The room was bustling with noise now, the once empty ballroom filled with people of all sorts dressed to the nine. Pretty women whose dresses cascaded around them like tails- men who wore their smiles with more pride than their actual clothes. It was definitely a party filled with royals- Princes and Princesses from everywhere, lords and earls all the same. There was a hum of electricity flowing through the crowd, everyone clearly happy and excited for the night to come. The noise of the crowd was starting to become background music to him, despite the actual musicians for the night standing off to the corner of the room, waiting to start.

Soul finds it surprisingly easy to hide from the incoming crowd of guests. Easily, he slips to Blackstar's side, watching from a far distance as Maka greets the newcomers into the ballroom with Hero. it's hard for him to think that was ever him- a Prince, cordial and all. He hated the thought of crowds now and parties, but he had to guess that came with the trauma of childhood in Cinder.

"It's weird watching her be all royal and whatever," Blackstar finally commented after some time. "I was really wrong about her. Having been around her these past few days, it's like she's an actual person."

"Royals are real people at the end of the day, Blackstar." Soul scolded.

"No, I know, I know. I just- what I mean to say is some of them can just be so selfish and full of themselves and Maka just isn't that. It's refreshing."

Soul hummed in reply, knowing well enough that Blackstar was right. A lot of royals were selfish- you could have easily added him to the list of those selfish pricks anyway. At least Maka was nothing like he was, that's all that really mattered at the end of the day to him.

As minutes dragged into an hour, Maka finally pulled herself away from the doors of the ballroom, already looking exhausted as she dragged a hand through her hair haphazardly.

"I think almost everyone is here now," she mumbled under the roar of the crowd in the ballroom to Blackstar and Soul, "I'm going to be honest, I don't even know who half these people are."

"What, do you just invite random people?" Blackstar questions, confused.

"Sort of? Usually, invites are sent to neighboring kingdoms and kingdoms we have alliances with, for formality reasons. Keep everyone on good terms or whatever. I don't really bother to get to know people personally at these. Just dance and eat the night away."

"That's… depressing."

With a shrug, Maka tilted her head back, inspecting the crowd. "Life of a royal."

Soul could relate all too well.

"But, anyway," Maka turned her attention from the crowd to Soul with a pleasant cheesy smile, "I hope you planned on saving a dance for me."

Blackstar gave a low whistle as he turned his head away from the two, giving a subtle nudge to Soul. "Pretend I'm not here, you two. Just a figment of your imagination. I'll be over there, next to that pillar, if you need me." Blackstar, with a grin, was taking a few steps away from the two of them, wiggling his eyebrows as he did.

"Oh, so he does know," Maka chuckled, having yet to turn away from Soul.

"He picks up on social cues easily," Soul informed her, shrugging. "So, you're not saving a dance for a handsome Prince?"

"Why would I do that, when I have a knight in shining armor in front of me?"

Reeling into the joke, Soul looked down at himself, shrugging. "I'm not really sure, especially since it doesn't look like I'm your knight in shining armor," He sighed, tilting his head to the side with a smirk, "They stripped me of my armor Princess. Now I look like I could just be one of the many royals in here."

"Maybe that's a good thing." Maka hummed thoughtfully, having yet to step away. "No one will question it when I drag you onto the dancefloor with me."

"Now, who said I was actually going to save you a dance?"

Maka's expression dropped slightly as she stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "Oh, Soul, don't be like that, it's my birthday after all."

"Your pouting isn't going to get you far," Soul joked easily, getting lost to the warmth that fluttered in his chest just by looking at Maka.

Soul caught the way Maka ran her tongue across her bottom lip before she tilted her chin up and turned. "Well, if you feel that way, I can find another to dance with-"

Out of habit, Soul reached out for her before she could go. Static crackled in his ears for a moment, the little baby hairs on the back of his neck stood up as his hand brushed the Princess's, electricity soaring through his body at the touch.

