"WHY ARE THEY TAKING SO LONG?"
Liz sighed. She almost regretted having BlackStar as her partner in crime. How where they supposed to observe their subjects in secret if he kept screaming around like a lunatic?
"I don't know. But shut up, pipsqueak. They could come in anytime."
Liz glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. They had been waiting in the café for thirty minutes now. She knew they would be coming sooner or later – Soul had been incredibly excited when he heard that his favorite cake was going to be on sale today – but they sure were taking their sweet time.
"I'M NOT LITTLE! I AM THE PERSON WHO WILL SURPASS GOD! WHAT COUNTS IS THE INNER BIGNESS! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
The wait had been good for one thing at least. She found out quite the effective way to rile up the blue-haired meister currently sitting across her. All she had to do was to remind him of his height. Or lack thereof. It was pretty amusing.
Or would be if his screaming hadn't alerted everyone within a 100 miles radius. If Maka and Soul were near, they could forget about their mission before even starting it.
"Psssst! Everyone is looking at us, idiot!"
He didn't seem to care.
"Imma get more chocolate cake. That shit is good. Want some?"
She risked a glance at the display window and immediately regretted it. Technically, Liz was on a diet. So chocolate cake was a no-go. But it looked so incredibly good… She looked around, no Patty to remind her of her failure. It had been bad enough having to watch her sister and her meister eating it (especially Kid – he needed forever to eat one slice of cake) and having to watch BlackStar now, too…
She nodded inconspicuously, as if doing something forbidden.
BlackStar wasn't the 'inconspicuous'–type.
"WHAT?"
"YES! Just get the damned cake already! And quit screaming!"
He grinned and went up to the cashier. Why had she thought that it would be a good idea to do an undercover mission with BlackStar of all people again?
She took another glance at her watch. Liz was more than ready for their subjects to just enter this damn cafe already. And BlackStar was taking his sweet time, too. As if he had heard her thoughts - maybe he was really becoming a god, after all - she heard him approaching not a second later.
"Took you long e-"
The words got stuck in her throat. Her eyes widened. It was BlackStar who had returned to the table, all right. BlackStar and seven pieces of cake. She wasn't entirely sure how he managed to balance all the plates from the counter to here without dropping any- there was even one on top of his head - but he somehow did. Sometimes - when the meister pulled stunts like these - his claims of surpassing God didn't seem so ridiculous. Kid surely wouldn't be able to bring them all the way without having a nervous breakdown. She could almost hear him wailing. ´Why does it have to be seven?! Seven is such an awful number! It isn't even even! Why not eight! Such a beautiful symmetrical - '
"ARE YOU STARING IN AWE AT YOUR GOD, LIZ? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
His shouting thankfully interrupted Kid's speech about the greatness of the number 8. Even if it was just in her head, it was just as annoying as the real thing.
"When I said that I wanted one, I meant one piece and not a whole cake."
"HAHAHAHA! YOU'RE FUNNY, LIZ!"
He pushed one of the plates in her direction and started inhaling the other six. Liz could only stare in envy. How did he manage to have such a figure eating those calory bombs? She'd have to ask him somed-
Her thoughts were interrupted by Maka and Soul coming through the door.
Finally.
Now all she had to do was to keep her partner quiet and observe.
"Pst! BlackStar! Our subjects are at 4 o'clock!"
He just looked at her, confusion written all over his face. She sighed. In simple English for BlackStar then.
"Soul and Maka just entered the café! Look inconspicuously at the door! Inconspicuously!"
And had she already mentioned that inconspicuous was the exact opposite of BlackStar?
He turned 180° around and stared right at them. She was glad that BlackStar's mouth was filled with cake, she was sure that he would be shouting otherwise. She wouldn't be surprised if he started waving, too.
Suppressing an annoyed sigh she grabbed his arm, turned him around, and pressed the menu to his face.
"This is an undercover mission, pipsqueak. So hide and shut up!"
By the time her partner had finally discovered the meaning of undercover, Soul and Maka were already seated. On a table directly in their field of vision. Perfect. She carefully peered over the card, making sure that her face wasn't visible from her subjects point of view. After a few very stressful moments filled with frantic hand gestures, BlackStar finally got the gist and followed her lead.
Shinigami, she was going to already have white hair in her twenties at this rate.
Making sure that BlackStar was hiding properly, she refocused on the whole reason she was enduring all this.
"I told you we should have come sooner!"
"Shut up, Soul! I just wanted to finish that assignment first!"
"You're such a bookworm!"
"And you're just lazy!"
Liz turned to BlackStar with wide eyes. If one looked close enough, they might see stars shining in them.
"They bicker just like a married couple!"
BlackStar only sighed.
"Believe me, I know. Those two idiots are my best friends. Do you have any idea of how often they flirt without even realizing it?!"
He didn't even shout. Maybe she was underestimating her partner in crime.
