A/N: I know, I know, Amber's really really late with this chapter. I give you all permission to punch me in the face and guts but for now, please enjoy this new chapter that I've procrastinated so long with~
Just as Soul had expected, that red-haired father of hers was waiting at the front door, brows furrowed and foot tapping against the white-tiled floor with his arms crossed. His eyebrows furrowed deeper as his gaze lowered to their intertwined hands as they walked down the hallway together towards their lockers. Soul had seen what 'angry' had truly been during his time spent at the orphanage, so he could tell that Spirit was the definition of what he'd seen in his past life. And it near terrified him, if it wasn't for Maka standing next to him and the many students criss-crossing around them, scrambling to get somewhere or to their lockers.
He felt Maka's hand fall a step behind him. He stopped to turn to her, only to spot the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look in her eyes. She seemed alarmed at her father's presence. She rounded the nearest corner with Soul lagging behind her and leaned up against the nearest locker, sighing deeply when she did. "What're we gonna do?" he asked in a hushed whisper.
"You heard my Papa. We can't go home together anymore," she said bitterly. "But...it doesn't mean that we can't be together."
She mustered a saddened smile. "Hey, we've made it together this far, so why not now?" he shrugged.
She giggled. "See you around then?"
He nodded. "Yup."
He watched as she rounded the corner, feeling slightly lonely that he'd have to make the trek home by himself for the first time in months.
Maka's eyes concentrated on the window pane of her father's car, too angry to look in his eyes, too upset to talk to him without the fear of bursting into a rant. Her father kept a steady gaze on the road in front of him as he drove, silent. He bit his lip, thinking about how upset his own daughter was about him.
Of course, being the 'good' father he'd always wished to be, he didn't want to disappoint her daughter and so he never questioned her tastes. However, when it came to boys, he chose to be picky. Mostly because he knew what monsters boys were capable of being. When he heard that his daughter had been hanging out with the notorious Soul Eater Evans, he nearly lost his head. He had heard stories of him from the townsfolk, horrible rumors about him. One said that he killed his family in cold blood and then moved to this town to get away from his crime. Another claimed that he's a demon from the pits of hell who had come to reap souls for the devil himself. One of Maka's classmates had also said that he hides a row of shark-like teeth that he uses to tear the flesh from wild animals.
He knew that all these rumors weren't true, but how could he be so sure about his daughter dating someone who was perceived to be a maniac, even if he wasn't actually one? Surely, the boy had given the townsfolk reasons to believe these superficial and shallow rumors. And so, with every passing day of him hanging out with his daughter and walking alongside her and spending more time with her, he grew more suspicious. He didn't want his precious daughter to fall victim to a boy with the name 'Soul Eater.' He feared for her, that something bad might happen to her while she lets her guard down. After all, who was he to dismiss such rumors when he never even knew him personally? And, after taking a good, hard look at the boy, he decided that he didn't want to know him. However, he feared that his daughter might know more of him than he wants to think of...
He cleared his throat. "Y'know, Maka. I'm only doing this because I love you," he began in a calm voice, hoping not to upset her further.
Maka scoffed. "If you loved me, then you'd try to understand him for my sake."
He bit his lips. She argued just like her mother; quick, curt, to-the-point. "Well...as a father, I feel that it's just better to stay away from the boy. You don't know what he's thinking, Maka."
"What do you mean?" she growled. "Soul would never hurt me. He's a good person! And I know he doesn't look like the type of person to be one, but I've known him long enough to tell."
"Some people are just not what they seem," he answered.
"I know, but Soul is different than just 'people,' Papa!" Maka retorted. She quieted down. "Why can't you understand?"
"Maka, I understand completely. I'm only concerned for your wellbeing. From what I've heard, this Soul Eater boy isn't good news," he reasoned. But knowing Maka, once her mind was set on things you couldn't pry her away from it even if you tried your hardest to.
"What gives you the right to say that?"
