heart & soul

dress up

"hello?"
"hey Kar, it's Soul."
"oh hey. what's up?"
"are you going to Kid's party tomorrow?"
"yea. I'm gunna be a little late though. I have a client coming in last minute."
"oh. well."
"you okay dude?"
"yea. I just don't know what to wear."
Soul's heart fluttered hearing Kar's giggle at the other end of the line.
"who do you have to go as?" Kar could barely make out his response. "hang on, let me go out back, the music is kinda loud in here. I didn't hear you. how's your day been anyway?" Kar made her way to the back of the salon and pushed open the heavy door. the stale air greeted her.
"I didn't realize you were at work. my bad."
"no worries. my client just left. you have perfect timing. so anyway, who did you get?"
Soul gulped. he didn't want to fess up to who he had dress up as for Kid's stag party.
"I got Liz."
"so what's the problem? jeans and a cute shirt. a cowboy hat would be a nice touch."
"do you really think I own anything that Liz would wear?"
"yea, good point. I get off in like 30 minutes, wanna pick me up and come by my place? I'm sure I can come up with something for you."
"yea, whatever. I'll be there in 20."

Soul pulled open the heavy door at Death, Paper Shears, sighing heavily. he loved seeing Kar and spending time with her, but this time was just embarrassing.
"hey Soul. Kar's a little busy cleaning up, so I guess you're just gunna have hang out with me for now." Mimi. the annoying pink haired receptionist. Kar talked about her occasionally, complaining about her flirty ways. she was shameless, and apparently an airhead. Soul had only seen her a couple of times, and so far he was not impressed. he settled into a chair across from her desk and flipped through a magazine aimlessly.
"so how have you been?" her high pitched voice scratched against his ear drums.
"been cool."
"I love that jacket on you. its so, biker."
"guess it works out, since I ride a bike." he glanced up at her. she was leaning on the counter, arms folded, causing a deep cleavage line. Soul couldn't help himself as he gazed at her body.
"hey Soul. you ready to go?" without a word he left his chair and followed Kar. Mimi winked at him as she leaned back. "night Mimi." a sly smile crossed Soul's lips, noting the sarcastic tone as Kar exaggerated Mimi's name.
"you gunna be warm enough in that?" his eyes followed Kar's body line, making her blush.
"I'll be fine. its you I'm worried about, cool guy." she slid onto his bike's seat, struggling to throw her short leg over.
"you sure you even want to go to this stupid party? we could do something else."
"I'm actually kinda excited to go. I didn't go to many parties back in Oceania, let alone a stag party!" Soul grumbled as he took his seat in front of her. "why don't you want to go?"
"I'm not a huge fan of dressing up like a girl."
"I won't let you look too girly, I promise." she wrapped her arms loosely arm his midsection as he took off.

Soul liked being in Kar's apartment. it was small and cozy, but was almost always cold. he knew she was struggling to pay her bills despite working two jobs. warmth crept across his body as memories of his last visit to her place crossed his mind. she invited him to stay the night so he wouldn't have to drive home at a late hour. her cold toes would brush against his, sending shivers up his spine. he wanted to wrap his arms around her, and keep her warm, but he didn't know her well enough for that, and she had kept a small distance between them since the camping trip. Soul was determined to change their friendship into something more.
"I think we should color your hair." Kar's gravely voice tore him from his memories.
"huh?"
"we should make you blonde like Liz. do you have a white tie?"
"I think so. but I don't want to be blonde."
"it'll wash out I promise. I'd never change your color permanently." she crossed the small space to him and ran her fingers through his hair lightly. "I love the white." he reached out for her but she was out of reach as quickly as she came. he watched her walk to her room, and followed quickly. she unwrapped her scarf and tossed it on her sloppily made bed.
"who did you get anyway?"
"Kid." the sound of his name rattled Soul's bones with jealousy. he knew how close Kar was to Kid and Soul feared that there might be something going on between them.
"that's perfect for you, isn't it?" Kar glanced over her shoulder and met Soul's stare.
"how do you mean?"
"he's like, your boyfriend, right?"
"seriously? me and Kid? no way. he's a great guy, but not my type. I'm too asymmetrical for him. I'd drive him nuts. we're just friends."
"you two are pretty close though."
"yea sure, but he's my best friend. and he kinda rescued me. nothing more."
"rescued you?"
"well yea. he's the one that came and got me from Oceania."
"oh yea."
"turn on some music will ya?" Kar tossed her phone to him, startling him. her phone slipped through his fingers a few times before he finally gripped it. the picture of the two of them sent a rush of relief through him.
after a while Kar had found a deep red button up shirt for Soul.
"just wear some jeans, that shirt and a white tie. but something is missing." she tapped her chin looking around her room. "oh! I know!" she paced to her closest and reached up for the top shelf. Soul watched her stretch her short body as far as it would go before grasping onto a hat. she pulled it down and blew a layer of dust off of the top. "here, this will be perfect." she came to him and placed the hat on his head.
"why do you have guys clothes?"
"left over stuff from my ex. we can burn all this shit after the party if you'd like." Soul's heart pounded behind his rib cage.
"that's the coolest thing you've ever said to me." she broke into a deep smile.
"let's do something about that hair." she laced her fingers with his and pulled him off of her bed and drug him into her small bathroom.

despite the warm afternoon, Soul stuffed his blonde hair into a beanie so no one would see. "this stuff better come out" he mumbled to himself. he watched the clock tick as the day drug on, waiting anxiously until he could see Kar again.

