CHAPTER 11: CLOSER
Day 11 Post-Impact
The next few days settled into a rhythm.
Mornings meant waking up tangled together, trading sleepy kisses before the demands of leadership pulled them apart. Days meant integration work, defense coordination, the endless logistics of merging two survivor communities. Evenings meant stolen moments, private conversations, the slow deepening of something that had waited ten years to bloom.
They hadn't crossed the final line yet. But they were getting closer.
Sarnav woke to an empty bed.
For a moment, panic spiked through him. Then he heard water running in the small attached bathroom Nisha had claimed as her own.
He relaxed back into the pillow, letting the tension drain away. She was still here. Still his. Still real.
The bathroom door opened, and Nisha emerged wrapped in a towel, her hair damp and dripping. She froze when she saw him watching.
"You're awake."
"Hard to sleep without you."
"Flatterer." But she smiled, padding across the room to the small wardrobe where she kept her clothes. "I tried not to wake you."
"You didn't. The cold spot where you're supposed to be woke me."
She laughed, the sound warm and unselfconscious. "That's either very romantic or very codependent."
"Can't it be both?"
"Probably." She pulled out clothes, then hesitated, glancing at him over her shoulder. "Turn around?"
"Really?"
"We haven't... I mean, you haven't seen me..." She gestured vaguely at herself, her cheeks flushing.
Sarnav obediently rolled over, facing the wall. "You know I'm going to see you eventually."
"Eventually isn't now." The sound of rustling fabric. "I want it to be special. When you see me for the first time."
"It will be special regardless."
"Maybe. But let me have my modesty for a little longer." A pause. "Okay, you can look."
He rolled back over. She was dressed in practical clothes, sturdy pants and a loose shirt that did nothing to hide the curves beneath. Her hair was still damp, leaving wet spots on her shoulders.
She looked beautiful. She always looked beautiful.
"Come back to bed," he said.
"We have responsibilities."
"Five minutes."
"You said that yesterday. It turned into an hour."
"Best hour of the day."
She laughed again, but she was already moving toward the bed. She climbed in beside him, and Sarnav pulled her close, burying his face in her damp hair.
"You smell good," he murmured.
"I smell like generic soap."
"You smell like you. That's good."
They lay there for a moment, breathing together. Outside, the world was waking up. People moving, voices calling, the sounds of a community coming to life. But in this small room, none of it mattered.
"I love you," Nisha said quietly.
"I love you too."
"I know. But I like saying it. I spent so many years not saying it."
"Then say it as much as you want."
She tilted her head up, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "I love you. I love you. I love you."
"Never going to get tired of hearing it."
"Good. Because I'm never going to stop saying it."
They emerged from Nisha's room thirty minutes later, slightly rumpled and thoroughly kissed.
The guards in the hallway had stopped reacting. After three days of the same pattern, Sarnav and Nisha's relationship was old news. The gossip had already moved on to other things.
Breakfast was a crowded affair. The integration was progressing well, which meant more people at the school, more mouths to feed, more logistics to manage. Sarnav sat beside Nisha at the leadership table, their shoulders touching, neither bothering to hide their closeness anymore.
"Supply convoy from the Harmony Sect arrived this morning," Encik Rahman reported. "Medical supplies, preserved food, and some construction materials."
"Good. We need to reinforce the north wall." Nisha was all business now, the soft woman from the bedroom replaced by the capable leader. "The last storm weakened the barrier. If we get another one before repairs are done, we could have a breach."
"I'll coordinate with Tan's team," Sarnav said. "They have experience with structural reinforcement."
"Thank you." She glanced at him, a flicker of warmth beneath the professional mask. "I appreciate the support."
"Always."
The meeting continued. Supply allocations, guard rotations, awakened training schedules. The mundane work of survival that had become their daily reality.
Sarnav participated, but part of his mind was elsewhere. Planning.
He'd promised Nisha their first time would be special. That meant more than just finding a private moment. It meant creating an experience worthy of what they meant to each other.
He had ideas. He just needed time to make them happen.
Mid-morning brought an unexpected complication.
