Maka
The last thing I expected to awaken me the next day was a call from Black Star.
The incessant ringing of my phone jolts me from my sleep, causing me to nearly hit my phone off of my nightstand. I squint at the screen and slide the answer.
"Hello?" I ask groggily.
"Oi, Maka." Black Star said. I gasp at his voice; he sounds terrible.
"Black Star? Is everything alright? You sound awful."
"Oi, Maka. Ya-urggghh." He groans, and I hear some scuffling on the other end. A calm voice tells Black Star to lie down, and then it speaks into the receiver.
"Maka? So sorry to wake you." Tsubaki apologizes. I blink my eyes a few times, slowly coming more into reality.
"It's fine, what's wrong? He sounded awful."
"He is completely hungover. I need to get some water and aspirin in him as soon as possible, he's working today."
"Why did he call me then?" I ask.
Tsubaki sighs. "I told him to. He and Soul went out last night and came back to my house completely wasted. Soul is passed out on the couch as we speak... I don't think I have time to get him and Black Star settled and still make it to work on time. Do you think you could come get Soul and-"
"No." I interrupt.
"Maka, please. This is a great chance for the two of you to hang out!" She said enthusiastically. When I don't answer, she sighs. "Maybe you two can just go out to breakfast, or you can walk him home. I really hate to bother you with this." She apologizes.
I realize how selfish I'm being. This is Tsubaki asking for a favor. Tsubaki, who has done nothing but help and support me the entire time I've known her. Tsubaki, whose heart is filled with nothing but understanding and care. Tsubaki, who has the ability to make even the worst of people do good.
I sigh. "Fine. I'm only doing this for you, y'know." I said.
Tsubaki makes a sound of relief. "Maka, I can't thank you enough!"
I smile. "Let me get somewhat presentable, then I'll be right over."
I quickly slide into a pair of shorts, T-shirt, and my boots. I leave my hair down, scrunching my eyebrows at its length. I need a haircut soon.
I lock my door and start waking quickly towards Tsubaki's apartment.
I tried not to feel annoyed that Tsubaki had called me. Me, of all people. Why not call Kid, or Liz, or Patty?! What made her think that I was the best person to care for Soul in his hungover state? I sigh, reminding myself this was a favor for Tsubaki, not necessarily for Soul.
I arrive at the complex and walk into the building. The lobby was cold, the air conditioner blowing full blast. I shiver as I make my way towards the elevator, clicking Tsubaki's floor. I tap my foot impatiently as it groans to life, taking me up. The doors creak open, and I walk through the old hallways. I reach door 321 and knock.
The door opens quickly, and Tsubaki's ocean blue eyes greet me. "Maka, I can't thank you enough for coming." She said, holding the door open for me. I smile at her and walk in, glancing around the familiar area.
Besides the Japanese inspired furniture and decorations, the one thing that always stuck out to me about Black Star and Tsubaki's apartment was how clean it was. The wood floor was spotless, as was every other piece of furniture in the house. Dust wasn't even visible on the shelves and tables, something I always struggled with back at my apartment. It was spotless... Except for the boy laying sloppily on the couch, a blanket hanging off of his frame.
His arms were over his eyes, as if trying to block out the bright light. I heard some fumbling in the hallway and turn to see Black Star walking towards us, dressed in his work shirt and holding his head. "Good morning, Black Star." I said cheerfully. He gives me a look, and rolls his eyes.
"Yeah, "good" morning. Tell that to my pounding head." He retorts. I open my mouth to say something back, but Tsubaki clears her throat. Black Star's glower shifts to a tired look, and he walks over to his girlfriend.
"Maka is going to take care of Soul, and we have to get to work. The medicine should kick in soon." Tsubaki said. Black Star groans again, shutting his eyes and turning his head towards the ceiling. Tsubaki casts him a sad look and places a hand on his arm.
"I'll be okay. Gods don't let anything hold them back." He said to her. She smiles, and he looks at her with a soft grin on his face.
When Tsubaki had told me she was dating Black Star, I hadn't liked the idea of it. Sweet, caring Tsubaki mixed with the loud, self-absorbed Black Star was unsettling. The first time I saw the two of them together, I was shocked. Black Star was a complete different person when he was with her. He was more gentle, his tone and attitude more loving. Over time, it's become clear to me that it could be possible that he loves her more than he loves himself.
"Let me wake Soul." Tsubaki said, untangling herself from Black Star's arm. He lets her go, watching as she bends next to Soul's sleeping figure. "Soul... Soul, Maka is here." She said gently, nudging his arm. He turns away from her, making her sigh. Black Star's eyebrows furrow at her disappointed face, and he stomps over to Soul.
"Wake up! We have to get to work. Your babysitter is here." He said, smacking Soul's head hard.
Soul yells and sits up, rubbing where he was hit. "Why the hell would you hit someone with a pounding headache?! God, you're an idiot!" He said angrily. Black Star gives him a smirk while Tsubaki looks at him with sorrow. Soul's eyes shift from them to me, and he grins. "Wow. Didn't think you'd actually show, pigtails."
