Happy belated birthday to Leka! I'm glad the update came in time. Hope you all enjoy this one too!
It was barely afternoon by the time Soul and Maka drove up to the house but on the way, Maka had made him a to-do list to fill the time. Even though there had been sporadic weekends of work that left the house at least close to hospitable, beds still had to be made, lights changed, and a myriad of small jobs that were inescapable. He wondered if her list was just as long as his since as soon as the car came to a halt she was out in a hustle. For the most part, Maka disappeared, leaving him to putter around at his own pace and with a continued drip of anxiety in the back of his mind.
By the time the car door slammed in the driveway, he was tightly wound enough to jump halfway out of his skin and then most of the way down the stairs. That rational, street-smart side of his brain was telling him to slow, to check, but he was already sure, his warning before that they would all be fine clutched desperately in his heart. When he opened the door he was greeted not with those tiny arms around his waist but Marie's frantically clutching his shoulders. "I could kill you or kiss you, I'm still not sure."
For once, Soul didn't offer an ounce of resistance, finding it surprisingly simple to wrap his arms around her in return. "What's the happy medium?"
"This," Marie sighed as she somehow tightened her grip.
Soul didn't mind losing the air until Shelley wrapped her arms around his middle, leaving him to hiss a breath between his teeth.
"You're hurt?" Marie was letting go of him only to reveal the panic on her face.
He tried his best to just push Shelley's arm just low enough to alleviate the ache before shaking his head dismissively. "No big deal, Marie, just some stitches."
"Stitches?" Marie snapped.
"Part of that long story I told you about," Soul sighed. "Let me find Maka and I guess we'll start the talk."
"Find her?" Marie was holding strong to the panicked mother tone as Stein walked up to them from the car, bags in hand. He was having distinctive flashbacks to the start of their early life together when Black Star was still in diapers.
"I'm sure he didn't lose her or anything," Stein sighed as he slugged the bags onto the deck.
Soul offered a laugh before motioning towards the house, "Just go in, make enough noise that if she's in there she'll come down. I'll check the rest." Since he could have sworn he hadn't heard her in the house for a while, but his thoughts had been loud enough to drown most of that out anyway. Soul could hear Marie's unconvinced chatter along with Stein's soft reassurances as he started to walk around the side of the house. "Maka?" he sent out into the empty space between the house and the cottage. He tried a few more times between quickening steps, idiotic and unreasonable scenarios starting to plague his mind.
He'd gotten close enough to the cottage to notice the open windows and gave her name one more opportunity to drift through the air. In return, he heard the movement, rumblings from within as he opened the front door just to catch her breathless at the foot of the stairs. "Everything alright?" her eyes were bright and she was hesitating to let her smile shine.
"Stein family is here." Soul narrowed his eyes at her as he reached out a hand to clear the hair from her face "Maybe I should be asking you if everything's alright."
"Just finished at the house and didn't want to waste time," she chirped. "There's plenty to still do over here but we probably won't need the room yet."
Yet sat strangely with him but Soul didn't have the opportunity to press, Maka already flitting past him and onto the lawn. He followed her, definitely not with as much gusto especially since he could see another car crawling in through the trees. Maka was disappearing through the door as the car was slowing next to the house. Soul waited, finding anxiety in his heart even as he looked at Black Star's determined face through the windshield.
"Looks like the party's all here!" Black Star crowed as he popped out of the car. Kilik was almost immediately after him, opening the passenger side door and letting Kim negotiate to get out with the oversized box in her arms.
"Looks like you remembered the cake," Soul sighed out a short bit of relief.
"And the gifts!" Kilik laughed as he ducked back into the backseat to pull out both hands full of bags.
There it was again, the creeping feeling of full as he watched all three of them allowing themselves goofy grins and thoughtless delight. If he'd had a mirror he would have realized his face was no different. "Come on, this way." He motioned them away from the front door as he moved off the steps.
The group snuck around the side, leading them in through the backdoor in the kitchen. The cake was easily hidden in the empty refrigerator and Soul opened the barren cabinets to keep the presents out of view. Even with the joy hidden in the house Soul could feel the apprehension pulling at this gut. As they entered, Shelley was jumping into Black Star's arms, Marie actually mellowing into a smile.
"You know," Maka started as she edged her way towards Soul. "We forgot groceries completely. Shelley, would you come with me to the store?"
"Me?" Shelley's eyes narrowed skeptically.
Maka leaned down as Black Star deposited his sister on the ground. "There's still plenty of work to do but I thought that might be the most fun job."
"Alright." Her concern wasn't necessarily gone but her eyebrows at least softened.
Kilik held his hand out to Black Star. "Give me the keys. I'll drive 'em."
"You don't have to," Maka waved her hand dismissively.
"Nah, all three of these fools have gotten extra time with you," he waved towards Soul, Kim, and Black Star. "It's my turn."
"Hey," Soul started to gripe but Maka's attentions were already on him, her hand touching his arm softly.
