SE: A Tainted Soul, A Pure Promise
Chapter 10: Maka's Visitors
…it made me feel faint. I was woozy and it was getting hard to stand.
"So does this mean…?"
Maka sweetly smiled at me. "Mhhm."
I was curled up against the wall with my head between my knees. The infirmary door nest to me creaked open which caused me to jump to my feet and immediately ask, "Maka! Is she okay? Can I go see her?"
Nygus-sensei soothingly and sympathetically patted my shoulder. "She's alright. Maka's sleeping right now, but if you want to, you can go in to see her. That bullet just barely missed a vital organ—it was pretty lucky." I guess the nurse noticed the horrified expression that slapped across my face because she added, "oh don't worry. Her wound will heal up in a couple of weeks. She'll be just fine." Breathing out a sigh, I thanked her and went into the room.
Seeing Maka just laying there was awful. She looked so fragile with the IVs and oxygen tubes hooked up to her; I thought that if I touched her, she'd break apart. Sending myself to her bedside, I dragged over a seat and plopped onto it. "Maka…" I whispered.
My partner stirred in her sleep in reaction to hearing my voice. Without opening her eyes, she croaked, "S-Soul…?" I raised my hand to her cheek to stroke it and hushed her.
"No, you need your rest. Sorry I woke you…go to sleep…" She relaxed back into her pillow and breathed softly. "I'm sorry…a cool guy would never let this happen to his partner…" I closed my eyes and rested my head on the edge of her bed, still lightly rubbing her jowl with the back of my index. A hand held my jaw and brought me to stare at the big round olives that I so desperately needed to see.
"Hey you idiot, this time, it's my fault." She smiled weakly. With a wiggle of her finger, the girl coaxed me to come close to her face so that she could kiss my nose; I stayed bent over her to caress her cheek in my palm. Feeling my crimson orbs magnetized with her forests, she murmured, "so I guess we can't go on that date, huh? And that party…?" Maka somewhat frowned. "I was actually kinda looking forward to it…"
"We can always go some another time, right?" I pressed my lips to her forehead and kept them there for a moment.
Then suddenly, "YAHOO! Don't worry, Maka! The great Blackstar will-" He caught sight of what I was doing after barging in unannounced. I pulled my lips away from Maka, blushing; Tsubaki clapped a hand over the Big Star's mouth before he could yell 'Get it in!'and dragged him out of the door.
Taking a seat in the chair I had pulled up earlier, I yelled to the ninjas outside, "you can come in."
Tsubaki led the blue-haired boy and herself back into the clinic and apologized for interrupting.
"I think my signature will make you feel better, Maka!" Blackstar grabbed a black magic marker out of his pocket and got on top of my partner's bed. "Now hold still!"
"Blackstar! Stop it!" She tried to push him off but cringed from the pain of her healing wound. Maka gave up but complained as he signed the area on her forehead that I had just kissed. Dammit, Blackstar…
"Blackstar! Don't do that to her!" Tsubaki lugged the laughing boy off of her. "Sorry, Maka-chan. I'll get a washcloth to clean you up." She went to the sink that sat in the room and soaked a paper towel. The camellia came back over and rubbed away the ink.
I walked over to see the damage. It turns out that her forehead wasn't the only thing Blackstar had marked; he drew in thick facial hair on Maka's upper lip, making me try my hardest not to laugh. The victimized girl saw me holding back a chuckle and stuck her tongue out at me while Tsubaki continued to clean my partner's face. The meek assassin girl then warned Blackstar not to do it again.
The OCD child and the Thompsons soon popped into the room to greet us. "Hello, everyone! How're you doing, Maka?" Kid said.
"I'm doing okay—the wound kinda aches a little, but other than that, I'm completely fine. Oh, and I'll be stuck in here for a couple weeks."
Patty laughed, "Maka-chan, you and Soul-kun end up in here a lot! Kyahahaha! Right, Onee-chan?" The bubbly girl elbowed at her sister.
"Yea, Patty's right. What's been up? Are you being targeted by that Medusa lady or something?" As usual, the older Thompson stood with her hands on her hips in a laid back fashion.
"Well, actually, yes. She is targeting us. She doesn't want us around cuz we use scythes. Those are the main weapons that were used to take witches out back then. Turns out, she descends from the Gorgon family—they were an infamous dynasty of witches." Maka answered. By the looks of her grimacing face, she was obviously thinking back at that devious woman who shot her.
Liz was taken aback by what Maka had said. "Wow, I didn't even realize. I always thought she was a good nurse, but not anymore."
"Well, let's not reminisce on such evils," suggested Kid. "So I guess the party should be moved? When do you think you'll get out of here?"
