Zero shifted uncomfortably. He had passed by Balthasar who had informed him that Nikki wanted to see him. He wasn't even aware that his aunt was on campus. She must have came due to the news about Yuki. He released a soft sigh, running his fingers through Kiba's fur before standing from his chair. Though he had no desire to see her, he could not refuse his aunt. When she called, he was obligated to go. A part of him slightly knew the reason she wanted to see him, but another part of him was terrified all the same. The two days that passed after the meeting had been torture. She wasn't around, nor was she near him, and he found himself staying up on the roof often.
"I guess I should go find out what Aunt Nikki has to say," he spoke solemnly to the wolf, moving so that he was out of the door and headed towards where he could smell his aunt. He feared Nikki in the same way he feared his other Aunt, Erys. Both women were frightening, especially when it came to their children. That much was evident when Erys nearly tore up the battle grounds searching for Emrys that one time he went missing. Though Emrys wasn't truly missing, Erys didn't know that and had instilled a fear in Zero which caused him to shiver even now. His Aunt Nikki, though, was perhaps the worst one.
"Bal said you wanted to speak with me?" he spoke, glancing down at the woman that was his aunt. His tone came out rather calm, nothing at all what he was truly feeling, but he didn't need to convey it all at once. Nikki was exceptionally perceptive, this he had learned over the years as well.
Nikki had to fight not to sigh through her nose. They were all so jumpy around her, and she could only guess it was because of Yuki. Did they really all think that she blamed them? Perhaps she wasn't the one acting right. Still, it didn't matter, she supposed. She nodded in response to her nephew's question, motioning for him to sit. As he did so, she noted Kiba sitting next to him, and a wry smile could be seen on her face.
Had she not known already, that would have been proof enough. The wolf apparently was sticking to Zero like glue, and Nikki did not have to guess why. She returned her gaze to Zero.
"I won't ask if you're alright, because I already know the answer to that question. I will, however, ask you if you are willing to do whatever is necessary to save the woman you love."
Zero gave his aunt an unintentional flat look. She knew how he felt? Perhaps she did. He could not say for sure, however; he will not deny that she was right. He wasn't alright. He was far from alright. The woman he loved knocked him unconscious after telling him that she loved him, and then she left. She left because she thought it the only way. He sighed, running a hand through his burnt locks in the process. His aunt was truly too perceptive of things. Her question ran through his mind as he thought of the best way to answer it.
"I am willing to go to any lengths to save her, though if you are referring to if I must kill her to save her," he began as he paused, focusing his full attention back on Nikki. "Then no, I cannot do that to save her. If she died, I might as well be dead. Life would have no meaning without her by my side. Even..." he paused. He knew that his Aunt and Uncle had known about her condition, but did they know the length of life she had? He wasn't willing to take that risk. "Even with her condition," he finally stated before sitting further into his chair.
Nikki pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing slightly. She had not missed the way her nephew hesitated. His final sentence was not what he originally intended it to be. Perhaps it was nothing, but even so...
She put the thought aside. While she was not overly fond of having information withheld from her, she was also not one to begrudge anyone their privacy. If Zero felt inclined not to tell her, then she would not push the matter. Instead, she remained on the original topic.
"Then you would allow her to kill you, knowing that, she would not be able to handle living with that knowledge, knowing that she killed the one she loved? Do not misunderstand me by thinking that I believe this is the only solution, I know it is not. However, it is still a possibility. Yuki did what she did because she saw no other way out. If I had to guess, I would say that Freyr threatened you. While I do not believe that it was the best solution, I think it may have been the only solution where no one died. At least, not yet."
Zero flinched slightly at the tone in Nikki's voice. He hadn't meant it that way, but he could see her logic. Either way, there was no way he could ever bring himself to harm Yuki. If she had to kill him for it, then he would gladly die by her hands. "Freyr threatened all of us, not just me," he spoke, his voice a little firmer than what it once had been. "And you are correct, it wasn't the best solution, but it was the only solution she could see. I just...," What? Had known? Sensed Freyr so that he could have protected the others, warned them? He sighed once more, leaning further into his chair.
"I just don't think I could kill her if it came down to it. I don't think any of us could, perhaps the twins though. They love her, and they would do anything for as would I, but I couldn't kill her. It's not even a thought I can entertain the notion of. I love her. I've always loved her, I just wish it didn't take so long for me to have told her," he spoke, placing a hand over his face as he brought it down his face slowly. "I will do whatever I can to save her though, just not that," he responded slowly.
Nikki nodded slowly. "I can both understand and sympathize with that. It does not surprise me that you couldn't. Your father could not raise a hand against your mother, after all. I apologize for the questions, Zero. You are the man my daughter has chosen, and while we are not in the best of situations, I simply had to make sure she chose wisely."
