A/N: This is my first solo Reverb 2016 offering. Special thanks to my artist, ifeanart on tumblr, whose fantastic art that served as inspiration for this can be found on her page as well as reblogged on mine. Thanks as well to my betas, kat, jak, sand, sahdah, and julie for making this suck just a little less. WARNING: this fic contains some gross sexual harassment.

She was walking, back and forth, back and forth down the hall near the registration window, mind in a downward spiral. Some might have called it pacing, but Tsugumi preferred the term kinesthetic thinking.

There was a lot of thinking in ahead of her. Registration was due in a few days, the paperwork that would determine her future, or at least her next year, and she had no idea what to do. Akane and Sid-sensei were encouraging her team to apply to the EAT class-their talents were wasted in NOT, Akane had said; after dealing with a Gorgon they could handle some kishin, Sid insisted. Her meisters said it was her decision and she just didn't know. Tsugumi had come to Shibusen to learn how to control her transformations, not to be a hero, and she still clung to the dream of living a normal life back in Japan. And yet, she also wanted to be like Maka.

Maka, with her fierce green eyes, the meister who had made a death scythe-the Last Death Scythe, the same meister who had helped defeat the kishin Asura. Sometimes, Tsugumi couldn't believe she had a friend so strong, and while she knew she'd never be as good, part of her wanted to try, to fight, to keep the world safe.

The other part realized she wasn't quite that strong, wasn't cut out to fight her life away and risk death at every turn, with every mission.

A throat cleared, catching her off guard. Turning to the sound, Tsugumi's eyes widened at seeing Maka Albarn herself standing a bare few feet away, looking as amazing as ever in her Spartoi uniform and pigtails.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor, or at the very least a groove, and you know our new Lord Death won't take that one well." Her smile was friendly, her tone cheerful.

"S-sorry," Tsugumi stammered, surprised and more than a little embarrassed. She looked at the floor, still shiny and whole, then up to Maka. "I-I mean-"

Maka laughed, a hearty, rich sound that made Tsugumi smile shyly. "I'm kidding, silly. But seriously, is everything okay?"

"I guess?"

"That's not exactly a rousing affirmation. What's up?" Maka's slight frown was thoughtful.

"Just-registration is due."

"You haven't registered yet?" Her frown deepened.

"Uh, no? Because-um-well, Sid-sensei cleared us to join EAT next year, but uh, I'm not sure-since it's really dangerous and I don't know-" Tsugumi was fidgeting badly and looking at her hands. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see Maka, a slight smile on her lips.

"You should do what feels right, but if you want to know more about what it's like to be an EAT student, I'd be happy to fill you in. Are you busy tomorrow? I have to go now-Soul and I are supposed to go to some superhero movie he's been dying to see-" her cheeks dusted lightly when she mentioned this, and Tsugumi wondered why she should be embarrassed or angry but didn't have time to contemplate "-but I didn't take a mission tomorrow, so we could totally hang out."

"Um, yes-I mean, I'm not busy so-are you sure? I know how busy you are, and I-"

"Totally sure! Just come to our place in the morning, whenever you're ready-you remember where it is, right?"

"Yes, I think." She nodded vigorously. In truth, she had been there only once, back when Maka offered to give her advice about advanced resonance, but it had been so exciting to spend so much time with the girl she'd looked up to since entering Shibusen that she couldn't have forgotten where she lived if she tried.

That line of thought was interrupted by approaching footsteps, and Tsugumi looked up to see a tall, lanky, white-haired boy stalking their way. "There you are-we gotta go, we're gonna be late. What the hel-" he seemed to notice her for the first time and his annoyance melted into indifference "-lo Tsugumi."

"Hi," she said shyly, still a little in awe of the only student death scythe, the last one there would ever be. His somewhat scary looks aside, he was a death scythe and Maka's weapon, and that made him basically amazing by association.

"I'm coming, Death you have a bug up you bum over this stupid movie," Maka groused his way then turned to Tsugumi, friendly smile back in place. "So we're on for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, that's-that would be great! Is-if I come over at 10, that's okay? Because we're supposed to train early, but I could-"

"Training is important," Maka interrupted, waving off her concern. "Ten is perfect! See you tomorrow!"