"I don't. But I know how I feel about him, and I don't feel right about him."
"You've told me this already, Papa. I'm not changing my mind about him," she finished firmly.
"I'm trying to do what's best for you!" he answered angrily. "I don't want my daughter near this...this freak!"
He stopped himself after seeing the horrified look in his daughter's eyes. "Soul is not a freak! He's just...it just takes some time to get him!"
"I don't need to get him, especially from what other people believe!"
"Oh, so you're gonna believe them over me?"
"Look, I'm just trying to protect you!"
"Soul would never try to hurt me!"
"You don't know that."
"Papa, I've been with him for months and you haven't even said anything! Why now, of all times?!"
The red-haired man sighed, eyes still glued to the road. "I've been lenient with you and him lately. The reason why I didn't restrict you then was because I thought you and him were nearly school partners. But then you started to take it further. You even went on that little trip without telling me and your mother with him!"
"That was for him, not for me!" she defended. "Soul needed that trip! I needed to help him!"
"Help him with what, Maka? He's a grown boy, he doesn't need your help."
"Soul had a horrible childhood, and you won't even let me heal him!"
"A boy with a troubled childhood makes it even worse."
"No, that's not what I was trying to say!" She gave a frustrated sigh. "Soul...Soul's...he's been lonely his whole entire life. No one's ever come to his rescue when he needed it the most. I'm here to save him!"
"Just because this boy has problems, doesn't mean they're also yours."
"Why do you hate him so much?!"
Spirit clenched the wheel hard, the undersides of his hands turning pale. They were already nearing their house; it was a block away. "...I don't want you to end up like me and your mother."
She finally swiveled her head towards him. "What?"
"I don't want you to get hurt from what a boy does to you. You know what I mean...your mother is an earnest person who works hard. I couldn't see that until I screwed it up. I don't want you to become depressed over a boy who would hurt you or who end up breaking your heart. Truthfully...I don't believe that Evans is a bad kid. I do believe what you say about him being a good person. However...even the best of men fall short sometimes, even when the woman tries the hardest to make things perfect. That man is me." Their house was now in sight, coming from the right side. "Even if you claim that Soul won't hurt you, you're never so sure are you? He may not physically hurt you, but that's not the only way."
"You're implying that he'd betray me? Soul's not that kind of person!"
"Your mother thought that too."
He pulled up against the curb, lurching slowly to a stop.
"So the reason why you're denying me of my happiness is because you couldn't fix yours?!" she demanded, slamming the car door shut forcefully behind her. Her father exited out of his side, trotting to catch up to her.
"Maka - !"
"No! Leave me alone!"
With an outstretched hand that called for her back, Spirit frowned. He had only made things worse for his daughter while on a mission to defend her. He meant well, even if he wasn't the best of fathers. He trudged towards the front door, which had been whipped open by Maka. By the time he reached the front steps he could see her running up the stairs in an angry huff. He walked through the empty doorframe and saw his wife sitting casually at the dinning room table and reading a hard-cover book. Her blond hair graced the top of her shoulders and soft olive-green eyes roved around the page. "I see that your conversation with her was successful, Spirit," she said with disappointment, eyes still aimed at the page.
Her father sighed. "I tried, but she likes him very much."
Kami chuckled. "Who are we to interfere with her love?"
"Hey, you were the one who was worried about him too!" he countered in a childish manner.
"Yes, I was. But if Maka is so in love with Soul that she refuses to let go of him, then maybe we should stop," she suggested. Spirit opened his mouth to protest, but was quickly cut off by more of her words. "I don't see any reason to question our daughter's taste in men, since, after all, she has a very good example to learn to stay from," she said bitterly, and Spirit froze. He acknowledged that the 'example' that his wife was referring to was himself, being that he was a cheating bastard even through marriage. "I don't think convincing her otherwise is a good idea. She's set on him and that's who she's decided on. Even though I would agree with you in that Mr. Evans is a strange boy."
