Radar
by. Poisoned Scarlett

Epilogue — 1 month later.

Their reunion was sudden, much like everything in their lives had been since the pandemic.

"Maka...?"

He was standing there, holding a load of groceries in both his hands. It had been weeks since she arrived to this side of the border, where one did not need to cower or sleep with their gun, and she had not heard a word of her friends since she arrived. They had searched the records and were relieved to find their names written down, but it had been months since they arrived and the north was vast. But there he was, as if he had been there all along, close enough for Maka to see the whites of his wide eyes. He was much taller than she remembered and his hair was not shaggy anymore. It was styled back, spiking out in a way that reminded her of Soul. He had grown so much over the past few months, even his eyes were different. She did not see any of the childishness she once treasured; now, it was dark blue, and they stared at her with a maturity someone his age should not have. But he did, and all she could do about it was cry and reach out for him with her arms.

"Akane!" she shouted, slamming into the little boy. He dropped his groceries and clutched her tightly, as if he let go she would disappear again.

"Maka," he choked, digging his fingernails into the back of her shirt.

Soul came out of the store rummaging through the plastic bag, trying to find the leather gloves he had bought. He felt tired; he did not sleep well, even with Maka by his side. But he did not sleep at all when she was not next to him at night. He was more than a little shocked when he heard Akane shout out his name, snot running down his chin and a giant grin on his face. The kid was bigger than he remembered, just as lanky but taller, with his hair cut short from behind but long in the front. His eyes were darker, too, more black than he remembered them being. But he was in one piece and looking no worse for wear, so a grin split his face and he jogged over to them without wasting another second.

"Is that really Akane?"

"Yes, he was outside when I walked out!" Maka laughed wetly, rubbing her eyes out with her knuckles as Akane latched onto Soul's midsection. "If he's here then maybe the others are, too!"

"You brought her back," Akane cried hoarsely, clutching onto Soul's shirt. Soul placed a hand on top of his head. "You brought her back," he rasped, eyes shut tight against a rush of tears. "You kept your promise!"

"I told you I would, didn't I?" Soul said with a crooked grin, ruffling his hair.

"Where were you?" Maka asked immediately, her hand reaching out to hold his shoulder. "I haven't seen you around here and..."

"I, uh, I don't live here," Akane stammered, his eyes downcast. "Every month, Tsubaki brings me here to the border so I could ask if you...if you were here since they have to take your name down. I was gonna' go ask them right now, but Tsubaki wanted me to go get some snacks for the others."

"Clay and Anya?" Maka eyes lit up, watering when Akane suddenly looked up with bright black eyes. "They're here, too?"

"Yeah! And they're going to be so happy to see you! They miss you a lot!" He said, fiercely. He grabbed her wrist, grabbing Soul's as well. "You're both back, so we can go back together now! We can live like we did before, right?"

Soul cast Maka an uneasy look. They were not allowed to leave because of their blood. They needed to be in the main city, where they were easily accessible to the team of medical doctors who were trying to recreate the vaccine Kid and Stein had created and more. "I'm not sure about that. Maka and I just rented an apartment around here a couple of weeks ago..."

"B...but we have an apartment, too, you can come live with us!" He insisted, starting to look scared again. "Maka?"

"It's okay, Akane," she smoothed her hand over his hair, smiling comfortingly. "How about you take us to Tsubaki? We have some things to discuss with her, and then we'll figure out what we can do to stay together, okay? But now that I know you're okay, we will stay together," she promised, smiling when he nodded and his eyes lost their frightened gleam. "Do you know where she is?"

"She's buying some clothes," Akane told her, softly. "She says they're for Anya."

"I hope she's not spoiling her," Maka sighed, a smile on her face nonetheless.

"Last thing we need is a spoiled Anya," Soul muttered. His hands were in his jackets pockets, but he slipped his right hand out to grab Maka's when he saw they were in for a long walk. "So why'd Tsubaki send you to buy some groceries all on your own? Is she the only one who came with you?"

"No, Anya and Clay are with her but they're too small to go buy stuff by themselves," Akane explained. "Black Star stayed at the apartment."

"So he's fine, too..." Maka sighed in relief.

"Mhm...but...Kilik..." Akane went quiet and Maka felt her heart drop. Soul cursed to himself, looking away so the kid didn't have to see his face crumble with pain. He had anticipated deaths, but certainly not Kilik's. Maka squeezed Soul's hand and smiled faintly down at Akane when he looked up, somber.

"It's okay," she assured him. Her eyes were dull, however. "Don't talk about it if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

"Akane, is there any way to reach Black Star right now? Maybe by phone or something?" Soul hoped, wanting to contact him about his parents. Sid and Nygus had been absolutely devastated when they realized that although their son had passed through the border, he was no longer a resident in the refuge town they were currently residing in. The towns that spanned beyond this one were numerous, and they did not keep track of their inhabitants like the refuge town did.

"Black Star's back home, taking care of Nana."

"Who's Nana? Someone else you guys took in or...oh," Soul stared when Akane explained that it was Tsubaki's baby, Nanaki Nakatsukasa. He didn't seem to understand how she came with child, but he did say that Black Star was the father and he had stayed behind to care for the baby while Tsubaki brought him over to check the records. They usually left after checking, which was why he had gone out to buy groceries. Today was their last day, he explained, and then they headed back and waited another month before coming back to check.

