Here's the next chapter folks! (o) Thanks for reviewing, it's giving me all these warm fuzzies and I'm practically melting... \(=.=)/ Thanks much!
And Souls finally more involved, so enjoy!
(Ow0)
It was now eleven or so, the sunlight shining in through all of the curtains through the house. I sat on the couch, reading my book with my foot bouncing up and down to the weird beat of soft Jazz. Soul kept a record player in the corner of the living room, hidden by my overflowing, tall bookcase (I really needed a new one…) He never let anyone touch it, not even when Liz dropped by. Besides him, I was the only other; he said, "You're cool enough to touch, just don't be breaking anything with your overly violent habits." (Insert image of book slamming him square in the face.)
I sat in our yellow and green striped armchair, my back against one armrest and my legs dangling off from the knees on the other, tapping in the air as I kept my nose in a thick book. I constantly had to keep changing the bounce in my legs, not really getting the beat, which Soul reminded me of time and time again. He was bewildered with how I could understand difficult Calculus questions or the 'magic' behind Chemistry, but couldn't understand a simple 4/4 count in music. It was the only class I didn't pass with an A (just an A- with Soul's help...)
I didn't hear much from Soul for a while now and guessed he finally found some type of deep slumber. Earlier I could hear his sheets rustle, low grumbles and the harsh coughing fits that probably disturbed him from his sleep. Occasionally through the passing hours, I would walk in quietly and kneel by his bedside, a glass of cool water in one hand and a spoon of honey in the other for him, in hopes of soothing his sore throat (which he complained about tiredly each time.) At one point, I heard the click of the bathroom door close, followed by a retching sound that made my toes curl. I instinctively got up, from my studies at the time, and tried to enter our shared bathroom in the hall. The knob didn't turn and my knocking on the door wasn't replied to. I called his name and he only grumbled a 'm fine' until I sat back down, this time settling for the book on the bookshelf and sitting out in the open living room. I barely caught the hinge opening and glanced over my shoulder as quick as I could, but unfortunately just caught his own room door closing shut.
"Maka…" I blinked out of my recollection and slapped my book shut, briskly standing and turning on my heel to head down to his room. I walked down our narrow hallway, one I found too small when Soul and I squeeze past each other barely, each time settling my stomach into summersaults at the close brushing. I pressed my hand against the door, reaching out my wavelength to his. His wavelength relaxed at the presence of my own, trying to cling onto mine in a welcoming gesture. I reached my other hand to the doorknob and turned it quietly, my footsteps silent as I padded into his room.
"How are you feeling" I asked soothingly, sitting on his bedside as I peered down at him. His wild hair was even messier than normal, poking out in different places than usual and other's stuck to his sticky head. His fever was still present by the looks of it, the blanket pulled down just to his collarbone.
"Mm…" he grumbled low, his tired eyes looking up into mine.
"Mm isn't an answer… Was there something you needed?" I laid the back of my hand to his forehead, resting it there as I felt the heat radiating off of his skin.
"It's… boring…" was his lame reply as he roughly pulled up the blanket, covering his mouth as coughs racked in his ribcage again.
"Well, you need to continue resting. Boring or not." With a deep breath, he silenced the coughing and relaxed back.
"Mm… Music. Were you listing to Charlie Parker… 'All the Things you are…?'*" I shook my head in disbelief and ran my fingers through his hair, looking down at him with amusement.
"Even bed-ridden with a fever, you can recognize a song from the other room? I can barely hear it in here."
"Cuz you're in here now… Talking" Soul, said, adding a small quirk to the corner of his lips in an attempt at a smirk. "It was a lot quieter before you came in…"
"Hmpf" I said, pouting playfully as I started to stand. "Then I'll just leave so it's quiet again." Before I was able to even fully turn though, a clammy hand grasped around my wrist weakly.
"W-wait… I mean, I was only joking…" I looked down my arm to those slim piano fingers, connecting to the strong arm and up to Soul's displeased expression.
"It's too quiet… Lay with me" he added tiredly, throwing the covers off to show his exposed chest and partially his covered legs (only after my mouth gaping, I realized he wasn't showing me his bare, hot body, but showing the space beside him. Silly Maka, your such an idiot.) After all, he was only wearing dark grey sweats, a blush creeping up my face as I noticed that they were barely clinging onto that damn, thin waist of his and exposing the hem of his red boxers.
"H-huh!? No way" I snapped quickly, his grip suddenly too firm as I couldn't step away. My face grew hotter as he groaned in protest, looking at me with slight annoyance.
