章 51: Purple fire
"So I need to wipe it, like this?..." I ask as I keep sitting on my bed. Running the napkin in my hand from the tsuba, all the way up to the tip of the blade. An open sword cleaning kit on the stand to my left next to the bed. My mask and balaclava also next to me on the bed.
"Yes, and be careful not to touch it with your fingers, or you will have to do it all over again." Saeko responds with a serious tone while sitting next to me.
She had her hair up in a ponytail, and was wearing one of my own shirts, and pants. The reason? She took a bath in my room after we got here. And didn't bring any of her own clothes...
"Is it really 'that' bad?" I ask as I turn to look at her with an arched eyebrow. Saeko nods almost instantly as she keeps looking at the blade.
"Your fingerprints have oils that can damage the blade. If you do not take good care of your sword, it will not take good care of you. Also, It is considered to be disrespectful." She answers as she turns to look at me…
"And I need to do this, after every time I cut something with it…" I add as I turn to look at the now shiny sword in my hands.
"Yes, or you will end up with a rusty blade and a blunt edge." Saeko responds with the same serious tone as she keeps staring at me…
(...When she told me that she didn't clean my blade because of its horrible condition. I feared that this would be half a scolding lesson. And sadly, I was right. Or, Saeko is really cut and dry when it comes to sword maintenance.)
"Don't space out Naier." Saeko pokes my shoulder as she leans her face towards me.
"Was not spacing out." I answer almost instantly.
"Then don't stop your hand." She responds right after…
"You should have told me that you did not do some basic maintenance on the blade after Hitomi gave it to you. The previous owner took really bad care of it." She adds as she turns to look at the sword.
"So, after this is done. Will it cut titanium?" I 'ask' as I turn to look at Saeko.
"No Naier, trying to cut something this hard with a sword this cheap will damage the blade." She responds flatly.
(...What? So expenses blades 'can' cut titanium here? And holy crap, the joke just went right over her head. Too much tunnel vision on our dear samurai right now…)
"Why are you staring at me?..." She asks after blinking at me a couple of times.
(Jeez..)
I turn my head to look back at the sword without answering.
"It's kinda funny though…" I add as I glance at our 'maintenance equipment'. Saeko tilts her head questionably in response.
"All the instruments are so small. Small piece of cloth, small hammer, small uhh, grinding stone power in a whatchamacallit. And then, a giant bottle of mineral oil." I continue as I let out a small chuckle...
"The kit did not have an oil bottle inside. And mineral oil is our best replacement. We are really lucky that Saya's father had some to spare. The small hammer is used to remove the pegs in the sword's handle. The 'whachamacallit' as you called it, is indeed grinding stone powder. None of these have any reason to be giant, they function as well in their current size. And it also makes it easier to carry them around." Saeko answers as she also turns to look at the items.
I just nod back in silence as I keep working on the blade…
-Several minutes later-
"Uhh, well. Is this good enough? For now at least?" I ask as I finally stop pestering the blade. Lifting the sword slightly, making it reflect the evening sun.
"Hm. Much better. Could use some more polishing. But it will do for now." Saeko nods with a small smile. She then gets off the bed and takes the sheath that we had left by the wall ahead of us. Before coming back to me and handing me the sheath.
"Now, all I need to do is add plus five fire damage to it and I can make corpse torches." I say as I laugh through my nose, sheathing the blade and leaving it next to me on the bed.
"Umm. Do what?" Saeko asks as she sits on the bed, looking at me with one eyebrow slightly raised.
"Ahh, nothing. Video game nerd talk." I respond as I shake my head.
"Oh…" Saeko just nods as she keeps staring at me. And then, her eyes went slightly wide...
"Ahh, now that you mentioned that. I forgot to inform you about something." She adds as she turns to look towards the desk with the dead laptop.
"The computer in my room. It is still functional." She adds casually…
(…)
"WHAT?!" I shout, causing Saeko to slightly jump in place as she darted her head to me, her eyes wide open in what I can only call shock.
"I am, sorry. I, did not find the time to tell you." She then bowed her head slightly as she kept sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Ahh. Don't apologize. Just surprised. Didn't mean to shout." I respond as I bring one hand to the back of my head. Then shake my other hand.
