, his eyes still glued to Winter. He was silent for a beat longer before his little hands reached out toward the man. "Uncle carry ."
Zara frowned, glancing at Winter. "Leo, sweetie, Winter needs to keep his hands free to protect us."
Winter also looked surprised.
But Leo’s lower lip trembled, and his eyes filled with tears.
"Alright, alright," she relented. "Winter, can you—?"
"Of course," Winter interrupted, stepping closer. "I’ve got him."
Zara carefully unstrapped Leo and handed him over. Winter took him with ease, settling the boy on his hip. Leo nestled into his shoulder, a small smile of contentnt spreading across his face.
"Better?" Winter asked, jostling him lightly.
"I can see higher now!" Leo exclaid, his voice filled with newfound excitent.
Winter smirked, glancing down at Zara. "That’s because your mom is short."
Zara shot him a glare, though there was no real heat behind it. Leo, however, looked genuinely surprised. "Mama’s short?" he repeated as if the concept was entirely new to him.
"Not that short," Zara protested, crossing her arms.
Winter chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. "Short enough," he teased.
Leo’s eyes widened, clearly grappling with this revelation. Zara reached out, attempting to take Winter’s backpack. "Let at least carry this."
Winter shifted, keeping it out of her reach. "I’ve got it," he insisted.
"Why are you being so stubborn?" Zara huffed.
"? You’re the one being stubborn," Winter shot back, his tone light. He turned to Leo, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Tell your mom to be good and not cause trouble."
Leo looked between them, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Mommy’s good," he stated with conviction. "She doesn’t cause trouble."
Zara couldn’t help but grin smugly at Winter. "See? My baby knows the truth."
Winter scoffed, "He doesn’t know what the truth is," then he turned to Leo. "Can you see the middle of her head?"
Leo nodded, eyes wide.
"Then that ans she’s shorter than you right now."
Leo seed to be trying to make sense of the fact that he was taller than his mommy now. but then added with a small pout, "Mama, don’t cause trouble."
Zara gasped in mock outrage. "Leo! How could you?"
Winter’s laughter filled the air, deep and rich. "See? Even Leo agrees."
Zara couldn’t help but smile, despite herself. "What kind of spell have you cast on my son?"
Leo’s pout deepened. "I’m still Leo, Mama!"
"Of course you are," Zara cooed, ruffling his hair. "No spell could change my sweet boy."
They continued walking, the playful banter lifting their spirits. It felt good to see Leo’s cheeks flushed with sothing other than fevered heat. Zara found herself sneaking glances at Winter, watching the way he interacted with Leo. He raised Leo sightly to let him see a little higher before pulling him close to his chest. Leo snuggled in with a contented sigh, his small hands clutching the fabric of Winter’s jacket.
She wasn’t used to seeing anyone else in a fatherly role with her son. It felt wrong and right all at once, leaving her unsettled. A strange mix of emotions swirled within her—relief that Leo was happy and comforted and a deeper, more complicated warmth she couldn’t quite place. Her mind drifted to thoughts of Damon and how things would have been If he were the one here right now.
But as they rounded a bend in the highway, the lightheartedness was replaced by alertness. A low growl echoed from sowhere nearby, faint but unmistakable.
Zara’s hand instinctively went to the knife winter had given her, her eyes scanning the horizon. Winter, too, tensed, his grip on Leo tightening slightly. "Stay close," he murmured, his eyes narrowing as he searched for the source of the noise.
The growl ca again, followed by the rustling of sothing moving through the waterlogged grass. From the shadows of a nearby cluster of trees, a pair of glowing eyes appeared, followed by the lumbering form of a lone zombie, its rotting flesh glistening in the damp air.
"Just one," Winter muttered, lowering Leo to the ground beside Zara. "Stay back."
Zara nodded, pulling Leo close and positioning herself between him and the approaching threat. Winter drew his rifle, the familiar weight steady in his hands as he aid. A single shot rang out, and the zombie crumpled into the water with a splash.
The silence that followed was heavy, the only sound was the distant dripping of water. Zara exhaled slowly, her heart still racing. "We should find shelter before more show up."
Winter nodded in agreent, his eyes scanning their surroundings. As the wind began to pick up, howling through the barren landscape, they searched for shelter. The rain threatened to return, and the last thing they needed was to be caught in another downpour. They stumbled upon a cluster of abandoned cars, one still intact with its windows and doors. It was a tight fit, but it would provide so respite from the elents.
They climbed into the back seat of a sedan, the interior dry and relatively intact. Zara settled Leo between them, pulling a blanket from her pack to drape over the boy.
Zara leaned back against the seat, her mind racing. She couldn’t ignore the growing attraction she felt toward Winter, the way her heart seed to skip a beat whenever he smiled. It was confusing, a betrayal of her late husband’s mory.
But it was there, undeniable.
Why was this happening?
Winter, on the other hand, stared out the window, his thoughts elsewhere. Holding Leo had brought back mories of his own lost family, the ache of their absence he had tried to push down with thoughts of survival. It had been working for a while, keeping himself occupied with taking care of his crew and base till everything went to shit and he got separated from his family.
He imdiately shifted his focus to finding the cache and joining his friends in city H. That too had been working, staving off the nightmares and dark thoughts.
Then he t Zara.
The warmth he felt holding Leo, the way Zara’s eyes lit up when she smiled—it was all too much.
He told himself it was just tension, the result of their close quarters and shared burdens. But deep down, he knew it was more than that.
The rain began to fall again, pattering against the roof of the car. Zara tightened her hold on Leo, who had drifted off to sleep. Her gaze shifted to Winter watching the flash of lightning play with shadows across his face.
"Winter," she whispered, breaking the silence.
He turned to her, his expression soft. "Yeah?"
"Uhm, Uh," she found herself stuttering. What the fuck? she thought, turning red.
"Yes?" Winter implored, eye brow arched as he waited.
Zara thanked all higher beings that the car was too dark for him to see her blushing.
"Uhm, thank you! for today, with leo!" she forced out, voice loud enough to make leo stir.
Winter looked at her confused for a second then shook his head, mirth In his eyes. "It’s nothing, let the kid have so fun once in a while." he said.
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