The memorial was held outside the Academy. The sky was gray, threatening rain to fit the somber mood. Photographs of the fallen lined the wall behind Lord Death where he stood at the top of the steps, head bowed as he greeted families and friends and students, acknowledging the heroic actions of their loved ones. Soul tugged nervously on the sleeve of his suit jacket as he moved through the crowds. It was hard to look at the display without feeling like he had indirectly caused all of it. If he hadn't been so weak minded, maybe more of these people would still be alive, and it weighed on him.
"I can hear your guilt complex from here, man."
Soul looked up to see Black*Star grinning at him from where he was leaning on a pillar. Tsubaki stood beside him, hovering a bit too close as though worried Black*Star would cease to exist if she stepped away. The blue-haired meister had been entirely unresponsive by the time a medical team got to them, and it had taken almost a week for him to wake up. Even a month later, Black*Star could still not stay awake for more than a few hours, and wouldn't be cleared to even train again for some time. Soul could see that it frustrated him to no end.
Black*Star shook his head with a light chuckle, pushing himself off the pillar to grab Soul in a hug. Soul wrapped his arms around his friend, glad beyond measure that the other boy hadn't been another casualty of this fight. Comforted by Black*Star's embrace, Soul hardly registered the words he next spoke.
"You gotta stop blaming yourself for everything," Black*Star said, pulling away to study Soul's face. "None of us do."
Soul shrugged, stepping away with a self-depreciating smile. "I think that might take a while, sorry to disappoint."
"Eh," Black*Star tilted his head, leaning into Tsubaki when she stepped back up to his side. "We'll be here to keep reminding you until it sticks."
Soul smiled warmly at him, nodding his thanks. He caught sight of Maka and departed with a wave at Black*Star, making his way over to where his meister stood. Maka's eyes lit up as she noticed him. She held out a hand to him, and when he took it, their souls thrummed in sync. There had been a lot of conversations in the last month. A lot of yelling and crying and accusations and apologies, but they'd eventually reached some level of forgiveness. A willingness to move forward, a rekindling of friendship. It wasn't quite the same, their bond. There were scars, now, holes that would eventually heal but the reminder would remain. Maybe they weren't fully okay, but they would be.
Soul was pulled from his thoughts as Maka turned, jostling him as she waved. Death the Kid waved back, Liz and Patty trailing behind him as he approached, nodding to Soul and wrapping an arm around Maka. Maka leaned to kiss him gently on the cheek, hand still entwined with Soul's as she did, and Soul found that it didn't hurt, seeing them like this. The jealousy had faded, and instead he felt warm, content with the fact that Maka had found happiness.
Soul had avoided Kid for nearly two weeks. He hadn't wanted Kid to feel any obligation to him, any compulsion to forgive him or remain friends. When Kid came to the apartment, Soul would lock himself in his room. When their paths crossed in the infirmary, Soul would hurry the other way. It was Kid who eventually put a stop to it. He'd waited until Maka had left the apartment and kicked open the door before Soul could duck out. The conversation had been messy, but it was a relief to finally have everything out in the open.
"The memorial is pretty cool," Soul said, shooting Kid a crooked grin. "Very symmetric."
Kid preened, a genuine smile curling on his lips. "It is lovely, isn't it?"
Maka leaned further into Kid's side and let her eyes rove. "You did a great job, Kid."
"Hey, we helped too," Patty grumbled, crossing her arms and muttering to Liz.
Chuckling, Kid moved to clasp hands with Liz and Patty. "You're both great helps to me, always. Where would I be without you?"
"Probably still looking for a matching set of weapons," Liz responded.
"Probably," Kid laughed, pulling them both into an embrace. He perked up then. "That reminds me," he said, casting a glance back at Maka and Soul. "My father would like to speak with you after the service."
An hour later, Maka and Soul were seated across from Lord Death, Spirit, and Stein. Spirit was alternating between smiling at Maka and glaring daggers at Soul. If looks could kill, Soul would be a dead man. Soul's discomfort from Spirit was rivaled by the fact that Stein was staring at him intently, studying him. It was making his skin crawl.
After several long moments, Lord Death clapped his hands together. "Maka Albarn. Soul Evans. You have been a very successful meister-weapon team for many years, collecting souls and defending humanity from harm. It is my honor to offer this to you."
Lord Death held out his hand. Glowing within his palm was a crackling sphere of violet energy. A soul. Arachne's soul.
"Though the battle was a team effort, it was you who struck the killing blow to Arachne and ended the fight. Soul Evans, I am offering you the opportunity to become a Death Weapon. This will grant you new abilities and a new status ranking."
It was everything Soul had wanted. It would help him protect people, to right the wrongs he'd committed and atone for his actions. Soul glanced at Maka to see her beaming at him, nodding her head encouragingly. Soul drew a breath.
"I'm honored," he said. "And I accept, but on one condition. Unless absolutely necessary, I want Maka to still be my meister."
"Of course," Lord Death replied, warmth in his voice. He passed the soul into Soul's hands.
For a moment, Soul did nothing but stare. He could almost hear Arachne's voice in his head, feel her venom inside his mind, calling him to terrible actions. The moment stretched, drowning him in dread, until he felt a warm hand clasp his own. Soul looked up at Maka, here eyes bright and a smile spread across her face. The tug of madness washed away, and Soul grinned back.
"Here goes nothing," he said, swallowing Arachne's soul whole.
That evening, Soul sat on his sofa, pressed between Maka and Black*Star. Black*Star was gesturing wildly, having started some argument with Kid that neither of them seemed to be following anymore, but they were both yelling with enough passion that it didn't matter. Maka was talking to Liz about a show they'd both been catching up on, while Patty and Tsubaki baked cookies in the kitchen. Blair was around, her small cat form weaving through legs before darting away to curl up on the windowsill.
Tsubaki emerged with the cookies, Patty trailing behind her with a jar of frosting. Liz jumped up to grab three cookies before anyone else could, and Maka laughed as she slightly passed her one. Black*Star challenged Soul and Kid to a decorating competition. Soul accepted with a wide grin pulling the icing toward him, determined to make the coolest cookie possible. With his friends beside him, loud voices filling his apartment, Soul let himself relax. He was okay. They were okay. And he was home.
no betas or proofing we die like men
i figured quarantine was as good a time as any to make sure this fic stopped haunting me. here it is, its done, and i never have to think about it again. i haven't watch an anime in like, three years, but goddamn if i wasn't going to finish this once and for all. so here it is, the nice and calm epilogue for a fic that was a labor of love when i was in high school, and maybe i think it could have been better, and maybe it started to seem like a burden, but i owe it for the fact that it got me writing and got me creating, and set me on the path i am now. if you've been here from the start, thanks for sticking with me. if you've just discovered this fic, hope you enjoy it.
this is, officially, AngelOtaku121 signing off. it's been real, y'all.
