A/N: What's this, what's this? A chapter for Exotic and Unordinary? Am I feeling well?
Disclaimer: Soul Eater isn't mine, y'all.
35. A Bewildered Kumquat with Macadamia
Moments Like These
They are an odd pair, the two of them. The demon pistol has an angelic face and bizarre outbursts even her older sister has a hard time comprehending. And then there's him, the weapon with hair wrenched back in an angry, jagged ponytail that seems to reflect his harsh demeanor.
When Patty had first brought up her interest in the teen with the cold, merciless eyes, her sister was flipping through an old magazine at the kitchen table. Liz had nodded, not fully registering the words of the younger sister, but a sudden clatter near the dining room door brought the attention of both girls to their meister. The grim reaper had been repositioning a large portrait, but upon hearing Patty's rather bold statement, he'd accidentally pulled the entire work to one side so it swung awkwardly on one nail. He turned to his weapon partner, suspiciously calm, and gently asked why the sudden interest in Harvar D. Éclair.
Patty gave it some thought, ignoring Liz as her older sister processed the topic underway, sending an endless barrage of alarmed glances to their meister. After a minute or so of Liz's nervous fidgeting and Kid's innocent eyes, Patty responded, with a great deal of bewilderment, that she didn't know. What was it about that afternoon in class when Harvard had transformed right before her eyes in an array of electrical shocks and flaring sparks? Had she thought he looked cool, was that it?
She shrugged and allowed her sister and meister to whisper behind raised hands while she turned her eyes to the ceiling in a daydream.
When she begins following Harvar around school, sitting behind him in class and occasionally poking at his spiked hair, she doesn't gain much attention. Well, she draws in the shocked stares from countless individuals, but Harvar doesn't appear to notice anything different about Patty's weird behavior. To him, she's simply going about her daily activities only he just so happens to be the current soul to annoy. Regardless of Patty skipping around him in the hall or leaving paper mache giraffes in his locker, he is unaffected.
A few days go by and the whispers decrease, mainly because Patty's constant presence near Harvar has become the norm and everyone has decided she's simply being, well, Patty. It is only her close friends and family that can tell there is something unique about the demon pistol's actions, that this isn't the usual random attachment like that one week long fascination with the microwave oven. From the way the blond stares out the window and hums pointless tunes, brightening as Harvard steps into the classroom, they know.
-/-\-|-/-\-
"It's a phase," Liz keeps insisting with an unquestionable firmness. "It's a phase, like that time with the color mauve. She'll soon get over it because Harvar is..."
At the other end of the lunch table, Ox leans forward with a raised eyebrow, daring Liz to continue. Although he doesn't normally sit with the group consisting of scythes, assassins, demon weapons, and meisters, he's made an exception to figure out Patty's motives. His own weapon partner has decided to wander Death City in hopes of finding lunch, so as one might expect, Patty is currently absent from the Academy's cafeteria.
"He's not Patty's type," Maka interjects before an argument can break out. She receives a few quizzical stares and her cheeks turn red, so she closes her mouth and returns to her lettuce sandwich.
"Does Patty have a type?" Black Star inquires, tapping his fingers on the table with uncharacteristic thoughtfulness. "We've never really seen her show an interest in a particular type of guy or girl. Perhaps she's a robot?"
"This is my sister we're talking about," Liz retorts, glaring at the assassin before crossing her arms with a snort. "She hangs out with you plenty, so it's safe to assume she's perfectly fine with weirdos."
"Yeah, not to mention your own meister," Black Star shoots back with a grin. Since the grim reaper isn't around, Liz allows herself to nod begrudgingly in agreement.
"I think it's sweet."
Everyone now focuses on Tsubaki, but unlike Maka, she doesn't duck behind her lunch in embarrassment. Instead, she delivers a timid smile and murmurs, "They're somewhat opposite souls, so I think it's sweet."
The rest of the group shrug and exchange helpless looks, but no one denies the peculiarity is somewhat charming.
-/-\-|-/-\-
That evening in Gallows Manor, Patty flips a violet top hat between her fingers, stroking the plume of silver feathers curled around one side. She's humming again and places the headwear atop her blonde locks when Liz and Kid enter the dining room, both carrying dinner.
"I don't care if the garlic bread is burnt on one side," Liz is repeating for the fifth time. "You are not going to put it back in the oven to burn again so both sides are symmetrical!"
Kid glowers at his weapon partner, sliding a bowl of soup across the table to Patty and giving a disdainful sniff at the black underside of a slice of bread.
"It would have only taken a few minutes," he mutters under his breath, but Liz ignores him and spitefully tears into her own dark piece.
Patty giggles and begins crumbling the scorched part of the meal into her soup, creating a fine layer of black dust that she attempts to turn into a miniature desert. The only time she raises her eyes is when Kid curiously asks how she got such a fine, little hat.
"Harvar got it for me during lunch," Patty replies with an ecstatic grin.
Liz's spoon clatters into her hot soup while Kid unintentionally crushes a slice of garlic bread between his fingers, scattering remains all across the table and floor. As Liz begins cursing up a storm from the droplets of soup burning her fingers, Patty tilts her head to one side with an innocent grin.
