Chapter 10
Maka sunk into the warm embrace of her bath. She felt her muscles thank her, though she couldn't get her brain to respond the same way. Maka's thoughts danced around their situation.
'If anyone broke in, I would know. But why do I still feel so uneasy?'
With a sigh, the distressed meister did her best to enjoy her supposedly relaxing bath. When she was finally finished Maka left the tub and dressed. As she was dressing, Maka heard a knock.
"I'm almost done, Soul. Is dinner ready….."
Maka's voice trailed off after she opened the bathroom door only to be greeted by an unoccupied space. Maka poked her head out of the bathroom and glanced around for her weapon.
"Soul?"
Maka could hear Soul tap his cooking spoon on the pot before setting it down on the counter
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Didn't you just knock on the bathroom door?"
"I've been making dinner this whole time Meister. Maybe Blair knocked into something?"
"Yeah, Maybe. Anyway is dinner ready? I'm starved!"
"Just about, can't rush the coolest cook around."
"Excuse you! If I remember correctly, even the witch Arachne called you out for burning the curry!" Maka chuckled to herself. Her partners good spirits kept her grounded and her feeling of uneasiness began to settle.
*After dinner*
Maka finished up the dishes and joined her partner in their living room. Soul was watching TV, digesting his delicious meal. Maka began reading her book she was in the middle of before leaving for their extended mission. Maka finally noticed.
"Hey, Where even is Blair?"
"Is she not in your room?"
Maka closed her book and proceed to search for the feline with no luck.
"She must still be out." Maka resumed her book when a wave of realization hit her.
'What was that knocking earlier then?'
The feeling of uneasiness flooded her once more, though she did her best to drown it out with her book. After all reading was what help soothe her soul after her drama filled childhood. Awhile passed, Soul yawned following a stretch.
"Well I think I'm gonna get some sleep. Try not stay up too late. That also contributes to mushrooms growing on your head."
"Whatever! Goodnight!"
"Night, Meister."
Maka loved when Soul teased her but she would never admit it. Soon the cloud of loneliness set in and Maka saved the spot in her book and decided she would also get some rest. Maka made sure the front door was locked and went into her room and climbed into her comforting bed. Even though the thoughts of the weird knock earlier kept creeping in, sleep slowly started to overtake her.
A few hours later Maka woke to shuffling in the kitchen.
'Soul must be restless again.'
The drowsy meister decided she would check on her partner. Maka forced herself from her bed and made her way towards the entrance of her bedroom. She opened her door and soon realized the shuffling had stopped.
"Soul? What's up? Can't sleep?"
Maka glanced towards Soul's room and noticed his bedroom door was closed. The only time either of their doors were shut was when the duo was fast asleep. Maka began to fill with adrenaline. She silently made her way down the hall and turn the corner to face whomever was in their kitchen. Maka's heart pounded as she braced herself and threw her attention around the corner, only to be greeted with an empty kitchen. The Meister was not lucky enough to feel relief. Maka stood and honed her focus to try and sense a soul around her. Immediately she felt a presence behind her, Maka spun as fast as lightning and threw her punch hard. The meister's hand was caught in a familiar hand.
"Geez, Maka! What's got you so on edge?" Soul's lazy voice cut through the dark room.
"You were making so much noise in the kitchen! I wanted to check on you, but it's not cool to hide and sneak up on people!" Maka's frustration and fear were drowned out by relief from her partner.
"Hey, I don't sneak up on people! It's not my style. I was in bed until I heard you get up."
Maka's relief was short lived. The meister's face reflected confusion and uneasiness.
"What's up, Maka?" Soul could easily read his long time partner.
"I can't shake the feeling that someone is in our apartment, but I'm not picking up any souls. Blair's not even here, just us."
Soul stayed quiet to try and listen for anything that was out of the ordinary.
"You sure you're not just being paranoid? I don't hear anything." Soul finally spoke, while also trying to convince himself that nothing was wrong.
"Maybe. Maybe I'm just tired, it is super late." Maka was trying to settle her nerves.
With a toothy yawn, Soul went back to his room with Maka following down their hallway. The pair parted and went into their respective rooms. Maka laid in bed and couldn't calm herself enough to attempt sleep. She gave into her fear induced insomnia and grabbed a book, flipped on her reading light and began to indulge in her bookworm lifestyle.
Soul had also lost hope in getting any shut eye. He tossed and turned in frustration.
"Dammit. This isn't cool at all." Soul said out loud with a heavy sigh.
Soul sat up in his bed and buried his head in his palm. He hated when his meister was uncomfortable, especially in their own home. While lost in his worries, the weapon heard a slight shift above him. He paused for a moment and glanced up at his ceiling. To Soul's surprise, he was met with a set of eyes staring back at him. Adrenaline gave Soul the boost he needed to quickly shift his arm into his scythe blade and lunge up to pierce the ceiling. The blade cut through the ceiling with little effort and Soul could tell he hit his target. Blood began to stream down his blade.
Maka appeared at Soul's door.
"Soul? What's going on? What's with all the noise?" Maka questioned as she took in the scene.
The meister snapped right into fight mode. Maka darted and grabbed Soul's free hand and the weapon completed his transformation. Maka finished what Soul started by slicing the rest of the way through what or whomever was on the other end of his blade. Maka gave no thought to the destruction of their apartment, but thank death they were on the fifth floor so there were no apartments above theirs. As the ceiling crumbled, a crimson red Kishin egg of a soul floated down. Soul followed his routine and transformed back and devoured the turned soul.
The pair then stood in silence for a moment to try to comprehend what the hell just happened. Maka finally spoke in a low tone.
"Soul. I couldn't sense his presence."
