Appreciation
by. Poisoned Scarlet
Part II
"Life, it's ever so strange
It's so full of change..."
The ceiling was white.
It was reminiscent of that white glow she saw before her captor walked to her, taunted and mocked her, then proceeded to beat her and make her bleed.
She shut her eyes, hoping the white would disappear.
It didn't.
"Finally awake, Maka?" A voice asked, familiar and welcomed. Maka turned her stiff neck to see a stitched up lab coat, an unlit cigarette dangling off her professors lips. He watched her through the glare of his glasses, observing her for any psychological traumas she might have from her experience.
"Professor Stein...?" She cleared her hoarse throat. "What... where am I?"
"Death City General Hospital." Stein answered. "We had you transferred here from a hospital in Iowa, as you were in a critical state. It was the closest medical facility that would admit you immediately at the time, thankfully."
"Oh..." Maka tried to move her arms but hissed. They hurt! Actually, her shoulders hurt as well. And so did her head – she had a terrible headache, now that she awakened a little more. She carefully moved her hands, her shoulders protesting with every inch, and touched her sore eyes with her fingertips. She rubbed them out, trying to get rid of the awful, scratchy feeling.
"How are you feeling?" Stein asked, pulling up a chair and taking out her chart from his pocket.
"Tired." Maka croaked, her fingers brushing a swollen cheek. She wondered how much better she looked now – she knew she had been changed into a hospital gown, so she was relatively clean. Her clothes, she knew, were very bloody and dirty and torn up; no way would they had left her in them in a hospital. "My shoulders really hurt..."
"That would be because of the amount of time spent dangling by chains. It's not very healthy." Stein said, dryly. "There was minor muscle damage due to it. Nothing rest can't heal. The most pressing injury was the knife wound in your thigh. The two broken ribs, concussion, and deep bruises didn't cause much problem."
"Concussion...?" Maka repeated, uneasily.
"You must have hit your head against the wall." Stein elaborated, catching her flinch but not commenting on it. "You have a minor concussion."
"That's why my head hurts..." Maka mumbled, touching her head softly. She felt very tired, enough to just fall asleep and let the pain disappear for a few hours. But she wanted to stay awake; she felt starved of human contact. "Professor... Soul, where is he?"
"Outside." Stein answered. "He hasn't left since we admitted you to the emergency room."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Soul... Soul hasn't gone home yet? Just how long have I been here?"
"A day and a half." Stein replied. "He hasn't left your side since. Black Star and the rest are currently at school."
"School?" Maka turned her head to the window, noticing that it was still bright outside. "They're at school..." She whispered to herself, in wonder. School had been so far, far away from her mind during those numbing hours in her life. It hadn't mattered: not her grades, not studying, not getting ahead in the lectures. It felt so insignificant compared to the looming threat of her imminent demise.
"Yes, and now that you are coherent and level-headed..." Stein started, standing up. He slipped his pen into his pocket, her chart under his arm. "Would you like to see Soul?"
"Yes!" Maka said, immediately. He cracked a small smile at her spirit: she would be just fine. He supposed the emotional issues would arise later during the day or perhaps week, when she had time to herself to deliberate the experience she had just survived.
"Maka?" Soul called hesitantly, entering the room after the professor left. His eyes landed on her, the green eyes that were hazy with painkillers but still as piercing. He rushed to her and his eyes darted to every part of her body – every bruise, every bandage. "How are you holding up?" He asked softly, not knowing where to put his hands. He stuffed them in his pockets instead.
"I'm okay!" Maka smiled. He breathed easy for now. "Professor..." She paused, gathering her scattered thoughts for a moment. "Professor Stein told me you waited outside this whole time."
"Yeah, I wasn't going to leave you alone after what happened."
"Why?" Maka mumbled, closing her eyes for a second to regain some strength. "You should have gone home! I bet you haven't eaten yet, have you? Did you at least shower and change?" She cracked an eye open to look at him. He had a clean shirt on and there didn't seem to be a speak of dirt on him...