I frown, about to tell him how I didn't want to be here, but Tsubaki speaks first. "She's not wearing her hair in pigtails, Soul." She said, smiling at me. I know she's just trying to lighten the mood, so I fake a smile. Soul looks me up and down, and raises an eyebrow.
"Would you look at that. New look for you, bangs." He said. Him and Black Star laugh, but I glare at him.
"Let's go, Soul." I said through gritted teeth. He slowly stands, rubbing his temples.
"What happened to not working two days in a row, Black Star?" He asks. Black Star shakes his head, and Soul laughs. We say goodbye to the couple and walk out the door. We don't speak to each other until we're out of the building.
"What do you want to do?" I ask, turning to face him. His hands were in his pockets, squinting into the sunlight. He looked awful. His white hair was even messier than usual, bags under his bloodshot eyes. I feel a tinge of sympathy for him.
He shrugs, sighing. "I dunno." He said.
"Do you want to go home?" I ask. He shrugs. "Do you want to go to eat?" I ask. He shrugs. I clench my hand into a fist, my frustration building. "Do you want to grab coffee?" I try again. He shrugs. I throw my hands up in aggravation. "Well, I give up Soul. Just pick something!"
"I can barely think straight with this headache. You pick." He insists. I roll my eyes, my stomach grumbling. I hadn't eaten breakfast yet, and I was starving.
"Let's go to the diner and grab something. Then we'll go from there."
I didn't think it was possible to walk slower than the pace Soul and I were going. He made no effort in speeding up when I did. He kept his head down, shifting each foot in front of the other at an agonizingly slow pace. He didn't talk to me much, only asking what diner we were going to and complaining about how much his head hurt. By the time the diner's flashing sign came into view, I was practically dragging him towards it.
The diner gave off an old, warm vibe as we walked in. It was an old diner, with black and white tile for floor and red seats stained from years of spilled beverages and foods. Nevertheless, the food was good and the waitresses were always extremely friendly. They greeted us with a warm smile.
"Booth or table?" The waitress asks. I open my mouth to answer, but Soul interrupts.
"Booth." He said. She nods and brings us to one of many open booths. Besides the two of us, the only other people here were a group of men and an elderly couple. I didn't know what I expected; it was a Thursday morning, and people were at work.
Soul and I slide into the booth, facing each other. The waitress places two thick menus in front of us and pulls out her notepad. "Anything to drink?" She asks.
"Coffee." Soul answers immediately. She scribbles on her sheet of paper and casts her eyes to me. I smile.
"I'll have the same." I said kindly. She smiles back and walks off to get our drinks. I open my menu and start looking at the endless number of options. I was deciding between pancakes or a waffle when Soul curses. I look over at him as he frantically moving his hands in his pockets. "What's wrong?" I ask.
"My wallet. I must've left it at Black Star's place. Shit." He said, leaning back in the booth and running his hands down his face.
"I'll pay for you, just get the bill next time we go out." I suggest. He puts his chin on his hand and looks away, mumbling something. I ignore him and continue studying the menu.
The waitress comes back with our coffees and place them before us. "Are we all ready to order?" She asks. I glance at Soul, who nods.
"Cheese omelet." Soul said, handing her the menu. I frown as I glance at what he ordered; it was the cheapest item on the menu.
"And I'll have a waffle with strawberries." I said, handing my menu to the waitresses. She takes them and walks off towards the kitchen. I pull my coffee towards me, and begin dumping the small milk containers into the brown liquid. I reach for the sugars and grab a few packs. I'm on my third pack when I hear Soul scoff. I look up and raise an eyebrow at his watchful expression.
"What?" I ask, putting the packet down. He shakes his head.
"Nothing, nothing, just that your drink is becoming more of a sweet concoction than coffee." He notices. I look at his coffee, and see it's still pure black. I shrug, picking up the packet and dumping in the remains.
"I like my coffee light." I said matter-of-factly. He nods and takes a long sip of coffee. Once he's done, he groans.
"This isn't making my head feel any better." He complains. I roll my eyes. I'd felt sorry for Soul at first; while I'd never been hungover, I've heard it's completely miserable. But his constant complaining and grumbling has made all sympathy leave my body.
"It's not a magic potion, Soul. You put the alcohol in your system, you wait for it and the effects of it to work its way out." I explain.
He sits back and sighs, a small grin on his face. "It was totally worth it. It was a great night." He said satisfactorily. I shake my head, making him lean forward. "What was that for?" He asks.
"Your idea of a great night is going out, getting totally wasted, and then crashing at your friends' house, who had work the next morning? Seems a little warped to me."
"Yeah, going out with friends is supposed to be fun. And Black Star told me he didn't have work today, but he's an idiot and didn't check the schedule. I thought I'd crash there, wake up whenever, and leave." He explains.
"Oh. I'd say you still owe Tsubaki an apology. Your "great night" caused her way more stress than she deserved." I said. I didn't mean the comment to be nasty, but judging by the look Soul is giving me, he perceived it incorrectly.
