Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.

Nos Da Cariad
by. Poisoned Scarlett

Tuesday

Being an event coordinator was no easy task, especially when it involved the biggest event of them all: Prom Night.

It required a gross amount of time dedicated to simply planning the event: ordering all the necessary supplies, ensuring they did not fall behind schedule, ensuring whoever was helping was actually helping, ensuring they did not go over their budget, etc.

"Yes, I ordered six dozen balloons from you on the first but I only received three dozen. I'm short another three and I need them here by Thursday." Maka Albarn spoke into the phone, wiping away a sheen of sweat. The classroom was stifling hot, the halls even hotter. She could feel trickles of sweat run down her back as she paced. "Friday? I'm sorry, but that's too late. I need them here by Thursday!"

"What about tomorrow?" Kid asked, lowly. He watched her bit her lip in indecision before taking his suggestion. Wednesday was already packed with other things – like cleaning up the school, ensuring all other orders had been carried out successfully, fixing up the gymnasium and football field so it would be presentable by tomorrow evening. But they were not excused from their classes – or homework, for the matter – so Maka's schedule would be bursting at the seams with this new order.

"Okay – tomorrow at three? Perfect! Thank you!" Maka slammed the phone down on the receiver with a heavy sigh. "Tomorrow at three. We have a meeting with the Headmaster at three, Kid, and if we don't make it - or if we're late – our chances of having that band preforming are slim to nothing! We promised everyone we'd get that band!"

"I'm sure father—the Headmaster," Kid corrected himself instantly, "wouldn't deny us the chance of rejecting the invitation of that band. There isn't much time left to discuss the matter as it is."

"The Headmaster didn't want them here in the first place, remember, Kid?" Maka sighed. "He said things would get too rowdy and out of control… and he's right. We can't prevent everything from spiraling out of control if a couple of no-good jerks decide to start something while they're playing."

"Of course we can't stop any mayhem they might conceive." Kid agreed, sending her a reassuring smile. "But we can try, and the Headmaster will see that our efforts do not go in vain. He did say we'd have top-notch security to ensure no… undesired guests arrive."

"That's true." Maka murmured, knowing last years prom night had been a total bust. She hadn't been in charge of coordinating the event, as she had been a Junior, but the prom had gone down in flames (though most would fiercely beg a differ) when students from other schools crashed it. Needless to say, when she'd volunteered to clean the mess up, Maka had tread over total destruction.

Surprisingly, she'd found: empty beer cans, broken glass bottles, torn up streamers, balloons, table cloths, stomped flowers, vases – all strewn on the floor, the field, the halls. She even found a random dress shoe near the goal line by the football field. Kid had said he'd found other things he'd rather not speak about, having been the poor soul who'd been assigned to clean up the restrooms.

"Well, lets hope we can keep this years prom under control for the sake of next years Seniors." Maka winced, recalling the speech their Headmaster had given a few weeks back. The entire auditorium had been stunned into silence by the dangerous tone their usually chipper and jubilant Headmaster donned. His warning had been clear: nothing could go wrong this year or else. "So, who are you planning on going with, Kid?"

"I wasn't planning on taking anyone, actually." Kid said, casually. "I wouldn't have minded us going together as friends, along with Ox and Harvar. But I received an invitation from a girl earlier today…"

Maka wasn't as surprised as Kid expected her to be, mainly because Kid was ignorant to his own handsomeness due to the three white stripes that ran horizontally on his hair. A genetic defect, Kid had fervently told her when they first met, he was a mutant for those damnable stripes! But Maka had later discovered they bothered him so much because of his compulsive tendencies, visible whenever he entered a room and immediately began to tidy the place up.

Regardless of his appearance, Kid simply spent most of his time indoors, in the library, or taking care of other school needs. He coordinated events with her but, being Senior President, he overlooked nearly all aspects of the school. He was always seen in class but hardly anywhere else, along with Maka, Ox and Harvar.

"Really? Who was it?" Maka asked, excitedly.

"Elizabeth Thompson." Kid answered, and Maka's smile faltered a little.

Elizabeth and Patricia Thompson – going as Liz, Patty or the Thompson sisters – weren't a bad group of girls, truth be told. They were just very rowdy and wild; friends with the worst their school had to offer. Although, from what Maka could gather from her encounters with the sisters, they were very friendly even though their friends were less than so.

"That's what I thought, too." Kid sighed, reading the unease on Maka's face. "But she insisted, and she looked sincere about it. I decided to accept. After all, I'll merely be accompanying her to a dance. Nothing more."

"Not just any dance, Kid." Maka giggled, stacking papers with a bounce in her step. She grabbed her bag from beside the teachers desk, slinging it over her shoulder. "It's prom! The biggest night for Seniors! It practically marks the end of high school for us!"

"It's just another dance." Kid dismissed.

"Well, you know what they say about prom," Maka chimed, brightly. "Anything can happen!"

Kid sent her an amused smile, also picking up his backpack. "I'd get to practice now, if I were you. You'll be late and you know how Coach Nygus feels about that."

Her shoulders slumped instantly. "I want to quit track and field – it's taking up too much of my time! I could be using that time to do other things! Sid told me earlier that we should get another ten bottles of soda. By the time practice ends, it'll be six. Then I have to get home and finish my homework! I can't carry ten bottles of soda to school by myself, Kid!"

"Good point: leave it to me." Kid decided.

"What? Are you sure…?"

"It's fine. I have a car, remember? I'll have ten bottles of soda brought to Sid first thing in the morning." Kid smiled softly at her. "If you need help, just ask, Maka. I'll always be here to help you."

"Thank you, Kid." Maka said with a grateful smile, following Kid out of the classroom. They locked it behind them, Maka handing Kid the keys he'd return to Professor Stein as he left school, and they both took their separate ways after biding each other goodbye.

And there went her prom date, Maka thought with a nervous swallow. Although a little selfish, Maka had hoped no one would ask Kid out because then that meant they would be able to go together to prom as friends. Ox had managed to score a date with another girl – not his dream girl, Kim Diehl, who still refused to bat an eye in his direction – and Harvar had asked out Jackie with successful results.

It was only her now.

Maybe her position was jinxed, Maka gloomily thought.

Because the thing about being an event coordinator at her school?

You always attended the event…

Alone.

Wednesday

"WHOOOO! TAKE IT OFF!"

"Shut the fuck up, Black Star, we're gonna' get kicked out again!" His friend snapped.

