Chapter 9: Heroic Misunderstanding
Chapter 9: Heroic Misunderstanding
The door slammed shut behind Aeon as the survivors quickly barricaded it again. He leaned against the wall, catching his breath, feeling both relief and a bit of dread as he thought of Layla outside, fighting the horde of zombies alone. The room was dimly lit, and the atmosphere was tense. Everyone was on edge, weapons in hand, ready for the worst.
The female staff member who had spoken earlier approached Aeon, her expression a mix of fear and admiration. "You really are something, you know? Going out there like that... and with someone like her by your side."
Aeon chuckled nervously. "Yeah, she's... one of a kind."
The other survivors began to gather around Aeon, their expressions softening as they realized he wasn't just some random guy but someone who had risked his life for them. The tension in the room eased slightly as they started to feel safer with him around.
"So, what's the plan, Mr. Hero?" a young man with glasses asked, clearly looking to Aeon for guidance.
Aeon scratched his head, trying to think of something that wouldn't get them all killed. "Well, first, we need to find a way to help Layla. She's out there fighting alone, and if we don't do something, we're all in trouble."
The survivors exchanged nervous glances. They had seen Layla's fighting skills through the barricade cracks, and while they were impressed, they were also terrified of her. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of her wrath.
"Maybe we can distract the zombies," someone suggested. "If we make noise from another part of the building, it might give her a chance to regroup."
Aeon nodded. "That's a good idea. We could set off an alarm or throw something to draw the zombies away from her."
As they discussed their plan, Aeon couldn't help but think about how bizarre this whole situation was. Here he was, just a regular guy, trying to survive a zombie apocalypse with a bunch of strangers who now looked up to him as their leader. And to top it off, his fiancée was a sword-wielding warrior with a temper that could rival a dragon's.
A loud crash interrupted their planning, followed by the unmistakable sound of Layla's voice. She was close, and she was furious.
"Aeon, you coward! Get out here and face me!"
Aeon paled, realizing that hiding in the barricade might not have been the best idea. The survivors looked at him, wide-eyed and confused.
"Is she mad at you?" one of them asked, incredulous.
"Uh, yeah, you could say that," Aeon admitted, trying to figure out how to defuse the situation. "But don't worry, I'll handle it."
Before anyone could stop him, Aeon opened the barricade door just a crack and peeked out. Layla was there, surrounded by piles of dead zombies, her swords dripping with blood. Her eyes locked onto Aeon's, and he knew he was in trouble.
"Layla, wait!" Aeon called out, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "I didn't mean to call you an untamed beast! It was just—"
"Too late!" Layla snapped, marching toward him with a murderous glint in her eyes.
Aeon did the only thing he could think of: he bolted out of the door again, this time deeper into the building. Layla let out a growl of frustration and chased after him, leaving the bewildered survivors behind.
The chase was chaotic, with Aeon zigzagging through hallways, ducking into classrooms, and even sliding under tables to avoid Layla's wrath. All the while, zombies were closing in, drawn by the noise. Aeon's heart pounded in his chest as he dodged one close call after another, Layla hot on his heels.
"Layla, can't we talk about this?" Aeon pleaded as he rounded another corner, narrowly avoiding a swipe from one of her swords.
"Talk? You're dead, Aeon!" she shouted back, her voice echoing through the hallways.
Just when Aeon thought he was out of options, he burst into a large lecture hall. He quickly scanned the room, spotting an emergency fire alarm on the wall. With no other choice, he ran toward it and pulled the lever.
The blaring alarm filled the building, reverberating off the walls and causing the zombies to hesitate in confusion but then be lured by the noise. Layla, too, paused for a split second, giving Aeon the opportunity he needed.
Aeon's breath came in ragged gasps as he darted through the corridor, Layla's furious shouts echoing behind him. He knew she was faster, deadlier, and far too angry to be reasoned with right now. The only thing that kept him moving was the sheer terror of what would happen if she caught up.
As he rounded another corner, he nearly collided with a small child, no older than seven, standing frozen in the hallway, tears streaming down her face. Behind her, a zombie, rotting and grotesque, was inching closer, its decaying hands outstretched.
Without thinking, Aeon scooped the child into his arms, spinning just in time to avoid a swipe from the zombie's claws. The child's terrified sobs filled his ears as he kicked the zombie away, desperately looking for a way out.
Layla appeared at the end of the hallway, her swords drawn, her eyes blazing with the fury of a thousand suns. Aeon gulped. This was bad. Very, very bad.
But then, Layla hesitated. Her eyes flicked from Aeon to the child in his arms, and for a brief moment, the murderous intent wavered.
"Aeon," she hissed, her voice dangerously low, "put the child down. Now."
"Why?" Aeon shot back, holding the child tighter. "So you can use this as an opportunity to cut me to pieces? No way! I'm not falling for that!"
Layla's eyes narrowed. "Do you really think I'd attack you with a child in your arms?"
"Yes!" Aeon replied without missing a beat. "You're furious enough to do it, and honestly, I can't blame you. But, uh, maybe let's not traumatize the kid, okay?"
The zombie, having recovered from Aeon's kick, lunged again. Without thinking, Aeon spun, using his body to shield the child as he kicked the zombie in the face, sending it sprawling. The move, while effective, left him off-balance and teetering dangerously close to Layla's range.
