Little Bunny

Little Bunny

She  smells like vanilla and flowers. Her skin is pale, her eyes a shade of forest green. The raindrops role down her smooth skin and he needs to take a deep breath or he will get the feeling that he can’t breathe. He knows that he fucked up, he’s a big mess after all. She looks like a fairy, all delicate and fragile. He wants to kiss her. He shouldn’t want to kiss her in the first place. But he does.

„So did you find what you’re looking for?“

She’s facing him, her small curves catch the corner of his eye. He shakes his head simply to clear his mind. The air is fresh and the only noise audible is the singing of the birds. There are green leaves everywhere, large trees and moss.

„So?“

She tries again but the man in front of her is lost in her eyes. Not that she would notice. He is ruffling his white strands of hair and his wine colored eyes meet hers. She’s a magical creature and he’s a human even if he doesn’t look like one. Tanned skin and white hair. If she didn’t know better she would say that he is an elf or maybe another magical spirit living in the forest.

„No, I didn’t. Well, I don’t really know what I’m looking for in the first place.“

His honesty surprises him. She faces him with a smile that would make ice cabs melt and the butterflies in his stomach are back.
„Well, that’s too bad. I guess you will have to hang around me a little longer then.“

He doesn’t mind at all.

„Yeah, I guess so.“

His voice is neutral but there are a thousands of feelings in his mind. They are running through it like an old polaroid film. Why is this beautiful creature so captivating? There is a long silence between them but it doesn’t feel uncomfortable.

Suddenly she’s close. Not only close to his face but also close to his soul.

„Soul?“

„Maka?“

Their lips connect and it feels like an explosion. He closes his eyes. It's something destructive, something that could make the very core of the earth melt, something that could cause a nuclear explosion, something that could make a dead body's heart beat once more.  



He’s walking in the forest to clear his head. Why does he have to be such a failure? The melody is in his head the second he’s in front of the large, black piano and it shakes his very bones. It is dark and disturbing but it is a part of him even if his parents and his mentor don’t like it. They don’t simply not like it but they despise his music. He can’t blame them though because he knows that he is a fuck up and he knows that his depressions are hard to deal with even for himself. Soul never asked to be born into the famous Evans family and he never asked to always feel worthless compared to the other musicians in his family. Like his older brother. Wes is the most talented violinist and composer Soul knows. His music sounds like he puts his soul into it and unlike Soul’s his seems to be full of light and joy. He can never be like Wes, not in a million years.

Soul ruffles his already messy looking white strands and shakes his head. He hates his habits and he knows his family does too. He doesn’t fit in the picture at all and he will never be able to change that fact.

The forest is always quiet and though kind of lonely it is a good place to relax and get inspiration for music. Soul loves going there, taking long walks, thinking, being all by himself  with no one to judge him. When he was a child his mother wouldn’t allow him to go to the forest because he could get lost and not find his way back home but Soul thinks that the only thing she was really worried about were his ridiculously expensive clothes. He puts his hands into his pockets and closes his eyes. Only the birds are singing and there is the sound of  the small river’s water rippling. It is simply beautiful outside and Soul feels like he’s stepping into a whole different world. A world in which he can be himself, a world in which he doesn’t have to feel out of place.
He always leaves the regular paths so that he won’t meet other people or tourists. The smell of fresh air and soil reminds Soul of adventure. It’s silly because he knows that he probably won’t ever experience anything close to adventurous but day dreaming doesn’t cost anything and it makes him suffer a little less.

The ground is covered by leaves and grass and it makes small clicking noises under his leather boots. He’s been walking for hours which is nothing new but he’s never been in this place of the forest before and needs a few minutes to orientate himself. There is nothing but trees and green. Soul realizes that he has to be close to the small waterfalls his brother told him about and he can’t help but smile weakly. The whole scenery has something surreal and he takes another deep breath.

He has to look twice just to make sure that he is not hallucinating but when he gets closer he is sure that he can see the shade of a person bathing in the waterfalls. Soul rubs his eyes and tries to make sense of what lies before his eyes. The picture seems surreal, like a strange dream but when he moves closer to the figure he can see that there is indeed a young woman bathing. He can only see her long golden hair and her back that is covered with tattoos. Her skin looks pale and smooth and Soul feels like a total creep for watching her but her presence is somewhat magical and he simply can not look away. She seems to be rather young, maybe about his age and there are flowers in the wet strands of shining hair. She’s beautiful. Without realizing it Soul steps closer to her and there’s a loud crack making him freeze.

