Soul glanced down at Reina, those little seafoam green eyes intent on him as her hand squeezed tightly in his. "Shiro-chan…"
"Hm?"
"Did something happen with Papa?"
He shook his head before bringing his focus back to the road ahead, the temple just starting to peep through the trees.
"Mama?"
Next answer was a snort of a laugh. Your mama never leaves me wonderin'. She says exactly what she means– what she feels.
"Kuro-chan?"
Soul raised an eyebrow as he glanced down questioningly. "You call Star that?"
"He doesn't like it," Reina replied with a devious grin.
"You have to add a little flair to it," he grumbled, but still held onto the corner of a smirk. "Give him the great Kuro-chan, and I think he'll take it."
Her smile beamed briefly before she tugged on his hand again. "Maka?"
Soul cleared his throat, readying himself to deliver a "no" that desperately wouldn't come. "I'm not mad at Maka."
"Good." Reina swung their hands, life coming back to her smile. "Because I want you to marry Maka."
A trembling sigh quaked up from his chest. "Reina…" He pulled her to a gentle stop as he knelt. "You can't say things like that."
"Why not?" Reina asked immediately.
"Because sometimes…" He tried to run a tender thumb over her knuckles, soothing her as much as himself. "No matter how much we want somethin', it just doesn't happen. I don't want you to be disappointed."
"But don't you want to marry Maka?" There was such genuine curiosity there that Soul's heart bore another crack.
It's the same thing, Reina. He produced another weighty sigh. No matter how much we might want somethin', sometimes it can't happen.
"Whitey!"
Soul jumped, safe momentarily from Reina's question but now thrown into disarray by the look on Star's face. "What is it?"
Star glanced at the girl first before sidling up close to Soul, leaning to whisper in his ear. "Your brother asked Maka to tea. Just so happens the physician was already there. So you crashin' it or me?"
He swallowed the bitterness he carried before looking down at Reina. "Kuro-chan's gonna take you the rest of the way to the temple."
Maka sat primly, her eyes focused more on her tea than the company.
"I wanted to thank you for spending so much time with my son," Medusa cooed.
She shook her head. "I was simply doing a kindness to you and to Soul. It would be good for him to have more acquaintances– don't you agree, Wes?" Maka did not need to raise her eyes to feel the start of Wes's disdain.
"If my brother wanted more associates, I believe he could make them on his own."
Her smile struggled not to sour. Finally, Maka raised her chin to him, eyebrows lifted. "But if it had not been for your intervention, Soul would have never come to know my brother, isn't that right?"
"Well–"
"But perhaps you're correct, and I owe an apology– I am underestimating my groom." Ease came to her brow and her smile. "He has been doing wonders on his own– becoming a real man in his own right."
Wes's jaw clenched, no answer to be had.
"Which means from now on, I'll only meet with Crona in Soul's presence. It's time for them to get to know one another." She tilted her chin towards Medusa. "Unless you think there's a reason why an unwed man should be alone with an engaged woman?"
Medusa remained placid while Wes scoffed. "My lord, wouldn't it be best for you to be on your way to your father now?" He leaned closer to Medusa, but before he could whisper a word, she put up a cautioning finger. "This is really only something I'd like to discuss with ladies present. It would be deeply inappropriate otherwise."
With a huff, the man stood, hard eyes falling on Maka once more. "I'll see that my brother hears about your decisions for him."
"As you wish," Maka answered, stare holding strong to Wes's until he turned and left. There was no time to breathe in relief, Maka well aware that while a garter snake had left, an adder remained.
Medusa's smile returned as she leaned closer to her prey. "I really do prefer it when you and I are alone."
Soul narrowly escaped the footfalls of his brother, slipping into a spare room just as the raging steps broke across the floor. Somethin's set him off, but I don't have time for that. He slipped out of the door and back into the hallway, steady steps moving him towards the sitting room. That just means Maka's alone with Medusa, and I can't let that happen.
Carefully he crept to the door of the hall, voices filtering easily through the door.
"You've taken quite a liking to my son."
Soul froze, that green-eyed beast churning in his chest.
"It's hard not to want to offer someone a little happiness when they seem to have none."
Medusa's laugh grated like gravel. "So, you enjoy taking pity on the broken little ones, hm? Is that why you enjoy Soul so much?"
"I can't say that I haven't pitied him–"
Soul's fist clenched, his heart pounding.
"–but that is not all he is. Soul is a good man."
"Crona is a good man."
There was a pause, but Soul was powerless to reach for the door.
"If you're trying to give me a choice, I don't need it," Maka's voice rang clear and true. "I will stay exactly where I am now. Soul will be my husband because he is the man who has earned my love."
That blared in his mind, Soul trying to grasp at the frayed edges of it, but to no avail. It's all beautiful, but it's all a lie. She's leavin'. I know that. That's what tonight is– to tell me it's over and let me down gently so anythin' now is just–
"Love him?" Medusa's laugh twittered lively now, bordering on hysterics. "Oh, you really are a find if you can love a monster like that. Listen, dutiful dove"—he heard the clatter of trays and the whipping of silk—"he will kill you. Whatever sweet little dreams you had of marriage and children will all–"
Soul barreled through the door, instantly springing between them to rip Medusa's hands from Maka's kimono. "Touch my wife again"—while his urge had been to protectively pull Maka towards him, he viciously moved towards Medusa instead—"or send that fuckin' son of yours to her, and I'll live up to what you call me."
