Chapter Text
“She’s beautiful.” Spirit said, his voice hoarse.
“Mmm.” Stein made a noncommittal noise.
“I did my best with her.” Mary said, holding Maka’s hand. “I made a few calls, of course, got as much information as I could. I know it was important to Kami.”
“Thank you, Mary.” Spirit said. “For still being there for us.”
“Spirit, you know Percy and I will always be there for you.”
“I know.” He said, eyes still trained on his wife.
Kami was wrapped in a white kimono, with the slightest bit of pink to her lips and cheeks. It was a good color on her, and Mary Stein was careful not to over do the makeup on her facial lacerations. Maka and Spirit had picked out some of her favorite scents of incense to burn. They were able to find a temple that would suit Kami’s ancestors, and a monk to conduct the ceremony.
Stein craned his neck slightly from his third row seat. He felt another unfamiliar pang in his chest. Where were all of Kami’s friends? Family? What about Spirit’s friends? The room felt so empty.
Maka had already stumbled to the front and tucked a hand drawn picture next to her mother’s arm. She whispered quietly before standing on tiptoe to kiss Kami’s cheek one last time. Spirit’s sobbing became ragged, and it was the second time that day that Stein wondered if bringing an oxygen tank would have been a good idea.
Pall-bearers hoisted their charge with care. The small group rose, and Stein took his place behind Spirit’s wheelchair. The process would take the casket to a hearse, and then to the crematorium across town where yet another religious service would take place. Then home for more visits from mourners, and then back again to pick up the ashes.
Stein was taught and trained how to save lives. How to stop bleeding, how to make a dead heart beat again. He could not begin to understand the burden of loss on the living; couldn’t understand Spirit. Maka was young, she would recover. For Spirit, his heart might never recover.
Marie was the only one waiting for Stein and Maka at the Albarn home, Spirit having had to be taken back to the hospital for more round the clock care. He appreciated that Stein had actually been able to network caretakers on his and Maka’s behalf. It had been a total accident really, with Sid and Marie. Stein had just gotten incredibly lucky to have been surrounded by kind people he didn’t even know yet.
“Hey, you two.” She greeted them gently. “How are you feeling, Maka?” She leaned down to examine Maka, gauging her emotional state.
It had been a long day and Maka had spent most of it crying. She clutched her cat plush to her chest and shrugged. She wanted her Papa. She wanted her Mama. Neither of those things was going to happen.
“I’m tired, Ms. Marie.” Maka replied, rubbing one of her eyes. “Can I go to bed?”
“Of course, Maka.” Stein said, giving her an awkward pat on the head. “We’ll be out here if you need anything.”
The girl remained silent as she ventured deeper into her equally silent home. Stein watched, noticing that she had forgone her own room - probably to sleep in her parents bed . He decided. He then turned his attention to Marie, who was still smiling, though it did not reach her eye.
“I made dinner.” She said, gesturing to the dining room. He nodded and followed, almost robotically.
“So it was a small service, then.” Marie had been asking Stein questions over their meal. He couldn’t bring himself to be annoyed.
“I was surprised.” He responded. “Kami was fairly popular in high school. I thought maybe…” He didn’t know what he thought, couldn’t form a thought.
Marie nodded, as though she understood. And maybe she did. Stein still didn’t know her that well. “At least it’s over. Funerals are usually the first part to healing, don’t you think?”
“I suppose… I haven’t experienced something like this before.” Somehow, Stein figured that Spirit breaking his heart and Kami beating the crap out of him didn’t count as the same thing.
“Oh.” Marie was quiet after that.
After a period of awkward silence, Stein rose and began clearing off the table. This wasn’t his home, and so there was an obligation here to maintain it, for Spirit and Maka’s sake. He glanced at his watch. It was getting late now, not that it mattered to him.
“You can head home now, Marie.” He said, flopping his lanky frame on the couch. “I can take it from here.”
Marie fiddled with her hair a little as she stood in the doorway between the kitchen and living room. She didn’t want to leave him all alone. Surely he needed some support as he was the one supporting Maka and Spirit. Didn’t he need someone to lean on too?
“Well, um, I don’t have to work tomorrow, so…”
“Then you should definitely head out.” He said, not moving. “Go out with some friends, or relax at home. You’ll just be bored if you stick around here.”
She sighed. He didn’t get it. Probably wouldn’t get it unless she spelled it out for him. It was a bad time to try, after all. Stein probably didn’t have much more room in his life for new things.
“You’re right.” She said, crossing the living room to grab her shoes and purse. “After all, how am I supposed to keep up with what the nurses are talking about if I don’t binge that new series?”
“Mmhm.” Stein was already zoned out, staring at the ceiling. “Have a good night, Marie.”
“You, too.” She replied. “Please call me if you need anything.” She added.
No response.
I wish I could stay with it being weird . She thought to herself, door clicking shut behind her.