"Come here fancy pants, let me show you how to hook up the plow."
Maka eased herself next to the broody cowboy. Close enough to watch, but not close enough to invade his space.
They stood next the the sturdy plow mare, who nibbled grass happily while waiting.
Maka watched closely as he pulled and cinched various loops and belts into the leather harness.
His hands were proficient and skillful.
Even though Maka rather rued the day she met him, she had to admit that he knew a lot of things she didn't.
He was rude and arrogant, but she could learn from him. He was worth studying more than any book she could find on western living.
"What are you lookin' at kid?"
Maka looked away hastily. "Nothing."
She hadn't realized how hard she had been staring at him.
"Are you even paying attention kid?"
"Um yes, I would like to try it now."
He scoffs, but takes a step back, making room for her to try.
Being an avid rider Maka had saddled many horses in her life, but a harness was completely foriegn to her.
Why were there so many straps and buckles?
"Nope, try again."
His breath tickled the back of her neck. Maka almost jumped out of her own skin.
When had he leaned in so close?
"Like this?" Maka asked, willing her body not to tense at his close proximity.
"No, let me show you. You can't be gentle with it." His voice is raspy and confident.
He shoulders into her further as he begins to work the leather. "Hand me that D ring down by the withers would ya?"
Maka obliges, all the while hoping he can't hear her heart racing.
Was it possible for him to see through her disguise being this close?
Maka desperately hoped not.
Soul drops down to his haunches and reaches under the horse's belly for another strap.
He bends his head to the task, the fringe of his white hair ghosting across her exposed arm.
"Get down here and help me fancy pants."
"Yes!" Maka tries not to squeak but fails.
He gives her a sideways look, but doesn't say a word.
They work quietly together for awhile, which Maka is thankful for.
She noticed her hands looked so diminutive next to his work hardened ones.
The back of his knuckles graze her own as he hands her another buckle.
Maka sucks in a startled breath and almost drops the whole thing on her foot.
"You sure are clumsy kid, maybe you should concentrate more." He drawls.
Maka swipes the strap from his hand, her face burning red hot.
"You sure are bossy Evans, maybe you should relax more."
Soul tilts his head back and laughs.
He laughs so hard that Maka is stunned speechless.
Even Black Star looks thunderstruck at the sound.
Maka holds her breath as she listens to the sound, her chest feeling oddly tight.
When he finally quiets down to a few stray chuckles he turns and smirks. "That's more like it kid. I've been waiting for you to grow a pair. Seems you're more bull than steer after all."
Maka gives him a vexed look.
Why did this cowboy always have to speak in vulgar analogies?
Soul elbows her and flashes her a dazzling smile, and once again she is struck by a bout of breathlessness.
Whatever alcohol Tsubaki had given her for breakfast must have been more potent than she originally thought.
Why else would she be feeling so warm and light headed?
Or maybe she was just losing her bloody mind...
Soul slaps the last strap into place and pats the mare fondly. His mood has improved and for that Maka is thankful.
Even if he's laughing and acting stange.
She chooses not to question it further, at least he wasn't brooding or being rude at the moment.
As they finished up with the harness and plow, Justin moved the last of the horses from the garden plot back to the barn, leaving the field barren once more.
"Alright let's get this thing going. I'll show you once, so pay attention this time." His voice was borderline teasing, instead of having it's normal harsh bite.
He took the plow firmly by the handles and threw the mare's reins over his right shoulder.
Soul made a clicking sound with his tongue and the mare lurched forward.
Everyone gathered around for a few minutes to watch as Soul gave her a lesson in breaking the earth.
Black Star looked amused, Justin watched silent as usual, and little Tad appeared from out of nowhere, his face dirty and his eyes bright. "What have you been up to little Tadpole?" Maka asked, taking in the boy's dirty appearance. "Minding my own business, that's what!" He exclaimed, puffing his little chest out.
Black Star removed his hat and promptly smacked the boy in the back of the head with it. "Mund your tone, English here deserves your respect." Tadpole scowled fiercely at the two of them then stuck his tongue out before running behind the barn. "What's the matter with him?" Maka asked as she watched the boy dissapear.
"Hes just wild. He'll grow out of it eventually."
"Black Star! Stop distracting the kid with your yappin!" Soul barked as he trudged being the plow.
"Sorry boss!"
Black Star gave her a slow wink. "We wouldn't want you missing any wisdom the boss is giving out, would we?"
Maka grinned as she turned her attention back to Soul.
"Keep the plow tip in the ground. Don't jam it straight down. Keep it at an angle. The soil turns right over."
He leaned his weight forward and the spade burrowed deep into the ground. As he walked the ground churned into a long row of rich dark soil.
Soul made two wide passes with the plow then halted in front of her.
"Here kid, you try now."
