Sorry this took me so long! I swear I've got a chunk written closer to the ending but I'm having trouble getting there. Also, juggling this and the Noragami fic. Poor excuses, so forgive me.

The morning had consisted mostly of shopping under the guise of household needs. As far as Regina was concerned, the small boutique we were at was on the way to the market where I was going to help her replenish the food in the house. But who was I to ruin her fun as the smile that plastered her face as soon as we walked in was genuine, none of the grays from the other morning? I couldn't, I wouldn't, even if being paraded into the small shop was almost more than I could bear.

"Well, hello, Regina!" A woman about the same age as Regina was leaning over the counter, her brunette tangle of curls tumbling around her face.

"Hello, Angela," Regina cooed as she moved forward and embraced the woman.

Angela kissed both of her cheeks, taking a moment to hold Regina's shoulders. "I heard Artie was ill! How is he?"

"On the mend," Regina's smile faltered for a moment before I could see her force it back. "No need to worry." But again, the authority that I assumed was Regina's baseline was there, surety in the words that Artie would be fine.

"Please, send him my best," Angela gave her shoulders one last squeeze before releasing Regina and moving her pleasant eyes as green as mine to blink at me. "And this is…?"

Regina opened her hand towards me as if I were some surprise gift on display. "My youngest son's girlfriend."

It was not a slow crawl of red up my cheeks but a complete and utter flush to tomato. Girlfriend echoed in my head like a scream in a canyon. Denying it made no sense since Soul had so blatantly missed the opportunity to correct couple this morning and between the hand holding and the sleeping, just sleeping, together it seemed like the only rational answer. Not to mention, Regina was excited: as if having me in that position pleased her, as if I was actually worthy of it. I also had to admit a part of me was dying for it to be true, for Soul to make it be the truth. And he wasn't even here to hear it so I swallowed all of the panics down enough to squeak out, "Maka Albarn."

"No need to be nervous," Angela waved a hand as if to banish my crazed feelings. "I'm just Regina's tailor, not some princess."

"Tailor and oldest friend," Regina corrected. "We've known each other since high school, can you imagine?"

"Don't bore the girl with old stories of us," Angela laughed as she grasped my arm lightly, pulling me towards the back of the store.

Regina smirked, suddenly showing me again the genetic relation to her son, "We were never boring!"

"Well, you never were," Angela snapped back with a hearty laugh. She had pulled me in front of a three-sided, body-length mirror which was decidedly not my favorite place in the world. Age was definitely moving in my favor, puberty having given way to a much more womanly body, but for the most part, I still saw the angular, stick-thin girl when I was reflected back at me. "Now, tell me about what you usually wear."

I couldn't censor the grimace that came to my lips.

"Oh, I see," Angela nodded as if I had spoken volumes.

How are you supposed to describe that most of your outfits get blood-stained or torn so what was the point of actually being stylish? "Just, well, we work so much and I don't wear anything nice there."

Angela looked me up and down, scanning me as if she had x-ray vision before turning back to the stacks and swishing through hanger after hanger. She handed a few things to Regina, who happily peeked over the choices before making me the victim of Regina's sweet gaze. She didn't mean for it, but the way she looked at me felt cruel, that admiring look leaving me jealous again, secretly wishing this was my mother admiring and pampering. Worse yet, I was a liar, receiving all this attention because I was playing a part that I only wished I was.

They tittered together for another moment before converging on me, placing the dresses in my hands before shooing me into the dressing room. The only thing that separated us was a thin curtain and I could hear their idle chatter, mostly surrounding Soul's return and my amazing appearance. None of it helped with the nervousness that was eating at me as I put on the first dress. I tried not to look at myself in the mirror before stepping out, gauging their reactions instead, since I was renowned for being my own worst critic.

"Oh, no," Angela waved me back before Regina could even get a word in edgewise.

I slunk back behind the curtain, dragging it back and beginning the task of putting on the next. The walk back out was slower, any confidence I had slowly deflating after the first flop.

"This one's alright," Regina smiled softly, surely seeing my anxiety and trying to comfort.

"Just alright," Angela corrected, sending me off again.

