Chapter Text
Maka absent-mindedly looked around the dazzling ballroom. After what happened last time they had such an event, it took some convincing from her friends to show up at all. The meister could hardly believe that a year had passed since the revival of Medusa and the awakening of the Kishin. She guessed she should feel grateful that they could even throw the gala, which meant that peace had been restored and the war over. But she could not shake the feeling of unease, was everything really over? Could she relax as she did before?
With a glass of punch in one hand, she let her eyes move from person to person. Blackstar was up to his usual shenanigans of trying to claim the spotlight while stuffing his face with free food. Tsubaki, of course, was trying to calm him down with little success. Maka's partner Soul was also hanging around Black Star, probably egging him on from the way he laughed in response to his best friend's narcissistic claims. The blonde smiled a bit at the sight; Soul seemed to be having fun, at least.
Across the room from them, Liz and Patty were talking to Marie, no doubt about the baby on the way. "I wonder where Kid is," Maka wondered out loud with fleeting curiosity. "Usually, they are tied to the hip."
However, her thoughts were interrupted by a shout that cut across the room. "Oh, Makaaaaa! Where are you? Don't you want to dance with your Papa?" Maka's stomach dropped as she watched her father mingle amongst the crowd, bumping shoulders with annoyed students and staff. Sinking back toward the back wall, she watched as her father got closer and closer but had yet to notice her.
Just as he was about to turn to her, Dr. Stein showed up and grabbed Spirit's arm. The blonde watched with a held breath as her professor grumbled some words into the weapon's ear and then sighed in relief as her father was dragged away screaming. She didn't really feel like finding excuses not to dance with him.
"I must say, that was rather cruel, Maka." A voice spoke abruptly close to her side.
In shock, Maka whirled around and found herself face to face with Death the Kid, whom she had been curious about only a few minutes earlier. Taking a step back, she recomposed herself. Kid had a way of sneaking up sometimes; she should be used to it by now. "I have no idea what you are talking about," she replied with a shrug.
Kid seemed unimpressed with her answer as he lifted an eyebrow with a hum and turned, silently standing by her side. I guess he's a people watcher too, she thought. Maka looked back toward the crowd as well, and for a moment, they both watched the party unfold in comfortable silence.
After a few minutes, Maka's curiosity started to wander, and she glanced at the reaper in the corner of her eye. She took note of his outfit- A red suit with a tie that had an even number of skulls printed on it. He looked well put tighter, as always. The suit, of course, matched the dresses the gun sisters were wearing. However, she was surprised to notice that his hair was pushed back, revealing his forehead. It almost looked uncanny.
Though they were friends, the number of times they had been alone together could be counted on one hand, the times they had private conversations even less. To be fair, it was not common for any mister and weapon pair to be separated, so she could say the same for Blackstar and the girls. Still, she started to become uncomfortable from the thought that the distance between her and her other friends might be further than she thought. Was all the trauma they went through the only reason they hung out?
Her thoughts were shut down when the boy who started her spiral of contemplation waved his hand in front of her face, "Did you hear me, Maka?" Blinking in confusion, she quickly responded, "Oh! Um… I didn't. What were you saying?"
The reaper considered her for a moment and then sighed with a small smile. "I had asked if you were enjoying the party," he explained, "I must assume you're bored with the way you were spacing out." She made a move to respond with denial but stopped when she realized he wasn't half wrong. So she simply muttered, "I'm not in the party mood, that's all." Kid nodded and took a swing of his own punch, "I understand what you mean; after all the action we've seen lately, it's hard to enjoy something so normal."
While happy that the boy agreed, she couldn't help but feel a little bad. Kid had planned this party after all, probably in an attempt to lighten everyone's spirits. "It's a great party," Maka tried to change the conversation's direction, "everyone appreciates you for setting it up."
"How did you know I set it up?" The boy moved his gaze away as if to seem aloof, and Maka looked back at the hall. From the band being elegantly organized so there were two of each instrument on the opposite sides of the stage, to the even number of tables reflected on either side of the room- it was obvious who had spent the previous day making a big show out of every detail. The young girl let out a small chuckle, and for a second, she thought she saw a blush on Kid's cheeks when he realized that he had been found out. However, his pale face was once again stoic as always in the blink of an eye.
Clearing his throat, he motioned to the food, "Have you had anything to eat?"
Before Maka could respond, the lighting in the room changed. Drawing her eyes back to the dance floor, she watched as the tone shifted and the music slowed. The song was one she often enjoyed listing to on calm days, and she felt herself relax and sway a little. A part of her wanted to go dancing, but Soul was out of her view, and it would be too awkward to go without a partner. It wasn't like she was much of a dancer anyway.
"Maka…"
Hearing her name, she turned back to Kid, whom she had almost forgotten for a second. He was slightly bowed with his hand outstretched. "Will you give me the honor of joining me for this dance?" To say she was shocked was an understatement. Was it that obvious that she wanted to dance? How embarrassing!