With that, Maka left with her weapon and Tsugumi stared after them with a flutter in her tummy as they bickered their way down the hall over being late for the movie. Maka wanted to spend the day-with her. A day with her idol!

Her nervousness temporarily chased off by another girl in pigtails, Tsugumi ran down the hall, giddy, eager to share this news with her meisters.

Standing at the door with her hand half cocked and ready to knock, Tsugumi heard voices inside and hesitated.

"But Makaaaaa." It was clearly the voice of the Last Death Scythe, but Tsugumi wasn't sure she had ever heard him sound so pleading. "This was supposed to be a chill day. Netflix and chill."

There was some noise. "Shut up, Soul. She's here and it's just one day, go Netflix and chill in your room."

"You want me to chill without you?" There was something in his tone that made Tsugumi go red. Maybe she should just go. But then, Maka already knew she was there. Tsugumi knocked instead, her suspended hand finally taking action, and she heard grumbling and shuffling and a door closing inside before footsteps approached and the front door was flung wide.

Maka stood before her, looking relaxed in casual clothes with a shirt that read "Someday is Today" and her usual warm smile. Tsugumi was suddenly very glad she'd worn more casual clothes herself.

"Tsugumi! I'm so glad you made it! Let me just grab my purse. If you don't mind, I thought we'd pick up some snacks then come back to hang out."

Tsugumi nodded. "That sounds fun, I mean, as long as it's okay. If you had other plans, I can just-"

"Nope! No plans but this," she cut her off as she grabbed a small shoulder bag. "Ready?"

Tsugumi nodded again and Maka shut the door behind them.

Ten minutes later, they were standing in the middle of Death Mart, perusing the chip aisle. Tsugumi was still catching her breath. They had trained that morning, so she wasn't out of shape, but keeping up with Maka was a whole new level of fit. The meister walked fast.

"You like cool ranch?" Maka was eyeing a display of Doritos speculatively. "Or maybe Sunchips would be better?"

"I'm fine with anything, really," Tsugumi finally managed to catch her breath enough to say.

"Ah, well, Sunchips are good then? Sorry." She shook her head. "I'm just used to Soul being a picky princess."

"I like Sunchips!" Tsugumi said brightly.

"Great then!" Maka grabbed the Sunchips and as they moved to the ice cream aisle, she insisted Tsugumi pick the next treat.

They came to a sort of unspoken agreement, alternating between who chose until they left the store with a bag full of goodies. It all felt surreal to Tsugumi, to be shopping with her idol like she was a normal person, like this was no big deal. It was just so domestic. She always imagined Maka didn't have time or care for things as mundane as grocery shopping, but apparently she'd been wrong.

It wasn't until they were halfway back to Maka's apartment that Tsugumi was reminded of the badass beneath. As they walked along under the warm Nevada sunshine, there were several whistles, followed by a few catcalls and a particularly loud shout of, "if you two girls are hungry, I got some sausage ready for you right here!" Tsugumi glanced over just in time to see a man in a suit holding his crotch on the sidewalk across the road. Several other men stood near him, forming a group in front of a building with a sign that read Death City Life and Casualty. She felt sick. The road between them was narrow with few cars, and she wanted to just keep walking, but Maka suddenly pivoted to cross the street and Tsugumi felt she had to follow, so she did.

Maka walked straight up to the man who had made the lewdest comment and cocked her head, bags still in hand. Tsugumi watched from several feet back, wondering just what she planned to do.

"Did you say something?" she asked, voice pleasant.

"Just offerin' you something to eat, sweetheart." The man leered down a her as he grabbed his crotch again.

"Oh, but I only like to eat things when they are prepared to my liking," Maka said, and though her voice remained pleasant, her posture was tense, like a coiled spring.

"Oh baby, you can have it any way you want it."

"If you're sure." Her voice was sugar.

"For you doll, anything."

"Great, then." She stepped closer. "Turns out I like my sausage-" when she got very close, her knee went up hard into his groin before she kicked him to the ground "-smashed. Pervert." As the guy rolled around, groaning on the ground, she swept her gaze around those remaining. "Anyone else?"

