Cardcaptor Sakura AU

Happy birthday Maks! I hope you've a wonderful day with lots of cake and happiness! Hope you enjoy this thingy I wrote for you.

In which Soul returns to Death City unannounced and Tsubaki has made a movie of Maka's growth as the cardcaptor of the Maka cards.

"How could you be so darn stupid!" Soul laughed loudly as he leaned backward on the chair inside of Tsubaki's secret cinema, balancing on the hind legs. He munched with his mouth open on some popcorn from the bowl resting in his lap. "Everybody knows light is the only way to beat shadow!" he snorted loudly as he shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth. "Geez, how the heck did you even manage to capture all the cards?"

"I was just starting out." Maka mumbled under her breath, hot flush dusting her cheeks.

"It's common logic! How else did you fight the darkness when you were younger? With water?"

"You're the one talking. How many cards did you even capture, huh?" she growled under her breath, fists bawling the hem of her skirt.

His laughter came to an abrupt ending, heat visibly spreading on his cheeks.

Throughout her journey as the cardcaptor, Soul had been more of a partner than a rival and they both knew it. Only in the beginning, he had been her rival, but even then, he was always helping her out and teaching her how to capture the cards. The barely handful of cards he acquired, he didn't explicitly say it, but it was apparent to her in their later stage of their unofficial "partnership" that he didn't even want the cards. It wasn't until she was close to the end of her card-capturing journey when he revealed, he wasn't that interested in being a cardcaptor. He preferred playing on his piano than putting his life on the line to capture some cards he knew his brother could do better, but it was his turn to make a name in the Evans family and preserve their family heritage.

Looking back from the moment she opened the curious book in their basement to now, she was surprised how much she had grown. Not only had she discovered the courage she never even imagined she possessed, but she became more daring and independent. She made so many new friends and deepened the bounds she already had.

She was so lucky to have met Soul and Liz, laughed even at the memory of Liz's storming inside of Soul's apartment, bag dropping to the floor and a wide grin on her face at the view of her in Soul's clothes due to her own getting soaking wet after falling into the lake. Then she spoke those words that kept on ringing in her mind over and over again like a broken record "well, well, I think I can drop the act of being your fiancée, can I?"

Liz had explained in detail (oh how she hated those details thinking back at them) how back at home in New York, Soul was very popular with the girls. Letters had flooded his family's mailbox, the doorbell rang every day with girls wishing to see him. Soul had been driving himself insane until one day, Liz stormed inside of his room, thrusting a golden band in his face. She had pretended to be engaged with him to chase away the girls and give him some peace of mind. That was what friends were for, Liz had explained.

"This is one of my favourite one out of them all."

Maka lifted her gaze back toward the screen, instantly a blush blossomed on her cheeks. On the screen was her latest "fight". Her classmate, Hiro, who had turned out to be the reincarnation of Lord Death, cast a spell on the sky, forcing every nonmagical human to fall asleep. Her brother Black*Star had fallen asleep and so did Tsubaki, but she didn't think her camera had actually managed to catch any footage of the fight.

She saw herself on the screen, the new staff in her hand after absorbing Blair and Kid, light surrounding her. Soul stumbled toward her, supporting himself on his sword before he crashed into her, hands clasping her staff. The angle was of their backs and she couldn't see his lips caressing the shell of her ear as he whispered words of encouragement in her ear. The cards floating in the air was consumed by light and officially turned into Maka cards.

The scene kept on playing on the screen, Maka transfixed as she kept on watching it, Soul equally speechless beside her. The dark sky ceased to exist when the light card was activated and the spell was broken. Quickly after that, the screen turned black and the mini cinema was once again dark.

Only a minute or two of more footage, footage she knew Tsubaki had to have but cut out from the mini movie to spare her. Soul had desperately been reaching out for her, stopping her from going after Hiro. His grip on her was frantic, nails digging into her flesh as if she would disappear if he let go. His mouth opened and closed before he burst, "I like you!" he screamed at her.

"Soul, if you could, I think it would be great if you played the piano so I could use it for the final scene." Tsubaki spoke as she had turn on the lights.

Maka didn't dare to looks. Confusion still clouded her mind when it came to Soul. How couldn't she have seen the signs? She… he always teased her about her lack of bosom and her fat ankles and her interest in books and school― and he like-liked her? Well, she had noticed his scold that seemed to be permanently glued onto his face from time to time, now when she thought about it, it always seemed to appear when Hiro was present.