"Because of this stupid assignment, which isn't due until next week, there only is one piece of cake left! And because you're such a cheapskate we even have to share it!"
She let her gaze wander over the seven now empty plates before refocusing on BlackStar again. Scratch the 'maybe'. He was perfect.
"Good job you genius!"
He looked at her in confusion but only shrugged before going back to the important matters.
There was finally going to be some progress on Operation SoMa today.
She could feel it.
Soul and Maka's cake had arrived by now and both of them were bickering again.
"Seriously. How aren't they already dating?"
"I don't know. This is like the perfect date."
Liz couldn't help but imagine going on such a date herself. Sharing that delicious chocolate cake and flirting and -
"What are you sighing around? YOU'RE REALLY WEIRD! HAHAHAHAHA!"
She quickly assured herself that their subjects hadn't noticed them - she didn't know how they managed to overhear BlackStar, but she was infinitely glad they had - before slowly turning her head in the very loud meister's direction.
"Undercover!"
Unlike him, she whispered the words. She hoped her glare told him how she would murder him slowly and painfully if he slipped up again where her tongue couldn't. Their mission would fail - again - if he continued like this!
Yeah, he definitely did not fit into her dating fantasies.
It was then that she noticed another detail that had escaped her mind earlier. She frowned at the pair before them before looking back to their own plates.
"Wait, why did their cake get served and ours didn't?!"
"I wanted to bring them myself because I'M TH-"
"Pssssssst! Undercover, remember?!"
Her left eye started twitching. At this rate, Patty would be a better partner in this operation than BlackStar. And she had an attention span of 1.4 minutes - she had counted once.
Liz risked another glance over the menu. Maka and Soul somehow still didn't seem to have noticed them, too engrossed in their conversation. Thanks Shinigami.
She glared at BlackStar a last time before looking at their subjects again. And suddenly the urge to hit her definitely-not-perfect-partner became 10 times bigger than before.
Soul and Maka were both leaning over the table, noses almost touching.
"Fuck, I can feel the sexual tension from here."
Liz could only nod. What the fuck had they missed?! She had glared at her completely incompetent partner for two seconds and suddenly Maka and Soul were practically kissing?!
Could today be the day SoMa finally happened?
Soul was leaning even closer now. He was whispering something. A love confession? Sweet nothingnesses? A poem about Maka's beauty? Liz was already swooning at the mere thought of it.
He slowly moved his hand and let it rest on her cheek. He almost didn't seem to notice the small circles he was tracing on her skin. Maka started blushing and – upon seeing it – Soul did, too. But neither leaned away.
Oh Shinigami, were they about to witness the first SoMa kiss?!
WHY HAD THEY NEVER THOUGHT OF BRINGING A CAMERA?!
"You have some chocolate there."
He wiped the melted chocolate off her cheek with his index finger and both resumed eating as if nothing had happened.
Liz could only stare incredulously at them. Both were still blushing, but the tension from before was slowly fading between more bickering and flirting.
How? Just how?
BlackStar seemed to be even more frustrated than her.
"DAMMIT SOUL, WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST KISS HER ALREADY?!"
Their subjects slowly turned their heads towards their table. Like every other customer in the café. Liz tried hiding behind the menu, but she knew a lost cause when she saw one. The blushes were back, almost as bright as during the 'almost-kiss'.
Liz almost cried in frustration thinking about the 'almost' part. Stupid word. Who needed it anyways.
And then, in perfect synch, Soul and Maka screamed.
"WE ARE NOT DATING!"
"BlackStar, I have two important matters to discuss with you."
The meister in question nodded. He could feel that this was serious.
"It's about-"
"Maka and Soul. I know. What's the plan?"
"We've been following them around for over a week now and nothing's happened. So I think it's time for some more… extreme measures"
BlackStar narrowed his eyes. A smile that could only be described as demonic appeared on both their faces.
"I totally agree"
"How about... we set them up on a date?"
"Wasn't the café incident practically one?"
"Fair enough."
"What if we smash their faces together until they kiss?"
"You know what? At this rate, I might just do that. Still not over their almost-kiss."
"Why didn't the idiot just kiss her already? Everyone knows that they like each other!"
"Well, everyone but them."
BlackStar sighed. How right she was. This whole operation wouldn't exist if the both of them just took a grip on themselves.
"How about… locking them in a room together?"
Liz only stared at him. Locking two people who lived in the same flat, had to share rooms in missions and spent all their time together anyways in the same room?
"BlackStar. YOU ARE A GENIUS!"
She winced when some innocent bystanders glared at her. She was definitely spending too much time with 'the man who would surpass god'. But it would all be worth it in the end. She just knew it.
"I've never been so glad that Maka's a nerd"
"ONLY ME – THE GREAT GOD – WAS ABLE TO MAKE HER TAKE HER BOOK DOWN WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER!"
"Pssssst! Undercover, remember?"