There were a lot of murmurs as they scattered, but the one on the ground gritted out, "you're gonna regret that, bitch."

"Excuse me?" Maka said sharply, foot poised above him.

"Fuck-" he scrambled back in a sort of crab crawl "-off."

Maka shook her head and sighed. "Next time, I won't go so easy. Try not to be a pig so I don't have to hand you your ass, will you? Fighting civilians is bad for the DWMA image, but for you, I might make an exception."

The man's eyes widened at mention of the DWMA and he stammered out, "s-sorry," but Maka had already turned her back to start across the street, and Tsugumi quickly followed, wondering if a bigger badass than Maka Albarn had ever lived. She sort of doubted it.

Five minutes later, they were back in Maka's apartment. The cool breeze from the air conditioning felt nice, sweaty as she was from the walk in the desert heat. Maka led her back to her room-her room!-and tossed their bags of treats to the bed then flopped down after them, rolling until she was on her stomach, legs kicking in the air as she footed her flip flops to the ground below.

Trying not to stare too hard or too long as she looked around in awe at Maka Albarn's actual bedroom, Tsugumi noted that it was tidy though not entirely neat, that what looked like men's clothes were in one corner haphazardly piled, and that the very gaudy headband "the Last Death Scythe" used to wear was flung carelessly around one bedpost. Tsugumi blushed a bit as she noticed that Maka was cocking her head as she stared at her.

"You can sit," she offered.

"Oh, uh, yeah, thanks!" Tsugumi sat lightly, if a bit stiffly, on the edge of the bed-Maka Albarn's actual bed!-and looked to the meister because she really didn't know what to do next.

"So, chips first or ice cream?"

"Um, chips? I guess?"

There were shuffling footsteps down the hall and Maka called out suddenly, "hey, Soul! Come'ere for a minute!"

"Da fuck," she heard his deep voice grumble before the door was flung wide with a sulky, "what?"

"Put this in the freezer, will you?" She held up the ice cream with a smile so sweet it might cause tooth decay.

"Seriously, Maka?"

"Pleaaaaase?" She batted her eyelashes.

"Whatever," he grumbled, roughly snatching the half gallon of creamy sweetness from her and stomping away. He didn't shut the door and Maka called after, "and don't eat any!"

There were low muttered curses and sounds of movement, but Tsugumi was distracted by the crinkling of the bag as Sunchips were distributed.

After receiving her first handful, Tsugumi crunched happily, settling back on the bed a bit more comfortably as Maka did the same. They munched away for several minutes and Tsugumi looked around more, trying to be subtle. There was a picture of Maka with her weapon on the nightstand. A men's watch was also on the nightstand, along with a thin black headband and a leather wallet. Several bookcases stood in the room, filled to the brim with every sort of book imaginable, along with a small desk.

There was staff paper out on the desk with notes filled in, and Tsugumi wondered silently if Maka was a musician on top of everything else. Everyone knew that Soul "Eater" Evans was a piano prodigy since the coronation, but Tsugumi'd had no idea Maka was also that talented!

"You write music?" she blurted suddenly between chips.

Maka only looked confused.

"On your desk, I just figured…"

"Oh, no no, that's-that's Soul's, not mine!" She laughed and shook her head. "Sometimes when he can't sleep, he-" she shut her mouth suddenly and colored. "Anyway, no, I'm actually sort of musically handicapped, as Soul puts it."

"Oh." Tsugumi nodded. Wheels began to turn in her head. The things on the nightstand. The clothes in the corner. The music on the desk. The bed far too big for one. "Oh. Is it okay for weapons and meisters to date?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"No!" Maka said, face red.

"Yes," a male voice corrected from somewhere beyond the doorway.

"I mean." Maka glared towards the hallway before turning a more sheepish gaze Tsugumi's way. "There's no rule against it, technically speaking, but most meisters and weapons try to keep things more professional."

"Oh, you mean like your parents did?" Soul had reappeared in the doorway, his grin smug. "Or possibly like Stein and Marie?" His grin widened into something positively shit eating. "Or maaaaaaaybe you're thinking about how you and-" Maka was across the room in a flash, hand on his mouth as she shoved him out the door on his ass and shut it behind him.