"I'm bored and lonely. Keep me company" he whined, pouting slightly. My stomach practically jumped on a roller-coaster and I hesitated, almost, just almost debated that I should accept the (almost naughty sounding, which I will mentally and possibly physically slap myself for later for thinking) invitation.
"N-no Soul" I said with much regret, biting my lip for a moment as I thought quickly; of all the moments for my brilliant mind to draw a blank. "I-I'd get sick! And you wouldn't want me in your bed anyway!" I watched his tired eyes blink before widen slightly, catching my innuendo, which I could only hope that would lead him to letting go with some kind snarky action to take away his intense stare.
"F-fine…" he said quietly, to much of my surprise when he also let go of my wrist. However, Soul is damn stubborn sometimes and of course, he has to be at all moments.
(OwO)
Soul's POV
I swooped up my sheets, disliking the fact that I needed to stay in them. They definitely needed to be washed pronto, covered in my sick germs and sweat.
"S-Soul" I heard Maka's astounded voice, her viridian eyes wide with confusion as she watched.
"Mm… I'll join you out there then…" I stared to make my way slowly to the open door, only to stumble to the floor as my sheets were stuck. I growled lowly as a pounding headache banged against my head, probably just as hard as I pounded my fingers against that black piano in that dreadful Black room. I looked down at my hands till it subsided (considering I was on my hands and knees by some certain bookworm) and then looked back slowly. Maka's foot was planted into the edge of the sheets, her hands on her hips and an angered look crossing her face, fear crossing my face for an instance.
"You need to stay in here and rest Soul! Get back in bed!" I grinned slightly and stuck my tongue at her, giddy when her glare turned a tad bit darker.
"Make me Albarn" I said smoothly, standing and yanking the blanket up like a wall of water between us, making it crash down onto my partner's head as she slipped backwards when I yanked her foot with the blanket. Her muffled shouts and curses pleased me as I turned to continue out of the room, pushing her tangled and wiggling body onto the bed for extra measure. I walked down the hallway, immediately feeling the chill and small bumps covering my exposed skin, the little sauna I created myself, with the blanket and my hot body (sick or not), now gone . I should have at least brought that blanket with me… I made my way into the living area, my feet feeling like they have glue to the bottom of them (signaling I definitely needed to shower). I still felt horrible, throwing up once today and my fever having yet to break. Clammy, sweating, and all of it being a fucking pain in the ass; how fucking uncool…
"Soul Eater" Maka shouted, using that title only when in slight anger. I was in the clear since she didn't use Evans, which she should know than better not to use that familiar with me. I heard her heavy footsteps on the wooden floorboard as she made her way down the hall. I quickly grabbed a couple blankets from beside the futon couch, flicking them open over my body as I fell back lightly onto the folded futon, my head resting comfortably back against a pillow.
"Soul" Maka spat as she entered the living room, glaring down at me harshly.
"Mm… You're so loud.." I grumbled, bringing up blankets more with slight disgust. I saw her flinch, something like demonic rage seeping through our wavelength. Huh... Oh shit-
"MAKA-" I cringed and tried to hide under the blankets, expecting a searing pain to give me a new beat to my headache, dealt deadly by none other than my pigtailed-meister. However, to much of my surprise, I cautiously pulled down the blanket as no book made contact. I looked up at those beautiful green orbs, that color I could never find the right object-color to match with. Grass? No. Pine Forest? Too dark. The skin of a lime...? Now, that's just uncool sounding… What beautiful girl wants to be told that?
"M-Maka…" I questioned hesitantly, eyeing the book that she held in her raised arm that had failed to come crashing down.
"Y-You're an idiot… I'll let you go this time, but only because you're still sick" she huffed out, gently laying the book on the coffee table in the middle of our living room. I breathed out in relief and gave a cocky grin, but forced myself to take it back when her hand flicked towards the book again.
"T-Thanks… I guess" I said with a nervous laugh, but the strain on my throat forcing out more coughs. I barely caught Maka's glance before she turned into the kitchen. I blushed and rolled my body more into the blanket, hoping my face only looked red from my illness. I recalled that image; pink lips plump as the bottom jutted out slightly in a small pout, her eyes faded to a darker shade of green as they trailed away from my face. Damn it… Damn her… Damn that face, damn that body, damn, damn, DAMN! I felt my body grow even hotter, but knew I had to keep the blanket on no matter how scorching my body (especially in certain places...) grew. Wouldn't want to risk a 'pissy sissy' Maka…
"Here." I looked up to see a glass of water being shoved towards my face, Maka slowly kneeling down to my side. "This will make it feel better." I copied the smile that spread warmly across her face, snaking an arm away from my body and out of the sheets. I took the cool glass and propped up my other arm that was tucked away under me to hold me up. I brought the glass to my lips, greedily chugging the cup clean within ten seconds flat.
