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Marie fretted over Crona, much to their dismay. Between the time they got dressed and brushed their hair, she had pulled them into a tight, emotional embrace three separate times.
But they didn’t hate it.
It was nice of Professor Stein and Mrs. Marie to let them into their home, even if it was nervewracking to be around him at first. They didn’t believe they deserved it, but over time Mrs. Marie showed them that no matter how they felt, she wanted to fulfill her self-imposed obligation to better their life after they risked it for her and Maka, and they had no room to argue.
Overtime they began to call her just Marie, and Professor Stein, just Stein. They started to look forward to the breakfasts, the weekend lunches, and her dinners. Stein invested in a car for Marie’s lack of direction, so they rode with them to and from school.
Crona came to discover an innate longing in them that was satisfied when Stein and Marie both wished them good morning and good night, the way they called the house home, and when Marie found herself holding a motherlike affection to them.
The doorbell rang. Crona snatched their bag and ran down, but couldn’t reach the door fast enough before Marie swung it open.
“Hello Maka!” Marie greeted her very warmly.
“Oh, hi Mrs. Marie! Do you know where Crona is?” Maka asked.
Right then, Crona peeked out from over Marie’s arm.
“Hi Maka.” They said to her, trying to mask their embarrassment. She was wearing a navy sundress. They wanted to tell her she looked really pretty, but Marie was, quite literally, hovering directly over them.
“Hi Crona.” Maka replied, noting how they were both taking a precious second to note their outfits before Mrs. Marie could comment.
“Aww both of you look so cute! Let me grab my camera!” Marie sped off comically, leaving a trail of wind gusting by the two, and charged back with a small, digital camera.
Crona gave her a strained smile, “Marie you don’t have to-“
“It’s your first date and I want to capture this moment! Oh I miss being young…” Marie reminisced. “Now both of you stand together and smile.”
Something in her command made both of them wary of disobeying, so they stood together and cheesed at the camera.
After a few flashes, she let them go.
“You look really pretty.” Crona complimented.
“You too, I love your skirt.” Maka replied bubbly, then laced her hand with theirs.
“I’m excited! You don’t get to see ocean life when you’ve lived in the desert your whole life.” Maka swung their arm.
“How far is it?” They asked.
“Only a fifteen minute walk.”
“I could ask Stein to drive you back home too since it’ll be after dark when we’re done.”
“No it’s alright! Soul is driving me back. I’d rather bother him with it.” She giggled, and Crona couldn’t help but smile back at her.
After a brief silence, she carried on. “The aquarium is supposed to be really calm, and you get to see all sorts of animals.” Maka said. “I thought it’d be nice and not too overwhelming.”
“I’d like to see the fish, never seen one before.” Crona mused.
“You’ve… never seen a fish before in your life?” Maka asked, utterly dumbfounded.
“Never had the chance to. Even when I was on a ship once.”
“Well now we have to go. What the hell.”
“Oh d-did I say something wrong?-“
“Oh God no! It’s just that sometimes you talk about experiences you’ve never had that I always took for granted, like when you first had ice cream, pizza, and watched a movie…” She sighed.
She looked over at them kicking a rock on the ground with their head bowed.
“You know, you’re giving me a first experience too.” She grinned.
Crona met her eyes, “what is it?”
“My first date.” She said, squeezing their hand.
Crona gave her a shy, wobbily smile and averted their eyes. She kept watching their face, how cute she found them trying to hide their blush, and when they finally looked back she laughed and nudged their shoulder with hers.
She truly was happy to be here with them, to have finally gotten to a point where she was brave enough to tell them how she felt, and even more, ask them on a date.
Paying for admission and walking in, they were greeted with a wall of glass. Blue refracted through and painted the dark room, and only the sounds of people marvelling at the creatures could be heard.
“I told you it’s quiet. It’s best to come on weekday nights like this, on weekends parents bring their noisy kids.” She said softly, not to disturb the ambience.
They both perused the different fish, animals, and gazed at them with awe.
Crona walked up to a shark tank and cocked their head at one staring at them. They planted their fingertips on the glass, and continued to make eye contact with it.
“Did you make a new friend?” Maka asked, peeking over.
“I think so.”
“These are called lemon sharks. They’re really cute. Sharks aren’t actually as dangerous as people think.” Maka said.
“It looks so peaceful.”
“Yeah. You’re guaranteed food and you can just swim around all day and be a shark.” She listed off, standing next to them in the same, trancelike state.
“I want to be a lemon shark at an aquarium.” They said.
Sooner than later, they moved on to the other mysteries.
“When we get hungry we should go to the burger place next door.”
Maka had her hands in her pockets as she walked with them.
“Are you having fun?” They asked her.
