Ok! First off, thanks to the very weird, but definitely extremely cool duo who reviewed my very first chapter. Ya'll are the bomb. Har har. Hope to hear from you in the future!
Second, I just stuck peanut butter on the roof of my PittBull's mouth, and he's rolling around on the floor licking like that's gonna help it go away faster. Muahahha. I'm so evil.
Body and Soul
Chapter Two
All That Jazz
A new partner?
He scowls into his drink, hunched over at the very back corner of the bar away from everyone else's view in semi-defiance, taking out his anger by downing drink after drink, albeit slowly. He was enjoying the taste.
How could Death even suggest such a thing? He hadn't been able to bring himself to partner with anyone since Maka's disappearance, and Death had never tried and force him into it before.
And not only that. Someone he didn't even know. Some virtual stranger that had not even been at the academy. Or that is what Death had made him believe. He had spoken of the coming Meister as if he had never been around at all.
How could they push this on him now? Couldn't they just send Kid or Black Star?
No, no. He blinks slowly down at his drink and takes a deep sigh. Black Star was recovering from his last run in with a witch, and Kid… well, Kid was off on some top secret mission. He had been gone for a week.
Reflexively Soul's hand twitches around his drink, tightening his hold before he brings it up to his lips and drains the contents, pushing it towards the inside part of the bar to signal that he wanted another.
The bartender complies easily enough, refilling it and placing it back in front of him with one of those curious glances that people often throw those in deep thought.
Soul, however, is so engrossed in his thoughts and his drink that it takes a good couple of seconds to realize that someone had begun to play the piano. Most likely the live jazz group that frequented this place often enough.
It is not that that completely captures his attention, however. It is when two other instruments join in, one most prominent being a saxophone, and he slowly raises his red eyes to peer at the wall behind the bar, not even taking note of the bottles lined there.
It was that song. The song. The one he and Maka had danced to in his mind when they were battling Crona.
Slowly, almost dream like, he turns his head to the right, looking out across the rather large room, peering into the dim light that illuminated the small area free of tables, where people were allowed to dance if they ever felt the desire.
All of his senses went on high alert, even as his mind shut down. It isn't real.
Spirit is there, in all of his fiery red headed glory. He is dressed in a nice black suit, white shirt standing stark against the dark blue tie around his neck. And his eyes are focused on the face of his dance partner, one hand placed on her waist while the other holds a tender hand up and out, in dance mode.
There is no way. It isn't real.
Small feet, slender ankles hugged by strappy black heels. Pale flesh flirts shapely calves, the view cut off only at her knees where the slinky black fabric of a spaghetti strapped dress ends. The rest hugs up over shapely hips and a tiny waist, the neckline dipping to hint at the swell of pale breasts.
It can't be.
Long, toned arms match a swan like neck, reaching up to a heart shaped face. Very light glossed lips are curled into something of a smile, beckoning to be kissed.
No, I don't believe it. It's not…
Sandy blonde hair is swiped into two low hanging, braided pigtails that spill down the expanse of a perfect back, swiping back and forth over that small waist. Bangs hang low, slightly shading wide, forest green eyes.
Why? What's going on?
The song echoes through his head louder than what is actually playing, threatening to take him back. Back to somewhere he doesn't want to be. He slides from his stool in the back, taking a step towards the two.
Neither of them are talking, they just stare at each other with unreadable expressions. Confusion sweeps through Soul once more. It is a joke right?
He isn't really seeing this is he?
He takes another step, this one a bit jerky, and he freezes, his body and mind unable to process what is happening, what he is seeing.
The music nears the end, and before he can stop himself, he breaths out her name, more to himself than to anyone else, the tone somewhere between unbelieving and entranced.
"Maka."
As the song closes, those beautiful forest green's turn his way, meeting his red gaze straight on. She slowly lets go of her fathers' grip but does not step back from him. Slowly, the crimson haired man finally looks over his shoulder to see what had captured her attention, and his face is just as unreadable.
Unfortunately, Spirit has never been able to control his emotions, and Soul watches with fascination as the older man's face warps into something more of apprehension and guilt.
Guilt?
The word flies through Soul's mind. Why would Spirit feel guilty? Unless…
Soul watches as Maka turns her eyes from him and looks back to her father, offering a small smile as Spirit turns to look at her again, and then she reaches out to brush her hand against his forearm before turning towards the door and moving towards it to leave.
This in itself kicks Soul into gear and he stutters forward a few steps, eyes growing wide as she pushes open the door.
"Maka!" He hears his voice and detests the desperation laced within it. She does not turn around, does not stop, and he finds a hand on his outstretched arm, firmly locking him into place. He looks down at the large, tanned obstacle between him and following his former partner out the door.
He trails his red eyes up along the black sleeves of a well made jacket. Finally he makes his way to a pair of very troubled, though quite stern, sea blue eyes.
"Now is not the time." Harsh words that, if came from anyone else, Soul most likely would have lashed out at. Instead he narrows his eyes and roughly jerks his arm away from Spirit and turns on his heel, stalking back to where he had been sitting and downing his drink in one very large gulp.
What in the hell is going on?
….
Hm, so I churned that one out faster than I thought. I suppose it's cause I have Drill coming up this weekend, and I will pretty much be stuck doing that for the next three days. Joy.
Review if you want. Don't if you don't find it worth your effort.
:)
