Chapter Two: Something to Eat
"Eater Corporation."
Maka was then scared out of her skin when Soul allowed a deep, hearty laugh to escape the depths of his gut. She could only blink back in surprise as he laid back on the bed with his arms wrapped around his middle. She decided she liked his laugh. It suited him. It was deep and soothing; a laugh that reminded her of summer days that wrap you in warmth, a comforting breeze passing through to play and tease, intertwined with the scent of woods and incoming rain. It was a laugh that made one feel as though they were being hugged tenderly, lovingly. A rosy heat blossomed across her cheeks as she shook her head of the thought. While attempting to reel herself in from growing attached to Soul in any way, shape, or form, she realized that he had fallen back upon her legs. Squirming, she managed to pull her appendages out from under him and insert them under herself, her blush reddening a bit.
"Wh-what's so funny?!" She leaned forward on her knees, clutching the sheets as her face began to heat up fiercely at the sight of his gaze shifting to land upon her momentarily. Great. Pink lemonade she could handle, but tomato was not a good colour on her.
Soul's laughter died down and he took a few full breaths. Oh, the irony. Who would have predicted this moment? To think that he had saved one of his own employees. He glanced over at her, embarrassment and a smudge of annoyance clearly set into her features. He was enjoying this woman's company, which was rare for him. Usually women would throw themselves at him without even attempting to get to know him. How repugnant. She would surely act differently if he told her he owned the company at which she worked. Luckily for him, he was smart enough to give her only his first name and tended to stay far from the eyes of the media. Very few knew what he looked like. He didn't want her to find out that he was her boss in fear of her treating him differently, so he just wouldn't tell her. Simple.
"Oh, nothing, just the face you made." He threw a smirk her way as he held back the chuckle tickling it's way up his throat. She was so comically red. He could almost see the big anger iconography on her head. It was precious. "Why would your job be on the line?" He inquired, desperately trying to divert her attention. Her eyes turned into slits as she glared at him. That was such an obvious change of subject and she was curious as to what he was hiding, but she decided to take the bait … for the time being.
"My advisor doesn't like me very much." She confessed, distaste evident as she recalled her department's head of management.
"And why's that?"
Her face became thoughtful as she pondered over her reply. "Well," she began. "he likes things done his way, which I can understand, but to be completely honest, his way isn't as ... efficient as it could be."
Soul couldn't help the small, understanding smile that formed over his face. He could sympathize with Maka as he thought back to a time when he used to work for his father's company. Let's just say that they weren't always fond memories that he pulled from the file cabinets in his brain. It had been brutal.
"Give me a for instance?" Soul seemed to be genuinely interested, so she vented. It wasn't every day that she came across such a willing participant to listen to her about such things. Maka told him everything this guy had done to not only her, but all of the other employees that worked under him. He was a slave driver and a bigot, a damn bully who thought he wouldn't have to face the repercussions of his actions. It was extraordinarily antagonizing; taxing on her emotionally.
Soul clenched his jaw as Maka told him the story of her very first day at work, revolted by the actions of one of his employees. How this man had gotten away with any this was beyond him.
"He gave me a stack of about 50 files, all untouched and without instructions, and told me to finish them by the end of the day! Of course, I didn't want to start an argument, but that was just ridiculous. I mean, I hadn't a clue of how they were to be handled, he didn't explain anything to me or offer assistance if I had a question. I honestly think he was trying to get me fired on my first day. And when I spoke out about it, he basically persecuted me in front of the entire office. Saying that I wasn't experienced enough for the job and that I should just leave!" She continued to rant, not noticing how upset Soul was getting. "So, naturally, I took all 50 freakin' files and finished all of them an hour before he had originally demanded them. I did ask for some help from some coworkers when I didn't understand what exactly I needed to do, but they all came out well enough." She huffed.
Soul chuckled at the thought. One of his own workers had finished 50 ... wait. "Hold on, you finished 50 files on your first day without much help as to how to do so? And did it correctly?" he asked, remembering an incident that occurred a few months back.
Maka nodded smugly as she crossed her arms over her chest in triumph. "That I did! Made that stupid Ford look like an idiot, too. That's probably the reason he hates me so much." She said solemnly.
"That sounds rough." He empathized. "How long have you been working there?" he asked.
"About ... 4 and a half months." She answered, placing a single digit to her chin.
"And he bullies everyone?"
"He does, but... at least we get stuff done. I just wish he was a lot more understanding and encouraging in the workplace."
'Ford, huh?' Soul thought. He knew him. Diligent and hardworking, but definitely not delicate when it came to being in charge. Soul didn't want to fire him, but frequent monitoring or a demotion would hopefully fix his attitude toward other workers. Soul simply nodded in understanding, letting out a sigh. They sat for a moment before he looked back up at her, smoldering maroon catching her attention. She knew just by how captivating his eyes were that staring at each other in silence would be a reoccurring event for the two of them, though she was unsure of why he stared back at her so intensely.
