Collection Title: Restoration
Pairing: Soul/Maka
Theme #: 1
Theme title: Smear
Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome-ness which is Soul Eater. It belongs to Ookubo Atsushi....... that genius

Warning: :girls gone wild music: um...lil intimate moment with the touching?
A/N: This is my first fanfic ....EVER... I am more of an artist than a writer but i would like to improve. I got to start sometime. haha Please review and be polite & honest!

Oh and Yes...Bunnies are farm animals to me! haha

Well, ENJOY!

**********************************

He couldn't do it anymore.

He knew he was supposed to pay attention in class- now that everything is getting chaotic- but Soul just couldn't do it; It wasn't the same class as before.

He was tired and not only physically but mentally as well. The past events have taken its toll on him and he can only imagine how his poor meister was going through as well.

Soul took a moment to glance over at her and scrutinize his partner in a quick manner. 'She's worst than I am', he mused while noting her slouched posture over her books and papers. She propped her head up with her arms to face the teacher. He couldn't forget to note the solemn look that never left her face ever since they had gotten back. No one else would notice since she always tries to keep a positive attitude and manages to keep wearing a smile no matter what torment she is going through; But, soul knew his partner more than anyone. 'Baka' he thought to himself 'She always has to be too selfless'.

It had been almost two weeks since they had gotten back from, what Maka would describe, the greatest failure of their lives. Operation: Sieze Baba Yaga's Castle and, most importantly for Maka, the retrieval of Crona was a complete failure.

They had failed missions before, in particular when they double team with Black*Star in the past, but none quite as important as this one.

'Arachne', Soul didn't notice that he involuntarily glared at his desk and compressed his hands into fists as his blood started to boil at that name. He was angry because in the first place she was the cause of this....'Medusa'. The pencil in his right hand couldn't take any more pressure from the grip and cracked into two pieces.

What irony that the woman who was the cause of the revival of the Kishin, the awakening of Arachne, the torment of a newfangled friend, and most importantly the cause of Maka's distress, was the same woman in charge of the mission. He'd like to blame the failure on her but he just couldn't dwell on past events, it just wasn't his character. It wasn't cool to sit down and cry about the what if's, what could have or could not have happened, and most of all pointing a finger on who to blame. Besides, Maka is stressing herself 'I cant let her worry any more than she needs to' Soul finished that last thought and eased his hold on the now two pieces of what was once his pencil.

A sudden movement during the class lecture caught his attention. He looked to his left to find Maka struggling to pay attention to Sid sensei as lethargy possessed her. 'This is not like her,' Soul lamented while watching her head bob up and down in a struggle against drowsiness.'She never falls asleep in class.....' She had jerked again in her fight against the sleep. Soul looked past the sensei to glance at the time clock. 'hmm 15 more minutes to go...'

"Oi, Maka," Soul whispered while he gently nudged the girl. "There's only 15 more minutes of class, try to pay attention, ya?"

Maka quickly sat erect accidentally pushing her books off her desk that made a loud crash. Soul was caught surprised by her sudden movement and, after an awkward silence with all eyes on her, he couldn't help but join the other students laugh at her clumsiness and embarrassment.

"Oh seems like Maka is more than ecstatic to have more homework," Sid sensei anounced to the class only to have all the students stop their laughter and moan aloud. Maka stood up immediately with her body as stiff as a board.

"Gomenasai sensei...." she apologized followed by a courteous bow.

Maka felt her cheeks warm up as they reddened from embarrassment. The whole class was glaring at her and all she could do was wear a sheepish smile and mouth a 'sorry' to everyone. Everyone except....

"Soul!," She muttered angrily taking her seat once more after retrieving her fallen books. "Look what you made me do! And I can't believe you laughed at me too!"

"What?! I was only trying to warn you to pay attention," Soul reasoned.

Maka let forth a sarcastic sigh, "Oh really? Mr. Soul Eater Evans was concerned over class lecture? I think I am still asleep....pinch me"

"Very funny," Soul spat sarcastically. "But, I'll have you know Ms. Maka Albarn," he continued, choosing to ignore her earlier remark, "that you were the one who always scold me to pay attention during class yet YOU—"

"Ah! Before you go any further, may I add that our difference is too great," she interjected.