"Not so sure. Maybe in two weeks?" My partner looked to the ceiling in thought. "Why don't you ask Nygus-sensei?"
"Good idea!" As Kid went off to find the nurse, Blackstar was somewhat serious for once.
"So, do you know what happened to this old hag? I think I need to kick some ass for you. A big star like me can't let crazy witch ladies go around shooting my friends." He swiped at his nose with his thumb and laughed which sent a satisfied smile on Maka's lips; seeing her like that made me make the same gesture.
"Well, last time we saw her, Papa and Dr. Stein were beating the crap outta her. So I don't know what happened." Maka seemed displeased with that fact. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at them, annoyed with the fact that we were all clueless of the snake woman's whereabouts. A sudden light tapping on the door made us slightly jump. "Oh, come in."
"H-hello…" A certain bone-thin, pinkish-purple haired girl that happened to slice my chest open a couple of weeks ago appeared in the doorway.
"Crona? What are you doing here?" Maka asked. Everyone else was alert and on guard. "Guys, it's okay. She's a…she's a friend."
"Well, I guess if it's cool with Maka, then it's cool with me. Welcome to the group, Crona." I smirked at the girl; she seemed startled and jumped back on impulse, but relaxed to see that we all welcomed her.
"T-thank you. M-Maka-san, how's your-" My partner held up a hand and shook her head.
"You can call me Maka-chan. I'm your friend." She gave a sweet smile.
"O-oh, okay. W-w-well, how's your uh-uhm, injury? Are you a-alright?" Man, this girl was so nervous. She was obviously afraid to get close to people…but then again, I'm afraid to do so too.
Maka gave a weak and friendly laugh. "I'm doing okay. Oh, hey! Kid here is throwing a party once I'm outta here. You think you'd want to come? Oh, wait…it's a couple thing, right, Kid? Man…"
"Oh, we can make an exception to a new friend. So what do you say Crona?" Kid was surprisingly calm with this. "So you met with my father, I presume?"
"W-who?" Crona stuttered. I was interested too. Of the months that I've known the OCD child, he hasn't mentioned his father and I haven't seen him.
"Well, Shinigami-sama, or Lord Death, of course. My full name is Death The Kid, Crona—and being named that is only appropriate." He spoke so matter-of-factly. I didn't even make that connection. Man, do I feel like a totally uncool idiot…
"O-oh, y-yes, I met your father then. H-he seems nice. Lord Death t-told me that I could stay in a visitors'room for a w-while." Crona stayed far from where the rest of the group was just holding her arm in her hand. "T-then he asked me why I went b-berserk."
My eyes widened. That's right…she's not going crazy right now…and when we were fighting, she said:
"Hehehe, it's the blood. The black blood! Kekekekeh, you can't pierce me when I'm on the black blood!"…"The black blood makes it harder to cut through me! You can't kill me! I can only kill you! That's the only way…"
"Back when you fought us, you spouted something about 'black blood'. What the hell was that about?" I eyed the nervous wreck and made her jump.
"M-M-Medusa-sama…it's a drug she made. S-she…it makes it so that your fearless. Y-you have no control of yourself…i-it makes your body h-harder to c-cut through. Medusa-sama kept giving me a b-bunch of d-doses…I-I'm sorry, that's why I slashed y-you…I didn't w-want to. I-I'm s-s-sorry."
"No, there're no hard feelings. So tell me more about the 'black blood'." I beckoned Crona to go on.
She shakily nodded her head, "w-well, that's kinda all I know. I didn't know how else to deal with Medusa-sama e-except to let her d-drug me. Then everything goes b-b-blank and then the next thing I know, I-I'm covered in blood with my sword, Ragnarok, in my hands. Sh-sh-she always says 'good job, Crona. Now go wash up—we're having dinner tonight'. I-I always get that from her wh-when I come out of the trance. Th-then I find out that I killed a bunch people a-and I…I d-don't know how to deal with it…" Crona sniffled and rested her face in her hands. Obviously traumatized by the drug, she shuddered and began to sob. "I-I'm just a guinea pig to her, b-b-but I wanted to please Medusa-sama—except, not anymore. Wh-when I'm off of the black blood, a-all I can do is sulk in M-Mr. Corner. Th-then she comes into my r-room and injects me again. It's…it's all h-horrible."
"So, I guess that's all you know about this black blood stuff, huh?" I asked. She shakily nodded, obviously lost in the fear of her mother.
Kid stood to speak, "well, I think we'd ought to start off for class, huh? It is Friday, after all." Beckoning for his partners to follow, he opened the door and looked back at us, "we'll be off now. Get better, Maka."
Patty hugged my partner before skipping over to Kid's side; "Bye, Maka-chaaaan! Stop getting hurt, kayyyyy?" Her bubbly self gave no serious concern as usual, so Maka just nodded and smiled.