"Yeah, sorry"
She rolled her eyes and refocused on the task at hand.
"Our mission today is to lock our two subjects together and – most importantly – alone in the library of the DWMA. Our subjects are at 1o'clock – to your righ – that's left, you idiot! Yeah there. We have an obstacle at – forget it. Do you see Ox there? We have to get him out. Can you do that?"
"THERE IS NOTHING THE GREAT BLACKSTAR CAN'T D-"
"Pssssst!"
She looked around. Maka was too focused on her book, Soul was sleeping and Ox was… she had no idea what Ox was doing but he somehow managed not to hear her screaming partner either. Thank Shinigami.
"Okay, here is the plan. You go and get Ox out of the library while I-"
"FIGHT ME, OX!"
And he was already in the library. Liz sighed. As long as he fulfilled his mission…
The next moment she had to duck to avoid a flying Ox. Liz grimaced in sympathy. That must've hurt.
"BlackStar, now ge-"
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, LIZ?"
She almost screamed in shock. When had the little fucker gotten behind her?!
"ISN'T THE PLAN TO LOCK THEM –"
"YEAH! JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE DAMMIT!"
She took deep breaths and when her heart was finally beating somewhat normally again, she closed the door.
"Now we just have to barricade it."
They went to work, going from classroom to classroom and collecting tables and chairs to lock the two lovebirds in.
When the obstruction was finally ready, Liz sat down and wiped away the sweat on her forehead.
"Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever again"
BlackStar looked as if he could run a marathon. Of course.
"WE SHOULD DO THIS MORE OFTEN! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
She only stared at him incredulously. She already knew that her arms would be aching tomorrow.
"Uhm, what about no?"
Seriously, what was wrong with the guy?
Liz took off her hat and moaned when she felt her damp hair. She had just washed her hair this -
"OKAY! WHAT NOW?!"
She almost screamed when BlackStar's face suddenly appeared in her field of vision. And she did when the idiot smashed their fucking heads together. In pain.
"Ouch! Pay attention you stupid…. Uh…. Little…!"
It was hurting so much she could barely formulate an appropriate insult. She held her poor injured head between her hands and glared. If it started swelling, BlackStar wouldn't live to see tomorrow. God or not.
He, obviously, was completely unfazed.
"Pst. I grew up with Maka Albarn. This is nothing in comparison."
Liz could only stare in horror. Was this what a Maka-Chop felt like?! No, scratch that, was a Maka-Chop even worse than this?! Suddenly she felt bad for all the times she laughed at Maka's victims. No wonder Soul was so scared of it.
She moaned as another spark of pain shot through her head.
"Ugh. I'll go get some ice."
"YOSH! A GREAT GOD LIKE ME TAKES CARE OF HIS FOLLOWERS! HAHAHAHAHA!"
She only looked at him in confusion. With her throbbing skull, thinking suddenly became way harder than before. Oh, he wanted to come with -
"Wait! What about Soul and Maka?!"
She looked uncertainly at the door. Her head was hurting, seemed like he was hard-headed in every sense of the word. But the operation…
"COME ALREADY, SLOW-POKE! DON'T LEAVE YOUR GOD WAITING! HAHAHA!"
She rolled her eyes and stood up. If Soul and Maka could wait over a year before finally making a move, they surely could wait the twenty minutes it took to get to the infirmary and back.
Each step shot a spark of pain on her head. She was starting to feel a bit lightheaded. Oh Shinigami. What if BlackStar had given her a concussion or something? She had an appointment at the hairdresser tomorrow and she couldn't just –
"SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
And there was her partner. Waiting for her while jumping around as if he hadn't just gotten the same blow to the head she had.
"Shut up! It's your fault, pipsqueak!"
He only laughed and sprinted to the infirmary. She went on a much slower pace. He came back to check on every once in a while, but was mostly jumping around outside of her field of vision.
"SLOWPOKE! SLOWPOKE! SLOWPOKE! SLOWPOKE!"
She was starting to get a headache that had absolutely nothing to do with the headbutt she had suffered earlier.
She buried her hands in her hair in frustration and – shit. Was it only her imagination or did her head feel somewhat bigger?
"BLACKSTAR! IF MY HEAD SWELLS I AM GOING TO BEAT YOU UP SO HARD NOT EVEN TSUBAKI WILL RECOGNIZE YOU!"
His laughter, coming somewhere from her right, was the only indication that he'd heard her.
"AND IF I GET A CONCUSSION! I AM GOING TO INFLICT SO MUCH PAIN –"
It kept going like this the whole way to the infirmary. By the time they were back at the library, Liz holding a pack of ice to her head – it had been nothing after all. Barely a swelling and definitely no concussion – she was already running out of death threats. And she knew a lot of those, being a former criminal in New York.
She sat back down in her spot next to the library. BlackStar left himself down next to her.
