Rooftops and Revelations

The footsteps were gentle in their approach, light, hushed like an owl's rustling wings. Maka Albarn spoke without turning. "I don't know how you put up with him, Tsubaki."

The older girl, Tsubaki, merely slid into place next to the brooding young woman, face placid.

"I've never met a more colossal idiot in my entire life," she continued heatedly, "and I live with Soul. Why do you let him push you around all the time, anyway?"

Tsubaki's countenance never wavered, though she tilted her head. "Ehh, do I? But, isn't it the weapon's job to be led by the meister?"

At this, Maka scowled into the twilight, legs swaying back and forth over the edge of the roof. It irritated her that she had been found so quickly. It irritated her even more that it had been Tsubaki's soul that had thrummed across her Soul Perception, and not-

She quickly derailed that train of thought. "Well, yeah," she mumbled half-heartedly, "but… he goes a little overboard sometimes, don't you think? Should the meister really be on some kind of pedestal like that? What if the meister is… wrong?"

The sky that evening was a splash of reds and purples, dripping into the horizon.

Then Tsubaki spoke. "I know he can be… kind of thickheaded sometimes, but… I trust Black Star with my life." At Maka's startled look, she allowed a small giggle. "No, really, I do! Yes, there will come a time when I get hurt and Black Star won't be able to do a thing about it. No one is perfect, after all; not even a boy who's going to surpass the gods one day." She smiled, small and neat, and yet her eyes glowed with mirth and… and something else Maka couldn't place... "But, you know, that possibility is worth it, if I always get to stand by his side."

Maka swallowed. "Do you think… do you think all weapons feel that way?" She hated how small her voice sounded just then, but Tsubaki's eyes only grew softer.

"Hmm, maybe not all of them. But the best partnerships, like you and Soul's…" She trailed off, leaving Maka with a strange tightness in her chest.

"And maybe," Tsubaki mused aloud, gazing as if into some distant future, "someday, Black Star will get hurt because I wasn't able to protect him. Either way, we'll bear that pain together. Because that's what it means to be partners. That's what it means to depend on someone."

"Tsubaki…"

"MAKA!"

The girl in question jumped, whirling around in shock. She had allowed her Soul Perception to fizzle out over the course of their conversation, not wanting nor expecting further visitors. And yet, in the span of approximately zero seconds, one irate Soul Eater Evans had spanned the entire length of the rooftop and she found herself immersed in a sea of blood red and gnashing white teeth.

"Damn it, Maka! Why the hell do you always have to deal with every problem by sprinting in the opposite direction? It took me nearly an hour to get away from Black Star, and then I ran into your damned father, and- oomph! Maka! Hey, wait, are you crying…?"

"No," Maka said with a sniffle, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He nearly rolled his eyes, his ire already forgotten; because already her tears were soaking the collar of his shirt.

"Psh. Liar." Ahh, that did it.

One muffled sob, and then another, and then she had her arms wrapped around his neck and he could feel her hot gasps of air against his earlobe and great, now he was blushing.

"Oi, Tiny Tits…" he rumbled, arms hovering over her back awkwardly. "Maka…"

"'M jus'so…"

"Hah…?"

She pulled away, and he felt his stomach drop (so un-cool) at the loss of contact, but then she peered up at him with green eyes glistening like he was the greatest goddamned thing she'd ever seen in her life and said, "I'm just… so happy… that you're my partner, Soul. I promise, we can depend on each other from now on, okay?"

Tsubaki's smile was a little too knowing for his comfort, Maka looked torn between further tears or further snuggling (he dearly hoped for the latter), darkness was at last beginning to settle as all the color slowly drained from the sky, and all in all Soul felt very much left out of the loop by whatever had transpired in his brief absence.

But that was alright, he thought, as Maka moved to wrap her tiny arms around his neck once again and Tsubaki seemed to fade into the very night, leaving them alone on the rooftop. She could rage and storm, run off, scare him to death, turn around and lift him up higher than he ever could have dreamed of. He allowed his arms to settle comfortably around her waist; she allowed her body to relax completely against him.

He wasn't sure how long they would remain that way. It didn't matter. As long as he could always stay by her side.

Soooo. Would you like some crackers with your cheese?

Yeah, I don't know what's wrong with me, either. Enjoy or something? :)