Chapter Three: Acceptance
They ate dinner in silence. It was a comfortable one, filled with understanding. When they had finished, Maka took their dishes into the kitchen, rinsing them, and stacking them neatly. She wanted to be with Kid, he seemed to need her comfort. She smiled as an idea came to her. She could probably reach out with her soul wavelength and directly comfort him. It would be awkward at first, and it might be a little invasive, but it could certainly work. It wouldn't be the first time she'd used her wavelength like that on him. On her way to the living room, she reached out to him. Kid's head snapped up, and he looked at her, his mouth agape. She smiled. His eyelids drooped as she stroked gently with her wavelength, his lips twitched. She loved his soul's wavelength. It was strong, and honest. He was powerful, that much was obvious, in fact, he was more powerful now than he had been the last time she'd reached out to him like this. But underneath all the power and strength, was a profoundly gentle and sensitive nature. It gave, never took. Even now, he allowed her to touch him, but he didn't reach out to her. She smiled when he gave a blissful sigh. "Does this help soothe you?" she asked. He opened his eyes, nodding.
"It's very comforting. Thank you." he said. He wondered if she could feel the truth of his feelings towards her in his wavelength. It wasn't impossible for such strong feelings to be stamped boldly in his wavelength for her to feel and experience, much to his chagrin. It seemed; however, that she could not feel them there.
"You're uncomfortable about something. Does this bother you?" she asked, stroking again. A blush crept into his cheeks.
"N-no. Not at all. It… it's nothing." He said. She rolled her eyes.
"Kid. It's written all over your soul. I can feel it. What's wrong?" she asked. He gasped. She pushed a little harder against his wavelength, trying to push aside the mask that he wore, even there. He gripped the couch cushion, trying to calm himself. When she was probing his soul like that, it was hard to keep his emotions in check.
"Well… Maka… I… I think that the candles are uneven…" he said. She rolled her eyes.
"I said no hiding." She said smoothly, but she dropped it. She hadn't done this to make him more uncomfortable. That wasn't the point of reaching out and touching his soul. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressured you so much. I just don't want you to be so uncomfortable…" she trailed off. He smiled softly. He'd finally reached out to her, almost wrapping his wavelength around hers.
"You don't have to apologize. Just know that if you're going to make a habit out of being so flirtatious and stroke my soul like that, I'm going to retaliate." He said. Maka blushed. Kid laughed at the discomfort in her wavelength. She pulled away, and he allowed the disconnection, a smile spreading across his handsome face.
"You never told me you could be such a flirt." She scolded.
"Says the one who flirts via link resonance. When you first did that, I thought you were trying to molest me." He said, grinning madly. Maka's hand twitched. If he were anyone else, she would bash him over the head with a dictionary, but seeing as it was Kid, she just returned the smile. She wouldn't let him win.
"Oh, no! If I wanted to molest you, don't you think I would just do it?" she asked tauntingly. Kid flushed madly.
"You wouldn't dare." Oh, this was too much fun. Kid was so easy to tease, and the blush that had crept into his cheeks and up to his ears was quite charming. She took a step closer, and he seemed to shrink back against the couch. Her smile was predatory. He flinched as she reached out to him, and she ruffled his hair.
"Of course I wouldn't do that. You're such a goof, Kid." She said. He was blushing furiously now, his neck was even red. "I just really like to pick on you." He had to admit to himself that he was a smidgen disappointed… that had all felt so good, and though he wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself, it left him more than a little hot and bothered. He managed to smile at her as she sat back down. Maka sighed and leaned back against the cushions behind her. She looked at the TV for a minute.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" she asked suddenly. He knew it would be difficult for him to concentrate on a movie with her in such proximity, but he nodded anyway.
"Yes, let's. I want to forget about earlier." He said. He partly meant it. He did like the way she'd felt against him while he was falling asleep, her fingers stroking his hair. He cleared his throat in order to disrupt these thoughts.
