I do not own Soul Eater or any of the characters. Newly updated! Enjoy!

"A super-exam in two days?! I don't have time for this! I don't have time to study! But I need to be top of the class just like my mom! I can't take this pressure anymore!" Maka cried out as the tears began to course down her cheeks. Tsubaki, BlackStar, Kidd, Liz, and Patti all gaped at Maka. Soul looked almost as disturbed at his usually-level-headed partner's reaction. "Maka! Hey, wait!" He cried out as she blindly ran past him, swiping at her tears. Soul's shoulders slumped forward as he sighed, "That's totally not cool."

"Soul? Will you please make sure she's okay and then let us know if there's anything we could do?" Tsubaki gazed at Soul with concerned eyes. "Yeah guys, thanks." Soul slowly made his way home. She's the coolest partner ever, especially since she turned me into a death scythe, he thought, she'll make it through this super-exam.

His mind turned to another worry that was making itself known again. I wonder why she's been acting so weird lately? A couple days ago I said something and she reacted to it with extreme embarrassment. What did I say? I can't remember. Ever since then she's been acting almost shy around me. Almost like she has a secret she's trying really hard to keep. Why would she keep a secret from me, though? I'm her partner.

As Soul unlocked the door to their apartment, he heard nothing from inside. However, two steps into the apartment he froze for a split second as the sound of her sobs reached his ears. "Maka!" He ran into her bedroom only to find it empty. "Huh? Where is she?" Then he heard it again, coming from his bedroom. He ran to the door to open it and the image that greeted him will forever be branded into his memory.

His Meister, driven by courage to fight through her weaknesses, was curled in a ball on his bed, her hands knotted in fists and covering her face, her small body wracked with sobs. "Maka! What's wrong?!" He ran to his Meister, immediately throwing his body over hers to protect her and be close to her.

"Soul." Her hoarse whisper was rough with surprise. He tugged at her hands to try to see her face, but she resisted, curling up even tighter. "Maka?! Talk to me! Tell me what's wrong!" Her movements stilled slightly but her body still shook, and she turned her head to look at him. "Hold me, Soul, please hold me."

Soul's eyes widened in shock. Her cheeks were drowning in tears even as new ones burst forth, and she seemed to crumble a little. Without any further hesitation, Soul laid down next to her and pulled her to him, pushing her face towards his chest. Her small frame trembled convulsively and his arms wrapped around her tight to steady her.

"Whatever it is Maka, I'm not going anywhere."

Two hours later, Maka had cried herself out and fallen asleep clinging to Soul's embrace. An occasional tremor still shuddered through her body but there were no more tears. She finally slept. Soul's mind replayed the last couple hours trying to figure out what had Maka so upset.

If only I could remember what we were talking about that day! Then maybe I would have some idea of what's wrong. Soul closed his eyes and scrunched his forehead in concentration. Maybe if I try to recreate that day...

Maka had come into my room to bring me breakfast. She had started at the sight of my bare chest 'cause I had taken off my shirt in the night. I hadn't done that in a while but it was really hot. That couldn't have been it. After that she had blushed and handed me the tray with my breakfast on it. "Wow, five-star service Maka. You're definitely the coolest partner ever."

She left my room and I didn't see her again until we were about to leave for school. I remember asking her if that was a new skirt she was wearing. Her eyes had widened and she confirmed it. "Wow Soul, I'm surprised you noticed."

"I only noticed 'cause it's longer than your others." Maka had turned bright red and stormed out the door, dragging me by the collar. "Hurry up Soul, we're gonna be late." We weren't even close to being late but I went along for the ride. She was fine during our morning classes. Lunch was easy-going with all our friends, until we had ten minutes left of it. Oh! Now I remember.

"Isn't it sweet that Professor Stein and Miss Marie are having a baby?" Tsubaki had asked. Liz and Patti had dissolved into giggles and hysterical girl-baby talk I couldn't understand. "Oh please! It's just a baby! Everyone has them! Except for me anyways, I don't need a girl or a family." Classic BlackStar move right there. "I hear ya man, I don't need commitment to anyone but my Meister. I can go out and have fun with whoever I choose and not have it go any further than that."