"Who cares? TAKE IT OFF, TSUBAKI! HYHAHAHA!"

Maka shook her head in disgust as Black Star, the class clown, sprawled on the bleachers on the other side of the field, shouted obscenities at the cheerleaders who practiced in the middle of the football field. She could see Kim and Jackie place their hands on their hips in outrage at Black Star, who merely cackled and elbowed his partners in crime, Soul Evans and Kilik Rung.

Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, whom seemed to have some sort of thing for Black Star, blushed a terrible red and turned her head to hide it. She brought her arms up to cross over her chest, as if that would somehow hide the assets the spandex white shirt emphasized.

What Maka would give to have one clean shot at Black Star with her fist – she'd make sure he never yelled as loud as he could ever again.

It would certainly be a blessing to the world…

Maka tightened her ponytail, bending to take another long drink of water from the water fountain. She'd made an agreement with her Track and Field coach, Mira Nygus, to use her study period so that she may not miss a day of training. But using her study period to practice down by the field involved practicing with the cheerleaders, who were usually always surrounded by other students who ditched or had a free period as well. And, with prom night being arranged two weeks before school ended, mostly everyone was out of their classrooms and strolling about the school.

That meant having an audience.

And, although she competed in competitions and often ran in the busy streets of Death City, this particular audience made her hesitant and self-conscious of herself. Black Star always made fun of her, mainly her childish face, pigtails and – of course, that sick pervert – her 'below-acceptable', as he'd say, chest.

"Ah, Maka! Good, I caught you!" Nygus shouted, coming to a stop before her. "Those balloons you ordered came in and they need you to sign for them at the main office."

"What? They were supposed to come at three – it's barely two!" Maka squawked.

"Well, they're here, and they have other orders to carry out, so if you don't get there soon, they'll leave and you'll have to get them on Friday after all." Nygus thumbed behind her wryly.

"But – oh, alright! Thanks for telling me, Coach!"

"I'll give you a day off today – how many laps you do?"

"Four."

"A mile – alright, good enough." Nygus nodded, satisfied. "Run on over there and sign for them then come back and change. The locker rooms are gonna' be open for a while, anyway."

"Okay – thank you so much, Coach!" Maka rushed, running across the field to reach the locker rooms, which would give way to a hall that led to the main building. She had always been a fast runner, so she wasn't surprised she reached the locker rooms in record time.

"—AKA!" Kim screamed.

Maka braked a stop and turned, finding Kim jogging to her.

"Kim?" Maka panted. "What is it?" She met her half-way, Kim smiling in relief.

"Wow, you run really fast! I almost thought I wouldn't catch you!" Kim laughed.

"I'm sorry, Kim, but can you make this quick? I have to go get something from the main office right now." Maka set her hands on her hips, catching her breath.

"Actually…" Kim mumbled, pink dusting her cheeks. "Okay, look, I'm gonna' be blunt about this: does Ox actually have a date for prom?"

"Ox? Yeah, some girl called Anne. Why?" Maka asked, curiously, watching Kim's face sour. The answer came to Maka instantly. "I..if it makes you feel any better, Ox doesn't want to go with her. But since you shot him down so many times…"

"So he asked her out?" Kim's brows shot up in disbelief.

"No! Anne asked Ox out!" Maka hastily amended. "Or so he tells me. But I believe him: Anne has had a crush on him for a while now. And when you shot him down so many times, she took advantage of that and made her own move."

"Well…" Kim puffed her cheeks out, hands fisted by her sides. "Tell Ox that if he – he wants to go with me… he better take me a good restaurant! An expensive one – and bring me roses, too! Or else I'll go with Soul!"

"Soul?" Maka repeated uneasily, glancing behind her quickly to see Soul Evans lazily gazing at the sky. "He asked you out…?" The idea made her feel a little weird but she shook it off. It was ridiculous to feel bothered: the most they spoke was during their Trigonometry class, and that was because he needed help understanding the material. She sometimes saw him outside of school, sure, and he always came over to greet her, but that was the limit to their interaction…

Kim pursed her lips. "No, but out of all the other idiots here, Soul's the best choice."

"Wait, so you're going to ask Soul out?" Maka blinked, trying to piece together this girls haphazard logic.

"Yeah!" Kim answered, simply. "He hasn't asked anyone yet. Kilik already has a date and Black Star's going to ask Tsubaki today or something. So there's only Soul left." Her lips curled into a saucy grin. "Plus, Soul's rich, so I wouldn't mind hooking up with him in prom, either."

It didn't settle well with her that Kim would only date Soul for his money but the girl had always been greedy, especially when it came to those green bucks. Ox had once let it slide that Kim would date him if he had enough cash, something which she and Kid had fervently told him to forget about: a girl who only wanted you for how thick your wallet is was toxic. But Ox had continued his sometimes pathetic attempts at romancing her to no avail.

Until now, apparently.

"Why do you want to go with Ox all of a sudden?" Maka demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. The balloons could wait: this was her friend Kim was talking about. Ox may be mean and obnoxious sometimes but he was still a good friend to her when she needed him to be. "Ox isn't rich, Kim. He can't buy you everything you want when you want it – Ox is willing to offer you one thing and it's not what's tucked inside his wallet. What are you willing to offer him in return?"

Kim's smile fell off her face and she looked down, nervous and troubled. She hesitantly looked over her shoulder – to the other girls who laughed with one another as they waited on her. Kim bit her lip and stepped closer to Maka, hissing: "What I tell you goes to grave with you, got it?"

Maka nodded, wide-eyed.

"I…I do like Ox." Kim confessed meekly, swallowing. Her cheeks looked flush, as if she had run around the track twice without stopping. "I really do, it's just…well…"

"Your friends? Your image?" Maka offered.

Kim looked guilty.

"Kim, unless you're willing to sacrifice your image for Ox, this isn't going to work. Ox really likes you, and I'm not about to tell him this only to have you hurt him in the end. You'll crush him if you dump him because your friends say he's not good enough for you – only you know what's good enough for you." Maka said softly, watching an array of muddled emotions flicker in her eyes. "Only you can decide what makes you happy. No one else."

Kim nodded slowly, shoulders slumping. "Yeah, I know...Thanks for hearing me out, Maka!"

Maka watched her hurry back to her team, pasting on a smile when Tsubaki asked her what was wrong. Maka looked further up to the bleachers, finding Soul looking back. There was a laziness to every blink as he watched her watch him. After a few seconds of holding his stare, Maka smiled in greeting.