"Well… what do you want to watch?" she asked, standing up. "We have a lot of movies because of Soul." She said, motioning him over. He looked over her shoulder. There were several DVDs arranged by what seemed to be category. Soul Evans was not the most symmetrical, nor the tidiest, but at least he arranged their movies in such a way that one could find something.
"I'm not usually much of a comedy person… they're all so crude and nasty these days." He said. Maka smiled, pulling out the movie 'Armageddon' from their collection. She looked at him sheepishly.
"Would you mind watching this one with me?" she asked, showing it to him. He smiled. He'd seen that movie once, and had liked it well enough, so he nodded. She looked pleased that he'd agreed, though truth be told, he would have agreed to anything she wanted to watch, just to see her look that happy. As they piled up on the couch, Maka leaned against his shoulder. He didn't look at her. He was afraid she'd move if he did. Instead, he just leaned his own head against hers. He sighed. "This doesn't make you uncomfortable?" she asked as she snuggled a little closer. He shook his head. It felt nice to have her close. It was comforting. He jumped a little as her hand snaked around his front, resting against his stomach. She snuggled a little deeper into him, her nose skimming his neck. He shivered internally. He was getting the impression she wasn't really watching the movie.
'That's new.' He thought. While it was a little out of his new safety zone, he shrugged mentally. He didn't care anymore. He was too tired to fight it right now. He allowed his arm to drape across her shoulders. She sighed blissfully, allowing her hand to travel innocently up his stomach onto his chest. Suddenly, she hopped up. "I'm going to turn the lights off, they're putting a glare on the screen." She said. While it was true, the real reason she wanted the lights off was so that she could be close to him, and he wouldn't be able to see how her cheeks colored. Kid smiled. The lights had been bothering him the whole night. His more sensitive reaper eyes had begun to ache mildly thanks to the brightness of the room. He flushed a little when he remembered the position they'd been in just moments ago. It had promised so much more than just a little snuggle.
She returned quickly, practically jumping onto the couch next to him, eagerly returning to the little nest she'd found earlier. He sighed. She smelled amazing. It was sweet and delicate like a flower. It was lovely. His stomach gave a near painful lurch. 'Oh crap.' He thought. His body usually reacted to her presence in some way, but never that heavily… this could get embarrassing. "Hmmm… you're warm Kid." She said, sighing dramatically into the hollow of his throat. He shivered.
"Th-thank you…" he whispered. Her lips drifted across the delicate skin below his Adam's apple, giving him the impression that she might have been… smelling him. "Maka…" he sighed her name shamelessly. "Is everything alright?" he asked.
"Mmhmm. I'm perfectly fine. Are you?" she asked, retreating a little.
"I'm fine. It's a little surprising that you're cuddling like that… but… it's nice." He said.
"I don't mean to get all up in your business like this… but… you're so warm… and you smell so nice." He felt her skin heat up, telling him she was blushing.
"No, really… it's okay. I'm glad you're comfortable around me… I was always afraid that people were… well… afraid of me." He said. Maka laughed.
"I'm not at all… you're just… you Kid. And I happen to like you how you are." She said.
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I happen to think you're sweet. Grim Reaper aside, you're a really great guy." She said.
"I'm really glad you think so… anyway… we haven't been watching the movie… I don't know why he's eating an animal cracker out Liv Tyler's panties… but it's awkward to look at." He said, cocking his head to the side.
"Oh, he's about to go with the others and attempt to blow up the asteroid that's going to smack into the earth." Maka said. "Which brings up an interesting question… why are they called hemorrhoids instead of ass-teroids?" she asked, her tone innocent, though Kid caught the joke immediately. They laughed until their sides hurt, Kid squeezing Maka against him with unusual fervor. Maka purred slightly at the feeling of his body against hers, the way her petite curves seemed to fit his body like a puzzle piece. She smiled at the rumble in his chest from his laughter. He had such a nice laugh. Their faces were so close; it would be so easy to "accidently" lean in and kiss those sweet looking lips.