"Stay!" she barked out before turning back to Tsugumi with an exaggerated eyeroll. "Now." She walked back over and plopped on her rear next to the half stunned demon halberd, who was shovelling a handful of Sunchips hurriedly in her mouth so as not to gape. "As I was saying, before we were so rudely interrupted, most weapon-meister teams try to keep it professional, but while it has traditionally been frowned upon, they can date if they choose. Striking a balance can be difficult, however, and when your partner is also your partner, it's easier to lose your head when you need to keep it most. It doesn't mean it can't be done, though." Her slight shrug spoke volumes and her posture went from stiff to resigned. "Anyway, you have questions about EAT?"

Tsugumi swallowed and nodded, choking back her nervousness at the thought that she may have upset the girl she'd come to look up to so thoroughly. But even still, the thought that Maka and her weapon were an item-well, it also made her feel giddy. She had always thought they'd be so good together, the Last Death Scythe and the Angel of Death, the partners who faced down the Demon Sword, who faced down Asura himself! And it turned out-seemingly-they were a thing. A real thing. The urge to ask more, to know more, was strong, but she stifled it. EAT. Right.

"Well, I mean, doesn't it-isn't it hard-fighting so much? And, I mean, you and Soul are so strong, but I'm just-I don't know-me." Her voice grew small at the look Maka offered, sharp and thoughtful.

"That's right, you're you. Tsugumi Harudori, the NOT student who helped face down Shaula Gorgon in her first year. The weapon who has helped dozens of people just because they needed it. The weapon with two dedicated, competent meisters. You're you. You can do this, Tsugumi, but you have to want to do it-and no one can decide if this is something you want but you."

"But-" Tsugumi let out a long, loud breath. "How do I know? How do I know if I want it? How did you know?"

Maka frowned at that, biting her lip in thought. "I always knew." She shrugged. "I mean-I was sort of born into it. I never remember not wanting to be like my mama. But-" a look dawned on her features, and she snapped her fingers, "Hey, Soul, come back for a minute!" she shouted suddenly. There were footsteps, loud, exaggerated, then the door flung open.

"What-the fuck?" The scowl made him look decidedly put out. "Soul come here, Soul go away, Soul come back here-make up your damned mind, woman."

The book slammed his forehead from across the room before Tsugumi was even aware it had been thrown.

"Jeezus fuck, what the-"

"Woman?" Maka sounded absolutely incredulous.

"Fine, whatever, my meister, what do you want?"

"Tsugumi is trying to figure out if she wants to join EAT, and since I always knew I'd be EAT-how did you know you wanted to join? And be nice."

His scowl had deepened, but he sighed and his face relaxed into habitual boredom as he walked over to grab the desk chair and spin it around, sitting with his forearms on the top as he eyed the two on the bed.

"I didn't. I mean, not really," he finally said.

"That's it?" Maka scoffed. Tsugumi remained silent; witnessing her idol and the Last Death Scythe interact was like the best show she'd ever watched.

"Sort of?" He let out a long breath, rolling his eyes. "I mean, when we became partners, I was new to DC and I only came here to learn to control shit-but you just sort of-dragged me with you. It's not like you asked if I wanted to be EAT. You were EAT, so I was EAT."

There was a blink from Maka, then another, then a headshake. "I-I asked you. Didn't I?"

His shrug was casual. "Not really. You used to assume a lot of shit back then, but it's not like I told you no."

"Oh." It was a small sound, almost embarrassed. "So you never really wanted to join EAT."

"Didn't say that. You wanted to make me a death scythe, that sounded cool, we needed to be EAT for that. So."

"But it wasn't something you decided, you-"

"Okay, look," he cut her off, sitting up taller on the chair. "At first, yeah, I just did what you wanted. Sounded cool, it was-not what I was doing before-I didn't care and you did. But eventually, I was glad we were EAT, and it wasn't about becoming a Death Scythe, it was-I don't know-because there was shit to do and we could help, I guess."

Soul and Maka were looking at each other, just looking, and Tsugumi sensed more than knew that something was passing between them that she would never be privy to. For a time, she remained quiet, but then cleared her throat in discomfort at her mounting sense that she was intruding on something that ought to have been intensely private. The two blinked and looked her way.