"Is that so?" Kid responds, expression disappearing eerily as he brushes decimated toast into a neat pile. "That was nice of him. Did you both have a good time walking around Death City?"
"Yup!" Patty nods enthusiastically, causing the feathers adorning her hat to dance and both her meister and sister hear a jingling of bells from where they're fastened to the back of her hat. "I followed him into an old Chinese restaurant, but it was crammed with people. We ended up going to Truth and Tendons for sandwiches instead."
Kid and Liz exchange a look, part surprise and part amusement. The young demon pistol looks so cheerful, they can't help but smile in return, yet the entire notion is ridiculous. Harvar and Patty going out for sandwiches together? There isn't anything wrong with it, but it's almost like two haphazard puzzle pieces. Something just doesn't fit, and everyone knows its Harvar's dead eyes and almost nonexistent personality.
All the same, Liz and Kid listen politely as Patty recounts the tail of her afternoon, although both wonder where this relationship is going.
-/-\-|-/-\-
In school, the whispers have returned because a specific, bald someone mentioned that his partner doesn't mind Patty's company. Now, when Harvar walks through the halls, people gesture and talk, but he doesn't respond. He doesn't confirm the questions or comment upon insinuations, only weaves through students to reach his own locker. At least, that's where everyone assumes he's going, but they all stare openmouthed when he leans against the one belonging to Patricia Thompson.
"Is he waiting for her?"
"That's so sweet!"
"Maybe he doesn't know that's Patty's locker."
"Don't be stupid, of course he knows! It's obvious they're dating! Didn't Ox say something about it?"
"What? I didn't hear about this!"
"You're kidding!"
Behind the dark glasses, Harvar's eyes are closed while he listens to the constant chatter among the Academy's students. He doesn't pay them any mind and only shows interest when there's another outburst as Patty appears in the hall, skipping merrily towards her locker.
Around them, students back away or advert their eyes, doing everything to appear normal, but they don't fool either demon weapon. It isn't until both Patty and Harvar walk away side by side that soft conversations are revived, and everyone remains equally baffled by the oddity retreating down the hall.
-/-\-|-/-\-
Since classes are over for the day, Patty had been collecting a few things from her locker when she'd spotted Harvar. She hadn't expected he would be waiting for her or that he'd even be open to the idea of leaving school together, but there they are, nonetheless, striding down the hall while Patty talks.
"And then Kiddo spit up blood like usual and passed out!" the blonde concludes with a giggle, rocking her bag side to side and kicking up her heels. "He does it so much now, Big Sis and I aren't even worried!"
Harvar is silent, but Patty sees the faintest trace of a smile and she feels slightly victorious. She wants to ask if he has any strange tales regarding his own meister, but Harvard comes to a stop before one of Academy's balconies. The dim light from the exhausted sun is streaming in, casting everything in a burnt glow like that of a dying ember.
Patty dances out onto the balcony, spinning with her fingers outstretched while she takes in the warm breeze. When leans against the railing and allows her vision to steady, the city is sprawled out before her like crystals of quartz and carnelian. Every window in Death City looks like a tame fire within an endless maze, and she feels a content, fuzzy sensation throughout her soul.
She sees Harvar approach out of the corner of her eye and smiles when he stops beside her to appreciate the view. She can't see his eyes since his glasses also reflect the sunlight, almost like a red, neon sign. She's glad he's beside her, that he didn't continue down the hall even when she strode out onto the balcony. Not many would have expected him to take the time to enjoy scenery, after all.
As Patty watches him, considering the teen's tightly sealed lips, narrowed eyes, and overall bored expression, she starts wondering why she's taken a liking to the weapon. He's always been a loyal partner and comrade, and it isn't like he's ever been cruel to those around him. He's just a little icy, that's all. He's not the type of person someone would want to follow around, poke, and pester. In fact, he's not really the type who would allow someone to follow, poke, and pester, not to mention steal tomatoes off his sandwich at lunch.
The blonde weapon returns her gaze to the glowing city, frowning in bewilderment. No matter how long she sifts through her baffled mind, she comes to the same conclusion every time that perhaps there is no answer to their relationship.
However, it is at that moment she feels his fingers work their way around hers, warm and comforting, and she smiles as the answer flickers to life. This is why. It is for moments like these that she finds herself drawn to the seemingly cold hearted Harvar D. Éclair.
-/-\-|-/-\-
A/N: Bam. Boredom. That's what it does. I've been writing a lot for A Couple Hundred Years and was in the mood for a sweet little pairing… So here's a chapter for Exotic and Unordinary! It's been awhile, but I hope everyone liked it all the same!
Quick side note: A thank you to my friend who is unaware her dinner of garlic bread inspired the burnt meal of Gallows Manor. Also, a begrudging glare can be delivered to my Anatomy and Physiology book with all its talk of tendons and ligaments that gave me the name for Truth and Tendons…
And another quick side note: Thank you, What2do for noticing my terrible mistake of spelling Harvar's name wrong. It's been awhile since I wrote his character and I completely forgot to leave out the 'D' at the end. Thanks for bringing it up, I appreciate it!