Saeko pulled herself back up from the bow as she lifted her head to look at me. Then placed her hand over her mouth, and started giggling...
"What's going on!?" And, a wild Saya then swung the door that led to the hallway wide open. Her hair down, wearing a black tank top and a green mini skirt.
"Uhh. Nothing?" I answer as I tilt my head.
"I, I heard you shout." Saya responds as she turns to look at me, then at the mask next to me...
(...Don't tell me she'll go all puffy on me because I'm not wearing my mask now…)
"Saeko just failed to inform me that we have a working computer here." I add, turning Saya's attention back towards me.
"We do?" She asks as she tilts her head with an eyebrow arched up.
"Yea, in Saeko's room." I answer with a nod.
"I see…" She hums as she lowers her head, putting her hand under her chin, as if she was thinking about something...
"Something's wrong?" I ask after a couple of seconds, seeing that Saya was not reacting.
"A computer, it's really important as an item now that we don't have electronics. Why would they just leave it there? They didn't know it worked?" Saya asks while still looking at the ground.
"It was already open when I got to the room. But, it was also locked behind a password. Maybe they tried to open it and failed?" Saeko answers with her own question.
(Failed? Because they couldn't unlock a user's password? I find that hard to believe. Safe mode should work here. I know, I already used it on my computer once.)
"Hmm…" Saya just nods, then after a few seconds, she lifts her head and looks at Saeko.
"I'll ask Papa about it." She adds before turning to leave. Only to stop, and turn to face Saeko once again.
"And. I, just want to make one thing clear. If tomorrow we'll have to move. Then the next time we'll be in a safe zone, it'll be automatically 'my' turn to spend time with Naier." She responds as she folds her arms.
"All I got was a few minutes, while you two have been sitting here for hours." She adds with a slight pout as she keeps staring at Saeko.
"I understand." Saeko responds with a small nod.
"And when that time comes, I expect that you'll respect my time with him." Saya adds.
"The same way you do?" Saeko 'asks' with a smirk.
"I, I just thought something happened, not my fault. How many times have you ever heard this idiot shout." Saya shakes her head, then points her finger at me, her sight still locked on Saeko.
"True. And, I understand. I will respect your privacy, as long as you respect mine." Saeko answers as she nods. Saya nods back, then closes the door…
(That, just got WAY too surreal.)
"Ok. This just happened." I say as I keep looking at the closed door.
"Hmm?" Saeko just tilts her head at me, both her eyebrows raised.
"I'll respect yours, if you respect mine." I add as I tilt my head.
"Well, I wonder whose fault it is. That I got to share…" Saeko adds as she makes a one-sided smirk at me...
"And now you're just jabbing me at blind spots. You know I have no comebacks from this..." I say as I lift both hands.
"I am merely stating the truth." She responds with a smile.
"Doesn't make it any less, jabby." I retort as I let my hands fall. Saeko just chuckles with her mouth closed, but stays otherwise quiet…
For a bit, 'too' long, if you ask me…
(...Uhh, awkward silence is awkward…)
Saeko just kept glancing around the room while sitting on the edge of the bed. I, pretty much did the same thing while sitting by the pillows…
"I should get these things back in their place…" I spoke up as I turned to face the stand with the maintenance equipment.
"Ah, let me help." Saeko almost instantly gets off the bed and trots over to my side of the bed. Then sits on the floor next to the stand, and in front of me.
"I, must admit. I didn't expect that you'd get this excited over a working computer." She says with a calm tone as she starts placing the equipment back in the box, minus the mineral oil bottle obviously. As it was almost twice the size of the small wooden toolbox itself.
"Heh, you obviously have never seen the pre-outbreak me." I laugh through my nose as I take the sheathed sword and lean it against the stand...
Saeko then lowered her eyes. Stopping her hands to a halt as she kept looking towards her thighs.
"Saeko?" I ask as I turn to look at her.
"That, is true." She responds as she keeps looking down.
