A/N: You're welcome, Kuri. Also thanks to Crazy and Chabeli.
Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater or Black Butler.
Chapter 3: To Live in the Manor
Soul Evans… he was the gardener of the Death Household. He was a laid-back young man with white hair and crimson eyes who always loved using the word 'cool'. When he was young, he ran away from home. Not because he hated the place nor his family. He was a pianist. He came from a family of musicians. His brother, Wes, happened to be a violinist, a great one too. Because of that, he was notorious among his family's friends, no wonder Soul envied him. He and Soul had a love-hate relationship.
Soul looked up to Wes like any normal younger sibling would do to his older brother or sister but it wasn't just admiration that was growing in him but also resentment. Sometimes he wished he was better than Wes, more popular than him or at least… he wished to be appreciated like him. Hate… it has been planted in his heart and he did not want it to embrace it. He wanted to forget it. But it was hard for him to forget when Wes was always around.
"One of us must go away," he said to himself one day as he leered at Wes who was playing his fiddle during dinner. Their parents were quite impressed by his remarkable voluntary performance. Soul just started playing with the meat balls on his plate lazily with his head tilted, resting on his fist. Wes noticed it and became concerned… concerned that Soul might not be feeling well or something. So he opted to visit him in his room at late night, two hours after the dinner. He knocked on his little brother's door.
Only silence responded. He knew it would be wrong to come in without permission but he was getting worried already. Oh how relieve he was when he was able to rotate the door knob and the door flung open, revealing no albino on the bed, the floor or at the desk. He was left speechless where he stood as he gazed around the room with his eyes as wide as ever... especially when he saw the open window. Its curtain danced with the wind. Soon he found himself running after his brother in the woods. The cold breeze of the night kept slapping his face as he ran and shouted his brother's name, pleading him to come back, convincing him that they should talk it out. But Soul… he dared not to look back. With a black backpack on him, he tried harder to pace up, skidding on the muddy forest floor, his shadow thrown on the trees.
The Evans family never found Soul since that time. He had already traveled so far, far enough for them to catch up. They could have caught up with him though, that is, if he didn't keep changing directions and running fast. He may be easy-going or laid-back but he was an excellent runner. Apparently, according to him he was "too cool" to join running contents. He was already in the Amtrak Train. His decision as to where he should go was still tentative. He stopped by at a church in Nevada where he was asked to play the piano by the girl name Maka Albarn. Soul was sitting on the piano seat, admiring the black grand piano in front of him. Suddenly, a blonde with emerald eyes and petite body approached him.
"Hello there," she said with a smile on her face.
Soul looked back, a bit surprised to see a stranger. The church was silent and eerie just a moment ago. He did not expect someone else other than him to be there, well, except for the few people who takes care of the church. "Hi," he said nonchalantly, not returning a smile. Nevertheless, Maka still kept hers unwavering.
"Do you play the piano?" she suddenly asked. Soul nodded and asked why. "Would you play for me?" Soul blinked his eyes, astonished at her question. He felt the honor to play for someone who he doesn't even know yet. He simply smiled.
"Sure… but just this time." He started playing an unfamiliar dark song. Even though she had no knowledge of the lyrics, Maka savored its beautiful sound, amazed how fast Soul's hands moved on the keys and when he would close his eyes while playing. The melody faded, such heartwarming song was played which sent shiver down Maka's spine and gave her Goosebumps the whole time. She felt ambivalence while listening to the song. It was like the song made her sad and happy at the same time.
"Sugoi!"
"Wha-?"
Maka pushed down her hands on the piano seat. "That was the most amazing thing I have ever heard!"
Soul gawked at her. "R-really?"
Maka nodded quickly. "A-huh!"
"Weren't you… disgusted? Frightened?"
Anamnesis. Soul remembered the look in the people's faces, the look of disgust and fear after he played the song in a party. It was as if a spotlight focused on him and darkness surrounded him. He had never felt so alone… so embarrassed… so… hurt.
Maka raised her eyebrow. "Disgusted? No way!" She shouted at Soul's face, sounding like a woman who was trying to refuse to an arranged marriage. "I didn't know the lyrics but the sound was very beautiful. Sure, it was kind of dark, but as I listened to it, I could imagine the darkness in my life."
"Is… that supposed to be a good thing?"
Maka chuckled. "Not really… but we sure must not forget our past no matter how painful it was. The past made the person who we are now."
Gradually, a smile formed on Soul's face as he finally got the gist of what Maka was trying to say. He closed his eyes. "I get it."
"I'm Maka Albarn, by the way." She spread out her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Soul looked at her gloved hand. He hesitated at first. Eventually, he was shaking her hand already as he said his name and smiled. "Soul Evans."
Maka sat next to him. "Do you live near here?"
"No. I came from… far away." He averted his eyes away from Maka's. Maka just kept gazing at him, trying to figure out what he's hiding.
"Oh so does that mean you're just new around?"
Soul nodded.
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"Currently none but hopefully-"
"Maybe you'd like to come with me."
Soul returned his glance at Maka. "With you? Where?"
Maka smiled. "To the Death Manor. I work there as an assistant cook and I serve my young master, Death the Kid. But I'm not the only one. There also other servants like his butler, Justin."
"Death the Kid? Is that really his name? Sounds weird."
A chuckle came out from Maka. "Well… yes and no. Yes, because he's commonly known as Death the Kid or Kid in short. He prefers it and it's the one he officially uses."
"So… you don't know his real name?"
"Nope. I have yet to find out though." She glanced at the piano's keyboard.
"I see."
"So what do you say? You wanna come or not?"
"I'll think about it."
