"… Or instead of me," Saeko offered. "Perhaps you could- uh.. Give it to Takashi." Saeko's back straightened as her expression softened. "He's quite deserving."

"I've known him ever since he was little. He's grown to be a fine young man." The head of the Takagi family continued, "And how much you appear to trust him proves my appraisal is correct. However," he interjected, "to me he appears to be still hesitating." The look on his face stayed hard and unwavering.

Saeko looked down.

"This new world has no place for a leader who tends toward hesitation." The words hung in the air and that was the end of the conversation. Maybe Takashi wasn't meant to lead…

Takashi let his butt fall to the edge of the bed. "Umf." He brought a hand to his chin and leaned his elbow on his knee. With his eyes half open, he reasoned with himself. "I know they say I'm the leader but…"

Just then, he heard a click and the devil herself was in the doorway. Rei.

"Aren't you?" She questioned with her big eyes and soft smile. Was she outside the room listening? She leaned against the door frame with a semi- pained look. Her tight school girl uniform fit perfectly to her curves and emphasized her bust. It didn't need the extra attention though…

"Rei, are you ok?" Takashi felt like a lost puppy following the girl around but he couldn't help it. He loved her. "You're guna mess your back up even more if you push it."

She grinned slightly and made her way towards the bed. Lowering herself to the edge, she said, "We've all been relying on you." Rei ignored his doting and kept talking, "You were brave. Even at school too, and other times also." She turned her head towards Takashi and smiled the smile she knew he couldn't resist. "You're a natural."

"Are you kidding?" He replied with no reaction to her advances. Or at least it was the smile she knew he couldn't resist. Takashi went on, "I was just desperate. I wasn't trying to be a leader." He didn't want the pressure. To back up his case, Takashi named all the other members of their little group and their importance. "And the stronger fighters we had were Saeko, and Hirano. And you too." He paused. "And Saya, she's the smart one. Miss Shizuka is a doctor. And Arisu is…"

"And she is…?" Rei scrunched her shoulders.

"Arisu is Arisu, I guess!" Takashi laughed as he thought of the little girl. The newly- orphaned little girl who's new best friend was a little puppy that stayed by her side in the zombie apocalypse after her mother and father died. She still believed her mother was coming back though, so maybe that was what kept her spirits up.

Rei's hand covered her mouth as she laughed at Takashi's awkwardness. Her eyes were shut as she giggled and blushed.

"Don't laugh at me!" Takashi tried to defend himself against the girl poking fun at him but to no avail, as she kept giggling.

She sighed. "Takashi."

"What?"

"I'll tell you one of the girls' rules." She moved closer and leaned against Takashi. He tensed up from the surprise. Rei wanted nothing to do with him just before this whole thing started. Now she suddenly does?

The two sat on the bed as the light shone in from the giant windows. It was ironic how beautiful the day was considering just outside the Takagi House's gates, people were dying and coming back as Them. Mothers and fathers were losing their sons and daughters. Everyone was losing someone.

"We like cute boys and the boys who are sweet to us."

"Is that all?" Takashi wondered out loud.

"Yep, that's all." Rei still pushed up against Takashi. "How could anything else be important other than that?"

"I'm not either of them."

"Maybe you weren't before, I admit it," she went on, "But, you're different now." She inched closer to him with every word. "You might come off as so despondent, even hopeless." She thought back to the time they had been separated from the group and stopped at the gas station to refuel their motorcycle. That asshole had come out of nowhere and used her. But Takashi knew what to do. He saved them both. "But when it comes down to it, you're always up for a fight." She felt a pang in her heart when she thought about the day this all happened, Z- Day. It was the day Takashi had to kill Hisashi.. Rei wiggled her way on to Takashi's lap. She took his hand and laid it on her knee, just above the brace. His other hand rested on her back. "Maybe you think it's something involuntary, and that you don't have a choice.." she lowered her tone and went on. "But I think you're a fighter. Maybe you weren't always that way, but I believe you're that way now." She let her voice trail off. Her lip quivered with the emotion she felt. "I didn't really see it.. before. I made a terrible mistake." Rei looked up at the boy she had wrapped around her finger. "I shouldn't have hurt you! I never should have broken up with you!" She confessed. It was all or nothing now.

What was she saying?! On Z- Day, Rei could care less about Takashi. She didn't want him the way he wanted her, but all that changed when she had no one left. Her mother wasn't around, she had lost communication with her father, Hisashi turned.. Takashi was all she had left. Feeling him hugging her body close to his wasn't enough.

"I love you," she admitted. "And I understand if you don't feel the same way!" They were cheek to cheek. Takashi felt her breath brush against his ear. "But trust me!" She begged, lifting his hand to the center of her chest, "I'll never hurt you again! I swear it!"

That was it. It was over. There was no way Takashi wasn't going to take advantage of this. The girl he had loved since they were kids was sitting on his lap, confessing her love to him. Even if she loved him for the wrong reasons, he still loved her for the right ones.

He threw her against the bed, her hair flying out to the side as it spanned across the soft silk. She looked up at him, towering over top of her.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

Takashi let her question hang for a couple of seconds as he admired her beauty; honey hair, inviting russet eyes, and beautiful body.

"I don't know if I should kiss you right now or smack the hell out of you." Hey, if they were being truthful. "And I don't know if you're… being honest."

"I don't know how else to be with you right now." She still had him at her every beck and call.

'What the hell,' Takashi argued. He leaned down and looked Rei in the eyes. He pressed his lips against hers, and she kissed him back. This was a dream. His tongue circled her lips, tracing the outline. Takashi kissed her neck and down her collarbone as she grabbed at his arms and played with his hair. They lost each other in the kiss and Takashi let his weight fall down, only to hear Rei grunt in pain. Oh right, her back. He got off of her and was dragged back to reality. Was this really all there was? Chasing this one girl who only wanted him when it was convenient?

"I'm sorry. I know it hurts. You should lie down."

Rei stood up, clutching her arm. "You don't know how much it hurts." With that, the devil turned on her heels and sullenly walked toward the door. "But then again, I don't think you ever did." His eyes followed her as he realized he didn't need Rei to be Takashi. He had an angel who was willing to do anything for him.

Rei clicked the door open. Surprise washed over her face as the devil met the angel.

Mk so hopefully I don't get banned for this stuff...

This chapter wasn't very smut heavy.

Remember that these entries are RETELLINGS of scenes with my added detail. I do not own the characters or anything having to do with HOTD.

Rock on, little turtle- crabs \m/