KINTSUkuroi
[Chapter XXIII] - Yellow

Ciel glanced at the tiny male in her cleavage with worried eyes. Under normal circumstances, her diminutive gentleman would have been absolutely flustered by his current accomodation, but this time his expression was not one of embarrassment but rather one of concern. Truth be told, Ciel did not seek to tease him by placing him there. Not this time. This was unarguably the safest way to carry him around.

"Nic, dear, are you alright?" the Giant woman inquired, her voice unusually soft and unassertive.

A heavy sigh escaped the male's lips.

"...I very much doubt Setsuna will survive this battle..." he voiced his concern for his ex-girlfriend.

"I don't know what to think about her. I hate her for what she's done to you, but right now she was so selfless..." Ciel said.

"When she spoke to me... I could tell she honestly regretted her actions. Even to this day, I do not feel I have the right to blame her for what happened that night..." the male looked down, recalling Setsuna's betrayal.

"That aside, Siule is a much greater threat than we thought her to be. I cannot believe her body is a host for 10,000 Macrosia genes... I just... I don't think I can even grasp such a concept." the Giantess was clearly perplexed.

"I need to go back." Nicolas determined.

"What?"

"I need to go back to Siule. Try to talk some much-needed sense into her. If there's anyone she should be willing to listen, that'd have to be me. I need to understand why she's doing this, and in the meantime I can buy you some time to-" the male explained.

"Are you still spewing that bullshit?" Ciel harshly cut him off.

"Huh?"

"There's absolutely no way I'm letting you go back to that bastard, Nic. Even if she was willing to listen to you, who's to say she won't try to take you by force in the end? I won't let you anywhere near her, you hear me? Let alone in order for me to escape from her. I only fled just now so that I can make sure you're not harmed during my deathmatch with her. I am not just your girlfriend, Nic. I'm your fucking protectress. If anyone wants to lay as much as a finger on you, they'll only do so over my cold, dead body." the Regent of the Giants declared.

"That can be arranged." a voice spoke from behind her. Ciel turned around to see Siule panting heavily as she had made quite the effort to catch up to her. The chase had led the tawny-haired woman into the very heart of the city, which was now deserted for obvious reasons.

"Siule! What did you do to Setsuna!?" the male asked, fearing the worst.

"I do not appreciate the place you've chosen to carry my Nicky." Siule commented disapprovingly.

"He's my boyfriend. I can carry him here if I so wish." the black-haired Giant taunted.

"Ciel, please... Let me handle this... I'm begging you. Just... let me speak to her." Nicolas implored.

"...fine, but I'm not leaving you alone with her. Whatever you want to tell her you'll have to do so from here." Ciel decided, unwilling to negotiate any further.

"Siule, could we put the deathmatch on hold until our conversation is over?" the tiny male requested.

"Very well, Nicky. I don't wish to accidentally hurt you, after all." the green-eyed lass agreed.

Deafening silence filled the place. There was so much to say, yet both Nicolas and Siule seemed indecisive to start, as though they were pondering what to actually say.

Eventually, it was the curly-haired man that broke the still.

"Why are you doing this? If there are any remnants of the Siule I once knew deep down in your heart, then I cannot imagine this situation being any less than a veritable nightmare for you." the Human male tried to ascertain to what degree Siule had changed.

"You're not wrong. I try to stand strong in front of everyone, but of course you'd know better. You can't even begin to imagine how many tears I have shed in pursuit of this goal. I have panic attacks every day, and every night, before I go to sleep, I feel a sharp pain in my chest, as though a spear was trying to impale me from the inside." Siule confessed.

"Then why? Why go any further with this? I can't be worth such a sacrifice!" Nicolas tried to understand her motives.

The tawny-haired woman shook her head.

"You're wrong, Nicky. You are worth it. You're worth that and much, much more. Like I told Ciel, I tried to give her a chance. I thought maybe she would be able to fully heal you, but she's still scared that she may be forced to leave you, as are you. That's why I have to do it myself. Because I'm the only one who can do it." Siule seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Nicolas could tell she wasn't putting on an act.

"Even if that was the case, do you really think that's still true after everything you've done?" the male asked in a somber voice.

"I don't get it, Nicky —Siule spoke with clear pain in her voice, her tears finally unrestrained—! What does Ciel have that I don't? Is it because she's better endowed than I am? Is that it? Is it because she's a Giant? Look at me! I also became a Giant! Why is that not enough!? You say she's always protected you, but she was by your side for just six months twenty years ago and for about one or two months now! That doesn't even make a year! On the other hand, I have been by your side for thirteen years! In all that time, I have never left your side and I have always done my best to protect you in my own way! Why is she better than me!? Answer me, Nicky! What do I have to do for you to love me!?"

"Siule..." Nicolas sighed.

"No! I cannot understand this! You're the only one who's ever seen me for who I am! It's not easy being a pacifist in this world ruled by violence! Humans and Giants alike get what they want through violence! There's a record of two millenia of warfare to prove that! I hate that, I hate it so much! Everyone called me a wimp, a boneless chicken! Everyone made fun of me! Everyone picked on me, knowing I would never fight back! Everyone except for you! You were the only person to ever appreciate my efforts to get things done through peaceful means! I... I never wanted to hurt anyone! I never wanted to kill anyone! But when Savan's death came to pass, I knew I had no option but to keep going! It was the only way to protect you! And if I have to become that which I despise the most so that you won't have to suffer anymore, then I gladly will! So why won't you love me!? You even said you hate me! Even after everything I've done for you! How can you be so unfair, Nicky!?" Siule fell to her knees, crying her heart out.