They didn't talk for a while, BlackStar's fidgeting and Ox's occasional moans the only things disrupting the silence.
It lasted for about five minutes.
She shouldn't be surprised. It was BlackStar after all.
"I know you didn't get a concussion and you didn't die and it barely swelled, but I'm bored so FIGHT ME!"
She didn't bother shushing him. If Maka and Soul hadn't heard them before, they surely wouldn't hear them now.
"No! Are you crazy?! We just came back from the infirmary! And I just did my nails yesterday!"
"I'LL EVEN GO EASY ON YOU! DON'T WANT TO SMASH MY SOMA PARTNER INTO PIECES! HAHAHAHAHA!"
She only rolled her eyes. Did she really have to explain it?!
…apparently yes. Okay, extra easy for her partner, then.
"BlackStar."
She waited until he looked at her before continuing.
"A woman has to set her priorities straight. Look–"
She lifted her hand in front of her face so that it formed a horizontal line.
" – My priority number one is Patty. Then –"
She slipped her hand a bit downwards.
" – is me and then – "
She put her hand even further down.
"– Kid. And after that are my looks. And you are…there"
She laid her hand on the floor.
BlackStar didn't seem disheartened.
"AND YOUR GOD IS –"
He grabbed her hand and shoved it so far up her shoulder almost dislocated.
"HERE! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Liz only rolled her eyes. She was used to him by now. She shot another look at the doors. Still nothing. She sighed. This operation was turning out to be a total disaster. They'd have to come up with something else if they wanted to get both oblivious idiots together in this lifespan.
"Okay. Back to important matters. About Soul and Maka, what do you want to do now?"
"CAPES!"
"…what?"
"Superheroes always have their uniforms when saving the day. AND THEY ALWAYS WEAR CAPES! HAHAHA! AND WE ARE SAVING THE WORLD! WITH EVERY OPERATION WE HELP TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM THE TORTURE THAT IS HAVING TO WATCH SOUL AND MAKA FLIRTING AND BICKERING BUT NEVER GETTING TOGETHER! HAHAHAHA!"
"I agree with almost everything you just said. Everything but one thing. NO CAPES! Can't we get shirts or something instead? I'd love a cute crop top or something."
"YES! WITH THE RIGHT UNIFORM THEY'LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KISS! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Liz couldn't help but picture BlackStar in a little crop top. With frill. And glitter.
"WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
She decided not to point out that he was laughing, too. Instead, she really considered the idea. In the beginning, it had only been a joke, but now that she was really thinking about it…
"You know what? I think I know someone. We can have these shirts in about a week, I think."
"HAHAHAHA! FUNNY, LIZ! DON'T MESS WITH- ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
He stared at her. She nodded.
"Liz, I'm so glad you're the one I'm doing this project with."
He looked so serious all of a sudden…
And suddenly Liz realized that, although he was loud and impatient and actually awful for undercover missions, she was glad that he was her partner, too.
"BlackStar–"
"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?"
Liz almost jumped in shock. She had completely forgotten the previously knocked-out Ox in the corner. If this continued any longer, she would die of a heart attack before Soul and Maka finally had their first kiss.
"SHUT UP!"
A punch later and he was knocked out again. Liz really hoped the crack she heard was just in her imagination.
"On the nose? That's harsh."
"I MAY HAVE OVERDONE IT, HUH? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THAT'S WHAT GODS DO!"
She sat back down on her spot next to the library.
"As impossible as it seems, I'm glad that you are my partner in this operation, too"
Ox moaned again. She almost felt sorry for him.
"I'LL GET RID OF THIS ANNOYING BODY! HOW DARE HE ANNOY HIS GOD? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
He stood up and dragged Ox's limp body behind him. Wherever he was taking him, she hoped it was at least comfortable.
It was in this calm silence that Liz suddenly noticed a fatal fault in their otherwise genius plan. She looked at the barely visible doors and had to resist the urge to facepalm.
How had she not seen it any sooner?!
The second BlackStar returned, she fixated him with her 'we-messed-up' look.
"WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT YOUR GOD LIKE THIS? HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
She wasn't laughing. After a while, he stopped, too.
"BlackStar… how are we going to know if anything happens inside?"
He only looked at her as if she was stupid.
"EASY! WE-"
He took a look at their current predicament and suddenly deflated. The doors were closed, so they had no chance of peeking inside. And with the huge wall of chairs and tables they had mounted, there was no way they could get close enough to listen, either.
Stupid.
In the next moment, the library doors suddenly flew open. Out came an angry Maka swinging a transformed Soul around. Her eyes narrowed as soon as her gaze focused on the both of them.
"Did you lock us up in there?"
It was Soul who talked. Now that he was in human form, he looked just as pissed as his meister.
Liz gulped. Maka was standing right before a library. Filled with books. Heavy books.
BlackStar didn't seem to have the same self-preservation instincts as her.