"But, Kami!" he whined. "You heard all of the horrible things that people say about him!"
"Yes, but Maka doesn't seem to think he's bad like they do. She's been with him for months and not anything has happened to her."
Spirit grumbled to himself, residing in the chair across from his wife. "I don't know what to do anymore."
Kami's eyes finally stray from her book and onto her weary husband. "Why don't you let them be together and accept it?"
Spirit sunk further into his chair. He sighed. "I see no reason to try anymore since she's so hellbent on staying with him. I've done everything from waiting for her at the end of the day and driving her to school for the past week, and she's still holding onto him. In fact, I think they've been clinging to each other even more every since I tried to separate them."
Kami sighs louder than his previous one. "Just let it go already, Spirit. You know our daughter well enough to realize that she's contracted our stubborn gene."
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm letting that Soul character off the hook!" he insisted.
"Whatever you say. Just know that it won't change Maka's heart," she finished plainly.
The next day was no different than the other day, despite her father's softened heart and a more mild understanding of her love for Soul. She refused to look at him the whole car ride to school. He could understand, considering the height of their quarrel from yesterday. Even at breakfast she refused to acknowledged that he had made her food, despite him telling her so. She didn't tell him good morning. She smiled at her mother and kissed her on the cheek, greeting her but not him. Spirit gave a frustrated groan at the wheel. "Maka, I'm sorry for yelling at you. Will you forgive me?" he asked, finally caving in after having being shunned by his own daughter.
"Will you let me be with him?"
"Well, no."
"Then no."
Maka went back to staring hard at the passing scenery and road. Spirit returned back into his state of silence. He could no longer tell who was acting like more of a brat, himself or his daughter. What a father he was.
He finally rounded the corner and headed down the street where her school was. "Have a nice day at school!" he mustered cheerfully as she opened the car door and stepped out.
"Bye," she answered curtly as she slammed it behind her.
As he watched her disappear into the crowd, he could've sworn he saw a flash of white hair chasing after her, and a tan-skinned hand reaching out for her shoulder.
"So what'd your old man say?" Soul asked, keeping a steady pace next to her as Maka strode impatiently towards the front door.
"He still won't let up," she said with a frown. "He think you're bad news. He thinks you're gonna hurt me. He think's your gonna cheat on me. All the same reasons!" she said, frustrated.
Soul frowned. "You know, there's always that backup plan I have."
"And what is that?" she asked.
"Well, if things don't work out here, then we can leave."
They made it into the school building, shouldering kids as they passed by unintentionally. "Leave? You mean run away?"
He followed her to her locker. "Yeah. Remember when I told you about that old apartment my aunt owns? She still has it."
"Where?"
"In California. It's a two-hour drive from here."
"Hm..." Maka entertained the thought. "You know, I can't just up and leave like that. Mama's still sick."
Soul's frown sunk further. "Alright," he answered. "But...can you just consider it? My aunt can support us until we have a proper job, it's in the nice part of the city, and it's not too small. We can make it, Maka. And if you wanna drop by to visit your mom I can drive you back and forth."
Maka sighed. "Move out of this town? Don't you think it sounds kinda...suspicious?"
"Why not? We hate living in this shitty town anyways, right?" he asked. "Why not escape for a while?"
"It sounds tempting..."
The bell rang, interrupting their conversation.
"Just think about it Maka. If your father gets out of hand, we can just leave. We can just be us, all alone, no one will ever give us strange glances when they see us together in the hallway, it'll be awesome, " Soul said. "No one'll bother us anymore."
Maka smiled at the thought of finally escaping the odd looks that she'd usually receive around the school for being the only girl who dared to hang out with Soul Eater. It would be nice to get some peace and quiet. Even if she'd be escaping reality for only a moment.
"Soul, it sound like heaven. But don't you think we can't just leave school? They'd notice it."
"Not if they catch us leaving."
"Hmm..."
"We gotta get to class. Talk about this later?" he asked.
