Wake up call

"..." I was on the top of a square three-story building that was made of wood and stone. Greenery surrounding the building for as far as the eye could see. A small yard around the building, followed by a one and a half meter tall wall, and a two-meter wide, and five-meter deep moat with concrete walls right after. Inside the moat, wheels embedded in the walls in a line, and on the rim of these wheels, a circular cap. Between the cap and the rim, several long, bloody blades extending like propellers.

"Seventh-day…" I whisper as I grip my sniper.

"Hope it'll be enough to hold them off..." I add as I glance towards the sun, which was slowly disappearing behind the mountains in the distance…

And, as the sun abandoned me and the night started to take over…

Shrieks. Loud shrieks echoed as the darkness of the night took over. A deep red fog slowly surrounding the building I was in…

"Why did I agree to this..." I tapped a button on a pole next to me, and with the crackling sound of electricity, several floodlights flared up around the house. Revealing that the house was now essentially surrounded. Surrounded by humanoid looking creatures, their eyes reflecting the light emitted from the floodlight, creating a sea of little, glistening gems...

Gems that, with another loud shriek, started to run straight towards the moat that surrounded the house…

"The batteries better hold…" I whisper as I press another button next to me, and the wheels in the mote start to rotate, causing the blades to start spinning...

And as the first group of creatures tried to enter the mote, they all got greeted by spinning metal…

Legs, hands, heads, all flying off in different directions. The wet sound of metal ripping through flesh echoing from all around...

I turn to glance behind me. A Blackhawk helicopter parked on the other side of the building.

"If all goes south, I can just bail. It'd be a shame to lose this place. But it's not worth dying over." And as I turned towards the carnage below, I spotted one of these things that somehow managed to pass over the moat and wall, and was now stumbling inside the house's yard. Both its arms were missing, yet it seemed to not even care about it as it just kept stumbling towards the staircase that led to me…

"How the fuck did you get in?" I groan as I lift my sniper and aim at the thing's snarling, lipless face. And with a single shot, send it plummeting down to the ground.

"Now stay out of m…"

-CRASH-

Before I could even finish my sentence, a loud noise echoed from the mote.

Turning to glance at it, I find that one of the wheel blades was now on fire, one of its blades bent towards the wall, creating a makeshift bridge over the death trap. A bridge that the creatures quickly used as they started to flood the house's yard.

"Oh fuck me!" I quickly get up and turn to run towards the helicopter.

It must have taken me less than ten seconds to reach it, yet, that time was enough for the things to reach the roof. Now screaming like madmen as they dashed towards me.

I quickly entered the Blackhawk while making sure the back doors were closed, then I started the engines.

I had barely managed to turn the ignition, when one of these things crashed headfirst on the glass part of the heli's door with a loud thud, creating a large crack at the point of impact. And then, more thuds as the helicopter started to slowly slide towards the edge.

"Leave my Blackbird alone you fucking asswhipes!" I shout as I pull a heavy pistol, aim with one hand at the glass door. And fire at the thing's head as it kept banging its head on it. The thing gets sent flying back, only to be replaced by another one a second later.

All the while the helicopter was still sliding towards a wiggling sea below me.

"God, just, Fly already!" I shout as I grab the flying stick with both hands.

Yet, the helicopter tilted to the left as one of its wheels went over the edge, making the whole helicopter slowly slide off the roof. And taking off almost horizontally.

"Shitshitshitshit!" The blackbird quickly picked up speed as it flew adjusted to the ground, quickly closing in towards it.

And as I tried to align the helicopter to face the direction it was flying off to, it went over the moat, and straight towards the unending horde...

"Fly like a normal helicopter Goddammit!" I shouted as the helicopter finally turned while reaching a point so low to the ground, that its blades started to rip the frontlines of the horde apart, causing the helicopter to quickly lose speed.

"Of for fucks sake!" I violently pulled the flight stick back, and went from staring at a sea of eyes. To a dark red sky as the helicopter started to fly backwards.

