When She Returned- Soul Eater Fanfiction

Chapter 8- The Residential

Later on in the day, the students selected were excited for the residential that was to be attended to tomorrow.
A newest addition was added to the team. The new student, Rinko, sat in front of Hero- who sat nervously.
"So we're temporary partners for the time being huh?" He began, looking at the shy girl with auburn hair. "I'm not too good at the whole fighting thing-"
"No you did good earlier!" She spoke. "I really liked your techniques. You can wield swords really good, actually." Rinko was honest to her opinion.
Often, only bullies had said about Hero being 'the worst meister ever' and, naturally, kids who wanted to jump on that bandwagon joined in- although they never thought that originally. However, Rinko didn't enjoy that. She preferred honesty than popularity. And in all honesty, she was intrigued by him.
Meanwhile, Maka and Soul sat together. They were excluded from the crowd and enjoying the company of each other instead.
"Tomorrow... It sounds cool huh?" Soul began.
Maka nodded in intrigue. "It does. A mission. A full training mission. We haven't had one of those since Asura. I'm pretty excited."
"Cold weather though. Man... I wonder how many times Black Star would whine about it?"
Maka chuckled. "Well I can imagine it would be lots! That or if he's hungry. He did that a lot when we were kids."
"I can imagine." Soul grinned his usual lopsided smile. "The guy hates anything that makes him feel 'less godly.' Jeez!" He smirked.
His meister nodded. "Yeah, he's always been like that."
"Yeah..." Soul agreed. "Mak?"
"Yeah?"
"It's weird... I've never really thought I'd be here now."
Maka raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
Soul bit his lip as he looked around at the people around him. "Well... Back before I came here, I used to be super shy."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yeah. Wes and Serenity would always try and encourage me to be more social. It was probably for my own benefit but I was a scaredy cat, naturally. I was always so terrified of disappointing those I loved, or of getting it all wrong. It was to a point people would pick on me and get under my skin and I would put up with it... Then I moved here, even though- in truth- I was terrified. Wes had to come with me and I think I gave the poor guy a Chinese burn from how hard I was gripping his arm the entire train ride."
Maka smiled. "Aww. Hey, it was worth it."
"But then I met you. Everything changed, and I became happier. My confidence grew; I got new friends, because you gave me courage."
Maka's cheeks grew hot. "Me?"
He nodded shyly. "Yeah. Because of you, I stopped running from all my fears and faced them instead."
"I...I did?"
"Yeah... I really have to thank you."
"No you don't have to!" She exclaimed. "I just love seeing you happy, Soul!"
Soul turned his head away, although he grinned wide. "Thank you." He turned to her and stood up, loosely wrapping his arm around her shoulders and hugging her, in which she returned.
Still gripping her, Soul spoke up. "I'm so lucky to have you." Closely following, he gently kissed the top of her head before walking away- his face furiously red.
"I'll see you later. I..uh... Have to go the bathroom."
Maka didn't hear. She was too busy in a daze.