"There's a group at the south gate," Marcus's voice crackled over the radio. He'd arrived with the supply convoy, providing security for the trip. "Not hostile, but not from any camp we know. Requesting to speak with leadership."
Sarnav and Nisha exchanged glances.
"How many?" Sarnav asked into the radio.
"Twelve total. Mix of awakened and baseline. They look rough. Like they've been traveling hard."
"We'll be right there."
They walked to the south gate together, flanked by guards. The morning sun was bright, casting long shadows across the fortified entrance.
The newcomers were indeed rough. Dirty, exhausted, bearing the marks of hard travel and harder fights. Their leader was a middle-aged Chinese man with a scar across his cheek and the bearing of someone who'd seen violence.
"I'm Chen Wei," he said, his Mandarin-accented English clipped but clear. "My people and I have been traveling for three days. We heard there was a safe haven here."
"You heard correctly," Nisha said. "I'm Nisha Ramachandran, leader of this community. This is Sarnav Kish, leader of the Harmony Sect. We're allied."
Chen Wei's eyes flicked between them, assessing. "Two leaders. Unusual."
"Unusual times call for unusual arrangements." Sarnav stepped forward. "Where did you come from?"
"Cheras district. Our camp was overrun four days ago. Void creatures. Dozens of them." Chen Wei's jaw tightened. "We lost half our people in the initial attack. Spent the days since running and fighting. Your location was mentioned by traders we met on the road."
"How many awakened in your group?"
"Four. Myself included." Chen Wei held up a hand, and crackling electricity danced across his fingers. "Lightning affinity. D-rank."
[AWAKENED DETECTED]
[CHEN WEI - AGE 47 - D-RANK]
[ABILITY: LIGHTNING MANIPULATION]
[THREAT ASSESSMENT: MODERATE (IF HOSTILE)]
[RECRUITMENT POTENTIAL: HIGH]
Another D-rank. That was valuable. The Harmony Sect and Nisha's community combined only had a handful of awakened at that level.
"We can offer shelter," Nisha said. "Food, medical attention, a place to rest. In exchange, we expect contribution to the community. Everyone works, everyone helps."
"Fair terms." Chen Wei nodded. "My people are tired of running. We want a home."
"Then welcome to ours."
Processing the newcomers took most of the morning.
Medical checks, supply distribution, housing assignments. The twelve new arrivals were in bad shape, malnourished and traumatized, but they were alive. That counted for something.
Sarnav found himself working alongside Chen Wei, helping to settle his people into their new quarters.
"You're young to be a leader," Chen Wei observed.
"The apocalypse ages everyone."
"True enough." The older man studied him with experienced eyes. "Your power level is high. Higher than mine, I think."
"D-rank. Foundation realm."
"Same as me. But you feel different. Denser somehow." Chen Wei shook his head. "I've been awakened for eleven days and reached D-rank three days ago. Fastest advancement anyone in my old camp had seen. How long did it take you?"
"Less than a week."
Chen Wei's eyebrows rose. "That's not possible."
"And yet."
"What's your secret?"
Sarnav hesitated. The full truth was too complicated to share with a stranger. But a partial answer might build trust.
"Unique cultivation method. My abilities work differently than most awakened."
"Differently how?"
"It's complicated."
Chen Wei regarded him for a long moment, then nodded. "Secrets are fair. We've all got them." He glanced toward where Nisha was organizing housing assignments. "The girl. She's important to you."
"Very."
"I can tell. You watch her constantly. Like you're afraid she'll disappear if you look away." Chen Wei's expression softened slightly. "I had someone like that once. Before the impact."
"What happened?"
"Same thing that happened to everyone. The world ended." He was quiet for a moment. "Treasure what you have, young man. Nothing is guaranteed anymore."
"I know."
"Good." Chen Wei clapped him on the shoulder. "Now show me where I can help. I'm tired of being useless."
Lunch was a brief affair, eaten on the move between tasks.
Sarnav found Nisha in the medical station, checking on the more seriously injured newcomers. She looked tired but focused, her attention wholly on the people who needed her.