I then quickly push the stick forward. This time only enough to stabilize the giant metal bird as it started to finally get some height.

And not before long, I was away from the ground. Flying safely inside a dark red sky…

"God, this went south pretty fast…" I groan as I turn to look out the cracked window, the ground not even visible from where I was. Just a mixture of a red and black void…

"Hope the dipshits don't trample over my supercorn. It was a real pain to get, and I need the glue…" I add as I turn to look at the horizon again…

I then take a deep breath and…

"Huh? Uhhh, why am I smelling flowers?" I glance around me with a frown as I take another deep breath. But in the helicopter, it was only me, no flowers whatsoever…

"Weird…" I sigh as I turn to look ahead. And now, my seatbelt was starting to feel too tight. I pulled said seatbelt as I tried to keep flying, only for the seat belt to quickly snap back on me even tighter than before.

"The hell!?" The force of the belt shoved me back on my seat until my head touched the headrest, which felt oddly, soft…

"...The crap is this crap?" I groan as I keep flying, letting out a huge sigh as I close my eyes...

"Uhh whatever, as long as it keeps flying, I don't care…" I add as I slowly open my eyes…

"Just got to, find a place, to land…" I keep speaking as my eyelids slowly start to weigh down on me…

"I didn't refill her, before taking off…" And as I finish speaking, I close my eyes...

The sound of the spinning rotor and the engine slowly dissipating, to the point that they all but vanished...

…

..

.

By the next time I opened my eyes. I got greeted by a white ceiling…

(...Uhh, where's my blackbird? What's going on here? Did I bleed out or something? )

I groan as I turn my head to my right, and end up inches away from a...Black ribbon?

I slowly slid my head away from said ribbon, only to realize that my head was actually on a leg.

(...The fuck is going on here?…)

I followed the foreign object next to me, to find two arms around my waist, along with a head that was resting a little under my chest. A head with long purple hair…

(...)

A purple-haired head on my chest, a chest next to my head, and a leg under my head…

(...I'm not even gonna bother asking how Saeko ended up in my room. But how the fuck did she end up in a position like that?…)

I blink a couple of times as I turn to look at Saeko's sleeping face. Before looking back up the ceiling…

(Well, this explains the flowery smell...)

I then turn to look at her again, and poke her cheek.

"Oi…" I whisper.

No response, not even a moan…

"...You dead?" I 'ask' as I put my hand on her head and start ruffling her hair…

Saeko smiled slightly as she tightened her arms around me, grinding her cheek against me, before becoming motionless again.

"You know you'll be sore all over if you keep sleeping like that..." I chuckle and pass one hand under her head. And, as I get to a sitting position, I pass my other hand around her back. Right under her chest, then pull her in front of me. Ending with Saeko sleeping on my leg.

(She's really out cold huh?)

I pat her head as she shuffles about. Before she finally turned to face the ceiling, slowly opening her eyes…

"Good morning…" I whisper as I run my finger on her cheek. Saeko just kept staring at me absentmindedly with a half-asleep face…

I then turn to glance out of the window. The sky a dark shade of cyan…

"Or evening…" I whisper as I turn to look at my watch.

-6:30-

"Or really early in the morning…" I add as I turn to look at Saeko, who had by now closed her eyes again.

"Oi…" I poke her cheek again.

She just smiled and moaned softly as she turned to sleep on her side.

(And she's out cold again.)

I tilt my head as I place my hand on her head.

(Then again, I don't know when she popped up here. For all I know, she could have been asleep for an hour.)

I take a deep breath as I look at the 'rest' of Saeko…

(Huh, other than her boots. She's actually still fully dressed…)

I then glance at the rest of the room.

Her sword was placed against the chair next to the desk with the laptop. Her boots next to the exit door of my room.

(Well, I'm not complaining. Free Saeko on wake up is good.)

I chuckle under my breath as I turn my focus on the sleeping girl on my leg…

I silently run my hand over the spine, Saeko responds by softly moaning as she arches her back back, pushing her chest even more against my leg.