"So, uh, if you eventually knew-how-did you? I mean, how did you know it was what you-um-wanted?"

Another long exhale, and his head was back on his forearms. "Honestly? Took me almost getting sliced in half."

Maka gasped his name, but he ignored it.

"I mean, all that shit went down with Crona, and well, I figured that was the worst. That was the worst, and hell, if I could keep people safe from shit like that-I wanted to do it. That was it, I guess. I'd seen plenty of pre-k before, but seeing how bad it could get-how really bad-that was when I knew we were doing the right thing, you know? When I knew what Maka wanted was what I wanted, too, because-because we can when most people can't. I figured I was a weapon for a reason, and I was glad. It wasn't just an escape, it was-important."

Hazarding a glance towards the meister in the room, Tsugumi noticed her small, proud smile, and once again felt like an intruder. "That's-really-um-cool," she settled on because she needed to say something.

The Last Death Scythe shrugged at that and stood. "So that's it. Am I dismissed?" he flicked his eyes down to his meister with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," Maka groused, but the smile remained as he saluted and then turned on his heel to leave the room, shutting the door behind him.

Staring after her fled weapon for a moment, Maka shook her head before turning her eyes back to Tsugumi. "So-that help at all?" She shoveled a few chips in her mouth after she was done.

Slowly, the weapon nodded. "I think-it did. But-I don't know-I guess I'm worried I won't be able to handle it. I mean, I'm not used to just fighting. Even coming to school here was weird at first, but I can still do a lot of normal stuff, too. But if I join EAT-" she shook her head.

"We do normal stuff!" Maka said indignantly.

Tsugumi couldn't quite help her skeptical look-Maka Albarn was many things, but she would never accuse the meister of being normal.

"Look," Maka sat up straight to meet Tsugumi's eye. "Yes, we fight monsters-corrupt souls too far gone for redemption. But we also do the same type of stuff as anyone. We watch movies, go to concerts, go to parties-"

"Don't you have to train more in EAT?"

Maka grinned, laughing lightly. "Of course! But we also go to class, we hang out, we eat junk food." She bit into a chip for emphasis. "We cook and clean and just live." Looking thoughtful for a moment, she continued. "I guess it's sort of like most people having a job. Fighting and training is our job, sure, but we aren't always working. Not even most of the time. So when we aren't working, we just live-like you. Like everyone. And the thing is, when you know how much you have to lose, when you know you could lose it at any moment because the world is dangerous-you tend to appreciate it more."

There was a light in her eyes as she spoke, a wistfulness, a sense of sureness and sheer purpose that Tsugumi couldn't help but envy. "So it's not all just training and fighting?"

Her laugh was long and genuine. "No, Death, no," she managed. "Are you kidding? If that was all there was, Soul would have run screaming years ago."

"I heard that!" Came a male voice from the other room.

"It's the truth!" Maka sang back loudly, her laughter drifting into mirthful giggles. "You hate training."

"Because I'm not a crazy Death Child," came the grumbling response from the other room.

"But seriously," Maka swallowed down another giggle as she turned her attention back to her guest. "Training and fighting is just a part of our lives-it's not everything." She scooched to the edge of the bed, tilting her head in question, "Ready for ice cream?"

Nodding vigorously, Tsugumi followed her out of the room. The Last Death Scythe was on the couch as they passed, watching some sort of cooking competition. Maka ignored him in her bee line to the freezer, retrieving the tub of green tea ice cream and scooping out three large bowls of the stuff. She handed one to Tsugumi, carrying the other two to the living room where she shoved one off to her weapon before plopping down next to him.

"Thought it wasn't for me," he groused through a small smile.

"Reward for good behavior."

"I can think of other-"

Maka cut him off by shoving her own spoonful of ice cream in his mouth before looking to Tsugumi, who was standing with her own bowl and feeling out of place.

"Wanna watch some Chopped?" The meister gestured to the open chair to the side of the couch. Tsugumi nodded, relieved, and took the chair, following the example of the two on the couch and shoveling in ice cream.