Soul arched a brow but quirked the corner of his lip in his trademark lazy grin in reply. Satisfied, Maka turned on her heel and ran – rushing to the main office and praying to all that was holy that the delivery man was still there.

Thursday.

"I'm so sorry!" Maka bowed her head at Kid that morning, who sighed as he finished placing a bag of soda on the floor by his feet. They would be placed in the storage room and taken out tomorrow, Friday, once they had set out the tables and decorated them out by the gymnasium. Friday there would be no school so those volunteering to help set up for Prom – a good twenty six of them – would be arriving early morning to set up.

"So the balloons will have to wait until tomorrow, huh?" Kid mused. "What held you up again?"

"Kim – she was asking me about Ox. She basically wanted me to tell Ox to dump Anne so they could go together after all."

"Then she is sadly mistaken." Kid deadpanned. "Ox has actually taken a small liking to Anne, in my opinion. He isn't ignoring her in the halls anymore."

"But Kim looks like she really likes Ox." Maka countered, hopeful. "It's just her image that's preventing her from dating him, which is already really shallow on her part and not helping her case at all. But…I have faith in her. I think she'll sacrifice her image for Ox!"

"You're too kind." Kid chuckled, reaching over to pat her head. Maka took a step back when Kid stepped a little too close. "But I suppose that's what I like the best about you."

Maka smiled back, hesitantly. Kid's hand remained on top of her head, his expression contemplative. Maka didn't like how thick and silent the atmosphere had become. It was early morning and there was hardly any one at school. They still had a whole half hour before class began. It was too early to feel as if her heart was beating out of her chest in panic, and far too early for Kid to look like he was regretting something.

"Whoa, am I interrupting something?"

Maka flinched away from Kid, turning to find Soul leaning on the doorway casually.

"You – what are you doing here, Soul?" Maka demanded, shaking off her nerves and Kid's dark look. "Do you need something?"

"Yeah." Soul drawled, taking out a slip from his pocket. "Sid asked me to give you this."

Maka took the paper from his hand, unfolding it and quickly skimming its contents. Her brows furrowed and she immediately turned to Kid, who was still frowning at Soul. "Sid wants you to bring the sodas. Now."

"Now?" Kid asked, in disbelief. She saw his eyes dart to Soul. "Can't it wait?"

"Nope. He wants it now, Kid." Maka rolled her eyes, walking over to the desk. She picked up a binder, crossing out another line in their list. "You have to take them sometime, it might as well be now. And Sid's in charge of the PE Final with Nygus so he won't be there to open the storage room for you during class hours."

Kid heaved a sigh. "I see, well… how about you accompany me, then?"

Maka looked up in mild surprise. Since when did Kid need someone to walk him over to the storage room? Before she could answer, Soul did it for her:

"Need someone to hold your hand?" Soul jeered.

"I need someone to help me carry these bags there." Kid replied, frostily.

"You can do it yourself. There's like five, don't tell me that's too much for you?"

"I'd rather not have the bags rip on my way over there."

Soul scoffed. "They won't rip – you double-bagged them, genius."

"Kid, just take the bags." Maka interrupted, annoyed by their bickering. Honestly, Maka knew Kid had never liked Soul – ever since he'd carried her to the nurses office when she sprained her ankle during a competition – but there was no reason for him to treat him badly. Soul had been sitting in the bleachers, watching the competition, and the fact that he'd recognized her struggling to stand – and going as far as running to help her – should be something Kid should be thankful for! Not many people would be as kind as to do that for a person, after all. "He's right – there's only five and you brought them here by yourself. I think you can go to the storage room and drop them off without me."

She missed Soul's triumphant smirk.

Kid looked torn but took the bags and left without another word spoken to either of them.

Maka reached into her pocket for her cellphone. She dialed in the number for the party supply company and waited, resting her elbows on the desk as she did. She hadn't slept well last night, with so many thoughts running amok in her head, and waking up so early and skipping breakfast to arrive to school on time wasn't helping.

He papa had been passed out on the couch – not drunk, thankfully – and waking him up so he could take her to school made her begrudgingly guilty. And it wasn't as if she couldn't go by herself: she had two strong, functioning, legs! She didn't need her drunkard papa to take her to school every morning, even if he was working on the drunkard part by going to those AA meetings every Friday…

"…tomorrow midday? That's perfect! Thank you! Have a nice day!" Maka grinned, hanging up. She jotted it down in the binder and turned and nearly stumbled back in shock.

Soul still stood there, leaning against the doorway as she had last seen him ten minutes ago. Kid wasn't back, probably held up by Sid. But what was Soul still doing here?

"Do you need something else?" Maka asked, clutching the red binder to her chest. "Soul?"

"Yeah. I do, actually." Soul replied, after a few moments. His boots echoed through the lecture hall. The golden sunlight that spilled through the tall windows that lined the wall caused his stark white hair to glow an even brighter white.

Soul Evans was a total enigma to her; someone different both in physical appearance and attitude.

His eyes looked dark, almost black, but she knew they were really red. They were a beautiful color, almost as deep and bright as recently trimmed roses. But despite his bleach white hair and garnet eyes, his skin was a healthy tan. As if to further take his already-intimidating profile, he fell into the habit of donning a thick leather jacket with black jeans and steel-toed boots to finish his look. She didn't mind the look as much as Kid did: she had a leather jacket herself, although she never wore it to school.

It technically went against the uniform policy…

But Soul still wore his, along with his heavy boots, in silent rebellion.

"Well, any time now would be nice." Maka scowled, dismissing the way the atmosphere had once again grown dense. "Class starts in ten minutes and I don't want to be late!"

Soul grinned. "Being late for once in your life won't kill you, y'know."

"It will if I have Stein next…" Maka muttered.

Soul cringed. "Okay, maybe it will. Fine, I'll be quick about it." Soul sighed. He stood at a respectable distance, hands jammed in his pockets. "Are you planning on going to prom?"

Maka was stunned for a moment. Something wrenched in her gut – a type of unexplainable excitement – as the atmosphere grew denser with every passing second. "Well, I helped plan it. So of course I'm going."

"Alone, right?"

Maka cringed. She glowered when she saw his smirk. "Yes. As of right now, alone. I was thinking about just going with my friends."

"With your friends?" His shoulders, which she just saw had been tense, relaxed the slightest bit. "That's pretty sad, Maka."