"YEAH! YOU DIDN'T FORGET THE CONDOMS, HUH SOUL?"
Liz winced. This boy had no shame at all. And their subjects now somehow seemed to be even more pissed than before.
"WE ARE NOT DATING!"
"THAT'S THE PROBLEM! RIGHT, LIZ? LIZ? LIIIIIIIIIIIZZ!"
The last thing she heard was BlackStar screaming her name before she was outside the DMWA. A woman had to know when to run. And she wasn't willing to really get a concussion this time.
A month later found Liz and BlackStar inconspicuously following their subjects in a… borrowed car. Liz felt a bit bad for going back to old habits, but it was for the greater good. They had assured that the owner was out of town, with a little luck they wouldn't even notice that their car had been taken for a little outing.
She looked over at her partner. She had to admit that she was a bit jealous. They were both wearing their uniforms for SoMa Operations. A red crop top with a black heart on the back and 'Operation SoMa' written with bold white letters on the front. And BlackStar was somehow absolutely slaying it. Crop tops were supposed to be her thing!
"FASTER, LIZ! FASTER! YOU SLOWPOKE! HAHAHAHAHAHA! THEY TURNED OVER THERE!"
Liz sighed. That was how it had been for the last hour. While Soul could effortlessly get into all the little spaces with his bike, Liz and BlackStar were at a huge disadvantage in their car. But BlackStar didn't seem to understand that there was something called traffic regulations. And when he wasn't prodding at her to go faster –
"IF YOU WANNA BE MY LOVER, YOU GOTTA GET WITH MY FRIENDS!"
Liz rolled her eyes but smiled. She really did love spice girls. And the only person currently able to judge her was wearing a crop top and horribly singing at the top of his lungs.
She turned the music louder.
"MAKE IT LAST FOREVER! FRIENDSHIP NEVER EEEEEEEEEEENDS!"
And to think they had almost lost this opportunity. Had she not convinced BlackStar to give the mission to Maka… she didn't know what she would do, but it wouldn't be pretty. He had been fighting with the blonde over a mission. A mission in Paris, the city of love. Honestly, sometimes BlackStar could be denser than Soul and Maka combined.
When their finally got off their bikes, Liz almost cried in relief. BlackStar had been unbearable the last half an hour. Opening the windows even though the AC was on, changing the radio every two seconds and asking her the whole time when they would be finally arriving. When they finally did, she was sure she was more relieved than BlackStar himself.
"Ok. Now we have to follow them in the car, so be quiet."
She would've laughed at his misery if she wasn't feeling the same. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to stay in close quarters with the meister before exploding.
Their subjects finally got off the bike. They were talking about something while walking towards… -
Liz looked up ahead and almost started dancing in joy.
They were going towards a café. It was cute. It was romantic. And most importantly, it wasn't a car. She excitedly turned on the engines and slowly followed them in a safe distance.
They were almost at its door now. Soul was pointing at it and saying something. She couldn't hear what it was, but the message was clear.
Let's have a super romantic date in this little adorable café!
She was already looking for a parking spot. When she looked up again – she found a parking lot in the middle of Paris, if that wasn't fate, she didn't know what it was – she immediately… deflated.
They were walking away. Leaving the romantic little café behind.
She had just stolen a car. She had just survived hours in a car with BlackStar. She was hungry and thirsty because both had forgotten to bring some snacks. And these two dense idiots couldn't just enter this stupid cute and fucking romantic cafe with actual food. She couldn't contain herself anymore. Elizabeth Thompson was at her fucking limit.
"WHY DIDN'T THEY ENTER THAT STUPID LITTLE ROMANTIC CAFÉ?! IT WOULD BE THE PERFECT DATE! IT WOULD BE A PERFECT REST FROM THIS ROAD TRIP OF HELL! WHYYYYYYYYYYY?"
She let her head rest on the steering wheel and took a deep breath.
The wind messing with her hair wasn't really making it any easier.
Deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Soul and Maka were in Paris, the city of love, alone. That was a unique chance she couldn't mess –
Wait. No. Shinigami, please no. But if there was wind, that meant…
With a dreadful feeling of foreboding, she slowly lifted her head.
She could only stare in horror at what she saw.
The car window was open. And Soul and Maka were staring at them from over the road. She'd never seen them look so angry before. It was even worse than at the library.
"WE'RE NOT DATING!"
Maka went on a tirade about privacy and that they should leave and whatnot, but Liz wasn't listening.
They had come so far… and now…
"A woman gotta know when to turn around."
Liz sighed in defeat but nodded. BlackStar was right. Maybe another time. She stole another glance at Soul trying to calm Maka down. As soon as he noticed her gaze, he glared at her. At that moment, he looked even scarier than in his scythe form. She wasn't sure how one could look more threatening than a huge black blade, but he managed just fine. She sighed again and turned the car. Not even BlackStar in a crop top could cheer her up now.
