You Can Sleep When You Are Dead

by Gazdav

Version 2: A young inexperienced contract killer sets off to make a name for himself in Japan. Only for the world to end before he could start. With no way home and a swordswoman at his side, will he survive and create a new life for himself. Or will he have to become what he trained to be. this is version 2. AU as i will not be following cannon.

14. Chapter 14

I do not own Highschool of the dead I make no money from this it is a fanfiction and not for profit.

You Can Sleep When You're Dead

Chapter 14: Resolution

I awoke the next morning to find Saeko drooling again. She was lying on her side facing the window and I was behind her spooning. I propped myself up and looked down on her sleeping face. A picture of cuteness, or as cute as a pretty girl with a puddle of drool next to her can be. Dam I wish I had a camera.

As I looked at my watch I realised the time was 09:00, but considering we did not go to bed until the back of two in the morning, I recon it was more than justified, in fact just listening to the noises in here I recon I was the only one awake.

I had however noticed one more thing, I was hungry very hungry. Now this put me at somewhat of a dilemma, (1) do I get up and go without her, or (2) wake her up and go together.

Now option (1) would lead to her possibly waking up with me not there, resulting in her panicking about where I got to, or if I had just fucked off during the night. I had to admit that I had taught of doing just that when I woke at four, but my sense of loyalty stopped me.

option (2) would mean that I had to wake her and after our chat last night and my waking up throughout the night with night terrors, as my brain fucked with me, replaying events of the last few days. Meant that I would rather she slept.

So I decided on a mix of both options. I was going to get up but stay in the room we were in and do some long overdue maintenance of my gear. like washing clothes, cleaning my weapons. Then when she wakes up go do something together. Just normal unglamorous housekeeping stuff, that has to be done.

A hour later I had washed mine and her clothes in the sink, then as I started striping down my pistol, Saeko finally woke up. Wrapped in the sheet, she came up behind me wrapping me in her arms and the sheet, with the added bonus of bare breasts on my neck. Then sleepily said "Ohayou James." she purred into my ear. "What are you doing up?"

"I got bored of going insane…. So thought I would set my mind to some repetitive tasks to get out of my rut. That and it is 10:30" I said to her with a smile. She moved herself around to my front and sat on my lap. Flashing me her body slightly as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"I'm happy you are feeling better. So what have you done?"

"Well I have cleaned our clothes and put them to dry and now I am cleaning my weapons then I will clean your pistol."

She looked down for a moment then looked back to me. "Show me how to maintain my pistol, it is my weapon after all and I prefer to check my own equipment."

I could understand that and I was more than happy to show her.

"Of course I will. Just go get your pistol, then sit next to me and we will do this together." she then moved over to get her pistol stopping to get dressed in some more clothes she had my black t-shirt I gave her and some leggings. As I watched her get dressed, she turned back to me catching me looking at her naked form. "James no ecchi."

"Eh… what… er… um… sorry." I stammered out, trying to look anywhere but at her. She laughed at my obvious reaction.

"Relax I'm only fucking with you. You may look if you wish, you are my man after all and that comes with some privileges."

My mind went blank for a second as I took in what she just said, then without realising it I shouted out "that is so Sweet!" Thank god it was in English though. Or at least I thought, until she came back in very good English herself

"You know I can speak English. It was one of the subjects in school, that I excelled in." She then came over to me and wacked me upside the head. As I thought, she is just full of surprises.

We then sat together as I taught her about her pistol and its maintenance,from striping and assembly to cleaning and checking serviceability. As well as some general goofing around joking, with her again ending up with a black smudge of oil and carbon on her nose.

0000

Rei lay in her bed. the side with the stab wound hurting more than her back. She felt that that if anyone was going to get injured or worse it was going to be her. Because in the last few days, she had picked up more injures than she had in the rest of her 17 year life.

Taking a look around the room that she was in she noticed she had been moved to a hospital. Clearly not the workshop or still outside the store, with James looking over her, doing something to her wounds. feeling down to her side she found a dressing over where the stab wound should be.