"What's your point, Soul?" Maka snapped, tapping her foot impatiently. "You're not here just to make fun of me, are you?" She added, seething. He'd made fun of her plenty of times before, like when she helped him with his classwork, and she would always threaten to stop helping him. He didn't seem to take the hint that she really will – or maybe she should just not go back on her threats. She always ended up helping him after having him stare at her with such a kicked-puppy look on his face for longer than five minutes.

He knew the tricks to get her compassion to kick in only too well, Maka begrudged.

"C'mon, Maka, you know I'm just teasing you." Soul chuckled. He smirked. "'Sides, you like the attention."

"I do not like having you put me down at every turn you get!" Maka stomped her foot to make a point but he only scoffed.

"But you still help me." He teased.

"Because you look so pathetic trying to do it yourself!" Maka sputtered, unable to help flushing harder when his smirk turned into a full-blown grin. "What are you grinning about?"

"Your face is red."

"SOUL! YOU BETTER—!"

"Maka, you're needed at the Headmaster's office immediately – Father wishes to discuss more of the band details." Kid panted, door slammed open.

Maka looked between Soul and Kid – both, of whom, were sneering horribly at each other.

"N-now?" Maka stammered, eyes lingering on Soul before shifting to Kid.

"Yes, now."

"But…" Maka hesitated, looking at Soul again.

Soul waved his hand at her. "Go see what the Head Cheese wants from you – I'll talk to you later." He held her eyes as he said this, giving her the impression that he really will speak to her later. "I gotta' get to class, anyway."

"Right…" Maka trailed off, smiling tightly at both boys and hurrying out of the classroom with her bag clutched tightly to her side. What had that been all about? Kid looked as if he had run the entire way, surely whatever the Headmaster had to say was important. Kid wouldn't run all the way to the classroom for nothing.

But, more importantly, what had been Soul's deal? He'd watched her talk on the phone for nearly ten minutes, arranging the delivery of the balloons she'd neglected to sign for yesterday, and then he'd proceeded to make fun of her again! So what if she was going with her friends…who happened to all have dates?

Maka sighed, miserably. So maybe her situation was bad: Kid had a date, Ox had two girls after him, and Harvar had a date. She was the only one who was dateless. She'd been asked to prom twice within the past few weeks by two boys of whom she wanted nothing of – mainly because one was obnoxious and the other kept swallowing laughter as he asked her, indicating to her that his friends had set him up for it.

It seemed like this would be another event where she'd be hiding behind the curtains the entire time…

As it turned out, the Headmaster had been surprised when she arrived. Apparently, she could have dropped by his office any time she wanted. There was no rush: he'd just wanted to know some minor details about the band set to perform at the dance. They were just tiny things that could be easily discussed over a cup of coffee. Needless to say, when Maka came out a few minutes later, she was not pleased.

"What's the big deal, Kid?" Maka demanded during second period. She shared this class with Kid and Soul: the latter whom sat toward the back with Black Star, the former whom took seat beside her. "He said I could've gone whenever I wanted! Stein nearly cut my throat when I walked in ten minutes after the bell!"

"Oh, really?" Kid deflected, calmly. "Sorry. I must have misheard."

"You're so lucky Stein let me off the hook, Kid, or I would've killed you after he killed me!"

"How would you do that? It's physically impossible: you'd be dead."

"I'd find a way." Maka brooded for a moment. Then she smiled cheerfully: "I'd come back from the dead as a zombie!"

"The paranormal is for the weak-minded and those easily distracted, Maka, I thought we discussed this already." Kid chuckled when Maka bristled and slammed her pencil on the desk, sending him evil looks.

"Fine. Then I'll hire someone!"

"You'd be dead, though."

"I'll write a will – right now!" Maka huffed, tearing off a sheet of paper. "In the case that I, Maka Albarn, were to die of unknown circumstances, Kid Death is to know his own demise in the hands of…" Maka paused, stumped. She didn't know any one by name who did killing contracts, she thought dryly.

"Of…?" Kid prompted, more than a little amused.

"Soul Evans." Another voice interjected, causing Kid to stiffen up.

Maka looked behind her to find Soul had moved to the empty desk directly behind of Kid. He grinned at her and Maka brightened, returning to her crummy will.

"That's a great idea – but you better do it, Soul, or else!" Maka warned.

"Or else what?" He snorted.

She said the first thing that came to her mind: "I'll haunt you!" And immediately thought she'd lay off the horror novels for a few weeks…

"That's alright – I wouldn't mind having your soul following me around until I die." He shot her a cheeky grin when her cheeks pinked a little. "That'd be pretty cool—!"

"Soul, shouldn't you be with your friend? Completing the classwork?" Kid interrupted, coldly.

"It's done, for your information." Soul replied, just as cold.

"Really?" Maka gasped in awe.

Soul scowled at her shock. "Just because I have a crappy grade in this class doesn't mean I'm stupid, Maka."

"Funny, because it usually gives that indication." Kid remarked.

"Well, Kid." Soul sneered. "I'm not. And it'd do you some good to understand that before you underestimate me."

Kid's eyes darkened. "You—!"

"Hey!" Maka exclaimed in alarm, grabbing Kid's shoulder when he made to stand. She looked at Soul, his snarl of dislike and the way his eyes sparked dangerously. "What's up with you two? You've been at each others throats since this morning! Kid – stop it before you do something you regret! Soul, you, too!"

"I wouldn't regret this." Soul hissed.

"Neither would I." Kid agreed with equal hostility.

"Stop it!" Maka hissed, grabbing Soul's forearm when he began to stand, too. She was basically stretched out between them, her chair screeched back, both of her hands grabbing one of them to keep them still. It was an awkward position: she was lucky the teacher was distracted with a struggling student to notice the potential brawl.

She held Soul's burning look bravely and relaxed her grip when she saw his rage ebb to a simmer. He sat back down and she let go of his arm, looking back at Kid to find him staring at her strangely. "What's wrong, Kid?" She asked with worry, allowing her hand to fall off his shoulder as well.

"Nothing." Kid replied, tone clipped. He looked back forward, confusing her further. "Nothing at all…"

Maka glanced at Soul, who sat back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest; glaring daggers at the back of Kid's head. Her eyes darted behind him when she caught a flash of blue, finding Black Star watching them all with that same shit eating grin plastered on his face. There was a knowing glint in his eyes that upset her.

And a few seats to the side of Black Star, Liz Thompson sat with a friend. And the look she wore only made Maka's stomach fall to her ankles because it was not pretty. The last thing she wanted was to have an angry Thompson after her. Maka was still a little vague on the reasons for her anger but, as Soul and Kid both stewed in their own furious thoughts, deep down, Maka knew exactly why this situation was so dangerous.