"Any critical cases?" he asked.
"Two. Infected wounds that went untreated too long. Dr. Aziz says they'll recover, but it'll take time." She rubbed her eyes wearily. "We need more medical supplies. The convoy helped, but we're burning through bandages and antiseptic faster than we can acquire them."
"I can arrange another supply run. The courthouse has stockpiles we haven't touched yet."
"That would help." She paused, then added quietly, "Thank you. For being here. For helping."
"Where else would I be?"
"I don't know. But I keep expecting you to have somewhere more important."
"There's nowhere more important than where you are."
Her eyes softened. She glanced around, confirming they were momentarily alone, then stepped close and kissed him briefly.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"I know. I just needed to say it." She stepped back, professional mask sliding into place. "Now help me inventory medical supplies. Dr. Aziz's handwriting is illegible."
The afternoon brought training.
The awakened from both communities gathered in the school's gymnasium for a joint practice session. It was part of the integration process, building familiarity and trust between people who hadn't fought together before.
Sarnav led the session, demonstrating techniques and pairing people for sparring matches. His Foundation realm abilities made him clearly the strongest present, which meant everyone wanted to test themselves against him.
He fought Chen Wei first, a crackling exchange of electricity and martial skill. The older man was experienced, his lightning manipulation refined through genuine combat. But Sarnav's enhanced speed and strength gave him the edge.
"You're fast," Chen Wei said afterward, breathing hard. "Faster than anyone I've fought."
"Training helps."
"That's not just training. That's something else." But Chen Wei didn't push further. He'd accepted that Sarnav had secrets.
Next came Hafiz, then two of Nisha's E-rank awakened, then a rotation of F-ranks who wanted practice against a stronger opponent. Sarnav modulated his power for each match, giving everyone a genuine challenge without overwhelming them.
Through it all, he was aware of Nisha watching.
She stood at the edge of the gymnasium, ostensibly reviewing reports, but her eyes kept drifting to him. Every time he moved, every time he struck, her gaze followed.
There was something in her expression that made his blood heat. Pride, certainly. Appreciation for his skill. But underneath that, something hungrier.
When their eyes met across the room, she didn't look away. Just held his gaze, a small smile playing at her lips, full of promise.
Later, that look said. Later, I'll show you exactly what I'm thinking.
Sarnav nearly lost his next sparring match from distraction.
Evening couldn't come fast enough.
They had dinner with the leadership council, discussing the day's developments and tomorrow's priorities. The new arrivals were settling in. The supply situation was stable. Defense coordination was improving.
All good news, but Sarnav barely heard any of it. He was too focused on the woman beside him, on the way her hand kept finding his under the table, on the knowledge of what was waiting when the meal ended.
"You're distracted tonight," Mei Ling observed.
"Long day."
"Mm-hm." Her tone suggested she didn't believe him for a second. "Well, I think we can handle the rest of tonight's business. You two should get some rest."
The dismissal was obvious and welcome. Sarnav and Nisha made their excuses and retreated to her room with unseemly haste.
The door barely closed before she was in his arms.
"I've been wanting to do this all day," she breathed against his mouth.
"Same."
"Watching you fight... seeing how strong you are..." Her hands fisted in his shirt. "It does things to me."
"What kind of things?"
"The kind I've been trying not to think about in public."
She kissed him hard, all the restrained tension of the day flooding out at once. Sarnav responded in kind, his hands sliding down to grip her hips, pulling her flush against him.
They stumbled toward the bed, shedding shoes along the way. Nisha pushed him down onto the mattress and climbed on top, straddling his waist.
"I like this position," she said, looking down at him. "I like having you beneath me."
"Get used to it."
"Mmm. I plan to."
She leaned down and kissed him again, slower this time. Exploratory. Her hands worked at the buttons of his shirt, unfastening them one by one.
"Is this okay?" she asked.
"More than okay."
She pushed the fabric aside, revealing his chest. Her fingers traced the muscles cultivation had built, following the lines of definition with obvious appreciation.
"You're beautiful," she murmured.
"Men aren't beautiful."