"How?!!" Soul raised his voice very frustrated with how she reasoned. "And don't tell me that it's because you're a girl or my meister! I think insanity will take over me if you give me that excuse one more—"

"It's because you're a conceited, lazy ass all that time," her voice rose to match his from before. "And I—"

It was Soul's turn to interrupt.

"At least I am okay with that! I'd rather be caught naked in public than to be known as a scrawny bookwork with a chest as flat as a—"

"MAKA.........." An extremely irate Maka raised her all too familiar book above her prey only to be cut short by a throwing knife. The sharp object darted between the two bickering students and, as if their souls had sucked out and fled their bodies, they both paled and swiftly sat at attention before the teacher.

"We only have 10 more minutes of class you two. If there is something that I hate the most, it would be disturbance nearing the end of the class. I dismissed the class when I said so, no exceptions! That's the kind of man I was." Both students nodded in unison and obeyed his commands for they were young and didn't want to see the end of their precious lives.

A few minutes later, Soul became bored again. It's not his fault he doesn't have a pencil......wait it was. 'Oh well, I'll copy Maka's last notes when we get home'

He looked at the clock again to find there was only 3 more minutes.

'Man. All these classes along with the other extra one's shinigami assigned to us are really tiring and boring!' Soul looked behind him to the empty seats of Black*Star and Tsubaki, then cocked his head a bit to the left to find more empty seats that belonged to Death the Kid and his two partners. He let forth a bored sigh and leaned on the back two legs of his chair. 'Everyone is so busy now. This sucks!'

A quick force against his thigh had thrust his chair and body forward. Soul's body tensed up as he hoped to hell the bang of the chair legs against the floor didn't attract any attention otherwise he's dead. He was relieved to see that the sensei seemed oblivious of his existence at the moment with the exception of a few students who only stared at him for a brief second. 'Thank god' he turned once more to his left to glare daggers at his sour-faced partner.

Maka stuck out her tongue and mouthed a quick 'pay attention, baka' to which his reply was the rolling of his eyes. He ignored her of course. There was only one minute left.........

********************************

"ARGH!! I hope you know that this is YOUR fault!" Maka threw her head back and ruffled her hair in frustration. "I hope you're happy you made sid-sensei keep us 20 minutes—TWENTY minutes after lecture to clean!"

The duo were walking down the main corridor of the school. They had just gotten out of class and were on their way back home. Finally.

"......" Soul ignored her venting and mused at her appearance. If only kid was there to see Maka's once perfectly symmetrical pigtails now tousled and unkempt. 'He'd totally make a scene,' he lightly chuckled at the mere thought.

"!?" Maka gave Soul a dirty look. "You're laughing again.....what's so funny? Huh?" She was about to unleash some more fury but suddenly decided against it. She was tired and had used up whatever energy she had left on being angry at her lovely partner.

"Ah! Maka-san," both Maka and Soul halted and looked to the owner of the voice.

"Ox-kun! uh...hi." Maka poorly tried to fix her hair but made it worst and she suddenly became nervous.

"You okay? You look like you need some rest.." She twitched as Ox struck a nerve. 'Thanks for saying I look like shit' She thought to herself 'I already knew I did!' Feeling the negative aura bursting out from her, he avoided any conflict by sticking to his intended question. "Um...I just wanted to know if your done using my lecture notes from last Thursday."

"Uh..." Maka snapped out of her killing intent and shuffled through her messenger bag to pull out a few papers." I only got to finish the first three pages. I'm sorry I was just really busy."

'Liar, you just can't stay awake studying like you used to.' Soul retorted to himself.

"Here, I'll just look for the rest of the information from the book--" Maka was handing Ox his papers only to have them pushed back to her.