Maka nodded and took a deep breath to steel herself.
So many eye were watching her again.
She started at a slow pace, concentrating on the mare in front of her.
"Put more of your weight into it. Keep the reins over your shoulder and talk to the horse. Guide the plow, and there you go." Soul called out as he walked the length of the furrow.
"And for the love of God, keep the furrows straight. Tsubaki doesn't want her garden rows to look like a drunkard plowed it!"
"It would serve her right." Maka muttered under her breath.
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing!"
Maka pushed forward, trying to ignore the mushy spots she trudged through. She told herself it was only mud, but the smell was too horrid to pretend otherwise.
When she came to the end of the row she halted the mare and looked back at her handiwork.
"It looks like a winding adder snake." She sighed.
Soul coughed to cover his own laugh at her observation.
He'd thought the same thing, though he didn't know what an adder snake was.
Actually there was a lot about this kid's contry that he didn't know.
For a split second Soul almost felt bad about it, the kid was here trying his best to learn, yet he himself was just as ignorant.
Maybe it was time for him to get to know the kid and his culture a little better too.
He could still train the kid hard to prepare him for Stein's inspection, but he could also sit down with the kid and maybe learn something in return.
"Keep going kid, the only way to get better is to practice. You've got all day to do it."
Maka clicked her tongue and tried to slap the reins. She lost hold of the plow handles though and her feet gave way on the slick ground. She went face first into the squelching mud. She sat up quickly and tried to wipe the mud from her eyes.
It was no use though, she seemed to be smearing it even worse.
All around her male laughter rang out. She couldn't see them, but she knew it was the other cowboys who had drifted in to watch.
Maka sighed heavily, wishing that the muck she sat in would finish the job and swallow her whole.
Anything to escape the embarrassment.
The men continued to crow until Soul's voice cut through the noise.
"That's enough! Isn't there work to do elsewhere? If not, I'm sure I could find something for y'all to do."
The men muffled their laughter, the sound of their shuffling feet signaling their retreat.
"Here kid, use this."
His voice was so very close as he pushed something soft into her hand.
"Wipe your eyes."
Maka did as she was told. It took a few tried, but she finally scrubbed the muck off. Her eyes stung something fierce, but she was able to see again.
Soul nelt next to her, his face showing a hint of amusement.
Clutched in her hands was a peice of cloth he had given her.
Had he offered her his hankier-cheif?
It was probably the most gentlemanly act he had shown since their meeting.
Maka felt oddly touched by the small gesture.
Maybe he wasn't a complete scoundrel.
"I thought you looked like shit earlier kid, but you definitely do now. I think it suits you."
Maka scowls at him, but all it does is make him laugh harder.
Maka silently takes back her earlier sentiment, the man is definitely a down right scoundrel. But she has to admit it befits him.
His laughter is contagious, and she can't help it when her scowl turns into a smile.
Soul had left soon after that, muttering something about cows.
He has saddled up a snappy looking pinto and road off through the fields and out of sight.
Maka had mixed feeling about him leaving.
She wanted him to stay and give her more guidance, but secretly she was also a little relieved he was gone.
He was always a lot to handle.
He made her nervous sometimes, and she couldn't work under his piercing stare without forgetting to breath.
With him gone, she could focus on the task at hand.
So far it had not been going great.
Maka had practically got pulled right over the plow twice already, and by the time she got to the end of that row, she knew she was in deep trouble.
She didn't have the strength the job required.
She didn't have the weight to keep the spade tip in the ground.
She also didn't have the arm span. The winged arms of the plow splayed so far apart, her hands barely reached them.
She stood in the middle of a huge, stinky, mushy horse patty and surveyed the zigzagging furrow she'd dug in the ground.
Swallowing hard, she then looked at the plow.
"Stupid men. And their stupid tools."
Maka took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind.
There had to be another way.
Men rely greatly on their strength, which is something she was lacking in. If she couldn't use brute strength, then she would have to use her mind.
Her boots made a sucking noise as she tromped out of the plot toward the barn. Black Star was inside, his head bent to his task of mending a rope halter.
"Do you by any chance have some extra rope?" Maka inquired.
Black Star grunted, but never took his eyes off his work.
"Yeah you can have this extra bit or rope, it's too short for me to use anyways."
"What about a bucket?"
"A bucket? There's an old feed bucket in the back."
Black Star's hands stilled as he looked up, his moss colored eyes going wide.
"What in Sam Hill do you need a bucket and rope for? You ain't plannin' on hanging yourself are you?"
Maka rolled her eyes. "No of course not, it's for the plow."
"Phew! I thought for a minute you were finally getting tired of Soul's shit."
"So the obvious reaction is to hang myself?"
"Soul has a way of aggravating people something fierce. I figured it was only a matter of time before he drove someone crazy enough." Black Star snickers.