"Soul–" Maka tried to get a gentle hand on his sleeve but Soul ripped his arm away.
"Go back to the house, Maka."
"Soul–" This came with more shock than pleading.
"I said go."
Star struck without mercy, sure that there were a few bruises with his name on them planted deeply under Soul's skin. He could see Maka out of the corner of his eye, the dissatisfaction coming off her in waves even without the full view. He eased back, allowing Soul one good swing before he stole the momentum away, twisting his arm to throw that fluff of white hair into the dust.
"Star," Maka's exasperation drenched the name.
"He's gettin' better," Star muttered back before chuckling. "Right?" He tossed a glance back at her, only finding bitter green biting back at him. There was no point in holding it so he dipped his head back down to Soul. "Right?"
"Right," Soul choked out as he sucked in the air to replace the load lost by the toss.
"See?" Star bent, grasping Soul by the bicep to pull him to standing. "Want to go again?"
Soul barely breathed a chuckle. "Not today. Like to hold on to a little of my dignity." Those scarlet eyes ticked off behind Star, but he didn't have to follow the glance to know where.
"What, tea time?"
"Little late for that." Soul eyes bobbed overhead, catching the sky as the sunset pink was fading into those deepened hues of blue. "I'll just… go for tonight."
Star only waited a second for the disagreement to rumble from behind him but when none of it came, he shot his head over his shoulder. Instead of that verdant stare that could chill any normal man down to the bone, all he caught was a flip of blonde hair as Maka disappeared back into the house. His eyes narrowed.
"Night, Star–" came quickly, followed by even swifter footsteps off towards the edge of the courtyard.
No bickerin', no playful disgustin' displays of affections, no– Star shot his head back and forth between Soul's receding back and Maka's utter disappearance. "H-hey!"
Soul stopped, tilting on his heels.
"Hittin' the bath, right?" Star prodded. "Which means you'll need some sake."
The other man chuckled. "And a pain in the ass to enjoy it with."
Star barked a laugh as he trotted to catch up. As soon as their shoulders met the walk began again, Soul leading the tried and true path to the baths, while somewhere along the way Star disappeared to swipe the necessary refreshment from the kitchens. It was odd to have a ritual like this—to have stayed in one spot long enough to make a ritual—and the itching dislike for it in no way outweighed the warmth it brought to his chest. Not like I need friends like Maka does. It's only because of her that we've stayed as long as we have, and well, maybe it looks like that's endin'.
They met again over the same trickles of steam. The same old cups that Star always filched between them on the ledge of the pool. And even though the tilt of Soul's head—eyes purely lost in the stars—seemed an echo of a million times before, the sight sat heavy in Star's chest.
"You two have a fight?"
"Not really," Soul murmured before leveling his stare back at Star. "Think you could tell me the truth about somethin'?"
"I'm not Maka," Star snorted. "I don't just spew the truth whenever you want."
He chuckled in return. "Guess not. Just– well, guess this ain't that much of a secret. You're leavin' soon, right?"
"Me, or me and Maka?" Star offered back as he danced around the emptiness in Soul's eyes.
"Both of you."
"Well…" He sighed. "If it were up to me, we'd already be gone, but yeah– I'd assume soon."
Soul blinked thoughtfully for a moment, tearing at Star's already thin patience before that wistful sigh spread his lips. "I think it's better if she leaves."
Star's lip started to screw into a sneer.
The other man waved it off, something close to a laugh trickling out next before: "I don't expect you to get it, but…" his fingers tapped to his chest like a heartbeat "... maybe I'm okay with knowin' that I could have these feelin's to begin with. Maybe that's enough."
"I really don't get it," Star muttered.
"I just–" Soul sent searching eyes out into the darkness as if he could pluck the answers from the stars rather than his own heart. "I never expected to love anyone." In all the pain of ripping that up from his chest there was a strange freeing feeling that drifted after. "I never thought I could, so lovin' her—knowin' that I do—that's enough. And maybe it's better she goes before I– before I have the chance to ruin this. If she leaves now, she leaves me with all the good memories of this– of us."
"I dunno, my money's on Maka fuckin' it up." Star nudged his elbow into Soul's side. "Do you think she loves you?"
A soft snicker started from his mouth before Soul tilted his head, one eyebrow raising inquisitively. "Why the hell would she?"
"With an ugly mug like that…" Star produced a golly guffaw before leaning back against his arms. The warm water wasn't enough to dissipate the chill of it all– the icy way that Soul seemed to be closing shut. "Not in a million years, right?"
Soul shook his head. "She feels sorry for me, and I appreciate that." He pulled in a chestful of air before bringing a water soaked hand to his face to rub away any look that had started to creep through. "So, yeah. I think it's a good time for you and her to leave. Before things change."