"Tsubaki brought me a change of clothes a couple of hours ago." Soul shifted under the gaze of her narrowed eyes. He sniffed himself, wrinkling his nose. "Fine. I didn't shower. There. Man, this is so uncool. I stink..."
Maka laughed before wincing and coughing, her hand holding her raw throat. She hadn't even known it was raw until she laughed! She could only guess how difficult swallowing food would be...
"Hey, are you okay?" Soul asked, alarmed. "Should I go get Stein—?"
Maka shook her head slowly, coughing one last time into her fist. "No, it's okay. My throat just hurts." She cleared it carefully. She didn't want to induce another coughing fit – it might actually shake up Soul enough to call Stein and that was the last thing she needed. "I'll be fine as long as I leave it alone."
His eyes lost their glint and became twin pools of empty scarlet. He hung his head, staring at the floor. His jaw hurt from how hard he was clenching it shut but it didn't compare to the pain his meister went through.
Nothing would.
He slipped a hand out of his pocket to grip the metal railings of her bed, his knuckles turning white.
"... Soul?"
He snapped his head up to her, attentively.
Maka lowered her eyes to the hand that gripped the bar tightly enough to make his knuckles pop out. She didn't have to ask why his eyes grew so cold and dark because she knew already.
It wasn't his fault but he still hadn't gotten over it.
She reached out slowly, resting her hand on top of his own.
His hand turned and she wove her fingers between his in comfort.
"... It's not your fault." She softly said. His hand was warm, soft, unlike her own. Hers felt dry and stiff and weak.
"Yes, it is!" He viciously said, not bothering to hide it. "I was supposed to protect you. I failed. There's nothing else you can say that would make me believe otherwise."
Maka puffed her cheeks out. Was he challenging her? She would eventually find a way to prove him wrong. It was in her DNA to challenge certain beliefs, after all, she would not go down without a fight. That was one aspect of herself being held hostage had not erased. "No one asked you to protect me." She said steadily, staring at their held hands. "You did that yourself—!"
"Because I care about you, stupid!" Soul snapped, his hand tearing from her own. He went back to strangling the rail. "That's why I did it – that's why I would still do it! Now more than ever." He scoffed at himself, his cynicism getting the better of him. "If I were you, I would find another weapon. One that can actually do its job right..."
"What? No, don't say that!" Maka shouted in panic, jolting him from his dark thoughts. He looked up at her, in surprise. "Don't say stupid crap like that, Soul! So you didn't protect me once, that isn't any reason to beat yourself up over it!"
"It only takes once, Maka." Soul said through his teeth. "Might I remind just how close you came to dying a day ago?"
"So?"
Soul stared in disbelief. "So? So? That's all you have to say?" He was spitting furious; how could she dismiss this so easily? How, how, how? How, when he spent so much time tortured over it? How, when he agonized over it? How, when he felt like he would go insane from sheer concern over her well-being? "Do you have any idea how worried I was? Fuck, I was so close to tearing Kid's head off when he told me my jacket wasn't symmetrical!" He exploded, making her wince. He was loud and her hearing was still sensitive. "When you contacted Lord Death..." He shut his eyes. The worst day of his life to date. "When you started to say goodbye..." He started to shake – out of grief or fury he still wasn't sure. "... don't you ever scare me like that again, do you hear me?"
Maka tried to reach out for him but stopped short, her shoulder shrieking in pain. She tugged on his sleeve instead, pulling him to her. He understood her silent command and leaned over her, letting her slowly wrap her arms around his neck; all the while suppressing hisses of pain when her shoulder joints popped and creaked.
"I'm sorry."
"What're you apologizing for? It's not your fault."
"I'm as much at fault as you are."
"Not nearly as much as me."
"But it is partly my fault." Maka insisted stubbornly into his neck. "I was the one who didn't kill it when I had the chance..."