Sensing her hesitation, Kid gave her a small smile. "Come now; I can't have one of my best friends bored at my own party. How would I be able to call myself a proper reaper then?"
A blush spread on her cheeks. One of his best friends? Maybe it's not a bad idea to accept his hand, and it's not like it's an impossible notion that people would gawk at.
She gently laid her hand in his and joked, "as long as it's not that strange dance that you did with Liz and Patty last time." The reaper rolled his eyes, and he hooked her arm under his and led them to the dance floor. "When will you people let me move on from that? It was a perfectly balanced dance."
Maka giggled as she let herself be guided to the middle of the room, and soon Kid stopped and looked back at her. Expecting him to start barking orders, the girl just watched him expectingly. However, she was surprised when Kid only grasped her hands, placing one on his shoulder, and kept one up enclosed in his. "Just follow my lead and listen to the music." He stepped closer, and their bodies were almost touching.
How… normal , she thought. Her eyes studied his face as he led their feet to the rhythm. Up close, she started to notice how much taller he was now, her head just at his chin. Now that she thought about it, the other boys had gotten more mature without her realizing it.
Looking at him now, she could not deny that Kid was handsome. Sure, he was always beautiful- just like one would expect death to be. Pale skin with hair as dark as ink and gold eyes that would make any old coin jealous with the way they shined. But now, it wasn't just his looks- but the way he moved and sounded. Kid always had a confidence she admired, one only a death god could have. Thinking about it now, it was hard to believe that she was dancing with the child of death, a powerful being that shaped the world. And she was, as he stated, one of his best friends. Wow, Maybe I shouldn't tease him so much, she thought with awe.
She also considered their dance itself, a simple waltz. It felt strange to let another person lead, as she was used to being the one in charge as a meister. It was new but a little exciting. It wasn't so bad to have someone else make the decisions for a change. It reminded her of when she and Soul had danced in their mind when deciding on how to work with the black blood. This felt different than dancing with Soul, though . I wonder why that is.
Kid caught her eyes, and Maka realized she was staring. "A penny for your thoughts?" hearing his voice so close to her ear made her heart flutter, but she quickly regained her senses. "I am just thinking about how tall you've gotten, and we used to be the same height only a year ago, you know!"
The boy muttered to himself, "has it only been a year?" He titled his head, "You've changed quite a bit yourself, Maka." Puzzled, Maka looked down at her body. Maybe it was a bit different, but not compared to his rise in height.
She looked up with a sly grin, "Oh my Kid, I didn't think you paid so much attention to me to notice that." They both paused, and Maka's face lit up in a blush. Did I just say that? How much more is she going to embarrass herself in Infront of him?!
Kid coughed, and a light dust of red fell on his own cheeks once again. "Anyone can see that you have become a fine young lady, especially in that outfit." His eyes lit up for a second, "It's absolutely stunning."
The outfit in question was a black baby doll dress, simple gold earrings, flat shoes, and two twin buns placed evenly on her head. She nodded in understanding- she must be very symmetrical right now. "Thank you, Kid. You look very dashing yourself," she praised.
They shared a quiet smile, only looking into each other's eyes as they swayed to the music. It was wonderful. Maka couldn't remember the last time she had such a pleasant dancing partner… or such a handsome one. She inwardly cringed, why does she keep calling him handsome? They're friends, just friends.
A bead of sweat rolling down Kid's face caught her attention. "Um... Are you okay?" He responded with a strained nod, "everything is fine, everything is perfectly fine." Despite his denial, Maka could tell that the child reaper was losing composure, and then it hit her. "You know, we don't have to dance like this if it makes you uneasy," Maka calmed as she brought them to a stop.
"No, I am the one who asked you to dance, so I will try to do it the right way- even if that means it's not balanced," he strained as he tried to start swaying again.
The blonde girl giggled as she came to a stop again, "Really, It's fine, the song is almost ov-"She was interrupted when a shoulder prodded into her side, and as they were already off balance, the pair started to fall. "Maka-" shouted the reaper as he stretched out his hand to protect her head from the fall.
Landing with a thud, refocusing on what was happening took a moment. But, after a quick gasp, Maka realized their compromising position. It was the classic boy kneeling on top of a girl. This only happens in movies , and her face lit up even more so than the last couple of times. Get ahold of yourself, Maka!
Kid's face was blank, mouth hung open, and body unmoving. While no one was paying attention to them, Maka wanted up fast. "Kid? What's wrong?" Breaking out of his trance, Kid quickly leaped to his feet, bringing up the other meister with him. Before she could say thank you, he had her hand in his grasp as he dragged her off the dance floor and out of the hall completely. "Where are we going? What's going on?"
The halls were quiet, music still playing in the distance. Maka gave up struggling and let Kid lead her to wherever he had his heart set on. They kept walking until they had made it to a broom closet, and the reaper pushed her inside.