Her lips were next to his ear in a second. "Set up for the surprise party while you discuss the plan. I know you'll tell me later tonight."
"I will." Even in all the seriousness, he felt his face burning especially as her lips barely grazed his cheek as she moved away.
Maka offered him one of those smiles that made his legs turn to jelly before she turned back to Shelley to grab her hand. The room waited for the sound of the band of three to be out of earshot, eyes not meeting and hands shuffling to find the right places to be. When the car started in the distance, Marie let out a long sigh, "Now that Maka's taken my child away from hearing, I guess it's time to discuss whatever idiocy you all are planning."
"Have some faith, woman!" Black Star barked but withered slightly under the glare he got in return. "Mom," he corrected.
"Faith will be restored once I hear that you aren't planning some suicide mission," Marie snapped as she turned those mercilessly drilling eyes towards Stein. "And that fact that you made Franken come with us makes me think you're aiming for something close to that."
"Let's hear them out first," Stein warned.
"We have to get rid of Medusa." Soul let that fall flatly in everyone's laps, watching as each face absorbed it differently.
"So, I'm right," Marie threw up her hands. "Franken, no."
"Again, wait." Nothing in his cautionary tone of voice calmed her and as he came to sit next to her, Marie clutched at his hand, squeezing the life out of it.
Black Star sighed, "Look, there's been a lot of shifts in loyalty. I've got a group, Kilik and Kim included, that are looking for an out. Right now, Medusa's focus has been split between a new feud with Noah and this torturing Soul bullshit. If we strike while the rest are busy with the NGs, we have a shot at getting to her."
"And you're sure she doesn't suspect a thing?" Stein raised his eyebrows, trying to ignore the way a reaction other than an absolute 'no' made the rage come off of Marie in waves.
"She gets that I'm loyal to Soul," Black Star shook his head. "So I made sure that me, Kilik, and Kim were the first ones back to the pit to discuss the alternative to her stupid plan about Maka. She still wants the blond on a silver platter and she wants to watch it tear Soul apart."
"Fucking sadist," Soul spat under his breath.
The curses didn't slow Black Star, just leaving him to shrug before continuing, "Which is why the three of us are out tonight. Officially, we're looking for the two of them. I gave Medusa the lines that Soul would trust us so we could find him out, expose him, bring him to her, or her to him, whatever. Whether or not she believes that, well, that's the gaping hole we have."
Stein tapped thoughtfully at his chin, "But she didn't have you trailed, followed, or attached others to your group. So she trusts you'll do what she wants.
"Or she has a plant among you to begin with," Marie snapped.
"Alright, Marie, yes," Stein graced her with a soft smile that was not returned. "And where are you planning to 'find' Soul and Maka?"
"At your house," Black Star asserted but let his eyes stay on Stein, no courage to give Marie even a passing glance. "It makes sense that he'd be hiding there. Maka would be with him. Medusa hates Marie so it gives her the added pleasure of fucking with Marie. We convince Medusa to meet us there, extract Maka personally."
A smile was growing on Stein's face that Soul had seen before, the kind that pre-dated Shelley. "And if she tried to convince you just to bring the party to her?"
"Convince her of what's already obvious - Soul's ready to die for this girl. He'd make us kill him before we could get her out and I don't think Medusa wants Soul dead." Black Star sent his eyes to Soul, finding him silently clenching his jaw.
Stein was nodding, piecing the puzzle together in his mind. "And at the house?"
"At my house," Marie corrected.
"Doesn't have to be." Soul had been trying to find the best time to interject and this seemed to offer him the best opportunity. "You always wanted to move out of the city, Marie. Here's your chance. Live here. Even after what happens with Medusa, it's probably going to be dicey for a while. I'm saying all of you move out here for as long as you like. Forever if you want."
For once, Marie's lips couldn't form a comment or rejection, just a small gape as she stared at Soul.
Black Star didn't hold onto the interlude, writing over the niceties of Soul's idyllic picture. "Which means the house turns into - sorry, Mom - a bloodbath. No matter who she brings with her, no matter what, it's all of us or all of them."
They all let the idea settle, movies of possibilities playing across each mind. Oddly enough it was Kim who took a shuffling step next to Black Star, first to break the silence. "Look, I know I'm not exactly one to pull sway here, but that honestly sounds like the best chance we're going to get."
"The best chance," Marie muttered as she let her head fall into her hands.
Stein smoothed a hand over her hair, before leaning close, his whisper husky against her ear. "Think with your head, Marie. It's been a long time that you've had to take care of me. If we do this, it'll allow you the freedom you deserve. That our daughter deserves. We can finally have the things you want, things I couldn't promise you before."
Soul was watching the moment intently, finding Stein stealing the words he had compiled for Maka.
"If you die, you can't give me anything," she murmured back.
Stein chuckled in reply, receiving a fist to the chest from Marie. He grabbed it, unraveling the fingers just to tangle them in his own. "When are we going to do this?" Stein raised his eyes back to Black Star.
