Welcome to the family lilbits12 and mandis98 ! *waves like a potato* And omg guise I'm really sorry for not uploading on time lately it's just life's being really hectic right now and university applications and I'm already wishing it was last year because I could spend so much more time on this and I just feel like everything is going down the drain with quality and where this story is going and now I'm addicted to tumblr and go on there instead of writing here. I'm considering perhaps updating every fortnight instead? How would you guys feel about that, my only worry is that I know when I was reading a fic I really liked I was desperate for the author to up every weekend~ Lemme know guys, I mean I love writing and all but time's getting tight and I want to do what's best for both of us :)
Tai - Maka knows the place cuz she grew up heyah :) And thanks again for your support - I really appreciate it OTL And it seems we're in the getting-to-know each other phase but hopefully that'll be over soon and we'll be friends if not more ^.^ BUt shSH (By the way, how you imagined them getting KO'd is pretty much spot on haha 'cept they just gonna get one helluva sunburn XD
-Chapter 29-
Starlit days.
Soul slowly blinked; his eyelids holding closed as he swallowed. It seemed that since Maka had forced him to keep her soft and useless self around him, since he'd let the Imp the chance to stretch its legs beyond his control that his armour had rusted and chinked and begun to peel. It was armour that had saved him from countless torments yet here he was letting it slowly be torn, ripped from him.
A lone thought announced itself like a freshly lit match does a black room.
BlackStar.
He opened his eyes as slowly as they'd closed, eyelashes blurred the edges of his vision as he stepped forward disbelievingly.
The joy that had been twisting tighter than a spring inside his stomach burst and sent a thousand butterflies into his body, the soft insects smashing and hammering against the walls he'd built within himself, forcing themselves through his veins.
His hands trembled involuntarily, subtly as the muscles held excesses of energy and wished to dispel it in any way they could.
Blackstar was wearing a simple black outfit, how he didn't roast when he went outside was beyond understanding though the icy air that wrapped itself around Soul's ankles hinted at the explanation.
The cold air desperate to escape bounded into Maka's ankles too, her feet receiving a pleasant touch from the lethargic animal.
The short wool jacket that covered Star - from its thick high collar that reached to the base of his hairline and the body which hung down to his mid-abdomen; held short smiling silver chains that light winked off of as they ran along the tops of his breast pockets.
The same chains that had happily chirped as he'd opened the door.
On the left breast pocket was an assortment of silver badges that were woven with glass and blue dye thin as threads - the most important of these being a single four feather wing with a spear through it.
The shortness of the jacket showed the thin sweater beneath; of a matching colour, it too was woollen but had lines of thicker stitches vertically running down it forming rigid canals in the cloth.
His trousers were of a finer material, smooth to the touch the black chinos hugged the toned flesh they tantalisingly hid.
Upon his feet a sharp pair of shoes, pointed with grey-silver laces breaking the dark uniform with surprisingly fashionable lines.
The chains on Blackstar sang briefly before being silenced as Soul stepped forcefully into him, as if trying to stand inside him. A soft thud resounded with the impact, the whoosh of air as their clothes exhaled between them.
Soul's arms gripped Blackstar tightly, his palms spread wide as his fingers clutched his back, the shock of this registered in Blackstar's slightly delayed return of affections as his arms too returned the embrace.
Their faces were buried in the crooks of each other's necks like two jigsaw pieces that fit cleanly together.
Maka was inclined to believe there was a lot of unseen history between them, the sort that shifts a purely Platonic relationship into the grey area, where the strains they'd endured had burdened the ability of them to stay safely apart, the weights of experiences pushing them closer together.
Blackstar's cheek was smooth against Soul's white stubble, in fact, it was as Soul felt Star's clean-shaven cheek on his that he desperately wanted to remove the coarseness from himself; he would never admit a feeling of embarrassment but would admit that at how very unbecoming it looked.
"How did you find me, Soul? Hell, how are you even here? You were fighting for the southern nation when we separated?" Star's voice was muffled, had it not been you would have heard a lighter, gayer and more innocent pitch that would've contrasted Soul's own.
Soul inhaled Blackstar's scent. His smell of light wood bark and soft spices, cinnamon and various combinations that aren't describable made you want to stay and breathe him in all day.
Soul sighed and released him, gesturing his head backwards as he spoke "It was this girl, Maka, she led me here. I have been on one ungodly journey since we parted…"
His hands still clasped around Star's shoulders, he held him back only a short distance. Star's own hands had dropped to Soul's waist and Star stared at Soul as Soul reabsorbed all the changes in Star's features.
He was still young; albeit it a bit more tired it seemed - bags beneath his eyes attempted to disguise themselves as skin. It was whilst himself being examined that Star was able to see his long lost friend's face. It was gaunt, considerably so as his cheeks caved inwards and his cheekbones stood sharply beneath his skin; the hidden body beneath the clothes would be similar no doubt, Star thought.
A dire curiosity inhabited Blackstar and he couldn't wait to hear what Soul would tell him.
Maka, in the meantime, had been standing afar and slowly turning a painful red. Such a strong sun on such pale skin was having a predictable and expected effect. As the discomfort rose, so did her willingness to override the convention of leaving people to reunite in privacy. The awkwardness of her interrupting she knew would be annoying but she really couldn't take being outside much more.
Blackstar noticed her face pulling various expressions as she battled with herself, and gave out a small laugh, a childish and chalky sound. Soul looked round to see the reason and much as he delighted in his laugh Soul was annoyed at having his friend's attention diverted.
