Crona's eyes flickered open. He gasped and bolted upright when the sunshine yellow walls greeted him instead of the gray rock he was used to. Why was he at Maka's house? Then he remembered and let out a squeak at the memory. He buried his face beneath the blanket and tried to make himself as small as he could. His face burned hot with embarrassment. Maka must have dragged him to the couch and covered him with blankets. It was just another thing she did for him. He dug his nails into his sides and bit his lip until it bled. Why did he have to be so worthless? So helpless? So unstable? Sometimes he wished that Lord Death had kept him locked up like a regular prisoner or had him executed. Either way Maka wouldn't have to waste her life taking care of him. She deserved to be free to go anywhere she wanted in the academy. Instead, she had to supervise him wherever he went. He tried to keep quiet and not interfere with her activities but it couldn't be fun having to drag him along.
Gently, a hand shook his shoulder through the covers. Crona flinched and peeped out his head to see kind green eyes.
"Sorry Maka!" He gasped.
"What are you apologizing for?" She laughed.
"Well, I flinched and I thought maybe that hurt your feelings?" He closed his eyes. Ugh, he was so stupid!
"I know that that is just the way you are Silly. You forget how well I know you Crona." She pulled the covers off him with a sweeping motion of her hand. A small whine escaped his lips at the sudden cold. "Now get up and eat Breakfast. I want us to leave soon."
"W-where are we going?" He slowly pulled himself into a seated position.
"Well, it's Saturday and I have been saving up to buy you stuff for your room and new clothes."
"No! Maka please don't go to all that trouble I can't stand it! I have clothes and my room is fine."
"You have three outfits. Don't you want to wear something besides that robe? It was Medusa who dressed you like that wasn't it?"
"I don't know how to deal with other clothes."
"That really sucks because I'm making you deal with it. I hate that you have to handwash that robe every night. It annoys me Crona. In the end everything will be easier." Maka knew she was using harsher words than she usually did to deal with Crona but she had decided that tough love was necessary this time. If she had to drag him out of the house she would.
"Oh." Crona's shoulders drooped. "I'm sorry. I don't want to annoy you Maka."
"Good. Then get up and eat. I made waffles and they are getting cold. Hey." Maka lifted his chin, forcing Crona to look her in the eye. "I'm only forcing you like this because I care. You know that right?"
"Of course!" Crona's eyes lit up in alarm. "I didn't think you were being mean or anything Maka I just hate bothering you and..." He trailed off.
"And what?" Crona averted his gaze. "Tell me!"
"Ever since Lord Death ordered you to guard me I feel like no matter what I have to bother you. I hate it. I wish you didn't have to do this. I deserve to rot in that cell." He mumbled.
Maka sighed and took a seat next to the young swordsman. "Let's get one thing straight." She wrapped her left arm tightly around his back and gripped his arm, shaking it a bit. "I want to do this. No one "forced" me. I begged Lord Death to let me take care of you. So don't go around believing this nonsense about how you "bother" me. And you don't deserve to rot in any cell. If I hear any more about this I just might have to knock some sense into you." She held up her dictionary and grinned. Crona winced at the sight of the book. He had witnessed what Maka could do with it and the last thing he wanted was for that punishment to be directed at him.
Maka stood up and smiled down at him. "Come on Crona. Go eat." She ordered. Crona followed Maka into her kitchen where Soul and Blair were already digging into the delicious fluffy waffles drenched in maple syrup. Maka had even taken the time to cut up strawberries and lay them decoratively across the waffles.
"Wow! Maka this looks amazing!" Crona gasped.
"Yeah, what's the special occasion?" Asked Soul. "You haven't made waffles in forever."
"You could make them yourself you know." Maka huffed. "And anyway I woke up early and couldn't fall back asleep so why not?" Crona stiffened as he felt the familiar pain in his back.
"Where's my food?" Ragnarak screeched.
"You could say please." Maka growled as she handed him a plate. Ragnarok brutishly grabbed the plate and wolfed the waffles down in two dramatic bites. Everyone ignored the weapon's lack of table manners for Crona's sake. When he was finished he retreated back into Crona's spine. He didn't try to steal Crona's food as often nowadays. Although he would never admit it he was a little afraid of the female meister and her violent temper.
