The sun had been set for some time when Maka finally made her way onto the grounds of the circus again. She'd pulled on a button up sweater before leaving the house and was holding it tightly around her, but still her teeth chatter a little whenever the wind blew too strongly. She couldn't help but think about how terrifying circuses looked when there weren't any people around, and although she knew that the workers were in their tents, eating their dinners and getting ready for bed, there was an abandoned feeling to the place now that just made her feel entirely too uneasy. There's a thought of turning around and running back home when she hears approaching footsteps and a surprised laugh.
"You actually came," Soul called out as he came closer. The moon was shining brightly enough that it seemed to reflect off of the head of pure white hair and she could make out a flash of the mouth full of canines as he grinned at her. "I thought you might've chickened out."
"Maka Albarn is no chicken, thank you very much," she said with a dignified and slightly insulted tone. She liked to think herself brave, even. Adventurous. Though that could have just been her own ego getting in the way of seeing herself as she truly was.
The statement earned another soft chuckle, and when he was close enough, he reached out a hand to toy with the end of her pigtail as he had done earlier from behind cage bars. "So I'm seeing," he muttered under his breath, a soft and affectionate tone coating the words. It made Maka's heart flutter a bit in her chest and she wondered when she had turned into such a damn girl.
Batting his hand away from her hair, she gave a small scoffing noise that echoed louder than she expected it to in the empty grounds. "What made you think I wouldn't show? Besides my being a 'chicken'."
Soul shrugged his shoulders lazily, glancing away from her, his face unreadable. She was usually so good at telling what people were thinking and feeling, it was so strange to not be able to get into this boys head, too. "Sometimes townies just come to their senses when they leave the grounds. Realize they were trying to make friends with a freak and decide better of it."
Maka frowned, going to shove his shoulder more roughly than she'd intended. She didn't bother apologizing though, simply crossing her arms and giving him a stern look. "I told you already - not all of us think you're freaks, alright? Stop lumping me in with the rest of those morons you meet on the road."
A soft smirk toyed at the edge of his lips. She stared at him in confusion for a second, wondering what about her 'lecture' of sorts had been so funny, but before she could ask, he'd reached out and grabbed her hand in his. Tugging gently, he began to move a bit deeper into the camp grounds.
"Come on, I'll show you my trailer. Got one all to myself because I'm a big star like that." The tone he used was almost mocking, though of whom Maka wasn't entirely sure. He seemed to find himself funny enough and she was sure that she'd find out what it was all in reference to in time; if she was supposed to.
She found the touch of his hand against hers nice; warm and comforting in a way she hadn't expected. He seemed so cold and cut off in his demeanor that she had somehow expected his entire being to be rigid. His arm hung lazily behind him though, grip barely tight on her, and there was a certain relaxed air to him that felt so natural. She smiled a little, staring down at their linked fingers as they went, trusting him to guide her well enough.
"Here we are," he chirped up, going to let go of her hand and leaving her with an empty feeling in her stomach at the loss of contact. It was as though a connection had been forming where their skin met and it was just suddenly... gone. She shook the feeling from her mind, looking up at him as he pushed the door open, grinning down at her and beckoning for her to follow. She was careful to keep her balance on the uneven stairs that rested on the rocks and grass, gripping onto the doorway as she finally made her way through the landing.
Looking around, his trailer was almost exactly as she would have imagined it to be had she stopped to think about what it would be like on their way here. Messy, but not over the top; some dirty clothes were strewn on the floor, but the red carpeting was still very much visible. He had posters of various films on his walls and a guitar was leaning against the wall in the corner. Of course he played the guitar. He seemed like the guitar type. He had a pile of magazines in a half-opened drawer - one that was quickly slammed shut the moment her noticed and she couldn't help but become ever curious about what it was he was hiding from her. She pushed it from her mind to take in the rest of her surroundings, though, too curious to get to know his decoration inclinations. There was a ragged couch pushed up against one wall near the corner and a small table with playing cards scattered over the top. A helping of chips and cookies kept in bags was lined up along the floor and there was a laundry basket filled with what she assumed was the clean clothes he had yet to wear for the week.
"The couch pulls out into a bed, so I've actually got on to sleep on. Better than the collapsable bunks they've got for the main tent or sleeping on a cot. It's not much, but... it's home." He rubbed the back of his head with his hand, messing up the white layers a little further as he did so. "I'm lucky to have my own space in a place like this."
