SoMa One Shots

I Do As I'm Told

Soul plucked at the string attached to his right arm. He sighed deeply and straightened his jacket. Soul was wearing a red dress suit, black, striped pants, matching jacket, and nice dress shoes. His hands trembled against his pockets as he waited for his signal, not like he had a choice though. The bitter song before Soul's ended with a heartbreaking note, yet, the crowd stood to their feet and clapped for the person's sadness. Soul let out another sigh before his strings dragged him across the stage, trying to look like the strings weren't attached.

He was a freak.

Just like everyone here...He sat at the wooden bench making a creaking noise. Soul glided his fingers across the piano keys as he played the song from his soul. The song that brought out the sadness and eeriness in his heart. When the song ended his strings pulled him up from his seat to give a quick bow. Cheers were heard as he bent his head, sadness in his eyes. He was just a puppet. When Soul's strings lightened he go up to get a look at the disgusting crowd. As his eyes scanned the crowd his eyes filled with revolt as the faces were delighted with his sadness.

Except her.

A girl, about his age, sat with her hands folded in her lap. She had blonde hair that held its shape and forest eyes that were filled with pity. The pity stared right into his eyes as her eyes widened when he looked right back at her. The strings gave a little tug before he rose and walked off.

Soul slumped against the wall as his mother approached him, his brother tailing her. Wes gave a small kiss to his mother before entering the stage light, no strings attached. In this crazy circus act, you wore strings until you were 'trained.' Wes was trained at a young age, way before Soul.

"Soul, darling." Soul picked up his head to look at his mother. "I expect a little, how do I put this? More?" Soul looked down, the same thing she said the last time he played. To be precise, every time he played.

"Yes, I understand."

"Good." She said before Soul bowed allowing her to exit. Soul dragged a hand down his face before slumping his way to the exit, he had to leave before the crowd rushed through the gates. The whole stadium would wait till the very end when Wes did his final performance. Soul causally walked as the strings made slight humming in the night air. He was behind the stadium and had to walk about a mile to his house. His family didn't like to live far away from the place where they made money.

"Hey." A voice, almost angelic, called. Soul spun around to find the girl, the one with pity still holding its gaze on him.

"Uh, hey." Soul said. She gave a warm smile and placed her hands behind her back. The wind made her pigtails whip past her shoulders making her look even more beautiful.

"I liked your performance." Soul gave a hurt look as she continued to smile. She gave a confused look before walking towards him.

"Your one of them." He mumbled. The girl smiled at him once again before placing a hand on his cheek.

"I like your song, not because of the sound and darkness of it. But because I could feel your soul breaking lose." She turned towards the now setting sun, making her look like a goddess drenched in orange. "I don't like how your controlled-"

"I do as i'm told, it pleases my mother."Soul stated.

"-you should be able to make your own decisions. But I, personally, never want you to stop playing," she placed a hand on his chest, "from the soul." Soul looked at the girl with utter disbelief. Her voice was laced with truth as she spoke, her words leaving others in disbelief. "So, if you were able to make your own decisions, who would you be?"

"I'd leave this place. I'd never look back. I'd want to start over, maybe get a job, find someone special," he looked at the girl, slightly, "and live the life I want to live."

"You can." Maka said breathlessly. Maka had come to many of their shows, never truly liking them. This time, Maka came prepared, she was going to do this for Soul. "Will you wait for me tomorrow after your eight o'clock show?" Soul nodded his head vigorously before she turned her heel and gave a slight wave.

"Maka."

"Maka." He let the name roll off his tongue. He liked it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soul waited, like Maka said. He waited for her outside the stadium about twenty feet from the back door.

"Soul." Maka called. She wore a hoodie and jeans with hiking boots. A backpack was slung over her shoulder. "Did you bring what I said?"

"Yeah, but why do I need money, a change of clothes, and bathroom stuff?" He asked her. She smirked slightly before reaching in her bronze backpack. Maka pulled out a golden pair of scissors before giving him a reassuring look.

"Get ready to run." She said with uneasiness in her voice. Maka brought her hand up and sliced the strings attached to Soul. Loud bells erupted from the stadium as the loose strings fell. Soul stared at Maka with awe as she grabbed his hand, he slung the tiny backpack over his shoulder, the one he hid from his mother.

As the pair left the city behind they hear faint cries and screams along with the sirens.

"Hey, Maka." Soul said breathless. She hummed in response. "I think I found someone special. We're running away together to start a new life." Maka's cheeks tinted pink against the orange sunset.