"No, it's okay. Just let me know when your done. The test isn't until another week, plus, worst case scenario, I've got Kim's notes to study from as well." His cheeks brightened a hue of red at the mention of the girls name. Both Maka and Soul eyed him suspiciously before they were interrupted.

"Ox-kun! What's taking you so long!? We've been waiting far too long now!" A pink haired girl yelled from afar. She was waiting at the entrance of the school with Harvar, Kilik, and their partners.

" Well, I better go!" Ox said very quickly and disappeared in an instant. All Maka and Soul could hear was a decrescending "Kim!! I'm sorry!!! Please forgive me!!!!!........"

The two continued their walk out the entrance and into the parking lot.

"You know, I think Ox just used you as a means to study with Kim," Soul thought aloud, amused at the slyness of one of the class' top and nerdiest students next to Maka.

"Whatever, I just want to go home and rest," Maka dragged her feet on the rough asphalt.

"What's wrong with you anyways? You're always so tired and exhausted. You were never like this." As frustrated he was about the topic, Soul sounded more concerned than annoyed.

"I'm sorry. It's not like I don't try, but I just can't sleep at night." Maka watched as he hopped onto his motorcycle and started the ignition. "I keep thinking about things....." she didn't want to go into detail.

"Well, I think your making it worst for yourself by overly thinking." Soul stated matter of factly. 'Hopefully she gets back to normal by the time another mission is assigned; we're overdue and she's still not stable for one right now'

"....." Maka just stood there staring at the boy. 'overly thinking.....'

"What are you doing standing there. Come on! If you think too much mushrooms will start growing, remember?"

Maka shook herself out of the trance and plopped on the back seat of the Motorcycle. Her body still weak but she wrapped her arms around Soul tightly and leaned on his back. "Shut up and drive," she sulked.

"Yosh!"

******************************

"Damn! You don't look it but your heavier than I thought!!" Soul gasped while trying to catch his breath.

The elevator to their apartment complex was broken and they had to take the stairs.

"Well I didn't ask for you to carry me up the stupid stairs, Baka." Maka muttered and slightly blushed as she recalled the earlier action. He had flipped her over his shoulders and practically sprinted up the flight of stairs to the fourth floor; he wouldn't put her down despite of her cries. She opened the door to their apartment.

"Well, I couldn't help but take the opportunity to help a damsel in distress. It makes me look and feel cooler" Soul reasoned while still huffing short breaths.

"You're lucky no one was around otherwise everyone would've seen quite an upskirt."

"Don't worry I think I saved them from disappointment while holding it down for you," he flinched at her movement only to be fooled while she walk past him to remove her shoes. 'I was almost sure a Maka Chop was going to happen....she's really out of it' He hung his keys by the door, threw his school bag by the entrance, and removed his jacket to place on the sofa arm.

"Soul....." Maka growled low before she entered her room.

"What!? I am tired too....." He pouted while he grabbed his jacket and schoolbag. "You're such a neat freak," he added before retreating to his room.

Maka went to her room to set her belongings in their proper place. She opened her closet to look for some comfortable clothes to change into—She doesn't wear her school clothes all day you know! She eventually decided on wearing her black shorts, and a long oversize red hoodie.

She dragged her feet to her bed and threw herself on it. It felt nice, the sheets that is. She closed her eyes and tried to think of things related to sleep. Bunnies, sheep, horses, she tried every freaking farm animal but she couldn't rest. 'This sucks.....It's like my body is telling me to rest but my brain isn't tired....'

Maka got out of bed and went into the kitchen to warm up some tea. She figured that maybe the warm concoction would lull her into sleep.

Thirty minutes later.

'No dice.' She threw her bedsheets on the floor. 'I completely and utterly ruined my body,' she got up and dragged her body into the living room. She collapsed into her sofa and turned on the television. A small click of Soul's door was heard.

"Oi, Maka" Soul poked his head out of his room, "can I borrow your notes from today? I want to get that over with since tomorrow we have our extra class."

"Yea, sure," she waved toward the door to her room signaling that he has permission to get it himself.

"Sweet. Thanks," he swiftly crossed to her room and then a few minutes later he was back into his own.

