Freefall
by. Poisoned Scarlet
5a
He gave up honorably by day four (and by honorably, he meant groaning very loudly and getting his butt off the couch to dial her number).
He went to great lengths to keep his cellphone away from him, going as far as leaving it uncharged so he did not have the temptation of dialing her number. But, after various hours of struggling with his conflicting thoughts, Soul charged his phone and called her the instant the battery was full again.
Turned out she was going to call him later that evening to 'check up' on her cat Blair and her apartment although Soul had the sneaking suspicion it wasn't just because of that.
She was a bad liar. She stuttered too much and she rambled.
But Soul wouldn't call her out on it – no need to fix something that could very well be useful to him in the future, right?
"...and she said the wedding is going to be near December. She wants it to be on Christmas, but she's not sure she'll be able to book it in time since it's a very popular date. But if she can't, she'll settle for early November. She wants it to be this year, though. One way or another, she's marrying him." She sounded flat as she told him this; not bubbly as usual, not even moderately happy. She simply sounded neutral; as if it did not matter whether or not her mother remarried. But Soul knew it did matter; knew she was hurting, and it was times like these that he actually wished he were there with her and not so many thousands of miles away from her.
"That's great. She's getting remarried." Soul mumbled without much enthusiasm, sitting on his bike as the sun rose in his own town. He was going out for coffee, a suggestion (demand) Maka had made when she realized all he had been doing the past few days was lazing around his couch, watching basketball games or glaring at his phone – both because he wanted to call her (not that she knew this) and because of his job at the record company. The sky bled pink and orange, the air remaining crisp and cold, and he huddled in his jacket as he spoke: "How did you take it? It's been a while since you last saw your mom and then she tells you she's getting hitched again..."
"It was... weird at first. I didn't expect her to contact me just because... she's getting married and she wants me to be her ring girl." Soul knew the news hit her hard. It was just in her tone: tight, controlled. His mother would use that tone when he asked why their father had locked himself up in his study again. "But it makes sense she'd give it another shot – she deserves that much, right?"
"Yeah, she didn't have the best marriage. Your dad cheated on her a lot, maybe this time it'll be better." His tone darkened. "Maybe this time she'll realize she wasn't that innocent herself, too."
"... What're you talking about, Soul?"
"You know what I'm talking about." Soul frowned. When she began to furiously reply, he sighed in resignation. "Look, I don't wanna' fight right now. Let's just forget I even said that!" He rubbed his eyes out tiredly. "Having a bad week..."
"Why? Are you okay? Did something happen?"
The concern in her voice made him smile. "Nah, just a bunch of trouble at the company with the bands. They're not recording their songs on time because they're not coming in. I get the blame, y'know, if the album comes out late. It's my responsibility to make sure the bands record all their songs on time, but they didn't give us enough time. I mean, they just got back from a tour, they're hung over and sleep deprived." He heaved another sigh. "So uncool..."
When she giggled, trying to lift his spirits with her positive view, he was idly surprised it worked since he knew such blind optimism was for naïve, sheltered, children. He didn't usually let such words get to him, knowing that getting your hopes up was a dangerous risk. It was better to view the cup as half-empty instead of half-full. Life had taught him so.
Yet he caught his smile on one of the metal plates on his bike when he dismounted.
He stood silently for a second, hearing the vague sound of a page turning on the other line, before he bluntly said:
"It's boring here without you."
There was a short silence.
"Yeah... I miss you, too, Soul."
"Hey, I never said I missed you..."
"Wha – don't be a jerk!" She furiously shouted when she caught his snicker. "You sound so miserable without me: all you've been doing is lazing around and complaining about your job! At least when I'm there, you're not whining like a six year old!"
"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I miss you..."
"Fine. I take it back. I don't miss you, either. It's been GREAT here without you! I don't have to constantly REMIND everyone not to leave their trash on the coffee table or boxers on the bathroom floor!"
"Drop it, will you? You're the reason my boxers are always on the floor!" Soul grumbled, laughing when she sputtered. He wondered if anyone else was watching her over there: her pink face, fiery emerald eyes, the way her lips pursed when she was annoyed.
"Shut up, Soul, or else I really will hit you when I see you in three days!"
And, just like that, his week brightened.
5b
That same day found him back with Nygus, the woman sending him looks that bothered him. They were too amused, too knowing, as if she had been there to witness every uncool, lame, thing he did for a girl who started off as nothing more than someone to release the weeks tension with.
"How's work?"
"Shit."
"That bad?"
