Hey guys sorry about the wait, but my birthday was Thursday so I was partying pretty hard and then I went to New York the other day and wasn't back until late. I'll keep trying to post faster, but Finals week is coming up and College can be quite the bitch.

so lets start the fun yeah?

Snow crunched under my boots the road was silent, so silent you could hear the snow falling. Each twinkling speck of white, its own complex design none the same as the other. Soon they've gather all on the ground causing feet of snow to pile up everywhere with no one around to shovel or put salt down to keep the roads clear and usable. It was a sight to see, I had always wondered what it would look like if no one ever shoveled and paved the way and now I was seeing it. It was breath taking and glittery like a winter wonderland. There was no nasty brown slush because there were no nasty cars sputtering out diesel to blacken the snow. There were no blue specks covering the roads because there was no big bags of salt to sprinkle on the ice. But as nice as that was there was no snow men in the yards of the many houses that went up and down the road. There were no kids making forts and hitting each other with snow balls. There were no smells of turkey and ham wafting through the air preparing for Christmas dinner and there were no lights and Christmas carols. There was nothing.

It had been several months since we met up with Mai, Tate and Mikoto. We had all made a great team, we had our designated jobs and it worked well. Mai would cook and was our doctor since she had also been trying to get her nursing degree but she only knew the basics. Tate and Natsuki would hunt for game while I looked for supplies and chopped wood. Mikoto was still young but always wanted to help so we had her help Mai in the kitchen by chopping things. I had been right to stay in New England because the sighting of Zombies was low. Some had been stuck in the snow or trapped under ice in ponds, other froze in place from the extreme nights of below 0. Others were still locked in homes and stores but they were easy enough to deal with.

Natsuki had only been bitten again once and that was our own mistake thinking that the first few feet of snow would completely bury the zombies. It had popped out of the snow and bitten her ankle, I blew its head off. Mai and Tate immediately pulled a gun on Natsuki, and wouldn't calm down, Natsuki tried to explain to them that it was ok but they didn't listen. So instead Natsuki begged them to kill only after she changed. They agreed so we waited and waited and waited but nothing happened and we were finally able to vaguely explain why Natsuki hadn't turned. But her past was only for me to truly know.

Sighing I made my way through a store I was scoping out and was hoping to find something useful, boots blankets jackets, anything really, anything to bring home…that's what it had turned into and it made me smile a little even if it was temporary. I bumped into a shelf and a battery operated toy scared the day lights out of me, it began yapping and singing carols. I ripped it apart to get it to stop, honestly who had put up Christmas stuff in November…that's when things fell apart. Then again that was store habits because of black Friday. It also reminded me of how I never got to enjoy snow since we were so far down south, but now it would be a very white Christmas…

"I wonder if Natsuki would like a present…" I moved further about searching for goods and was happy to find a pair of boots that would fit me and even a small pare for Mikoto, now she could play in the snow. I grabbed a new pan and pot for Mai ours was pretty dented…Mai had gotten super pissed at Tate and bashed him in the head with the pot…he kind of deserved it. As I was leaving the store, something caught my eye and I couldn't help but stare at it…it was perfect, so I grabbed it and took it with me. I could only hope Natsuki liked it.

"Here Mai I hope these are good enough."

"Thanks Shizuru this is perfect, Natsuki and Tate are out back, the got a buck. It's massive!" I could hear them yelling before I even got close to the back porch.

"Oh Hell no my Arrow clearly killed it! Yours only hurt it."

"What! No mine did! Do you not see this perfect shot! You need your eyes checked."

"Shizuru! Tell him!

"Shizuru tell her!"

"HEY!" They both yelled ready to deck each other, they were clearly best friends and I hadn't even stepped two feet onto the back deck before they were competing for my vote and this was a usual thing.

"Ara my day was great thanks for asking."

"Come on Shizuru tell him his chest shot is nothing compared to my head shot!"

"It was already dead before you shot it in the head! You're just poking unneeded holes into it!"

"Wanna say that again!"

"Yeah!"

