Rules are Rules
I slumped down on the couch and turned on the TV, some Christmas Special was on. I didn't get the whole Christmas fuss. The spirit of giving and begin jolly and crap. I just liked the getting part and all the food.
But my opinion about the holiday doesn't matter much to anyone. Christmas is Maka's favorite holiday though so I might as well deal with it best I can.
Maka was busying herself in the kitchen making peppermint brownies for Kidd's big Christmas party the next day. I didn't want to go. More importantly, I didn't want to wear that stupid reindeer sweatshirt she bought me when she went for brownie ingredients. I looked over to my occupied miester. She was wearing red polka-dot pajama pants and a baggy green t-shirt (fucking christmas colors), furiously mixing the brownie batter. Wait, was that my shirt?
Already distracted, I forgot the shirt. I rolled my head between my hands. I still had to buy a Secret Santa present for Tsubaki and a regular gift for Maka and getting all that would mean I would have to get up.
"Soul? What do you want for Christmas?" She didn't take her focus off her baking.
"Mmm, all of those brownies," I said laborly lifting myself from the couch. She huffed and kept mixing. I ambled over to her and leaned my chest against her back. She froze as I wrapped my arms around her, one hand on her waist and the other dipped a finger into the brownie batter. I slowly brought it to my mouth and sucked its chocolately goodness next to her ear. "Yes, defiantly the brownies," I whispered and walked out the door grabbing my wallet and headphones.
I felt my face finally cool down when I got on the street. I didn't mean to blush so much from that. It was just being close to Maka made my heart race, but I would never tell her that. So I would just tease her with my hormonal teenage urges. I stuck my headphones over my ears and began to zone out as I walked down to the plaza. The weather was chilly since it was winter but sunny. I have never seen it snow in Death City, in fact, the temperature rarely dipped below 60 degrees.
Tsubaki likes jewelry, that was what Black Star said. Maybe I would find a bracelet and be done. But that seems cheap. I could get her a brush, she has hair right? No, that's not cool, a brush seriously? Buying gifts is difficult. And Maka, jeez... A book is too predictable but she would probably like that the most.
I had to be creative and I hated it.
I turned and crossed the street. The song changed to some random love ballad that had somehow made its way onto my iPod. I suddenly became very aware of the lyrics and the meaning behind them. They made me think of Maka. {(Listen to "Oh Darling" by Plug In Stereo)} My chest tightened. I knew I liked her but I couldn't let myself accept it. Maybe I could get her an expensive necklace or some flowers, that's romantic. I could ask Tsubaki to fold me some fancy origami and I could write a sappy message inside. I just wanted to crawl in a hole, she probably doesn't even like me.
But sooner or later I had to let her know that I do or I might explode.
Shit. I walked right into someone.
I apologized and hurried into the plaza. It was rather busy with last minute shoppers and venders. I spotted the jewelry store and skillfully weaved through panicked mothers, anxious children, and the rest of the public. I, somehow, made it unharmed to the shop and scanned the glass case for something to catch my eye. A set of earrings and a matching bronze bracelet just called 'Tsubaki' to me. I was about to check out when I saw something else. It was Maka's necklace. It had a gold chain and an intricately braided Mother of Pearl pendant in the shape of an infinity symbol. I told the clerk to get that out of me too and she smiled.
"Are these for someone special?" She chimed behind the cash register.
"That one is," I gestured to the necklace.
"Well she's a very lucky girl!" She gave that saleswomen smile as I awkwardly handed her my money.
I got out of there only to return to the chaos outside. As much as I didn't want to I still somehow found myself in the card store looking for a Christmas card for my parents. They send me one every stinking year for every possible holiday, I might as well let them know I'm not dead. I picked the first appropriate one I could found and bee-lined to the checkout. The line was so long, the end was in the gag-gift aisle.
I sighed loudly and glanced around. It was all stuff I'm sure Black Star would like: fake teeth, fly in a plastic ice cube, mistletoe dangly headband, expandable fork "for all your across the table needs", and fake dog poop and boogers.
Wait, mistletoe dangly headband? I NEED THAT!
One the way back to our apartment, I stopped in the lobby to pick up the mail. Sifting through the letters of mostly junk, I found the Christmas greetings from my family. I sliced it open with one blade finger. I pulled out a thick card-stock card with an illustration of a winter scene front. Inside two pictures fell into my hand and the expected check for $400. One picture was of my parents and Wes in matching outfits, Wes with his violin of course. (Gag) The other picture I was shocked to see. It was a school photo of Maka and I, me in weapon form and Maka smiling like fool and looking too adorable for her own good.
The message was typical and predictable:
"Wishing you a safe and jolly Holiday!
- The Evans Family"
was printed in the inside of the card and then written was:
"Keep making us proud Soul! Congratulations on all you achieve with your
miester.
