The morning after, a tangle of limbs and a few groans of protest later (generally from the idea of early mornings), Spirit and Kami eventually got up and got ready for work. Breakfast was hasty and they productively got dressed and soon they wee both prepared to progress down to the DWMA.
The events of the previous night left Spirit in a daze. He had never experienced a nightmare so severe in his short time on this earth since he was about thirteen. They seemed to had faded into less severe since the incident, but since Asura's rise and fall... It had gotten a whole lot worse. The nightmares were more persistent; they seemed to creep up in severity each time, chilling him to the bone. Sometimes he'd wake up shaking; other times he would be paralytic and unable to move a muscle. However the worst ones would leave him begging for help and screaming- much like he did the previous night.
However, he never felt so secure as he did when Kami lay beside him. Although the nightmare was the worst he had ever had in the space of 18 years, he never woke to anyone so warm, so secure. Although she was his wife previously, he'd never been this afraid in front of her before. He stifled his screams and never asked for help. It might have been his dignity, or his promise to keep his two girls safe, but after being alone again for so long- he must have forgotten.
But he remembered how safe he felt. She was comforting and gentle and kind. He had never experienced so much safety since his own mother before her early demise.
It also was a reminder of what he lost.
Spirit felt a sting of regret. He lost Kami. He was the one who betrayed her. He still loved her with every stretch of the imagination, but he knew in his heart he wouldn't ever get her back. His adoration wouldn't win.
He lost Maka to the same fate, and he could hardly blame her disdain. He hated himself well enough.
Spirit's thought about his mother.
'Mama... I wish I was better. I screwed everything up: My marriage, the relationship with my daughter... It's my fault you're dead too... My fault dad hated me.... I'm better off dead.'
"...Spirit? Hey! You even awake?"
Kami stood next to him by the front door, observing the glassy eyes Spirit possessed. "Are you alright? You've been spacey ever since last night."
Her former husband nodded sluggishly. "Huh... I'm okay. It's just that I have a lot to do today and I am a bit behind on things, that's all."
"Sure... You take care alright? I'll make sure Professor Slime doesn't bother you."
"Ehh... Just don't get into too much of a fight with Stein, will you? The amount of times myself and Marie had to drag you both away mid-fight it's unbelievable."
Kamiki smirked. "Heh... But remember this, dear: I always win. The reason ol' Freaken Slime keeps fighting is that he can't take that I win every time."
"Ah, but Kami..." Spirit raised an eyebrow at her as they both long left the front door and walked down the streets. "Remember 3rd year Halloween-"
"Shut up. I let him win!" Kami lied, scowling.
Spirit giggled. "Sure you did." He mocked.
"Hey! I'll have you know he pressured me into losing! Ugh. He boils my blood." She protested, before sighing in annoyance. She took a deep breath and her blue eyes gazed up at his. "Okay, enough of Slimy. Can I ask something?"
Spirit looked at her. "Yeah?"
"Um... Have you... Since we uh.... Found someone else yet? Since the divorce?" Her face deepened in a blush, much like the colour of a beet root.
A similar flush crept on his own face. He sighed. "Nah... Wouldn't dream of remarrying actually... You found a good guy in your travels?" Spirit asked, nervously.
"Nope. Can't bring myself to."
"I'm sorry, Kam.."
"It's not your fault... It's just that you were the best I ever had and I can't replace that."
"What? A lousy coward who breaks your heart and can't do anything right?" Spirit spoke out. "You could do miles better than that."
Kami shook her head. "Don't say that. You did break my heart but... At least you had a conscience and felt awful afterwards. I know it's been hurting you as much as me."
They had reached the school steps. Spirit stopped and hung his head.
"Maka hates me. Everyone thinks of me as a failure. I screwed everything up. What's the point of even thinking about me?" He mumbled.
Kami gripped his collar in protest. "And you're just gonna forget all the times you carried me, protected me and healed me whenever I was injured during a mission? How you carried me through a snowdrift to the hospital after I went into unexpected labor with Maka? How you literally worked so hard so myself and Maka could eat at a night? How you overworked so much you got a hole in your stomach from malnourishment and stress from sacrificing your own meals for us, and the weeks you spent in hospital? How you spent every single stormy night with Maka until she had long fallen asleep? How you stayed in her bed and never slept during the times her asthma was severe in case she had an attack in her sleep? How you battled a long 18 years of depression and you're still living now? You are remarkable, generous, kind, loving. You'd sacrifice everything for anyone, even if it left you with nothing. You give more than you take. You love too much. And you never ask for anything in return. That's why no one could compare to you. Got it?" Kami loosened the grip on his collar. Spirit stood in silence, bewildered. He finally spoke. "You think that?"
"Yes. Would I lie to you?"
"Thank you... I never realise you felt that way after..."
"I understand. I treated you like shit, and that must have made you feel like I hated you or something... I never did. Sure, I was angry but i never wanted to hate you. I don't even remotely dislike you."
Spirit nodded. "But still, what I did had no excuse."
Kami nodded.
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.