ENTRANCED
Chapter 6: Concerns
I do not own Soul Eater.
Although I wish I did.
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
"Maka!"
"Don't! Please…"
Brief flashes of bloody ground appeared in her vision.
She was breathing fast just like the way she did at that time.
"I don't want to die…"
"Maka, he is Soul," Kid stated.
Maka looked at Kid beside her.
"He's got the same eyes," she whispered hurriedly. "I don't want to see them again. Please…"
"Maka-chan is crying?" Tsubaki asked from the other side.
Liz raised an eyebrow. "Maka, what's wrong with Soul?"
"It's not as if he became ugly," Patty said.
Maka was only focusing on the person she was looking at.
She held the hands of Kid. "Tell Soul to leave."
Kid looked around for support.
He saw the grim face of Black Star, who nodded.
Black Star put an arm behind Soul's neck and brought him away.
As soon as they saw the door close, Maka released her hold on Kid to put her face in her palms.
She began to cry as if frustrated.
"Why am I afraid of Soul? I'm confused."
"Maka-chan…" Tsubaki gave a glance at the door behind them.
She hoped Soul and her meister will be okay.
"Hey, seriously?" Liz asked nervously.
"Maka, let it go. We're here now," Kid said gently. "We'll keep you safe."
"The wounds on my face and on my body… They were all done by those claws and sharp teeth."
Kid remembered the things he said to Maka a while ago, when the others weren't still in the room.
The present was the best time to follow the consequences.
She wouldn't feel the loss so much.
She would be given time to recover from trauma.
"Maka, about the things I said a while ago…"
"Somewhere. I have to go somewhere else for the moment."
Kid looked at his weapons.
They nodded slowly.
He turned back to the girl on the bed.
"Maka, you can stay on the mansion. We have a lot of rooms."
Maka breathed shakily as she considered the favor.
Then she whimpered incoherent words.
Why was she considering it?
Why would she leave Soul?
"Maka, I know it hurts but you have to let go for now."
Maka chuckled to herself between tears.
"This is insane. Why am I afraid of a pair of eyes and a set of teeth?"
Shimmering emerald eyes met golden eyes.
Maka found herself doing it a lot of times, looking at those wonderful eyes.
And the fact that she felt safe with Kid…
"Why am I like this?"
.
Black Star stared at Soul for a long time.
Soul was looking back at him with an inscrutable expression.
"Is this my fault?"
Black Star was surprised by the kind of question.
"Of course not."
"That I have red eyes and sharp teeth?"
"Soul…"
"If Maka hates me now because of who I obviously am, I wouldn't be able to stand it."
"Soul, Maka doesn't hate you."
But he couldn't life about the fact that he saw Maka afraid of Soul.
"I don't want to lose our friendship. Black Star, I like her…"
Black Star's eyes widened as he saw the deeper meaning in those words.
He wasn't sure whether to grin or shake his head but he knew he had to say something.
'Man, Soul! You had to say it at a time like this! It's like you're asking your god for an advice!'
"You do like her?"
"Moron, you're not helping at all. Can you at least keep it a secret?"
"You can trust me."
Soul gritted his teeth. "Why did I ever tell you that?"
"Best friends," Black Star stated in a matter-of-factly tone.
"I'll be here to help you. I'm the one who started this mess. I might as well fix it."
Then shuffling of feet was heard from the room.
The two of them became quiet and waited for the others to go out.
Liz was the first one to exit.
She looked warily at Soul and gave a small shake of the head.
Tsubaki followed silently and came beside her meister.
"Tsubaki, details?" Black Star whispered.
"Later…"
Kid was the next one to show up.
He avoided the stares of the others and stood next to Liz.
Then came out Maka with and Patty together.
Maka gently closed the door while Patty was saying things about giraffes being kinder than wolves.
Maka flashed a rueful smile at Soul for a brief moment.
Soul had to wonder why.
He approached Maka but Kid raised a hand, stopping Soul.
"Why-"
Liz cleared her throat before she spoke.
"Maka is staying with us for a short time."
All the while, Soul was staring at Kid, who said, "Father's orders."
"What-"
"Soul-kun."
It was the voice of Tsubaki.
Soul looked back at her who continued, "Join me and Black Star."
She had a stern gaze at Soul.
But what made it unnerving was the shining eyes.
She was sad deep inside.
About something…
"Thank you for the visit, guys."
"Maka, you're going out already?" Black Star asked.
"Yeah. I had enough of the experience."
"Good. See ya somewhere."
The truth was…
Maka had told the others about it.
She would not want to be left in a closed location alone.
She feared having nightmares.
And the fact that Soul…
Kid's company began to walk away after a line of farewells.
When Maka was about to pass Soul, she squeezed his hand.
Then she breathed deeply.
It looked like she was about to say something but she proceeded to walk again, leaving her weapon with not much of a glance in the face.
.
The three were back in Soul's apartment.
And they had quickly assembled on the main room.
Two boys were waiting for Tsubaki's narration.
"Maka-chan is experiencing trauma. Even with a girl like her, the effects are obviously overwhelming."
"And she fears me?" Soul asked.
Tsubaki nodded. "But we're cautious of the fact that she might get afraid of bright red objects plus sharp things. We don't know how the trauma will affect her."
"Sounds stupid, "Black Star said."
"But it is a serious matter. We don't know until when the effects on her mind will stay. It's terrifying."
"And must be hard for her…" Soul uttered quietly.
"So that's why he's staying in the mansion?" Black Star asked.
"About that…" She gave a nervous look at Soul.
"I hate it but I have to tell you the whole details. You need to know it as her weapon."
Soul nodded.
"She'll be staying somewhere else because Spirit-sensei –"
"What is wrong with him?!"
"Your reaction was like Maka-chan's as Kid-kun had said."
Tears were forming in her eyes.
Black Star couldn't hide his worry for his weapon.
"Tsubaki…"
"Soul, I don't know why there was a need to add more but you will not be Maka-chan's weapon from now on."
Soul simply froze, with his mouth a little open.
"I totally disagreed. But Sensei told Shinigami-sama that you weren't responsible enough."
Then the tears began falling.
But Tsubaki wasn't voicing her sadness.
She silently let the tears drop, waiting for Soul's response.
Soul couldn't believe what was happening.
It was a lot worse than an awkward relationship with Maka…
"I…"
But his heart remained strong like steel.
In fact, he wouldn't let things control him.
Or else he would be sad.
Sadder than what he felt when he saw Maka's blood.
Lonelier…
Soul stood up.
"I'm going out."
"Soul…"
Tsubaki and Black Star looked at him.
"I'm going to talk to that damned person."