"Pardon me for a moment." He spoke, bringing an abrupt end to the quiet. "I must tend to some business." He wiggled his eyebrows before he moved, insinuating delicately to her that he needed to use the restroom. He stood and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.
Somehow, the sudden silence brought to her attention that the awkwardness between them had slowly dispersed. Maka sat for a moment, smiling at how oddly comfortable and almost natural it had become before her gut began to grumble and complain, twisting in an uncomfortable manner. She hadn't realized just how utterly empty her stomach was until now. She swallowed hard as to appease the uncomfortable knot churning her innards.
Maka sat still, not able to hear Soul moving around. She wondered briefly if his offer for food still stood. Nausea began to overtake her as she curled up under the covers and began to take slow, deep breaths. Her arms wrapped around her middle. She heard the door open, but didn't make to move.
"Hey, sorry about tha- ... are you okay?!" Soul asked as he rushed to her side. His right hand found the small of her back as he leaned over her form to analyze her symptoms. Her face was scrunched in pain and he could see the colour of her skin had begun to drain.
"Nnmmmmm" came her strained reply before her stomach rumbled.
An awkward silence fell between them and Soul found himself trying to fight down a laugh once again, only failing slightly. This girl was unbelievable. He enjoyed her reactions at his teasing and she always seemed to process her words well. Literate, intelligent, but also fun and full of life with a fiery spirit.
"Hungry are we?" he asked light heartedly, reaching into his bedside drawer for a cinnamon mint.
She glared at him, her nose twitching in what seemed like an attempted snarl. She watched him unwrap the mint and put it to her lips.
"Sugar, to keep you from getting dizzy." He explained. She pouted for a moment more before opening her mouth begrudgingly as her cheeks seemed to gain some colour.
Soul's right brow rose in amusement, a smirk playing at his lips. "Well, then, come on." He peeled back the covers, triggering a shiver to erupt through her body. He swooped down and stood with Maka in his arms. He was much more muscular than he appeared to be, she noted. He had solid muscles that seemed to work effortlessly as he carried her. He had picked her up like it was nothing.
She continued to quiver slightly in his arms, however. Even after all of the cuddling and hot liquid, she was cold. She seemed to melt into him once contact was made because, man was he hot. His body heat, get your mind out of the gutter.
"... mmm warm..." She thought aloud.
"Am I?" Maka heard a deep rumble in the chest she clung to.
"Are you what?" she asked, not realizing her slip of the tongue.
"Warm." He chuckled out as he began to move for the door, carrying her bridal style.
"Ah, ye-... wah! W-what?" she squeaked as she pulled her head back from his chest to look at him with eyes wide. "Are you a mind reader?!"
Soul miraculously managed to keep from dropping her as he began to laugh once again. This girl was absolutely hysterical. He was barely able to make it to the couch and lay her down before he all but fell to the floor in a fit of laughter.
There Maka sat on the plush cushions, red as a beet while she watched the handsome man roll around on the floor.
"She said... Mind reader!" he snickered between fits. "Oh, my goodness..." He took a few breaths, finally calming himself. "This is the most I've genuinely laughed in a long time." He laid down on his back, head resting on his left arm as his right splayed across his stomach. To most, Maka's spoonerism wouldn't have been so funny, the tone she had carried as she said it; the look of horror painting her face as she had looked up at him had been something he couldn't help but laugh at. It was a small, simple moment in which one had to experience first hand to understand; to find funny. A day and a half into saving her life and they already shared times that only the two of them could look back on and laugh at. It was unexpected, but pleasantly so.
"So," he began, turning to her with a handsome smile. "what suits your fancy? I can cook pretty much anything."
Maka looked down at him, the embarrassment still coloured across her nose and cheeks. "Oh, so now you're bragging." she spoke. "Being able to cook isn't something you should boast so easily about." It was a joke and, luckily, he took it as such, chuckling at her comment.
"It is in this day and age. It's ridiculous how many people can't cook." He was smirking up at her, a teasing glint in his eye. "But if you don't want me to cook anything for you..-"
"No! Uh... I mean, I would very much appreciate it." She was blushing still, not being able to look at his enchanting orbs and smug face.
"Alright. What does the princess request?"
"Anything that will heat me up is fine."
"Good." He hopped up and led the way to the kitchen. Maka hissed slightly at the cold that snuck through her socks when her feet met the wood floor and shuffled after him. She stopped in her tracks, however, when she was met with his kitchen. It was huge! The cabinets were made from what looked like red mahogany, the floors were a dark authentic stone, and all the appliances were steel with black handles. There was a very large island in the middle with tall stools on the other side; the countertops made of black and brownish marble. The edison lights hung from the ceiling with a bright orange hue, giving the room a smooth feel.