(...maybe I shouldn't have done that…)

I clean my throat as I place my hand on her shoulder...

(Focus...umm, I wonder if Takashi tried to speak to her. Not that I'm having any fears of her deciding to go full canon on me now. I mean, she 'is' sleeping on my leg right now…)

I put my fingers just over her ear and slide them behind it, moving any strands of hair away from her face and neck.

(You know, I just realized that she tends to curl up when she sleeps. And now, the urge to poke the sleeping samurai is re-rising at an alarming rate...)

I then slowly move her head off my leg, and finally get up.

(So, better I get up. Lest I get sued for assaulting a sleeping girl...)

With that thought, I head to the wardrobe, pick a new set of clothes, then to the bathroom to wash my face and change….

-Five minutes later-

I was leaning over the sink, looking at my reflection…

"Uhhh, look at you bub, waking up with one of the hottest hotd characters purring on your legs…" I chuckle, and then sigh...

"...Wonder if this thing with me and Saeko Saya will last though…" I sigh again as I look towards the closed door.

"Of course I'm not complaining about it. This is the best outcome I could have hoped for. But, this ain't mindless harem visual novel, both Saeko and Saya have their own thoughts. They can get bored, jealous, or decide that what I'm doing is unfair to them and demand that I make a choice. Or just plainly get up and leave if somebody else manages to fill up a gap that I can't..." I lower my head for a few seconds, before raising it to look at myself again.

"...Well, not much I can do about it. I'll do my best to keep them both happy. But if that won't be enough…" I spring myself away from the sink counter.

"I'll just let them move on. It's not like I have the right to get angry if that happens." I turn to look at the door as I fold my arms.

"...Huh, my brain really likes to torture me when it has time to wonder huh…" I shake my head as I take a deep breath.

"I mean come on now. Am I really thinking about this crap while waking up with Saeko all over me?" I groan as I walk towards the door…

(Plus, it's not like these two are that 'easy' to approach…)

And as I open the door, I find Saeko sitting on the bed. Motionless and staring out the window.

"Did I wake you up?" I ask as I walk up to the bed.

Saeko turns to look at me, a warm smile on her lips as she shakes her head…

(...And I suddenly feel stupid for even thinking about all that crap…)

I walk up next to her, then sit on the bed. Saeko, without speaking, slides a bit closer to me and leans herself on my arm, before resting her head on my shoulder.

"Ok, I have to ask." I speak up as I keep looking out the window.

"How did you end up sleeping with your legs under my head and your head on my chest?" I ask.

"Hmm…" Saeko shuffled about as she hummed silently.

She stayed quiet for a few seconds, before taking a deep breath.

"When I returned from my father. I found your door open." She speaks up.

"I wanted to just close your door, but…" She shifts her posture to turn her body towards me as she folded her legs.

"It was already late, and Saya was nowhere to be seen inside. So though, to spend some time with you…" She adds.

"And then you couldn't leave." I chuckle.

"I, apologize for sleeping on your bed with my clothes." She responds right after.

"It's fine." I answer back.

(Had I found you wrapped around me in your underwear, I'd have 'other' problems…)

"You're not sore?" I ask.

"Not really." She chuckles as she wraps both her arms around mine.

And, a few minutes passed in silence...

"Umm, if you don't mind me asking. I heard things got a bit heated between you, Takashi and Miyamoto." Until Saeko spoke up again.

"Uhh, kinda?" I responded.

"Hmm, how come? You seemed rather calm about the whole situation so far." She asks back.

"Uhh. I guess, I got ticked off at how nonchalant Takashi was about the whole thing. I know we agreed to this. But uhhh, I don't know. I suppose I half expected him to at least show 'some' regret for leaving us behind. Yet the first thing he asked me…" I turn my head slightly as I shift my sight towards Saeko's legs.

"Was where 'you' are at…" I add flatly.

"Hmm? So you got jealous?" She asks, a small smirk appearing on her lips.