"Yea. Jeez you two, you're gonna give us all a heart attack." Liz held a lock of hair up to the bed-confined girl. "Look! You're gonna give me gray hairs wayyy early! I'm not even 18 yet! Do you want me to look old?" The oldest Thompson sister whined.
Maka nervously giggled, "no. Sorry, Liz, I'll try not to get hurt;same goes for Soul." She stared at me for reassurance and I nodded with a smirk.
"Onee-chaaaaaan! Come on, slow poke!"
"Okay, okay! Bye guys!" The trio left with both girls on either side of the symmetry-loving freak. Then, the camellia made her way to the door dragging Blackstar behind her.
"Well, we should be off too. The bell hasn't rung yet, but knowing Blackstar, he'll probably get into a fight on our way to Ms. Marie's." She smiled at the gleaming boy that she lugged by the shirt collar; she had a hint of shame and sympathy for Blackstar hidden in that dainty grin. Crona had slipped out with the rest of them as well without making so much as a squeak.
The loud-mouthed airhead gave me a thumbs-up, "I guess you have to be gentle with her when you get it in right, Sou-" his partner gave him a smack in the back of the head and waved us off apologetically as she shut the infirmary door.
"That Blackstar...he can be such a sicko sometimes." A vein in Maka's forehead pulsed at the thought of what he said. "Anyway, shouldn't you be on your way to class, too, Soul? I don't wanna make you late."
I just smirked at her. Caressing her tender cheek in my palm, I spoke softly, "The bell didn't ring. I'm still fine for a while." A wide grin spread across her lips sending the expression to my own. "So how do you feel after all that craziness back there?"
She sighed and leaned into her pillow. "A little tired. Damn Blackstar just had to go and sign my face. Good thing Tsubaki was here to clean it up." She laughed. "At least he had good intentions...well, except for the mustache. That was a little uncalled for."
I teased her, "oh, you looked great with a mustache. I think it suits you." I gave her a smug smirk; she weakly slapped me and told me to shut up. Then the first warning bell called for students to hustle to class. "Ahh, there's the bell...so I suppose you're gonna make me leave?"
"Yep." She poke at my nose. " Don't be late. And get my homework for me?"
"Yea, yea. I got it, bookworm." Maka pulled at my bangs. "Ow, that hurts."
She took me by the chin and set her lips to my right cheek; when she let me go, I kissed her on the forehead and pulled away. "Hey," Maka stared at me smiling making me look at her suspiciously amused, "splash some cold water on your face, Mr. Cool Guy. Blushing's not a cool-guy characteristic." I then received a wink and a tongue being stuck out at me.
Becoming a deeper flushed hue, I scratched the back of my head, "oh, uhh, thanks." My legs brought me to the sink; I grabbed a paper towel and drenching it in chilled aqua and then turned to go. "I'll be back with your work later. Why don't you sleep now? You look drained."
"Kay, Soul. Now hurry before you get caught by the bell." She sweetly smiled and waved me away, and then I head off to class.
I was walking down the hall to the infirmary where Maka awaited my arrival. I had her homework in between my left forearm and bicep while in my right hand, I held a bottle of her favorite drink—mango juice with a twist of strawberry and lemon. Having tried it before, I knew that it was pretty good, but I'd much rather have a can of soda than this.
With a tap on the door, I let it creak open and poked my head into the room. "Maka? I'm here." It wasn't a surprise to me for me to find her reading in her patient's bed. I allowed the door to swing wide open and brought into view the beverage of her liking. "Got you some juice. Oh, and your papers from all the classes. There weren't many worksheets today since we had combat classes." Shuffling over to where she sat propped up on her pillow, I handed her the drink and set her work on her lap. I then plopped down on the side of the bed. "So, how you feeling?"
"Ehh, better. But not the best yet." She replied and took a sip of the fruity drink.
I nodded. "Well at least you don't feel like crap. You got back some of your color."
"Mhhm." She smiled and bowed her head in affirmation. "So were you late to class this morning?"
"Uhm... Yea but Nygus-sensei caught me in the hall and brought me back here to give me a pass. She said the final bell was gonna ring any second so I agreed to come along."
Maka looked somewhat displeased but was satisfied that I didn't get in trouble. "You idiot. Next time, leave when everyone else does, kay? No excuses to stay back!"
I looked at her amused. "What? So you don't want me doing this," I leaned in the kiss her nose, "before I go?" That caused her to blush and pull the corners of her lips up.
"No, you big dummy. I…I like it when you do that." She looked away from me, embarrassed. "I don't see why it's so hard to do it in front of them…"
In the best Blackstar impersonation I could make, I said, "ahem…'get it in, Soul!'That ring a bell?" Maka giggled at me and met my gaze.
