The bunker's ambient lighting cast soft shadows across Lily's room as she stared at the ceiling, wide awake despite the late hour. The digital clock on her nightstand read 2:17 AM, its red numbers seeming to mock her inability to find sleep. She rolled onto her side, pulling Jason's pillow closer and breathing in the fading scent of him.
"It's only been two days," she whispered to herself, "and everything already feels wrong."
The bunker had always been confining—a glorified prison with comfortable furniture—but with Jason gone, the walls seemed to press in even closer. The air felt stale, recycled too many times. The silence was broken only by the constant, maddening hum of the ventilation system.
Lily closed her eyes, willing sleep to come, but her mind refused to quiet. She kept picturing Jason out there in the ruined world—alone, exposed, vulnerable. What if he never came back? What if the last time she'd touched him, kissed him, told him she loved him... was truly the last?
"Stop it," she scolded herself, sitting up and pushing her hair back from her face. "He's coming back. He has to."
But the doubt lingered, a cold weight in her chest that made breathing difficult.
———————❖———————
In her own room, Marissa lay on her back, arms crossed behind her head, glaring at the ceiling as if it had personally offended her. Sleep wasn't even a consideration at this point. Her body was exhausted—she'd pushed herself hard in the gym earlier, trying to burn off the restless energy—but her mind refused to shut down.
"Fucking hell," she muttered, throwing off her covers and standing up.
She paced the length of her room, five steps one way, five steps back, like a caged animal. That's what she felt like—trapped, directionless, lost. Before Jason had left, she'd had purpose, structure. They'd trained together, planned together. He'd become her anchor, her compass. Without him, she felt adrift.
Marissa stopped pacing and pressed her forehead against the cool surface of her door. She wasn't used to needing anyone this much. Before the collapse, she'd prided herself on her independence. Now, she found herself counting the hours until Jason's return, and hating herself a little for the weakness.
"Get it together," she whispered harshly. "He's coming back. And when he does, he needs you strong."
But the words rang hollow in the empty room.
———————❖———————
Elaine sat on the edge of her bed, not even attempting to sleep. In her hands, she held a framed photo of Jason—taken on his eighteenth birthday, just weeks before the world ended. His smile was genuine, eyes bright with a future that had been stolen from him.
"Where are you sleeping tonight?" she whispered to the photograph, her thumb tracing the outline of his face. "Is it warm enough? Is it safe?"
The maternal worry twisted with something deeper, something that had nothing to do with motherhood. She missed him as a woman misses a man—his touch, his voice, the way he looked at her like she was still beautiful, still desirable.
"Come back to us," she whispered, pressing her palm against the cold frame. "Come back to me."
Three women in three separate rooms, united by the same hollow ache, the same desperate prayer: bring him home safely. Time seemed to have stopped in the bunker, suspended in the moment of Jason's departure. They existed in limbo, waiting, hoping, fearing.
And outside, beyond the steel and concrete that protected them, Jason Wright fought his own battles in a world that no longer played by the rules.
———————❖———————
Jason found himself standing in an abandoned warehouse, rifle in hand, moving silently between stacks of rotting cardboard boxes. The dream simulation felt utterly real—he could smell the musty air, feel the grit under his boots, hear the distant drip of water from a leaking pipe.
"They're here," Nia's voice whispered in his mind. "All six of them. The ones who rigged the pharmacy."
Jason nodded, checking his weapon with mechanical precision. His heart rate was steady, his breathing controlled. No anger, no fear—just cold, calculated purpose.
He spotted the first man easily enough—sloppy guard positioning, smoking a cigarette by a broken window. One silenced shot later, the man crumpled without a sound, cigarette still burning between lifeless fingers.
The second and third died together, sharing a joke that ended in a wet gurgle as Jason's knife found their throats in quick succession.
Number four tried to run. Jason let him get halfway across the open floor before putting a bullet through the back of his knee. The man's scream was cut short by a follow-up shot to the base of his skull.
The fifth begged. Offered information, supplies, women—anything to live another day. Jason listened impassively, then pulled the trigger without changing expression.
The sixth and final target was different. Better trained, more cautious. He managed to fire off two wild shots before Jason's bullet caught him in the chest. As the man lay gasping, blood bubbling from his lips, Jason approached slowly, rifle aimed at the dying man's forehead.
"This is for the people who needed that medicine," Jason said, finger tightening on the trigger.