"Okay."
She pondered about his request while she sat in class, gazing out to the window and allowing her mind drift off into space as the teacher's monotonous voice droned on in the background. Her hand rested on her cheek as she propped both elbows on the desktop, notebook paper blank despite the many chalk-written notes that blanketed the board.
She understood Soul's wish to leave this small town. First, he had no reason to stay. And it was obvious that the neighbors didn't want him here, either. He had nothing to lose. However, she did. She had her family here. And, despite her hanging around Soul, she had made some friends. She had every reason to stay. She liked living in this quaint and close-knit town. She had everything to lose if she left. Except for one reason: Soul himself. Would she be able to risk everything she knows just for his sake?
She frowned. "Um, Miss Albarn?" her teacher's voice rang out in her head. She shook herself from her daze, realizing that the whole class was giving her an odd look as their teacher called on her. "You don't seem to be paying attention today. That's quite unusual."
"O-oh! I'm sorry, I'm just tired," she lied with an embarrassed smile.
"Please pay attention now."
"O-of course I will!"
She snatched the pencil from her desk, tapping against her blank paper in front of her. Even though she started to copy the notes, pencil scribbling furiously against paper, her mind strayed back to Soul. Her eyes darted to the other side of the room to where he sat, right next to the window pane. He had been concentrating on the board, the hood of his black sweatshirt drawn over his head. He caught her gaze, holding it for a moment. His upper lip quirked into a reassuring grin, and then he aimed his garnet eyes back at the board.
Maka smiled softly to herself.
Though, she still wasn't clear on her decision.
Later that night, as she was all alone in her room working feverishly on her homework while listening to the crickets chirp in the background. It was around 7 in the evening, and her father, after driving her home begrudgingly, and her mother were sitting down in the living room and probably watching tv together. As she wrote down her next answer, her phone started vibrating unexpectedly. She glanced up from her homework, sensing the hum of the vibration against her wood desk and reached for it. Upon flicking it open, she discovered that it was Soul calling her. "Hey, what's up?" she asked.
"Have you decided yet?" he asked on the other line. His voice quivered, as if he was hesitant on asking the question.
"...Well, I dunno, Soul..." she answered, unsure of herself as well.
He remained silent for a beat. "...Do you not wanna go?"
"No! It's just that...I don't feel that running away together would be the right thing to do. I mean, I really want to be together with you. I just want to at least try to convince my father first."
"Didn't we try that already?"
"Yes, but maybe if we keep trying he'll finally give in! Even Mama wants us to be together!"
"And how do you plan on doing that? He doesn't wanna go near me. He doesn't even want anything to do with me. Your old man doesn't look like he'll be giving in anytime soon," Soul said.
"Yeah, but if we can convince him that you're a good person, then maybe he'll finally see that you are," she answered.
"Once again, how?" he reiterated, slightly irritated. "It's not like we can change those rumors around. I don't think I can get anyone around here to think I'm good. I'm not, anyways..."
"Then I'll teach you how to convince them!" she said.
Soul gave an audible sigh. "Okay...still don't think it's gonna work. What're you gonna do anyways?"
Maka thought for a moment, tapping her pencil against her unfinished homework. "You're a good person already, I know that for a fact. Now...all we need to change is your image without trying to change your personality."
On the other line, Soul cocked his head. "Whaddya mean?"
"Hold on, I'll be right over! I'll have to sneak out, though..."
"Wait, Maka - !"
She hung up immediately.
As expected, merely 10 minutes later, there was a loud rapping on his door. Maka stood on his doormat, eyes ignited with determination and excitement. "You never told me what you're gonna do."
"Didn't you hear me?" she asked, disappointed. "We're gonna try to change your image. Like, what you wear on an everyday basis. You look suspicious with all that dark clothing."
"Maka! I don't wanna do that!" he whined, sulking. "And what's wrong with hoodies, they shield you from people's looks!"