'Everything is so backwards now. Soul is actually doing more schoolwork than me.....Oh. . Don't tell me I am turning into some--" visuals of the past week flashed by as she remembered every single scene of how she would daze and sleep in class, ask Ox for missing notes, being made fun of by Black*Star, getting concernments from Tsubaki and Kidd. 'It makes sense! I can only fall asleep when I am doing school work or listening to someone for a long period time; I used to excel in that aspect. I am turning into...into...' She grabbed her head in denial ' into...SOUL?!'

She lost it.

Then, as if someone was watching her from above, a commercial caught her attention right on cue.

"Ever feel out of place?"

"Yes!" Maka looked at the television in shock.

"Are you too stressed with your working life that your body and mind are out of line?"

"Yes!!" She scooted to the edge of the sofa with wide eyes.

"Isn't it about time you make a change? Leave the negative energy and reborn yourself to a new and better you."

"YES!!!!!" Maka jumped and shouted at the T.V earning a loud bang from Soul's side of the wall as if to shut her up.

"Indulge your senses and relax the body at one of the most luxurious Spa resort in Death City," the T.V continued, "relax the body in our natural hot springs, rid of your stress through a Swedish message, or try our most popular and renowned total body mud bath"

"OH!!" Maka awed in total amazement.

"Come visit us at 3800 West Evening Star Ave, Please be sure to call for an appointment at 555-215-3284 specials end this Saturday July 26th!"

Maka ran and grabbed her house phone and dialed the number immediately.

"Ah! Hi! um....I was wondering how I could go about getting that mind and body treatment.." she clutched the phone tighter into her ear, "Yeah! Mud bath? Oh, really? That sounds perfect! How much would that cost me?" Then as if someone had shot her in the ear, she paled and dropped the phone. "No......way........ there's no possible way I can afford that...." she cried.

"Hello? Hello?!" The fallen phone was calling out to her.

"Oi! What's with all the racket in here? Weren't you going to rest?" Soul walked out of his room obviously annoyed.

"Ah...um nothing," Maka replied innocently grabbing the fallen phone and pressing the end button. "I just remembered something that I needed to get," she reached for the T.V remote to turn it off.

"!?" Soul watch as Maka went to the door and grab her keys.

"I'll be back, can you be sure to feed Blair-chan within the hour," she slipped her feet into her converse.

"She had left a note saying she wasn't going to be home until tomorrow. Where are you going?"

"Oh. I'll be back then. Uh.... I am going to the convenience store around the corner. Do you need anything?"

"Hmmm I was going to say soda since Black*Star almost drank it all but grocery shopping is tomorrow. I can live."

"Ok, I am off."

"Be careful," he waved before she shut the door and dissappeared. "Weird girl," he muttered and returned to his room to resume his previous task of copying lecture notes.

*****************************

"I took too long...." Maka stared at her apartment door. It was already 5:30 and almost dinnertime. "I guess I'll just make dinner and then try it some other time." She looked at the plastic bags in her hands. "I haven't even tried it but I have a feeling this should work ten times better then that stupid spa," she determinedly agreed to herself and twisted the house key into the keyhole. She unlocked her door and gently pushed it open.

"Tadaima," Maka placed the plastic bags on the kitchen counter.

"Okaerinasai," Soul was watching the television but turned to ask, "What took you forever?"

"Nooooothing," she cooed playfully. Soul just raised a questioning eyebrow but decided to go no further.

"I already have the rice cooking," he said before continuing to watch his show.

"Aa, arigatou"

*******************************

Dinner was normal.

They both ate quietly at the table until Maka decided to break the silence.

"I wonder when Shinigami would assign us a mission," she thought aloud. Soul could only shrug his shoulders and continue eating. She frowned and set her utensils down as she traveled into deep thought.

