A STRANGER'S EMBRACE

"What...?" Kiel signed with a hesitant flicker of his fingers, his hands conveying a whisper of confusion and curiosity.

"Asterialnauchseccin Elspeth Katsuragi," Astra repeated, her voice a melodic whisper. Each syllable lingered in the air, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink as she shyly averted her gaze, focusing on an intriguing spot on the far wall.

Kiel's eyes widened in amazement, a look of reverent awe crossing his face. The grandeur of her name struck him with an almost tangible weight, rendering him momentarily lost in its imposing elegance.

His own name wasn't exactly common, but hearing hers out loud made his seem almost mundane by comparison. After a few moments of contemplative silence, he began to sign with tentative movements. "Astra," he conveyed, his hands earnest yet hesitant. "May I call you Astra? For short?" He offered a gentle smile before reclining back onto the bed with a weary groan.

Astra's eyes sparkled with amusement as she responded, "You could. But I'm curious—might I have the honor of learning yours?"

Her gaze remained fixed on him, filled with gentle anticipation.

Silence stretched between them. Kiel hesitated, turning his gaze to the ceiling, lost in deep thought. It wasn't that he couldn't share his name; he had his reasons for keeping it to himself, and he hoped it would remain that way.

"I knew it," Astra's voice carried a note of quiet disappointment as she prepared to leave.

Just then, Kiel signed, "You... can call me Kiel. Just Kiel." His hands moved with a mixture of determination and reluctance, revealing his name as if it were an admission of vulnerability. His gaze remained fixed upwards, and his hands, though steady, conveyed a quieter, less certain message. "If that's even really it," he added, almost as an afterthought.

Astra's expression shifted to one of concern. "You don't know your own name? An admission of fear perhaps?" She asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

Kiel's eyes flickered with a mix of confusion and frustration as he signed, "Just little bits and pieces. I don't know anything past a day ago except that I was coming here."

"But why here?" She pressed gently, her curiosity deepening.

"I don't know. I guess I felt drawn here. I... hoped that stepping into the city would trigger something... anything," he responded, his hands hesitating mid-sign. "But I... well... it's complicated."

"Complicated, huh? So… an actual Kaiju up close," she continued, her tone steady despite the slight tremor in her hands. She studied his face, seeking any glimmer of understanding or certainty in his expression.

"You were born like this then? A Kaiju? An... an actual Kaiju?" She asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and incredulity.

"Uh, yeah, I mean, I guess so," Kiel signed, his movements hesitant, as if grappling with the weight of his identity.

"Ah... I see, right. So what else do you remember?" She inquired gently, trying to piece together his fragmented past.

"I... I remember waking up," Kiel signed, his hands trembling slightly. "And then television, and clothes... clothes and television. Then, he came with me! I... I have to stop him because..." He paused, frustration evident in his gestures. "Ah, it's so hard! I can't think! I can't remember!" His hands fell to his sides, defeated, as he struggled to grasp the elusive threads of his memory.

Astra softened her tone, her voice like a soothing balm as she lightly rested her hand on Kiel's. "You can't just will your mind to remember things it's not ready to reveal. Trust me, I know," she said, a gentle laugh escaping her lips. "Well, Kiel—just Kiel," she continued with a warm smile, "it's been a real pleasure meeting you."

With a final, reassuring squeeze of his hand, she turned to pick up the pail, her movements graceful and deliberate. "I need to head out now, but please, get some rest. Make sure you're stable," she instructed with a note of quiet authority.

As she moved toward the door, her presence lingered like a comforting shadow, leaving Kiel with a sense of calm and a subtle warmth that promised new beginnings.

"You guys are really something," Kiel signed, his movements expressive and tinged with genuine awe. "You're not even fazed by my presence. Most people… well, they aren't exactly welcoming to my kind. It's baffling. People usually react with suspicion, always on edge. Once, I picked up a man's wallet to return it, and he accused me of stealing it. It's like all the logic I thought I knew has been turned on its head."

"Oh, you're still hung up on that? Would you prefer we just kick you out instead?" Astra asked, her tone light yet pointed.

"No," Kiel signed quickly, his hands conveying his reluctance.

"Good. Then stop whining and let us help you," she replied with a chuckle, her hands fluidly echoing her words.

"Do you say whatever comes to mind?" Kiel asked with a playful smirk, his fingers dancing through the air. He paused, his expression shifting as a wave of emotion washed over him. The warmth of the room and Astra's kindness seemed to amplify the feeling, leaving him momentarily lost in the depth of his gratitude.

Kiel's gaze turned toward Astra, his eyes reflecting a rare vulnerability. "You know," he signed slowly, his hands moving with quiet sincerity, "I… haven't slept under a roof in quite a while."

A sense of warmth settled over him, a profound fullness that seemed to fill the very air around them. His hands trembled slightly as he finished, "Thank you."

The depth of his words lingered in the air like a gentle embrace. Astra's eyes softened, touched by the weight of his admission. A calm smile spread across her face, her own emotions stirred by his heartfelt thanks.

"You're welcome," she responded softly, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze. "Rest well. We'll take care of everything else later."

