Soul was completely lost in the brooding window stare while Maka dressed. She still wasn't entirely sure if it had been a good idea to give him that plan especially as the bags under his eyes were more than apparent in the morning light. And I know he's giving himself just today to think and I still feel like… is he just hurting himself again?

A knock at the door interrupted Maka's thought and she watched as it tore Soul from his pondering. He made sure to keep Maka out of view as he opened it, pleasantly surprised by Lizzie. "Listen, no time, if we leave now Catherine will be busy with the final preparations with the caterers and your father will still be golfing."

Soul managed a laugh, "Leave for what?"

Lizzie was rolling her wrist, motioning out the hurry that she wanted from him. "Brunch, where we can drink copious amounts of alcohol to prepare for another afternoon and evening of listening to your mother's expectations which we all know is as fun as a teeth-pulling."

"Lizzie, it's 9 AM," Soul smirked.

"Live a little," Lizzie winked before calling over Soul's shoulder, "Maka, darling, come on."

"Coming," Maka instantly cried back, leaving Soul with nothing to do but shrug.

As soon as Maka was ready, the four of them snuck out of the house like teenagers. Lizzie insisted that they take a car since booze was supposedly the main thing on the menu and off they went to town. Soul spent more of his time focused on the window but it was nice to have the addition of Maka's voice fluttering in the background and her fingers eagerly patting messages into his palm. Smiling didn't feel so impossible then.

"I got very little out of Maka yesterday, so should I dare ask you about the wedding plans, Soul?" Lizzie had thankfully waited until they were all with drinks in hand and past the obligatory cheers.

"Uh," Soul elongated the vowel as he risked a glance at Maka, finding an amused smile on her face. "All I'm thinking about is surviving to New Year's. Beyond that…" he shrugged to finish.

"Why do you and Maka enjoy torturing me?" Lizzie huffed as Wes wrapped an arm around her shoulder, directing a low laugh at her.

"Actually," Soul let a sly grin start on his lips, "Maka did make a few decisions."

Maka stopped moving her glass to her lips and raised her eyebrows. "I did?"

"A restaurant," he nudged her and a blush started on her cheeks. "Only a few people, no dancing."

"I think you might have made that up," Wes scoffed. "Sounds too much like your own dream come true."

Soul chuckled, "Yeah, when she let me off the hook for dancing I was pretty excited."

Maka elbowed him, attempting an annoyed glare his way. "That was just daydreaming, Soul Evans. Who knows what's going to happen."

"Well, Soul's made it very clear in the past that there's not to be anything traditional," Wes raised his eyebrows playfully as Soul flushed.

"Oh? And when was that?" Maka gave him another jab in the side and Soul choked on air.

"Who the hell remembers," Soul muttered as he eyed Wes, daring him to continue. Thankfully, he didn't, leaving Soul only at the mercy of Lizzie tossing out more ideas. He settled, letting Maka destroy most of the suggestions as they lazily made their way through food and drink. There was a pleasant fuzzy feeling in his lips by the time they were done and Maka actually slipped an arm around his waist as they left the restaurant, steadying him as they started down the streets.

"Let's drop the boys here," Lizzie pointed to a bench.

"Hm?" Maka looked from the bench to the storefront and her face turned a shade of cherry that Soul had never seen before. "Lizzie!"

"I know, I know, I'm worse than Catherine sometimes but humor me, please? Just one. Maybe two."

Soul followed Maka's attention, the title over the door making a glowing smirk rush across his lips. "Maka…"

"And you're sitting on the bench," she snapped at him as she deposited Soul in the seat before turning a threatening finger to Wes. "And if you let him move from this spot I will never forgive you." Soul whistled playfully at the threat, earning him one more glare from Maka. "Stay on this bench, Soul, I mean it."

"I'll try," Soul offered a weak shrug before melting into chuckles.

"Let's go!" Lizzie sang out as she grabbed Maka's hand and tugged her towards the door. There was one last meaningful scowl before the two disappeared into the store.

"Was this Lizzie's plan all along?" Soul turned to his brother, finding him covering his own amused laughter.