As she looked around, she noticed a familiar sight, the black spiky hair that belonged to Takashi on a bed beside hers.

"Hay you." she tried to shout out, however she could not, her throat was dry and parched. So she took the next option to her and threw a pillow at him, waking him with a start as he jumped up, looking bewildered then surprised, he ran over to her side.

"Rei." He tried to hug the girl only for her to wince in some pain.

"Oh sorry."

She looked back up at him "Water…"

"Ah ok."

he reached over to a cup with a straw, full of water for her to drink only for her to drink it all down in one "better… where are we? What happened?" She asked the boy.

"We are at the private clinic near my house, it was abandoned so we are the only ones here and will be until you are well enough to move" he explained to her about what happened outside the parts shop but when it came to what happened after he hesitated a bit.

She noticed this then asked "What did you leaved out?"

He looked at her then explained about James and Saya. She looked horrified at how it turned out. "So he just snapped and nearly killed Saya…. I know she can be a pain and a bit mean… But to do that."

Takashi Nodded then added "I have a hard choice to make. I can't ask him to go because he saved you, he proved useful when we escaped Saya's house, fixing the car has been more than useful and then there is the thing with him and Saeko, if he was to go I think she would go with him. But he and Saya. Need to sort their things out and soon or I will have to ask him to move on."

As Takashi sat on Reis bed Saeko, James and Shizuka came into the room.

Shizuka was first to say something "Rei!..." she shouted excitably "your awake… that's nice but I need to do some checks.." she then moved over to her side to take her vitals.

Saeko was next taking her hand "Welcome back to us sister. How are you?"

Rei smiled at Saeko as she answered her "Saeko-san, I'm well, a bit of pain but I'll be ok."

"I don't know about that" Shizuka added "I want you off your feet for at least 3 days and then another week, before we move from here."

With a huff Rei then added to this "But I need to find"

Shizuka cut her off "No you are here until I say so… you could make yourself worse you have had a lot of stiches andtwo units of blood from Kohta and James."

In a low voice Takashi took the opportunity to talk "I'm sure we will find them for you. You need your rest."

Rei looked to him with a pout "Fine…. Anyway can you leave James and I alone for a bit."

James looked up from where he was standing, not saying anything, to a look of confusion "Me why?"

She looked back at him. "I need to tell you something."

"Ok" he simply replied still not looking at her.

The others all looked at each other with a bit of concern until Rei set them at ease with a happy chime "Just go." the group got up to leave Shizuka spoke "I'll be just outside"

When the others had left them alone Rei took the opportunity to start their conversation. Patting on the bed, indicating to him to sit. "James come here will you, I won't bite." he was still standing near the door looking like he was about to run out or more like him jump out the nearest window.

"Ok" he answered as he walked over to her bed "What is it you want to say?"

"Simply put I want to say thank you." she said to him grasping his hand.

Confusion turned to puzzlement "Why ? I'm the one that hurt you. You should not be thanking me. If anything you should keep away or be demanding that I stay away."

She looked directly into his eyes and saw nothing but sorrow. "Because… Yes it was your knife that hurt me. But you did not do it on purpose…, I ran to help you remember…. Then there is what you did outside the store and the blood that you gave me…. so thank you and I do not blame you for what happened."

"Ok… Any time just don't jump on my knife again." he smiled back to her with some trepidation still not feeling forgiven.

"What happened with Saya though?" she then asked him.

"I was trying to help you… then we got back she got in my way… and" he looked down again "would not get out of it… so I could continue helping you… I flipped out." he spoke in a low voice so only she could hear him. "I could not help but feel responsible for what happened… No I am responsible for what happened to you... Then when she gave me the fuck you jerk attitude, I saw red... I just did not want you dying by my hand."

She took a while to reply to him so long that it was uncomfortable. "Ok I can understand some of that I think... maybe that is what you should tell her."

He looked up again "Well it was going to be part of it… but well I'll have to see how it works out."

The pair stood there in silence for a moment

"Rei."