"Black Star's a dad now," Maka quietly said, Akane tugging them both along.

"Hard to believe that idiot could father a child."

"Tsubaki's there to help."

"That doesn't mean he still isn't an idiot...and thickheaded!" Soul scowled, remembering all the times Black Star's bullheadedness had almost gotten them killed. "He can't take criticism from others. If anything, I'd make a better dad than that moron! At least I'd take advice from other people!"

Maka smiled at him and looked back down to Akane, who was pointing at a building up ahead with bright eyes. "Prove it," Maka murmured, repeating it when Soul furrowed his brows at her. "That you can be a better dad. Show him," she smiled softly down at Akane. "He needs one, right?"

"W...well," Soul looked down at Akane and then back at Maka, cheeks pinking. "He... is also gonna' need a mom. Y'know, it's always better to raise a kid with two parents."

"Or three."

"Wait, three...?" Soul saw Clay dashing towards them, Anya's tiny form bouncing after the boy. His steps slowed as Maka stepped forward, bringing all three children into her arms with bright eyes. She particularly soothed Anya, whose pitched cries had reached a deafening level when she realized Maka was really there and really okay. "Three," he sighed out, rubbing the back of his neck with sudden weariness. "Man, I always wanted all girls, not so many boys..." He noticed Anya staring up at him, standing very close to him as Clay and Akane excitedly told Maka of their past adventures. "Uh. Hey, Anya. Why aren't you with Maka? What's up?"

She held out her arms to him, lips drawn down in a pout.

"..."

She bounced on her feet, starting to whine, her eyes watering when he only stared down at her blankly, and then he bent down and picked her up slowly. It seemed to be what she wanted because her eyes immediately lost their watery glimmer and lit up happily. She comfortably sat herself on his arm and rested her cheek on his shoulder, sucking her thumb and ignoring Clay when he realized what she'd done and cried in outrage. Then he had Clay clawing at his pant leg, shouting shrilly that she had cheated and she stole his idea and it was all her fault, he was going to cry.

"You're too old to be carried now, huh?" Maka giggled at Akane, rubbing his back while Soul desperately tried to juggle two unruly toddlers. Tsubaki came out at this moment, calling out for the children loudly, and stood very still when she saw Maka slowly stand and smile brightly at her, calling out her name. Tsubaki was tall, taller than most girls, and her steps long so she reached Maka in few strides, bringing her into a crushing embrace with her name sobbed out of her mouth, tears streaming down her face because she had been so sure she had become one of them, had to have Soul take her out because the virus had taken over her system.

"Black Star is not going to believe it," Tsubaki laughed, tearfully. "You're both safe!"

"About Black Star," Soul hollered, Clay hanging off his elbow. Anya was trying to kick him off but was falling down his chest herself. He held her tight, leaning heavily over in case Clay let go and fell. "His parents are here and they're looking for him!"

Tsubaki's eyes glistened and Maka walked over to help with Clay.

"His parents? They're really here?"

"Yeah, we came across them while we were heading over here. We can go visit them later on, they live next door to us!" Soul grunted, peeling Anya off his chest. She immediately threw a tantrum. "Maka! She's screaming in my ear!"

"Hold up, let me get Clay off you!"

"Get Anya off me before I go deaf!"

"Calm her down, would you? Just give me a second..."

"Christ, Maka..." He let her cling back onto him, her crying silenced the instant her cheek met his shoulder. He decided that, yes, she had been spoiled again. Maka had control over her when she had been in her care, but now it seemed that Anya had reverted back to her spoiled ways, and he wondered how Maka would control her now that she learned that crying could get her anything she wanted.

"Anya is quite...demanding," Tsubaki laughed nervously. She was glad to find them bickering, although there was something endearing about the way they bickered. It was not stiff like before. Something had changed and Tsubaki hoped it was what she thought it was. "Black Star often takes care of her because she doesn't seem to like me very much. She cries a lot when she's alone with me."

"That explains a lot, actually," Sou deadpanned.

"She behaves with Clay, though, and Akane!"

"Barely," he mumbled, tilting his neck so a sleepy Anya could bring her thumb into her mouth again. He sighed but a smile still lifted his lips. Akane watched him nervously, knowing that Anya was a handful sometimes, but he was relieved when the man smiled and he hefted her higher on his arm. That was good, that meant he liked her, too, and maybe they could all just stay together like before. Akane hoped so; he would do all he could to stay with them in the city tonight, even if it meant sneaking into their apartment. He hoped Anya and Clay felt the same; they were like his siblings, he could not leave them now.

"Soul," Maka chided, holding Clay's hand as she stood. Anya looked torn between Maka and Soul but decided on Soul when Clay shot her an intense look. "Come on, Tsubaki. We have a lot to discuss," she said and Tsubaki immediately nodded, her eyes bright at the prospect of finally talking to her long-lost friend. Maka noted how her hand went to her tummy and her smile widened.

"Let's go back to our place, that way you can meet Black Star's parents and tell them the good news," Soul smiled crookedly when Tsubaki gave him a startled look. Maka giggled.

"You know?"

"I told them about Nana," Akane meekly admitted.

"That's good, it's okay," Tsubaki smiled, maternally. "Yes, let's go. I'd love to meet his parents!"

There was a future, even if it was still uncertain for them. But there was one and as long as there was a sliver of hope for them, she would be content.

In this new world, having just a sliver had to be enough.