Soul scoffed. She wanted to split the guilt? Only Maka would try that. He allowed the first smile since she was abducted to graze his face. His hand cradled her head, his cheek pressed against hers and he was grateful to feel her warmth. It meant she was alive and real and he wasn't hallucinating from sleep deprivation.
She stunk of anesthetics and iodine.
He wouldn't have her any other way.
"...You know, you might wanna' consider a shower, too. You stink, Maka."
"You are so lucky I'm too sore to move right now!"
He laughed into her neck, pulling her even closer to him.
She was back.
And he was never letting her out of his sight again.
"Breakdown
Yeah, you breakdown
Well, don't you breakdown
Listen to me because
It's just a ride, it's just a ride..."
"Maka!" Tsubaki cried in relief, running to her side. Patty and Liz appeared beside her shortly after, crying in unison: "MAKA!" and throwing themselves at her with wide, watery, grins.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Maka winced, as the three girls cuddled closer to her; blubbering out things she could barely understand over the sound of Liz's sobs and Patty's garbled laughter.
"Hey!" Soul snapped. "She's still injured! Save it for when she's strong enough to walk!"
"I-I'm sorry!" Liz hiccuped, Patty nodding her head fervently beside her. "But I c-can't believe she's here!"
"We're so happy you're alright, Maka!" Patty screeched, bottom lip quivering. Her crystal eyes sparkled with glee. "Sissy and I thought you were a goner for sure, right, sissy?"
"Yeah, Pat, we did." Liz smiled weakly down at her.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Maka-chan." Tsubaki shuddered out, her relief palpable in her tone. "I was so worried when Professor Stein asked us to stay after school to talk about your current condition... I thought something horrible had happened!"
"Figures Stein would make it sound like she died or something..." Soul muttered, running his fingers through his hair agitatedly. Stein had a terrible way of delivering good news; he could only imagine how he would act if he were breaking bad news to someone. The door creaked open and he saw Black Star enter slowly, almost cautiously. "Black Star...?" Soul blinked, with a furrow of his brows. He wasn't as energetic or jubilant as he had expected him to be.
Maka watched the boy approach her bed silently, studied his severe expression and solemn eyes. He loomed over her, asking evenly: "How you feelin'?"
Maka quirked a smile. "As if I could conquer the world."
Black Star's expression of melancholy broke into one of arrogance. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Maka, you'll have to go through the almighty Black Star before that happens!"
She laughed softly. It was the only way she could laugh without her throat hurting. "We'll see!"
He grinned. "Great to have you back, Maka! See? I told you I would drag your sorry ass back to Shibusen!"
"Actually, Professor Stein rescued me and we're not in Shibusen, we're in Death City General Hospital." Maka dryly burst his bubble.
Black Star blinked before sniffing haughtily. He crossed his arms over his chest in defiance. "Keh! Close enough..."
They all burst into laughter.
She wondered when was the last time they had laughed like this.
Had it really been only a week ago? Before her capture and before her world was turned upside down? It sounded so surreal – that she was able to laugh and smile and joke around with her friends like this now.
She almost didn't believe it until Kid entered the room, a smile blossoming on his face when he spotted her.
"Maka, I'm so glad you are doing fine!" Kid greeted, standing beside Patty and Liz. "Professor Stein tells me you are stable and should be out in no time at all!"
"That's great!" Maka sighed in relief. She rotated her sore shoulder. The pain was a burn she could ignore now but that might've been the effects of the painkillers she had downed almost an hour ago. "I can't wait to get out! It's so stuffy and boring in here..."
"Ah! That reminds me!" Kid snapped his fingers, reaching into the inside of his coat. He brought out a new book and Soul groaned.
"Why, Kid?" Soul mourned. "Why are you arming her?"
"Shut up, Soul!" Maka chided smugly, reaching out for the book like a child reaching for their rattle. "Thank you, Kid! I owe you one!"