Layla's gaze softened slightly as she watched him protect the child, but the fury was still there, simmering just below the surface. She took a step forward, her swords lowered but still at the ready.
"Hand over the child, Aeon," she said, her tone commanding but no longer murderous. "I'll take care of it. You're just making things worse."
Aeon's mind raced. If he handed over the child, he'd be defenceless. But if he didn't, he'd have to keep running, and that wouldn't end well for anyone—especially with Layla on his heels.
The zombies lured by the noise of the alarm are approaching.
"Listen," Aeon started, trying to keep his voice steady, "how about we work together on this? You take down the zombies, and I'll make sure the kid is safe. Once we're in the clear, you can kill me all you want."
Layla raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Do you really think you're in a position to negotiate?"
"Not really," Aeon admitted, "but it's all I've got right now. Besides, think of the child! You don't want her to see you cut down an unarmed man, do you?"
Layla rolled her eyes, the smallest hint of exasperation breaking through her anger. "Fine," she snapped. "But once the zombies are dealt with, we're settling this."
"Deal!" Aeon agreed quickly, relieved to have bought himself some time. "Now, let's save the day!"
With a swift motion, Layla dashed forward, her swords a blur of deadly precision as she carved through the approaching zombies with ease. Aeon, meanwhile, focused on keeping the child safe, dodging and weaving through the chaos as he tried to keep out of Layla's way.
haha, this is Miss Regressed Heroine for you!
As the last zombie fell, Layla turned to Aeon, her expression unreadable. "Give me the child," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Aeon hesitated, then carefully handed the child over. Layla gently set the child down, watching as she scurried off to safety. Once the child was out of sight, Layla turned back to Aeon, her eyes narrowing once more.
"Now, about what you said earlier…"
Aeon took a step back, raising his hands defensively. "Wait, wait, wait! How about a compromise? I promise not to call you anything disrespectful ever again, and in return, you… don't kill me?"
Layla stared at him for a long moment, her expression cold and calculating. Then, to Aeon's surprise, she sheathed her swords.
"Fine," she said curtly. "But if you ever cross the line again, I won't hesitate."
Aeon let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding. "Deal! I'm never crossing any lines ever again. I'm a line-respecting kind of guy from now on."
Layla shot him a withering look, but there was a faint hint of amusement in her eyes. "You're unbelievable," she muttered, turning away. "Let's go. We have more survivors to find."
As they walked, Aeon couldn't help but smile to himself. Somehow, against all odds, he'd managed to survive Layla's wrath—at least for now. And, in a strange way too.
As they continued down the corridor, Aeon glanced at Layla, trying to gauge whether she was still planning to kill him the first chance she got. Her expression was unreadable, but the way she kept one hand near her sword wasn't exactly reassuring.
"So, uh," Aeon started, trying to lighten the mood, "remember that time I called you an untamed beast? That was… uh, just a heat-of-the-moment thing, you know? I didn't mean it like you're an actual beast or anything. More like, you know, a… really strong, independent… cat? Like a lioness?"
Layla shot him a sideways glare, her eyes narrowing.
"Right, okay, bad example," Aeon muttered, cringing at his own awkwardness. "How about we just pretend I never said anything? In fact, let's pretend I'm not even here. I'm like a ghost! Boo! See? Totally harmless!"
Layla didn't respond, but Aeon swore he saw the tiniest twitch at the corner of her mouth, like she was fighting back a smile.
"Yep, just a friendly ghost, floating along, not causing any trouble. Definitely not a guy who just barely escaped death by—"
Just then, Aeon's foot caught on a loose shoelace he hadn't noticed earlier, sending him stumbling forward. He tried to catch himself, but instead, he crashed directly into Layla from behind. Layla, with her honed reflexes, did dodge on time but Aeon who tried to fix his broken balance to not fall on Layla's spot, Aeon tried to change his fall spot but accidentally fell on Layla's new spot, Layla again was just about to sidestep him when his momentum carried him faster than she anticipated.
With a surprised yelp, Aeon knocked them both off balance, and they ended up in a tangled heap on the floor. Aeon groaned as he tried to push himself up, only to realise that Layla's katana was perilously close to his throat, her eyes blazing with a mix of shock and fury.
"Uh… would you believe me if I said this was all part of my plan to check your reflexes?" Aeon stammered, trying to sound convincing but failing miserably.
Layla's eyes narrowed further, her expression cold as ice. "Get off me before I decide your reflexes need testing too."
Aeon scrambled to his feet, backing away as quickly as possible. "Right! Right! Totally my bad! No need for sword testing!"
Then, in a surprising move, Aeon extended his hand to help Layla up, flashing her a cool, unexpected smile that caught her off guard. "But if you ever need a hand getting up, I'm your guy."
Layla paused for a moment, clearly not used to this kind of behavior from Aeon. She hesitated, then took his hand, a slight look of surprise in her eyes as she allowed him to pull her to her feet. Aeon couldn't tell if Layla was more annoyed or amused, but as they continued on, he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he was starting to earn her respect.
Or at the very least, he was learning how to stay alive around her.