Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome Highschool of the DEAD or Dark Side.

A/N: Song used will be Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson. Saeko will be OOC... Maybe Takashi too. This will be a TakashixSaeko fic. they're my fav pairing in HOTD :)

My first HOTD story, so bare with me...

~Saeko POV~

Its been a month. A month since the world went to hell. A month since that moment Takashi and I were alone in the shrine. A month since Takashi knew the real me...

Now we are staying at a house we've broken into just awhile ago. This is the third house we've stayed at. This is a two story house with two bathrooms and three bedrooms. Two bedrooms and one bathroom are upstairs while one bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and the living room are downstairs.

Saya, Rei, and I were going to share one of the bedrooms upstairs while Ms. Shizuka and Alice share the other. Kohta and Takashi will share the bedroom downstairs. Zeke will sleep in the living room and be on guard.

We might be able to last a month in this house at the most. It has plenty of canned foods, water bottles, candles, a gas stove, working water, and even a back-up generator, which we will only use for emergencies since we don't want to draw Them here.

Nothing is better for relaxation after a long ugly, bloody battle with Them than a nice, warm bath. That is what I am currently doing right now. As I am lying in the water-filled tub, I couldn't help but think to an ugly, dark, scary place.

It's a place I know very well, and let me tell you, it's not pretty there. I've told Takashi about it, but it seemed like he didn't mind the other side of me. What makes me think that? Well, he kissed me that night a month ago. Every since that kiss, I've developed feelings for him. Now that it's been a month, my feelings were stronger. It may be love, but who am I to know? Do I even deserve these feelings? Throughout the month, we've never spoken about that night.

I've told him about my past, but i've never shown him. Every time we fight Them, I have always battled my inner blood-lust self to keep sane. I'm scared, I'm not sure how much longer I can endure this, but if I show him it, will he run away? Or will he stay? Even if it hurts? Even if I try to push him out, will he return? Will he be the one who pulls me out of the darkness and remind me who I really am?

I mean, my dark side is really dark. I almost killed a man just for my pleasure!

Does Takashi even love me? Can he love my dark side? Will he even love a woman like me with my dark side?!

Just thinking about that made my chest hurt. I sighed sadly as I stood up and got out of the tub.

~FREE POV~

As Saeko lay on the king sized bed in the room she had share with the other two, she rolled onto her left side and sighed. When she got out of the tub, it was seven-thirty. She went to bed at eight. She tried sleeping, but failed miserably. Now it was midnight and she just gave up.

As quietly as she can, she got off the bed. Luckily for her, she slept on the side of the bed.

She walked to her sword that Saya's father gave her and grabbed it. She then walked over to the door and left out. She needed some fresh air.

As she walked downstairs, she noticed a dim light.

'A candle...?' she thought, 'didn't we blow all of them out?'

Unconsciously, she gripped the handle of the sword as she reached the first floor.

As she looked around the dimmed living room, she saw a figure with spiky brown hair sitting on the couch.

'It's just Takashi,' she thought as she sighed in relief.

Saeko walked over and stood in front of the couch. She thought Takashi was awake, since he was sitting up, but to her surprise Takashi was asleep. She smiled as she looked at the man before her. He looks just like a tired little boy who fell asleep in a car. Saeko then wiped the smile off her face and coughed.

Takashi fidgeted a little, "Hmmm, I lov..." Takashi mumbled in his sleep.

Saeko smirked, "Ah, so our leader sleep talks, ne?" she whispered.

Saeko went and nudged Takashi's shoulder. Takashi then jolted up.

"Huh?!" he said as he looked around. He then looked at Saeko, "S-Saeko! What are you doing up this late?"

"I needed fresh air, so I was about to go out back. Why are you sleeping here?"

Takashi rubbed the back of his head, "We had a queen sized bed and Kohta kinda rolled over and pushed me off..." He finished while smiling sheepishly.

"I see," replied Saeko while chuckling, "well, you should sleep better or you'll hurt your neck and back. We wouldn't want our leader to be sore tomorrow."

Takashi smiled, "Thanks, Saeko."

"No worries," she said, "well goodnight Takashi. I'll be going out now."

When Saeko was almost near the backyard door, she heard Takashi.

"Wait," said Takashi.

Saeko stopped and turned around, "Hm?"

"Mind if I come too?"

Saeko smiled, "Sure, I would love your company, Takashi."

Saeko opened the door and walked out while Takashi trailed behind her. Takashi sat down on the chair under the porch while Saeko went to the middle of the yard. She then unsheathed her sword and started doing some combos.

Takashi watched her in awed by her sword dancing. He couldn't help but stare at her beautiful figure. The moon's light shining down on her made her look even more stunning. He had to quickly cover his nose before blood started dripping out.

Fifteen minutes later, Saeko joined Takashi. She sat down on a chair near him.

"That was amazing, Saeko," Takashi praised.

Saeko blushed, "Thank you."

They sat there in an awkward silence. They haven't been alone since the shrine. Takashi looked over at Saeko to see her looking up in the dark sky. Suddenly, they felt a nice, cool breeze.

"What are you looking at?" asked Takashi.

Saeko looked at him, "There's a lone star up there," she said as she pointed to it.

Takashi looked at where she was pointing. He stared at the dark sky for a while, but didn't see it. He even squinted his eyes. He scooted his chair to be right next to Saeko's, which made their arms that were resting on the arm rester touch. He looked up again and saw the star.

"You're right, I see it," he said.

Saeko nodded and stared at the sky. The awkward silence was in the air again. When Takashi couldn't take the silence anymore, he decided to muster up courage and speak.

"Listen, Saeko, about the shrine-"

"I know," Saeko cut him off, "The kiss was just to make me feel better."

"No," said Takashi as he took her hand in his, "it wasn't."

"How can it not be?" she asked as she stared at him, "I told you my dark secret, who would like someone like me?"

Takashi smiled, "I kissed you because I liked you. I don't know but the moment I first saw you, I had this attraction towards you." He then looked at her, "You're like a diamond in black dust. It's hard to know what can become if I give up."

'So don't give up on me, please remind me who I really am,' thought Saeko.

"Everybody's got a dark side, Saeko," said Takashi, "nobody's a picture perfect."

"Will you love me? Even with my dark side?" asked Saeko as she looked at him pleadingly.

"I already do, Saeko. I know that we're worth it. Of course I still love Rei, but that is a different type of love I feel. She is like family love now, but you... The love I feel towards you is indescribable."

'I know of my feelings now...' thought Saeko as she used her free hand to clutch her rapid beating chest, 'this must be love.'

Saeko then tighten the grip on their entangled hands, "You won't run away? Just promise me you will stay."

Takashi smiled at her. He then leaned in and kissed her right on the lips. When he pulled away, much to Saeko's dismay, he looked at her straight in the eye.

"I promise, Saeko. I will stay by your side, through thick and thin. Through the good and the ugly," he then kissed her cheek, "I will always be here for you. I watch you during our battles alot and I see that you're always struggling to keep sane. It'll be okay, go all out. I will be the one who helps you with your darkness and bring you back safe and sound. I'll remind you who you really are. I love you, Saeko Busujima."

Saeko smiled at him, "I think... No, I know that I love you too, Takashi Kumuro. You are the only one who makes my heart flutter and my stomach do backflips."

Takashi smiled and kissed her again on the lips. He then got up and held a hand out to her.

"C'mon, let's go sleep."

Saeko nodded and took his hand. The couple walked into the house hand in hand and cuddled on the couch.

'Thank you for accepting my dark side, Takashi,' was Saeko's last thought before she let darkness engulf her.

A/N: So what did ya think?