"No problem. I hope you like it. I wasn't sure of your literary taste so I picked out a personal favourite of mine." Kid added, as she read the back summary and realized it was a mystery.
She smiled warmly and nodded happily, placing the book on her lap for the time-being. "I love mystery! I think I'll like it a lot! Thanks again, Kid!"
Her friends.
Her life-lines.
All together, all smiling at her; grateful to have her back, to have her alive.
She was so lucky to have such a great group of friends, as Kid freaked out about the asymmetry of the vase of flowers Sid and Nygus had sent her through Stein.
"No need to run, no need to hide
It'll take you 'round and 'round
Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down
It's just a ride, it's just a ride
Don't be scared, don't hide your eyes
It may feel so real inside
But don't forget it's just a ride..."
"Not talking again, eh?"
"You'll be dead soon anyway."
"Lady Tanya is growing bored of your games...we want that spellbook NOW!"
"Decisions, decisions...decisions decisions—!"
Maka jolted awake, soaked in sweat and pale-faced.
She tried to sit up instantly, her ribs howling in pain.
She gasped, clutching her side.
She threw her head back against the stiff pillow with a hiss when it only worsened, her shoulders so sore it hurt to even move.
Had the painkillers wore off?
Or was someone hurting her again?
"A-ah! Damn...ow..." Maka grimaced, shutting her eyes against the pain. Everything hurt! Everything was a horrible stab! It felt as if someone were hitting her again, like someone was kicking her – like the steel-toed boots of that interrogator when he swung by for a bloody visit – she needed a doctor, where was a doctor – ?
"Professor.. Stein!" Maka gasped, desperately. Her fingers sought out the nurse button and she pressed it rapidly, desperately, because everything hurt and she was too shaken to function. The shadows that stretched against the floor felt as if they were going to peel themselves off and attack her.
White – the ceiling was suddenly too white!
White like that light when she was in her cell room.
The door creaked open and she was already sobbing.
She was going to be hurt again, wasn't she?
She honestly didn't know anything about that spellbook! But they refused to believe her: if they couldn't even trust her word that she wasn't lying about the book, how could they be sure that whatever else she said was the truth? It was like they were doing it on purpose – they just wanted to hurt her!
And she was probably right and that scared her.
"—aka! I need you to calm down." His voice was neutral but forceful, as he tried to keep her strapped to the bed. "You're having a panic attack, I need you to breathe— !"
"N-no! Get away— from me— !" Maka cried shrilly, kicking him away blindly. Were they going to try things on her again? Only one had managed to try to touch her and she had felt so terrified when he did. Her panic ratcheted up to dangerous levels and she became hysterical – trying to pry Stein's cold hands off her arms – trying to get rid of that burned-in image of the interrogator that flashed behind the lids of her eyes; his wide grin and his savage eyes and his – !
"Get off her—Maka!" A hand grabbed her cheek, raising her head up. Her wild eyes lock on scarlet and she froze momentarily. She recognized that color. "Maka, it's me, Soul! Calm down. You're hurting yourself."
"S-Soul?" Maka shuddered, trembling. But her erratic heartbeat greatly declined, breaths coming easier than before. If Soul was here, then... "I... it's just..." She finally comprehended her surroundings. Stein was standing behind Soul, holding a syringe that she was sure contained a sedative to put her out for a while. A nurse was on her other side, concerned, but her wide eyes darted to Soul when he spoke again:
"It's okay, Maka." He soothed, pushing her back down on her bed. His hand smoothed back her hair gently. "You're fine. You're in the hospital, remember? You just had a bad dream. That's all."
"J-just a dream..." She agreed distractedly, allowing herself to be pushed back on her bed. Her body still screamed in pain and her eyes shut to show this, a pained groan escaping her. She heard Soul demand some pain medication and it wasn't long before someone injected her with something.
But it soothed the pain and that was enough for her.
His hand left but she reached out like lightening, gripping it in place.
She flashed fearful eyes in his direction – he wasn't leaving, was he?