That was when Maka turned bright red and went to class early. I'm glad I remembered but I still have no idea what's wrong with her. I hate not knowing how to help her! Soul sighed and she stirred in her sleep. Maka started to mumble and he listened to see if she would make any sense. "Tsubaki...you know don't you...you know how much...I love him..." What!? What is she saying!? Is she dreaming of talking to Tsubaki? Or is she reliving a memory?

"I...love him...I can't let him get hurt...because of me. Not again...not again." Tears were starting to course down her cheeks again as his stomach clenched and her words made me remember when he got the scar on his chest. A sense of foreboding settled into Soul's stomach, making it hard for him to breathe.

Maka started to breathe heavier and her face scrunched in pain as she screamed "Don't hurt Soul! I love him!"

As she woke from her nightmare, Soul held her tighter as the tears came again. "Maka, I'm right here. I won't leave my Meister." His head was spinning with what he had just heard, the words echoing and spinning around, becoming disjointed and senseless in his mind.

He closed his eyes to try to fight off the dizzy sensation, but in the darkness behind his eyelids, Soul started to piece together the puzzle of Maka's strange behavior. She was embarrassed when we were talking about kids and commitment because I said the opposite of what she secretly wanted to hear. Damn, she's such an idiot, why didn't she just tell me?! No, I'm the idiot for spouting crap like that in front of my Meister. That was so not cool of me.

When she heard what I said, she realized we didn't want the same things and whatever fantasy she had dreamed up popped like a kid's balloon. I'm such an idiot to crush her dreams like that. But it was so not cool that she kept all this from me, either, I had no way of knowing. What the hell Maka? After that she felt awkward around me 'cause she didn't know what to do without whatever dream she had dreamed up about us. I'm kind of curious as to what this dream was that messed her up so bad.

Soul reopened his eyes to find himself on his back with Maka draped alongside him, her head resting on his chest, crying her eyes out and soaking his t-shirt. "Maka are you trying to drown me?" She hiccupped in surprise and then gave a rueful chuckle. Soul grinned and cupped her cheek with his hand, stroking it's soft surface with his thumb. "You know for being so flat-chested you're kind of beautiful anyway."

MAKA BOOK CHOP! "Ow! What the hell Maka?! That was a compliment!" Maka turned away and sat up on the bed. He looked at the clock on his desk and read the time just as his stomach grumbled.

"Oops," he chuckled as Maka sighed and patted his stomach, her hand lingering a little longer than necessary. "Let's feed you so you don't wake me up tonight rummaging for a midnight snack." She looked up at him and half-smiled before scooting to the edge of his bed. "That's my Meister," Soul replied with a laugh as he squeezed her in a one-armed hug and lightly brushed a kiss on top of her head. Her eyes widened in awe and her cheeks blazed with color.

Soul pretended not to notice as he stood and pulled off his shirt in one motion, muscles rippling in the half-light of the lamp, his face was cast in shadow but his teeth were gleaming as he grinned at her. Maka's eyes scanned his slightly bulging biceps, defined pecs, rippling ab muscles, and the trim V leading into the jeans she washed every three days. She had never noticed how fit her weapon partner was. How did I miss something like that?! Soul took his time rifling through his closet for a shirt and turned towards her to pull it on. Having that kind of effect on a woman is pretty cool.

A thought gave him pause. Huh, since when did I start thinking of Maka as a woman instead of just a girl or my Meister? Damn, this could get bad fast. No commitments here other than a Meister and her weapons partner. A very cute Meister and no no no just a Meister and her weapon. What the hell did she do to me, this is so not cool!

Maka rose on unsteady legs and almost collapsed with a shriek when her knees gave out. Somehow she ended up in Soul's very warm and strong embrace instead of on the floor and she was very grateful. She turned her head up to thank him and realized how close her lips were to his. "Geez Maka, don't scare me like that, it isn't cool. Although, carrying you around kind of is. Supper, then?"