He shakes his head, chucking. "Who are you, my mom? Telling someone what to do isn't cool, pigtails." He said. I open my mouth to argue, but he continues on. "And y'know, I'd like to know what your idea of a fun night is. Because if I had to bet, you probably went home last night and read a book or watched a documentary."
I blink several times, digesting everything he said. My surprised expression turns to anger. "I know how to have fun without disrupting other people's lives. That's something you have yet to learn, Soul." I spit.
He stretches, leaning back over the booth. I glare at him, nostrils flared, waiting for an answer. He gives me a lazy grin. "Your perception of me is so off it's comical." He said.
"My perception?! Whose dumb joke got us fired from our jobs?! Whose incapability to be considerate caused Tsubaki to be crazy this morning?! I don't call that a perception, Soul. That's a fair assessment based on previous experiences." I realize I was talking very loudly, one octave short of yelling. I was standing from my seat, leaning across the table, right in Soul's face. The attention of everyone in the diner is on us. I sit back in my seat, too disgusted to be embarrassed. I shake my head at him as he sighs.
"There ya go, pigtails. Way to make it uncool." He said, pulling out his phone and tapping on the screen. My anger vanishes, leaving my cheeks red with embarrassment. I look down at my lap until our food comes. Once arrived, I poke around at it, taking occasional bites. Soul devours his omelet, barely coming up for air.
I hated to admit it, but Soul was right. It wasn't right of me to freak out on him all the time. But he's just so infuriating, so irritating, such a boy! They cheat and lie and hurt and cause problems, and when confronted about it, they act all innocent. All those times Papa would claim he would never cheat again, would never sneak out of the house again, only to lead to yet another screaming match between him and Mama.
Thoughts of my past make my nose runny. I wipe it, hoping Soul won't notice. "Um, Soul?" I ask quietly. He looks up from his dish, chewing the last of his omelet. I glance down at my uneaten waffle, deciding I'll have to get a box for it. "You can go back to the store tomorrow, get your job back. I don't want it anymore." I said. I hear a clang as he drops his fork on his plate, but my eyes remain on the table.
"What?" He asks.
I sigh and look up at him, his red eyes squinted in confusion. "This," I motion to the both of us. "Isn't working. We weren't meant to be... Acquaintances. After all the times I've yelled at you, you probably hate me anyway so it's not wo-"
"I don't hate you, Maka." He said. I feel my eyes widen in shock at his stern expression. Not only was this one of the few times he's used my real name, but there wasn't an ounce of joke on his face. He was serious.
"W-what?" I stutter.
"I never said I hated you." He repeats.
"Well what do you call it then?" I ask, leaning on my elbows. He shrugs.
He shrugs. "I don't know, I don't really mind your company. When you're not yelling at me or acting uncool, it hasn't been too bad." He explains. I stare into his red eyes. I was at a loss for words. He finishes up his coffee, setting the mug on the table. Thankfully, the waitress comes back before I have to say anything.
"Need a box?" She asks, referring to my waffle. I nod, sliding the plate towards her. She takes our plates, avoiding eye contact with me. She probably saw my outburst.
"I-I..." I begin, but I can't finish. I still have no clue how to answer.
"Don't give up on the job. I never really knew how much you loved it... It'd be uncool and selfish of me to take it away from you." He said, his tone more gentle than normal. I nod, watching as the waitress comes back with a box and a check. I take the check, opening it up and sliding my wallet from my bag. I throw some money in and close it, handing it to her. She rushes over to the cash register and brings back my change, which I leave on the table for a tip plus a few extra dollars as an apology for my yelling.
Soul and I walk outside of the diner. It was still quite early; the grass was still covered in dew. "Thanks for breakfast, I'll get the next one." Soul promises, stopping. I stop next to him, avoiding his eyes.
"You're welcome." I said, digging the toe of my shoe into the sidewalk. I finally look up at him and see he's still massaging his temples. "Do you want me to walk you home?" I ask.
Soul laughs, shaking his head. "No thanks, cool guys don't have the girls walk them home." He explains. I laugh and shrug.
"Well, I hope you feel better. And again, I'm sorry about earlier." I said. He shrugs.
"Hey, it wouldn't be an outing with pigtails if there isn't an outburst of sorts." He said, grinning. A part of me is annoyed by his comment, but I laugh again.
"I don't have pigtails in though!" I point out, tugging on my hair.
He stares at me, making me shift my eyesight to a nearby tree. I'm about to ask what the problem is when he speaks. "I like your hair down, but I prefer pigtails to bangs for your nickname." He said.
I roll my eyes. "Or you could just call me Maka." I suggest, but he shakes his head.
"Not a chance." I sigh, and he laughs. He starts walking down the sidewalk, but he stops again. I raise an eyebrow as he turns around. "I'll text you later." He said, smiling. I smile again and watch him leave, turning and leaving as well.
A/N: Follow, favorite, review! All support is greatly appreciated, I love seeing people enjoying my work. Quick question: does anyone have any preference to what gender Crona is? I'm currently writing another fanfiction where Crona is a girl, and I have no problem doing that for this story as well, nor do I have a problem making Crona male. Thanks again!
~Greenybean