She pouted and reached up to cup his cheeks. "C'mon, you want to convince my dad that you're not an ass, right? If you would stop sulking, stop wearing those hoods, and stop glaring at people, then maybe you'll scare them less often!"
Soul brought a firm hand over hers, grasping it lightly as her fingers caressed the top of his chin. "Fine, fine," he raised both hands up with submission.
She grinned. "Okay!" Grabbing his hand to drag him along, she headed off to his bedroom. "I need to check out your wardrobe first!" She sat him down on the bed and swung open his closet door. Soul cringed at the sight of the dusty clothing he hadn't seen in years. With a small giggle, Maka disappeared into the small walk-in closet, emerging with a new pair of jeans, ones that weren't torn and ragged like his were. She threw it at him and it landed in his lap.
"Maka wha - !" Before he could speak, she went back into the closet to rummage around.
"You don't shop much, do you?" he heard her muffled voice through the piled clothes and darkness. She poked her head out in between two shirts hanging from a hangar. "Put those on while I keep looking."
Soul held up his old jeans that he hadn't worn in months. "Maka, do I have - "
"Just do it!" she barked.
One slipped-on pair of jeans later, he slung his worn pair in a corner of the room. He was still wearing his black hoodie and white shirt under it. "Okay, I did it."
"Hold on! I finally found something that would make you look less sloppy for once."
"I am not sloppy - "
She shot out of the closet, dangling a white t-shirt from her hand. "Here!"
She threw it at him and he caught it quickly. He groaned and threw it on the bed and wrapped his arms protectively around his sweatshirt that he valued greatly. "But..."
Maka gave another pout and crossed her arms. "C'mon! I'm risking getting grounded for this!"
Soul grit his teeth while Maka kept a steady glare. "...Fine." He hesitantly started to pull up the ends of his black hoodie, revealing his white undershirt that outlined the firm contours of his abdomen. "Should I take this off, too?"
"Nope." She snatched the shirt from the bed and held it out to him. He took it with a scowl and lifted his arms and let it fall over his chest and pulled it down over the top of his new jeans. Maka leaned over towards his chest to button up the collar and straightened it.
"Oww, don't button it up all the way. You'd choke me," he complained as she reached the top of his shirt.
"Okay fine." She smoothed out some of the wrinkles on his chest and sides with a quick pat and scanned him from the top of his head to the laces of his shoes. She gave herself a self-satisfied nod. "Done. Now...look in the mirror." She took his hand gently and guided him to his bathroom. She flicked open the light and led him inside.
Soul's eyes widened as he caught his own gaze in his reflection of the mirror. He looked...the same. Yet, for some reason without the hoodie, he looked different. He glanced down to observe his clean jeans. They were different, too. All in all, Maka had not made much of a difference in his overall appearance, but he certainly looked more tame now. He wasn't glowering from under a hood. He wasn't a slob with half-ripped jeans. He looked like a preppy nerd ready for a good day in school, with a clean white shirt with a collar tucked neatly against the tops of his collarbone.
Soul grimaced. "I look disgusting," he muttered. "But...at least I'm not as intimidating as before."
"See? I told you if you dressed differently, you'd look different as well." Her eyes searched around the room, spotting a large and wide tube on his sink counter that contained a solid blue gel. While she reached for it, Soul secretly undone two of the buttons on his collar and loosened it. "Is this..."
"My hair gel," he said plainly, involuntarily running one of his hands through his bleach white hair. She shot him an odd look. "What? You didn't think that my hair was naturally spiky, did you?" he scoffed.
"Yeah, but you put too much," she deadpanned. "You look like one of those white-haired troll dolls!" she laughed.
"At least I'm old enough for my hairstyle, pigtails," he sneered back, snatching his gel back from her hand as she giggled.
She stifled her giggling as she quirked an eyebrow at him. "Y'know, my mother did my pigtails for me!" she defended.
Soul reached out and twirled on of her pigtails around his finger playfully. "Yeah, when you were five," he snorted.