She was still mildly convinced that the instant she was alone, the shadows would take her and she'd be faced with the terrible smirk of her main interrogator — not the one with the bored, sleazy, smile but with the one with the steel-toed boots and sadistic grin and finger-less gloves.
Soul glanced at Stein, who nodded silently and gestured the nurse out with a jerk of his chin. "I'll handle the rest. She's fine for now."
Stein tossed Soul a blanket that was folded under the bed, along with one of the hospitals hard pillow. He pushed a chair to her bedside with his foot and said, calmly: "If she has another episode, call me."
"Yeah."
"Goodnight Soul, Maka. I'll be in the lobby if you need me." He spared her one last glance, coldly analytical, before leaving and letting the silence of the night return.
She felt foolish, needing to hold his hand in order to feel safe, but she couldn't help it. If she let go, it would feel as if she was border-lines away from him again.
That type of separation frightened her.
Maka resigned herself to a night spent clutching onto Soul's hand like her life depended on it. She inwardly hoped he didn't mind: she knew it couldn't be comfortable sleeping like that, in a chair, with her clutching his hand.
".. I'm sorry..." She whispered after a few seconds of silence.
Soul sighed and leaned forward. He placed the pillow under his chin, bringing their held hands to sit on top of the pillow. "Don't sweat it. Didn't I do something like this to you, too?" Soul asked, with a crooked grin.
"Yeah, when Medusa was still the school nurse..." Maka elaborated, remembering that day clearly. She had been so worried and guilt-ridden and miserable in those days. In that instant, she wondered if their positions had switched with this incident, and he squeezed her hand to grab her attention again.
"Hey, snap out of it." Soul frowned. "You're not thinking about that again, are you?"
Maka shifted her eyes away.
Soul sighed. "Geez... that was, what, four years ago?" He slumped a little further, securing their hands by lacing his fingers through her own. The movement made her feel better; he always knew how to make her feel better. "I thought you got over that already."
"I did." Maka defended herself. "But you made me remember again..."
He rolled his eyes. "If you were really over it, remembering it wouldn't get you all depressed. Cheer up, bookworm, it's boring when you're sad."
Her glare softened at his smile and she squeezed their held hands.
"Thanks, Soul..."
"For what?" He asked, voice muffled by his sleeve.
Maka closed her eyes. She felt much calmer now, without the urge to bolt out of the room and find a hiding place. She rationally guessed it was because of the drug that was spreading through her veins to ease the pain but she liked to think it was because of Soul. She liked to think that, because he was here, she would be okay and she didn't need some funky medication to bring her back to reality.
"For caring about me..."
He stared at their hands for a second.
"I'll always care about you, Maka." He promised softly, watching her gradually fall into a peaceful sleep. It was when her heart rate evened out, her breaths slowed and her grip on his hand loosened, that he admitted it aloud for the first time since the thought had ever crossed his mind:
"I love you, Maka."
"Slowly, oh so very slowly
Accept that there's no getting off
So live with it, just gotta' go with it
'Cause this ride's never gonna' stop..."
"Ouch!" Maka whined, leaning against Soul for support. Walking never seemed difficult before but now, with sore ribs, sore shoulders, and a very sore thigh, it was torture and Soul's impatience wasn't making things any better. "Ow! Hey, watch it, Soul!"
"You watch it – you're stepping on my foot!"
"You're getting in my way!"
Stein stood behind them, watching as Soul Eater struggled to reach his motorcycle so that she may arrive home and resume her rest.
She wasn't allowed to attend school for an indefinite amount of time – Stein approximated four weeks, just in case – but after some badgering from the girl, Stein allowed her to return to her home to continue the rest of her recovery.
If they could get to his motorcycle, that is.
"That's it!" Soul snapped, and carefully picked her up. She sucked in a breath, flinching when her ribs ached in protest when he settled her in his arms. "You good?"
"Y-yeah..." Maka grunted, pressing a hand to her ribs to dull the sharp jabs. "I can walk to the parking lot, though—!"