"Yeah. They're not taking this stuff seriously. It's giving me a headache. It's either I give them an ultimatum or I kick their asses outta' my studio." Soul grumbled, his chin on the table. He held a shot glass which Nygus faithfully refilled every time he emptied it. "Second option is tempting, but then that means writing up reports and getting another band in and that's a pain in the ass."
"Just get another band, you lazy idiot, it doesn't take that long. You've got the ear for it. Now, quit whining about your job and tell me about this girl you've been seeing."
"For fucks sake, is that the only reason you're here?" Soul growled, shooting her a glare. She just refilled his shot glass and looked at him expectantly. He sighed when he saw she would not budge. "She's...her name's Maka."
"Maka? It's gotta' nice ring to it. Go on..."
"She's the most nerdiest, socially awkward, ridiculous, violent, girl I've ever met." Soul deadpanned and Nygus blinked, not expecting that. "She's always nagging me and she always hits me with her goddamn books. She's always reading something, too! She wears her hair in pigtails like a five year old and she puts homework before anything! It's insane, she loves homework. I bet she asks for it when the professor doesn't assign any!" Soul snorted at the thought. "Getting her out of the house to do something fun is like trying to control Black Star: nearly impossible. But she's... different. There's nothing superficial about her: she's the real deal. She doesn't bother hiding beneath faulty exteriors." He smiled, almost fondly. "She's got soul. I like that."
"Hmm..." Nygus hummed, scrutinizing his slight smile. When she deemed it genuine, she said: "Usually you have the girls coming after you, Soul, not the other way around. Never thought I'd see the day when your jaded ass finally fell hard for a girl."
"What're you talking about? I haven't fallen for her." Soul instantly denied. "Those bandages are preventing airflow from going to your brain, Nygus."
"Ha ha, that's funny. But you know I'm right." Nygus flashed him a fake smile. Despite the bandages, he could tell. "So suck it up: you fell, Soul. You're gone. Now the only question is: are you going to keep falling, are you going to pull the parachute, or are you going to hit the ground?" She picked up the platter full of vodka shots and martinis and ignored his dark look. "That girl – she sounds like she's got a lot of potential. You need someone to put you back in line every once in a while, in my opinion."
"Shut up, mummy face."
"Uh huh. But you know I'm right."
And she headed over to deliver the drinks while Soul stared into his shot glass intently before downing it; stubbornly thinking that all those years working in a bar, inhaling all that cigarette smoke and musty air, must have finally gotten to her.
Because there was absolutely no way he could be falling for such a dorky, aggressive, girl.
"By the way, hun." Nygus said, sanguinely. "Your phones ringin'. I think that's her on the caller ID."
He instantly snatched the phone off the bar table, sending Nygus a lethal glare when he realized no one had called.
"'Haven't fallen for her', my ass!" Nygus mimicked. "The sooner you realize you're done for, the sooner you can get your ass moving and give me some grandchildren." She grinned sarcastically.
"Fuck off, Nygus! That was below the belt!" Soul snarled. Nygus knew how much he loathed that line - which his parents said faithfully every year on his birthday, in nearly every conversation they had - because of his age and the fact that he hadn't mentioned a girl since he was, what, eighteen?
His parents were paranoid. Nygus was a bitch. Maka was available. He was screwed.
"But seriously, she sounds nice. Smart, assertive... gimmie that phone! I bet you have a picture of her in there somewhere!" Nygus lunged for the phone but Soul quickly pocketed it, jumping away before she could grab him and force it out of him.
"And that's my cue to leave." Soul seethed. Nygus merely rose a brow, unfazed. "Gotta' write that stupid report and pick a band to interview."
"So you're taking my advice, huh? Good."
"It's my only option." Soul stubbornly insisted, earning an eye-roll from the woman who could pass for his sister if it weren't for her dark skin tone and the fact that she was covered head-to-toe in bandages - hence the mummy jab. Awkwardly, he added: "...And, well, Maka said it was a good idea to start now while I have time..." Although he was sure he'd end up putting it off until his father barked at him to get his ass moving.
"You're so pathetic."
"At least I don't look like a rotting corpse."
"At least I'm not the one in denial about what I want."
"Bitch."
"Whipped," Nygus smirked.
He left the bar with a scowl on his face, promising he'd get her back as she shook her head wryly and continued her rounds.
A.N: I know I'm dragging out Maka's absence, but I consider this 'break' as a time for them to really sort out their weird relationship. This time'll help give them both the bump they need in order to achieve that substantial relationship we're all waiting for :D
Fuck yeah, Nygus has a personality in this story! I still think she needs more screen time ._.
Soul's in denial. Don't worry, he'll get over it soon. He's too much of a realist to delude himself into thinking that what he has with Maka is nothing! Of course, Maka is a totally different story...
Scarlett.