Soul nearly tripped over himself as he made his way back into the apartment. He picked up some shopping while coming home from dropping the kids off at school and nursery. He grunted. He would have to get ready to go out again once he put the food away. Maka and him had only seen Tsubaki, Star and the baby a few times since she was born. Maka had been bugging him to be ready to leave when he got home.

"Okay," he called after putting the last of the shopping away. "Maka, you ready?"

Soul brushed his hands off as he made his way into the living room. He found it a little strange that Maka didn't help him put the food away. She usually never allowed him to put things away on his own. She'd come scurrying in, saying he was doing it all wrong and take over.

"Maks?" He called again. She wasn't in the living room. Maybe she was tidying their room, he did leave in a bit of a hurry. He turned the corner towards their room and pushed their door open. He frowned.

"Where the hell is she?" he murmured, before calling out again. "Maka!"

"Oh, please shut up," Soul looked down at the bed when he heard a small whimper. He squinted his eyes.

"Maka?"

The bed shuffled a little when her small head popped out of the top of the crumpled sheets. He looked at the clock on their nightstand. 11 AM. Maka always got up at the crack of dawn, 9 AM was a sleep in for her. He rounded the bed to sit beside her.

"Jeez Maka, you sick?" He pressed a hand to her forehead. She felt fine.

"No," she muttered, blinking her eyes open slowly. "I'm just a little tired."

"Still? You've been going to bed early every night. You're usually always up later than me."

"I don't know – I'm just worn out, I guess."

Soul arched a brow but nodded slowly. He guesses that's plausible.

"Sure. You still up for seeing Tsu, Star and the baby? They're expecting us."

"Oh, yeah," Maka groaned, burying her face in the pillow. "Soul, would you mind going without me? They'd be disappointed if we both didn't show."

"I guess. I'll take pictures of Val."

"Tsubaki said it's pronounced Vale if you're not going to call her by her full name."

"Isn't a valet someone who drives someone's car at a hotel?"

"It's not valet Soul, it's just pronounced the sa – You know what? Just call her Valentina."

"Fine, fine, Val - ay." He confirmed and Maka laughed and nodded. He grumbled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I'll be home in an hour. Call if you need me, kay?"

Maka had already nodded off before he'd finished speaking. He frowned at her still form – It did seem unlike her but she had been busy. He shrugged it off and pulled the door closed behind him.


"Soul! Oh come in, come in!"

Soul had barely said hello before a frazzled and glowing Tsubaki ushered him into the house. He made his way into the living room to find Blackstar crouched on the floor in a position he was very familiar with, making funny faces at his tiny baby daughter.

"Ahhhhhhh – Boo boo boo boo boo boo…" He vocalised, making the tiny baby screech happily with laughter. Tsubaki's face glowed watching them.

"Hi Star," Soul said with a smile. "Looks like you're in your element."

"Jeez, and I thought I loved your kids," Star told him, his eyes never leaving his daughter. He eventually looked up at Soul and scanned the room. "Where's Maka?"

"She was still sleeping when I got home."

"What? It's nearly noon."

"Well – Well, it was eleven when I got there."

Blackstar looked at Soul with a frown before his daughters whimpers caught his attention once more. He cooed and scooped her up to stand.

"Oh, I think she's tired," Blackstar murmured while handing her to her mother.

"I think you're right," she took the baby and gave Soul a smile. "I'm just gonna put her down."

Soul smiled. The baby really was gorgeous. She was tiny – so small it was hard to believe. But she was beautiful, with very dark black hair and bright green eyes.

"See you later Vale" he said, poking her chubby cheek. She gave a delighted giggle.

"So, Maka is really tired?" Blackstar asked as he and Soul fell down to sit on the sofa.

"Yah – It is a little weird though. She's going bed way earlier than usual but sleeping in till late. She more or less fell asleep in the middle of our conversation this morning."

Blackstar frowned before his eyes widened in consideration.

"…Huh."

"What?"

"Well – No, I'm sure it's not that – "

"What, Star?"

Blackstar cringed as Tsubaki made her way back into the room. She tilted her head when she met their eyes.

"What is it?" She asked and Blackstar looked to her.

"Tsu, what was your first symptom when you got pregnant with Vale?"

Soul froze and Tsubaki looked down in thought.

"Oh, uh… I was really tired, I guess. That was the first thing. Why?"