"You are. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She pressed a kiss to his collarbone. "And you're mine."
The possessiveness in her voice sent a thrill down his spine.
"Yours," he agreed.
"Good." She kissed lower, tracing across his chest. "I don't like sharing."
"I know."
"Today, when we were processing the newcomers... there was a woman. Young, pretty. She kept looking at you."
Sarnav tried to recall. There had been a lot of people. He hadn't paid particular attention to any of them.
"I didn't notice."
"I did." Nisha's lips found his nipple, and he gasped. "I noticed every time she glanced your way. Every time she smiled in your direction."
"Nisha..."
"I'm not angry. I know you didn't encourage it. But I wanted to walk over there and tell her to stop looking at what's mine." She lifted her head, meeting his eyes. "Is that crazy?"
"A little."
"Does it bother you?"
"No." He reached up, cupping her face. "I like that you're protective."
"Protective." She laughed softly. "That's a nice word for it."
"What word would you use?"
"I don't know. Possessive, maybe. Territorial." She leaned into his touch. "I never felt this way before. With anyone. But with you, I want to stake my claim. Make sure everyone knows you're taken."
"I am taken. Completely."
"I know. I just want everyone else to know it too."
She kissed him again, deep and claiming. Her hips shifted against his, and Sarnav groaned at the friction.
"Nisha..."
"I want more tonight," she said against his mouth. "Not everything. Not yet. But more than we've done."
"Define more."
"I want to feel your skin against mine. All of it." Her hands moved to the hem of her own shirt. "I want you to touch me. Really touch me. Without barriers."
Sarnav's heart hammered. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." She pulled her shirt over her head, revealing a simple white bra. "I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired of holding back."
She reached behind herself, unclasping the bra, letting it fall away.
Sarnav's breath caught.
She was beautiful. Small breasts, perfectly proportioned, dark nipples already stiffening in the cool air. Nothing like the exaggerated fantasies of his adolescence. Real, natural, and utterly perfect.
"Say something," Nisha whispered, sudden vulnerability crossing her features.
"You're gorgeous."
"I'm not. I'm average at best—"
"You're gorgeous," he repeated firmly. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And I've been imagining this for years."
"Really?"
"Really." He sat up, bringing them face to face. "Can I touch you?"
"Please."
His hands found her waist first, sliding up her sides, feeling the warmth of her skin. She shivered as his fingers traced higher, ghosting along the sides of her breasts without quite touching.
"Tease," she accused breathlessly.
"Patience."
"I've had patience for ten years. I'm done with patience."
She grabbed his hands and placed them directly on her breasts.
The contact sent electricity through them both. Nisha gasped, arching into his touch. Sarnav cupped her gently, feeling the soft weight, the hardened peaks pressing against his palms.
"God," she breathed. "That feels..."
"Good?"
"Amazing. Don't stop."
He didn't stop. He explored her, learning the shape of her, the texture. His thumbs brushed across her nipples, and she moaned, her head falling back.
"Sensitive?" he murmured.
"Very. Always have been." Her hips rocked against him. "More. Please, Sarnav, I need more."
He lowered his mouth to her breast.
The sound she made was incredible. A sharp cry that she quickly muffled with her hand, her other hand flying to his head, holding him in place. He sucked gently, swirling his tongue around her nipple, and felt her whole body tremble.
"Oh god. Oh god, that's..."
He switched to her other breast, giving it the same attention. Nisha was making continuous sounds now, small gasps and moans that she couldn't fully contain.
"Sarnav... I'm... this is too much, I'm going to..."
She didn't finish the sentence. Her body went rigid, a high whine escaping her throat, and she shuddered against him.
[PARTNER ORGASM ACHIEVED]
[STIMULATION: BREAST PLAY ONLY]
[NOTE: SUBJECT HAS HIGH SENSITIVITY]
[HARMONY ESSENCE GAINED: +800]
When she came down, her eyes were wide with shock.
"Did I just...?"
"Yeah. You did."
"From just that?"
"You said you were sensitive."
"I didn't know I was that sensitive." She laughed shakily. "That's never happened before. Not like that."