She answered back by poking him on the stomach and he grinned. "Whatever, Soul!" Together they stood there and laughed for a moment before recollecting themselves. Soul smirked so wide his cheeks started to ache. He hadn't laughed in months, and finally got to experience what it felt like. "Just lemme fix it!" She reached up and started to comb down his white spikes, ruffling it down until they were flat.
"Ey, you're doing it wrong!" Soul grinned as he shook his head and blew the bangs from his face, and Maka giggled at the sight of his hair in a frizzy mess.
Once both of them managed to contain their laugher, they both grinned at each other. Pausing to regain their breath, Soul's gaze traveled from her shining emerald eyes to the faint smile the graced her lips. She noticed his staring and gingerly rested a hand on his shoulder, directing his attention back to her eyes and held each other's gaze.
He leaned suddenly in as her hand traveled back up his neck, resting there as their lips, slowly but surely, made contact. Soul and Maka inched towards each other as their lips melded and pushed together. He drew her nearer by holding onto the base of her neck with one hand. She leaned closer towards him. Soul advanced further until her back skimmed against she cold tile wall. They kissed slowly, passionately, each kiss painstakingly long as their tongues entered and explored each other's mouth carefully. Maka's hands crept up his neck and finger clenched against his scalp lightly, feeling soft tufts of white in between each fingers while Soul kept his palms rested against the underside of her warm cheeks -
Suddenly, she broke for air. Soul looked confused as she began to dig around in her pockets for something, finally realizing that there was a small humming sound against her pants. Her cellphone vibrated endlessly as she pulled it out, blue glow calling for her to pick up. A look of horror plastered on her face. "Maka, what is it?" Soul asked, slightly impatient.
"...My parents are calling," she answered breathlessly.
Soul froze. "Do they know you're here?"
"I hope not." She exited the bathroom with Soul following her with a worried expression on his face.
She flicked it open and held it to her ear tentatively. "Hello...?"
"Maka, where are you?!" her father demanded, enraged.
"Calm down, Spirit," her mother's exasperated voice interrupted. "Maka, sweetheart, where are you? We found that your room as empty and we panicked."
Maka hesitated with her answer. "Um...I'm on my way home. I just...ran to the pizza store to grab a slice to ear. I'm heading home right now."
Kami sighed. "Honey, you're a horrible liar."
"I'm telling the truth, Mama," she insisted.
"Alright, let me tell you this right now. I'm going to go into a separate room where your father can't hear us talking and then you can tell me where you really are."
"Promise?" she asked. Soul gave her an odd look.
"Yes, I promise." She could hear faint creaks of footsteps and then a small thud in the background. "I'm alone now in the bedroom with the door closed. RIGHT, SPIRIT?" she yelled. Her father's muffled shouts answered back. "So now, where are you right now?"
Maka exchanged a few glances with Soul before Soul gave her a reassuring nod. "I'm at Soul's house."
Her mother's voice remained patient. "And why are you there?"
"Well...I was trying to help Soul with his homework," she lied.
Soul shook his head. 'Really?' he mouthed.
Kami chuckled. "Ah, I see, I see. You worried your father and I very much."
"If I told you then you wouldn't have let me go," she answered.
"Yes, that's true. Just come home, sweetheart."
Maka sighed. "Alright."
She stuffed the phone back in her pockets as her mother hung up. "Hm, so they found us out already?" he asked.
"Yeah, they did," she said sadly. "But Mama's not mad. I have to go now. And..." She grabbed the hair gel from his sink again. "Promise me you'll wear this outfit and use less of this tomorrow?"
"Maka - " he whined.
"Promise?"
He frowned. "Okay."
"See you around?" she smiled hopefully as she strode towards the door.
"Yeah. But tomorrow you won't be seeing the same person."
"Nope. It'll be the same old you, except you'll be wearing something else," she giggled. "Let's just hope we'll be able to convince everyone else that."