This was usually why I never ventured into this kind of thing. I rarely tried to closely examine what I wore, again the excuse of blood and destruction coming to mind, but also because I wasn't used to viewing myself as something, Death, someone to be viewed for pleasure by others. How much sex appeal can I even think I have if my first gut reaction is to refer to myself as a thing? And to be honest, I wasn't sure I'd ever even caught Soul looking, and since he was really the only ever object of my desire, it didn't make me think of myself as all that desirable.

"You'll have to zip me," I called, my back to the curtain. I felt soft hands at my back, pulling up the zipper and sucking me into the dress. It wasn't exactly unpleasant, but form-fitting wasn't my usual, leaving me pressing my hands down the front of the dress. I stepped out again, tugging at the hem. It was a little shorter than I was used to, a flowy open bottom with a tightly cinched waist, a sweetheart neckline that rose to cap-sleeves. It had a pale green floral print, giving it a less formal look but I couldn't help but see the way it complemented my eyes.

Regina had watched me turn, a bright smile taking up most of her face, "Perfect!"

"Oh, yes, I think we have a winner." Angela pulled me forward to the three-piece mirror, depositing me in the middle.

For a second, I refused to see it. Again, I was a fighter, a tool used by an organization that saved the world on a regular basis. But slowly the vision leaked in, I was a girl, no, a woman in a cute dress and I was, at the very least, just as cute, maybe even beautiful. I reached up slowly and pulled my hair out of the ponytail, letting it fall naturally. It didn't have the curl my mother's did, but it was thankfully bouncy enough today, not hanging limply but waving past my shoulders.

"Maka, you look lovely," Regina cooed, her hands coming softly to my shoulders. "I think this is definitely the one for tonight."

Tonight, I echoed and my stomach flipped in reply. I'm going to wear this on our date and he'll… I denied myself any further fantasy in the vein. "Oh, Regina, it's really not-"

"Please, Maka," her hands drifted down my arms as she stared at me in the mirror. "I can't do much, so let me help with what I can."

Maybe it was that she wished this was her and Soul but knew the bond was too tenuous and that I was enough of a substitute, but I couldn't pretend to really understand her words. I just nodded softly, letting her whisk me back into the dressing room while she took the dress off with Angela, her treat. I didn't hem and haw, just let it happen and smiled and nodded for the remainder of the shop talk. Inside, the anxiety was building, the anticipation that I was possibly going to look stunning and I had no idea how Soul would take it.

Of course, we also still had the joy of food shopping, Regina making small talk mostly about myself and little hidden tidbits about Soul as we walked the aisles. I gave her everything I had, even being honest about my family situation which she showed a considerable amount of empathy for, even going so far as to offer an ear for any further problems. By the time the trip was through, overwhelmed was an understatement.

I was actually pleased to find that when we returned home, both Wes and Soul were out, presumably together. I excused myself from Regina after putting the groceries away and returned to our room with the dress in hand. After hanging up the dress in the closet, I threw myself on the bed, face once again threatening close to his pillow so I could get the ghost of his scent. I felt so split as if I were slowly becoming two people, the one that was dominated by DWMA and the other that so desperately wanted to be just another human.

I let a few tears fall over that fight before closing my eyes, hoping that maybe the darkness would help me forget some of it.

Soul woke me with a gentle hand to my shoulder. "Maka."

"Hey," I croaked, slowly pushing my way to sitting.

As I sat up, his hand slid down my arm, resting on my hand on the bed. "You OK?"

"I am now," I murmured, not really thinking about the words. I watched a soft pink hit his cheeks and I nervously added, "I mean, after the nap. I was, well, it felt like a long morning."

The blush slowly drained away with a frown. "I told you that you didn't have to. Mom can be-"

"Totally wonderful," I interjected. "I know that it's different between you and her but she acts like a mom, you know? And, well, it's hard for me sometimes."

His teeth set for a moment and I could see a flash of anger take over his eyes before he blinked it away with a slow breath. "Well, I'm glad at least she wasn't... she can be difficult sometimes."

I bolstered myself with a deep breath before bravely treading into it. "You were mad just now. Why?"

"No, I-" My eyes narrowed at him and he rolled his with a sigh. "OK, yeah, just… it's not my business, Maka, and I probably don't know all of it but the way your mom just," he interrupted himself with a shrug and another harsh sigh. "She hurts you and I hate that."