"Uhh, let's call it, ticked off. Admitting that I got jealous over something like that while I'm double-timing, is uhh…" I stop mid-sentence as I glance away.

"Naier, both me and Saya agreed to this by our own free will. We, or at least, I am not forcing myself to do this. You don't have to feel guilty about anything..." She responds as she places her hand on my leg.

"Though I must admit. I do occasionally feel, Left out." She adds.

"And you seamlessly went from comforting me to guilt-tripping me." I chuckle.

"Well, I am just a girl, I do feel, jealous~" Saeko responds with a small giggle.

"And what about Miyamoto?" She adds right after.

"She managed to say the wrong things at the wrong time." I answer.

"Must have been quite the bad timing then. Since I was told that you really went at her." She retorts.

"Told?" I ask back.

"Yes, from Takashi." She answers.

(And he didn't miss a beat, did he?…)

"He also informed me that you don't intend to return to the group." She continues.

"Yea, not as a normal member at least. I will go along with them if need be. But not in a way where they'll be able to short straw me into jumping into another river." I answer.

"Why? Did he ask you to return?" I ask right after.

"No, he did not." Saeko answers flatly.

"...Do you want to return?" I asked again.

"Do I really have to answer such a foolish question? You can't get rid of me this easily, Naier." She chuckles.

"O yes, woe is me." I chuckle back as I put my hand on her leg.

Saeko puts her own hand on mine and rests her head on my shoulder again. Then turns to look out the window...

We stayed like that for some time, the dark sky outside slowly starting to brighten up...

"Hmm, want to go to the roof?" Saeko then asked without moving her head...

"Sure, why not." I answer as I glance towards her.

"Very well. In that case, give me a few minutes." She responds as she gets up. Then heads to the exit.

"Wait for me by the stairs?" She asks as she opens the door and turns to glance at me.

"Oh and, no mask~" She adds as she leaves my room with a giggle.

"...So the balaclava is ok?" I responded towards the now closed door.

And so, after a few seconds, I also get up and exit my room. Then head towards the staircase to wait for our purple-haired Samurai…

-5 minutes later-

I was sitting on the stairs, twiddling my thumbs. The hallway illuminated by the dim sky that was leaking though the windows.

"Wonder how many generators they'd need to power the whole building…." I whisper as I keep looking out the big window panes that overlooked the bridge that led to the airport. I then glanced towards the doors to my left.

"Other than me and Saeko, everybody else is probably still asleep huh…" I add as I take a deep breath, then look back out the window.

(Which would make it the perfect moment to keep true to my word and break into Saya's room…)

I chuckle as I shake my head.

(If I want to wake up naked in the middle of a corpse-infested road that is…)

"Sorry to keep you waiting." And just as I finished that thought, Saeko, who had silently exited her room, walked up to me.

"Don't mention it." I respond as I get up and turn to look at her.

She was wearing a black unzipped jacket that had two white lines running from the shoulder to the sleeves, a dark purple shoulderless shirt underneath. Tight-fitting black jeans that went all the way to the tall boots she always wore, minus the leg guards. Her hair up in a ponytail.

"Do I, look funny?" She asks as she slightly turns herself so I can see her from her sides.

"There was not a lot to choose from…" She adds as she turns to face me again.

"Uhh, you're really asking me about fashion sense right now? I'm the guy walking around with a balaclava, ski mask, and Kevlar helmet." I respond as I chuckle.

"And I think you must realize what I think about black by now." I add as I 'show' the clothes I was wearing.

" Yes, I suspected something." She giggled as she brought her hand to her lips.

"But, this must be the first time I see you wearing actual pants…" I added as I extended my hand towards her.

"Well, I do admit I find skirts easier to move around." She responds as she takes my hand.

"But as I said, not a lot to choose from." She adds.

And while holding Saeko's hand, we went up the three last floors, until we reached a metallic door at the end of the last staircase.

"You said this was unlocked right?" I ask as I grab the handle.

"Yes, just be aware, it gets a bit windy up here." Saeko responds with a nod.

