Harem in a zombie apocalypse

[115] Debt repaid

I gathered the girls together in the small, worn-down motel room we'd been calling home. The dim lightbulb hanging overhead cast long shadows across their expectant faces, their eyes on me.

"Okay," I started, clearing my throat. "I've got some news."

The room fell into a hushed silence as they waited for me to continue. Cassidy, ever the quick-witted, quipped, "Did you win the lottery, boss?"

"I wish, Cassidy," I chuckled, shaking my head. "But I got us the next best thing."

"What is it?" Hazuki asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. Yan-Hua sat on the edge of the bed, her expression patient, but interested.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding with excitement, "We got a house."

There was a beat of silence as my words sunk in. Then, like a dam breaking, the room exploded into shouts and squeals of delight. Cassidy whooped, jumping off the couch. Hazuki clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes shining with unshed tears. And Yan-Hua, ever the calm, composed one, simply gave me a warm smile, her eyes mirroring the pride and joy I felt.

"That's great, Chang!" Kaya's usually reserved face was split into a broad grin. "You've done well."

"But," I held up my hand, quelling their enthusiasm. "There's a catch. I promised Cody three more scavenging trips for free, as part of the deal to get Yan-Hua during the battle."

Cassidy let out a groan, but it was more playful than annoyed. "And here I thought we were done with Cody's grubby deals."

"Unfortunately not," I admitted with a rueful smile. "But it's worth it, right? A house of our own?"

The girls nodded, their expressions serious but filled with anticipation.

"You're right, Chang," Hazuki said, her voice filled with quiet determination. "Let's do it. For our future."

"Agreed," Yan-Hua echoed, a fierce glint in her eyes. "For our future."

"For our future," Kaya and Cassidy chimed in. And for the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope. We had a purpose, a goal, and most importantly, we had each other. And that was all we needed to face whatever came our way.

***

The tavern was filled with loud chatter and laughter as we celebrated another successful scavenging trip. We drank heartily, letting the warm and fuzzy feeling of alcohol wash away the remnants of exhaustion and tension from the trip. A few rounds later, Cassidy, ever the lightweight, started turning a bit green around the gills.

As we stumbled out of the tavern, she leaned against a nearby pole and started to heave. The abrupt shift from celebratory to retching was comically abrupt, and Kaya and I broke into fits of laughter.

"Oh, Cass!" I managed to gasp out between laughs. "Are you okay?"

Cassidy retched once more before glaring at us over her shoulder. "I'll have you know," she declared, wiping her mouth on her sleeve, "I'm perfectly fine."

Kaya snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, sure. You keep telling yourself that."

"I mean it!" Cassidy insisted, though her protestations were cut off by another bout of retching.

I shook my head, still chuckling. "Cass, when will you learn? You can't drink like Kaya."

Kaya shot me a sidelong glance, her lips quirking upwards in amusement. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a machine, Kaya," I answered with a grin. "But we love you for it."

She huffed in response, though her cheeks tinged with pink. She turned her attention back to Cassidy, who was finally straightening up. "You okay, Cass?"

Cassidy shot us a weak grin. "Like I said, perfectly fine."

The three of us burst into laughter once again, the sound echoing in the empty streets. Our joyous laughter probably woke up half the town, but we didn't care. We were alive, we were together, and in that moment, that was all that mattered.

The 3 of us then sat on the bench, while Cassidy leaned against my shoulder and fell asleep. I placed my jacket over her.

The night was cool as we sat on the wooden bench, Cassidy's even breaths a soft whisper in the quiet. I shifted slightly to accommodate her, my arm going around her shoulders as she snuggled closer into my side. I draped my jacket over her sleeping form, tucking it in to ward off the chilly night air.

Next to me, Kaya sat quietly, her usual lively demeanor replaced with something more contemplative. She was staring at Cassidy, a soft, fond look in her eyes. Then, she glanced over at me, her gaze thoughtful. "Looks like I owe you even more now," she said, her voice low.

I chuckled, turning to face her. "Well," I started, flashing her a teasing wink, "there is one way you can make it up to me now."

Her eyebrows shot up, a spark of curiosity lighting up her eyes. "And what is that?" she asked, leaning in slightly.

I paused, letting the silence stretch out for a moment, my gaze holding hers. "Well," I began, a sly grin playing on my lips, "you can be part of my harem."

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. And then, Kaya let out a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"Absolutely," I said, keeping my tone deadpan even as the corner of my mouth twitched upwards. "I already have one member, after all."

Kaya rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"I try my best," I replied, giving her a playful salute.

She gave me a shove, still laughing. And as we sat there on the bench, with Cassidy sleeping against my side and Kaya's laughter filling the night air, I couldn't help but feel like we were exactly where we were meant to be.

"I suppose I have no choice then." Kaya said with an eased smile.

I was taken aback for a moment, a wide grin spreading across my face as I processed her words. "Really? You're not pulling my leg, are you?" I asked, my tone teasing, but my eyes holding a hint of serious curiosity.

Kaya rolled her eyes at me, but there was a light in them that hadn't been there before. "Does it look like I'm joking?" she retorted, though her voice was soft, almost fond.

I chuckled, pulling her in closer with my free arm. "Not at all," I answered, "And trust me, I couldn't be happier."

Kaya nudged me with her elbow, a playful glint in her eyes. "Good, because I'm not sure how I would handle another one of your harebrained schemes."

The laughter that bubbled out of me was genuine and hearty. I looked over at Kaya, her eyes sparkling under the starlit sky, and felt a warmth spread through my chest. "Well, in that case," I said, lifting my hand for a toast even though we had no glasses to clink, "To the harem."

Kaya laughed, lifting her hand to mimic my gesture. "To the new, absolutely ridiculous, harem," she corrected, her smile wide and genuine.

We clinked our imaginary glasses together, laughter echoing into the quiet night. I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. After all we had been through, this moment felt right. It was imperfect, chaotic, and absolutely ridiculous, just like us. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Q: Have you ever gotten a confession before?