Soul walked the apartment in, dumping his keys on the kitchen counter as he was on his way to his room.
He'd seen her today. Maka.
He didn't know what to feel about it. About her. Confusion? Betrayal? Want? Yeah probably those three. Mixed into one fucked up cocktail that was his feelings.
She hadn't changed much now that Soul thought about it. Even her hair was still tied in pigtails. Oh how he wanted to touch those gold strands. Just to get a little grasp on her.
"Come on Soul," the weapon muttered to himself. "Get yourself together."
His mind flew himself back at the moment their eyes met. She'd looked scared. Of what? Him? Well that did make sense, considering he'd tried to kill her two weeks ago.
A pang went through his chest. He'd never meant to scare her. Far from that, he wanted to hug her, hold her close to himself, kiss her... whoa brain, stop it right there!
Soul rubbed his face. He needed something to distract his brain from his meister. They'd see each other soon enough. At the reunion party. Right?
Maka had been dress shopping with the Thompson sisters so that must mean she was coming.
Soul sighed as he reached for his headphones. Maybe music would distract his overactive brain.
"Soul? Soul are you there?" Shinigami's voice woke Soul from his music.
The weapon stumbled out of bed and walked to the bathroom where his boss was waiting for him. "'Sup?" he asked, head spinning from getting up too fast.
"Ah there you are." The lord of the dead was seemed to be a little on edge. It made Soul feel uneasy. "I want to know something"
"Okay sure. Shoot."
"It's about Maka." Soul straightened up. "Are you two getting back together as a team?"
The question surprised Soul a little. He slouched noticeably. "Don't know. Why don't you ask her?"
"Well since this situation is a little more... complicated than the usual I thought I should ask you."
"Oh yeah sure..." Soul thought about the question. "I'll talk about it with Maka at the reunion. She has the right to have a say in this."
"Of course Soul, if that's what you want. Well, I hope to see you soon."
"Goodbye Shinigami." The weapon said politely.
Once the god of death disappeared from the mirror, Soul left a sigh. Well, another thing to add on the list he has to talk about with Maka. Great.
Soul threw himself back on his bed. Too many thoughts were running in his head. He quickly found his escape through sleep.
Soul was standing in the Black Room but he was not alone. He saw his meister sitting at the piano.
The girl was absently tapping away at the ivory keys.
"Maka."
Maka looked over her shoulder. When she saw Soul standing, she gave him a little smile. "Hello Soul."
"What are you doing here?"
"Your soul called out to me. Didn't give me much of a choice. You were quite insistent Soul."
Soul felt his cheeks heat up. "Oh, yeah sorry. I wasn't aware."
"That's because you didn't."
Soul and Maka looked up from the new voice that joined them. The familiar figure of the red demon was standing next to the record player. "Oni!" Maka said surprised.
"It's nice to see you too meister Maka."
"You've grown."
"Ah yes, it seems that your – absence has given me the ability to grow."
Maka flinched at the demon's words. Soul couldn't do anything but take her hand. "I'm sorry." he muttered, ashamed.
Maka turned to her weapon. Soul was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "No I'm sorry Soul. I never wanted to do this to you."
"You couldn't have known."
"I should have." Maka was crying. Tears rolling down her cheeks, hand covering her mouth in attempt to stifle the sobs.
Soul cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "It's okay Maka. It's not your fault, please."
Maka leaned into the weapon's touch as she slowly started to calm down. When she looked up Soul was smiling softly back at her. "I'm so sorry Soul." she repeated.
Soul shook his head. "Don't think about it for now Maka. We'll figure it out once we're back to reality."
Maka nodded back at him. Their peaceful moment got disrupted when the demon spoke up again. "Why don't we celebrate this reunion with a little music."
Maka watched with suspicion as the red demon put a record on the gramophone and placed the needle. Soon, a soft cracky jazz tune filled the room. Oni gestured for the pair to take place in the centre of the floor to start their dance.
"Maka?" The meister turned her head back and saw Soul's stretched out hand. "Will you please-?"
Maka nodded and took his hand. She was led to the centre and then felt his free hand being placed on the small of her back. In return, Maka placed her left hand on his shoulder and they started a steady waltz. Nothing fancy but still familiar.
Maka's body stiffened up for a second when she was being pulled closer to Soul but soon relaxed. She let her head rest against his shoulder and closed her eyes.
Maka could feel him take a deep breath. Then she heard him whisper, ever so softly, "I missed you so much Maka."
"I missed you too."
"You were gone. I thought I lost you. I constantly tried to think what I'd done to fuck up this bad."
"Soul, please-"
"And then you were back. And I nearly killed you. Good Death you must hate me."
Maka grabbed the lapel of Soul's jacket, forcing him to look at her. She would not let her partner – ex partner for all she knew – throw a pity party with himself. "Snap out of it Soul. It was not your fault. We both underestimated with Meredith and what you did in the hospital -" Maka swallowed the lump that had formed at the memory. "It's not your fault. You were confused, tortured by Meredith. It was only natural that you were disorientated."
"Maka-"
"I will not let you take all the blame for this Soul."
Soul felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of Maka's blazing green eyes. So full of determination. He admired it. Always had been admiring it. "I'm sorry – wait with that!" Maka had already grabbed her book from Death knows where, ready to chop him. "You're right. As always. I'm sorry, I was not being cool."
Maka smiled sweetly at Soul, lowering her book. "Damn right I am."
"Oh guess what," Oni suddenly said. "Time's up." And before either Maka or Soul could protest, they were thrown out of the Black Room.
Soul woke up, feeling noticeably lighter. For once he knew his encounter with Maka in the Black Room was not a dream. This was reality and she was back.
Their conversation brought Soul hope that things would turn out to be okay.
They still had a shit load to talk about but he knew they would get through with it.
So much fluff!
I think we're slowly drawing to a close... I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Will post very soon.
Love you! 3