Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 261: Chapter 261 - History of abuse

Jai pranced out of the room, his heart drumming hard in his chest.

He had no idea why his grandpa wanted to speak to Shao alone, but it didn’t sound simple. His gut twisted with worry. It wasn’t like his grandfather to pull someone aside for a chat unless something was bothering him—deeply.

He clutched his shirt tighter around his neck, his fingers trembling slightly.

Did he... see the marks?

The thought made his cheeks heat up and his stomach churn. But how could he be so sure it was Shao who did it?

He caught a glimpse of Muchen heading toward the room next door and quickly followed behind, needing a distraction, anything to take his mind off the sick feeling pooling in his chest.

As he stepped inside, he noticed Yunfeng sitting on the edge of the bed, completely still. His eyes were open, but they weren’t looking at anything. Just slightly off to the side, locked onto nothing, like he was staring through the walls.

”Yunfeng, you lazy bug,” Jai teased gently, stepping in fully and trying to sound cheerful. ”Why are you sleeping so much?”

He dropped down onto the bed beside him, noting that Muchen was in the bathroom, quietly cleaning up a puddle of water near the sink.

”Yunfeng!” Jai said again, nudging his friend’s arm. ”You won’t believe what just happened to me. I actually kissed someone.”

A small blush crept into his cheeks as he said it.

”I’m not sure that person even likes me, but...” he trailed off, blinking.

Yunfeng wasn’t reacting. Not even a sideways glance.

Instead, his eyes stayed fixed in that same slightly-off direction. There was no flicker of surprise or amusement, no teasing smile. Nothing.

Jai waved a hand in front of his face.

”Where are you looking? I’m telling you juicy tea here!”

But Yunfeng didn’t track his movement.

A cold shiver crawled up Jai’s spine.

”...Weird,” he muttered. ”Why can’t you look at me properly?”

That’s when he saw it—Yunfeng’s fingers gripping the edge of the bedsheets, white-knuckled and shaking ever so slightly.

”It’s because I can’t see,” Yunfeng mumbled softly.

Jai blinked. ”Huh?”

”But it’s okay,” Yunfeng added quickly, trying to smile. ”I can learn to handle it.”

For a second, Jai didn’t understand. His brain stalled completely, refusing to process what he just heard.

They’d been apart for, what—half a day at most? How could Yunfeng...?

”You’re joking,” Jai said, pouting slightly, half-laughing. ”Come on, don’t mess with me. I’m actually in a serious dilemma here.”

”I... I wish I was joking,” Yunfeng whispered with a soft sigh, his smile faltering.

That’s when it hit.

Hard.

Jai froze. His breath caught in his throat.

”You really... can’t see?” he whispered.

Yunfeng nodded, barely. The movement was so slight it was almost imperceptible.

Jai shot forward in an instant, scrambling on his knees until he was kneeling right in front of his friend. He grabbed Yunfeng’s hands, holding them tightly in his own.

”Oh my god. Oh my god. Yunfeng, what happened?! Did you get attacked by some weird zombie? Did something get in your eyes?”

Yunfeng’s hands were shaking under his grip.

”No,” he said quietly. ”Some bad men... injected something in me.”

He swallowed hard, voice growing quieter with every word.

”I... I kind of lost my powers completely.”

Jai just stared at him, stunned.

His mouth opened, then closed again, no words forming. The warmth in his chest from earlier, from the kiss, from the silly panic about his grandpa, all vanished.

Now, only cold.

”Lost your powers...?” he repeated, voice barely a whisper.

Yunfeng nodded.

”And the sight, it was part of that,” he added. ”Like... like something shut off inside me.”

Jai held his hands tighter.

He wanted to say something comforting, something that would make it all better. But all he could do was stare, as the reality slowly settled into his bones.

His best friend—the one who had always been sharp, quick to act, careful—was now sitting there, blind, helpless, and trying desperately not to let it show.

Jai leaned forward, resting his forehead gently against Yunfeng’s.

”I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

”I’ll be fine,” Yunfeng replied, his voice soft but steady. ”It’s just another thing to figure out, right?”

But Jai could hear it.

The tiny tremble in his tone. The fear he was trying so hard to hide.

And it made Jai hold onto him just a little tighter.

Shao stepped out of Kailun’s room, his expression tense and unreadable.

The old man’s words still echoed in his ears, and the heat of the pistol barrel near his skull hadn’t yet faded. But more than that, the way Kailun had stared at him with deep hatred dug into him, like a warning carved beneath his skin.

He glanced around the hallway, expecting to find Jai waiting outside. But there was no one.

Frowning, Shao moved further down the hall. He peeked into the adjacent room—and there he was.

Jai was on the bed, arms tightly wrapped around Yunfeng.

The air left Shao’s lungs for a moment.

Yunfeng sat stiffly, his back slightly hunched, hands clutched in Jai’s. Jai was whispering something to him, soft and comforting. His forehead rested gently against Yunfeng’s, and the look on Jai’s face—god, it was tender.

Shao’s hand clenched into a fist by his side.

He didn’t understand the surge of feeling that rose in him like a storm. It was fast and hot, thick like fire licking up the inside of his ribs. Jealousy. That’s what it was.

But it wasn’t the petty kind.

It was primal.

He wanted to tear Jai away from the bed. From Yunfeng. He wanted to grab him, pull him into his arms, slam their lips together again and make sure Jai knew exactly whose he was. He wanted to mark him, hold him, protect him, devour him whole.

He didn’t even know where it came from.

But the urge bit into his soul so fast and so deep that it made his vision blur at the edges.

His feet began to move, one step forward, then another—

A hand caught his wrist.

Tightly.

Shao whipped around, startled. Muchen stood there, eyes wide with worry and a firm grip on his arm.

”Let’s have a talk,” Muchen said quietly.

Before Shao could respond, argue, or even fully register what was happening, Muchen pulled him down the hall.