Ever since the arrival from Operation: Sieze Baba Yaga's Castle, Shinigami sama had forbade them on taking any further missions without his consent. He had explained, to the six meisters and their weapons involved, that he felt they were special in their own way even at being at a one star level. That meant for them to be on a hiatus until he felt a right mission that only they can do occurs. So far, everyone but Maka and Soul has been called. No matter how honest and genuine Shinigami was at saying that he felt no anger or disappointment in the failed operation, Maka couldn't help but feel ashamed and useless.

"Do you think Shinigami-sama is punishing us?"

"I don't see a reason why he would." Soul stayed passive.

"We are the only team from the operation to not have a mission yet. Are we that weak?"

"You're thinking too much again......" Soul reminded her calmly.

"Ne, Soul," Soul looked up to his meister as she shifted her gaze from the table onto his eyes, "Do I fail you as a Meister?"

There was a loud clank of the utensil he slammed on the table. 'That's it. I've had it with this.' Soul inwardly snapped.

"Maka," Soul glared back into her eyes which were more surprised than the previous solemn. "What's gotten into you?"

"........Nothing. I am just curious," she replied seriously. "Now answer my question."

"You've been acting so out of it Maka...."

"Answer my question...." she insisted.

"You're starting to get me angry" Soul growled.

Maka stared at him in disbelief. 'He's avoiding my question....' She took a deep breath before she asked again.

"Answer my question Soul"

"No!!" He spat sternly

"!?"

"I want to know why you are asking this. What makes you think this way?"

"Soul, just answer the damn question!" She raised her voice to cover his, ignoring his own questions.

"Is it the same reason why you've been acting so weak and defeated?" Soul yelled.

"Soul!!--" Maka yelled but was cut short by him.

"Because as far as I know, Maka, you never let anything like a failed mission get the best of you! Look at you!!"

He won.

"'Do I fail you as a Meister?'" He mocked, "That's defeated talk."

Maka was in shock. 'I have failed him' She sat there silent, speechless. She sunk into her chair in deep thought. Now knowing this had made her feel worst. 'I am such a fool.'

She didn't notice that Soul had gotten out of his seat from across the table and dragged the chair next to her closer. He sat on the said chair and put a reassuring hand atop of hers. She quickly tried to draw her hand back but was caught off guard by his sudden grip on her wrist.

"Soul, it's okay you don't need to--"

"The answer to your question is 'No'," She relaxed her arms and let him take her hand into his mostly because she was still weak, "I do not, and never will, think badly of you as a meister, more importantly as a best friend." He squeezed her hand comfortingly, "Maka, you're not alone in this; I can't stand seeing you like this. The Maka I know is strong and determined. I thought that surely you'd adapt from the failed mission by now but it's really taken it's affect on you."

The emotions she was feeling was overwhelming. She was angry, sad, relieved, and happy in a span of one minute. Maka avoided eye contact with Soul but firmly squeezed his hand as she answered.

"I know......I'm sorry for the way I've been lately........I just......I just have so many things on my mind. I can't just go back to normal knowing that Crona is out there suffering..." She stammered under Souls hard gaze; the tiled floor suddenly became interesting to her. "I want to make things right though..."

Soul gently placed his hands on Maka's shoulders and shook her lightly for attention. She looked up to him in response.

"Maka, Do you remember the time when insanity took a physical form? Before Demon Hunter was awakened?"

"....." Maka closed her eyes and just nodded as she traced back her memories to the said event.

"All hope was lost then. Do you remember what I told you?"

"!?" she stayed quiet.

She couldn't believe that she had forgotten something as important as this.

'I was so blind these past weeks. All this negativity had smeared my very being.'

"In terror, souls endure falling into insanity. If insanity is the source of strength.--"

"Courage is that strength...." Maka quietly concluded as she opened her eyes.

Soul leaned onto the back of his chair and smiled warmly. "Now that is the Maka that I know," he gave out a relieved sigh. Maka smiled compassionately at Soul. 'He is always there for me. I need to get better so I can be there for him when the time comes'

Maka grabbed his hands into hers and lifted them up.

"Thanks Soul, I really needed that"

"Anything to get my meister back on her feet." Soul reasoned before getting up to collect their dinnerware and place them in the kitchen sink for washing.