"So pipsqueak, I was thinking. If big things aren't working, we have to start small. Observe them more. Let some hints drop in conversation. Stuff like that."
"But I did that before the whole operation even started! I even hit on Maka for Soul. And on Soul for Maka!"
"… did it work?"
"OBVIOUSLY NOT!"
Liz held her ringing ears. Okay, she deserved that. Obviously. They wouldn't be here doing this otherwise.
"But you were outnumbered before. Now there's two of us."
He looked at her. Even after months of working together with him on the Project SoMa, she still didn't get the guy. One second he was all serious and the next-
"FUCKING YES! THEY'LL BE TOGETHER BEFORE THEY NOW IT!"
Well, she couldn't deny that his enthusiasm was pretty infectious.
"Hell yeah! Our next class is history, right? If I change places with Kid we'll be sitting next to each other and – more importantly –"
She smiled deviously.
"Directly behind Soul and Maka"
BlackStar imitated a surprisingly good evil laugh.
"THEY'LL BE KISSING BEFORE THEY KNOW IT!"
oOo
They didn't kiss before they knew it.
Not on the first day. Not in the first week. Not even after a month.
They actually barely talked, Maka always too focused on the lesson to do anything else.
Their plan was a complete and utter failure.
Letting some not-so-inconspicuous hints drop (BlackStar was rubbing off on her) didn't help either.
At least the history teacher had been oblivious to their seat change. And sitting next to BlackStar wasn't a complete nightmare, either.
oOo
"Hey, Liz. Got any plans for Project SoMa today?"
She sighed. This wouldn't be easy, but, as BlackStar had so wisely said in their failed Paris mission, a woman had to know when to give up. She put a hand on BlackStar's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.
"You have been a great partner, BlackStar. You have amazed me again and again with your extremely stupid genius. But I'm quitting."
He looked at her incredulously.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU ARE QUITTING?!"
"Listen, we've already been trying for half a year-"
"I THOUGHT WE WERE IN THIS TOGETHER! I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL!"
"- and I even had to cancel my hairdresser once-"
"LIZ! YOU-"
"SHUT UP! JUST LISTEN TO ME, OKAY?!"
She took a deep breath.
"It has been very good working with you, partner, but I think that our attempts are fruitless. A woman gotta know when to give up, and now is one of those times."
He sighed and nodded.
"Okay. But… but can we still be friends?"
She was shocked to silence for a second. Was it that easy?! She had a speech prepared and everything.
"Of... of course, pipsqueak."
"Okay, you can quit."
She rolled her eyes.
"Not like you could stop m-"
"BUT I WON'T STOP! NOT UNTIL I PERISH OR SUCCEED!"
"Can you… keep me updated?"
He smirked.
"'Course, partner."
She tipped her hat up. This had gone a lot smoother than expected, and she wasn't about to complain. Better end this conversation now before it somehow went downhill.
"Goodbye, BlackStar. And I have to say that you accepted it better than I expected."
"BYE, LIZ! AND IT'S JUST LIKE YOU SAID! A WOMAN GOTTA KNOW WHEN TO GIVE UP! AND MY TIME HASN'T COME YET!"
She sweatdropped. Liz was so used with the stares by now that she didn't even bother shushing him.
The History lesson they had afterward was a bit awkward.
It seemed that fate was as much of a SoMa shipper as her and BlackStar.
The first thing Liz saw when she entered the school the day after the dissolving of their partnership, was blue hair. She sighed. She really should have expected that. Liz had barely gone through the doors before BlackStar was suddenly jumping on her like a… well, like BlackStar.
"Liz! Liz! LIZ! LIIIIIIIIZZZZZ!"
He was almost crying. Patty was giggling like crazy. Kid was just staring at them as if they were aliens.
Liz only sighed again. She didn't know why she had hoped that he would take it in better. But he had seemed so well yesterday… now that she thought about it, it was a bit out of character.
She missed it as well, she could admit it. Plotting for Operation SoMa had become so common, it almost felt like a hole now that she didn't have to anymore. But, as she had already explained, a woman gotta know when to give up. Enough was enough.
It only seemed that her former partner hadn't understood that yet. So she took a deep breath and explained it. Again. For BlackStar.
"Look, BlackStar. I know that a breakup can hurt, believe me, it's not easy for me either. I wish nothing more than to see those two dense idiots get their shit together already. And I don't regret… this. Us. I wasn't lying when I said that I'm glad that you were my partner in this wonderful although very nerve-consuming operation. But –"
"BUT A WOMAN GOTTA KNOW WHEN TO GIVE UP! I KNOW! BUT THE TIME ISN'T NOW!"
"BlackStar…"
Before she could say anything else, he had already grasped her arm and was dragging her behind him. Did she weight nothing for him? She would've felt flattered if it wasn't for her annoyance.