For a few minutes, she watched the show, but while watching some chefs frantically cooking strange ingredients to compete for money was okay, even a bit nostalgic-something like Iron Chef, which she'd watched with her papa as a kid back home-the two on the couch were far more engaging. Her eyes kept drifting their way as their own eyes were fixed on the television; Tsugumi watched the subtle little ways they showed their connection. His hand grazing her thigh, her hand resting on his forearm, the small smile on her lips, the brief flick of his eyes her way. There were a couple inches between them and, as she let herself observe in quick glances, she could tell it was for her benefit; the way they leaned closer as the show went on told her as much. Tsugumi was clearly intruding, invited guest or not. This was their time, not hers.

As she finished her last bite of ice cream, she decided it was probably time to go. Waiting for the show to end, she finally cleared her throat.

"So-it's been super helpful-I really appreciate everything!" she said brightly, probably too brightly, but she'd never done well with awkward situations. "I have a lot to think about, thank you!"

"You don't have any more questions?" Maka was frowning her way.

"Um, no? I mean." She fiddled with her fingers. "I might-think of some later. If I do, I'll call you or something, if that's okay?"

"Of course, any time!" the meister said, smile wide. The combination of genuine kindness, genuine warmth, with the power, the deadliness she knew lurked beneath that smile still left Tsugumi awestruck. Starstruck, even. "You have my number, so just text or call, I'd be happy to help!"

Nodding, Tsugumi stood, still feeling awkward. Soul was just staring at her, his face looking as bored as always. Even with the times she'd seen him more comfortable, seen his facade crumble to reveal the almost normal teenaged boy underneath like today, he still made her nervous. He was just so aloof most of the time. Even if sometimes he wasn't. Even if she knew it was at least partially for show.

"Er, anyway, I should go-Anya and Meme-uhh-"

"You sure you don't have other questions?" Soul cut her off. "It's a big decision, and Maka loves being helpful and shit, and well, you're already here. I know what it's like to feel like you don't know what the hell's going on, so you don't have to worry you're bugging us or whatever. Seriously."

Unable to keep the surprise off her face, she shook her head in vigorous denial. "Oh, uh, thanks!" Her voice was still too bright. "You guys have given me a lot to think about, and I just-need to consider it all, you know? But I promise, I'll ask if I have questions."

"If you're sure?" Maka looked concerned. Soul shrugged and moved his eyes back to the television

"Yes! I'm sure! And, uh, I really appreciate all the help. Maybe I can-treat you both to dinner sometime soon, to thank you?"

Maka was shaking her head, but before she could say anything, Soul blurted, "Sold! Name the day, I'm always up for free food."

He ignored completely the glare and punch to the arm from his meister.

"Really, Tsugumi, you don't-" Maka began, but Tsugumi cut her off.

"Have to? But I want to. If-" she realized that she had just interrupted Maka, Maka of all people, and pinked "-If, I mean, it's okay?"

As Soul subtly grabbed his meister's hand to give a squeeze, Maka sighed and nodded. "Of course, of course, it would be great! Thanks." That genuine smile reappeared, making Tsugumi feel like melting.

"Anyway," she said hurriedly. "I should go. So-um-I'll see you both around? Just let me know about dinner, and we'll work out a time."

Too nervous to wait for a response, she moved towards the door, waving with a smile before making her way out as Maka and Soul exchanged an unreadable glance.

If they did more, Tsugumi didn't see it as the door shut behind her. She let out a long pent up breath and began to make her way down the hall.

She really did have a lot to consider.

The halberd chewed on her bottom lip, her mind whirling. Time for more kinesthetic thinking. Soul and Maka and their partnership, being a weapon and what that meant and what she might want it to mean, her own partnership. Were they like Soul and Maka-her and Meme and Anya? Did she want them to be?

Ever since what happened with Shaula, Tsugumi had been content for things to be normal, only they never really were, not really. There was Crona then Medusa then Arachnophobia then Asura, and she had she stood on the sidelines wringing her hands along with most of the school as Clay and Akane and Kim and Jackie and Liz and Patti and Maka and Soul-friends and classmate all-risked themselves for all of them. It hadn't felt right, had always felt like-like she should be helping, like she should be stronger, like she could do more.