Don't forget to call.
- Love, Mom, Dad, and Wes"
Puke.
They don't even know my miester's name? They don't even know what I achieve? I became a fucking Death Scythe!
I will not call.
In my card, I will write:
"Her name is Maka. She made me a Death Scythe.
~ Soul"
Maybe I'll stick a photo in there if I found a cool one.
I slumped down on the couch and turned on the TV, some Christmas Special was on again. I didn't get the whole Christmas fuss. The spirit of giving and begin jolly and crap. I just liked the getting part and all the food.
But my opinion about the holiday doesn't matter much to anyone. Christmas is Maka's favorite holiday though so I might as well deal with it best I can.
Maka was finishing getting ready in her room. She glanced out, frustrated, and tossed some clothing at me. It was that stupid hoodie she bought for me to wear. The pale green garment with a cute little cartoon Rudolph stared innocently at me in my hands.
"Maaaaka... this is not cool!" I whined in retaliation.
She popped her head back out from her door, her hair half up. She gave those pouty eyes, "It would mean a lot to me. Pretty please with a cherry on top?"
I huffed and glared at her until she disappeared in her room again. Reluctantly, I pulled the hoodie on only as pre-compensation for the trick I would pull on her later in the evening.
"Soul? Which do you like better?" Maka walked into the the hallway in just a tank top holding two almost identical sweaters, one green and one the same pattern but white.
Trying not the stare at her lack of clothing, I pondered her options, "They look the same to me. Green I guess." She smiled and just about pranced back into her room. I huffed and sunk deeper into the couch. The only good part about going to this party was going to be the food, and maybe if the mistletoe works out. I had dream the night before that I was leaning in for the kiss and she kneed me in the balls.
Not a good sign
Maka popped back out of her room wearing appropriate clothes and walked into the kitchen to grab the brownies. "Ready?" She wrapped a scarf around her neck. I grunted in agreement and slung a backpack containing both Tsubaki's and Maka's gifts, the headband, and some Christmas records I was able to dig up from my collection. We walked down to my bike. It was colder than I excepted outside. I was about to comment on it when another issue arose.
"How are we going to take the brownies on my motorcycle?" I asked. She needed to hold onto the brownies and not fall off the bike at the same time, which in my mind required more hands.
Maka thought for a moment, "Here, give me your bag." I raised an eyebrow. "Just trust me, it'll be fine." I handed it over but kept my eyebrow up this time adding a head tilt. "Don't just stare at me like an idiot, get on the bike." Confused, I followed her orders and she got on after me. She sat extra close to me and I was surprised when I felt her arms wrap under mine with the pan of brownies in my lap.
"Unhhh?"
"Can you still drive like this?" I felt her breath on my neck.
"I guess we'll find out," I smirked and started the engine as she laid her head on my back.
The Death Mansion was kind of far away, but it felt all too soon when Maka unhooked her arms around me and slid off. I sighed at the absence of her heat on my back. The party was already in full swing when we walked in. A lot of people from our class were invited but Secret Santa was only in our team of seven.
"We're the best dressed guests here!" Maka elbowed my side and I smirked in agreement.
"Can I have one of those damn brownies yet?" I leaned into her swinging my backpack over my shoulder.
She blushed and punched my arm. "Soul we just got here! Can't you wait a few more minutes to eat?"
"Nope," I chimed and left her for the food table.
"YO! YOU FINALLY GOT HERE! YOUR GOD HAS BEEN AWAITING YOUR PRESENCE FOR THIS HOLIDAY FEAST!" Black Star stood on a chair waving a leg of ham like a flag. I smiled at his foolishness as Tsubaki panicked next to him.
"Hey Tsubaki," I got her attention as I reached into my bag and pulled out the gift. "Merry Christmas, or something."
She smiled, "can I open it now?"
I shrugged, "sure, doesn't matter."
Black Star's attention was now on his partner as she torn through the wrapping paper. "OOOO! Whatcha get? Whatcha get?"
She opened the box and her face lit up, "oh Soul! I love it! Thank you!"
"It's nothing," Black Star ran off the talk to Kidd, bored with jewelry. I spotted Maka giving her brownies Liz and out of nowhere those stupid hormonal teenage urges make me want to walk right up to her and just kiss her. "Urgh actually I think I might need your help." Her face was confused but she nodded. I lead her to a less crowded spot near the stairs and opened my backpack enough for her to see the headband. Her mouth dropped but then she grinned and clasped her hands together. "I bought this and I want to use it, you know, with Maka, but how do I - what should I say before- or after?" I sighed. Someone as cool as me should not be freaking out over a kiss.
Her girlish giggle made me cringe. "Of course I'll help! Here's what you should do..."