And sure enough, the first thing that greeted me after opening the door, was a gust of cold wind…

(Oh sh… Uhh. Ok, I'm as awake as I can be now...)

Upon exiting to the roof I glanced around us.

"Huh, this place is as empty as it gets. Also, I feel I'll start sliding around with how smooth the floor looks." I keep looking around as we walk towards the center.

"Want to sit by the fence?" Saeko asks as she now completely wraps her arms around mine, essentially hugging it.

"Sure, why not." I nod as we turn to head towards the chest height chain link fence that surrounded the roof.

After reaching the side that overlooked the bridge and airport, I leaned slightly over the fence.

"Damn, that's high…" I whisper as I lean back, then proceed to sit down with the chain link to my back. Saeko sitting next to me seiza style.

"...Hmm…" I look up towards the sky as I narrow my eyes…

"This is officially our first date is it not?" I ask as I turn to her.

Saeko, much to my surprise, stares at me wide-eyed a few seconds as her cheeks started to flush…

"...What?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"N, nothing. I just didn't expect you to say something like that. You caught me off guard…" She responds as she glances away with a smile.

"Uhh, really?" I ask again as I fold my arms.

"...You, usually do not express yourself like that…" Saeko responds as she turns to look at me...

"Hmm, you are right. Which, gives me an idea." I answer as I make a one-sided smirk.

"Something on your mind?" She asks as she tilts her head.

"Yas." I nod as I put my hands on her shoulders, and turn her to the side.

"Wha, Ah!" Then push her down on my legs.

"...Ehehe~" She just giggled as she turned herself round to face the sky, then shuffled about a little bit to get comfortable, passing her ponytail over her shoulder and on her chest. She then folded her arms and bent her knees so her feet were actually touching the ground.

I leaned my back against the fence and turned to look at the dark sky.

We then stared at the sky in silence...

"Hey, Naier?" Saeko spoke up. I lower my head to look at her.

"Did you have, anybody you liked before, well. Us?" She asked.

"Not really. Which makes it all the more retarded that I somehow managed to get you and Saya to agree to this." I chuckle.

"Did you?" I ask back.

(Well I already know the answer to that. But whatever.)

"...Yes." She answers flatly.

"And to be honest, I am glad I never managed to convince myself to tell him so." She continues.

"Because, had he accepted me, and was I still with him today. This moment would have never happened..." She adds as her smile fades slightly.

"Well, you never know. You might have been happier." I respond as I shrug.

"Do not sell yourself short Naier. You really do not realize how much more, vibrant my life feels now that you are by my side…" She answers as she lifts her hand, placing it on my cheek.

"You sure you're not exaggerating a little bit? I mean, from my point of view, I didn't do 'that' much." I respond with a chuckle as I fondle her hair.

"Being there for me when I needed somebody to lean on. Being worried about my well-being. Putting your faith in me even after learning about a side of me that I am not so, proud of. Considering the circumstances we are in. I would say that I am not exaggerating at all." She answers as she smiles once again.

"Uhh, wait. When did you ever need somebody to lean on and I was there?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"...At the mall? Where I nearly chopped your head off? Where you insisted on trying to comfort me?" She responds as she keeps looking at me.

"Hmm. Uhh. Yeaaa, guess I'm just awesome then..." I chuckle as I turn to look towards the sky.

Saeko shuffles closer to me and nuzzles her nose against my shirt.

"More than you realize…" She whispers.

We then stayed quiet, the only sound being that of the wind, and the helicopters that echoed behind me…

And as time passed, the dim sky started to steadily take a brighter blue color, the sun slowly rising behind the vast dead city that sprawled ahead of me.

(And one more day survived huh?)

Just as I thought that, a single helicopter flew over me, and towards the deeper parts of the city.

(Still, all this noise. It's like asking for trouble…)

I then lowered my head to look back at Saeko, who was nonchalantly staring at the sky. She glanced back at me, smiled, and then turned to look back towards the now starless sky…