Hello yet again Highschool of the Dead archive :)

So, I've been far less active than I'd ever hoped I'd be these days :( Tons of ideas, but I'm just feeling...well, bleh. Can't seem to get anything written. Anyway, while conversing with Rassilon001, he brought up an idea that stirred my muse in an instant. It took me about 15 minutes to get this out, and I spent about 10 of those minutes crying. I thrive on these types of stories as of late, wish I knew why.

Anyway, I don't own HOTD.

"Saeko-san!" Takashi roared. With the sound of his voice, the violet-haired blade wielder spun in place, taking a diagonal slice with her katana. The cut wouldn't kill the zombie she'd attacked, but being bifurcated from shoulder to hip was sure to slow the creature down. The creature's viscous brown blood poured like a fountain from what remained of its mangled body, raining all about Saeko's tattered uniform.

Not more than a second later did the swordswoman also call out, "Komuro-kun!"

In a similar display to her own, Takashi spun on his heels and slammed the aluminum bat he held into the temple of an encroaching zombie. He'd grown to love the noise his attack made; the sound of bone becoming as powder by the weight of his undiluted anger. With the horde just barely thinned for the moment, Komuro grabbed Saeko's hand and pulled her through the threshold of the gated shrine behind them.

Without a thought, they each slammed a half of the gate closed, and in a final blind effort, Takashi slid his only means of defense in place to keep the gate closed. They'd known fear, loss, terror, and much more these past few weeks since They appeared. But, as they looked on the ever-growing horde that now completely encompassed the gate to the shrine, their fear was unsurpassed.

He hadn't seen the look on her face where he was standing. Hadn't seen the look of complete and utter defeat as she raised her katana once more. Her jaw quivered, her eyes became as glass and with an unrestrained roar, Saeko made a final charge for the wrought iron gate.

"Saeko!" Takashi called, though there was no restraining her as she made what would be her final effort. She plunged her blade through the openings in the gate, simply piercing Their skulls as she screamed and cried out in raw desperation. It was only once the double-edged tip of the Murata blade was broken off that she backed away from the gate, sapphire eyes wide with panic the likes of which she'd never known.

It was only when she felt his hands on her shoulders that she felt grounded once more. She turned to face the only other member of their group that was now left, and stared into his warm brown eyes. He gently took her firm biceps into his hands and merely offered her a smile. Takashi was no longer angry, no longer in fear, and no longer did he appear flustered or panicked even.

Saeko though, she was in a different place. She averted her gaze to his right arm, to the blood-soaked rip in his clothing. She wondered how he wasn't howling in pain from such a wound; it was certainly taking all of her strength to not cry out due to her own. As she looked back into his eyes, her lips twisted and bent as a wave of tears flowed from her eyes.

They were the only ones left, they'd both been bitten, and now they too would become as the others had.

Saeko wrapped her arms tightly around Takashi's steady form, and buried her face in his chest as she cried out. He could only place his hands around the beautiful creature he'd fallen so deeply in love with. He gently rubbed at the back of her head, doing his best to soothe her the only way he knew how.

For minutes they stood in that simple embrace, until Takashi finally muffled a blood-filled cough. He'd been bitten first, and therefore had less time. Saeko pulled away to gaze into Takashi's eyes as he spoke to her, still smiling, "It's time, Saeko-san."

She knew what he was asking of her, though in that moment, standing out in the open, the horde their audience, she couldn't find any words. It was only once he'd walked her into the shrine and sealed its doors that she spoke, "I won't!"

Takashi smiled once more as he calmly addressed her these last times, "Not like Hisashi, Saeko-san. Not like Rei and Kohta. Please…" He leaned his neck out to make the cut even easier with her damaged weapon, "…don't let me become like Them."

She'd fought and killed so many these past weeks, but this was completely different. Just as he was falling so hard for her, she too was falling for him. She couldn't kill him, not the man she swore to protect; not the man she loved. They may have never spoken their feelings for one another, but Takashi knew this wouldn't be easy for her. As he felt his body dying, he decided to make it easier for her.

"DO IT!" He screamed in unknown anger.

"Takashi-"

"NOW, Saeko-chan!" He demanded. "Don't let me become one of Them."

"I can't!" She cried. Her tears poured hotter and yet at the same time so very coldly as she spoke, "I love you, Komuro-kun! I can't-"

"I DON'T LOVE YOU!" He roared in reply. The words pierced her heart, causing it to skip a beat, and then he pushed harder, "YOU'RE JUST A KILLER HOW COULD ANYONE EVER LOVE YOU?" He looked up to find his ploy working, her hands tightening on the hilt of her blade. Then he gave one final push, "YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A KILLER, SO KILL!"

His eyes shut so tightly, he didn't see or hear her approach. All he felt was the warmth of her lips pressed to his. He wrapped his arms behind her once more, holding her tighter than he ever had as she wept. It wasn't but a minute before a second wad of blood exploded from his lips.

Once more, Takashi pushed her away, again begging as he made his neck an easier target, "Watashi o koroshite kudasai."

Saeko steeled herself, locking her footing and lifting the damaged blade before her. Her tears still ran, though her speech had cleared somewhat as she spoke, "Watashi wa anata o aishite, Komuro-kun."

He didn't offer her his eyes as he spoke his last words to her, "Watashi wa anata o aishite, Saeko-chan."

Then there were no more words.

The cut was quick and fluid, and with a turn on her heels she avoided the sight of the body. Alone and staring at the blood of her once lover as it filled the Murata's blood groove, Saeko finally felt her body begin to die. She choked a spray of blood onto the edge of the blade, taking some morbid comfort in her blood being with Komuro's. She closed her eyes, smiling just slightly as she lifted the jagged tip to her chin, and with the last ounce of strength her right hand held, forced the hilt up.

And that's that. If you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed it, at least as much as a story like this might be enjoyed.

Translations provided via Google:
"Watashi o koroshite kudasai." - "Please kill me."
"Watashi wa anata o aishite, Komuro-kun." - "I love you, Komuro-kun."
"Watashi wa anata o aishite, Saeko-chan." - "I love you, Saeko-chan."

I've actually had something like this in mind for a while, but only after Ras mentioned it did I get the push to give it a go. Thanks a bunch to Marshal and Draco for lending their eyes to this piece ;)

Thanks a bunch for reading,
-jm