“Yeah. I’m not that big on huge parties or crowded places. I do like arcades and the parties thrown by Kid occasionally, but I’d much rather be here or in a library, where it’s quiet.” She said.
“Me too. Even though I also don’t know what an arcade is.”
“It’s a place full of loud games and lights and usually a lot of people, but there’s something for everyone, you too. That can be our next date.” She winked.
The possibility of going on another date with Maka filled Crona with hope. They were glad they at least weren’t a total bore, but on the other hand, they didn’t find themself feeling the least bit nervous about winning her over.
That’s what Maka did for them. When they were with her, the things they were scared of didn’t matter anymore, because she was by their side. And even at night when their anxieties crept in, the thought of her brought light to even the darkest corners of their mind, sending their fears and worries scurrying.
But they hated placing that burden on her.
Sometimes they wondered who they were without her.
She turned to check out another animal, they observed her.
If they wanted a relationship, a commitment, knowing they were only living for her would infect it. She would be scared to leave, or pursue just a friendship, because they’d be putting their dead weight on her shoulders.
Awhile ago she suggested therapy, but they shot the idea down. The thought of telling a stranger their deepest traumas still sounded ludicrous.
But if it meant they wouldn’t do that to her, or that they wouldn’t have to live like this anymore…
They considered it.
“Crona!” Maka whisper yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth. Crona walked back over to her.
“These are sea turtles, I thought you’d like to see them.”
“They’re really cute.”
They liked how their flat arms waded through, carrying their shells and awkward legs.
Slowly, more people filed out. They couldn’t tell what time it was, but from the spare pieces of quiet conversation they picked up, the sun was starting to set.
“Do you wanna go see the penguins and leave? I’m starving.” Maka asked, stepping forward.
Now that she mentioned it, their stomach ached with hunger. They nodded their head and let her take their hand.
By the time they walked out, Crona figured that the penguins were their favorite. Maka had never seen them grin so candidly before, with a glint of almost childlike wonder in their eyes.
If she couldn’t help them make up lost time from their childhood, she could at least show them African Penguins.
…
“There are so many on the menu. I don’t know how to pick from all of them.” Crona stressed.
“What helps me is narrowing them down based on what toppings I don’t like. And when it’s down to the ones with toppings I do like, I see which one I feel like getting more.” Maka said, sat across from them and waiting on their milkshake.
Crona traced through the different burgers like she said. They weren’t averse to most of them, but they settled on one that sounded appetizing at the moment, and then picked out another that was loaded with toppings and sauces they knew Ragnarok would enjoy.
“I’m getting the black and bleu burger.” They smiled.
“Oh really? I would’ve never guessed you’d like bleu cheese.” Maka said.
“I like most cheeses except for Velvura.” They scrunched their mouth at the thought of the pungent, artificial taste.
“Remember when Soul made us mac n’ cheese and put a whole brick of that stuff in it. That was a crime.” She said with pure bewilderment.
“How was he okay with the taste of that stuff!?”
They both laughed, their waiter brought them the shake and took down their orders, Crona was proud of themself for not stuttering this time.
“You know, old American movies used to depict dates this exact way. With a shared milkshake and burgers and everything. I mean I thought it was cute but I always wondered why it was specifically that, and now we’re doing that.”
She lingered on the absurdity of it, watching Crona take sparse sips of the vanilla dessert.
“I haven’t seen enough movies to know.”
“I’m gonna force you to watch a bunch of John Hughes movies. That’ll be fun.” She dropped casually.
“That sounds… very vaguely threatening.”
“It’s more of a warning.”
None of the two knew if she was joking or not, but now that she presented the idea, it sounded appealing. Even if she hated how aged some of its “jokes” were. Which reminded her,
“Hey where’s Ragnarok? He’d usually be reigning terror by now.” As each second passed after her question, she found herself more anxious that he’d resurface on call.
“I made him a deal that if he doesn’t bother us I’d buy him a meal.”
“Oooh…”
When they got their plates back, and Crona had to deal with Ragnarok unearthing and devouring the entire loaded burger as soon as the waiter set the plate down, they both ate.
…
Soul’s motorcycle skid to a halt in front of the restaurant.
“Well I’ll see you tomorrow! Do you still want to study after school?” Maka turned to face them, tracing circles around their hand with her thumb.
“Yeah, and uhm… I had fun.”
“Me too!” Maka got on her toes to kiss their cheek, then ran to the bike, leaving them standing stiffly, feeling blood rush to their face quicker than they thought possible.
“Bye!!” She called out, Crona waved at her.
“Hi Crona!” Soul greeted.
“Hi Soul.” They choked out.
“Bye Crona! Remember to breathe!”
He jetted away before Crona could witness the repercussions of that sentiment.
They could die of embarrassment, but found sweet relief in the form of a familiar silver car pulling up.