The church's two huge doors suddenly burst open, letting a strong wind that froze Soul and Maka on their seat. It made their eyes go wide.
"HEY, MAKA! ARE YOU IN HERE? !" Black Star, the carriage driver of the Death Household walked in with his hands on his face and a stupid grin on his face.
Maka could only sweatdrop while Soul looked back to see the aqua-haired former ninja.
"Is that a…" he started.
"Yes, it's a monkey."
Soul sweatdropped as well. "I wasn't going to say that."
"He's my childhood friend and co-worker at the mansion." She stood up and smiled. "Come on, I'll introduce you to him."
The scorching sun was already high up on the sky. The dining room of the Death Manor was filled with the music Soul was playing on the piano. A couple of exotic and delicious-looking dishes and sparkling clean utensils were set on the long table clothed in white. A flower vase full of different kinds of flowers was at the center of the table though they were properly arranged by Justin. Almost everyone heard the horses outside. Kid instantly, yet calmly, went to the front door along with his butler. He wore his normal black pants and coat with a long white sleeve and black ribbon around the collar.
"Good afternoon, Aunt Marie," Kid said while he held Marie's hand and helped her step out of the carriage.
"KID!" Marie screamed as soon as he realized it was Kid. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly like she'll never let go, squeezing his eyes shut and kept repeating the words, "I missed you" while shaking him from left to right, vice versa. Justin could only cover his mouth with his fist, bow his head a little and chuckle. On the other hand, Kid was struggling to grasp air. "J-Justin!" he shouted.
Justin stood next to Marie. "Sorry, mistress, but I believe you're trying to kill my little master," he said with a smile as he held Marie's hands and gently unwrapped them from Kid's body. Kid's hand clutched his chest and knee. He started panting like he'd been running for four lapses around an oval running track.
"Sorry! I was just! I was just so overwhelmed by ecstasy!" Marie said as she put her hands together and pouted at Kid.
The young earl sighed. "It's alright, auntie. Anyway…" He stood straight and fixed his clothes. "It's becoming late. Our food will get cold."
Marie gave Kid a quizzical look. "You actually prepared lunch for us?" Again, she started squeezing Kid as if he was just some one of her huge old stuffed toys back at home, making Kid squint and suffocated. "Awww! That's so sweet of you, Kiddo!"
"Y-yes! Now let me go!"
They were done with lunch and it was time for desserts already. A while ago, the noise in the dining room was only the music being played by Soul on the piano, which Kid appreciated, and the clattering of dish wares on the table. "It's been a while, dear," Marie said when she paused at eating a chocolate cake. "How are you doing?"
Kid smiled, more like… reluctantly. "It's been great. I'm running the company smoothly and sometimes I help the police with crimes."
"I see. People had been talking about the guns you usually carry with you whenever you step out of here. That's probably why they're scared of you. But atleast you earn respect, right?" She resumed to eating.
The smile on Kid's face faded and he looked away, to the large windows where it shows the beautiful garden outside, plants somehow glowing because of the sunlight. "I don't like the idea of earning respect just through bringing harmful weapons. I want them to respect me for who or what I am… not because of the things I have with me."
Marie smiled. "That's what I meant, Kid."
Kid flicked his fingers at Justin.
Justin lowered his upper body and neared his ear to Kid's mouth.
The boy whispered, "Operation turning Crona-san into a maid starts now."
Justin nodded and smiled eccentrically. "Madam, will you please excuse me," he said to Marie.
"Sure!" Marie said without looking at him. She just continued to eat her delicious cake as Justin disappeared from the room.
Crona heard someone knock on the door. She pulled herself to her feet and slowly turned the door knob. She was relieved to see Justin even though she didn't really know him yet.
"Greetings, Gorgon-san. Remember me?"
Crona weakly nodded as she held her right upper arm, like she always does because it's one of her habits. She looked up at him, waiting for what he was going to say. He was obviously taller than her, making her feel a bit intimidated even though Justin had such an innocent look.
"Maka said you're alright already. Was that true?"
She nodded again.
"That's good to hear. Anyway, I came here to tell you that if you're interested, you can live here."
Her head and eyebrows slowly rose as the tension in her began to melt. "Are you… serious?"
Justin chuckled. "Of course I am." His face turned serious. "But there's one condition." He raised his index finger.
The surprise look on Crona's face faded. "What is it?"
Justin closed his eyes and smiled. "Simple. You'll have to be a maid here!"
"M-maid?"
Crona almost couldn't believe what she just heard.
In a hallway, Kid was looking for Marie who said she was going to go to the comfort room. He felt that she wasn't in the comfort room anymore since when he called her from the outside, she did not responded. So he decided to look around the mansion for her. He happened to bump into Soul and Maka.
"Oof!"
"Oh my—we're sorry, young master!" Maka said as she and Soul stood up quickly and helped Kid stand up.
"Ah, it's alright. More importantly, have you two seen Aunt Marie?"
.
.
"JAMES KENNEDY HARRISON DEATH THE SECOND!"
The mansion shook when Marie screamed Kid's full name and certainly everyone in the house heard it. Kid sighed and looked away with half-lidded eyes. "Speaking of the devil," he said.
Soul chuckled. "You know you're in trouble when an adult screams your full name."
"Th-that was your full name?" Maka asked in a shaky voice.
Kid was already fixing his ribbon. He glanced at Maka sideway. "Yes. Why?"
Maka shook her head. "Nothing."
"I wonder what she's so mad about now," Kid said as he stared at the ceiling then he returned his glance to his servants. "Well, I have to check out what it is so see you two later."
Maka and Soul smiled and bowed their heads.