"!!" Maka's eyes widened, "I almost forgot!"

"What?" Soul asked from afar.

"I went to go buy something to help me get back in health"

"And what is that?" Soul watched her get up and hover a corner of the kitchen counter with her back to him.

"This will help rejuvenate me," She turned to face him now still concealing the item. "But I'll need you to not only help me, but do it as well!"

"Huh...?" Soul was confused and scratched his head in thought of what he can possibly do with her to renew herself.

"This!" She stepped away to reveal a huge tub-like object with the words 'Cleanse yourself with your own – do it yourself -- Mud bath treatment'.

"Oh no." Soul paled.

"You say I am not alone in this Soul! Plus we will be imbalanced if I were to clean up and you stay the same; we need to do this together! As a Team!"

"No! There's no way that I will be doing something as girly as a spa treatment. It's totally NOT COOL"

"Guys do spa treatments.....Cooler guys with lots of money," she pouted and eyed him carefully.

"Well, they're not manly like me," he pouted back turning his head to the side.

"Oh come on, Soul! It's just you and me; our own little secret. No one has to know." She grabbed his arm and led him to his room to make him change his clothing. "Besides, Black*Star, Tsubaki-chan, Kid, Patty, Liz, and Blair-chan are gone. You don't have to worry about them barging into the house." She threw him in his room. "Now change into some swim shorts or something we'll be covering as much skin as possible. We'll meet in the kitchen in 5 minutes!"

Soul was left speechless. 'What did I do to deserve this......'

***********************

"I can't believe I am doing this," Soul cried aloud while he sat on the kitchen counter.

"Because you love me," Maka joked while she read the instructions on the back of the container.

"Whatever." Soul watched Maka as she grabbed some materials and towels in preparation for the treatment. He was incredulous at the fact that he enjoyed the sight of Maka in a bikini. It was a plain green bikini with no patterns or frills, just plain. But God was it distracting. Soul tried to advert his attention to something else.... "How is smearing mud....dirt..... all over our bodies supposed to cleanse our body and soul?"

"It's a different kind. That's why"

"How?"

"You'll find out. Get down we're going to start," she commanded

Soul tsk'd in disdain as he jumped off from the counter. "You owe me," he muttered to himself.

"Soul, you need to put your hair back......."

"Oh" Soul took a minute to retrieve a headband and pushed his hair back, "Are we putting it on our face or what?"

"As much skin as possible"

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope! Look..." She grabbed his arm and daubed the grimy concoction on his wrist.

Soul looked at the gray matter and felt it heat up his skin. "What the!!!," he freaked out grabbing his arm and looking desperately for something to wash it off. Maka couldn't contain herself and literally fell on the floor in laughter.

"It's .....haha... It's supposed to...ha ha ....to do that!" She wiped the tears that formed on her eyes with the back of her hand. She got up and tried to compose herself but took another minute letting it out. It was just a funny sight to see.

Soul washed the matter off in the kitchen sink and pouted. He then realized something. 'She's laughing. She's honestly laughing. I haven't heard her laugh since before the Operation. Not even..... I don't think I've really heard her laugh like this at all' Soul smiled as he leaned a bit closer over the sink. 'It sounds...... so pleasant...'

"Okay, Okay. Back to business!" She called out and walked over to soul to try again. "Now it's going to warm up at first..."

"I know that already. Thanks." He sarcastically remarked.

"Haha, okay,"

They both began spreading the dirt over their arms, legs, then torso.

"The kitchen is going to get dirty..."

"We'll clean up after," Maka assured "The bathroom is too small, we have more room here"

There was some more silence until...

"You missed a spot"

"!?" Soul looked to his chest where there was a bit of flesh peaking through the mud.

"I'll get it" Maka grabbed some more of the slime and smeared it over his scar. He twitched in surprise. He wasn't used to physical contact with anyone yet here she was rubbing dirt on his body. He was nervous but remained calm to let her do what she liked; she was in charge regardless. Maka sadly remembered how he had gotten the injury but quickly regained composure. 'This is a reminder of what I must overcome,' she reassured herself.

