Shrine Of The DEAD Part 16

But the fact that Saeko didn't want to hurt others and didn't want to be viewed as a monster, that's what mattered. Despite her inner darkness, she was still a kind and compassionate person. Unlike the bastard he had shot and left for dead who didn't care about anyone and actually wanted to hurt people. That's what was really important, what one did with their darkness. And if enjoying violently slicing apart a bunch of zombies offered an outlet to that darkness, then Takashi saw no problem with it. What more, he viewed it as a good thing.

The hand he had wrapped around her came up to cup her breast as he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. "Sleep now, Saeko. And stop thinking you're a bad person. I know you're not, even if you disagree. You're an amazing person, and whatever darkness you carry doesn't change that. No matter what you're dealing with, I promise I won't leave you. I accept every part of you, including the parts you reject. And whatever the future holds, we'll face it together."

He may not have been able to see her face, but he knew she was listening intently to what he was saying, and he soon felt the tension leave her body. He smiled as she relaxed, and his own eyes began to droop shut as the exhaustion of the day began to drag him into sleep.

Saeko could tell when he dropped off based on his breathing and the way he held her. His hand still remained on her breast though, and she reached up to hug his arm to her chest, finding his touch comforting and reassuring. Her own eyes began to drift shut as her own exhaustion got the better of her. But as tiring and stressful as the day had been, she couldn't think of a better way to spend it than cutting her way through Them with Takashi by her side, and then the two of them fiercely making love into the night before falling asleep in each other's arms. And as she too drifted off, she couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring.

And tomorrow came all too soon. Both she and Takashi had been so exhausted that the night seemed to pass in an instant the moment they had fallen asleep. Saeko found that she very much enjoyed waking up in Takashi's arms as he gently shook her awake, and she had a feeling that he equally enjoyed waking up with her there as well. But as much as she would have liked to have a repeat of last night, she didn't need him to tell her that they had to get to the Takagi Estate; the sooner the better. The others would be waiting for them, and they needed to regroup to figure out what to do next.

So they quickly got dressed, getting ready to head out into the dead-filled world. Takashi's clothes were a little less elaborate to put on, and so he finished getting dressed before her. He went to check if the coast was clear, carefully poking his head outside to look around before glancing back at her as she finished putting her skirt on.

"We'll get to the street from the back," he told her, mapping out the best route in his head. "We should be able to get to Takagi's house in about twenty minutes by foot."

He barely had the words out of his mouth before he caught sign of movement in his peripheral vision. Turning to look at the entrance of the shrine, he gasped as he saw one of Them beginning to make its way up the stairs. This one was followed by another, and then another, until several dozen began making their way over to them. There hadn't been any around the area last night, so where did they come from?

"Why are they here!?" he exclaimed as he looked around at all the dead coming towards them. "We didn't make any noise! God dammit! I don't understand!"

But a moment later, he did. They had been making noise the other night, and plenty of it. There hadn't been any of Them around the shrine when they had taken shelter in it last night, but the dead were drawn to sound. In fact, they seemed hypersensitive to it, even seemingly relying solely on it since their eyes no longer seemed to work, which somehow seemed to give them almost sonar-like hearing, allowing them to zero in on their prey at the slightest noise.

Had their cries of passion from last drawn Them here? Saeko in particular had been very vocal, and he supposed that their cries would have echoed from inside the shrine. As the two of them had gotten lost in each other, had the dead gathered around the shrine last night, but had been unable to find a way in, and so had aimlessly wandered around the area, not heading too far from the shrine even after he and Saeko had fallen asleep, and were now heading back over here?

It was the only explanation. And while Takashi didn't regret what they did, he cursed their carelessness. They should have realized that they were making too much noises with the way they had been going at it, but they had been too wrapped up in each other to notice. That had been a foolish mistake on their part that had now landed them in hot water.

He looked back at the swordswoman. "Saeko, I say we make a run for it."

He gasped as he noticed the look on her face. It was similar to the one she'd had when she told him that she realized that she hadn't changed. Or, no, not exactly the same. She almost looked heartbroken, perhaps. Did she still have doubts about her worthiness? That would explain the heartbreak, as if she had gotten a taste of the love she craved, but knew that it was out of her reach because it was something she didn't deserve. It was the only reason Takashi could think of as to why she looked like that.

Saeko's shoulders sank as she watched the dead approach, not even bothering to take up her sword. Their little bubble that had surrounded the two of them last night had popped, and they were now back in the real world, and that left her facing the same reality she had been caught up in before. And with all the dead surrounding them, she realized that she was going to have to fight, she was going to have to let the darkness out.

Yes, Takashi knew her secret now, but she still didn't want him to actually see that part of her, she still didn't want to truly let the monster out of its cage. Despite what he had said and what they had done, she still didn't think she was deserving of love, and possibly even life.

Unbeknownst to her, Takashi had guessed her thoughts exactly. After having had a taste of the love she thought was forever out of reach, she didn't want to ruin the memory of last night by having Takashi look at her with revulsion when he truly saw the real her in action. She didn't think she could take it.

She opened her mouth to say something, but words failed her, and she realized she had nothing to say. What could she say after everything that had happened? She felt weak and helpless in light of it all, and so she closed her eyes and curled in on herself, letting out a small whimper as she began trembling.

Takashi saw this, saw the reluctance written all over her face, and, to his horror, watched as it gave way to resignation. To what, he wasn't entirely sure, but he wasn't having it. He'd seen that resignation last night. Whatever fate Saeko had just resigned herself to, he wouldn't let her. If he hadn't made his point clear to her last night, then he would make it now.

As she stood trembling, he marched over to her and came to a stop in front of her. "Saeko!"

She opened her eyes and looked up at him in surprise. A gasp escaped her when she saw Takashi standing directly in front of her, looking at her with an intense but unreadable expression. She felt herself blush under his gaze, but still couldn't bring herself to let out her darkness.

"I can't do it," she told him quietly.