After Surviving The Apocalypse, I Built A City In Another World

Beginning of the End

Althea laughed at him. "You were here three days ago."

"Seventy-four hours, to be exact." He said childishly.

She just shook her head helplessly and looked at the cute snacks he brought with him. It was a box of varied fruit pastries that she liked. It happened that it went well with milk. She hurriedly ate one and took another to familiarly put it in Ansel's mouth. He naturally opened his mouth to take it, looking like that cute little hamster that he was when he was a kid.

Ansel might be her adoptive brother, growing up with him since she was around 9 years old, but they were closer to being real siblings than other blood relatives. Other siblings might still have emotions of envy, jealousy, and annoyance, but the three of them had gone through precarious situations that almost killed them. It was simply not comparable.

She didn't remember ever feeling that with Ansel. He was actually only a year younger than she was, but perhaps it was because he was pitifully timid as a child, which was still reflected in how he acted around her, she couldn't help but look at him as someone who was still that eight-year-old kid.

It was probably because of the events of their childhood, he seemed to retain this child-like quality around her. Looking at him opening his mouth again for another snack, it was obvious that growing up so big didn't do much with his maturity.

Althea never thought too much about this. He was mildly autistic when he was a kid, then he found himself in such a dangerous situation. It could be said that he imprinted on his lifesaver. This was also the reason why she (and her husband) were adopted by his parents.

Although he improved leaps and bounds since then, and much of it had her own handwriting, she felt it was only natural he showed dependency on her when they were alone.

"A store opened so early?" She asked as she chewed on another bit of pastry. She took a quick glance at the floating digital clock above the television. It wasn't even 8 am yet.

"Well, the owner is an ex." He said, deliberately slurring his words, staring at Althea as he said so.

Althea rolled her eyes. This guy changed girlfriends every week, and his exes could literally line up along the neighborhood. She tried to remember what 'independence-strengthening' activity she threw him to before this started but she couldn't figure out why he turned out to be such a player.

Fortunately, all his exes were mysteriously still his (platonic) friends, otherwise she'd have beaten him up herself. So, instead of dignifying him with a response, she just pasted on an exaggerated disgusted expression and looked down at her stomach. " Don't look down on your uncle too much. He just lacks attention."

Ansel fake-gasped and held his heart as if in pain. He leaned over to whisper to the bulging stomach. "Your uncle is too charming, he can't help it. Here, let me bless you with my amazingness.

"My little nephew and my little niece. Are you behaving well today?

"Uncle already bought you toys..."

"Uncle..." Ansel continued on his soliloquy and Althea rolled her eyes.

"Stop teaching them bad things. Prenatal education is too important. You know, Mom once said–" Her voice was cut off as a thought came to mind:

It would be so good if their parents were here.

She felt a little emotional to the point that she teared up a little. Damned pregnancy. Making her think of weird tangents. "...she said that my birth parents must have given me the best care for me to turn out so well." She mumbled, voice so light but it so happened that Ansel was right next to her.