"Yes."

"thank you for living and get well soon"

oooo

I had decided at mid-afternoon, after the time I spent with Rei ,that it was time to have my talk with Saya.

First off I had to find her and after bumping into a happy looking Kohta, he told me she was in her room, just down form mine.

I asked him if he wanted to sit in on it, to which he said he would. Saeko would also be there this needed to be sorted and put away before it festers even more than it already had.

I also would not be carrying any weapons so as to try and keep her settled.

I walked into the room behind Saya as she looked out of the window, she turned and look at me, then noted who else was there.

"Thought you would have been here sooner."

Scratching the back of my head I smiled at her tenacity "Well I was going to, but I had to check on Rei first."

She looked at everyone else "What you all doing here…. we can do this ourselves so just wait outside."

Both Saeko and Kohta looked at each other, but before they could protest Saya cut them off. "Look I know why you are here. But I don't think it's needed, so thank you." both Saeko and Kohta left as Kohta said "I'll just be outside." Saeko just gave me a nod.

"So what do we talk about, I was thinking it was nice weather." I got the first word in, thinking that I'll probably not get the last.

Saya looked me up and down. "Baka" nice start to this, but then I did make her have a life flash before the eyes moment so I'll just roll with it.

After another silence she asked me "Why?" nothing else no big speech nothing just why. I knew what she meant there was no need for an explanation.

I just told her straight no point lying about it. "I had just thought I had killed someone, that I could call friend. You stopped me from helping that friend in a time of need, to satisfy your own curiosity. Now I'm not going to say I was justified in what I did because I was not. But it was my straw that broke the camel's back moment." I paused there and waited for the reply.

Again she looked me up and down as she thought about what to say "So that makes it ok to put a gun to my head."

"I'm not going to lie to you… at the time yes…. part of me was screaming at me to just shoot and the other was saying don't" her jaw all but hit the floor at those words. I just continued on. "Would I do it again….. No.. I would not." again I just waited for her reply.

This time it took longer she had tears in her eyes "how….how… can you say that… like that."

My reply came almost instantly "I said I would not lie to you, so I won't and if what I say is hard for you then I am sorry. But to tell you honestly is the least I can do."

"Aren't you going to ask or beg me to forgive you?" She then added.

"I do not beg so no…. I kneel to no man or woman….But if you mean that to say I have wronged you then yes I have wronged you and will see to it that I do not in the future." fucking begging… seriously… the day I beg to a sixteen year old, will be a cold cold day in hell.

"So where do we go from here?" Saya then spoke up "I can't forgive you and you know that so where does that leave us and the group."

To be honest I did not know. Not like I could wave a wand and take it all back now is it. so I took my time to answer her and came up with this. "It leaves us with a profound understanding, of each other's limits…. that when it go's wrong we should avoid each other, until the problem comes to a conclusion…. unless it requires us to interact." it was the best I could come up with.

She thought for a moment, dwelling on my words never braking eye contact. "So we will have to agree to disagree then is what you are saying"

"Yes that's the nuts and bolts of it.."

We sat in silence for a bit longer so I added a bit. "Look you are very intelligent, but you come off….. a bit… hmm how do I put It…. a know it all who is always right and everyone else is an idiot…" I left a long pause before adding "That and I'm a stubborn man that can be single minded to a goal that I have my mind on. So we are never going to get along like best friends."

Saya then got up and walked up to me "I understand, that you have your problems and that we will not be friends, well not until we understand each other better, so we will leave it at that and start a new ok" I did not reply I just nodded. "

And I will try not to call you a baka so much."

"hmmm ok and I will try not to shoot you for it."

She then gave me a huff. "You make it hard baka."

At this point I turned to leave having nothing further to say but she stopped me. "Where are you going?"

I stopped walking but did not turn around. "There is nothing left to say. so well… to get something to eat, after I go check the look out, that Kohta set up as I'm up there tonight."

"Oh well, ok then see you at dinner" there was nothing else to say to her and if I stayed it would only end in an argument. I just left her in her room.