"I really, don't know a lot about what you did, from when before all this started…" She adds…
"But, is it wrong? That I am glad. That we did not know each other before the outbreak?" She asks, not moving her head from its downcast position.
"Uhh, You were among the most famous girls in the school, yet nobody knew about 'you' as a person, or what was going through your head. Big chance is, I would also be among these people." I answer.
(Not really, but you know. Can't say otherwise without coming off like a complete creep.)
"That is exactly what I mean." She responds as she lifts her head to look at me, the inner corners of her eyebrows raised in a worried expression.
"What if you knew me, if you had a wrong impression of who I was. What if you then found out about the 'real' me. What if…" She stops her sentence as she lowers her head again.
"What if I was bit the day the outbreak started?" I 'ask'. Causing her to lift her head towards me again.
"What if I didn't take that plane to Japan? What if I was in a different school? What if somebody else was there for you instead of me. What if, is not a reason to wreck your brain over. A million things could have happened that could have changed how things played out. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. So do quit worrying about it. Especially since that solemn expression really doesn't suit you." I continue, bringing my hand to her cheek…
Saeko then places her own hand over mine and closes her eyes, slightly rubbing her cheek on my hand.
"Naier, could you, do me a favor please…" She whispers in a weak tone as she opens her eyes slightly. Lifting her head until her eyes met mine.
"Even if you won't really mean it..." She tightens her grip on my hand before bringing her second hand on my wrist, essentially grabbing my hand with both of hers.
"Can you, please say that you love me?…" She whispers as she keeps looking up at me...
(...Uhh. What?...)
I blink a couple of times…
(The hell does she mean. 'Even if I don't mean it'...)
And I kept staring at her. A blushing, yet somewhat wistful expression on her face.
(I uhh, wait. I, never told her that I love her?...)
"Saeko. For starters, please get off the ground." I said as I tried to poke her cheek with the hand she had 'taken over'. She responded by staying in place, not moving an inch. Just lowering her head and closing her eyes without saying anything.
"Uhh, have it your way." I let out a slight sigh and slid off the bed, sitting next to her on the floor. She opens her eyes, and looks at me with a confused expression.
"First. No, I won't tell you something that I don't mean, especially when it's something like that." I add as I lean my face closer to her.
"I, understand. I am sorry, I should not ha…"
"Second. I do love you. As weird as it sounds, seeing as I'm split between you and Saya." I cut her off.
"You, didn't have to add the last part you know." Saeko responds as she finally lets out a small chuckle. A slight smile appearing on her lips.
"Never said that I would give you the perfect answer." I answer as I glance away from her for a few seconds.
"Now. Don't reflexively Karate chop my head ah?" I add as I turn to look back at her.
"Huh? What, do you miii!...Ohh…" Her sentence gets cut in half as I pass my free hand under her legs, then lift her up as I also get up. Essentially holding her 'princess' style.
"You didn't want to get on the floor..." I respond as I plop back on the bed while still holding her, then slide to its top part and put my back against the headboard. Ending up with me sitting on the bed, while Saeko was curled up on me.
"And this is way more comfortable." I add as I pull my hand from under her legs, then rest it on her thigh.
Saeko shuffles around for a bit, grabbing my shirt with her hand so she can readjust her posture. Before finally placing her head on my shoulder with a small sigh. Her hand still pulling on my shirt...
(It's weird. How she seems to be so, weak right now. Weak? Meek? Whatever it is, it's definitely not her usual 'self'...)
"This reminds me, of when we stayed at that house, after we got cut off at the pharmacy…" Saeko whispers as she closes her eyes.
"Yea, I remember. I also remember how you freaked out after you realized that you drooled on me and ended up falling flat off the couch we slept on." I respond with a small smirk.
"Humm. You had to mention 'this' out of everything…" Saeko answers as she stops gripping my shirt, instead tightly wrapping her arms around me.
"Well, want to try again?" I ask as I fondle her hair...
"I, longed for another chance to be close to you. To be just the two of us." She lifts her head slightly without taking it off my shoulder. Her eyes blurry and half-closed, her cheeks deeply flushed.
