Author's Note: I'm sorry that this took so long. I hope nobody thought I abandoned the story without notice. I was initially planning on having more happen in this chapter. However, since I took such a long time I didn't want to take more time to write a longer chapter.
"Did you ask him yet?" Soul questioned, glancing at Crona.
"No. I don't even know if it's OK yet, Soul!" Maka growled. "Did you forget I have to talk to Lord Death?"
"What?" Crona shifted in his seat.
"Forget about it. Would you like more rice?"
"No thank you."
"Don't give up that quickly!" Ragnarok bonked him on the head. "What was your weapon talking about cow?"
"Ragnarok..." Crona groaned.
"Shut up Crona! I'm helping you!" Ragnarok growled as he yanked Crona's ears.
"Stop it!" Crona yelped. Of course, Ragnarok ignored him as usual and began to pull his cheeks instead.
"That's enough!" Maka sighed. " Fine. I didn't want to bring it up since I don't even know if it is a possibility or not. But I want you to move in with us. Would you like that?"
Crona looked astonished, and slightly worried. "You want me to live here? With you? All the time?"
"Well of course. Why wouldn't we? It would be so much easier you know? And I love having you around." Maka squeezed his arm.
"But I thought you just wanted to decorate my room?"
"Well yeah I mean. You need more stuff no matter where you live. I also have not asked Lord Death. He could say no."
"Pfft like I want to see your ugly faces all the time." Ragnarok grumbled. "Now feed me!" Maka rolled her eyes and reached for the bowl of rice.
"No! It's ok Maka. I can do it." Crona exclaimed. He felt guilty at having Maka serve the food. Even if she had volunteered because Soul and Blair made it. Maka raised her eyebrows but passed him the rice bowl. Crona spooned out a bowl for his weapon and added a dab of butter as well as a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. He meticulously mixed the rice until it was and even consistency.
"Hurry up! You take forever!" Ragnarok grabbed the bowl from his meisters hands and inhaled it in one gulp.
"I was only trying to be nice." Crona mumbled, shooting a defeated look at the demon weapon above him.
"So Crona? You didn't exactly tell me how you feel about that. Do you want to live here?" Maka asked.
"Well...I'm not quite sure how to deal with it. But I do want too. I just hate to burden you even more. And I'll always be in the way."
"No! It would actually help me. I don't like going all the way to the dungeon. It also creeps me out to think that you sleep in such a scary place. I want you here. Stop talking about how you are a burden. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm doing want I want to do? I feel like I've repeated that at least five times since yesterday!"
'I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. It's not a habit that can be broken so quickly. I just want you to be happy. And when you repeat these negative things about yourself you believe them even more. You know if you would see a therapist he or she could help you talk through this stuff much better than I can. Did you not like the one you saw? We could always choose a different one."
"No, she was very nice. I..I..I..just...can't. I didn't know how to deal with her."
"Maka." Soul interjected. "Don't you think you are asking a lot of him at once?"
Maka groaned inwardly. Ideas of how to help Crona was constantly circling around in her mind. She sometimes forgot to take things slowly. Everything was so new to the former recluse after all. "I'm sorry Crona. We don't have to talk about all this right now."
"It's ok Maka." Crona looked down. "Everything is really new and scary. My chest hurts all the time. Sometimes, I feel like I can't breath. But I'm getting better. I can deal with more things than I ever could before. I have you to thank for that."
Maka smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. And I'm glad you're here."
"I'm glad he's here too." Blair purred as she leapt upon Crona's lap in cat form. "He's to nice to push me off. Although his bony legs aren't as comfortable as Soul's."
"Well just don't sit on him in human form again." Maka smirked. "Or I will get you." Crona shuddered at the memory.
"Oh pfft!" Blair huffed. "You're all so sensitive in this house." When they had finished eating Soul plopped onto the couch and took up a game control.
"Hey Crona. You ever play Dragon Battles III?"
"N-no! What's that?"
"It's a video game." Maka answered him. "You play as dragons defending their territory from other dragons basically."
"That's is the worst summary ever Maka! The storyline is way more deep." Soul scowled. "Wanna play? We have three controllers."
"It is BASICALLY the storyline Soul. Don't be pretentious. It wouldn't get a place in the world of literature."
"That's because it's a video game not a stupid drama from the 18th century."
"Whatever. I like 18th century lit. What do you say Crona? Do you want to learn how to play that video game? Or do something else?"
"I'll do whatever you want to do." He answered.
"Well I want to play video games!" Ragnarok snapped. "I haven't played one in forever!"
"When did you play a video game?" Crona asked. "I don't remember that."
"I wasn't always inside you dumbass!"
"But I thought you said you didn't remember your life before me?"
"Everything isn't always about you you selfish prick!"
"I didn't say it was!" Ragnarok pushed his nose in hard. "Ouch! Stop it!"
"Maybe I just didn't want to tell you!" Ragnarok punched Crona on the head and disappeared into his back.
"Ragnarok!" Crona called. But he didn't even get a telepathic answer from inside him. "I think he is actually upset."
"Well at least he's gone right?" Maka asked.
"You don't understand. I've always felt guilty. Because my mother destroyed his life. I used to ask him if he hated me. But he always said he couldn't remember his old life anyway so I should shut up and obey orders." Crona sighed.
"Ah. I see." Maka took his hand and led him to sit in between her and Soul on the couch. She realized that Crona had just shared something about himself that bothered him. This was a step. If only she knew what to say.