A light smile touched her lips. "Believe what you will of yourself, blame yourself even, I cannot stop you. But you will get her back. In that...I have faith in all of you."
"I guess I should go find out what Aunt Nikki has to say," he spoke solemnly to the wolf, moving so that he was out of the door and headed towards where he could smell his aunt. He feared Nikki in the same way he feared his other Aunt, Erys. Both women were frightening, especially when it came to their children. That much was evident when Erys nearly tore up the battle grounds searching for Emrys that one time he went missing. Though Emrys wasn't truly missing, Erys didn't know that and had instilled a fear in Zero which caused him to shiver even now. His Aunt Nikki, though, was perhaps the worst one.
"Bal said you wanted to speak with me?" he spoke, glancing down at the woman that was his aunt. His tone came out rather calm, nothing at all what he was truly feeling, but he didn't need to convey it all at once. Nikki was exceptionally perceptive, this he had learned over the years as well.
Nikki had to fight not to sigh through her nose. They were all so jumpy around her, and she could only guess it was because of Yuki. Did they really all think that she blamed them? Perhaps she wasn't the one acting right. Still, it didn't matter, she supposed. She nodded in response to her nephew's question, motioning for him to sit. As he did so, she noted Kiba sitting next to him, and a wry smile could be seen on her face.
Had she not known already, that would have been proof enough. The wolf apparently was sticking to Zero like glue, and Nikki did not have to guess why. She returned her gaze to Zero.
"I won't ask if you're alright, because I already know the answer to that question. I will, however, ask you if you are willing to do whatever is necessary to save the woman you love."
Zero gave his aunt an unintentional flat look. She knew how he felt? Perhaps she did. He could not say for sure, however; he will not deny that she was right. He wasn't alright. He was far from alright. The woman he loved knocked him unconscious after telling him that she loved him, and then she left. She left because she thought it the only way. He sighed, running a hand through his burnt locks in the process. His aunt was truly too perceptive of things. Her question ran through his mind as he thought of the best way to answer it.
"I am willing to go to any lengths to save her, though if you are referring to if I must kill her to save her," he began as he paused, focusing his full attention back on Nikki. "Then no, I cannot do that to save her. If she died, I might as well be dead. Life would have no meaning without her by my side. Even..." he paused. He knew that his Aunt and Uncle had known about her condition, but did they know the length of life she had? He wasn't willing to take that risk. "Even with her condition," he finally stated before sitting further into his chair.
Nikki pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing slightly. She had not missed the way her nephew hesitated. His final sentence was not what he originally intended it to be. Perhaps it was nothing, but even so...
She put the thought aside. While she was not overly fond of having information withheld from her, she was also not one to begrudge anyone their privacy. If Zero felt inclined not to tell her, then she would not push the matter. Instead, she remained on the original topic.
"Then you would allow her to kill you, knowing that, she would not be able to handle living with that knowledge, knowing that she killed the one she loved? Do not misunderstand me by thinking that I believe this is the only solution, I know it is not. However, it is still a possibility. Yuki did what she did because she saw no other way out. If I had to guess, I would say that Freyr threatened you. While I do not believe that it was the best solution, I think it may have been the only solution where no one died. At least, not yet."
Zero flinched slightly at the tone in Nikki's voice. He hadn't meant it that way, but he could see her logic. Either way, there was no way he could ever bring himself to harm Yuki. If she had to kill him for it, then he would gladly die by her hands. "Freyr threatened all of us, not just me," he spoke, his voice a little firmer than what it once had been. "And you are correct, it wasn't the best solution, but it was the only solution she could see. I just...," What? Had known? Sensed Freyr so that he could have protected the others, warned them? He sighed once more, leaning further into his chair.
"I just don't think I could kill her if it came down to it. I don't think any of us could, perhaps the twins though. They love her, and they would do anything for as would I, but I couldn't kill her. It's not even a thought I can entertain the notion of. I love her. I've always loved her, I just wish it didn't take so long for me to have told her," he spoke, placing a hand over his face as he brought it down his face slowly. "I will do whatever I can to save her though, just not that," he responded slowly.
Nikki nodded slowly. "I can both understand and sympathize with that. It does not surprise me that you couldn't. Your father could not raise a hand against your mother, after all. I apologize for the questions, Zero. You are the man my daughter has chosen, and while we are not in the best of situations, I simply had to make sure she chose wisely."
A light smile touched her lips. "Believe what you will of yourself, blame yourself even, I cannot stop you. But you will get her back. In that...I have faith in all of you."