"Soul?" Black Star deflected.
"As soon as we can," Soul sighed before rolling his shoulders. "Delaying too long might look like we're actually taking the time to plan something."
Stein nodded, "We'll celebrate Shelley tonight. Let things settle tomorrow. Black Star, you go late tomorrow night and set the trap with Medusa. Let her decide when to spring."
"Got it." Black Star cut across the floor to Soul, placing an arm on his shoulder. "Maka doesn't have to be there, got it? She can stay here with Mom and Shelley."
Soul took a deep breath, the words that were ready to glance off his lips the most terrifying he had ever uttered. "That'll be for her to decide."
Black Star raised his eyebrows but let the argument be. He turned his head back towards the couch, "So, Mom… how do you want to do Shelley's thing?"
"Now my opinion is asked for," Marie hiccuped through a sob.
"Boys, just set up, I'm going to take Marie upstairs." Stein got up from the couch but received nothing more than his hand batted away as he tried to help Marie up. She started for the stairs on her own and Stein sighed after her.
"So…" Black Star waved a lame hand in Soul's direction.
"So?" Soul shot back.
"You're both hopeless," Kim sighed. "I brought some supplies along with the cake. It's in one of the gift bags. Black Star, go fish it out while Soul, is there a dining room off the kitchen?"
"Yeah."
She shooed him off almost immediately. "Go start making that look acceptable."
Soul was driven away effectively, walking through the kitchen where Black Star was already shuffling through bags and into the dining room which he'd thankfully managed to declutter last weekend. His eyes did fall on the china cabinet, though, one of those pinnacles of old-lady-hood that was the only stereotypical thing his Nana had. Inside was the finest china, passed down from some great grandmother from some eastern European country. The set was bright white with beautifully contrasting red poppies speckling it in bright bursts. The door argued with him as he opened it, creaked loudly but still gave him the cache inside.
He paused, reaching into his pocket and taking out his cellphone. After clicking on Maka's name he typed, "Try to remember some fancy tea. Let Shelley pick." Even after hitting send his fingers hovered, a sigh falling softly from his lips. "Thanks for taking her. Lame in text, so expect more thanking tonight."
"Tea check," came back almost instantly but he watched the little dots with growing anxiety. "I expect a lot tonight."
That in no way calmed him, a cryptic message that threatened a million different ways to pull apart. A helpless groan passed his lips before he could catch it and it was followed by a laugh from Kim's throat. "What's that sound for?"
"Nothing," Soul grumbled as he pocketed his phone. "Help me take out these dishes so we can wash them."
"Uh-huh," Kim smirked as she followed his lead. They only moved a few dishes at a time, Soul feeling the threat of his Nana's ghost haunting him if he even chipped a corner but eventually the entirety was brought to the kitchen. Soul started at the sink, Black Star drying and Kim waiting at the side to transport each piece back to the living room. "How long do you think Marie and Stein are going to be?" Kim broke the silence of the workline.
Black Star seemed to give this serious thought before nodding his head in agreement with his own answer, "At least thirty minutes. They're totally doing it."
"Dude, come on," Soul grumbled as Kim erupted into laughter. "That's just, ugh, come on."
"It's natural, it's them," Black Star shrugged. "Ever did the math on when Shelley was born? Nine months after you and me signed on for real. Marie's the physical type. That's how she chills out. Bet you-"
"No bet," Soul grimaced.
"You're just sour because you haven't gotten any," Black Star teased.
"What?" Kim nudged into Soul. "Well, Maka did make a very particular face when I called her your girlfriend."
"What kind of face?" Soul shot back instantly, moving his focus from the dish at hand to examine Kim's expression. "And when the hell did you do that?"
Kim put up her hands innocently. "It was an accident, it kind of just slipped when I was talking to Kilik on the phone before we met you at the pit."
Soul's stomach dropped. So before we even talked it out. "Probably hated the fucking idea," Soul muttered.
"More like heartbroken." Kim patted Soul's arm before manually turning him back to the sink to try to kickstart the work. "But you two seemed alright today…"
"And there's always tonight," Black Star chimed. He grabbed the plate from Soul's hand, drying it and handing it off to Kim who scuttered off with a wink.
"We're… she's…" Soul sighed as he picked up another dish. "There's a lot going on. And it's not fair to think or expect that she's going to even want to kiss me again after we discuss the plan."
"Duh." Black Star used his dish free hand to smack Soul in his white mop of hair. "There's this thing, consent, I know you know this. It goes right back to what I said before. You ask."
"Super romantic," Soul groaned.
"I get it, I'm amazing, a God, but do I have to do everything for you?" Black Star motioned out the window. "You've got that whole other house over there, right? A nice bedroom that you can set up just for the two of you. Give her a view of what your future could look like. Show her that you're not just planning to die."
"In one night?" Soul squeaked.
"Hey, Kim and I can manage the rest of the party. It's nothing big, just go over there and see what you can do."