Star's sour frown was lost on Soul. "What are you gonna do when we go?"
Shoulders moved weakly, barely unsettling the water.
"Then what the hell was the point of the engagement?"
Soul's hand fell away, a thin smile weakly pulling at his lips. "Time? I-I don't really know. Wes kept talkin' about it and… I think I knew I needed to be stronger, and I saw that in her. I thought maybe she could do that for me, and she has. You, too." He waved an uneasy hand at him. "But now, I guess it's time. I have to give Asura what he wants because… there's no alternative. Not one that hurts anyone other than me, and I can't let others suffer because of what I am."
Star huffed. "So, what? You're just gonna be some selfless bastard and let that weirdo take you? I heard he eats weapons."
That smile turned sickly, the pallor of his cheeks whitening even with the heat of the bath. "All he ever says is that he wants us to be together. I don't know what that means, but when the only other option is givin' up my kids to him, then what else do I have?"
"Kids?" In battle, muscle usually dictated, so Star's wit took time to heat, to churn, to come to the blistering answer. "You mean– marryin' was just to have kids? Just to produce more weapons to give to that monster?"
"That's why it's all fake," Soul murmured. "I'd never– I could never do that. So, one failed almost-marriage and maybe that'll be an excuse enough for Wes to let me go, to stop tryin'. And I think now I'm not as scared." His hand fell to his chest again, pressing into his heart as if to start its beating. "Like I said, I have the memories of all of this. I have some control over what I am, so maybe that'll be enough to hold on to."
Star kicked back a saucer of sake, his hand clenching viciously into the empty ceramic.
The slide exploded open, making Maka's breath catch in her chest as she fixed her kimono in place. "Star," she hissed before her voice started to catapult towards a shriek, "just because you're my brother doesn't mean–"
Star slammed the door shut behind him, cutting the words from her mouth. "We're leavin'."
"W-what?" stuttered off her tongue.
"Just what I said: we're leavin'. Tonight. Get your things together." His voice was smooth and flat as stone, the same with his posture as his hands hung at his sides.
"I–" Argument withered in her throat even though it was beating strongly with each lurch of her heart.
"What?" he spat at her. "There's no reason to stay. You know where Spirit is now, and he ain't here."
The succinctness of it was another arrow blow.
"So pack your things." Star turned and put his hand on the door, ready to once again have it sound on it's track.
"He–" Maka started and found that this finally stilled his movements. "He's a weapon."
Bitter chill was all that reflected back in his eyes. "So?"
"We can't just leave him." Those words were ripped from the lining of her heart, but there was no change in his face.
His hand moved from the door to cross his chest, arms anchored there. "We can and we will. There's too much attention on us right now. We'll leave and Kid will send Jackie–"
"We can't leave him!" Maka couldn't stop it from being anything other than a feral roar as the tears welled up in her eyes. "You know what his life was like before! You know what they did to him! We can't just let them–"
"We can and we will." His reply was a splash of cold water that made her breath catch in her throat. "This is our job, Maka. We're in, we're out. Seems like you've forgotten that."
She bit into her lip, plans racing across all sides of her mind. Her eyes had fallen to her lap, vision blurred with tears barely held at bay.
"Unless there's another reason."
Maka tensed.
"Because we've left other weapons before." His feet padded along the tatami mat until he was close enough to crouch in front of her. "No one's mattered to you but your papa for the past few years."
"That's not true," she murmured.
"Alright, alright." He huffed. "Me, Kid, the other assholes we work with too, but… why the hell does Soul matter?" She raised her hands, trying to get them to her face before the tears erupted but Star grabbed her by the wrists. He pulled her, forcing her glossy eyes to him. "Don't play games. It's obvious you matter to him, so whatever bullshit you've been sayin' to fool yourself has to stop."
She nodded weakly as a warbling breath trembled over her lips.
"It's either that or we leave tonight." His grip on her tightened.
"No–" came not as a whisper but an order.
"Fine." He dropped to his bottom, eyebrows raising as he stared at her. "But if I have to make some plan to get us out of this shit, you don't get to call it stupid."
A weak laugh squeezed from her chest as she pulled her hands out of his loosening grasp. Maka slowly cleared the tears sitting on her cheeks, taking in shaking breaths. "Do you… do you think he'd come with us?"
Star scoffed. "Are you seriously askin' me that question?"
Maka clutched at the sides of her kimono, trying to hold herself tight even though all her insides unraveled with the thought: "I don't know if he–"
"He loves you," Star answered with all the patience he had left. "I know that's what you need to hear, and he's most definitely not gonna say it, but it's fuckin' obvious. And if you think you've been great at droppin' little hints, you can forget it. Guy's blind, or at least he's talked himself into bein' blind."
Her cheeks burned just as much as her eyes, the heat only amplified by the tears that started to course over her pinked skin.
"So don't act all bashful now. We have a week max before we definitely have to fly the coop. Get your head on straight." He wagged a finger at her. "And don't play this whole 'meet me at midnight' bullshit. Go to him now."
"Is that an order?" Maka laughed weakly.
Star rolled his eyes. "The only order I got is to stop wastin' my time."