"Well… I think it's because it's a hemorrhage... but that's all I can come up with." He said, his tone thoughtful. Maka snorted.
"Why exactly are we still talking about hemorrhoids?" she asked. He chuckled, sending another luxurious rumble through his chest. When he shrugged, Maka enjoyed the twitching of his muscles beneath her.
"We really haven't been watching this movie at all…" he pointed out for the second time. Maka smiled. She really hadn't planned on watching the movie. She really just wanted an excuse to spoon with him. "Do you mind if I go change? I really would rather get ready for bed while nothing's happening so that I don't have to do it later." He said. Maka nodded and extracted herself from him, causing her to realize how cold the room was without him. As he stood, he removed his suit jacket, handing it to her. "You look cold. I don't need this anymore." He said, smiling when she put it on with enthusiasm. As he walked away towards his attaché case, he pulled his insignia from his throat and untucked and unbuttoned the shirt. Maka watched him in earnest as he let the shirt fall from his frame, only to reveal a white t-shirt. She pouted. She had hoped he was giving her a bit of a show. She pulled his jacket a little tighter around her, inhaling the scent of the young man who wore it. She shivered. It wasn't as strong as it was on his skin, but still wonderful. She sighed as he walked away towards the bathroom. She was lonely on the couch without him. 'Should I kiss him?' she wondered. She shook her head.
'Too soon. It might scare him away. I can wait a little longer.' She paused the movie and gave Kid's jacket one more sniff before draping it neatly across the back of the couch and standing. He had the right idea. Changing into something more comfortable would be a good idea. When she entered her room, she heard an unmistakable meow from the window. "Oh, hey Blair. What are you doing back so early?" she asked as the cat. She shifted into her human form, tilting her head to the side.
"Maka… I smell someone new here. Who is it?" she asked, looking excited. Maka sighed.
"It's Kid. You know Kid, Blair." She said. Blair smiled widely, bouncing silently up and down on the spot.
"Ooooh! Reaper Boy is here!" she squealed in delight, jumping up and down in earnest now, Maka frowned.
"If you keep that up, your boobs are gonna pop out of your top." She said. Blair grinned.
"Well, at least I don't mind when boys appreciate my assets, Maka." She purred, reaching out to her. Maka swatted her hand away from her chest.
"I don't mind them looking, I just don't like it when people touch me." She said.
"Not even Reaper Boy?" she teased.
"Not… not yet. We haven't even gotten out of the 'friend' zone yet." She said, blushing.
"Oh, really? Then maybe you should." Maka shook her head.
"No, Blair. We aren't there yet. I need to take it slowly. Kid's worth the wait, I know that." she said. Blair tilted her head. She didn't understand why Maka wanted to wait. She could smell the excitement on her. She was practically dripping with it.
"But… you want him, don't you?" she asked. She didn't see the problem. They were both of mating age, weren't they?
"W-what? Blair, we really don't need to have this conversation. I need to get back out there… Kid's probably wondering where I got off to." She said, rushing back into the living room, finding Kid reclining easily on the couch. He had changed into a comfortable looking pair of black pajama pants and a nondescript white t-shirt. He looked so different like that. Maka's cheeks colored when Blair's question crept back into her mind. Of course she did. How could she not? But that was not the most important thing right now. She smiled when he looked at her. She had changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top; her hair lay flat on her shoulders. She was no longer the symmetrical angel she had been, but she was every bit as lovely as she ever was.
"What took you so long, Maka?" he asked. Before she could answer him, an over excited Blair threw herself into his lap.
"Reaper Boy!" she squealed, hugging his head, pushing his face into the pillow of her bosom. Kid tried desperately to pry the… woman? off. Not only was it difficult to breathe, it was also awkward.
"Blair! Get off of him!" Maka's enraged snarl brought Blair's attention away from the handsome boy pressed into her cleavage to the young blond behind her.