"Hmm… Could you grab me another glass…?" She grinned and took the cup away, our fingers brushing slightly before she stood and stepped away into our small kitchen. Her hands felt so warm, my own hand fucking cold for some odd reason. I thought I had a fucking fever?! I'll never understand how the human body works, even with Stein as my teacher and personal, creepy trainer for becoming a better Death Scythe.
"Here, I also brought you your pills…" she said, looking down with that fucking pout again; she was driving me crazy. I eyed the pills, three in total; one that was a small, pink round tablet (to which I guessed was for my sickness, since now I couldn't tell what the hell I had) and the other two purely white and large. I swallowed down the pink one first without the water, it's smallness making it easy to slide down my throat. Then I grabbed the two white ones, popping them in my mouth and chugging down a large portion of the water soon after. I grunted softly, these pills always hard for me to pass down my throat. Souls were largest than this, but they always seemed to shape and slide down smoothly.
"That's the last of them. You'll have to get more from Stein tomorrow… I told you that you should have gotten more last time you saw him" she said flatly as I swallowed the pills, a lace of caring-bitterness in her tone. Her expression softened though at the sight of my slight struggle to gulp.
"Yeah… He* really hasn't been bugging me, so maybe I'll ask Stein to lower the dose too. Makes me more drowsy" I added, hoping to lighten the mood, neither of us liking this topic. The white pills were for my black blood, which honestly hasn't been a large issue since the fight with Asura. I mean, he still bugs me in my dreams and during our other missions, but it wasn't to the point of pushing me into insanity.
"Hmph. More drowsy than you normally are" she said, her worried frown turning upside-down. I smiled and finished the rest of the water, handing it to her again as I laid back into the cushions deeply.
"Right…" I said sarcastically, Maka shaking her head and moving away again to discard the cup.
"Well, is there anything you wanted to eat" she questioned from the kitchen.
"Mm… Is my last name Eater?"
"No." I rolled my eyes before they slid shut, grumbling as I could imagine the small smirk on her round face, eyes glinting with determination.
"Well, never mind then..."
"Do you want a sandwich" she tried again, her voice somewhat apologetic.
"…Too dry."
"Left over pancakes?"
"Too cold."
"I could heat them up."
"Then they become soggy…"
"You're being too picky!"
"So…? I'm sick. Blame my churning stomach." I looked at her dryly, resisting the creeping blush as she bit her lip and her eyes tilted up to the ceiling in deep thought; utterly cute.
"Uhm… Soup...? Yeah! You should have soup" she beamed, looking down at me as she noted my stare.
"Sounds good, I guess… Isn't that better for a cold?"
"Hot stuff is better for a fever" she said with a passive wave of her hand, turning to pull out my apron. I mean, cool guys keep their cloths clean and cool.
"I think that's wrong…" I watched her take the thin, navy blue strap around her neck, the two unconnected ones skillfully tied in the back. I grinned, the baby-blue apron labeled 'Cool Soul' across her flat chest.
"Well, you think wrong then. I'm gonna make is for us anyway."
"For us" I questioned, closing my eyes again. "I thought I was the sick one."
"Well, thanks to you, I'm craving it…"
"Are you on that time of the-" A small notepad, luckily not a thick book, smacked against my head, landing with on the floor almost gracefully; the grocery list that I was suppose to do today mocking upward at my face (Fuck off paper...). How she could have perfect aim with papered items and not with basketballs amazes me sometimes…
"Don't even finish that sentence…" she hissed, stalking into the kitchen muttering something about 'idiots' under her breath. I felt a small smile spread across my face as I watched Maka from around the curve of a pillow, watched as she grabbed things from the cupboards to prepare soup. Her hips swaying this way and that, pigtails whipping around her face gracefully as she practically danced through the common steps of cooking. Graceful and beautiful, enchanting me in a hypnotic way to keep my eyes glued to her. I stayed this way for a while, staring without a care in the world. Then, I felt my eyes droop closed slowly, feeling the dark abyss of sleep crashing down on me.
(OwO)
*I don't know Jazz very well, so thank Google! I just looked up famous Jazz artists. But Jazz is cool.
*He refers to the little Oni
HOORAY! Chapter two complete! *salute* (0w^) I've got most of this story figured out and plan to at least post a new chapter everyday till it's finito! As a reminder, it's meant to be a short story of a sort, so it won't be that long. Review my little souls!
~soulfullySoulful