She glanced down at her work, realizing she still needed a few more questions on her worksheet.

And she still needed to set up for prom.

The next few hours would be hellish, Maka miserably thought, and started on her classwork.

She didn't get Kid.

She thought she knew him but it turned out she only knew a fraction of who he truly was.

Maka rounded another corner, heading to the school that began to unravel in the distance. Sweat trickled down her neck, her gym shirt sticky on her thin body. She would be finished with her training for the day after this and then she would go home and relax; all the planning for the day done until tomorrow, when she would wake up nice and early to prepare everything for prom. The teachers had been merciful enough not to leave homework, save for Stein, who assigned a reading, but Maka had already read that chapter weeks before so she was essentially free for the evening.

The only thing that ruined her otherwise peaceful night was Kid.

"He's bad news, Maka, and you know this." Kid shouted, fiercely. "He's been suspended, nearly expelled! I'm surprised he's lasted so long in this school after all he's done with that idiot Black Star!"

"Kid, you know that half the time it's not Soul's fault!" Maka defended him. "Everyone just assumes he's at fault, too, because he's friends with Black Star! That's why he never got expelled – he wasn't involved in that fight, Kid! He was in class with us and you know it!"

"Regardless, he's a delinquent and you'd be a fool to trust him!"

"Are you calling me a fool, Kid?" Maka asked, dangerously.

Kid pressed his lips together. "No. But you will be if you believe even for a second that Soul genuinely cares for you."

"What does that have to do with anything? If this is about prom again then if he asks, WHY NOT?" Maka snapped, losing her patience with him. "You're going with Liz! She's just as much bad news as Soul is – if not more, because all of the times she's been caught in a fight or ditching, it's legit!"

"This has nothing to do with prom!" Kid shouted back.

"Then WHAT'S your point, Kid?" Maka asked, exasperated. "You're always bringing back prom into the conversation. If prom really has nothing to do with this… why are you telling me all of this? I don't understand."

"I'm tell you all this because…" Kid breathed out slowly, collecting his thoughts. "…I'm worried about you, Maka. You're going to graduate in a few days and you cannot let yourself be derailed by some delinquent."

"He's graduating, too." Maka reminded.

"Fluke." Kid bitterly said.

Maka set her jaw and reigned in her growing rage for her close friend. Kid was being difficult; he was going around what he truly wanted to tell her and it aggravated her. She didn't like beating around the bush about this sort of thing.

"Kid. What's the real reason you don't want me to have anything with Soul?" Maka demanded, coldly. "Don't lie to me. I'll know if you are."

Kid stared at her. His gold eyes were dark, his fingers digging into the wood of the desk he leaned on. She had her bag slung over her shoulder, already by the doorway and ready to leave to the field for her Track and Field training. He was holding her up but she had no problem waiting another hour to hear his response.

"I care about you, Maka." Kid finally said. "That's why I'm doing this."

"I care about you, too, Kid, but you don't see me trying to keep you away from Liz." Maka strangled out, the atmosphere thickening again. "So why are you doing this to me…?"

"Because I care more than you think I do."

It was a loaded sentence; filled with all sorts of meanings that terrified her. She had left before she could even reply, running all the way to the locker room and changing into her gym clothes hastily. She had immediately begun her training, skipping her warm ups. She didn't want to stay within school grounds any longer.

She hadn't been able to meet Soul's eyes when she ran past the bleachers and toward the back gates of the school and she still regretted that. She was acting like a child, running away from her problems…

She cared for Kid.

She really did.

But she feared she didn't care for him quite like how he seemed to care for her.

Maka eased her run to a slow jog, head down to the schools back gate. She looked up, toward the bleachers, and found no one. That made her heart plummet and she was disgusted to find it picked itself up when she found Soul standing by the water fountain near the locker rooms with Kim.

But the sight made her heart fall to the floor again, even farther if possible.

Ox was still going to prom with Anne.

Kim had no one else she'd approve of going with but Soul.

Prom was tomorrow.

It didn't take a genius to know just what Kim was doing with Soul alone.

Instead of entering the school gates, Maka continued forward and rounded the corner.

Today had been a very bad day.

That's what she blamed the tears that were collecting in the corner of her eyes on.

Prom better be worth it. Maka thought with a miserable sigh, walking through the school gates. The sun hung low on the horizon; burning orange with streaks of pink and blue. She would have to make it quick or face her fathers overdramatic blubbering of: "I was so worried when you didn't come home at seven, Makaaa!", which would inevitably end with one of them on the floor nursing a bruise and it certainly wouldn't be her.

The school was empty by now.

Kid always left by five.

The cheerleaders wrapped their practice up at six sharp.

Track and Field also ended at six, and anyone still within the school would be a teacher staying in for one reason or another or the Headmaster to take care of his own business.

So guess her surprise when, walking through the steel doors that would lead to the entrance of the locker room, she found Soul standing alongside the brick wall with his foot propped up; skimming through the library in his iPod idly.

"Soul?" Maka called out, surprised. His head snapped up and he pushed his headphones back on his head, letting them hang around his neck.

"Finally! For a second there, I thought you'd left already." Soul grumped. "That was two hours, Maka."

"I don't usually run so much." Maka mumbled, taking a heavy step forward. "I just had a lot on my mind today."

Soul's expression was measured. "Bad day?"

Maka smiled weakly. "You can say that." She stopped before the locker room, turning back to him. "By the way, do you need something? The Coach should've left by now..."

"I was waiting for you." Soul stated, motioning inside the locker room. "Go do what you need to do. I'll wait for you here." And he went back to rummaging through his iPod, leaving Maka with a heavy weight in her gut. She silently entered the locker room, her mind racing with that it was he could want.

Kim had surely asked him to prom – what if he had rejected her? Maka thought, bewildered. The thought was outrageous: Kim was gorgeous with her soft pink locks of hair and fair skin and enviable body. But what, if for some damnable reason, that was exactly what happened? And he was going to ask what Kid feared – for a reason she finally understood – he was going to ask? What then? Would she accept, tell him she'd think about it, or flat out reject him?

How did she feel about Soul, anyway? She wouldn't lie: he was handsome – his strange, less than average, looks made him exotic and alluring. Not to mention whenever he smirked at her it made blood rush to her face, a reaction she dealt with by beating that smirk into the ground with one of her books.

