Soul and Maka dressed without a word.
Soul in a pair of unwashed grey and red flannel pants with a white band tee and Maka wearing one of Soul's other band tees and his baggy blue sweat pants.
When they were ready, she sighed and opened the door. The two went down the hall hand in hand to face Maka's mother.
Maka's mother was sitting at Soul and Maka's kitchen table. Her eyes were closed, and her arms were crossed. She looked seemingly "too calm."
"Mom?" Maka says in a shaky voice.
Soul squeezes her hand tighter.
Soul was going to make her mom see...he'd prove to her that he loved Maka, no matter what.
Maka's mother opens her eyes and looks up at Maka then turns her head and glares a Soul for a moment before turning her attention back to Maka.
"Well, you have certainly gotten...older." She says.
Soul glanced at Maka; she seemed like she didn't know what to say.
"Mrs. Albarn..." Soul began.
"THAT is not my name anymore." Maka's mother snapped. "That hasn't been my name since I left my partn-Maka's father." She sighed and then looked at Soul.
"You've grown up too Soul Eater."
Soul could literally feel her eyes examining him.
"You can call me Rei." She said after a moment.
"Mom." Maka said. "Don't take this the wrong way, I haven't seen you in forever but...why are you here at 6:00 am on a school day?"
Rei sighed. "Well Maka, before I answer that I have a few questions of my own for you and your partner."
Oh great, here it was.
Soul looked at Maka, and he noticed that she had changed her expression. Was she upset? She seemed angry...and upset.
"Mom." Maka's began speaking in her "scary" voice. Soul knew this particular tone all-to-well, because it was the tone she used right before flying off the handle...usually at him or Black Star.
Soul gripped her hand tighter. "Maka..." He said.
Maka shot Soul a look.
"If Maka has something to say let her say it." Rei shrugged.
"Okay. I was just trying to tell her to breathe." Soul mumbled. "I know when she gets worked up like this she says things she doesn't always mean..."
Soul sighed.
"Mom. I am extremely glad to see you..." Maka let go of Soul's hand and sat down at the table across from her mother. "And I know that based on what you saw this morning...that you are already drawing all sorts of conclusions...so, I'm just going to say this now...Soul is not like dad. And furthermore, I will not accept any judgement from you, because what happens between Soul and I...what we do or don't do...is our business. You barely know Soul and I know him better than anyone..."
"Clearly." Rei replied.
Soul could've cut the tension in the air with a steak knife, it was that thick.
"Mother, I have already made my choice. Soul and I are not just partners on the battlefield. It was meant to be this way from the start, I know this because our Souls have been connected since day one..."
He didn't know what to do...should he tell Maka to knock it off? No. He had to stand by her.
"I LOVE HIM MOTHER!" Maka shouted.
Soul was taken back. He gulped.
Well...Maka tried. But, as always, she's far too...hot headed. Now was his time.
"I know you do not approve of meister and weapon romantic relationships. I know this because your ex-husband...Spirit, told me this. And I can spew a bunch of bullshit and tell you that Maka and I are not your average meister and weapon pair, that we don't allow our romantic relationship to effect our fighting, etc...but that's just like I said...it's bullshit. It does effect our fighting, but it has before we even became an officially romantically involved." Soul placed his hands on Maka's shoulders and stood behind her.
"Rei, I always have and always will love your daughter. Spirit, wanted you to not know about Maka and I. He wanted me to even... break up with Maka temporarily, because you wouldn't approve..."
"What?" Maka exclaimed.
Soul turned his attention to Maka for a moment. "Yeah, he did Maka. But, I told him that was never going to happen."
Soul turned back to Rei. "In the end Rei, I don't care if you approve of Maka and I. I will never abandon your daughter. Without her...I am nothing...on the battlefield and in life."
There was a long silence. Rei stared at Soul for a what seemed forever, then she glanced at Maka, who was looking up at Soul with tears in her eyes.
"I see." Rei said. She cleared her throat. "Well I...I still don't approve of meister/weapon relationships...but I do have to admit that I noticed there was something different about you and Maka's partnership from the day I first met you and saw you together as partners. Your souls fit oddly well together...and you were only first years at the academy...so...I am not saying I am fine with the two of you running around doing whatever...but, I will say that...I-I believe you when you say you will never abandon my daughter and...in the end...I am glad she has you Soul." Rei let out a sigh.
"Mama..." Maka jumped up from her seat and hugged her mother.
"Hey! But I am serious, don't think I'm going to let you kids run around playing hanky panky whenever you feel like it! Not on my watch!" Rei shook her fist.
Both Soul and Maka blushed.
"Mama!" Maka backed out of the hug.
"Now, I will answer your questions." She patted Maka on the head, ignoring Maka and Soul's embarrassment.
Maka sat back down and Soul re-placed his hands on her shoulders.
See. We're alright. He tried to send calming soul wavelengths to Maka, hoping she would feel them and know that everything would be okay.
"I came here early because..." Rei blushed, her personality seemed to change and there was no longer any tension in the air.
Soul couldn't help but notice that she blushed the same way Maka did.
"I wanted to surprise Maka before school! Oh! But...I was the one who was surprised." Rei actually laughed a bit. "I went into Maka's room gentle rolled her over to wake her...just to find that it was not Maka sleeping in her bed...but some strange cat-woman, who frankly looked like a stripper..." Rei paused. "Don't tell me she's one of your dad's girls?" Rei looked angry again.
"No, no mom. Blair is our cat." Maka said reassuringly. "Although I am sure Papa wishes she was one of his girls..." Maka made a disgusted face.
"Blair is a cat with a lot of magic...apparently. We thought she was a witch and tried to kill her before. She's...unfortunately been with us every since." Soul explained with a sigh.
"Yeah, she's mainly here to annoy us...but she does help with somethings..."Maka trailed off.
Soul was wondering if Blair had helped Maka pick out her sexy outfit from before.
Shit. He shouldn't think of that outfit right now.
"Plus, she's cute when she stays as a cat." Maka smiled.
"A cat with a lot of magic...that is interesting...to be honest it should be looked into. I have never heard of anything like that...although...anything is possible these days..." Rei said in an analyzing voice.
"I have another question." Soul interrupted Rei's thoughts. "How, and sorry if this comes off as rude, did you get in here? I know I locked the front door...I always do."
"Oh!" Rei reached into her breast pocket, with this key. "Maka's father gave it to me."
WHAT? So THAT EXPLAINED HOW SPIRIT WAS ALWAYS SLIPPING INTO THEIR APARTMENT WHEN HE WAS MOST UNWANTED!
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT CREEP MADE A COPY OF MY KEY!" Maka was immediately enraged.
"What? You didn't know?" Rei looked surprised.
"OF COURSE NOT!" Maka replied.
"THAT IS CREEPY, WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING?" Rei was immediately enraged as well.
Indeed. It was creepy. But, Soul couldn't help but look at Maka and Rei and laugh out loud.
"Look at you two...the apple doesn't really fall from from the tree, does it?" Soul laughed.
Maka and Rei looked at each other for a moment, blinked, and then laughed too.
"He... really... is... creepy... though..." Maka said between laughs.
"Don't... worry...I'll kick his ass." Rei replied, also between laughs.
While Rei may have been one of the scariest, most unpredictable, people Soul had ever met...she's wasn't as bad as she first seemed.
Maybe things would be okay.
Soul still had to wonder though...why now? Why had she come for a visit now?