(Ok. Not kissing her now, would be an insult…)
I slowly run my hand from her thigh to her cheek. And as I do, Saeko closes her eyes completely and opens her mouth slightly. And, after my hand was under her chin, I closed my own eyes. And locked my lips on hers…
For, how long? I don't know, I wasn't exactly paying attention to anything other than Saeko right now. So, don't ask me how both my hands ended up on her back and 'under' her shirt. I 'really' don't know…
-Don't ask me how much time later-
I slowly pulled my head back and opened my eyes. Saeko kept her own eyes closed, taking slow, deep breaths through her mouth.
"Don't tell me you fell asleep." I whisper as I pull one arm from under her shirt, then poke her cheek. She closes her mouth and lets out a small giggle through her nose, then finally opens her eyes. Her pupils visibly dilated.
"I changed my mind." She says with a soft tone as she brings her face next to mine, slowly rubbing her cheek on mine.
"And that means?" I ask as I hug her once again.
"I don't want to go to the roof. I want to stay here. Like this…" She responds as she nuzzles her nose on my neck.
(...Maybe, I should lock my door…)
I respond by lightly running my hand up and down her back…
And we stayed like that. For two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes. Until, Saeko stopped moving completely. Well, other than breathing I mean.
(Uhh. She, actually fell asleep?)
As I turned to move my head, the purpled haired samurai that was glued on me letting out a soft moan and tightened her arms around me. Nonetheless, I turned to look at her face.
(Eyes, closed alright.)
I then poke her cheek a couple of times, no reaction.
('Somebody' is gonna be sore all over from sleeping like this…)
I start trying to 'undo' Saeko's grasp on me…
And fail, multiple times. As she kept wrapping herself around me every time I tried to get her off me.
(...Ehh? She's secretly part octopus or something?...)
Until, after the number of tries reached the double-digit. I managed to free myself. I then placed Saeko normally on the bed. And she almost instantly warped her arms around the nearest pillow.
(And I just got replaced by a pillow.)
I chuckle slightly as I ruffle the sleeping girl's hair.
(She told me that she would be disheartened if I fell asleep. And ended up falling asleep herself. Must have been really tired…)
I kept looking at Saeko as I sat by the bed's corner…
(I need to get that computer, cause nerd rage aside. It can be very useful to have, especially if it's not battery dead. But, uhhh, she probably has her door locked. And I can't just grope her around for the key. So, I guess I'll wait until she wakes up. Yea...)
I lie down on the bed next to Saeko, and start staring at the ceiling…
(Hmm, glad that we didn't meet before the outbreak huh? Not that it would really matter, I know you better than you think my dear Samurai…)
And, I kept staring at the ceiling for a few minutes…
(Feels like falling asleep right now would be a waste of time to be honest…)
I turn to my side in order to face Saeko. Then extended my hand until it was over her cheek, lightly running my fingers on it. Saeko let out a small sigh through her nose, as her lips curving into a small smile. She then slowly opened her eyes while taking a deep breath.
"Somebody's tired apparently." I whisper as I keep my hand on her cheek.
"I, dozed off?" She brings one of her hands to her face and starts rubbing her eyes, before quickly grazing the corners of her lips with her fingers.
(Did she just check to see if she drooled again? Heh, sneaky snek.)
"If you're tired, then sleep. Especially now that you don't have to worry about 'what' is strolling about next door." I whisper as I pull my hand back.
"I, will have all day to sleep tomorrow. Today, I want the day to last for as long as possible." She responds as she stretches, extending her arms towards me, closing her eyes tightly…
She then grabbed my shoulders and slid up next to me. Wrapping her arms around me once again.
"I get the feeling that I'm a bad influence with how you keep wanting to laze on the bed..." I chuckle as I hug her back.
"You are the best thing that has happened to me." She replies as she nuzzles against my neck…
(...I should say 'figured'. But, uhh, hearing her say it. I guess I can understand 'why' she wanted to hear me say that I love her...)
"Now you're just exaggerating." I respond as I lightly scratch her back.
"Not in the slightest." She answers as she lifts her head to look at me.
"I am, scared of dying because of you." She adds as she keeps staring at me.