"Mostly," Wes shrugged. "She's incorrigible. Maka made the mistake yesterday of telling her she hadn't even thought about dresses and well," he motioned towards the shop.

Soul let out a pleased hum of agreement, even if there was that antsy feeling starting in his gut. Peeking was out of the question, he knew that, but he was going to have to start weighing the punishment if he let his mind start to wander to fantasy. The mental pictures he could create might just be more torturous than anything she'd put him through for actually stealing a peek.

Wes cleared his throat, bringing Soul back to reality. "I know you're probably worried about this enough as it is, but when were you going to tell Mother and Father?"

He might as well have dumped a bag of ice down Soul's pants, everything in him clenching at the idea again. Soul was longing to go back to his happy illusion of Maka in white but there was no going back, watching as the concern started to cement on Wes's face. "About that…"

The pause was enough that Wes had to fill it with something. "Are you not telling them?"

Soul let out a sharp, pathetic attempt at a laugh. "No, I know it has to happen, but… well, we were going to announce it at the party."

"Oh," Wes warbled.

"But I guess that's not even the biggest part, Wes," Soul sucked in air as an old feeling visited him. I'm going to lose my brother. It'll be me all alone again. He could barely swallow that down before starting again, "Look, I think I'm going to only give Mom the chance to accept this one hundred percent, no in-between. If she can't… I think I'm done, Wes. I'm not going to see her again. And don't worry, I'm going to tell her that, get her in private after we do the announcement."

"That's big, Soul," Wes murmured.

"Yeah, and I know that puts you in a weird place," Soul took in another shaking breath. "I don't want you in the middle, you know? Things for you guys, birthdays, big life shit, you can invite both of us, me and Mom, but I'm just going to come as your brother, not as her son." The next exhale came out as a nervous, tight laugh. "But I guess that's me worrying about shit three steps ahead because… well, there's a chance, right? She could…" Turning his eyes to Wes was agonizing because he could read the unknown there.

"I can fully admit I'm never sure of the choices that Mother will make," Wes sighed. "What I will say is… don't make this a yelling match, and don't let her put in a word edgewise. Just let it out in one, calm stream and offer to give her time to think about it. Encourage her not to make a split-second decision."

"You think I can do that?" Soul let another weak laugh leave his lips.

"Little brother, there's not much you can't do," Wes nudged him.

"Thanks," Soul eased out a sigh as he tipped his head back against the bench. "I mean it, though, Wes: I don't want you in the middle. If it gets to be too much-"

"Don't do that," Wes slung an arm around his shoulder. "While I'd rather not think about it unless it has to happen if there's a choice to make you should know that I value our relationship more than I can put into words."

"You mean that?" Soul barely choked out.

"Always have, little brother."

Soul had to focus on his hands wringing in his lap to keep from giving in to the burning in his eyes. He let Wes squeeze his shoulders one more time before he got the strength to croak, "So tomorrow at the party… I'll make some stupid grand announcement and then I'll grab Mom."

"No Maka?" Wes offered.

"No," Soul stood firmly even if everything else felt like it was crumbling.

"Then Lizzie will wait with her."

Soul wasn't sure he wanted the answer but he swallowed through the fear. "And you?"

Wes removed his hand from Soul's shoulder, ruffling his hair before bringing his hand back to his lap. "I'll be waiting for you and Mother to finish. I'd like to make sure she'll wait and think about it if you'll let me."

"Sure," Soul sighed out a relieved breath. "You know, I was fucking terrified to ask Maka, but I'm starting to feel like doing that was actually the easiest part of the damn engagement."

Wes raised his eyebrows playfully. "Wait until you actually get married."

That allowed for a few real chuckles until the door clapped open, stealing the air from Soul's mouth. Lizzie was leaning out, a devious smile on her face. "She said if you were still being good, right where she left you, you could come in and see just this one. It's definitely not the one but, and I quote, 'He's probably out there complaining about the Geneva Convention.'"

With more breathless laughter, Soul raised his eyebrows, "You mean I'm allowed?"