She whipped around to take a second look at the massive living room, realization setting in as she took in the vast apartment. There were two long, tan L shaped couches with a loveseat to match. There was a plethora of black and red blankets and pillows scattered around the room. The red wood floors resembled the kitchen cabinets and were partially covered by a beautiful red, black, and tan rug. A sizeable coffee table in the middle of the rug was also red wood with a sleek black marble top. The lighting was brighter, but still homey and the lights were in the ceiling, a few reading lamps scattered about on side tables. Finally, there was a wall length mirror in the place of a window on the adjacent wall from her, making the room look twice as big. She was pulled out of her evaluation of the apartment by the gruff voice behind her.
"Something wrong?" She turned to him.
"No, just... curious about what it is that you do exactly. This apartment is quite large." She answered.
Soul glanced at her from the fridge. "Well, ... If you must know, I uh..." He didn't want to tell her, but he didn't want to lie either. So he wouldn't. "I'm from an exceedingly rich family." He answered, shoving his head back into the fridge. He hadn't lied or let the cat of the bag. Round of applause, please.
Sensing that he wasn't particularly eager to carry on a conversation about his work (or family matters), she decided to ask more about his living arrangements. "Is this all of it?"
"The apartment? No." He stated simply. "This is just a portion of this floor."
"You have multiple floors?" she asked excitedly, eyes widening in amazement.
"Yeah. We're on the second floor right now." Soul finally pulled away from the fridge with an arm full of ingredients. Laying them down on the cutting board before turning to pull a few things out of a cupboard.
"How many?"
"Four. Five including the roof." His back was turned to her as he eyed several seasonings. A small blush had forced its way upon his features that he wasn't too keen on letting her become aware of. "I can take you for a tour later if you'd like?"
"Yes! Absolutely! I can't imagine, four floors, wow..." She was apparently daydreaming when he looked back at her. He grinned at the look on her face. He was beginning to find her more and more adorable as he observed her many reactions.
"Any food allergies I should know about?" He watched her as she seemed to snap out of her daze and quickly look him in the eye once more, catching a slight shiver rake through her body. She was still cold, but unbeknownst to him, that's not what brought about the quiver.
"Oh, no. No allergies. Just ... preferences." She answered.
"Well, too bad, little missy. An allergy is the only excuse for not eating food in my book." He told her, playfully, though truthfully.
"You won't hear a single complaint." She assured him.
"Don't think I'm cooking alone, now. Get your butt over here and help peel these veggies." He jokingly demanded, making Maka giggle for the first time. His eyes widened as a smile graced her face. He decided he liked her smile. It made him feel things. Innocent things, of course. He's not an animal.
"I like your clothes, by the way." He leaned back against the counter, preparing himself for her reaction as she scrunched her eyebrows together. She looked down at her attire for the first time since she had awoken. Eyes widening in horror, her head shot up, moss dripping with confusion.
"When did you...?" she pointed to herself and then looked back down. She was wearing a much too big for her purple hoodie with black sweatpants and gargantuan socks. She grabbed the neck of the hoodie and peered down to examine herself. She had a large t-shirt on under the warm hoodie, but was obviously not wearing underwear.
"What, what, what?" She spun around like a puppy chasing its tail, hair flipping around her. "Where are my clothes?" She asked. "Why am I wearing your oversized clothes, you giant?"
Soul couldn't help but let out a loud laugh at the sight of her. She was so confused and lost. Her face contorted, obviously mortified. "Did you-uh ... did you change my clothes?" she asked hesitantly.
"I did."
"You saw me naked?"
" ... yes."
"E-every ... everything?" She gulped. What an awkward predicament. It wasn't as if she could be mad at him, she knew she'd be dead if it wasn't for him, but it was still exceedingly humiliating. The only man that had ever really seen her naked was her papa, and that was when she was still in the single digits of her existence.
Her face was bright red, cheeks puffed out nearing the point of explosion. Soul inwardly chuckled at her fidgeting, not wanting to embarrass her further. He made a mental note of how often she turned red.
"Honestly?" He asked her. She responded with a hesitant nod as she clutched at the purple material. Somehow, she felt it was doing very little to hide her body from Soul's piercing eyes, when in fact, that's all it did. His clothing made her look like a small child wearing their father's clothes. It was freakin' adorable.
"No." He answered truthfully. "I didn't see everything. I was concerned for your life, not your cup size."
Sighing with relief, she nodded in understanding, though remained flushed. "Where ... are my clothes?"
"Calm down, half pint. They're in the-" His answer was cut short as Soul began to move towards her in an attempt to calm her, but for every step he took forward she took one back.
"Where are my clothes, Soul?" Danger alert. He did not like that tone, it seemed to drip with venomous intent. Not safe.