"Uhh. And that's, a good thing?" I ask as I arch an eyebrow…
Saeko blinks at me a couple of times, then closes her eyes as she starts chuckling while keeping her mouth closed.
"I apologize. I chose the wrong words to, express myself. What I meant to say was. That because of you, I now have something to look forward to. The time I spend with you, is important to me. And I don't want it to end." She answers as she tightens her arms around me even more, closing whatever little distance was left between us, I also tighten my own arms around her…
And then, silence. Long, long, silence…
Until...
(...Don't, tell me…)
I pull my head back to look at Saeko's face that had nestled right below mine. And sure enough.
(She's asleep. Again.)
I held myself back from chuckling as I closed my eyes and moved my head forward until my nose touched Saeko's head. A flowery scent invading my sense of smell.
(Wonder what shampoo she normally uses. Being that she used whatever was here now. Heh, guess all is good. When the thing that preoccupies my mind is Saeko's shampoo...)
And as I felt myself falling asleep with Saeko in my arms. I also felt her legs entangling mine.
(Damn, sleepy, octopuses…)
With that, I slowly drifted off to sleep. Or, I would have, as I heard a door open...
"Hey can I have the keys to Sae…." A new voice speaks up, before quickly turning silent again...
And then, nothing. Complete silence. Although, I could 'feel' something drilling holes into my back right now. An intense, stare…
"Ughhh, deep breaths. Deep breaths. You'll give the idiot a piece of your mind tomorrow. Do something stupid now, and Saeko do the same to you later…" I hear the voice whisper with a slightly annoyed tone.
"But, uhh. I do need the key to Saeko's room. So I need to wake them up. Yea, because I have to, not because I want too." The voice adds as I start hearing footsteps. And then...
"Hey…" Something starts shaking me…
"Hey, are you asleep?" The voice asks again.
(No, I'm standing still because I got nothing better to do. And maybe because I'm living up to my name of ninja penguin and listened in? Not telling her the second one though.)
I turn my head to meet a blushing, and pouty face. Aka, Saya.
"I need the keys to Saeko's room." She says as she glasses at the sleeping purpled haired girl.
"Uhh, Saeko has the key." I respond as I keep looking at Saya.
"Well, can you take it and give it to me?" Saya 'asks' as she folds her arms with a slight frown.
"You want me to grope a sleeping girl to find where she has the key?" I 'ask' back. Causing Saya to blush even more.
"W, wake her up you idiot." She retorts as she keeps frowning at me. I nod as I try to keep a poker face, then turn to look at the sleeping girl.
"Uhh, Saeko?" I shake her lightly as I whisper. Saeko responds with a soft moan before she tries to hide her face between the pillow and myself. Causing the 'death stare' I was feeling behind me to increase ever so slightly.
(...Oh boy...)
"Hey, Saeko." I shake the girl again, this time with more force.
"Uhh, wha...mmm?" Saeko, with her eyes still closed. Lifts her head, looking like one of them standing, yet fast asleep kittens you could see in online videos.
"Where are the keys to your room?" I ask, half expecting to get no answer.
"Hmm, pants…" Saeko responds. And, starting pulling down her pants…
That, 'death stare' I mentioned before? Yea, let's just say that it just transformed into a 'death laser' now...
"Ahh, it's ok. I'll take them." I said as I grabbed both of Saeko's hands. Not that it helped much, seeing that her pants were already down to her knees…
Saeko nods with a soft moan and stops pulling down her pants. Instead wrapping her hands around me, again…
Ignoring the whole situation as well as I could, I checked the pockets in her pants. Until I finally found the key…
(Honestly, I'm afraid to turn around right now…)
None the less I stay as 'poker-faced' as I can and turn to look at Saya. Who, was staring at me, eyes narrowed, armed folded, and her lips slightly pursed...
(She's definitely mad.)
I then extend the key to her. She takes it and makes a swift full turn. Vocalizing out a rather loud 'HUM' as she trotted toward the door. Once she got out, she turned around and looked at me. Sticking out her tongue as she closed the door...
(...At least, she didn't slam the door...)