"So not everyone gets their own trailers?" Maka tore her eyes away from her surroundings finally, locking gazes with Soul and giving a small smirk. "What makes you so special?"
He lifted his finger to her lips, shaking his head. "It's a secret. Sorry, Townie."
"It's - it's Maka," she stuttered out in a slightly embarrassed tone, not sure why she couldn't just accept the nickname. A part of her didn't want to be thought of as a 'townie.' She wanted to be part of his world so badly and the label kept her far apart from it. She tried to fight away the pink that had started to tinge her cheeks and quickly went to take a seat on the moth eaten sofa bed. "So how did you end up in the circus, anyway?"
The way he stiffened at first made her realize it may have been a bit of an intrusive question. She doesn't take it back, her curiosity winning over her manners, and she instead watches him, waiting to see if he'll actually answer. He gave a roll of his shoulders, going to snatch one of the chip bags from the ground and popping it open. He shoved a couple into his mouth, chewing in what she assumed was supposed to be a thoughtful manner, but really just seemed like severe stalling.
Swallowing, he gave a non-committed shrug. "You know. Typical case; unhappy, rebellious teen boy who hated his parents. I ran away, I found the circus, and Stein - he's the guy who owns the thing - was kind enough to give me a spot in the freak show. Said my good looks mixed with the oddity would attract a nice crowd of ladies." He went to take a seat next to her on the couch, leaning back and popping some more chips into his mouth. There was another long, expectant pause as he finished eating his food. "I hope you weren't expecting details. It's a little soon for life stories."
She laughed a little, shrugging herself this time. "I guess I just hoped for some kind of insight. Maybe a hint as to how somebody joined up in something like this."
Soul smirked softly, eyeing her out of the corner of his eyes. "Interested in joining the show, Miss Albarn? Townie no more?"
Maka tried her best to not look embarrassed, shifting in her place on the couch slightly and looking down at her clasped hands in her lap. Was it really such a ridiculous idea? She'd always fancied it a logical one. Where else did people run away to? She wasn't sure she would be very good in a factory and she was the wrong sex to join the army. She frowned a little, failing to keep her disappointment hidden.
"Hey, I was serious," he said, turning in his seat so he could face her more. His hand moved to cup her chin, tilting her face back to him so he could look her in the eye. "If you're really interested, come back tomorrow. I'll introduce you to Stein and we can take it from there, alright?"
Her eyes widened with hope and she reached out to take his other hand in her own. "Really?" She couldn't keep the excitement from her voice. "You'd do that for me? But you barely even know me..."
Soul shrugged, managing to keep that cool demeanor even in the face of overwhelming gratitude. "It's not a big deal, Townie. We all start out in the same boat. It's not up to me whether or not you get brought on - but I can get your foot in the door." His face took on more serious tone after that note, looking at her sternly. "You gotta be sure this is what you want, though, alright? It's not some cake walk. It's not an adventure story. It's a job and you'll be expected to do whatever you're assigned without complaint. It's long days of travel, killer days at work, and people treating you like garbage most of the time without even knowing you. You won't see your family for months at a time, if you see them at all. You sure you're ready for that kind of life?"
Maka was quiet a moment. While getting away from her papa was high on the list of things that appealed her about the circus, the thought of really leaving, of abandoning him like that, was surprisingly hard to swallow. Still, she finally nodded, looking into Soul's eyes with a confidence that surprised even herself. "I'm sure."
He smiled again, letting go of her hand so he could pat her leg. He pulled himself up off the couch, moving to the door, and pulling it open. "Then go pack a bag. Say goodbye to your parents whether you want to or not - trust me. It'll plague you if you don't. Come back in the morning and I'll see what I can do for you, alright?" His expression softened as she came near, a deep affection lingering there that was strange to see after only knowing him less than a day. "It'll be nice to have a newbie around to tease the shit out of."
He gave her a small shove out the trailer, standing in the doorway as she somehow managed to keep her balance down the stairs. She turned to look at him, grinning broadly. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. I'll be so convincing, there's no way Stein'll say no to me!"
Soul chuckled, shaking his head and giving her a small salute. "Just make sure to do what I told you to. G'night, Townie."
"Goodnight, Soul." She bit her lip to try and contain her excitement, turning on her heal and making a run for the edge of the grounds, and sprinting towards home. There was an excitement in her veins, mixed with the slightest guilt that she tried to ignore. It seemed like for once her dreams of leaving this small town were finally coming true.