"So overprotective," a laugh trembled out of my mouth, half in disbelieve. I had assumed it was the relationship I was trying to build with his mother he was starting to dislike and this new option hit me in the heart.

He sighed and grumbled something under his breath that I couldn't catch.

"Soul…" I reached out for him, wrapping my arms around him so I could rest my cheek against his shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?" his voice sounded tight against my ear but one arm circled around my waist.

"For letting me borrow your mom," my laugh this time had a little more strength and I pulled him a little tighter. "I guess, for caring, too."

All that came from his mouth was a sharp tsk before his other arm wrapped around me, allowing me to be as close as I needed. We stayed like that for a few breaths, his hand flexing against my back in an attempt to soothe. "Mom said she made reservations for us at six."

I pulled away, raising an eyebrow at him. "Reservations?"

Soul rolled his eyes before clearing his throat. "At the club. Dinner and dancing."

"Oh, fancy," I laughed at his obvious distaste. "And thank you in advance for suffering through it."

He let me go and then shrugged, using the movement to get himself off the bed and far enough away from me that the words almost didn't reach my ears. "It's what you want."

"And you don't?" It came out barely as a squeak and I thought he might not have even heard it until I saw his shoulders heave with another sigh.

"I didn't mean it that way," he groaned. "I meant that I… fuck." He muttered off for a second, running his hands through his hair before glancing back at me to test the look on my face. "I want you to be happy tonight, OK?" It was grumbly and short but my heart leaped into my throat anyway.

I had to take a few breaths to recover my senses but I could still feel the heat on my cheeks. "We both should be happy, Soul."

"Yeah," he muttered before shrugging again, this time less in confusion or lack of words and more as if to cast off some kind of feeling in his body. It didn't work and as the movement finished he seemed to be even tighter.

I had to do something to ease him out of whatever insufferable thing it was so I tried to get as far away from the conversation as possible. "What time is it?"

"Two." That seemed to help since the small answer allowed him to look at me again.

"Let's watch a movie to kill time." I hopped off the bed and rearranged my clothes before turning back to smile at him. "Your pick."

Soul was trying to resist it but his smile rarely stayed tucked away. "OK."

I didn't really wait for him, especially since as I turned away he was already walking towards me, and began the walk out of the bedroom and down the stairs. I expected to run into Wes, but he was nowhere and the house was mostly quiet. It wasn't until I tiptoed into the living room that I came upon Regina, book open in her lap. "Oh, hello." I didn't stop my entrance, coming around the side of the armchair to peek at the book title.

"Hello, darling," she smiled softly. "What are you two up to?"

I glanced back at Soul, seeing where the two came from. "We were thinking a movie but if you're reading we could always just grab one and take it upstairs."

"Not necessary," Regina chimed as she shut her book. "As long as you don't mind me watching as well."

I moved from Regina to the couch, watching as Soul tentatively paused at her side as well to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. The shock spread across her face and she gave him a brilliant smile in return. It only widened more when he mumbled, "That's fine, Mom."

As he turned to me my smile wasn't any less bright and I could have laughed at the bewildered, almost suspicious look on his own face. "I have to warn you, Soul is picking, I promised." He avoided the couch and went over to the DVD collection, crouching to examine the titles.

"Ugh, just as long as it's not that insufferable horror movie you and your brother used to watch incessantly." Regina made a show of rolling her eyes in my direction.

Before I could even get out the question Soul laughed, "The Exorcist. She hates the puking part."

"It was torture!"

Soul shrugged in reply, sending another laugh in the direction of the DVDs. He finally seemed to settle on one, walking it over to the player and popping it in. He came walking back over to the couch, remote control in hand and flopped down next to me. I expected we'd have a wall between us, especially with Regina in the room, with being out in the open where anyone could see because the only time anything ever happened between us was when we were alone. Before I could give him space, his arm wrapped around me, his hand resting on my shoulder. I looked from it to him, seeing him more intent on the screen and the remote than acknowledging my searching look. Instead, he flexed his fingers as I dug in a little closer against him, my head resting on his shoulder.