"Okay, okay. I get it." She sighed. "So, Nygus-sensei told me I can get outta here by Sunday. And that I have to change my bandages at home. It's earlier than I expected to leave." I could see genuine surprise flint across her face.
"Cool. So, uhm..." I tucked my fidgeting hands into my jacket pockets. "You think we could take that coffee date when you get home?"
Her expression went black- that kinda startled me. "Come here." Following her order, I leaned in and she wrapped her thin arms around me, resting her chin on my left shoulder. "You have such a gushy heart inside for someone so cold to people on the outside."
Blushing, I retorted, "shut up."
Maka was buttoning up her shirt when I came into the dispensary to pick her up. She smiled at the sight of me and thanked Nygus-sensei before grabbing her duffle bag of the medical supplies she needed; she then carefully shuffled over to where I stood. "Okay, I'm ready to go." Feeling her arm find its way to link with mine, we walked off to the bike. I assisted while she gently set herself down on the cruiser; allowing her to delicately embrace me from behind, I roared the motorcycle to life and took the drive slowly. Maka evidently enjoyed this and snuggled her cheek to where she usually rested it during a ride. "Hey, Soul?" I could hear her call from the passenger seat abaft me. "Before that date, lemme take a shower. I really need an actual one instead of from a cloth and a bucket."
"Sure thing. We'll go grab that coffee whenever you're ready." We finally arrived at the complex and made our way into the apartment. The rush of a 'home-sweet-home' feeling set in; Blair greeted us with a warm, welcoming meow and rubbed up against our legs. After Maka acknowledged the house pet, she went off to her room to gather a towel and casual clothes to wear. When I heard the shower go on, I got to thinking about Medusa.
Where did that woman go...? Did Spirit and Dr. Stein kill her? I swear, if that snake is still alive, I'll kill her myself. That's what she'll get for shooting Maka and drugging Crona and making her try to kill us. She'll pay for it all...Revenge isn't something a cool guy would be into, but in this case...I don't give a shit. Before I knew it, I was fuming fury from my ears and had to get some iced water to cool myself down. As I took a gulp of the refershing aqua, the sound of the bathroom door opening and shutting echoed through our cubicle followed by the door of Maka's room doing the same. "Well, looks like she's done."
There was a moment of where I could hear a muffled sound of hangers and clothes shuffling around in my partner's bedroom. Then Maka called, "uhm, Soul? I...c-can you help me with something...?"
I hollered back, "sure thing. What is it?" I sauntered over to her door to listen to what she was saying.
"Come in here."Obeying what she commanded, I entered the room. Upon doing so, I came across my partner wearing white spandex shorts and a white cami that was raised to show her stomach and the stitched reddened wound. "Uhm, can you get my bag and help me change the bandage?"
Scurrying over with the supplies, I exclaimed, "Maka! You should've just stuck with that rag bath you were talking about. This still looks bad. What if it opene while you were taking a shower?"
She obviously noticed my frantic state causing her face to soften. "I'm sorry...I just...Sorry, Soul." A hint of a frown fell to her face.
"Ahh...nah, it's okay." My hand gave a scratch to the back of my head. "Sorry for flipping out." I took the antibiotic cream Nygus-sensei told her to use on the injury. Her midriff strained with my touch and I spoke softly, "tell me if it hurt." A tad gentler this time, I rubbed more of the ointment into her skin.
"I-it's fine. No need to worry," Maka shut one of her eyes in reaction to eduring the pain. When the injury was covered with the cream, I got a roll of bandages and began to wind it around her abdominal area with some tension. Maka squeaked out, "make it just a little tighter." I did so without question and she affirmed the amount of constriction with a nod. She cautiously pulled her shirt back into place then went over to her bed where she threw on a periwinkle sundress on.
I went off to the bathroom to clean up and throw away the contaminated excess bandages. After that, I came back to her bedroom to see if she was ready. "Maka? Ready to go?" I was taken aback to see her gleaming and smiling in my direction. The way that her dresslooely hung off her body was absolutely stunning, yet it clung to some parts of her perfectly outlining her petite angelic frame. Surprisingly, Maka had quickly and neatly braided her sandy blonde hair into two separate ties that were bound by ribbons whose colors matched her dress; the braids lightly fell to her fragile shoulders in a splendid way, making her appear so pure and innocent. On her feet, there were baby blue flats that looked like ballerina's shoes with ribbons tied on top. "So, I'll take it that you are ready?"
With a dip of her chin, she set her hand in mine and intertwined our fingers. Locking the apartment door behind me, we went off to our date at Deathbucks Cafe.