"That or people have contemplated strangling Soul with a rope instead."
"That I can believe." Maka couldn't help but imagine throttling Soul a good one.
It was oddly satisfying.
"That's a pure evil look you've for on your face English. Should I warn Soul to not be left alone with you?"
Black Star grinned, and Maka returned it.
"Possibly."
Black Star cackled as Maka went in search for her grain bucket. Once found, she left Black Star to his work and walked back to hers.
Her limp was much improved, the liquid heat Tsubaki had doused her cup with had worked wonders for her sore muscles. She just wished she hadn't felt so warm and flustered earlier, especially in front of Soul.
She felt heated just thinking about it now.
She had to work on her nerves around him.
She was an Albarn for bloody sake!
Albarns were clever, not push overs.
She might be out of her element here, but that was no excuse to be flighty or get overwhelmed.
As Maka tied her rope to the plow she vowed to herself, standing in that stinking plot of earth, under that big blue sky, that her resolve would not waver.
Not for anyone.
Especially for a certain grumpy crimson eyed cowboy.
Maka took her rope and tied it around the plow handles, then she hung the bucket in the middle. She next searched for the heaviest stones she could find, which wasn't hard to find; the ground practically grew them in this plot.
She then tossed them into the bucket until it was full and straining downward agaisnt the rope.
As she took up the reins once more she leaned all of her weight into the rope as well.
Maka was delighted to see the added weight made the spade sink deep into the soil.
By the fourth row, she'd learned to lean her weight to counterbalance enough to keep the rows passably straight.
It was a small victory, but she felt proud.
"Would you like some lunch hun?!" Tsubaki called out from the back porch.
"Yes, please! I'm famished." Maka called back as she slowed the plow.
Tsubaki brought out a small picnic basket and a pitcher of lemonade with her.
Maka dusted off her hands as best she could on her trousers. Surprisingly eating with dirty hands didn't bother like it should have, another sign she was turning native very fast.
They sat down under an oak tree near the soon to be garden. Its shade was expansive and it brought them some relief from the sun. It seemed that their springs here were much warmer than in England, a fact that Maka was glad for. She never had liked the cold, she preferred sunshine and clear skies.
Tsubaki had packed quite the little feast for them and Maka's mouth watered at the sight.
Delicately wrapped sandwiches, cold cuts, left over biscuits from breakfast smothered in fresh butter, and straight from the oven, warm, melt in your mouth cookies. There was so much food that Maka wondered if maybe some of it was for someone else.
Sure enough Tsubaki's beautiful eyes scanned the area hopefully.
They lit up brighter when Black Star walked out of the barn.
Maka threw Tsubaki a knowing look.
"Should we invite him over to join us?"
"Oh heavens no!" Tsubaki squeaked. "It wouldn't be proper, anyone could see us together." Her voice was unsure, but Maka could see the wistfully tilt of her face as she gazed across at him.
"It wouldn't be unsightly for three good friends to sit and eat lunch together would it?" Maka waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Tsubaki actually blushed a deep pink, a stark contrast to her porcelain skin.
Maka couldn't help but giggle, which she promptly covered up rather poorly with a cough.
The last thing she needed was to get caught laughing like a woman.
"Black Star! Come have lunch with us! We have entirely too much food!" Maka shouted.
Black Star grinned from ear to ear and trotted over.
"Hey English, mighty fine of you to share your lunch with me."
He slugs her on the shoulder as he sinks down onto the grass to join them.
"Afternoon miss." He tips his hat to Tsubaki, his gaze lingering longer than necessary.
Tsubaki smiles sweetly in return.
Maka feels as if she is getting cavities just looking at them, but she feels absolutely happy for them, and in the same breath undeniable saddness for their forced situation.
Justin and little Tad's voices carry across the yard as they work somewhere close by. They are nowhere to be seen, but it's enough to break the spell between the two. They become instantly guarded, their faces once more relaxing into aloofness.
It happens so effortlessly that Maka can't help but wonder how long it's been like this between the two.
Months? Maybe Years?
It's something she is curious to ask Tsubaki about if they ever get another private moment together.
The three of them sit together under the expansive sky, sharing food, stories, and easy laughter.
Black Star and Tsubaki don't dare sit next to one another, but their eyes are always drifting to the other, and the smiles they share are soft and knowing.
They ask her questions about England, and she asks questions about Texas. It's idle chatter to the common eye, but it's also something very special.
For the first time in a very long time, Maka feels truly at ease.
These two people, who she hasn't even known for a great amount of time, have become very dear to her. With their friendly smiles, and encouragement, they are already becoming more than just friends.
It's a notion that steals her breath away and causes her heart to ache in that happy, yet unexplainable kind of way.
These two, are becoming her family.