And a few seconds later, as if to remind me that she was also here, Saeko lets out another soft moan as she tightens her arms around me. Her pants, still down to her knees…
(At least she's wearing one of my own damn boxers. God knows I'd be dead right now, if she had decided to go 'commando' for some freaking reason…)
I turn my head back towards the sleeping girl as I let out a small sigh.
(And my chances of surviving 'tomorrow' keep decreasing...)
Needless to say, I was not very 'sleepy' right now...
(So, now I'm stuck here. And can't do jack shit. What with Saeko deciding that I'm a dakimakura…)
I keep glancing around as I take a deep breath…
(Huh, speaking of that pillow thing. I am pretty sure that in the ending credits of episode nine in the anime. There's a 'photo' of Saeko sleeping while hugging an oversized pillow. Now, who the fuck 'took' that photo, since Saeko is butt naked, or at least topless in that 'photo', is beyond me.)
I pull my head slightly back and look at Saeko's sleeping face…
(Then again, in the same 'board of pictures'. There's also a 'photo' of Saeko swaying on a child's swing while standing upright on it, laughing like a little kid. And the clothes she was wearing in 'that' photo, were the ones she wore after changing by the Humvee. Aka the short skirt with the cut, the boots, and the school shirt. Meaning, it's impossible that the 'swing' photo was ever 'taken'. Because neither Takashi, or Saeko had a camera on them. And between her changing to that attire, and the EMP burning everything, only the shrine episode was in between. And that's if we go by anime standards.)
I move my head forward and start to stare at the bottle of mineral oil…
(Speaking of episode nine, that was the episode of the 'shrine', wasn't it? Impeccable timing to think of that episode brain. But hey, can't really get salty right now, what with Saeko being wrapped around me like tin foil...)
I lower my sight slightly as I bring my hand next to Saeko's temple, then run my fingers along her hair.
(Still, if that 'photo' of her laughing on the swing is real. It's something, I have yet to see her do even once, laughing like that I mean. Can this, be my fault?...)
I close my eyes before shaking my head slightly. Then lift it, and look towards Saeko's thighs…
(More importantly, got to pull her frigging pants up. If she wakes up like 'this', she might think that 'I' pulled her pants down…)
And so. While trying to not move too much, or touch the wrong place. I bend myself so I can reach Saeko's pants…
(Come on you little fackin shit…)
Still, while my hand did reach them, I could not get a grip on them, and Saeko was not making it any easier, what with her holding me down…
(Uhh, wait, the belt loop.)
I nod slightly and pass one finger through the belt loop, then pull the top part of the pants up.
(Ok, now the lo…)
Yet, before I could even finish that thought, Saeko groans and untangles my legs from hers. Then, using her foot. She steps on the bottom hem of the pants, and pulls her other leg up. Completely taking off the pants from one of her legs. She then used the now naked leg to take her pants off completely, before kicking them off the bed...
(...YOU, WHO, WHAT! WHAT?!)
And then, she wrapped her legs around mine again…
(...Oh you gotta be freaking kidding me. Well, uhh. At least 'I'm' still wearing pants. It's hard enough to resist letting my arms wonder as it is. If I could feel her on me. Let's just say that I don't think that she could go on sleeping for uhh, too long…)
I try to lift my head to look where the pants landed...
(Uhh, fuck it. Better see if I can get a cover over us instead.)
And so, I grab the blanket that was under us, and start the painstaking process of trying to pull it, with two people still being on it…
-Quite sometime later…-
(Come, ooonn)
And with a final pull, I finally manage to completely 'unstick' the blanket from under me and Saeko…
(Ughh, my whole frigging arm hurts…)
I then used the blanket to cover both me and the purple-haired octopus under it.
Saeko, who was still asleep, shuffled slightly the moment the blanket fell over her. But that was about it.
(Well, don't know if I'll fall asleep, but whatever. The sky is starting to turn deep orange, so I guess the roof date is indeed a bust.)
I closed my eyes as I pulled Saeko closer to me, not that I 'could' pull her much closer, she was already stuck on me from top to bottom after all…
(Tomorrow, will be so fucking weird…)
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