"Thanks again, Stein!" Soul said instead, ignoring her. He smiled, grateful. "We owe you one!"
"You can pay me back by spending a night in my laboratory one day!" Stein suggested cheerily, and Soul tightened his grip on Maka.
"No, not happening." He deadpanned.
"Oh, well." Stein took a draw of smoke, wistful. "I can always get senpai to do it."
"Papa." Maka winced. It has been around a week and a half since she arrived to the hospital and her father had dropped by to visit her a few hours after her friends had. He had hugged her, cried, and did just about every humiliating thing a father wasn't supposed to do but still did anyway: like proclaim his adoration for her while snot ran down his lip...and try to jump the nurse when she walked in, to her utmost irritation.
"He'll be informed of your relocation later." Stein assured breezily. "When I feel like telling him..."
"Thank you, professor." Maka waved as Soul walked to his motorcycle, easily swinging a leg over it and settling her on his lap. "Uh, aren't I going behind?"
Soul spared her a glance and reached around her to ignite the bike. "Too dangerous."
Maka rolled her eyes. "I think I could hold onto you, Soul."
Soul shook his head. "It's too risky and you won't be comfortable, anyway. Your ribs are still healing, so you'll be more comfortable like this."
"But—!"
"Just deal with it, Maka, you're not going behind." Soul firmly decided, making the engine roar to life and effectively blotting out her indignant remark. She closed an eye at the rough winds that tousled her loose ashy hair, allowing her gaze to drift to the clear blue sky.
It was crystalline and beautiful, the sun grinning down at her. The wind was suddenly sweeter and the proximity to her partner, to the boy she had been yearning to be with when she had been chained to the wall, became of utmost importance.
She buried her face in his chest, clutching his shirt. He was really there, with her, and she was really alive, not locked in a cage, breathing in the dry Nevada air that didn't taste as dry anymore.
She was really alive...
"Hey, are you okay?" Soul asked, concerned when she didn't react to the bike parking in the lot of their building. He expected her to be thrilled that they've arrived home but she hadn't stopped clutching his shirt. She had hardly moved. "Maka—!"
"Don't!" Maka gasped weakly, turning to hide her watery eyes from sight. The heat made the tears that streamed down her face more real for her. "Just...just stay still for a l-little while." Her voice thickened, as she restrained sobs. "Just for a little..wh-while... please..."
He understood immediately and wrapped an arm around her, as she cried into his chest for the life she had only begun to appreciate.
"It's just a ride, it's just a ride
Don't be scared, now, dry your eyes
It may feel so real inside
But don't forget, enjoy the ride."
Three weeks.
It had been three weeks since the incident in Chicago.
Her room was dark. The sickle moon hung high in the bluish sky, obscured by mist. It hadn't even been one hour since she had begun to fall asleep yet she was already reliving things she'd rather not. She could feel the way the wall pressed against her back, the way the chains chafed her wrist, and the way the glass dug into her palm...
Maka sat up, scooting to rest against the headboard of her bed. When that became too uncomfortable, she slide off her bed and padded to the living room, where she sat on the couch quietly. The wooden floor was cold and she stared at her toes, traced the scar left behind in between them from the shard of glass. It had dug in deeper than she had believed. She was glad that the couch was angled away from the window, allowing enough dark to obscure any more otherwise visible scars on her body.
She debated turning on the television to see if there was something good on at two in the morning that could ease the tension she felt deep within her bones, when the thought of waking Soul entered her mind.
He still had to go to school although he seemed very reluctant to leave her alone for more than ten minutes. But she couldn't be waking him up for reasons like dumb nightmares! She was Maka, his meister, and tough-as-nails. He had already seen her cry more times than she'd like and she didn't want to worry him anymore. She could still see the traces of guilt in his ruby eyes and it made her gut twist whenever she thought of the turmoil he was going through; the same, if not worse, pain she'd felt when he got that gash across his chest due to her own carelessness...