The last thing she saw was her sis waving and her meister having another breakdown.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?! "
BlackStar, as expected, ignored her. She sighed. There was nothing she could do now, anyway.
He was dragging her towards the mission board, where the subjects and Tsubaki were already waiting. The first thing she noticed was Soul's new headband, a black one of leather. Well, it was getting time for him to finally throw that old piece of fabric away. But she doubted that BlackStar dragged her here only to talk about his friend's new fashion choices. Although... BlackStar had often surprised her with his -
She stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she saw it.
No, it couldn't be. She was hallucinating. That was the only explanation.
She rubbed her eyes and looked again. The image hadn't changed.
She looked down the hall and looked back. She even pinched herself – it hurt. Nothing.
An almost maniac grin made way to her face.
She still couldn't believe it, although she was seeing it with her very own eyes.
Progress.
Suddenly she was incredibly glad to have kept the SoMa uniform in her closet.
Because Soul-I-hate-casual-touches-Evans was holding Maka-I-don't-trust-boys-or-believe-in-romantic-relationship-Albarn's hand.
Both were smiling like idiots. And blushing, too. She regretted a bit having missed their first kiss, but it drowned in the pure joy she felt seeing them like that now. It really was about time.
She still couldn't believe it, even with the evidence right before her eyes.
"Are they?"
"No. I asked Maka."
"… WHAT?!"
She ignored her friends' weird looks and only stared incredulously at the fucking oblivious couple making heart eyes at each other.
How?
No, seriously. HOW?!
"Are you going to Soul's party tonight?"
It was Tsubaki who pulled her out of her little ball of disbelief and misery.
She exchanged a look with BlackStar and nodded. Operation SoMa was on again. And this time she would woman up and stay until the end.
Liz had held herself back from wearing her SoMa uniform. Sure, she and BlackStar were here on business, not to party like the other idiots. But it was an undercover mission. And Soul and Maka had seen it so often by now, there was no way they didn't know what it meant. For a second she considered that perhaps it was her and BlackStar doing something wrong. Soul and Maka somehow always found them before anything could happen. But she banned this ridiculous thought as soon as she had it. Pf. As if. If anything, they were helping these hopeless dorks.
BlackStar didn't know such restraints.
Patty teased him a bit and was that a red hue she saw on their subjects' cheeks? But he wore the crop top with such confidence that no one commented much further. It was BlackStar, after all.
And then, of course, there was Soul.
If she had any doubts left after school, she surely didn't have them now.
Liz didn't know if it was his growth surge or the new age or something, but suddenly he didn't seem to have any boundaries anymore. No matter if holding hands, an arm draped over her shoulder or touching thighs, Soul was always casually touching Maka - all fully on accident, she was sure. Please note that sarcasm there. And they had thought that Soul and Maka were flirting before? Well, that was fucking nothing compared to now.
Even Maka looked a bit confused at his sudden forwardness.
But she sure didn't seem to mind it.
Operation SoMa was coming together, and she and BlackStar hadn't even done anything yet.
It sure was a sight for her sore eyes.
She exchanged looks with BlackStar next to her. His eyes were literally shining. She could only imagine that hers looked the same.
If nothing happened that bloody evening, she would hit someone. She just wasn't sure whether her victim would be their subjects, BlackStar or herself.
Liz still couldn't believe that nothing had happened at the party.
She let her frustrations out on BlackStar. She would've felt sorry for him if he wasn't doing the same. Seriously?! Soul and Maka literally acted just like a couple - even more than normal, at least - and it was supposed to mean nothing?! When that was the answer Liz got when she asked Maka, she had waited for the meister to say that she was only messing with her or something. But that didn't happen. Instead, Soul came back from the bathroom and they continued acting like a romantic couple. But only as friends, of course.
A woman had to know when to give up. And what she saw at Soul's party over a month ago? That was their subjects practically screaming at them to do something.
So, after allowing themselves a day to get over the simply impossible obliviousness of their subjects, they went right back into business. And had been more active than ever before since.
Dropping less and less inconspicuous hints. Casually mentioning great places for a first date. They'd even reserved a table at the fanciest restaurant in Death City once! Their subjects hadn't appeared, but at least she and BlackStar had enjoyed sinfully expensive food. At least it had been good. And without gluten. And she could imagine worse people to share a meal with.
"I'm in position. Roger."
BlackStar jumped from behind the bush he was hiding and started waving.
"ME, TOO! TODAY THEY'LL FINALLY GET TOGETHER, LIZ! I CAN FEEL IT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
She stepped away from the tree she had been hiding behind and glared at him.
"WE'VE GOT WALKIE TALKIES FOR A REASON, BLACKSTAR! NOW GO HIDE!"
"ROGER!"
She only rolled her eyes and went back to her hiding place. She glanced at her watch. BlackStar had agreed to meet their subjects here in five minutes. And, knowing Maka, they would be exactly on time.