"For one, a definite no," Lizzie nodded quickly as she opened the door the rest of the way and motioned him in.

It felt like a trap but Soul didn't even consider it, scrambling to his feet before squeezing past Lizzie in the doorway. The shop wasn't exactly spacious so his eyes had almost nowhere else to go except for the small platform that Maka was standing on, mirrors surrounding her and making his eyes unsure of which visage he wanted to focus on. "Isn't it ridiculous?" Maka let out a sharp laugh as she puffed out a skirt that was more of an avalanche of white fluff from her waist.

"No," but Soul was still laughing at the absurdity. He was fairly sure the fabric in that skirt weighed more than her but even with that, he couldn't help that smidge of something welling up in his heart.

"What, this is what you're expecting?" She turned from the mirrors to him, her hands on her hips and a smirk threatening to destroy the irritation she was trying to exude.

"Nah," he shook his head sharply as he was finally able to grab her hands in his. "Just you lookin' pretty is never ridiculous."

Maka snorted a laugh, "As a powder puff?"

"Sure," he shrugged. "Hey, Maka…"

Her smile was all amusement now and she was curling an eyebrow up at him. "Yes, Soul?"

A delirious little laugh left his throat as he squeezed her hands. "Marry me, will you?"

"You already have your answer to that." She wanted to pretend that didn't thrill her, and she tried desperately to hold onto the quizzical look on her face but it was threatening to burst. "In this dress?"

"Definitely not," he laughed. One of his hands crept up her arm, pulling her and Maka gave in. She tipped close enough that he could snag a taste of her lips. "Which one's next?"

"None," Maka snapped quickly.

"Cruel," Soul grumbled as he stole one last kiss. "Means I'm just going to have to bribe Lizzie for information."

Maka rolled her eyes as she stepped down off the podium, having to gather arm-fulls of plumed material to keep from tripping. She started moving to the dressing room, assuming she was leaving him behind until his hand closed around her bicep as she was just about to turn the corner. "Soul," she chided but when her eyes hit his all of the teasing fell away.

"It's all or nothing tomorrow," he murmured to her as a trembling sigh left his lips.

She wished there weren't miles of fabric between them and all she could settle on was a hand over his. While she wanted to question, to push, she tried to channel him, to remember his surety. "I'll make it all worth it, Soul. I swear."

Maka had watched Soul fix his tie about fifteen times and when his hand raised again she grabbed it, pulling it back to his side where their fingers intertwined. "They're passing out the goddamn champagne," he muttered.

"And then?" Maka whispered back as she leaned closer, letting her lips caress his cheek.

He squeezed their joined hands. "Dad gives the traditional toast, then I jump up there like a madman."

Maka managed to snort a laugh, "Not mad."

"Nah, just in love," he managed a smile at her. "You still in for this wild ride?"

"For the rest of my life," she grinned.

"Music to my fucking ears," he murmured as he turned his head close enough to knock his forehead against hers. While Soul wished he could stay just that close he quickly detached from her, even dropping Maka's hand as the familiar clink of glasses started. It was all pomp as his parents moved to the raised floor where the piano stood, flooding his mind with each year's memory. The dress changed but not much of anything else until he reached last year, the night he was miles and miles away, finally broken free because he'd fallen in love with Maka. Soul risked one more glance at her before his father's voice started.

If he hadn't torn his eyes away maybe he would have seen it, the way Maka was lost in her own memories, bringing forth the same moment he had and finding her own break from tradition. The more I think about it, the more I'm sure it was that night that I realized it, the moment when he brought me home, and even in the loneliness of it all he refused to leave me. She was staring at his face and while there wasn't a scar from the split lip or any way to know how blackened that eye had been, his love was still very obviously left over. And I'm about to see him fight for it again.

As the obligatory applause filled the room, Soul started the walk, his champagne glass clenched tightly in his fingers. This was it, the wheels in motion with no way to derail them, evident by the fleeting moment of concern he saw on his mother's face as he made the final step. He was right next to her now, his eyes steady on hers as he clinked his glass until the room had died down. "I'm sure I don't have to introduce myself," Soul let a heavy, produced smile break his face as he turned his eyes to the crowd. "And while I'm sure you're more than ready to return to the fun after dad's toast I have just one more."