No… it couldn't be.

He- he really genuinely liked her?

She had to admit, when she saw him, she did grow warm and her palms grew sweaty. When he gave her his rare and special smiles, showing off his teeth, it did something with her. It was as if a flock of butterflies hatched from their cocoons and flew around in her belly. When he returned to New York, she missed him. The teddy bear he had given her offered her some comfort, smelling his scent still lingering on the bear had reminded her how… how real they were. She didn't appreciate the friendship they had until he returned home. The cards were all captured and turned into Maka cards, there was no longer a reason for him to stay in Death City. There was no reason for them to see each other ever again.

But he had returned!

He just popped up in front of her out of the blue!

Soul always admired her courage, but she didn't have enough to confess to him before he left, now, she couldn't afford to cower away. This heart-racing and body-heating and stomach-fluttering feeling couldn't go on without being voice. At least once.

Who knew if he even were to ever return again.

"Uh," Soul smacked his tongue against his gum, a habit she had discovered when he was trying to think of what to say. "Um, okay? I guess."

"Great." A wide smile spread on Tsubaki's face. "I'll make all the arrangements. You can play your piece tomorrow! I want you both to see the finished version before Soul returns home."

"Yeah…" Maka sighed, standing up from her seat. "I need to go home. It's soon dinner time and I promised Black*Star I would help out."

"I'll come with you." Soul said, standing up from his chair suddenly. Maka's eyes widened at the fast gesture. "Um, I mean, Wes's probably waiting for my anyway so."

"Oh, okay." Tsubaki nodded understandingly. "I'll call you tomorrow, Soul."

"Cool." Tsubaki followed them to the door and they said their goodbyes before they started heading home. Maka's eyes fluttered with confusion when he started heading in the same direction as her. He read her mind at once and murmured he could walk her home.

Her cheeks heated at his shoulder bumping into hers. She hadn't yet given him an answer. This was her chance. This was a golden opportunity for her to confess his importance in her life and how much she enjoyed his presence, even missed and craved for it as if he was her favourite book she just couldn't get enough of. She… she treasured him so much.

They went in silent. They neared her home too close for comfort. Her throat ran dry as they went through the penguin park.

She had to tell him.

Now.

"S-Soul." she stuttered as she came to a stop in front of the penguin king. He halted and faced her, hands still shoved in his pockets. Silence hung heavy between them as he gave her his full attention. "I… I… There is something I…"

"Yeah…?" he encouraged her, taking a step closer to her.

It was as if her vocal cords tied knots and the words refused to leave her mouth. What would she even say? What were words again?

"Soul…" she wet her lips. She just had to say something― anything! "… I missed you." she mentally facepalmed. Out of all the things she could've said, she said that.

His facade of apathy slowly melted away and a soft smile played on his lips. "I missed you too."

"It was… a while since I saw you last."

"Yeah… a couple of weeks." Silence fell between them. "How was your summer?" he asked eventually.

"Good. No card trouble at all."

"That's good."

"How was your summer?"

"Good. It was nice to see my parents again."

"Good… very good." Maka said, nervously fiddling with the hem of her skirt. She should just say it. She needed to just say it! She knew before summer arrived, Soul felt the same way, maybe even feel the same way. Deep down within him, there was a part that genuinely cared about her. Showing him her feelings wouldn't hurt her. Soul cared about her.

"Um…" Soul avoided her gaze, scratching the back of his neck.

"I… I know I haven't replied to you…" she started saying, his eyes widened and he faced her. Thankfully he stayed quiet and let her speak. "I should've told you before you left…" she swallowed nervously. "I… you're really special to me too. Y-you're my number one person―" she gasped loudly when he crashed into her, arms wrapping around her shoulders and face buried in her neck.

"Thank you." he whispered. She could swear she could feel his heart hammering against her chest. "I like you so much."

A large smile grew on her face and she beamed happily, her arms snaked around his waist and embraced him tightly. "I like you too." She couldn't help but take in his spicy and leathery scent. "I like you so much."

They clutched onto each other, enjoying the special moment of mutual bliss before the inevitable separation would come to tear them apart once again. For now, only they existed, only them and no one else. Their problems didn't exist, only them and their love was present as they hugged in front of penguin king.