This was their most elaborate plan so far. And they'd already meticulously prepared everything.
A baguette. Yes, just one. They'd have to share it. Romantic music was playing from a music box attached to a nearby tree. She'd been able to convince BlackStar that it wouldn't be a good idea to put a candle in the middle of the forest, but he insisted on the heart confetti. They were hiding in two different spots, so they wouldn't miss a single thing. Their Walkie Talkies should only be used in emergencies.
She took another look at her watch. One more minute. And sure enough, she could hear two pairs of feet approaching them. Soon they would arrive. They'd find this super romantic picnic set for two. They would receive a message from BlackStar saying that he unfortunately couldn't come. And then, if everything went according to plan, they would finally kiss.
The steps were coming closer, she could distinguish their voices now. To the surprise of absolutely no one, they were flirting again.
BlackStar pretended to puke and Liz had to hold back a laugh. She fixated him with a glare that hopefully showed all the painful things she'd do to him if he messed this up before returning to her hiding spot.
She didn't know why, but this mission somehow felt... different. Final. She almost felt sad. But she was sure that any lingering melancholy would vanish when Soul and Maka finally did it and got together.
And - finally - their subjects arrived. Maka was wearing her usual school uniform and Soul never took his leather jacket off. Not exactly ideal clothes for a first date. At least Soul had given up on that mustard yellow atrocity he called a jacket.
Both stopped when the perfect romantic picnic unfolded before their eyes. Seriously, if they didn't get it now she would hold up to BlackStar's idea and smash their faces together until something finally happened.
"Is that... music?"
"Worse. It's Britney Spears."
Liz had to hold back a gasp of horror. Britney Spears was one of the most inspiring and beautiful artists in the whole world. She was an icon. A queen. A fucking diva. And that uncultured barbarian dared to say something against her?! She may have other priorities at the moment, but she wouldn't forget this. Soul could count on that.
She could hear BlackStar's gasp over the walkie-talkie. One thing that her partner in crime had was good taste. In music, at least. Suddenly she knew what their next project would be. Operation Convert Soul.
Her focus returned to their current operation when their subjects sat down. They were talking to each other in low voices. She sighed in frustration. Too low voices.
But whatever it was they were talking about, it seemed to be good. They were laughing and - although they were already pressed against one another - somehow managed to get even closer.
The air was practically crackling with romantic energy.
It only got better when they finally decided to eat the baguette. She had hoped they would eat it á-la-lady-and-the-tramp. She wasn't disappointed. Liz almost jumped when her stomach grumbled. She had never been so grateful to Britney Spears, the embarrassing noise disappearing in the – extremely romantic and musical, thank you very much – beats of 'Toxic'. She really should've eaten something. That baguette looked so good...
But Liz couldn't really complain. So far, everything had turned out even better than they could have hoped. She didn't know how much more her shipper heart could take without bursting in glee.
Now Maka was whispering something in Soul's ear.
They were both blushing. Liz had to hold back a squeal.
Whatever she had said, Soul seemed amused.
"So you want to finally release them from their misery?"
Liz frowned. What did tha-
Suddenly any thoughts about weird phrases or delicious baguettes left her mind.
It was finally happening.
Liz pinched herself. But no. This was real.
Soul and Maka were finally kissing.
It was beautiful. She almost cried in delight. She had expected them to be more uncertain - she knew for a fact that Maka had never kissed anyone before - but she wasn't going to complain. She almost felt like a creep, watching what was turning into a full-fledged make-out session. They were so confident, it almost didn't seem to be their first…
She stopped dead in her tracks.
No.
No way.
NO.
Soul's words echoed in her mind.
Finally release them from their misery
Finally release them
Finally
She left her hiding spot and glared at the subjects. They had stopped their little session and were now innocently smiling at her.
She didn't believe it for one second.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LIZ?! THIS IS AN UNDERCOVER MISSION! A WOMAN GOTTA KNOW WHEN TO LEAVE HER HIDING SPOT AND NOW WAS NOT –"
She ignored her partner.
Oh, how she wished she could still live in the same blissful ignorance as him.
"How long?"
Soul smirked.
"Ever since my birthday."
Maka laughed and playfully shoved him.
"You know that it was only six days after that, idiot!"
And then they resumed their kissing as if they hadn't just revealed that they had been purposefully torturing her and BlackStar for a whole month.
She exchanged an aghast look with her partner.
"YOU'RE DATING?!"
A/N
And here is Day 5! I hope you enjoyed it! This is one of my fave OSs and the largest one of the whole week (I'm pretty proud of myself - 7k words!) I've actually never seen a fic where BlackStar and Liz do much stuff together, so I hope this isn't too OC. I was aiming towards friendship, but ended up somewhere between maybe-romance and platonic - I guess it's up to you to decide.
Reviews and faves are always much appreciated and needed!
Have a great day and (hopefully) until tomorrow!