Maka came out of the showers too quickly for her tastes, towel drying herself and slipping back into her normal clothes. She towel dried her hair, not bothering to fold her towel as usual. She threw it inside her locker and slammed the door shut, taking a breath before she remembered she forgot to take out her backpack. After battling with the combination for a second time, she finally retrieved her backpack and shut her locker closed. Only this time she felt worse than before, with that feeling of excitement mixing with fear and uncertainty.

She stood before the double doors of the locker room for a moment, taking a breath.

Here went nothing…

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" Maka asked, watching him startle out of his thoughts. He pulled his headphones off his ears, the faint sound of trumpets and saxophones filling the silence that developed between them. The music was shut off when he unplugged the jack from his iPod.

Maka wished he hadn't done that.

"Yeah, c'mon. The janitor just passed by telling me that the school's gonna' close in half an hour." Soul informed, motioning for her to follow him out. She did, making sure to put two feet of space between them. Once they reached outside, to the massive flight of stairs that led to an empty street, did Maka speak again:

"Alright, what's so important you waited nearly three hours for?" Maka asked, pushing her damp hair back when it blew into her face. This was one reason she liked keeping it up in pigtails. "I was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago," Maka grimaced, not eager to be squashed by her dramatic father, "so I'd get to it if I were you."

Soul slipped his hands in his jacket again, looking contemplative. "I'll give you a ride home if you want. But I want to get this right." Soul stubbornly said, still looking thoughtful.

"Get what right?" Maka asked, purposely ignoring his first offer. She'd deal with that later – right now, she just wanted to know if Kid's fears had been empty or not, and if the butterflies in her stomach were justified. "Soul?"

"You should wear your hair down more often." Soul suddenly said, startling her. He no longer looked contemplative: just casual, almost too much so. "You don't look like you're twelve like that."

Maka narrowed her eyes. "I'll wear my hair however I want to wear it, Soul."

He grinned. "Don't get so defensive. It was a compliment."

"It didn't sound like one." Maka muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now stop stalling and say what you're going to say before I decide to leave." Maka threatened, watching his shoulders tense up again.

"Fine. Jeez, you need to loosen up." Soul forced a chuckle, jamming his hands deeper in his pockets. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to go to prom with me."

She felt … happier than she thought she would. She successfully fought down a smile by furrowing her brows, punching back her excitement with confusion. The result was a weird expression that made Soul raise a brow.

"Didn't Kim ask you to prom?" Maka wheezed out after a few seconds of silence.

His eyes sharpened. "How do you know about that?"

So she did ,Maka thought but answered: "She told me a few days ago she would… and I also saw her talking to you by the water fountain. I was pretty sure you'd accept."

"Kim?" Soul repeated with a shrug. "She's okay but I'd rather go with someone who won't burn a hole in my wallet."

Maka giggled at that, missing how his shoulders instantly eased and his tight jaw loosened so his grin didn't seem as forced as before. "How do you know I won't burn a hole in your wallet?"

"Because you don't look like the type who'd take material over substance." Soul instantly replied, causing her smile to widen a little. "And if you did, you would've run Kid dry a long time ago." Soul added, earning himself a look.

"I don't ask Kid for money! I have my own!" Maka defended herself, huffing.

"And that's how I know you won't burn a hole in my wallet," Soul drawled. He shifted his weight. "Now… do you want to or not?" He asked, and for the first time she saw the tell-tale signs of nervousness in the way he shifted his weight every few seconds and he rubbed the back of his neck.

She wondered if anyone else had the luxury of watching Cool Guy Soul Evans look distinctly uncool.

"Okay." Maka accepted, smiling when he breathed out in relief. "But thanks to you, my dad is probably not going to let me go." Maka added grumpily, noticing the sky had become overrun by gloomy clouds. The sun had completely set, leaving nothing behind but a faint strip of what it used to be.

"I could give you a ride." Soul offered.

"I'm not getting on that thing." Maka deadpanned. It was no secret – given that he was the only one who had one – that Soul owned a motorcycle, which he drove to and from school every day without fault. She had once been walking home from school and he'd drove past, scaring the living daylights out of her when he revved the bike before he drove past her. She would still swear she caught echos of his laughter before he disappeared around a corner.

"Then how else are you planning to get home?"

"Walking."

"How far do you live?"

"By Hook Avenue."

"That's at least a mile and a half!" He deadpanned.

"I can do it!" Maka insisted.

"Just come with me." Soul sighed. "I'll make sure you get there safe—stop making that face—and then your dad won't freak out so much. It's not cool to stand up your date, Maka." Soul added when he saw she wasn't budging.

That made her falter a little.

"I won't let you fall." Soul smiled when she looked a little more willing. "All you gotta' do is hold onto me. Quit being such a scardy cat – c'mon, before it gets any later." Soul grabbed her shoulder when she took one reluctant step forward and stopped. He ignored her feeble protests, leading her to where he parked his bike.

When Maka saw it, her nerve disappeared. There was no way she was getting on that: one accident and there went her leg, or life, and all of her hard work on planning the infernal prom night. But Soul mounted the bike easily enough, turning it on. He then turned to her, watching her stare at his bike with something close to nausea.

He grinned. She came off as tough but inside, she was still a girl. "Hurry up! I have to get home, too!"

"Ugh! Fine, but you better not pull anything funny!" Maka growled, marching forward bravely. She swung a leg over the bike, clutching his shoulder. She felt his hands grab hers and slide them down to his waist and she wasted no time holding on, telling herself she'd gone mad for actually agreeing to this.

"Do you at least have a helmet?"

"Helmet's are for chumps."

Kid would kill her if he found out she rode a motorcycle without wearing a helmet…

The thought of Kid made her gut knot up guiltily but the feeling was left behind in the dust when Soul pushed forward and drove down the street. The ride was relatively smooth, the only bother being her hair, which whipped around her with the wind. She told him the directions to her apartment whenever they paused on a light, glad they arrived to her home in record time and without losing a limb or two. She had a feeling he had gone slow for her comfort and she inwardly thanked him for that.

"See? You made it home all in one piece." Soul drawled, watching her stumble off his motorcycle.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Maka admitted, slowly. At his smug look, she added: "But I'm not getting on it again until you buy a helmet! Your chances of living should you wreck increase by fifty percent if you wear a helmet!"

"Stow your facts, Maka, we're not in school anymore."