"Kid, wha-"he pulled out a stool and firmly pushed her shoulders down, encouraging her to sit. She watched him with humor and curiosity as he shuffled around the room, bringing out a mirror from the shadows and a bag.
After he had placed the mirror in front of her, Maka understood. In her reflection, she could see that one of her twin buns had fallen, and her hair was in a frizz. No wonder he freaked , she sighed. I'm surprised he didn't gush blood.
Kid opened the bag in his hand and handed it to the sitting girl to hold. Looking inside, she could see that it was full of hair products, rubber bands, and brushes. "Did you know this would happen?" she let out a chuckle. "I keep things hidden here and there in case of an emergency," He responded cooly as he undid her other bun and fluffed her hair.
She knew what kind of emergencies he meant. After his fight with Blackstar and Soul, Kid was more protective of his own image, so much so that he missed a whole class period when he noticed that his hair was sticking up in the back. The other students would gossip that he was more a god of vanity rather than death, and Maka couldn't disagree with them. This made her feel guilty, though, because she knew how crippling his obsession could sometimes be.
Maka watched the reflected image in the mirror as Kid worked on the blond hair. His hands were gentle, and it felt good to have someone play with her hair other than Soul, who would sometimes yank too hard and complain about how uncool it was to help her get ready. The silence between them was comfortable, Kid focused on her hair, and Maka enjoyed the unintentional head massage. Up, down, up and down he would tie her hair, then let it fall again while trying to get the buns at the same level. After what seemed only a few minutes, the boy let out a defeated sigh and smoothed out her hair so that it sat evenly on her shoulders. Pulling up another stool, he sat defeated in front of her.
"How did you manage to get them so even the first time," he gasped, "it was like you were born that way."
Maka gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder, "I've made Soul help me with my hair for years, don't let it get you down." Kid just gave her a sullen look and grasped her hand, holding it out in between them. Taking his other hand and cupping it around hers, he slightly bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Maka. I am ashamed to have caused this."
"Why are you apologizing?" The girl tilted her head in confusion, "I am not upset about the bun, kid, or anything for that matter." The reaper squeezed her hands slightly, "but it was my fault for grabbing you in such a way… no, wait. Even before then, it was my fault that we fell in the first place! If I hadn't let myself get so worked up…" He let go of her hand and buried his face in his palms instead. "I am such a failure…"
The meister considered the boy before her. This isn't about the bun , she processed. Was Kid insecure about his obsession? She couldn't remember a time when he actually felt sorry for the inconveniences caused by his perfectionism. Maybe it was there, but she never really got the chance to see that side of him. What other sides was he hiding? How much did she not know? She felt guilt swallow her up again . I was a bad friend.
The hand that was left hovering in midair started to move, and it cupped the side of Kid's face. At the touch of her hand, his face shot up in shock. Maka was shocked too, but she had to keep going. She brought up her other hand, and soon she was cupping both sides of his face. Touching foreheads always calms Soul down so… She tilted her forehead and closed her eyes as she felt his cool skin, not wanting to know what face he was making.
"You're not a failure, Kid. I appreciate the effort you put into dancing with me, but you don't have to be perfect around me. You're my friend, and I accept every part of you." She opened her eyes to find his still wide with shock. Worried, she whispered, "Kid?"
Coming back to his senses, Kid blinked slowly, and a smile spread on his face as his eyes softened. "Thank you for telling me that. I feel much better now."
The sound of people mingling rose up in the hallways. The reaper stood back up and offered a hand to Maka. "It sounds like the party is ending. Let's get you back to your partner." Maka nodded and hooked her arm with Kid's, nudging him slightly," It's a shame we didn't get to finish our dance." Kid laughed and pat her hand in agreement, "There's always next time."
Next time , hearing him say that made her heart feel light for some reason.
Walking back to the party, Maka couldn't help but feel disappointed that her alone time with Kid would soon end. Sensing her unease, he gave her a questioning look. "It's silly, but I'm a bit bummed that this one-on-one moment with you is over."
"It is a shame. It is much easier for us to talk without those idiots around." They both laughed, and Kid gave her a wink, "We can hang out whenever you want, Maka. My doors are always open."
With that, they made it back to the hall, and they separated as they began looking around the room for their partners. Maka found Soul first, who also seemed to be looking for her as well.
She turned toward Kid, Unsure of what to say. Suddenly an idea came to mind, and as soon as it appeared- she acted on it. Stretching up a little taller, she planted a kiss on one cheek and then the other, making sure they were in the center of each side. Maka grinned sheepishly as Kid's ears turned pink. "You sure know how to keep someone from being bored," she giggled, "Thanks for the dance, Kid."
Without waiting for a response, Maka dashed towards the exit where Soul was standing.
"What are you so giddy about… and what happened to your hair?" Soul questioned. The meister looked at her weapon and twirled a blonde strand on her finger.
"Nothing, I just had a great dance."