The girl stiffens and turns to face the source of the sound interrupting her bathing session. Her eyes are huge and a shade of green he’s never seen before. She looks like a deer caught in headlights and she doesn’t move an inch. Soul can’t find the strength to move a muscle and they’re both starring at each other in pure shock.

Finally she opens her mouth but no words come out. Soul wants to say something but before he can find the courage to apologize she shrieks and her face turns bright red. She covers her nude chest and tries to hide her naked body as much as possible. Soul stutters and takes a few steps back. Oh shit! He’s in trouble because this looks like he’s some pervert who tried to peep on her and he really doesn’t know how to explain himself. He raises his arms in defense and tries to look anywhere but at her.

„Listen-…I-I’m-…“

His voice is cracking and he feels like a total loser. He closes his eyes and tries to calm himself but suddenly there is an amount of pain in the center of his head and he slops onto his knees rubbing his head in pain.

When it gets a little better he looks up to find the girl facing him with an angry look on her face and a stick in her left hand. Her body is covered by a small robe and she’s fuming.

„That’s what you get for peeping you dirty pervert!“

She snorts and Soul totally loses his cool. Not that he had been cool since they accidentally met in the first place.

„I’m sorry ok, I wasn’t peeping on you!“

„Oh really? And what were you doing exactly watching me like a weirdo?“

Soul has to think of a good answer to that and since snotty responses and sarcasm are the only things he knows to protect himself he says something incredibly stupid.

„I mean, look at you. You’re nothing but a flat chested strew, nothing to look at-…„

It’s the second time she hits him with the stick and it hurts even more than the first time she did it. Damn, that girl is strong. Touché he probably deserved this for being a jerk but still…
„I can’t believe you men! You’re all gross and just…urgh!“

Her grab on the piece of wood tightens and she is shaking with rage. Soul is pretty sure he already found her weak spot. So this pretty creature doesn’t like it when someone makes fun of her body. He wonders how such a beautiful girl can be so insecure but at least it gives him a little confidence. He really is a jerk at heart.

„What? Now you feel offended because I don’t find you attractive!? One could almost think you wished that I was watching you.“

He throws a toothy grin at her and much to his delight she flushes even redder than before. The third time she hits him makes him dizzy but it was definitely worth it. He rubs the back of his neck and looks at her with great interest. She really looks rather skinny but not in a bad way. Her waist is small and slender and her skin looks like porcelain. The tattoos on her back and arms are a faded shade of blue, barely visible and she really looks like a fairy.

„So, what’s with this weird bathing anyway? I mean, we’re in the middle of some random forest!“

The girl is gaping for air and puffs her cheeks. She sure is cute. Letting out a huff she steps out of the water and pulls her hair into pigtails.

„I always bathe here! This is my home so where else should I take a nice bath? Usually there is no one here watching me so I could ask you what you’re doing here of all places if not spying on me?“

Now a blush is creeping up Soul’s face because he usually didn’t take this path either. He was just stumbling through the forest randomly, hoping to find a nice place to relax and now he got himself into this mess.

„Hey, I’m sorry ok? I always walk through this forest without thinking about where I’m going. Our place is very close to this area and I…I just need some time to think you know.“

Her countenance softens a bit and she’s watching him with bright eyes and a glimpse of curiosity.

„Our place?“

„Yeah, you know our house. I live there with my parents and my brother.“

She looks like she has to think about what he’s saying and weather she believes him or not. What a weird girl…

„You mean this huge villa???“

Her expression turns to pure excitement and it makes Soul wonder what kind of girl she could be. Doesn’t she have any parents who take care of her?

„Yeah…I know it looks fancy but it really is no big deal at all. If you like you could just…uhm…you know…“

„I could what?“

He’s in deep shit. Soul Evans might be (according to some girls at least) handsome and attractive but he is very bad with girls. Especially when they’re stunningly beautiful like the one in front of him and he’s seen her naked, damnit.

„Come and visit? MaybeifyouwanttoIdon’tknow…“

She doesn’t answer but gives him a friendly smile. Her lips look all pink and soft and she’s even prettier when she smiles. Soul shakes his head, he almost forgot!