"First time for everything."
"Apparently." She looked at him with something like wonder. "What else can you make me feel?"
"A lot. When you're ready."
"I'm ready now."
"Not everything. We agreed."
"I know, I know. Special occasion. Meaningful moment." She groaned in frustration. "You're killing me here."
"You just came from me touching your breasts. I think you'll survive."
"Barely." But she was smiling, satisfaction mixing with lingering desire. "Your turn."
"What?"
"Fair's fair. You made me feel good. Now let me make you feel good." Her hands moved to his belt. "Unless you object?"
"I definitely don't object."
She unfastened his belt with trembling fingers, then the button of his pants, then the zipper. His erection strained against his underwear, obvious and insistent.
"Can I see?" she asked.
"Yes."
She pulled his underwear down, and his cock sprang free. She stared at it with fascination.
"It's big."
"Is it?"
"I don't have much to compare to, but... yes. It's big." She reached out tentatively, wrapping her fingers around him. "Warm. And hard."
"That's what happens when you're around."
"Flatterer." But she smiled, pleased. "Show me what to do."
He guided her hand, teaching her the rhythm, the pressure. She was an eager student, watching his reactions, adjusting based on what made him groan.
"Like this?"
"Exactly like that."
"What about this?" She twisted her wrist slightly on the upstroke.
"Fuck. Yes, that."
She continued, growing more confident. Her grip tightened, her pace increased. Sarnav's hips started moving involuntarily, thrusting into her hand.
"I want to try something," Nisha said. "Tell me if it's wrong."
Before he could ask what she meant, she leaned down and licked the tip of his cock.
Sarnav's entire body jerked.
"Good?" she asked.
"Very good."
Encouraged, she licked again. Longer this time, running her tongue up the underside of his shaft. Then she opened her mouth and took him in.
She was clumsy at first, uncertain. Her teeth scraped lightly before she adjusted, her jaw stretching to accommodate him. But there was something incredibly arousing about her inexperience, about being her first in this way.
"That's it," he murmured, his hand resting gently on her head. "Just like that. Watch your teeth... good. Try taking more."
She followed his guidance, taking more of him with each bob of her head. What she lacked in technique, she made up for in enthusiasm.
"Nisha... I'm close."
She didn't pull back. If anything, she increased her efforts, sucking harder, moving faster.
"Nisha, I'm going to—"
He came with a groan, spilling into her mouth. She made a surprised sound but didn't stop, swallowing as best she could, some spilling out around her lips.
When he was spent, she sat back, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"How was that?" she asked, a little breathless.
"Incredible. You're incredible."
"I've never done that before." She seemed pleased with herself. "Was it really okay?"
"More than okay. It was amazing."
She smiled, bright and happy. "Good. I want to be good for you."
"You are. You always are."
They cleaned up with a damp cloth from the bathroom, then curled together in bed. Both satisfied, both happy, the tension of the day finally released.
"Two more days," Nisha said quietly.
"Hmm?"
"The monthly celebration. The community does it to mark time, keep morale up. It's in two days." She traced patterns on his chest. "I want that to be our night. Our first time."
"A celebration sounds perfect."
"We'll have the evening free. Everyone will be busy with their own festivities. We can..." She blushed. "We can take our time."
"I'd like that."
"Me too." She pressed a kiss to his chest. "I love you, Sarnav."
"I love you too, Nisha."
They fell asleep wrapped around each other, the promise of what was to come hovering sweet in the darkness.
[BOND STATUS: NISHA RAMACHANDRAN]
[RELATIONSHIP: LOVERS (INTIMATE)]
[EMOTIONAL DEPTH: PROFOUND]
[PHYSICAL INTIMACY: ESCALATING]
[MUTUAL SATISFACTION: ACHIEVED]
[TRUST LEVEL: ABSOLUTE]
[ATTACHMENT LEVEL: DEEPENING]
[NEXT MILESTONE: FIRST COMPLETE INTIMATE ENCOUNTER]
[TIMELINE: TWO DAYS]
[PROJECTION: EXCEPTIONAL BOND POTENTIAL]