Catherine's hand flexed into his bicep but Soul didn't skip a beat. "This year's been exciting for the Evans family. This time last year we were announcing Wes and Lizzie's engagement and in a whirlwind, they were married by the summer. And while I love my brother dearly, it always seems like I'm resigned to walk in his footsteps, but let's just say that's because Wes always was the smart one." Soul gave an amiable shrug that allowed for a trickle of laughter from the crowd. "That's why a few weeks ago, I asked Maka Albarn," he waved a hand out into the crowd to her and Maka took the cue, stepping forward to join him, "if she wouldn't mind being my wife, and, well, I can't say we'll be married by this summer, but she said yes."

It felt vapid to raise her hand, displaying that timeless sign, so instead, Maka turned to him, resting the gemmed hand on his chest as she planted a kiss on his cheek. That was enough to call forth another round of applause and at least a whistle coming from Wes's direction. "I love you," Maka made sure to insert over the sound of the crowd.

"Wait for me," he tried to punctuate that with a smile and held on to it until he met his mother's smoldering eyes. "Come with me, Mom." Soul clamped a hand over Catherine's and started the walk off the podium. It wasn't to the hallway where they'd had their last fight but to the study. It felt fitting for the first place he had the guts to say he loved Maka to her face would be the place he'd finally put his foot down. He wasn't surprised by the anger that was radiating off her but by the silence, and it seemed as if Catherine held her breath until the door was shut behind them.

"Soul-" She started sharply but Soul tried to remember Wes's faith in him.

"Mom, just sit with me, alright?" He offered quietly as he took a seat in one of the leather chairs.

Catherine's eyes darted between him and the other chair before sitting with her hands clenched tightly in her lap. "What you did tonight-"

"Wasn't totally fair, Mom. I know. I'm sorry." For a fleeting second, he wondered if he'd ever said that to her and meant it since his childhood. The genuine delivery, since he did in some way mean it, seemed to destroy the next set of words on her tongue, leaving him with his opening. "But I didn't lie or anything. I asked Maka to marry me, she said yes, and sooner or later it's going to happen which means I can't put off this talk with you anymore. I've dealt with you and me fighting for years. I'm not going to say it's all your fault, since I'm not exactly the best son at times, I know, but I feel like a lot of it's been you wanting a life for me that I haven't ever been interested in."

Soul ran a quick hand through his hair, a little bewildered by the fact she allowed for any break in his flow. "And I know it's you wanting the best for me, but I don't think we actually agree on the definition of best. What's worse, is that's become way too obvious since Maka came along. You never even gave her a chance just because of pedigree and you have to realize how much that hurt her and hurt me. One year of this kind of behavior has been enough to show me that I can't and won't put her through this for the rest of her life. Which means," he sucked in a trembling breath. "You have a decision to make."

He reached across the divide, taking her hands in his. "You have a choice, Mom, and I'm only offering you this because you are my mom and I do love you. You need to get on board with this marriage, accept Maka for who she is, and at least make an attempt at getting to know her, or I'm…" he choked and powerlessly squeezed at her hands. "I'm done, Mom," his voice cracked as the threat of tears started to close his throat. "That'll mean," he strained, "that I won't come back. And I know this is a lot that I'm putting on you tonight so I'm hoping that if I give you a little time…"

"Please," came stiffly and very un-Catherine-like from her lips.

Soul risked raising his eyes to hers, finding a tight face and narrowed eyes with no describable message. "Yeah, Mom, of course. You… take the time you need to think about it." He stood and gambled with pulling her to her feet. Catherine seemed all too pliable though and he let his voice fall into a soothing whisper. "Maka and I are going to get going then. I… I love you." He wondered again how many times he might have said that to her and if the words even mattered. After all, aren't I just incapable of it? Instead, he swallowed it down and wrapped his arms around her. "Good bye, Mom."