With a final, reassuring nod, Astra made her way toward the door, her footsteps light but her demeanor resolute. Before leaving, she turned back to him, a reassuring glimmer in her eyes. "And don't worry about anything," she said, her voice carrying a promise of support. "Everything will be alright."

As the door closed behind her, Kiel allowed himself to sink into the bed.

The room, now imbued with a sense of calm and security, seemed to breathe in rhythm with Kiel's own slow, measured sighs. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he allowed himself to fully embrace the peace of the moment, his body relaxing into the comforting embrace of the bed.

****

Kiel found himself alone in the dimly lit room, the silence a stark contrast to the chaos of his thoughts. Sleep had eluded him once again, leaving him to wrestle with the fragmented memories of the alleyway—the enigmatic visions, the unsettling experiences. His mind prowled through the wreckage of his consciousness, grasping at elusive answers that remained out of reach. Each attempt to piece together the puzzle was met with an empty void, a barren landscape of uncertainty. All that remained was a haunting, lingering image; the vivid, unsettling splash of blood.

He had felt an overwhelming surge of energy coursing through his body, a visceral tide that left him disoriented and exhausted. The boy Kaiju, trembling with palpable fear, struggled to grasp the enormity of the force he had encountered. The intense power from the alley had set his veins ablaze, and as he reflected on the haunting image of the boy he'd seen—himself—he realized the unsettling truth; his own eyes were distorting reality.

The lines between truth and hallucination blurred, leaving him to wrestle with the gnawing suspicion that he was unraveling mentally, succumbing to the very madness he feared.

He recalled the disorienting moment when his vision had suddenly blurred, his mind spiraling into a dizzy haze as if he had lost control of himself. The transformation had been both horrifying and exhilarating. He had become something monstrous, his fury igniting at the sight of Sean's injuries. His face had twisted into a snarl, his eyes burning with a malevolent fire, ready to exact violence at any moment.

No! That wasn't me! The image of his bloodshot, murderous eyes churned his stomach, inducing a wave of nausea that rolled through his gut. Absurd, he thought, repulsed by the thoughts. Ludicrous. Disgusting. The repetition of the word 'disgusting' was a desperate attempt to banish the vile image from his mind. He needed a rational explanation, a reason to dismiss the nightmare as nothing more than the product of a mind frayed by stress.

Looking down, he saw he had kicked off the sheets and blanket in his restless state. With a groan, he reached for them, dragging the covers up to his chin. As he settled back into the bed, he repeated the word "logical" over and over in his mind, until it lost its meaning, becoming a mantra of self-assurance in the midst of chaos.

Kiel forced himself to breathe deeply, counting silently to ten, trying to regain a sense of calm amidst the storm of his thoughts. The chaos within him had to end; there was no room for further discussion or self-recrimination.

As he settled, the muffled murmur of voices from outside intruded on his isolation. He could make out the soft, comforting tones of Grandma Kaname and the earnest, albeit rough, voice of Kiki.

Her gaze softened as she observed the boy, a stark contrast to the sternness of Grandma Kaname. Despite his apparent bravado, she knew him to possess a kind heart. In a world filled with uncertainty, even the most straightforward appearances could be deceiving.

Grandma Kaname peered at Kiki and Astra with a mixture of curiosity and disapproval. Her voice, sharp with age-worn skepticism, cut through the murmur of the day. "So that's the boy, is it? Or should I say Kaiju?" Her gaze was piercing, like a hawk assessing its prey. "Ai, Kiki, why can't you bring home something normal for once? Where does he come from? Who is he? What is he? When are we going to hear the full story of this—this 'thing'?"

Kiki shifted uncomfortably but managed to answer with quiet determination. "Tomorrow morning."

Astra's voice was a soothing balm amidst the tension. "When he's ready."

Kaname leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper as if revealing a hidden truth. "I'll tell you what," she said to Astra, her tone dripping with suspicion. "That 'thing' won't be coming to talk about anything. You're too trusting. It's deceiving you."

Astra met the old lady's gaze with unwavering conviction. "He is not."

Kaname's eyes narrowed, a sardonic edge creeping into her voice. "Oh? If it is not, then I'll eat my head!"

With the sound of her footsteps fading, the room was left in a deeper silence, the earlier warmth lingering like a gentle afterthought. Kiel lay there, the echoes of the conversation barely touching his consciousness, his mind still wrestling with its tumultuous thoughts.

The murmurs from outside began to quiet, leaving Kiel alone with his thoughts and the dim glow of the room. He stared at the ceiling, trying to piece together fragments of his memories. Each fleeting image, each emotion, was a puzzle piece that seemed to fit only in the vaguest sense. The memory of blood, of energy surging uncontrollably through him, seemed to haunt him with every beat of his heart.

The day wore on, and with it, the restless thoughts gradually began to ease, if only slightly. Kiel lay there, cradled by the comforting embrace of the bed, each breath a step toward reclaiming some semblance of control over his fragmented existence.

As the first light of dawn began to creep through the window, Kiel's eyes remained closed, his thoughts drifting toward the hope that tomorrow would bring answers, clarity, and perhaps a deeper understanding of the man— or rather, the Kaiju—he was becoming.