"I'm just telling you in case you forgot." Maka said, irked. "I don't need my date dying on me because he thought wearing a helmet was uncool." She smartly added.

"Don't worry, Maka, I'll be here at six sharp even if I'm dead." Soul grinned.

"Not funny." Maka mumbled but smiled when he dismissed her claim and rested his arms on the handlebars of his motorcycle. Maka parted her lips to ask him a question regarding prom when she heard loud footfalls come from behind her. She turned, squinting at the metal door, and screamed when it was slammed open and her father appeared; panicked and oh-so relieved when he found his daughter clutching her chest, Soul grinning and forgotten in the background.

"Papa." Maka gasped, sending Soul the most withering look she could muster when he laughed harder. He seemed to love it when she was scared half-way to death.

"MAKA!" Spirit wailed, rushing to her. He crushed her to his chest, blubbering out: "Oh, my God! My baby is okay! Maka, I thought something horrible happened to you when you didn't come back at seven! You don't know how scared papa was! I almost called the police—!"

"I told you I was going to come home late today!" Maka shouted, trying to pry him off her. "Papa, stop. You're crushing me!" She grunted, peering over his shoulder to find Soul's shaking with laughter at the scene. "Shut up, Soul! It's not funny!"

"You're right: it's hilarious!" Soul cracked up again when Spirit suddenly turned, keeping Maka crushed protectively to his chest. The father narrowed his eyes dangerously, sizing him up.

"Maka, who's this punk and what does he want?"

"His name is Soul." Maka grunted, finally detaching herself from her dad. "He's my date for prom." She added broodingly and instantly regretted it when Spirit's chest swelled like a boar. "Papa, no..." She said, cautiously. "NO!" She squeaked, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away from Soul, who watched with growing amusement and no intimidation. "I swear, if you hurt him, I'll hate you!" She threatened, which worked because Spirit sobered up immediately.

"As if he could hurt me." Soul snorted.

"Soul, don't encourage him!" Maka hissed, but it was too late.

"And just who the hell do you think you are, octopus head?"

"Soul Evans, your daughters date to prom." He replied, smartly. "In case you didn't hear the first time. Being old and all."

"Why you—!" Spirit growled, making a strangling gesture since Maka held him back firmly. "You're lucky my Maka even gave you the time of day, you damn punk! If I were her, I would've sent you running the other way!"

"Psh, please." Soul scoffed. "As if I'd even go for someone like you: you'd make one ugly girl, man."

"YOU LITTLE FUCK, COME SAY THAT TO MY—!"

"SHUT UP, PAPA!" Maka screeched, reaching into her bag and drawing out a book. She slammed it on his skull, bringing him down in one fell swoop.

Soul whistled low, wide-eyed. "…You sick got him in the head. Is he alive?" He added, morbidly curious as Spirit twitched on the ground.

"Of course he's alive!" Maka blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. "What do you take me for? He's my papa!"

"That's cute – daddy's little girl til the end, huh?" Soul mocked, laughing when she stormed over and thwacked him on the head with her fist; pink dusting her cheeks.

Spirit groaned as he came too, woozily lifting his head off the pavement. He stopped dead, however, when he noticed his daughter and that no-good boy banter. What stopped him from jumping up and kicking that boy off the curb was Maka's laugh, which rang high and bright at whatever it was Soul had told her. There was also a softness to the boys eyes when he looked at her that convinced Spirit he would do her no harm. But it was still difficult to accept that his little girl was growing up and would soon depart for college and start her own family—!

"GET OUTTA' HERE BEFORE I BRING OUT MY SCYTHE—!"

"PAPA!"

Soul revved his bike, grinning out at Maka, who was being held behind Spirit against her will: "I'll pick you up at six!"

"Wait, Soul—!" Maka sighed when Spirit pointed down the street lividly; one word away from running over there and kicking the kid off his property himself. He didn't need to, thankfully: Soul left without another word to either of them, his laughter echoing in their ears.

Once Spirit was sure he was gone, he instantly sweetened. "Maka, darling, I saved you from the evil boy—ARGH—b-baby, you're hurting papa—UGH!"

That time she left him groaning on the floor as she stomped back up to her apartment.

Friday

This was not how she envisioned the big day to go.

There shouldn't be any of this today: it should all be good, happy, fun. The set-up should be going flawlessly; everything should be running like a well-oiled machine. The balloons had come in already and they were blowing them up, tying them into groups of four and fixing them into elaborate wraiths to be hung.

They would finish in an hour or two and then they would be sent home to prepare for prom.

And then all their hard work would pay off.

And although everything was right on schedule, there was one thing that wasn't, as she stared down Kid and he took the challenge in her eyes unflinchingly.

This was not how she envisioned the big day to go…

"Was everything I said to you yesterday forgotten, Maka?"

"What did you expect me to do? Reject him?" Maka hissed right back. "I actually like Soul! And the fact that he waited so long for me afterschool just to ask me one question means a lot to me, Kid, because not a lot of guys would do that!"

"So he waited for an hour – is that all it takes for you to fall into his hand like putty?" Kid shook his head, morosely. "Maka, I know you. You're going to get attached to him and when he dumps you, you'll be a emotional wreck. I will not stand to see you crying over him, Maka!"

"Why do you always see the worst case scenario?" Maka cried. "Instead of being happy for me and hoping this would work out, you're practically damning me!"

"Because that's exactly what's going to happen, Maka: you two are too different! How can you not see it? You told me once yourself!" Kid countered, fiercely.

"We may dress differently but Soul and I get along better than you think we do! If we hadn't, I wouldn't bother helping him all the time with his classwork!" Maka shouted. "Sure, he may be a little rough around the edges and he can get a little annoying, but that's not a reason to not give him a chance, Kid! That's stupid!"

Kid pinched the bridge of his nose. "Maka. You're not seeing the big picture here."

"Yes, I am! I think I'd know better than anyone around here just how – how disgusting men can be!" Maka sneered. Kid set his teeth. She spoke of her father, whose philandering ways had earned him his daughters disdain and his wife's wedding ring thrown back at him. "And Soul isn't like that! I don't just speak to him when I'm in the classroom – I've seen him around outside, too, and he always comes to talk to me when I'm alone! He's not this stupid, playboy, guy you're envisioning, Kid! He's a nice guy!"

"He's nice to you a few times and you completely fall for him." Kid shook his head in disbelief. "He dated that Blair girl, for crying out loud! Her part-time job consisted of renting herself on the weekends!"