At that moment, Maka was like the sun. She had people orbiting around her, a full room of people specifically for her. She was the center of attention tonight; the brightest person in the room. Soul could see it in the way everyone's eyes tracing the Princess out of the corner of his eyes, some seeing him up as well, that everyone knew Maka was the sun.

Tonight, he was in a room filled with royals and he was nothing but a guard- a simple guard that Maka had seemed to like.

Tonight, he was stuck in a system of planets, all revolving around the sun; and he was nothing but a strange, cold little planet that should have been insignificant. Just a small planet who oddly spun around the sun in circles, but he was going in the opposite direction as everyone else.

He should have been the Pluto in tonight's system, the one person who didn't quite fit in the room- the one person who was supposed to be nothing but a guest- nothing but a guard-

But as Maka's eyes settled back on him burningly, he wondered how the Sun could ever notice Pluto, even if it was just metaphorically. He wondered what he did to deserve such an intense look from someone like Maka- wonder what on Earth he had done to deserve to have Maka actually like him back.

Guilt shot through his system.

A heavy, soul-consuming, sensation of guilt.

"Have you changed your mind?" Maka questioned teasingly. "Will you accompany me to the first dance of the night?"

With a dry throat, Soul nodded, his hand slipping from Maka's quietly. "I'd love to accompany you, your highness."

As Maka led him to the dance floor, this time their hands not connected, the crowd around them parted and made room for the Princess to make her way to the floor. Soul gazed across the lacquered wooden tiles, scared to follow for a moment, terrified to feel more eyes on him.

Would people know?

Would they recognize it-

Was it obvious?

He was pulled from his thoughts as the thrumming rhythm of classical music whispered into his ears, enticing him to follow after Maka as the elegant music started.

So, with a burst of courage he forgot he could hold, he followed after Maka.

The first song of the night was something slow and meaningful, something Soul knew he remembered the tune of but he couldn't quite rack up the name of it. Regardless, the second he stood at Maka's side, hands were reaching out for him, holding him tightly as the royals around them awed, slipping into partners with ease.

Maka held him with care, one hand gripping his shoulder, the other clenching around his own hand. In return, Soul dropped a hand to the small of her back, squeezing Maka's hand carefully.

As the music started, they swayed to the beat, following the couples dancing around them.

They danced similarly to how they did the night before- but this was more coordinated- more thought out than it had been last night. Their dance last night had been filled with emotion, sloppy and messily their steps were made, the two of them more invested on one anothers face.

As Soul moved his left foot backward in a smooth motion, sliding across the slick floor, Maka slid her right root forward, chasing after his retreating figure like a fox on a hunt. Dipping forward slightly, looking into the Princess's eyes, Soul dragged his hand from the small of Maka's back to her ribs, his fingers trailing across the cool silk dress like it was nothing. He watched the way Maka lowered her eyebrows, her lips parting at the touch, and he savored it. As his fingers tightened on her side, he brought his left foot forward, making them stop toe to toe as they swayed again to the music.

The song didn't last long, and soon enough, they were parting.

As the night continued, Soul continuously found himself being tugged along the dance floor by Maka's warm hands, pulling him in and out of random dances. Every now and then, they'd come across someone Maka would recognize and she'd introduce them to Soul with a smile.

It was docile and welcoming, the feeling he felt when he was around Maka.

He liked that feeling.

Even as he was tugged off the dance floor, toward the table where the Queen and King of Eibon sat, he found himself happy and high off the feelings Maka sent his way.

His time at the table wasn't long. As per usual, they exchanged pleasantries. Both the King and Queen commented on his appearance, saying he looked good- he said they looked even better, to which they both laughed. They spent a few minutes chatting about how well the party had been put together, spoke about everyone's outfits, and then something in the conversation shifted.

"Thank you Soul, for keeping Maka company," The King had commented thoughtfully, "she usually just sits around at her birthday parties and only speaks when spoken to, so it's nice to see him having a good time."