-------------------------------

the party was in full swing when Kar finally showed up. Liz opened the door for her, dressed as Black*Star (thanks to Tsubacki, she was actually wearing his clothes, which were too short, and too baggy for Liz's tall, slender figure)
"Kar! you look amazing!" the tall weapon pulled the short girl in for a tight hug.
"so do you! very Black*Star!" she teased. she took a few steps into the huge mansion, getting a better view of everyone.
"thanks for making Soul look so great! I was afraid of what he was going to look like."
"no problem." Kar looked for Soul but didn't see him.
"Kar, you look. you look just like me! you really captured my perfect symmetry!!" Kid wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her in a large circle. "you even colored your hair! but those stripes." Kid dropped Kar and draped his arm over his eyes dramatically.
"just trying to play the part Kiddo. you look great too! you make a very handsome Tsubacki! I can't wait to see her."
"she's in the kitchen." he pointed before slinking off in a tantrum. Liz followed Kar across the main room and into the kitchen. she spotted Tsubacki dressed as Soul.
"Tsu you look great!"
"and so do you! very Kid." she giggled.
"where's Black*Star and Soul?"
"I think they're in the living room."
"thanks." Kar scurried off for the living room. once she got there she spotted Soul and Black*Star in front of the massive television.
"hey girls, make some room!" she hopped over the back of the couch and wedged herself between the two of them. Black*Star almost matched Soul. he drew Patty.
"YAHOO! Kar! let's waste Soul!" he handed her an Xbox controller.
"you ready for this Soul?"
"two against one? I like those odds." he smirked.
Black*Star gave in after a few rounds of Call of Duty. Soul and Kar had tag teamed him and beat him pretty badly.
"one more game. you will never surpass a god like me!"
Kar grinned at Soul.
"you're on." their button mashing was interrupted by a blinding flash. Patty was taking pictures, dresses as Kar.
"Patty you look so stupid! who are you supposed to be anyway?" Black*Star laughed until Soul slapped the back of his head.
"dude, not cool. she's Kar."
"ah my bad."
"lean in! lean in! I want a picture!" Black*Star looked to Soul behind Kar and flashed him a devilish grin. Soul returned the grin before they both planted a kiss on either side of her face. a wild blush crossed Kar's cheeks as the flash went off.
"perfect!" Patty sang as she skipped off.
"ha ha very funny guys." Kar stood, adjusting her her black tailored jacket. "I'm gunna go grab a soda."
"I think you made her mad Soul." Black*Star stated before settling back into his game.

Soul watched Kar chat with Kid as he sipped on his soda.
"if you like her, you should just tell her."
"hey Tsu. my jacket looks pretty good on you."
"don't change the subject." she smiled down at him, blowing a tuff of her white wig off of her forehead.
"she's not interested. she just wants to be friends."
"you sure about that? has she told you that she just wants to be friends?"
"not in so many words."
"you should tell her, before it's too late. girls like her don't stay single for long." Soul looked up, but Tsubacki was gone. he stood and headed in her direction.
"hey Soul! you have perfect timing. would you mind taking me home?" Kar reached out and touched his arm. she looked tired.

"thanks for doing this."
"I wouldn't have missed this. this is cool." he smiled as he unbuttoned his shirt. Kar watched him peel the fabric away from his toned body. she swallowed down her excitement as he tossed it into the large metal bin. "I'll take those." he unloaded her arms of the wad of clothing and photos she was clutching.
"thanks." she said dryly as she patted down her pockets before pulling a lighter from her jacket. she dug further and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Soul watched her light one and take a long drag.
"you smoke?"
"we used to. I quit. he refused to. seems like a fitting send off." smoke streamed from her nostrils. Soul watched her. she looked so cool with her arms crossed, tapping the ash off of the end, her weight to one side. she took another drag before flicking the cigarette on top of the pile of bad memories. flames erupted quickly, the orange glow illuminating their skin.
"I'm glad you're here Soul. I don't think I could have done this alone."
"no problem. just remind me to never piss you off." he smirked as he draped his arm around her shoulder. her reaction startled him. usually he could feel her body tense under his touch, but instead she laid her head back onto his shoulder.
"I couldn't ask for better people to be in my life. before, I had no one. I wasn't aloud to have friends. I had forgotten how to trust people."
"we're glad to have you Kar. I am at least." Kar sighed as she watched her past burn, safely under Soul's arm.