"Ladies your both pretty now carve up the damn buck before we starve to death." Mai shouted at them through the open door. "Or so help me god I with dent another pot!" There were two audible gulps before they got to work, their competition forgotten about.

"Natsuki I got more batteries for your Gameboy color."

"Awh sweet thanks Zuru." She quickly came over and gave me a hug before placing a kiss on my lips. But I was feeling greedy today and dived back in for more enjoying her sweet breath against my lips. I allowed my hands to rest gently on her hips and slip just one finger under her shirt.

"Shi..Shizuru its cold don't."

"Ara, I apologize my Natsuki." Blushing she released herself from my grasp to get back to work, Tate was obviously trying to hard not to look guilty for looking, I didn't mind giving him a little show it made me feel devious and it was fun when teasing Natsuki. I knew she wasn't really cold but just embarrassed.

The rest of the day was uneventful and I relaxed since there was already plenty of wood that was chopped, I even played a few board games with Mikoto. I taught her how to play all kinds of games ranging from life and monopoly to poker. She was a fast learner and always wanted to play something new. I would teach her things in my spare time too. Like basic math and science that she could apply to life to help her survive. I showed her how to tie knots and properly hold a knife. I guess I should have been a teacher because there was nothing I enjoyed more, other than Natsuki of course, then to see her eyes light up in excitement when she finally got something right or understood a problem.

Supper was a feast, we didn't have to hold back on eating since that buck would feed us for a good month if we rationed it properly, we had even made and ice box to keep it fresh, Natsuki had found a cleaned out freezer in the basement and dumped tons of snow into it. We then placed our food in baggies or wrapped them in paper of all kinds to store for the time being. Winter had turned out profitable. Everyone was happy and full and we all ended up around the fire place sipping on tea and just talking. It felt nice to not be worried about surviving for once, I had come a long way since they day me and Natsuki met. I could only hope it stayed like this.

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We woke up to screams, terribly loud screams that echoed off the walls and put fear in our hearts. It sounded like someone was being murdered like in the classic horror movies. Natsuki was already up and moving and I dreaded this moment for months. It was a Screamer, and where there were screamers there were runners too. I quickly got up and got dressed and laced up my boots. Natsuki tossed me my rifle and she cocked her shotgun. She went to open the door, with me right on her heels but she stopped and looked at me.

"This might be bad." She whispered her voice cracking just slightly.

"I know, but we have to do something." She nodded and looked at the door one more time before she kissed me fiercely, it made my legs tremble and my chest ache from lack of air she was literally stealing my breath away, what had gotten into her? "Natsuki…"

"Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise Natsuki." She huffed and flew open the door and we made our way into the living room, Mai and Tate had already began prepping. The doors and windows were boarded up and the couch was flipped over. Mai was packing our bags just in case we needed to make a run for it. Looking out the blinds I couldn't help but be utterly terrified at what was out there. Hundreds of infected there hallow sunken eyes and rotting flesh, moving towards us, and ahead of them was the screamer. It was like they knew we were there, but how…

"Tate!"

"Yeah?" he was dressing Mikoto making sure she was covered from head to toe.

"Did Tate get rid of the blood from the buck after he finished carving it?"

Silence filled the room, before Natsuki started cussing up a storm and Tate apologized over and over again. I couldn't believe it, our peace was going to end because of the damn blood. It was like the buck was saying "fuck you for killing me."

"We have to go…"

"But what about everything we've made? The traps the trails an-"

"We have no choice Tate we got to go god damn it!" Natsuki looked very angry and I could understand why, things were finally going smooth and now it was all coming apart at the seams. But she was right there was no way we could kill all these zombies we would need tons of ammo and a small army. Mikoto was finally bundled up her new boots shining in the dim candle light. I was so glad I found them because we would be running a lot. By the time we got our packs on, the horde was banging on the door their groans so loud I could barely think straight.

Runners were throwing themselves at the doors and windows trying to break through them. It wasn't until we were walking out the back door that we realized just how many zombies where there, they wrapped around the entire house. Several already gorging themselves on the bucks entails and blood that Tate had left out back.