"What's wrong, Maka? Jealous? I'm just playing with him." She teased. Blair smirked. It seemed that her suspicions were true. Blair hopped up from the young reaper's lap, smirk still in place. "You know… if you don't mark your territory, you're bound to get intruders, Maka." She said, just before she exited out the front door. Maka was still fuming, but it seemed that poor Kid had just experienced the worst embarrassment of his life. She took a deep breath and sat down next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"You okay?" she asked. Kid looked at her, his eyes still as big as silver dollars, but he nodded. She sighed. Blair had really ruined the comfortable mood that had been hanging around them earlier. Maka frowned. Sometimes she really hated that cat.
"So, I take it that she's the reason you were gone so long?" he asked, his voice a little shaky. She nodded. She bit her lip. She wanted to tell him how she felt about him. She wanted to say everything. She wanted him to know how beautiful he was in the near darkness with his golden eyes reflecting the dim light from the TV making him look more catlike than usual. She smiled softly, reaching out and brushed his hair away from his eyes.
"You're so pretty." She whispered. Kid blinked slowly, as if he hadn't heard her. She continued to study him in the dim light, watching the symphony of light and shadow play across his creamy skin. She blushed when she looked into his eyes, their gentle glow drawing her in. They fluttered shut for a moment as if he were tired. Her eyes flickered to his plush lips. Before she knew what she was doing, she was leaning in, and he watched her with trepidation. He knew he should say something, but God he didn't want to. The warning bells sounded loudly in his head. 'Pull away, say something! Don't just sit there!' his rational side screamed. Kid smirked. 'Shut up.' He told it. He cupped her cheek in his hand, gently smoothing his thumb across her cheekbone. Maka's eyes fluttered open and she smiles. He jerked back as a stinging doubt hit him.
"We shouldn't be doing this…" he whispered. Maka cupped his face in both hands.
"Don't be scared. I'll catch you if you fall." She whispered. With that, Kid closed the distance between them, allowing his lips to brush hers. It was an innocent, chaste affair. The sweetness of her lips made him ache to continue, but he broke the kiss instead, resting his forehead against hers. They opened their eyes and looked at each other for a moment. Maka had never looked so lovely. They sat back and Maka giggled. He had been sweet, but also a little bitter under the taste of toothpaste. His lips were smooth and slightly cooler than her own; the skin of his face was soft and warm.
"Well… I suppose I'm going to have to rethink the boundaries a little more… because I don't think I can resist anymore." He said. Maka grinned.
"Good… I don't want you to." She said, leaning in again, capturing his mouth once more, kissing him hungrily. Kid growled softly against her eager lips as he cupped her face in his hands. Her own hands tangled in his hair almost aggressively. A throat being cleared from the doorway made the pair leap apart and blush furiously before they looked to see who the intruder was.
"I knew it!" Blair said in a sing song voice. Maka's face went from embarrassed to enraged.
"Blair… GET OUT!" she shrieked. Blair just smiled and left once more.
"I'll see you two lovebirds later. I'm going to pay a visit to Soul." She said slyly. Maka frowned when the door closed, looking at Kid.
"God she's obnoxious tonight. I wonder what her deal is." She said. Kid shook his head. He seemed to be too embarrassed to even speak. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I… I don't know. I didn't really want anyone to find out so soon… I had finally accepted it… but… I…" Maka put her finger to his lips, silencing him.
"It's going to be fine. They accepted the idea of the two of us together a long time ago. They did it while the two of us were still fighting with ourselves. Kid…" she trailed off, nibbling her lip nervously. "I… I like you a lot, you know?" she said. Kid smiled.
"I like you, too. I always have." He said. Maka sighed, snuggling into his neck once more.
"I'm so happy… I never thought I'd get this chance. You were always so aloof and distant." She whispered against his throat.
"I'm sorry… at least now you know that I was just afraid… it was never you." he frowned. "I'm not looking forward to telling my dad about this resent development." He said. Maka drew back, smiling softly.
"Don't worry… I'm sure he'll accept it in the end… because I'm not letting you go that easily."
