Jason settled onto Elaine's bed, his back against the headboard as he watched his mother arrange pillows in a rough circle. Lily sat cross-legged opposite him, her fingers absently playing with the hem of her shirt. The soft glow of Elaine's bedside lamp cast long shadows across their faces, creating an atmosphere both intimate and slightly surreal.
"Do you think he bought it?" Lily whispered, glancing toward the locked door. "About the inventory check?"
"Richard barely looked up from his tablet," Elaine replied, smoothing her nightgown over her knees. "And Marissa's stuck on radio duty for another three hours."
Jason studied both women, struck by the strange new comfort between them—how Lily now casually touched Elaine's arm, how his mother's smile held none of its former restraint. Yet beneath this newfound ease, tension lingered in the air like static electricity.
"So," he said finally, "here we are."
Silence fell over the room, thick and heavy. Jason caught Lily's eye, and she offered a small, nervous smile that made his heart twist with affection.
Elaine cleared her throat. "I know this isn't... conventional. What we're doing—what we've done." She smoothed her hands over the bedspread. "But nothing about our situation is conventional anymore."
"I don't even know what to call this," Jason admitted, gesturing between the three of them.
"Does it need a name?" Lily asked, her voice small but steady.
They all started speaking at once, then stopped, surprised by the overlap. A burst of laughter broke the tension, and Jason felt something loosen in his chest.
"Okay, ground rules," Elaine said, her tone shifting to something more purposeful. "Complete honesty between us. No judgment. And equality—no one person's feelings matter more than another's. Agreed?"
Jason nodded. "Agreed."
"Agreed," Lily echoed, then bit her lip. "Speaking of honesty... has anyone else noticed Dad acting stranger than usual? Even before... everything?"
Jason straightened. "What do you mean?"
"The way he disappears into his lab for hours," Lily continued. "How he barely speaks at meals. Sometimes I catch him just... watching us."
Elaine's expression darkened. "He's been distant for years, but this is different. It's like he lives in a different realm from us."
"There's something he's not telling us about the collapse," Jason said, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. "And I don't think this bunker was just a paranoid precaution. He knew something was coming."
Lily's eyes widened. "You think he knew the world would end?"
"I don't know," Jason admitted. "But his 'reproduction plan' came too quickly, too... prepared. Like he'd been thinking about it for a while."
"And that compound he mentioned," Elaine added, her voice dropping lower. "The one supposedly for counteracting genetic problems. I don't believe that's all it is."
"What else could it be?" Lily asked.
Jason shook his head. "I don't know, but he's been working on something in that lab since before we came down here. Something important enough to have a separate power supply and that steel door."
"We need to find out what he's hiding," Elaine said firmly. "But carefully. If he suspects we're looking into his work..."
"We'll be discreet," Jason assured her. "Maybe take turns distracting him while someone checks his computer?"
They nodded in agreement, a shared purpose crystallizing between them.
After a moment, Elaine shifted, her posture changing subtly. "Now, about... us." She gestured to the three of them. "We should talk about how this works."
Jason felt heat rise to his face. "I, um... I care about both of you. But this is all new to me, and I don't want either of you to feel..."
"Secondary?" Elaine suggested.
"Exactly," he nodded, relieved she understood.
Lily leaned forward. "What about jealousy? I mean, I'm okay with sharing you with Mom, but..."
"But you worry that might change," Elaine finished for her. "It's natural, honey."
"Maybe we need a schedule," Jason suggested, then immediately cringed. "That sounded less silly in my head."
Elaine laughed softly. "Not entirely wrong, though. We need boundaries. Times when each of us can be alone together, and times when we're all... together."
"And we tell each other everything," Lily added. "No secrets."
"No secrets," Jason agreed, reaching out to take both their hands. "We're making our own rules now."
Elaine squeezed his hand, then reached for Lily's, completing their circle. "In our rooms, we're equals. Outside, we're still mother and children to the world. But here..."
Lily leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Elaine's lips, then turned to do the same to Jason. The simple gesture felt like a seal on their agreement, something sacred in its simplicity.
"There's something else we should discuss," Jason said after a moment. "Marissa."
The mood in the room shifted immediately.
"She's been getting closer to you," Elaine observed, her tone careful.
Jason nodded. "That day at the pool, and when I was sick... there was something there."
"Do you want her to join us?" Lily asked directly, though Jason could hear the slight strain in her voice.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I care about her, but she's always been so closed off. After what happened with that son of a bitch—"
"She might not react well," Elaine finished. "Or she might feel excluded if she discovers what we've been doing."
"I could talk to her," Lily offered. "Just casually. See how she feels about... things."
Jason shook his head. "I don't want her to feel pressured. Or like we're ganging up on her."
"We'll watch for signs," Elaine decided. "Let her set the pace. If she's interested, she'll show it."
"And if she's not, we respect that," Jason added firmly.
"Of course," Lily agreed. "But when should we decide? We can't just wait forever."
"Give it a week," Elaine suggested. "Then we'll reassess."
Jason nodded, relieved they weren't rushing into anything.
"There's also the practical stuff," he said. "Richard mentioned that compound, but until then... contraception?"
Elaine's expression grew serious. "For now, there's no need to take any chances , we need protection. There are condoms in the medical supplies."
"And what about privacy?" Lily asked. "The walls are soundproof but the doors are not. And it's too late to sue anyone for this mistake."
Jason couldn't help but smile. "I guess they didn't take your moans into account when making it."
Lily blushed but grinned back. "Shut up."
"We could use music as cover," Elaine suggested. "And maybe a system for when we need private time? A hair tie on the doorknob?"
"Old school, but effective," Jason agreed. "And sleeping arrangements?"
"We should maintain appearances," Elaine said firmly. "Sleep in our own beds most nights. At least until we figure out what to do about Marissa and Richard."
As they continued talking, Jason noticed the space between them gradually closing. Lily had moved to sit beside him, her thigh pressed against his, while Elaine had shifted to face them both, her knee touching Lily's.
"This is crazy, isn't it?" Lily said suddenly, a small laugh escaping her. "I mean, if someone had told me a month ago..."
"The world ended," Jason reminded her gently. "I think we're allowed to make our own rules now."
"What happens if we're not alone, though?" Elaine asked, voicing the question they'd all avoided. "If there are others out there, and one day we rejoin society..."
The weight of the question hung in the air.
"Then we face it together," Jason said finally. "Whatever happens, I wouldn't trade what we have for anything."
"I'm scared sometimes," Lily admitted quietly. "Not just of what's out there, but of how much I need this—need both of you."
Elaine reached out, drawing Lily into a gentle embrace. "Come here, both of you."
Jason moved closer, wrapping his arms around them. They sat like that for a long moment, three bodies pressed together in the soft lamplight, finding strength in their forbidden comfort.