"I think you put too much ...." Soul commented as he noted the thickness of the area.

"It's to help heal, Soul, heal..."she answered honestly.

They both took turns at spreading the stuff on their backs. Soul tried hard not to travel any further from her lower back. It was tempting to him much to his own surprise. All the touching and intimacy of this whole ordeal was suddenly making him feel dizzy. 'It's the stupid magic warming Mud.....,' he blamed.

Finally all they needed was their faces and since they were in a kitchen with no mirror around they did each others.

"You look funny," Maka laughed.

"Look at yourself," he frowned but then smiled as he figured he didn't need to keep pouting anymore. His cool demeanor was dead from the time they started this treatment.

"Ne, Soul" Maka grabbed his attention as she added more of the mud onto his cheek. "This may sound a bit corny but.... think of the Mud as negative energy possessing you..." Soul raised an eyebrow at this. "It gets onto your skin, fires you up, and it's so thick you don't know how to get rid of it" They both locked eyes as she seriously concluded, "But, with your help, I realized how to get through it....." She blew gently onto his face. The once warm Mud cooled and hardened, tightening his face in the process. Soul was about to freak out again but by the look Maka was giving him, he figured it was supposed to do that as well. Soon the mud on his face cracked, exposing the skin underneath. Maka smiled as he decoded the hidden meaning of her words.

"Pfft! Hahaa" Soul started to laugh. Maka frowned at him but was taken aback at his sudden movement. He smeared some mud on her face and blew softly back. "a bit corny, maybe. But I don't mind at all"

They continued their night coating themselves. 'This feels..... nice,' Soul thought to himself. 'Physical contact with someone.....it's different, but...' Soul watched Maka with gentle eyes. 'If it's with Maka, it feels nice,' he closed his thoughts. He grabbed Maka's outstretched hand that led him to the kitchen table where they finished their treatment fanning and peeling themselves.

It wasn't until they were done that Soul realized how exactly were they going to fully clean themselves of the leftover grime.

"The shower of course!" Maka answered his question.

"I am going first!" Soul called out, "You owe me!"

"Let see who gets there first," Maka challenged him.

"Oh, Yeah?" Soul accepted her challenge

In a count of three seconds they raced for the bathroom. Needless to say their night ended very peacefully. They watched the television for a bit, said their 'good nights', and had the best sleep they had in months. Maka was sure that tomorrow was going to be a better day and she was ready for the work to come.

***************************

"Oi!? Soul! What happened while I was gone?" Black*Star nudged soul harshly with his elbow.

"Ouch! Damn it dude that hurts!" Soul cried at Black*Stars carelessness. He rubbed his side as they walked into class from lunch break. "Nothing happened." He finally answered.

"Oh Really?" Black*Star had scrunched his face with a hand to his chin in thought. "Well, Maka is as perkier as ever and she keeps saying stuff like she went through some kind of rebirth thing----Are you sure nothing happened?" He eyed his best pal suspiciously.

"Hey! At least she's back to normal, huh?" Soul took his seat quickly avoiding the topic. Maka was already in her seat chatting with Tsubaki. Black*Star watched as she caught eye contact with Soul and gave him a huge smile and thumbs up.

"Oi! Soul! What did you guys do?"

"Shut up Black*Star," Soul sank into his seat and popped the collar to his shirt to hide his embarrassment. "You don't want to know"

"!?" Black*Star wanted to argue back but the class started.

Thirty minutes into class Soul, as always, became bored and took in his surroundings, since there was nothing better to do. 'Kid, Liz, and Patty are still gone.' A drop of liquid on his neck quickly alerted him. 'This idiot is back,' Soul scooted his chair to his left--away from the drooling assassin. Maka cocked her head to her right to find an annoyed Soul scooting towards her. She smiled at first but then sternly pointed to his notes in a command to pay attention. 'And she's back to normal,' Soul sighed.

Overall, things were coming along okay.

Shibusen is not completely healed, 'But it's a good start'.