Blackstar didn't respond and just turned to give Soul a very pointed look. Soul glared.

"No… No, surely not," he drawled. Tsubaki's eyes widened in realisation.

"Oh. Oh, wow. Maka is –"

"We don't know anything yet." Soul managed, standing up and making his way to the door.

"Grocery store, few blocks over," Blackstar called as Soul closed the front door quietly. Tsubaki and Blackstar sent each other cheeky, but then excited looks.


Soul made his way into the apartment, relieved when he heard the sound of Maka busying herself with something in the kitchen.

"Hey Maks," he called as he placed his keys on the side. Maka hurried into the living room with a smile.

"Soul!" she called and hugged him. He smiled into the embrace and pulled away to look at her. "How was the baby?"

Soul smiled and brushed a stray hair from her face.

"She's gorgeous. I didn't see her long, she was tired when I got there."

"Yeah, and you must have left moments after. You've only been gone half an hour."

Soul breathed a long sigh and pulled her towards the couch. Maka tilted her head at him in confusion.

"Yeah. Tsu and Star kinda chased me out."

"What?" Maka frowned. "Why would they do that? What did you do?"

"Well," he began as they sat down, his eyes falling to his hands. "I told them you were tired and that's why you couldn't come. They thought it was odd too, since you're usually up so early."

"I guess it's a little weird, yeah," Maka allowed with a frown.

"Yeah and… It kinda reminded Star of something Tsubaki went through once."

"Oh really?" Maka's eyes lit up. "What?"

Soul cringed and placed a hand on her knee.

"It reminded her of a symptom she experienced when she got pregnant."

It was quiet for a long moment. Maka frowned before her eyes went open wide. Her lips started moving slightly, like she was counting.

"I – I'm late." She muttered, blinking slowly in shock. "I didn't even realise. And we – Oh my god, on your birthday…"

She buried her face in her hands and Soul rubbed her back.

"I didn't even realise." She continued, before pulling her face from her hands to meet Soul's eyes. "But – But we don't know for sure yet, do we?"

Soul winced again as he pulled a small packet from his pocket. Maka looked at it and froze.

"Picked it up on my way home. Thought we should be sure."

Maka looked up at him and breathed shakily. She took the pregnancy test silently before standing and making her way from the room.

Soul remained on the couch, leaning back into the cushions and trying to wrap his head around this. Amara was given to them nearly three years ago, she was eight now and Masen was two. He and Maka were good parents, and given the circumstances of how they got Amara, they had done an outstanding job.

Soul always knew he would like to have more children. He's always wanted at least four. Soul couldn't imagine what his life would have been like if it wasn't for Wes, but he and his brother always said they wanted more siblings.

But the number of kids he wanted is not something he had discussed with Maka. Things certainly moved in a weird order with them. They started raising a child together, then fell in love, and not even a few months later, had their own baby.

His train of thought was cut off when Maka made her way back into the room, the small stick in her hand. She silently sat back down on the couch and placed the pregnancy test upside down on the coffee table.

"Okay," She breathed. "It should be ready in a minute. Then we'll know."

"Right," he responded. "So, how do you feel about this? I know we haven't really spoken about it before but –"

"I would love another baby." She blurted out. She met Soul's eyes in panic. "I'm sorry. I know it's a lot and I know it's quite soon after Masen but I hated being an only child. And having a baby now would mean that would all be similar ages. They – They could confide in each other and rely on each other and it would be –"

"It would be so cool." Soul groaned in agreement. Maka looked at him in shock before laughing happily and throwing her arms around him.

"Okay, okay, okay," She squealed as she pulled away, her eyes sparkling. "Wanna see if we're gonna be parents for a third time?"

Soul clapped his hands together and nodded.

"Let's do this."

Maka grinned and turned to pick the test up slowly. She turned it around and looked at the results.

"Soul."

"Yah?"

"We're having another baby."

It was silent for a long moment as Maka moved the positive pregnancy test within his view. He stared at it for a long moment before wrapping his arms around her.

"Maka, you really are the coolest partner ever," he said gruffly into her hair.

"And you're a really cool Dad," she said emotionally. "And I'm really lucky that you're my partner. In every sense."

Soul grinned cheekily and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"So, now we're having another – How many kids did you want?" Soul asked hesitantly.

"Oh, at least four."

Soul smiled the biggest he ever had and kissed her.

Yeah. Coolest partner ever.