Waiting outside Sayas room was Kohta and Saeko. Turning to Kohta first I said "You should go see her I'll meet you up at the look out in 15 minutes. She will need a friend about now."

Then I turned to walk off as Saeko griped my hand.

"I'll come with you" to be honest I wanted to be alone, but Saeko was an exception to my thoughts so I let her walk with me.

00000

James was in with Saya for a long time, all I could do after being asked to leave was hang about outside the room with Kohta.

At first, all we did was exchange pleasantries, which is what we would normally do and not much else. That was until the silence became unbearable.

"Kohta. How are things going with you." I asked the chubby marksman.

"good good" Was his somewhat let down of a reply so again more silence. Really why do I try, I thought pinching the bridge of my nose. "Much happen last night?"

He then looked at me as if I had caught him doing something and flustered an answer "err….umm… no just a few fires."

I knew he had something else "And?"

again he stammers a bit "well….well.. um.. Saya came to see me last night"

I knew it as I supressed the smile that started to form on my face "It is good that she has someone to go to in her time of need." then I remembered my conversation with Saya from a few days ago. She had someone in mind, but had treated him badly. My suspicions where correct; it was Kohta.

He looked to me and smiled "I will try to be there"

We were then disturbed, as James came out and asked Kohta to go to Saya maybe he knows as well I'll ask him later.

He then turned to walk off this irked me a bit. So I grasped his hand telling him I would go with him.

We walked in silence, up to the look out on the top floor; to a room that over looked the main gate.

I chose not to ask him about his meeting with Saya letting him come to me, he made no mention of it instead he started to look around.

He was making grumbling noises, at some of the arrangements in the look out.

Then he sat down "What is it?" I asked him

"What is what?" He asked me obviously confused by my question.

"What is on your mind? Sulking is not attractive in a man." he then looked up at me and smiled softly "You're right it's not… just a lot to think about."

"Then tell me so I can take some of the burden with you." I said as I sat next to him locking our arms.

"No it nothing big just about my conversation with Saya we agreed to disagree and just take it as it comes."

"Oh so that. Well I know how to take your mind of it." I started to kiss him passionately, as we both started to feel the fire within us growing until he stopped. "Did this not get us into trouble before?"

I looked at him and laughed softly, turning a bit red "Yes it did and we are not out of the woods yet."

This time he turned a bit red and spoke quietly, almost a whisper "I don't want to tempt fate on this."

"You can pull out or I can get condoms"

He laughed at me then added "it would need to be condoms… as a heard of rampaging zombies could not get me to pull out." we both started laughing hard

"What's so funny" it was Kohta. This caused us to laugh more this time from embarrassment.

ooooo

"Nothing just a joke between us" I finally managed to say.

"Any way… Your look out needs some work. We need to move it back from the window a bit, also the room behind needs to be used so we can see out back ideally I would say the roof. But there is nowhere to hide up there." it was not the best set up but for short notice in the dark it was passable.

"So tonight when I'm on I will set it up a bit better also I want the L96 up here at all times."

Kohta then looked at me

"but…"

I cut him off "It has the best optics of all the weapons eventually we will get everyone up to speed on it, also the night attachment still works and it is our only way to see in the dark as long as we have battery's for it. So last night what did you see."

He took a moment to answer "Well nothing much just some of them and some other survivors with torches nothing important." Was he kidding other people not important.

"Where and what numbers" I quickly asked.

He looked at me confused for a moment as he then asked "why"

Fucking really I found myself face palming. "Because we are looking for people that live near here… we also don't know if they will be friendly or not that's why."

I could see him inwardly kicking himself now.

Turning to Saeko "We need to talk to everyone that can get up here. Can you get them?" she just nodded and ran off leaving me to pick up the L96 and start observing the outside world.

Authers Note:

What I have tried to touch on the last few chapters is not PTSD (post-Traumatic stress disorder) as that is far more complicated.. But something on what can be the precursor cause of it if not treated with swiftly. This is called combat stress reaction or combat fatigue.

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