"You're a good influence on her, we think."

Needless to say, Soul couldn't stop thinking about what they said for the rest of the night.

As the party progressed, Soul found himself either at Maka's side or waiting idly with Blackstar as Maka spoke with other guests at the party.

As the Sun began to set and the room dimmed, only lit by the beautiful chandeliers above them, things progressively got better.

An hour turned into two, and two turned into three, Soul found his limbs pleasantly becoming sore as he, Maka, Blackstar, Liz, and Patty stood in front of one of the many sweets and pastries tables. The crowd around them was happy, buzzing with commotion as they clinked drinks and threw pleasant words to Maka.

They'd been talking about the recipes used to make the pudding, tarts, and custards; a simple topic but still one Soul found interested in.

"Kim made most of the recipe book, last I checked," Maka hummed thoughtfully as she took another spoonful of pudding into her mouth. "Even when she was my guard, she spent a lot of time reading the collection of recipe books I had in my little library. I think that's where her love for cooking started."

"Ah, so you're the reason she dipped," Liz grumbled with a laugh. "I miss seeing Kim around the castle. I doubt she misses me though, she always yelled at me, told me I spoke too many profanities for a guard."

"I mean, you do though," Patty pointed out, pulling one of the tarts to her lips. "She was just trying to help you out."

"Hey, I watch my mouth a good amount of the time."

"Sure you do, sure you do."

Thoughtfully, having finished a tart himself, Blackstar turned to Maka. "I don't ever remember there being a guard named Kim staying in the guard's quarters."

"Oh, yeah no she didn't stay there," maka replied, "Her father is my fathers royal advisor. They both have rooms in the castle. Kim's lived here since she was a little kid."

"That would make sense," Blackstar hummed, turning to grab another tart from the table with greedy hands.

Soul thought about grabbing a tart for himself after watching Blackstar pop another one into his mouth, but sadly, he never got to try one. Instead, the music around them was changing into something he knew very well- the start of a mixer dance.

He gives the table a longing glance as he feels Maka grab his shoulders and push him to the floor, bidding their friends a quick, "We'll be back after this dance!"

So, he decides, that's how he ends up in the middle of the dance floor with Maka bowing in front of him as the music kicks up. The crowd around them has spaced out, each of them bowing to their respective partners.

"You know how to do one of these, don't you?"

Licking his lips, Soul couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Shouldn't that have been something you asked before you pulled me over here?"

"Perhaps," Maka agrees as they both stand straight, each of them raising an arm, " but you never seem to stop surprising me. I assumed you'd know this too. You seem… educated, in ballroom dancing."

"I guess I always have a few tricks up my sleeve, huh?"

Both of them are raising their left arms to the sky now, their right tucked respectfully behind their backs- and then they are moving.

They circle one another in slow steps, the crowd following them.

They circle one another in slow steps, the crowd following them.

Under the crystallized light of the chandelier above them, Soul stares dreamingly into Maka's eyes, watches the way the light reflects off them- scared to look away in the heat of the moment. They keep spinning until the music pauses, uproaring just a moment later- then they switch arms, spinning the other way.

There's a pleasant smile pulled across Maka's face as they draw closer to one another- this close, Soul can see the way the Princess's earrings sway with her movements in a mesmerizing way.

As they drop their hands, they're grabbing one another- their right hands clasping as Soul's hand dallas bruisingly onto Maka's hip- and then they're spinning extravagantly across the floor along with the other royals stepping across the floor on their tippy toes.

This type of dance style was different, very different from the slow movements of their previous dances together. This was a heated style of dance- a way to get to know your partner before switching to meet another.

Soul was dreading parting already, despite knowing they still had a fair amount of time.

In a fleeting moment of weakness, he pulls Maka's hips closer to his as they move across the dance floor again, this time Soul stepping backward, Maka following him.

"I'm actually surprised," Maka laughed quietly as they loosened their hands, turning once more. "I didn't think someone like you could keep up with a dance like this."