"Fuck me…" Tate cried in anguish at what he did, we were surrounded, however most of them were still in the front, we had to fight through and get to the tree line.

"No time for crying Tate get your shit together or die where you stand." Natsuki began hacking at the zombies one after the other, their bodies fell staining the snow red in gore and entrails. I joined her trying to break through and make a path but they just kept coming. I could feel blisters forming on my hand but how much I was stabbing and slashing trying desperately to get out. Mai was close to Mikoto hacking at any stray zombies that got close to her, with Tate right by them trying to fend them off. Natsuki and I ended up getting stuck in a ring of zombies, our backs up against each other.

"Shizuru…you got to take Mai and Mikoto out of here, take them to our rendezvous point, and don't argue!"

"I don't want to leave Natsuki."

"Well we don't have much of a choice, some ones gotta go with them Mai's strong but she can't protect herself and Mikoto. Tate and I will make an opening."

"Promise me, that Natsuki will come back to me. Natsuki better be there in 3 days"

"I promise."

I hacked at another zombie and reached into my pocket, I wanted to give it to her at a more romantic point in time but I couldn't wait, I needed her to know I loved her. I slipped it into her pocket and I knew she felt me do it, she would get to see it later…hopefully.

"Mai Mikoto, get ready! Tate help me clear a path."

"Roger!"

Natsuki, Tate and I began working like a well-oiled machine in the middle of the swarm our faces and weapons covered in blood that began dripping from us and into the snow. My arm ached from all the swinging but I pushed through as hard as I could until I could see the other side.

"Go now!" Tate yelled pushing Mai towards me. I grabbed Mai and Mikoto and rushed them into the trees and turned around to only see just how many Zombies there truly was. A loud scream filled the air and my blood ran cold. There standing in the group was the Screamer no longer trying to get into the front of the house. Natsuki and I locked eyes mutual fear being mirrored between us. She turned around her strong back facing me, her hand clenching hard onto her machete, Tate was still mowing down Zombies on the side. The Screamer shrieked again and I was terrified that Natsuki's brain would be scrambled by it. I watched her scream right back at it as she began charging at it.

"NATSUKI!"

"Shizuru we have to go their coming for us!" Mai pulled hard against me fearing the Runners that were making their way towards us. I relented and let her pull me away. We ran as fast as we could Mikoto leading the way. The kid was fast even for someone running in deep snow. We tripped and fell and tumbled our way through the woods losing the Runners in the process within the trees. When we were sure we were safe we stopped to catch our breath. Mai broke down crying, she had been doing so well even though I saw the pain in her eyes when she found out Tate wasn't coming with us. Her cries only made me think of Natsuki and how I wasn't sure if I'd ever see her again. My own tears silently fell down my cheeks. Mikoto was comforting Mai as best as she could, murmuring positive things to her.

"We'll see him again Mai, don't cry."

"Mikoto is right we got to believe Natsuki and Tate are able to fend them off. We got to keep moving and get to the rendezvous point."

"Ok…" Mai stood up and wiped the tears from her face. I pulled out the map in my pack and compass. We figured out where we were and began heading east. All the while replaying the scene in my head.

My fingers slipped into her pocket to place the object only to be met by another object entirely, it was cold and round and my heart ached in pure emotion. Natsuki's hand squeezed mine through her pocket. My fingers grasped the cool metal and pulled it out. It twinkled in the light and shimmered against the blood on my palms. Her voice whispered gently again my ears, causing shivers to run up and down my spine and tears to form in my eyes.

"I love you Shizuru."

Ok even when writing this I teared up a little haha, what am I doing to myself? I got a lot planned for my lovely ladies. Speaking of lovely ladies, make sure to check out my dear friends Marecline x bubbline stories shes just starting out but shes the reason I write for you guys so please give her some support, shes a beautiful soul her pen name is dragofangirl16. make sure to leave a review i love what you guys have to say. and as always Ciao~