Welcome to my first Resbang! I was blessed to work with the talented mykous and amelia-rose whose art I've linked on tumblr. Please go check it out. It really captures the feel of this fic.
This fic was born out of the love of Maka and Star's friendship and how their understanding of each other and fierce loyalty might bring them closer together. It follows a parallel to manga storyline and is roughly 60% Star-third person limited and 40% Maka-third person limited. It was very fun to get into their heads for this one. I hope you read, review and enjoy!
Without further ado, here is To the Last Letter.
The City of Death dealt destiny's hand to all its inhabitants, meted out murder to those who lost their paths, and drew in those fated ones to continue a bloody but just legacy. Weapons and technicians were the instruments of Death and Death's Words were absolute.
This is what Maka believed.
Death gave different Words to every one of his Children. Orders to slice through a corrupt soul were as concrete as the Letters that burned their way onto every weapon and technician. Death's Words were a compass, leading each Child of Death on their path.
Maka knows a lot about Death's Words, knows that she won't misunderstand hers, like her father did. She knows she won't disobey them, like Papa. Defying the Words never ended well. It certainly hadn't ended well for her family. Divorce, hurt, separation; these awaited those that ignored Death's Words.
Maka would know. She'd seen it firsthand.
Papa and Mama used to fight, not knowing that Maka was on the other side of the door. They'd argue over the subjectivity of their Words, that they'd strayed from the meaning behind them. The black ink etched into her Papa's wrist was visible all the times: The Most.
Mama always covered hers. A week later, she was gone, a neat stack of divorce papers signed on Papa's desk.
Maka knew there was subjectivity to Words, not always a clear cut path, but the dark beckoning of Death's concrete order for his Children promised her a guide. Her Words may not be discrete and direct, but they would show her the way when the time came, and she would listen.
Black*Star never thinks much about Death's Words. He knows he will receive them, that they are a manifestation of his destiny or some sort of path he's meant to follow, but he doesn't put much stock in Letters. The black ink he'll receive won't change him.
Black*Star knows he is destined for more.
He looks to Sid, who has so many tattoos that he can't even make out which are from Death and which are of their own design. He looks to his mirror to see the Star emblazoned on his own shoulder by his birth family. He didn't choose to be a Star Clan member and he won't choose his Words. They will be chosen for him, but still a part of his being.
Black*Star wants to choose his own path and rise above the markers he has and will be given. The path shall be laid by Death, but he will reach the destination on his own terms.