Maka smiled as she placed Crona's plate in front of him. Since she was so worried about his health, Maka had added extra strawberries on top of his waffles. Crona's face lit up as he daintily dug into his meal. Maka loved how expressive his eyes were. They had more reaction in them than anyone she knew. Perhaps it was because of his lack of life experience but his face did not hide much.
"Where are you two going today anyway?" Soul asked in between bites of food.
"I was thinking Death City Mall for starters. They don't have much in the way of home decorating but they have the best deals on clothes." Maka answered.
Crona froze. Oh no. The mall? There was no way he could deal with a place like that. Shopping for clothes was a horror all in itself but doing it in such a crowded location would make it even worse. Maka must have witnessed the horrified look in his eyes because she assured him that she would be there the entire time and that he would be fine.
"I can't! Maka please!" He whined.
"It's for your own good. Now finish your food so that we can go." Maka ordered. Crona began to pick at his food, subconsciously trying to prolong the wait. Maybe if I take all day to eat the mall will close before we can go, he thought. Then he shook his head. That was a stupid idea. Maka was a smart girl. She would catch on. "Crona, you're going. Stop purposefully eating slowly." That was it. She had taken but two minutes to notice his behavior. Crona hesitantly took another mouth-full of waffle. "Hey." She said gently, putting a hand on his back. "It will be ok."
"If you say so."
"I could come." Soul offered. "I have much better taste in clothing than Maka." He smirked at Crona.
"Shut up Soul." Maka scowled at him. "You can come if you want but I think it would be easier if it was just Crona and I."
Crona would never truly understand the relationship between the scythe and his meister. They were best friends, yet they constantly berated each other. His weapon was crueler to him than these two were to each other. However, he would not say that Ragnarok loved him and there was definitely a type of love between Soul and Maka. Crona took the last bite of his breakfast and winced. He knew what would happen next. Maka had long since finished her waffles.
"Good. You are done. Wash your hands and let's go." Maka took a good look at him. "On second thought, I think you need a shower."
"Oh." Crona put a hand to his disheveled and greasy hair. "Ok." Maka always made him use her shower instead of the rusty old showers that the prisoners were allowed to use under supervision.
"Don't lock the bathroom door and leave your robe on the floor. I'll have to handwash it while you're showering. Do you see why you need more?"
"I'm sorry Maka! I can just wash it in the shower."
"Don't be an idiot. I'm not upset with you or anything. I just want you to recognize how important this shopping trip is. You are not getting out of it."
"I know." Crona averted his gaze to the floor. He knew as well as anyone that there was no getting around Maka and her will. Reluctantly, he went into the bathroom and closed the door to undress. He closed his eyes and turned away from the mirror. Crona despised his reflection. His body was so frail, awkward and pale. It made him uncomfortable to look at himself. Showering was something Crona dreaded doing. It was almost unbearable if Ragnarok came out to make fun of him in such a vulnerable state. He prayed that the demon sword would take pity on him this time. Suddenly a horrible thought occurred to him. He was going to have to try on clothes. That meant being naked over and over again. Fear gripped his heart in an iron grasp and he sucked in his breath.
"Crona are you in the shower yet?" Called Maka whilst knocking loudly on the door. Crona jumped as the loud noise knocked him from his trance. He hastily got into the tub and closed the curtain.
"Come in!" Maka creaked open the door and bent over to pick up his robe.
"You know that taking a shower requires water right?" She said lightly before leaving. Crona sighed in relief when he heard the click of the door closing. He got out and locked the door. He didn't need a repeat of what happened the last time that he forgot to lock the door. Oh Blair. He shuddered at the memory. Crona proceeded to turn the water on, slightly inching the hot and cold faucets until the temperature was a perfect warm. He shuddered as he stepped into the shower, letting the water envelop his body. The warm water had just about relaxed his anxiety-ridden mind when he realized something that made his stomach sink. He forgot to get a towel.