The male stayed silent for a moment before looking up at Ciel.

"Love, please take me to her." he requested.

"What!? There's no wa-!" Ciel protested, but Nicolas cut him off.

"Please. I need to do this." he insisted, his eyes reflecting how strongly he felt the need to go to the brown-haired female.

"I... I don't like this..." was all Ciel said as she slowly pulled her boyfriend out of her cleavage and reluctantly placed him on Siule's open palms.

"I'm only doing this because of Nic, but don't get any ideas. The moment I even suspect you might want to try something funny, I'll kill you where you stand." Ciel threatened with a cold glare.

Nicolas looked up at Siule for a moment before hugging what little he could of her chest. Despite Siule's initial surprise and Ciel's disgust, both women could tell this was a different kind of hug. He wasn't hugging her like he would a girlfriend, but rather, like he would a sister.

"I'm sorry, Siu... I never realised this was the nature of your feelings for me. I should have noticed, I should have been aware. I spoke without thinking and I caused you great pain because of it. Even though I'm still furious for Savan's death, I never tried to see things from your perspective. Even now, the darkest part of me still hates you for instigating Savan's murder, even if you didn't mean to, but I can't deny that you've done a lot for me as well and that I really treasure you because of that. I do love you, Siule, but I'm sorry to say that the nature of my love for you is not the one you desire. I love you like a sister. I can't imagine anyone else occupying that role in my life. As to why Ciel and not you, I wish I could give you an answer. All I know is that the way my heart beats when I'm with Ciel is different than the way it does when I'm with you. I understand that it may not be a valid answer but, if nothing else, you deserve that I be honest with you about how I feel." the male explained.

Without saying a word, Siule gently placed Nicolas on the ground and closed her eyes. Breathing heavily, she opened her eyes and looked at Ciel.

"Ciel, I'm very sorry. I know it may mean nothing to you, but I truly mean it. Protecting Nicky has been my number one priority ever since he first saw me for who I am, but in the end all my efforts only led to me causing him more pain than you ever possibly could." the pacifistic female said as she started to shrink back to her regular size.

Once she was Human-sized again, she pulled a knife from her jeans pocket, startling both Nicolas and Ciel.

"W-What are you doing...!?" the male gasped.

"I was planning to use this on Ciel if I had no other choice but now..." Siule trailed off before quickly bringing the blade to her throat.

The brown-haired woman closed her eyes and waited for the cold steel to pierce her skin, yet the contact never came. She opened her eyes in horror as she heard a familiar voice grunt in pain.

Right before her eyes, she saw Nicolas panting heavily as he grabbed the edge of the blade with his bare hands, preventing it from reaching its destination.

"Nic, no!!!" Ciel cried desperately.

"Nicky! What are you doing!?" Siule gasped in terror.

"What am I doing!? What are YOU doing!? Do you really think ending your fucking life like this is the right thing to do!?" the male scolded his sister with tears in her eyes as he forcefully tossed the knife away from her hand.

"I caused you so much pain. I don't deserve to live." Siule looked down.

"DON'T SAY THAT!!! YOU HAVE CAUSED PAIN TO MANY, NOT JUST TO ME!!! A LIFETIME WILL PROBABLY NOT BE ENOUGH TO RIGHT ALL YOUR WRONGS! That's why... THAT'S WHY YOU MUST LIVE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT YOU CAN DO AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE AMENDS FOR YOUR MISTAKES!!!" the man cried, his right hand bleeding profusely.

Both females could only look at Nicolas in awe, unfamiliar with this side of him.

"Siule... You've taught me to be brave to do things my way, to stand for what I think is right, no matter what others may say. You may have many flaws, but being a coward isn't one of them! So don't take the easy way out! Work hard to earn as much forgiveness as you can! The damage you have caused may be beyond repair, but that doesn't mean you can't do good deeds as well!" he exclaimed, looking at his sister with a stern expression.

The brown-haired female was at a loss for words. Overwhelmed by the chaotic barrage of emotions within her, she could only give in to tears as she looked at the man she loved...

The man that had saved her life.

Ciel walked to Siule and glared down at her, her imposing size casting a large shadow on the two Humans. She gently picked Nicolas up and examined the wound in his right hand.

"Siule Jies. I cannot deny a part of me wishes to see your body turned into a bloody pulp right now. However, it is clear that Nic cares greatly for you. As much as I despise you, I cannot deny that you've done much to help him improve. That is something that I will consider when deciding on an appropriate sentence for your crimes. For now, though, healing Nic's wound is my priority, so you shall be under my custody." the Ruler of the Giants declared as she picked Siule up and carried her in her left fist, making sure to keep the female Human far away from her bosom where the male slept peacefully.

The pacifistic woman looked at Nicolas tucked away in the safeness of Ciel's bountiful bosom. Her green eyes widened in shock and tears trailed down her cheeks as she saw something in him, something no one else could see...

"His aura... What a beautiful yellow aura."