„I’m Soul, by the way.“

He reaches for her hand to shake it but she’s simply starring at him in utter confusion. Then she’s smiling like a child who just spotted a jar of candy and waves like an idiot.

„My name’s Maka!“

Well, that was weird.

Soul is scratching the back of his neck nervously while Maka still smiles at him glowing brighter than the sun. What now?

„Are you looking for something?“

„W-what?“

„I asked if you’re looking for something.“

„N-no, why are you asking?“

„Because you look like you’re missing something.“

Souls heart clenches and he feels sick. Who the hell is that girl? He knows that he looks either annoyed or bored most of the time but this girl can see right through the walls he built up to protect himself and they don’t even know each other.

„I’m not looking for anything in particular. I just go here to find inspiration for my music, that’s all.“
He knows that it’s a lie because deep in his soul he’s looking for everything he doesn’t have. He’s searching acceptance and the freedom to be who he wants to be but he doesn’t have to tell her that.

„Oh, I love music!“

Maka’s twisting her fingers looking at her feet nervously. She doesn’t dare to look at him but then speaks up again.

„Well, I don’t know much about music but I still like it a lot when it sounds right to me.“

„Heh, you wouldn’t want to listen to the stuff I write then.“

It was more like a whisper to himself and not really meant for her to comment on but she still watches him like a hawk and listens to what he’s saying.

„You don’t know that! What instrument do you play?“

Soul tries to swallow the knot of anxiety and hurt that he didn’t know was there. Whenever he has to face the topic of music and especially his music he feels like all the spot lights are on him and he’s going to be judged and criticized…like always…

„Piano.“

„Piano?! Sounds cool! Maybe I can listen to your playing one day?“

Looks like she found his weak spot too and without noticing.

„No! I don’t play in front of others!“

At her disappointment he adds a short „I’m sorry.“

„Maybe one day you change your mind? I would really like to listen to you play.“

Soul doesn’t answer, he can’t say  „no“ to a pretty face and he knows when he’s down.

„Maybe…“

Maka’s kind and warm smiles must be the best thing he has ever seen. Her eyes glow in these beautiful shades of green and she looks so passionate. He lets out a chuckle.

„You’re cute, you know.“

His words make her blush and she turns her face away from his.

„You look like a little bunny.“

Maka frowns at that and he wonders if maybe it was too early to compliment her like that. He’s only known her for some minutes and maybe she has a boyfriend or a husband even, you could never tell in this crazy mess that is Soul’s life.

„Like a little bunny? Seriously? Is that supposed to be a compliment?“

„What!? Of course it is! Bunnies are cute as hell, damnit! They’re all soft and fluffy and they have big eyes and hey, stop laughing!“

Her giggles stop but Maka still looks amused.

„You’re so weird!“

„Hah, says the weird woman who’s bathing in a freaking public place!“

Maka’s giggles stop and she looks angry again.

„I’m a Waldgeist, what do you expect? I don’t have a home like you humans do and-…“

„Wait, wait, wait! You’re a what?“

„A Waldgeist.“

She says it like it’s the most normal thing in the world. Her voice interrupts his train of thought and he faces her with wide red eyes.

„You’ve never heard of our kind before?“

Soul shakes his head, unable to say anything else. How more strange could this situation get? Was this girl crazy?

„I’m a spirit of the forest. I guard this place and all the animals that live here. My father is an elder and taught me everything about the forest. I thought that maybe you wouldn’t be surprised because you don’t look like you’re human either…“

Maka realizes that Soul is indeed not familiar with any races that are nonhuman and he can see the panic rising in her face. She’s babbling, trying to fix this but he doesn’t listen. He steps closer to her and carefully reaches for her hands. They feel warm and right in his.

„Maka, it’s okay!“

She’s starring at him, eyes wide and touching her does something funny to Soul’s stomach. She doesn’t feel human. He somehow trusts her.
„I-I don’t really know what’s going on but I won’t judge you, ok? I have been judged all my life and I know it feels…I won’t do it, ok?“

Maka stands in front of him. Tears of panic and fear in her eyes. She’s fragile but she’s also strong.

„Okay…“

Her voice is soft and quiet, like a whisper.