First of all I wanna say sorry for uploading so damn late but I was caught up in writer's block (I know really pathetic considering it's my first fanfic...) and just couldn't find the motivation...Sometimes there just are these moments when the words flow and there they are lacking,oh well I'm writing/uploading this at 2am so what the hell,I'm totally I night person xD
Then I also want to give a big thanks and a cookie to my lovely reviewer BrunetteBeauty12 who told me that Soul was a little out of character. I had already feared I would write him a little OOC but it's really hard writing someone like him in such an emotional situation, though I promise I'm trying to do my best^^
Also a big thanks and cookies go to my followers starfireten and xXBlackBloodAngelXx (cool name btw^^) and the once who faved my story Aria Eragon, darkblossom829,somaluver1982 and starfireten. I appreciate your support, especially since I'm all new to this and it encourages me to write more.
I hope this chapter isn't too over-dramatic (I seriously tend to do over-dramatic xD) and wish you all a nice little read.
If you have any ideas, suggestions what I could do better or even notice a lot of spelling and other errors (english isn't my mother tongue) feel free to contact me^^
/Though I'm seriously trying to keep the errors at minimum/
Also I plan to make this a 5 Chapter story so I try to not make it too long since it would probably become boring too fast. I do promise that I will finish this story, no matter what xD
Maka's POV
The next morning I woke up I felt empty. Empty and tired and my motivation to actually get up,get dressed and to school was, unbelievable as it sounds, as low as BlackStars grades.
I looked at the clock...5:30, I still had plenty of time to get ready since I had fallen asleep really early yesterday...
As I was about to swing my legs out of bed with as much enthusiasm as I could muster in my current state of being I noticed a soft breathing sound very close to my bed.
"...What...?", I was wondering out loud before I could stop myself and then reminded myself to be silent so as not to wake up the still asleep Soul, who had probably spent the whole night beside my bed just to watch out for me and wake me up if I had a nightmare.
I threw him a sad and very small smile as I made my way to the kitchen and set up some breakfast for the both us, including coffee.
Even though I would have prefered to stay half-asleep, kind of numb to the pain residing in my chest because of my recent loss, I knew I had to face reality. Well, sooner or later, since for now I was so occupied with making breakfast that it kinda kept me from thinking about my deceased father.
When I was ready preparing Soul's and my breakfast I silently sat down, staring into my now full cup of coffee as if I was expecting it to speak some words of comfort to me. If that had actually been what I had been hoping for, I was disappointed, though only partly since right then Soul must have entered the kitchen ( which went totally unnoticed by me since I was still too wrapped up in my grief ) and let out a soft "I'm here" before sitting down next to me.
If the situation would have been any different I may'd have been a little emberassed by that softly and caring tone his voice had carried while saying those words to me, which as of right now meant a great deal to me.
Then he began to speak to me again.
"Maka, we should stay home today...", his words held hesitation and uncertainty, as if he wasn't completely convinced by his suggestion himself.
"No...no, I want to go to school today...I can't miss after all or Ox would end up getting better grades than me in the end...", the last words escaped my mouth slowly and silently, holding no meaning at all, they were just an excuse, 'cause I was so damn desperate to get out, meet the others, just anything to bring as much space between that fateful letter (that still lay on my nightstand) and myself. And he knew it. We both knew that I was trying to escape, if just for a few hours.
The long pause that made room for silence and not too pleasant thoughts was fortunately interrupted by Soul who had finally decided to speak up again.
"Alright, if that's what you want...but if you don't feel up to it, then we can always stay here, I'll call the academy and tell them...you know, just in case...just remember you're not alone..."
With that he left the room as he had emptied his cup of coffe and eaten a buttered toast to get ready for school.
I knew he didn't exactly know how to approach me in this situation and I wasn't making the situation any easier but I just didn't feel like talking much, especially not about the topic at hand. Still I felt very grateful towards Soul since he gave me the feeling that there was still something left, someone I could turn to. Sure, I could have contacted my mother but it was such a difficulty to reach her since one never knew where she actually was. She had always been the one to contact me via post cards, but that was all. I had no current location, no address or telephone number, no nothing. So as of right now Soul was the only one I could turn to, the only one who understood me no matter what, the only one I still lo-...no I so wasn't going to think that.
