Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 315: Chapter 316 - Bathroom break

The car hummed softly through the fog-covered road, tires crunching over gravel and broken twigs. The air inside was warm and quiet, everyone half-asleep after the long day.

Jai shifted in his seat suddenly, a look of discomfort flashing across his face. Something felt off—squishy, sticky, and cold under him. It clung unpleasantly to his skin, and every small movement made it worse. His brows furrowed as he tried to adjust himself discreetly, but the feeling only spread further down his thighs. He bit the inside of his cheek and glanced out the window to hide the growing panic.

”Can we stop for a bathroom break, please?” he asked quietly, his voice trembling with embarrassment.

Shao, sitting beside him, immediately leaned forward, taking Jai’s hand gently. ”Is something wrong?” His tone carried soft concern, but his eyes searched Jai’s face for any sign of pain.

Jai quickly shook his head. ”No... just want to clean myself up,” he murmured, forcing a small smile to reassure him.

But it wasn’t fine at all. The wetness was real—warm at first, then clammy and uncomfortable. He shifted again, feeling the damp fabric cling to his skin, the faint scent of something sweet mixing in the air. Every second sitting there made his heart race faster. He couldn’t tell if it was sweat, water, or... something else.

From the front seat, Kailun turned slightly, catching the unease in Jai’s posture through the rearview mirror. ”We’ll stop at nightfall,” he said gently, his voice calm but edged with worry. ”An hour or so, alright? Will you be able to hold it?”

Jai nodded quickly, though his cheeks burned. ”Okay... I can hold it,” he whispered.

Shao still hadn’t let go of his hand, his thumb tracing slow, comforting circles across Jai’s knuckles. He didn’t ask again, didn’t push for an explanation. But his eyes softened with quiet understanding.

The car rocked slightly as they hit another patch of uneven road. Jai exhaled shakily and tried not to think about the sticky dampness spreading under him. His fingers curled tighter around Shao’s hand, grounding himself in the warmth.

Outside, the fog thickened, turning the world into a blur of gray and faint orange from the headlights. The silence stretched for a while—just the hum of the engine and the soft snore of the sleeping monkey in Yue’s arms from the front seat.

Jai pressed his forehead to the cold window and closed his eyes, counting down the minutes until they stopped. He didn’t dare look at anyone else. Not Kailun, not Lu Zhi, and certainly not Shao. If anyone noticed... he’d never hear the end of it.

But Shao did notice—of course he did. And under his composed expression, there was a flicker of unease too. Something wasn’t right.

Jai’s scent had changed ever so slightly.

The sun had just started to dip below the horizon when they finally decided to stop. The car rumbled to a slow halt near the outskirts of an old, half-collapsed town. The air smelled faintly of burnt wood and rust. Yunfeng got out first, scanning the perimeter while Kailun and Lu Zhi followed with their flashlights.

”We’ll stay here for the night,” Yunfeng said. ”It’s quiet enough. Zombies don’t wander this far out.”

Everyone nodded in silent agreement. They needed rest. The trip to City S was going to take a few days at least, and pushing through without sleep would get them all killed.

The place they chose was an abandoned cottage—small, cracked windows, a sagging porch, but still solid enough to lock from the inside. The moment they parked near the fence, Jai practically threw open the car door and bolted toward the house, not saying a word.

Shocked, Shao turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing as he noticed the faint, dark patch on the seat where Jai had been sitting. His brows furrowed. Out of instinct, he reached out and touched the damp spot. The surface was slick, faintly warm. When he brought his fingers closer, a sharp, intoxicating scent hit him like a wave.

It was pheromone. Strong. Heavy. And unmistakably Jai’s.

Shao’s pulse quickened as the realization sank in. His throat went dry, his thoughts spinning. That wasn’t just sweat or water. That meant—

He didn’t think. He just moved.

Shao pushed the car door open and rushed toward the cottage, heart pounding in his chest. His footsteps echoed against the wooden floorboards as he entered. ”Jai!” he called out, his voice low but urgent.

He heard quick shuffling from the back of the house—then a door creaked. He followed the sound just in time to see Jai dart into a small bathroom and try to shut the door behind him.

Before the lock could click, Shao caught it with his hand and pushed lightly against it.

”Jai,” he said, breath uneven.

”What are you doing?!” Jai’s voice trembled, his face already flushed bright red. His damp hair clung to his temples, and the way he kept his body turned away only made his embarrassment more obvious.

Shao took one step closer, his voice dropping to a low whisper. ”You... you’re still in heat.”

Jai froze. His eyes widened as the words hit him like a shock. For a second, he couldn’t even speak. The memory of that suffocating warmth from earlier, the dizziness, the strange stickiness—everything rushed back at once.

”I—I said shut up!” he stammered, voice cracking. ”Get out!”

Shao didn’t move right away, caught between confusion and concern. But before he could say another word, Jai shoved at his chest with trembling hands.

”Go!” Jai’s voice came out desperate, humiliated. His eyes glistened faintly, like the heat in his body was too much to bear.

Shao blinked, taken aback, and stumbled back a step. In that instant, Jai slammed the door shut and locked it tight with a click.

For a moment, the hallway fell silent except for the sound of Shao’s own heartbeat. He stood there, staring at the door, trying to calm the storm in his head. He could still smell that faint, sweet scent in the air—raw and overwhelming. It made his breath hitch despite himself.

He pressed a hand against the wooden surface, his palm trembling slightly. ”...I wasn’t going to hurt you,” he whispered under his breath, though the words never reached Jai’s ears.

Inside, Jai leaned against the other side of the door, panting softly. His face burned so hot it hurt. He slid down to sit on the cold tiles, clutching at his chest.

What was wrong with him? Why now? Why in front of everyone?

He shut his eyes tightly, wishing the earth would just swallow him whole.

Outside, Shao lingered for a moment longer before forcing himself to walk away, his mind a tangled mess of worry, guilt, and something deeper he couldn’t name.