*Someone's* being selfish The imp chortled at Soul's feelings.
Get fucked you piece of annoying crap. Soul was seriously not in a mood to deal with his inner demon and refusing to stain such a joyous occasion.
Surprisingly the Imp complied 'Alright alright, no need to get your knickers in a twist…'
That dealt with, Soul smiled curtly and gestured for Maka to come up.
The relief was clear on Maka's face as the cool kiss of shade laid itself upon her.
"Blackstar, I want you to meet my companion – Maka. Maka this is Blackstar, a very old acquaintance of mine."
Blackstar smiled cheekily as he heard Soul speaking, as if Soul's posh accent and archaic dialect prevented his being taken seriously by Star.
Wow, he's really changed.
The reunion had released an equally pleasant sensation for Star; it was an inferno of happiness, so bright that it burned away his worries for the day and intoxicated his thoughts. His laughs came more easily and his smile was worn wide.
Maka thought the smile was for her as Blackstar held out his hand, and Star was too kind to let her know otherwise, though the look he passed Soul made his emotions clear.
Blackstar ended the pleasantries with a sincere welcome, asking them in.
The door closed behind them, tall and ornate; the varnished oak warmly slept, its thick body keeping out the glaringly loud heat.
The corridor they entered was higher than the already daunting door they'd just passed, the pale, cream-colour flowers embossed into the wall paper lay like flattened vines up the walls, covering from the white ceiling down to about mid-thigh before meeting a redwood border, beneath it were varnished planks that echoed when rapped with knuckles.
The pan-ceiling tapered in with a simple border, allowing the gold and faux-diamond chandelier to hold its twinkling centre-stage.
From its wide spun base were perforations that breathed cool air gently down, so that as you passed beneath the waterfall stroked your skin.
The doorways were open and high to allow for good passage of air, and the equally high ceilings of similar design reinforced this deduction.
Strong regal colours bounced out from the taught sofas that were arranged to face towards the iron stove that sat in an old fireplace.
The fireplace itself was bordered with a vanilla marble hearth that like unmixed white fudge held lines of darker flavours throughout. Adorning this were a few personal items – mainly pictures of Blackstar's family house, and one of him and Soul standing in front of two handsome horses – Toride and Kala – Star's horse was a moonlit white with dapples of grey blotching its sides, as though someone had taken a large pen and flicked the creature and try as he might Star had been unable to remove the stains.
Star invited them to rest on the sofa backed by a flawless glass window that let in an astounding amount of light but seemed to strip from it the unpleasant heat that it often brings.
Soul was astonished at how wealthy a home Star seemed to afford, recalling that he worked as a low-paid intelligence officer when they'd parted – himself being squired to a major.
Evidently Star knew exactly what Soul was thinking.
"It isn't my home Soul, I couldn't afford something like this, even though I do well enough." Star smiled forgivingly, assuaging the guilt of scepticism that briefly alighted on Soul's face.
"To whom does it belong, then?" Soul asked softly, as if to do so at any other pitch would be considered rude.
"My father was reassigned to this city, ironically named 'Death City' since there hasn't been a fatal crime here for decades. He owns this but is currently out at work; I help him with his paperwork and such, so I'm here most days."
Star reclined in an ornate armchair. The bright yellow flowers stitched into the crimson material contrasted garishly with Star's outfit as his arms slid across carved wood arms. From the squelching clicks of his spine and the way Star reclined, Soul would say he'd have been hunched over for the most part of the day.
"And the nights?" Soul enquired, pulling his voice up at the end as his eyebrows followed the change.
"On patrol – graveyard shift. None of the citizens notice us running along the rooftops and lurking in the alleys. You really should see this place at night Soul, it's breath-taking." Star broke off, organising his thoughts. "The Plodders we call them, they're the general foot-patrol, police most of the lit areas. Main streets and suchlike, they normally don't have to do much, crime is pretty low here. But yea, I mean dude, they don't do more than give directions half the time. Us Nightwings (Star speaks with pride), we're the real protectors. You'd be surprised what we catch, don't get any public recognition for it – Shinigami prefers it that way. I'm rambling aren't I?" Star sheepishly grinned.
Soul shook his head "Not at all, it's nice to hear, go on."
Maka watched them, because although she was sitting right next to him, Soul seemed to have forgotten her existence. She didn't know whether this was good or bad, she'd always been quiet, introverted – but nonetheless still enjoyed talking with people. She wasn't a loner. At least, she didn't used to be.
Alienated from the partners, she took the chance to consider her options. Honestly she didn't know why she'd picked this house, well, she said she didn't. The memory of her father telling her that 'If she ever needed help, needed somewhere, someone she could trust. House number 9. Stealth district. House with crows in the door.' Well here she was, but she wondered whether the inhabitant she was supposed to be looking for had moved on. The young man, whilst familiar with Soul, had no recollection of her whatsoever, and so she returned to pondering whether her decision was correct.
"Do you know Spirit?"
Maka's delicate voice was lost in the rowdy laughter as they told stories of mishaps, misadventures and mistakes of a hundred proportions.
Her courage spent, Maka resigned herself to waiting once more for someone else that might help.
A person that was soon to arrive.
A/N: Look at me uploading even later than planned AGAIN. Sorry guys, been a wee bit busy and life got in the way again. Hopefully the description of Star's quasi-residence is okay, I mean, it looked pretty sweet in my head but shit. Words are so vague, y'know?