Suddenly, everything froze. The warehouse, the dying man, even the dust particles suspended in the air—all stopped as if time itself had been paused.
Nia appeared before him, her chosen avatar form materializing from digital particles. "Jason, you need to wake up. Someone is approaching you."
Jason tensed immediately, hand instinctively reaching for a weapon that existed only in the dream. "Hostile?"
Nia shook her head. "It's someone from upstairs. 99% probability it's either Haruka or Misaki."
"Why wake me?"
"I thought you'd prefer to be aware." Her expression was neutral, but her eyes held a hint of amusement. "Would you rather I hadn't?"
"No, you did the right thing. Thanks, Nia."
The dream dissolved around him, reality bleeding back in like watercolors on wet paper.
———————❖———————
Jason kept his eyes nearly closed, breathing deep and regular as if still asleep. Through his lashes, he could make out Haruka's slender figure descending the stairs. His enhanced vision captured every detail despite the darkness—the hesitant way she placed each foot, the nervous twist of her fingers, the slight tremble in her lower lip.
She approached the couch where he lay, standing over him for several long moments. Her internal struggle played across her face like a silent film.
"She's wrestling with something," Nia observed quietly in his mind. "Likely guilt. Possibly embarrassment. Strong internal hesitation detected."
Haruka finally knelt beside the couch, her hands visibly shaking. Jason remained perfectly still as she reached for his pants, slowly undoing the button and then the zipper with trembling fingers.
Just as her hand slipped toward the waistband of his boxers, Jason caught her wrist. "Haruka... what are you doing?"
She gasped, yanking her hand back as if burned. She stood quickly, nearly losing her balance, her face flushing dark even in the dim light. For several seconds, she stood frozen, mouth opening and closing without producing words.
Finally, she took a deep breath, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke. "I'm sorry. I... I just wanted to repay you in some way. There's nothing else I can give you. Nothing valuable left—except my body."
Jason shifted into a sitting position, his expression softening. He patted the couch beside him. "Please. Sit down."
Haruka hesitated before lowering herself beside him, eyes fixed on her hands in her lap.
Jason gently took her hands in his. "Haruka, like I said before—I'm not helping you because I expect something in return. The world is crueler now. Every time I help someone like you, it reminds me that humanity still exists. It helps me hold on to my own."
Haruka lifted her head, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "You don't understand. Before all this... I was just a single mother struggling to make ends meet. Now I'm nothing. I have nothing to offer except..." She gestured vaguely at herself.
Jason cupped her cheek gently. "If you want to be with me, I want it to be because you want it. Not because you feel indebted. You're a beautiful woman and a wonderful mother. Please don't see yourself as lesser."
The tears spilled over then, tracking silently down her cheeks. She threw her arms around Jason, burying her face against his neck. Her body shook with silent sobs as he held her, one hand rubbing slow circles on her back.
"That's twice I've made you cry in one day," he said with a soft laugh. "I might be hurting my reputation here."
Haruka chuckled wetly against his shoulder before pulling back slightly. "Both times were happy tears, so your reputation safe."
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then looked at him directly, her cheeks still pink but her voice steady. "You're probably the best man I've ever known. And the most attractive. If it weren't for the age difference... and me being a mom... I'd be doing everything I could to make you mine."
Jason smiled warmly. "Those aren't problems to me. If anything, they're bonuses." His expression grew more serious. "But I need you to know something—I'm already in a relationship. Well, actually... three. They've accepted it. If it's not a dealbreaker for you, we can take things slow and see where it goes."
Haruka blinked in surprise, then laughed softly. "Three women? I... wow."
"I know how it sounds," Jason said. "It's complicated."
Haruka paused, then smiled genuinely. "If the world was still the same, I'd probably say no. But it's not. We're not. And honestly... men like you are practically extinct. A shared relationship doesn't sound that strange anymore." She reached out, tentatively touching his cheek. "I want to try. We have nothing to lose."
Jason nodded, though privately he wondered how Elaine, Lily, and Marissa would react to this development.
"They've been mentally preparing for this exact scenario," Nia chimed in dryly. "I doubt you'll face much resistance—maybe a little dramatic teasing at worst."
Haruka's hand slid down to rest on his chest, her expression shifting from vulnerable to something more confident. She gazed into his eyes, her voice low but tinged with mischievous boldness. "So... shall we continue from where we left off?"
Jason raised an eyebrow and grinned. "I'd have to be a complete idiot—or a monk—to say no."