Tsugumi was a weapon and she was strong; even if she doubted it sometimes, she was strong. She was capable. Sid and Nygus both thought so. Clay and Akane both thought so. Maka thought so. Her meisters were both strong, too, and together they were a formidable team.

Maybe she'd come here to learn to control her form, to be normal, but now she knew she could do so much more. Like Kim and Jackie and Clay and Akane and Liz and Patti and Soul and Maka. Especially Maka.

And she wanted that, to protect people, to keep them safe. Her mother always told her, growing up, that it was up to her to find her gifts and use them well. She had a gift-she was a weapon-time to really use it, to sharpen her blade.

Soul had done it. Jackie had done it. Clay and Liz and Patti had done it. Tsugumi could do it, too.

Walking out the door of the building, she smiled.

A loud call of her name interrupted her thoughts as she made her way down the street and Tsugumi whirled, only to see Maka running her way. She moved so fast that it was startling. The meister came to a halt in front of her, not even out of breath from her sprint, holding something out in her hands like a gift.

Something small and shaped like a bear. Her purse. In her fluster, Tsugumi had forgotten it in Maka's room like an idiot.

Taking the offering, the weapon felt her cheeks go hot. "Oh my Death, I'm so sorry!"

Maka frowned, tilting her head. "Huh? Why?"

"I just-that was so stupid of me, and you had to-"

Laughing, the meister shook her head. "Everyone forgets their purse once in awhile, don't worry about it."

"Ah, I guess." She kicked at the ground, still flustered.

"Anyway, I was curious, too." Maka looked oddly sheepish and Tsugumi had no idea what to make of it. "I mean, you said you wanted to think, but I was wondering if you were leaning any way, or if you were close to making a decision." The way Maka was shuffling her feet, very much like Tsugumi had just been, appeared so strange that the weapon just shook her head, causing the meister to add quickly, "I mean, I know it's a lot to think about and it's none of my business, really, I just-"

"No!" Tsugumi blurted out, and Maka looked shocked, like she'd been hit or something. Oh. Because maybe Maka thought she was saying- "I mean, it's totally your business since I asked for your help, and I actually think I've made my decision. I have to make sure it's okay with Meme and Anya, but I think maybe I know what to do?"

"And?" The hopeful look on the meister's face was utterly endearing.

"Annnnd I think, I mean, I've decided I'm going to join EAT!"

The whoop followed by a huge hug had Tsugumi grinning ear to ear, and as Maka backed up, she was grinning just as widely. The halberd's heart soared, and somehow, she knew this was right, that this was the decision she'd needed to make all along.

A hand appeared on Maka's shoulder, and the meister turned, causing Tsugumi's eyes to find the Last Death Scythe, who had clearly followed after.

"So, you good now?" he asked his meister.

"Yup!"

"Great." His eyes moved to Tsugumi. "Welcome to EAT-you're probably gonna regret it in a month, but hey." His grin belied his words, and Maka punched him lightly in the arm, earning her a laugh and a shake of the head.

"Anyway," Maka said petulantly towards her weapon before turning to Tsugumi. "Congrats! Don't worry, you'll do great. We'll catch you later, okay?"

"Yep, later!" She couldn't wipe the grin off her face, even as Soul and Maka walked away, hand in hand.

She was going to join EAT. She was going to join EAT, and clearly, both Soul and Maka thought she could do it.

Yeah, she could do it. And who knew, maybe she could even do more. Her thoughts strayed to Soul and Maka again, to his wallet on the nightstand, to the subtle touches, to them walking away, hand in hand. They had found more in each other than just friendship, just partnership, that much was clear. Her pulse quickened. Sometimes, she thought she wanted more than partnership with her meisters, too, but she had always thought it taboo, impossible. Then again, Tsugumi had thought joining EAT was impossible, yet here she was, and if she could do that, if she and her meisters could follow in those footsteps, who knew what else they could do?

Maybe, just maybe, they could be like Soul and Maka. Maybe, just maybe, they could also have it all, the risk and the reward, the friendship and the love, the danger and the normalcy.

Maybe, just maybe, she wanted that, too.