Well either way he was there, as he had said so himself and I was actually willing to let him help me.
As I was caught in my thoughts I had ignored the time completely and was now punished for my ignorance of the passing time.
6:15!
Oh my god, I was totally running late, I was still in my clothes from yesterday, hadn't brushed my teeth or hair, still needed to readjust my pigtails...I was seriously running late...!
I dashed into my room getting some clothes, then into the bathroom, locked the door and started to get ready as I saw my face in the mirror-
and got pulled out of the try to ignore the fact that my dad had just died and I had tried to force myself back into normality.
My eyes were red and a little puffy with bags and I looked tired and worn as if I has just suffered from a really bad disease. A disease called loss.
Well at least trying to play it nice was worth a shot...
Soul's POV
As we had made our way towards school neither of us had spoken a words to the other. The only change in behaviour of Maka was her strengthened clinging to me while sitting on my motorbike.
We reached the school just in time and almost ran to the classroom to prevent being scolded by Stein. If he would have ever done that during this time.
We sat down merely seconds before Stein arrived which still gave me enough time to notice the pitiful glances Tsubaki and the Tahompson Sisters were directing at us. Kid looked deep in thought and Black Star...even Black Star seemed to look kind of down whcih must have been a first since I've know him.
My eyes wandered to Maka who sat there expectantly, seemiungly oblivious to the fact that our friends, probably the whole school had been informed of Spirit's demise.
She tried really hard to grasp a piece of normality, ignore what had happened yesterday, trying to live and learn like she always did, but by the grave look of Stein's face it became clear that I would soon regret my decision to not stop Maka from going to school.
"As probably most of you have already heard, Death Scythe or to some of you more commonly Spirit Albarn has died during a highly important mission a short time ago. Since the actual cause of his death and how it came to be is still unclear and the fact that Lord Death is now without a weapon leaves a lot of organisation needed as well as a further investigation the academy will be closed for some time."
Stein's gaze wandered through the room watching the student's reactions, mostly serious,some sad, but it never rested on Maka. Then he exited the classroom, many students copying his action without much talking during the process. My gaze was still fixed on Maka, who had gotten awfully pale by now and was trying to keep her face as stoic as possible.
"Maka...are you alright?"
It was Tsubakis calm and consoling voice that broke through the silence. Sure the question was stupid, but she was only trying to help and probably didn't know what else to say so I couldn't blame her.
"No...but I will be...". The words almost went by unnoticed but surprised me all the more, since she had spoken them so quietly, barely a whisper, as if she didn't really want anyone to hear her.
I shot Tsubaki an apologizing look before saying:"Sorry guys, we gotta go, see you around".
I grabbed Maka's wrist carefully, dragging her along with me towards the exit of Shibusen and out of the awfully quiet room.
"Maka, do you want to go home?", I asked her quietly as to not frighten her since she seemed very much lost in thought.
She didn't answer but shook her head, a small movement, barely noticable but filled with as much grief as such a fragile looking movement could express.
"Okay,then...let's drive away, somewhere nice and peaceful, whad do ya say?"
As she still denied me any answer I took that as a passive way of saying yes and felt comfirmed when she didn't fling away while I sat her down on the motorbike behing myself.
She almost felt like a rag-doll, lifeless, her gaze never meeting mine.
When I started to drive I felt her grip around me tightening again and some time later I was sure I could even feel something wet slide down my shoulder on which her head had been resting against.
Tears.
Maka's POV
I couldn't. I just couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to even whisper the smallest word after saying that to Tsubaki. I felt weak, was dragging into my own self-pity and grieving and for a moment I just let myself go to let myself be dragged along by Soul, to let him bring me to some place far away where there was no grieving no pain, no dea-
I even denied myself to think the word and as my thoughts kept on flowing endlessly, I almost didn't notice the tears sliding down my cheek and wetting Soul's shirt.
Almost.