"Really? C'mon now, Maka, you should know better than to underestimate me at this point," Soul laughed as they came to a pause, back to the center of the room now.

"Hm, you're right." Maka tilted her head down, giving him a bow all while staring up at him through half-lidded eyes.

Soul couldn't help the butterflies that soared through his stomach as he bowed back in return, both raising their hands once more as he stood.

"I'll see you agains soon, my knight in shining armor," Maka had whispered as they began turning from one another. In an agonizingly slow movement, Maka brought her hand against Souls cheek softly, her index finger tracing his cheek slowly before parting. In that moment, Soul could feel the cold golden ring she wore brush against his cheekbone- and it was enough to have him staring at the Princess longingly as she moved toward her new partner, her cape flowing behind her.

He didn't bare his new dance partner a glance as they held hands and started moving across the dance floor in a similar way he and Maka had just been doing. His eyes were too busy trained on Maka, whose hands were now locked with some Prince's.

As they moved across the floor spinning, Maka caught his eyes again, giving him a knowing smile as they twirled.

It was enough to have Soul melting.

"I know I wasnt the dance partner you were expecting tonight, but its nice to see you again, Solomon."

Everything in the room stops as white static fills Souls ears. The voice is too familiar- the touch all the same-

He's tearing his eyes away from Maka in a blink of an eye, his heart practically stopping as a breath catches in his throat. He wonders if this was God's way of getting back at him for being an awful person- haunting him with figments of his imagination in his waking hours.

He realizes he's stopped dancing now, but he doesn't care.

Suddenly, there's a hand pressed against the right side of his face- the touch is warm and uncomfortable- but he can't move- he cant speak- the room around him is spinning and-

"Damn," He spoke, pressing his thumb harder into the side of Soul's face, "She got you good, didn't she?"

There's a lump in his throat and tears are threatening to spill down his cheeks, but nevertheless, Soul tries pulling away from the touch. "Holy shit." He mumbled in a hoarse voice, "I thought I killed you."

He smiles- Kid smiles-

"And here I thought that Medusa hadn't landed a scratch on you, but I guess we were both wrong, huh?"

Kids hand slips from his cheek, and Soul is very aware that people are switching partners on the dancefloor, but neither of them have moved yet.

Soul feels two seconds away from panicking now.

How was he alive?

He saw him-

He saw him fall to the snow-covered in his own blood-

Medusa said he died-

Medusa said he'd pay for the blood-

He's shaking now, bile rising in the back of his throat.

"Let go of me," Soul ordered, his voice shaking, "Don't you dare touch me-"

He breaks.

There are tears flowing down his cheeks as he tries to pull away from Kid, but ultimately he's pulled back in as Kid's hands drop to his hip.

"Don't make a scene," Kid warned, his voice low and gravely as he pushed his fingertips into Soul's side. "She doesnt know I'm here, okay? Calm down. We don't need to cause an unnecessary scene."

"Let go of me." He bit back out, trying to back away.

"Not until you calm down," Kid returned, drawing him closer. He drops his hand from his side and quickly wipes his cheeks- the feeling all too familiar yet so foreign.

Soul looks around them to catch the crowd around them still dancing- his eyes automatically going to search for Maka- but he cant find her- he doesn't see her-

And suddenly he's being led off the dance floor.

"Medusa isn't here, yet," Kid whispers to him, bringing him to one of the many pillars in the room. "Look at me- Soul, look at me."

He listens.

He looks at him- and suddenly he's seventeen again, crying about leaving him-

"We managed to get Medusa caught up on her way here. Ragnarok is holding her off, okay? You need to listen to me and listen to me carefully." Kids hands drop to his shoulders bruisingly. "Wes is here for you. He's been searching for you ever since he came back and he really needs to talk to you, okay? You can't go shutting down right now."

He stares at Kid, the words sounding like they were underwater.

"We need you, Soul- I need you."