Maka flinched, remembering those two weeks all-too-well. It had been two weeks filled with chatter and gossip and jealous girls as they watched Soul walk alongside Blair. He'd nodded his head at her as he passed her in the hall, Blair clinging onto his arm with a giggly smile on her lips. Maka remembers it had left a bitter taste in her mouth. But the relationship had fallen apart in a matter of days: the instant Soul heard of her unfaithfulness, the relationship had been broken off and Blair had been sent crying to the bathroom when Liz and Patty finished off with her.

"That doesn't make him a bad person." Maka whispered, regaining her fire. "You can't tell me you wouldn't do the same if you had someone like her throwing herself at you!" Maka snarled.

"I wouldn't." Kid said, seriously.

"You're so full of shit, Kid." Maka sneered, shoulders shaking with fury. She swallowed the thickness in her throat to say: "You're here arguing with me about not going to prom with Soul yet you're going with Liz. You don't even want to go with her. That's cruel, going with her for no other reason than because she was there and you took the opportunity."

Kid stiffened. "I accepted Liz's invitation because she's a nice girl, despite all the controversy."

"That's exactly why I said yes to Soul." Maka hung her head, angry tears collecting in her eyes. "So what are you really trying to tell me, Kid?"

"Hey, Maka, Ox asked me to tell you…. Maka?" Soul's good mood was soured when he caught her watery eyes.

Maka stared, quickly wiping away her tears. "Soul…"

"How convenient." Kid sneered. "You're just the man I was looking for."

"Kid, you leave him out of this! This is between you and me!" Maka hissed, getting in front of him to divert his attention. It partially worked. "Soul has nothing to do with this anymore!"

"He has everything to do with this – he's the reason we're fighting in the first place!" Kid insisted.

"No, the reason we're fighting is because I was asked to prom and it wasn't you!" Maka snarled, silencing him. "I don't know what's going on through your head right now but taking it out on me and the staff isn't going to solve anything! If you wanted to go with me," Maka continued, furiously, "then you should've asked me first!"

"You're not getting it. This isn't about that—it's just…" Kid struggled, unable to convey his thoughts properly.

"You wanted to take her. Not me." Soul cut in, flatly. "That's the message I'm getting, too, Kid."

"Stay out of it, you asymmetrical garbage!" Kid snapped.

"What the hell? You wanted me to be apart of it just a couple of seconds ago!" Soul sneered. "What's the difference now?"

"Kid, Soul—!" She was cut off when Kid unleashed a rather vicious jab at Soul, who replied just as fiercely. "Soul! KID!" Maka fisted her hands to her side, stung at being ignored by both. "FINE! I DON'T NEED THIS TODAY!" Maka screamed, turning heel and stomping away from both of them.

She slammed through the double doors of the gym, garnering looks from those who worked on setting up the interior. The beauty of the transformed gym was lost to her in her fury, trampling over some discarded roses. She slammed open the doors that led to the hall, too, and headed to the one place where she knew her rage would simmer down.

The library was as silent as usual and she walked down the first bookcase she saw. She weaved her path to the back without saying hello to the librarian this time. When she was sure the librarian couldn't see her anymore, Maka bit her lip and slammed her back against a bookcase lining the wall. Some books shook with the force, and pain shot down her spine, but she ignored it in an effort to withhold angry tears.

"Maka…?"

"What?" She snapped at Soul, as he approached her.

He stood beside her silently, glancing down at his shoes when she sniffed and roughly wiped away her tears. He spoke when she stopped sniffling: "Kid's just confused."

"Confused about what?" Maka asked, flatly. "There isn't anything to be confused about, Soul! He's being a dumbass."

"From what I can see… he's confused about you." Soul heaved a sigh when she turned her head slightly, telling him she was listening. "He doesn't know whether or not you mean something more to him. From what he told me, he's just trying to protect you from me because he thinks I'll hurt you, but I can tell there's something else that's getting to him. I think it's the fact that he's trying to so hard to keep you from me that's confusing him."

"Then he should stop." Maka mumbled. "Because it's not working, anyway. You're still here."

Soul smiled faintly. He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. She leaned into his comforting touch. "He'll figure it out soon. Just give him some time to adjust to what's going on – and if he doesn't stop being a dick, I'll kick his ass, how about it?" Soul grinned, a small smile from her enough to clear the gloomy cloud that had settled over them. His fingers dared to reach over and take one of her pigtails softly, marveling the silk of each strand. "Just answer me this… do you like Kid?"

"He's my friend." Maka replied, hoarsely.

"No, Maka. I mean, do you like Kid?" Soul watched her reaction carefully.

"Not like that." Maka answered, shaking her head. She scrubbed her eyes of more tears. "But I don't want to lose him because of it. He's like my best friend." More tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks. "If he's gone, then who will I have left?"

"…Me."

Maka froze.

"You'll have me." Soul softly promised. Her emerald eyes shimmered brighter with her tears, he absently noted. It brought out such a darker color in them – made them look huge and tragic – that he covered her eyes up with his palm to avoid looking straight at them.

"Soul, what are you doing?" Maka sniffled, trying to pry his hand off her eyes.

"When you look at me like that, it makes me feel bad." Soul mumbled.

"Huh?"

"You look miserable." Soul sighed but didn't remove his hand from her eyes. "I hate it when girls cry. And you're the worst – your eyes get all…big and sad…damn it, just don't do it anymore!" He snapped, dropping his hand. He made sure to look away before his heart swayed for her anymore. "Crying for that bastard isn't worth it. He'll come crawling back to you when his head clears, just watch."

Maka rubbed away more tears and watched his struggle not to glance at her. He stole a quick look before looking away again, heaving another groan of frustration. He really didn't know how to handle a crying girl, Maka thought with a wobbly smile. The idea made her laugh softly, something Soul turned to look at.

Now her eyes looked better – brighter, glowing. The color lightened to a rich, twinkling, green unlike the dark, smudged, color they had taken when she was crying.

"You look better when you laugh." He mumbled, casting his eyes down with a hint of a smile on his lips. "You should do it more often."

Maka simply laughed.

A/N: There is a part two! Okay? I am on a mission...to stop writing so many one-shots! This is a reasonable start lol

This was actually a birthday present for my partner-in-crime Lacrow! He liked it, so I sincerely hope that you all do, too! :D He also got it all in one shot so you can imagine how either ecstatic or appalled he felt XD

Oh, and the title means 'Goodnight, love' :D Just for those of you that are curious..

Scarlett.