Heart and Soul (Soul Eater X Reader)

Chapter 18

           After the delicious dinner, Mrs. Evans showed me to my room—a gorgeous guest bedroom with a canopy bed and tall windows that let the morning light stream in the next morning. I stretched and yawned, before throwing on a robe and slippers and padding out into the hallway. I was led downstairs and back towards the living room by faint piano music. As I neared, I recognized it as the song Soul had learned for me.
Soul sat at the piano also in his robe and pajamas. A cup of coffee balanced on one corner of the piano.
"Morning," I said, coming up behind him.
He jumped slightly, but kept playing, "Morning."
"You're getting pretty good at that song,"
He grinned, slightly, "Thanks. I started working on this too."
He switched moods entirely and laid into the Pirates of the Caribbean theme, making me laugh. I wrapped my arms around his neck and bent over to rest my chin on his shoulder.
"That sounds more like you."
"What do you mean? More like me than what?" he asked, slowing down a bit.
"Than that stuff you were playing yesterday with your family," I sat on the bench next to him, facing the other way, "It was great, but it wasn't you. It didn't feel like Soul. Does that make sense?"
Soul stopped playing and took a sip of coffee, "You have no idea. That's why I ditched this life."
He continued, drumming out little riffs with one hand, "I love my family, don't get it twisted, but all this—it isn't me. It's them."
"I'm sorry about what your mom said yesterday. I could tell you heard. That must've stung,"
"Ah, I'm used to it. She says the same things every time I come home—it's inevitable. I'm just sorry I dragged you into it,"
"No, don't be sorry, Soul. I'm just mad that she thinks those things about you,"
"She means well. Like she said, she worries about me but..."
I smirked over my shoulder, "But you hate people worrying about you."
He snorted derisively, standing up with his coffee, "That's part of it, yeah. But I wish she and everyone else would just see me for who I am. Not who they wish I was. I want them to trust me."
He shook his head, "This all sounds so cheesy. I'm sorry."
I stood too, pressing my palms against his chest, "Don't. Be. Sorry. I know you, Soul. You are brave and funny and witty and you have a big heart. If your family can't see that, then that's their loss."
Soul lowered his eyes and blushed pink, but said, "Thank you," and kissed me.
When he pulled away, he led me by the hand towards the kitchen, "Let's get some breakfast. We can have the cook make us whatever you want."
"So I don't have to stomach your burnt pancakes?"
"Hey, they weren't that burnt the last couple times,"
We had put in a big order for all our favorite breakfast foods and I grabbed my own cup of coffee, when Wes appeared in the kitchen with much fanfare,
"Good, you two are up. Have either of you seen Breaking Bad?"
We told him we didn't, and he clapped once, "Okay, here's the plan. Have breakfast, get dressed, and we'll meet in the screening room for an all-day binge! I'll get my Netflix up."
He dashed from the room just as quickly as he arrived. I turned to Soul, "You guys have a screening room?"

We ate breakfast and took showers. Then Soul met me at my room and led me to the basement. It was much different than the posh upstairs, the huge space split between a game room with foosball, darts, and a pool table. The other half was giant leather chairs and beanbags surrounded a giant projector screen. While we waited for Wes to finish setting up his Netflix, Soul challenged me to foosball.
"Fastest fingers in Death City," I declared when I had won, "I warned you."
We got through two episodes of Breaking Bad, when Crystal came down,
"Sorry, boys, I have to steal Y/N,"
"Why?" I said, nervously.
"Beatrice (Mrs. Evans) and I are taking you shopping for tonight,"
"Tonight? What's tonight?" I asked, while Soul groaned.
"Why doesn't she tell me these things? Sorry, Y/N, I would've warned you if I knew,"
"Warned me about what?"
"Whenever we come home, mom and dad have to have a big party,"
"Ooh, a party?"
"Yeah, not the fun kind. Like a ball,"
"Ah..."
I obediently went with Crystal and Mrs. Evans, knowing I would be showed frilly, lacey, pastel gowns.
"What do you think of this one, dear?" Mrs. Evans asked, standing beside me as I looked at the ruffled pink nightmare that was supposedly me.
"It's...nice," I tried to turn my grimace into a convincing smile.
"Hmm, not quite right...Maybe blue..." she took off into the store, and I took the opportunity to go back into my dressing stall and strip off the frills.
"She can be a lot, I know," came Crystals voice from the next stall over.
I sighed, "Shame she had two boys. Probably finally dumping all that pent up energy on us."
She laughed. Silence, before a cascade of fabric-almost liquid-was flung over the door, "Here. Try this on. I think it's more you."
I unfolded the fabric and held it up, "Crystal, this is perfect."