I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Thank you for the review and adds! This one is a bit shorter than my last few but I thought it was a good place to stop. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.
"What do you mean she left?" Maka sat up straight, a distraught look on her face.
"Honestly, do you guys really find it surprising? She'd seem like the type to do something like that." Soul sighed, running his hand through his hair, "Looks like she wasn't just chilling in the infirmary, after all."
"I should've known." I shook my head, "Should've sensed her gone. I didn't think about it; I thought maybe she may have let the Elementals in to teach her Soul Protection." I say that, but I knew this would happen. I knew she would up and leave; I just hoped she wouldn't. "Shit..." I muttered, sitting on the Academy steps next to Maka. "I told my Father I would let her go but," I shook my head again, "She didn't even say goodbye."
She didn't even give me a chance to try and talk her out of it.
"How'd you find out about this?" Tsubaki asked, standing behind me with her partner, who was surprisingly quiet.
"Father," I answered, frustrated and even feeling a little bit betrayed, "He had Nygus lie to me. She's already been gone for two days; Death knows where she could be right now." When he told me I couldn't even bring myself to say anything; I don't even know if he had finished everything he wanted to say before I turned and left. I wasn't exactly happy with being lied too, but then again it served me right for lying to her. Still, something I wanted to keep from happening ended up happening anyway. Kuro keeping me from seeing her in he infirmary was probably part of it from the very beginning.
"First we lost Char and now Kuro..." Patti trailed off, trying to stifle a sniffle.
"No, no," Liz cooed to her sister before saying, "Kuro will be back. I'm sure she will be-"
"Oh for God's sake," BlackStar groaned, finally opening his loud mouth, "Why don't we just go get her? I'm seriously not feeling this whole sitting around and doing nothing crap!" he plastered that wide grin on his face, "Maybe she's still close by!"
There was a slight pause in the group. Maka shook her head, "I can't - I can't sense anything." she turned to me, "Kid?"
I said nothing, suddenly overwhelmed by the heavy feeling in my chest I've been trying to ignore since Father told me about this. With the current search for Noah it'd be foolish to leave; I even heard that because of recent activity with Crona, he will be soon sought after as well. I must remain here, should something happen. She was gone and there was nothing I could do about it.
"BlackStar," Tsubaki interjected gently, "I don't think that's possible. Not right now, at least. We'll just have to hope Liz is right."
BlackStar looked at her silently for a moment before turning to the horizon sulkily. "This sucks. Not even a Shinigami can do anything about it."
I rolled my eyes. As if I didn't feel bad enough already. "Thanks."
"Well I'm just sayin' if it were me-"
"Well it isn't you!"
"Who the Hell do you think you are? Interrupting a God!" he crossed his arms, "You'd think for someone who has feelings for her you'd be out looking right now, not sitting here."
"BlackStar!" Tsubaki and Maka yelled at him.
"What?" he barked back, only to silence when I stood and turned to glare at him.
"She left on her own free will, that much I know. What am I going to do? Drag her back when she doesn't want to come back?" I paused, tightening my jaw in annoyance. I could feel their wary eyes on me but I didn't care. I think what I needed most was to be left alone; away from an obnoxious, loud mouthed idiot.
"Kiddo-kun-" I heard Patti say, only to be stopped by who I can assume was Liz, as I turned back and walked down the steps. If I wasn't going to see or be with Kuro, I'd need to sort myself out and figure out how to handle what I'm feeling. My chest hurt as if I had an open wound, but there wasn't a single scratch on me.
Eventually I found myself at our home, laying on my back in bed. Normally I would go to the library if I needed some time to myself, but in this situation it was the last place I should go. I groaned as I sat up, trying - in vain - not to think about the first time she stepped into the library and the conversation we had.
"He was everything to me."
I snorted with a halfhearted smirk, the ache returning as I remembered what she said at that time. Would she have left Kaori, too?
I shook my head. At this point I was being childish. I knew why she left. The moment she touched my hands before that monstrosity threw me to the ground I knew she told the truth. She didn't want to go anywhere; she just felt that it was the best thing to do. So why was there doubt in my mind? Even previously with BlackStar I said she wanted to leave. I've always read about this happening to humans, but I had no idea such insecurities could affect a Shinigami. Perhaps I've hung around humans for too long.
I gazed around the room absentmindedly, not knowing what to do with myself, until I stopped at a small box on my dresser. It was what I got at that boutique a couple of days ago: Kuro's birthday present. It was in two days. I got up and approached it, taking it and lifting the top. Kuro wasn't one for flashy things, so I kept it safe with a simple bracelet. Smoothed amber stones accented with small, light wood beads. Liz, Patti, and I looked almost everywhere for something to get her; when I came across this I got it not only because I was sure she'd like it, but because the amber reminded me of the dark copper her eyes were before she awakened.
As I heard the door being opened downstairs and Liz and Patti's voice, I took a deep breath before setting the box onto the dresser. I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid this empty feeling, so there was no point in locking myself up. If anything I'd just think about her more than I already do. I didn't know how long she'd be gone or if she'd be coming back at all, but I had responsibilities. In the end all of this was her decision, even if she wanted the opposite, and I will respect it no matter how I feel. She had Father not tell me for a reason. So, I won't go after her. Though, I do find it broodingly funny how something that may have possibly served as a reminder to her, would end up being the only thing I had to remember her by.
I tore my eyes from the bracelet and exited the room, making my way downstairs to greet my partners.
End of Chapter XXVII
oh boy, the endless worry that I didn't keep Kid in character... xD