The evening crept up quick in Death City. The sky turned from blues and oranges into a deep pallet of dark blues and rich purples, accompanied with ashy grey skies.
The face of the moon was personified into a large grin, giant eyes piercing into the night. It lit up the atmosphere like a giant golden night light.
Soul had long been dressed in his pyjamas after a shower, his usually-gravity-defying hair was tamed into a soft and fluffy white mop. He seemed to resemble his brother more when his hair was like that, in which he claimed he hated (but secretly he loved).
Maka sat beside her mother on the sofa inside the living room.
"Mama?"
"What is it, dear?" Kami replied, her bag on her lap- which she was rummaging through.
"You were at Papa's last night, right?"
"Mhmm."
"Is he feeling alright? I'm kinda worried about him." Maka asked.
Kami stopped what she was doing for a moment. She found it odd about her daughter's new found concern for her dad. Then again... It is her dad.
She turned to her. "Yeah. Papa's just a little stressed right now but he'll be alright. Why are you worried?"
Maka sighed. "I don't know... It's just that..." She leaned on her mother, who pulled her onto her lap. Maka tucked her head into the crook of her neck. "It's just that I feel like he's been having a hard time. Blair says he hardly comes home at night because he's always at school working and that he doesn't eat right. He looks too tired, mama. I'm worried he'll get sick like he did when I was little..."
"Maka..." Her mother held her tightly. "Is that why you got upset after talking to your dad, the other day? In the Death Room?"
Maka was surprised on how well her mother caught onto certain situations. She nodded. "Yeah. I hate seeing him getting sad. I treat him bad, and I hate it. I wanna be better but I don't know how."
Kami gazed at her melancholic child, whose spirits had sunk considerably. "Maka, sweetie, your dad loves you so much. Give it time. I'm sure he'll understand,"
They were quiet for a bit.
"Mama? You don't hate papa, do you?"
"Nope. Never did. Not for one second. I really care about him, actually."
"Good. I really love him, you know. More than anything." Maka admitted.
Kami smiled. "He adores you too." She rummaged through her bag once again until she successfully found a brown book that she kept in her rucksack. She grinned and passed it to Maka.
"What's that she got there?" Soul asked, entering the room.
"You'll see."
Maka opened up the first page, where she was met with a large photograph of a blonde girl, around her age, with large blue eyes. Standing beside her was a boy with long crimson hair and bright sparkling green eyes. They both smiled wide.
Maka read the caption: 'Me and Spirit- aged 14 (Spirit 13).'
"You guys are so cute." Maka giggled, smiling at the image.
"Yeah I love that one."
"Hey Maka, you look a lot like your old man." Soul added.
"I do?"
"Yeah! Got his eyes, his smile. So much of him you inherited. You're definitely his child, alright!" Kami laughed as Maka flicked through the pages. She stopped and looked at one picture.
"This is my favourite part of the photo album. Come here, Soul. This is good!" She grasped his hand and pulled him to her side and pulled him into a side hug, in which he leant on her.
Kami pointed to a photo. "This is the day Maka was born. Look how tiny she is! A month early from her due date."
Soul smiled. "She was so beautiful though. Still is!"
"Really?" Maka asked, surprised. Soul nodded. She smiled back. "Thank you!"
She turned a page and stopped. "Ah.." Her eyes stung, and she felt herself get emotional. The picture before her shown a young man, her father, holding her infant self- just born. He had been crying, and his eyes full of tears- however he had a smile so wide and clung to her with so much adoration.
"The guy was just so in love from the moment he lay eyes on you." Kami explained. "To think he was so frightened of fatherhood... For 18, he was such a good dad... Still is! He really loves you. I still see him look at you the same way even after all these years."
"I must be really precious to him..." Maka used her pyjama sleeves to wipe the tears that spilled down her cheeks. "My dad... That's my dad... A lot of guys the age he was when they have kids.. They leave. He never did."
"He's a sweet man, baby girl. He wanted you to have all the things he didn't have. He had an awful relationship with his dad all the way through his life. His dad was awful to him.. But your papa wanted you to have a good life, and a loving family. So he still tries so hard to get that for you."
Maka nodded. "But I never thanked him."
Kami smiled as they approached a picture of their wedding day, with a two year old Maka. "He doesn't necessarily feel like he's obliged for a thanks. He's grateful for what he has now. He does it for other people and seeing them happy helps him."
"That's a lovely picture. Your wedding." Soul added.
Kami laughed. "Yeah. Such a nice day."
Thy continued to flick through the pages, discussing the stories behind photos until it reached midnight, and everyone finally chose to sleep.

The next morning arrived. Residential day. Everyone was dressed in appropriate gear; bags were packed; and everyone lined up on the DWMA steps.
"Alright! Hopefully all of you would have followed the safety protocols that we had went through earlier in the week. No one get lost. Understood?" Stein announced.
"YES!"
"Also!" Spirit spoke up. "Make sure any medicines and emergency packs are equipped and easy to access. Ready?"
"YES SIR!" The students chimed.
The beginning of the residential. What was to come, they didn't know.