Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 249: Chapter 249 - I know!

Jai watched Shao move steadily through the aisle, his arms quickly grabbing cans, packets, boxes—shoving them into the basket without hesitation. Focused, detached, like he was just trying to get it over with.

Like Jai wasn’t even there.

That thought made something tighten in Jai’s chest.

He furrowed his brow and, without thinking, reached for a crinkled bag of chips. He made sure to toss it loudly into the cart, the rustle echoing in the quiet, dusty store.

Shao finally looked up.

Just for a second.

He didn’t say anything—just reached out and picked three more bags of the same flavor and tossed them in beside it, as if matching Jai’s taste. Without hesitation.

Jai froze.

His fingers curled against his sleeves as he stared at Shao.

He cared.

That simple act said so much. Shao cared. He noticed. He was listening.

Then why?

Why reject him?

Why push him away if he wanted him?

Jai’s stomach twisted. His gaze shifted, catching a blurry reflection of himself in a dusty metal shelf. The store’s overhead lights cast a faded glow across his face. A thin trail of dried tears clung to his cheek.

He leaned in slightly, staring.

Am I not handsome enough?

His eyes dropped, shoulders tensing. He’d seen the way Shao had talked with Qiu Yue—open, relaxed, even smiling. That side of him had felt unreachable. Like he had walls up just for Jai, and none of them would come down.

Maybe he prefers people like that. Handsome, perfect... calm.

The thought stung. It made him feel stupid. Small.

Frustration boiled inside him.

He marched past Shao without a word and yanked a packet of biscuits from the bottom shelf. Tossing it into the cart, he muttered just loud enough for Shao to hear, ”Zei will like this.”

That made Shao pause. His eyes flickered to Jai, unreadable.

Jai met his gaze. ”What?”

Shao looked away, cold. ”Take some more for him.”

Jai’s jaw clenched.

”Yeah,” he said with a dry, sharp laugh. ”I’ll take a lot for him. After all, he’s the one I like the most.”

He didn’t miss it—Shao’s back stiffening, right in the middle of the aisle. The subtle freeze, the twitch of his hand hovering near a shelf.

Jai stepped closer, voice soft but cutting.

”He’s nothing like someone I know. Zei is sweet. Friendly. Super handsome, too.” He let out a small, cruel-sounding laugh. ”I could just stare at his face all day, you know?”

And then... Shao turned.

He wasn’t angry. Not obviously.

But his eyes were different. Cold and flat and tired.

”Then you should date him,” he said, voice low.

And just like that, he turned on his heel and walked into the next aisle, vanishing around the corner.

Jai stood there, breath caught in his throat, fists trembling at his sides.

The bag of biscuits crinkled in the silence.

”Yeah, I will date him!” Jai snapped, stomping after Shao, his fists clenched at his sides. ”I’ll sleep with him too!”

Shao didn’t even turn around. He grabbed a bag of dried beans and tossed it into the cart like Jai hadn’t said a damn thing.

That just made Jai even angrier. His face was burning now—anger, embarrassment, frustration all at once.

Then Shao spoke, so low it almost didn’t register. ”Do you even know how two men make love?”

Jai stopped dead. His mouth opened, then shut. Embarassingly he felt his own face heat up at the question.

Of course he knew!! He had read books and seen things...

That made him blush even more harder.

He grit his teeth and forced the words out.

”Of course I know!” he shouted. ”I’m not a kid!”

After saying so he gulped. ’why is he treating me like a darn kid!’

He was breathing harder now. His chest felt tight. Everything about this felt messed up and unfair. He slapped his face with both hands, trying to calm down.

”I’ll sleep with him,” he repeated, softer, but firm. ”I bet he’ll be bigger than you.”

He didn’t even believe that, but he said it anyway, just to piss Shao off. Just to hurt him like he was hurting.

Shao didn’t react at first.

Then came a quiet laugh. Almost like he was amused.

”Yeah? How do you know how big I am?” Shao said casually, still not looking at him.

Jai’s eyes went wide. His face went even redder. He didn’t know what to say.

”Zei just... looks like he would be,” Jai mumbled, flustered. ”Okay? Whatever.”

He rushed past Shao into the next aisle, heart pounding so hard it made his ears ring. He didn’t even want to look back. Why the hell did I say that? That’s so embarrassing—

Suddenly, arms wrapped around him.

He gasped, almost stumbling. His back hit warm sturdy body behind him.

Shao pulled him into a tight embrace from behind. His hand curled into his shirt touching his waist intimately

Jai’s body froze. Before he could react he was then shoved gently onto the shelves behind him.

Shao leaned in close, his breath brushing Jai’s ear.

”Do you want to know how big I am?” he said low and steady. ”I bet I’m bigger than Zei.”

Jai’s heart skipped a beat. Then another. His stomach flipped.

He could feel every inch of Shao behind him. Warm. Strong. Close.

Pair of hands around his waist tightened ever so slightly and then he was quickly turned around.

Standing face to face with a man who was looking at him like he was his next meal, jai... Felt extremely embarrassed.

”You’re doing this on purpose...” Jai muttered, his voice almost cracking. His hand pushed at shao ever so gently.

Shao didn’t move away. ”You started it.”

Jai didn’t respond.

He couldn’t.

Because right now, his brain was a mess and his body wasn’t listening. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to push Shao away or grab his shirt and pull him closer.

All he knew was—he didn’t want Shao to let go.