"What're you doing up so late?" Soul asked, walking out from the kitchen. He had loitered there for the past twenty minutes: blowing bubbles in his milk as he contemplated Maka's slow but sure recovery. He had deliberated dropping heavier hints, since she obviously wasn't getting it; subtle ways to show her affection without scaring her away. But he couldn't think up any other way to show it without being obvious: Maka just wasn't getting it and it was rather frustrating. "It's gonna' be three in the morning."
"I should be asking you that." Maka retorted. "You have school tomorrow..."
"It's not like I actually stay awake during class." He shrugged, as he sat next to her. She noticed he sat closer to her again; it was a habit he had picked up recently. He had picked up a lot of weird habits: like resting against her when she read on the couch, standing behind her and guiding her gently when she stood up to go somewhere, or playing with her clothes, hair, hand when she was studying...
"You shouldn't sleep in class, Soul! Professor Stein told me you have a test for his class this Friday."
"We do?" Soul groaned. "The hell? You don't even go to school and you still know when we have tests? Well, good thing you told me – I'm not coming on Friday."
"You can't ditch class because of a test." Maka said, reprovingly. "Aren't they giving away detentions if they find you out of your classrooms during class hours?"
"No, they're taking away mission hours if they find students outta' class." Soul smirked at her worried face. "Relax, Maka, Black Star and I haven't gotten caught since we were fourteen. We got a place to hang out in when we ditch."
"Which would be...?"
"Death Burgers."
"The fast food restaurant right across from Shibusen?" Maka gaped.
"It's so obvious that no one ever looks there!" Soul exclaimed brightly, immediately silenced by Maka's powerful punch to his shoulder. "Aw—shit that hurt!" He squawked, rubbing his bruised shoulder. "Damn, why'd you punch me? I think that hurt more than your Maka Chop's!"
"Good. Thanks for the heads up – I'll punch you more often now!" Maka snapped, to his chagrin. "You're not ditching Friday. You're taking the test. I don't care if you fail it, at least it's something. Stein is averaging my grade using your own so you better get me at least a B, Soul!"
"...I'll do it if I feel like it..." He howled in pain when she delivered another blow to his shoulder. "Alright, alright! I'll go! I'll go! I promise – just stop..." He groaned, pitifully.
"That's what I thought." She then sighed softly, slumping down. She felt tired but she was afraid of sleep: nightmares still plagued her dreams, and usually she recovered the sleep she lost at the night during the day. But she knew she wouldn't be able to keep the cycle for long: she would be returning to school soon and she needed to regulate her sleep. She wouldn't be able to function during the day without at least nine hours of sleep. She got three to four hours on a good night nowadays and that spelled disaster for her.
"Nightmares again?"
"Mm"
"What were they about this time?"
She opened her tired eyes. "The same thing as always: he opens the door, he calls me names, then he hits me." She dropped her eyes to her lap. "And I can't do anything about it. This time I dreamed about the shard of glass, but it broke..." She trailed off, remembering the vivid horror she felt when the shard broke in her hand and cut through tender muscle. "Then I woke up."
"Come here." Soul demanded, and she obeyed wordlessly. Her hand rested on her tender ribs to muffle the soft burn that flared from her sudden movements. Once she was adjusted on his lap, his fingers soothingly running through her hair as they usually did when he caught her awake because of a nightmare, did she feel completely at ease and safe. "Didn't I tell you to wake me up if you have nightmares?"
"I don't want to bother you." Maka softly said, eyes closed. His fingers disentangled the knots in her hair every time they combed through. It was comforting. It was what her mother used to do when she was younger, when she still lingered around their home despite her fathers unfaithfulness.
"Maka." She was startled when he pressed his palm against her cheek, bringing her head up to face him. He leaned down, as if to get a better look at something on her face, and said: "I used to get nightmares all the time – it's not cool to wake up to no one. If you need me then come get me. I'll always be here."
