Authors note: Autumnpixie33 Thank you SO MUCH for your kind words and for being the first to comment, I really hope you like this chapter!
Chapter Four: Home Sweet Home.
The walk home was a blur as Soul ambled on without ever looking up from his shabby sneakers. Hands stuffed into his pockets and his shoulders hunched; he watched as one stray shoelace got caught on an old metal grate in the sidewalk. Grimacing as he bent down he tied the lace, barely noticing the familiar pattern in the stonework before him. Sometimes it was nice to live so close to the academy, they moved in just after graduation and the place had been a wreck for weeks before it started to really feel like theirs "Home sweet home" he grumbled as he started up the stairs.
Ghosting the tips of his fingers across the handrail on his way up he was swept away by the memory of their move, he originally opposed the second story space because it would be a pain in the ass to move in to; and it had been, but Maka just rattled off some statistics about burglary and how you were half as likely to be stolen from living on the second floor- so that's what they did. Having to pack and move without the help of their friends, who all had prior commitments had sucked but a part of him also liked the experience, liked doing something so… mundane.
As he made it to the landing his steps faltered and his hand hovered over the knob "just shower, eat something, grab your shit and get out" he repeated these tasks like a mantra before turning the knob and pushing on the door. The apartment yawned open like a chasm, dark and unexplored, uncharted territory that could be as treacherous as it could be exciting. Soul slowly drug his hand up the wall to his right to a light switch that had been painted over with beige far too many times.
Kicking off his shoes by the door, Soul let the comfort of being home envelop him, he let it pool and then sit in the pit of his stomach as he trudged silently to the kitchen and busied himself with something to eat. "Breakfast for dinner" he chuckled to himself as he tossed two slices of bread in the toaster. Soul let an easy grin come to his face as he remembered the first night Maka suggested it and how he had relentlessly poked fun at her 'why if it isn't Maka Albarn rule follower extraordinaire defying convention with breakfast for dinner!' he had teased 'i happen to like breakfast for dinner thank you very much!' she shot back at him, faux offence puffing her cheeks before they both burst into fits of laughter.
After finishing his meal and cleaning up after himself, Soul turned and headed for his next task: A shower. Walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him he began peeling away his dirty clothes and tossing them unceremoniously to the floor before turning on the shower with a loud squeak of the knob. Once the water was warm and the bathroom began filling with steam he got in, allowing the hot water to cascade over his body, he sighed as his muscles began unwinding themselves.
After a good scrub and a moment to himself Soul slunk from the bathroom tying a towel around his waist, fatigue from the shower loosening his joints. He turned the corner of the hallway enroute to his bedroom when he ran into something-someone nearly causing him to lose his grip on his towel. "EEEEK!" Blair screeched as they collided "SOUL!" she shrieked "Death! you scared me half to-well, death!"
"ME?!" he howled "you're the one who- never mind" Pushing past her and into his bedroom, Soul mumbled a half-hearted apology which left the cat scratching her head in confusion before dismissing the incident with a shrug and following him into the room "What are you doing at home anyways?" she asked, batting her eyes sweetly "I thought that you'd be staying with Maka" silence followed her implied question as she spread herself across his bed, pulling a magazine from underneath the pillow.
To avoid her searching gaze he busied himself with opening and shutting drawers as he rummaged around for some comfortable clothes, Blair watched him curiously before she flicked her hand in his direction leaving him fully clothed "thanks, i guess" he grumbled before turning to face Blair who was now seated on the edge of the bed "i'm going back" he offered while crossing his arms over his chest "just came to get a few things".
With a nod Blair stood silently and padded across the carpet pushing something into his hands. Soul stared at it with blind eyes until the mysterious item came into focus. It was well loved, that's for sure. Scuffed and torn in some places, water stained and ragged in others. Dog eared place holders marking Makas favorite moments like big red X's on a treasure map. "Dark side of the moon" Soul read aloud, flipping it over in his hands and inspecting the back side. "It's Makas' favorite," Blair volunteered. Turning the old book in his hands once more, he let out a tired sigh "I know it is."
With a flick of her fingers Blair produced a large duffle bag with her magic, holding it out to Soul she smiled brightly "Blair…" Soul groaned, dragging both of his hands over his face "I can't just.. I didn't.. She didn't.." Soul stuttered, shaking his head in frustration "yes you can." Blair insisted, shoving the bag into his hands "Maka doesn't care about whatever it is you are beating yourself up about." Soul looked up into Blairs intense yellow eyes and wished, not for the first time these last few days, that he were looking into Makas deep green ones instead.
The magical cat really had a way of pushing her will on others while seeming unbothered by a situation. With a forced sigh Soul relented, gripping both the bag and the book in his hands "When did you get so wise anyway?" he chuckled as he stuffed some of his own belongings in the bag and made his way down the hall to Makas room "How mean!" she pouted, turning towards the other end of the hallway "maybe if you looked at me instead of Maka sometime you'd see that i'm really smart too" Souls cheeks burned as she winked at him and walked off.
Flipping on the light in her room and gathering his courage, Soul began collecting Makas things, Her favorite purple quilt that her mother sent her from some distant place she was visiting, and a pair of her most comfortable pajamas. He paused, rifling through her desk looking for the book he was sure she was currently reading. He recalled how excited she had been about the book and how much it would help her with the integration of Witch students at Shibusen.
"Hmm" he mused, coming away empty handed "maybe she left it at work" he turned on his heel to leave but stopped mid-way as his eyes caught on a pair of antique scissors. The scissors were on the desk just in front of a framed photo of Maka and Soul on the day they graduated Shibusen. In the photo Maka has her arm around Souls neck, a huge smile splayed across her face while Souls own face wore a halfhearted grimace that looked forced even to him.
Soul gingerly touched the frame with the tip of his finger, one side of his mouth coming up in a half smile before bringing his attention back to the scissors, he picked them up, turning them over in his hands. They were old, really old. Ornate too. Rusty with dull edges, he doubted that they could even cut through paper any more 'why would she keep these' he pondered with a frown.
Shrugging he returned the scissors to their place on her desk with a dull thunk. Maka has been known to keep some things for their sentimentality, like the time she kept some bikini that Blair bought but said was from Spirit, he asked her why she kept it with disgust in his voice but she just laughed that laugh of hers and told him "it's a funny story!".
Soul closed his eyes letting the memory of that time wash over him, as if on cue the phone started to ring "shit" he muttered turning for the door as the apartment turned silent and he heard her voice. "Eater-Albarn residence, sorry we're not in right now but if you leave a message we'll get back to you as soon as we can" the singsongy cadence of her voice rocked through him in waves wiping every ounce of tension from his body.
He was floored as he felt Maka surround him, the steady thrum of their sudden resonance shaking him to his very core. Gripping the door frame to steady himself he exhaled harshly before exiting her bedroom and practically running down the hallway. "Maka!" he called as he rounded the corner, almost missing the message that was being left to their answering machine "Soul" came Steins terse voice "Angela is here to get a read on Maka's curse. Anyway, Marie said to come back when you have done what she asked and not a moment before"
Silence followed the message as Soul stood in the doorway gripping the bag with white knuckles 'Snap out of it Soul' he chastised himself as he closed and locked the door 'you're being really lame, Maka is fine, people you trust are there and she's FINE' he told himself as he refocused on their connection and the feeling of coming home from a long journey it left him with. With a withering sigh he turned and began the short trek back to Maka, to his home.