"They're currently in the washer." He answered as he stepped back to lean against the counter once more, arms crossed over his chest. This wasn't as fun of a reaction as he had hoped. "I stripped you to save your life, remember." His persona altered from his previous lighthearted self, grimacing with annoyance. He could understand her concern, but the look in her eyes indicated that she was questioning his gallant character, which he would not stand for.
"If I wanted to do something to you..." lava met moss pointedly, "I would have done it already."
Maka's eyes widened at the change in his demeanor and realization set in her features.
"Oh,... no!" She exclaimed. "I just... I wasn't..." Soul took in a slow, deep breath, releasing it quickly in a sigh.
"Forget it." He then grabbed a knife and began to clean and chop vegetables. "Soup and salad alright with you?"
"Huh? Oh, ... yeah. That sounds wonderful. Thank you." She answered. He had apparently missed the ease that had set in her body when he had informed her of the whereabouts of her belongings.
Soul glanced over at her to find Maka's face had become sour with displeasure. A twinge of guilt slowly consumed him until he couldn't take the uncomfortable quiet anymore.
"You gonna help me with this food or let me do all the work?" He tried to joke, receiving a half-hearted smile and a nod before she set to washing vegetables.
They attempted to carry on conversation as they prepared their dinner, but found it difficult and stagnant compared to before.
After silently agreeing to finish making their meal in quiet, Soul lead Maka to the dining room, grabbing a bottle of red wine as they left the kitchen. They were gonna need it.
The dining room was also very extravagant. It had créme coloured walls with the same red wooden floors. A long mahogany table with fourteen matching chairs. What seemed to be a bar was placed against the right wall. A huge, dimly lit chandelier hung down in the middle of the room, filling it with a warm glow.
"Wow..." Maka muttered. "This is beautiful, Soul." She had never seen a dining room as exquisite.
"Thank you." He said as he lead them to the table. She followed Soul as he placed the wine and glasses down as well as the salad.
"I'll go get the soup." He muttered. Maka watched him leave and sat down, setting the bread basket on the flawless mahogany surface. The lump of anxiety had been growing slowly since their small spat, if you could even call it that. She wasn't sure what to call it. She was more than understanding about the fact that he had undressed and seen her naked. Any woman would feel embarrassed in that situation, but she supposed it was her reaction to the whole thing that started the tense aura that now loomed over the pair.
Soul returned with the soup and the needed utensils and dishware. They ate in silence, which Maka usually would have appreciated, but in that moment, it almost seemed deafening. She missed him laughing and teasing her a little - okay, maybe more than a little - and it was all foreign to her, enjoying being teased and becoming friendly so quickly. It was odd.
After eating and attempting awkward small talk, they cleaned their dishes and put away the leftovers. Neither of them were at ease, every movement felt uncomfortable and words came out forced as they had in the beginning. Soul scrunched his face in distaste. The wine had failed them. Half a bottle later and what did it have to show for itself.
Nothing.
"Here's an extra toothbrush and there's towels in there if you'd like to take another shower. I didn't wash your hair so..." He shrugged. "Your clothes should be dry soon, but you can sleep in that for tonight. With as many guest rooms as I have, none of them have beds in them as of yet, so you can sleep on my bed ... I can take the couch." He seemed a bit on edge. Was he still upset with her for asking about the whereabouts of her clothes? Shouldn't she be curious? It wasn't like she had accused him of rape or anything. He had saved her life, for goodness sake. Of course she trusted him. She blushed slightly at the realization. She trusted him. She never truly trusted anyone.
"Thank you. I'd like to take a shower..." He nodded and left, closing the door behind him. After washing herself and reclaiming her borrowed clothes she walked out of the master bath into Soul's bedroom. He had an insanely big bed that she found the need to jump on. Soul wasn't in sight, but she could see a door on the far left slightly ajar, light shining through. The door opened and he stepped out.
"Walk in closet?" she asked.
"Yup. I'm gonna take a shower." Soul brushed past her to the bathroom coldly and locked the door behind him, leaving the air to prickle her. 'He must still be upset.' she thought. Maka sighed and sat on his bed to await his return. Looking out the window did nothing to put her at ease. The storm still raged on, stronger than it had before, as proof that she wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Maka began to nibble at her bottom lip in contemplation. Should she apologize? She felt badly for reacting in a way that troubled him, but she also felt slightly wronged. He shouldn't hold it against her for being a little paranoid, having woken up in a stranger's home - feeling like complete and utter crap - and finding out that she had been stripped in her sleep is alarming. But he did it to save her life. She would be dead right now if it weren't for him. Maka steeled her resolve as she set her sights back on the bathroom door. It was uncomfortable, yes, but she had to fix it because, for some reason or another, she felt that Soul might not.