She searched his eyes, reflecting a darker red than usual, but nodded wordlessly. His hand did not move, however, and neither did his face, and she wondered why for a second. She wondered what he was searching for with so much intensity in her own eyes, her face. In that instant, she remembered being on the other side of the mirror, watching him hang his head; that shadow of anguish marring his handsome face.
Her hand twitched and rose up to cup his cheek, as she had wanted to do during that grim moment in her life, and something curious happened. She hadn't known what was happening until his mouth was inches from her own. His breath feathered her lips, hot and heavy. That was when she realized holding his face with the same tenderness he did, under the cloak of night, with their faces pulled so close together already, probably gave the wrong idea...
But by then it was too late.
He tasted like milk, as comical as that sounded.
Milk and cookies: he was eating late night snakes again, she'd have to scold him for that. These thoughts abruptly vanished when he pushed her back on the couch, hovering over her as their lips pushed against each other with an edge of desperation. She made a noise in her throat when her side jolted with pain but Soul swiftly pushed her up to a more comfortable position; now kneeling between her thighs.
She was glad she was wearing her pajama pants and not her shorts when his lips drew away and she breathed in deep gulps of air; just realizing how much air she had been missing. Her hands were trembling, she noticed absently, but it was not out of fear or regret. She pressed her palms against his chest to still them, able to feel his pounding heart. He was just as shaken as she was, she realized slowly.
"Just think," he grinned out a few seconds later, "you were gonna' leave without getting some action from the coolest Deathscythe around."
"Shut up!" Maka shoved a pillow into his face to hide her own flushed one from his eyes. She giggled when he growled and tore the pillow away, tossing it somewhere behind him. "There's more to life than just 'getting some action', Soul."
"Yeah..." Soul trailed off, smiling softly at her laugh. But the look vanished and was replaced with one of mischief. "Like video games and being cool."
Maka rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."
"Only on weekdays." Soul yawned, rolling off her and landing on his feet on the floor. On his haunches, he peered over at her. "Hey, you gonna' sleep there or something? Your back's gonna' kill you when you wake up tomorrow."
"It's not like I'm going anywhere!" Maka sourly reminded, glad the heat in her cheeks was receding with their casual conversation. He wasn't pushing it and for that she was relieved. "At least it'd give me something to do..."
"I told you you could use my Xbox if you're that bored." Soul pointed out.
"And turn out like you? I'll pass." Maka sighed, ignoring his look of offense. She sat up carefully, smiling down at him. "I'll sleep in my room right now, you go ahead without me."
Soul frowned but stood, beginning to head over to his room. "If you want, you can crash in my room tonight." Soul offered over his shoulder. Her face steadily warmed when she caught sight of his soft smile. "Then you'd wake up to someone." He left his bedroom door open for her and she decided sitting alone in the darkness until dawn wasn't worth it but waking up to him was.
So she scrambled off the couch, flushing a deeper red when she tripped over her feet and nearly fall flat on her face. She needed to get a hold of herself, Maka scolded, Soul had walked away perfectly fine yet she was stumbling over air! It was a good thing he'd gone ahead or he would never let her live it down, she thought as she entered his room and crawled into bed with him.
"Hey, Soul, scoot over! You're taking all the space!"
"Maka, you're half my size! That's enough room for you!"
"No, it's not! I need my space!"
"I can't move anymore! You'll kick me off the bed at this point!"
"You're such a liar – you've got a foot of space over there! Move!"
"What, are you blind? I'm practically on the edge! You move!"
At least, Maka wryly thought, as they both settled into his bed with minor bickering, she could safely say she wouldn't have it any other way.
A.N: Hehe.
I had to end it that way, didn't I? So cliché, but I make it cool ;)
I vaguely recall having a similar conversation when I slept over at my cousins house once upon a time – except I won in the end and I woke up to her half-way out of the bed, using her nightstand as a support beam so she didn't totally fall out of bed XD
Scarlett.