Haruka chuckled softly, her hands moving to his waist, gently pulling at his pants. Since they were already unfastened, she slid them down with his help, her movements slow but deliberate.
Next came his boxers, revealing his partially erect length. Her breath caught slightly, eyes widening. "I... wow. Definitely didn't expect that. It's... impressive." Her fingers hovered inches away, hesitating briefly before meeting his gaze. "May I?"
Jason nodded, pride flickering behind his calm expression. "You haven't even seen what it can do yet."
"Is that a promise?" Haruka licked her lips playfully, wrapping her fingers around him with a gentle squeeze. "Because I'm definitely intrigued now. Guess I'd better find out firsthand."
She leaned in slowly, beginning with gentle touches that grew more confident with each response from Jason. Her mouth followed her hands, starting tentatively but quickly finding a rhythm that had Jason exhaling deeply, his hand resting lightly on her head, fingers tangled in her dark hair.
"God, your mouth feels incredible," he murmured, watching her with hooded eyes.
Haruka hummed appreciatively against him, the vibration sending a jolt through his body. She pulled back just enough to whisper, "Tell me what you like... show me how to please you," before taking him deeper.
Haruka worked diligently, her hands and mouth alternating, drawing occasional gasps from Jason. At one point, she tried to take him deeper and gagged slightly, but quickly regained her composure.
"No rush," Jason said gently, stroking her hair. "Take your time. We've got all night."
Instead of slowing, Haruka seemed to take this as a challenge, doubling down with renewed focus. "Mmm, I want to make you lose control," she murmured between strokes. "I want to feel you come undone."
Time stretched on—fifteen minutes, then twenty—and Haruka began to show signs of fatigue, her jaw working overtime.
She pulled back briefly, wiping her mouth, eyes watery but determined. "You're... still holding back? That's insane. My jaw's already sore." She massaged her cheek with a wry smile. "Is this normal for you, or am I doing something wrong?"
Jason chuckled through clenched teeth, his fingers caressing her flushed cheek. "Almost there. You're doing amazing. Trust me, it's worth the wait."
"Good, because I'm not stopping until I taste you," she replied, diving back down with renewed determination.
When he finally felt his release approaching, he warned her with a gentle tug on her hair. "Haruka, I'm close... really close."
Haruka nodded, meeting his gaze with determination. "I want to taste it. Don't hold back. Give me everything," she urged, her voice husky with desire.
His climax was powerful, the result of days of built-up tension. Haruka struggled slightly, some spilling from the corners of her mouth, but she persisted until the end, swallowing what she could.
After, she wiped her lips with her fingers and licked them clean, a satisfied smile playing across her face. "Delicious," she said half-jokingly. "Whatever diet you're on—keep it. I could definitely get used to this taste."
Jason leaned back, chest rising and falling, watching her with a mixture of admiration and surprise. Just as he was about to speak, a faint creak sounded from the upper floor.
Haruka froze, eyes wide, and Jason tensed instinctively. They exchanged a quick glance before Jason hurriedly zipped up his pants and Haruka straightened her clothing.
"That was from upstairs," she whispered. "We shouldn't push our luck tonight. I'd rather tell Misaki myself than get caught like this."
Jason nodded. "Agreed. But... we're not leaving this unfinished."
Haruka smiled, her cheeks flushed. "Not a chance."
She leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek before whispering, "Goodnight," and slipping quietly toward the kitchen. He watched as she got a glass of water, then made her way back upstairs, moving with exaggerated care to avoid making noise.
Jason lay back on the couch, exhaling slowly, his body still buzzing from the encounter.
"Well... that escalated," Nia's voice hummed in his mind, clearly amused.
Jason chuckled. "Remind me to thank you later for waking me up."
"I didn't do it for the show," she replied playfully. "I just thought you'd want to avoid getting your pants removed while unconscious. Turns out, I was only half right."
"Let's just... pretend this conversation didn't happen."
"Conversation deleted... or stored for future teasing. I haven't decided."
"You're the worst," Jason said with a breathy laugh.
Nia's tone softened. "Sleep, Jason. You've earned it. We've got more choices to make tomorrow."
Jason sighed contentedly and closed his eyes, the warmth of the moment lingering like a dream he didn't want to end. As sleep began to reclaim him, his thoughts drifted briefly to the bunker—to Lily, Marissa, and Elaine—before settling on the new reality he was building, one human connection at a time.