Surprise, surprise... Something has been posted unexpectedly without notice that surprised you! Probably not... xD Well, enjoy my little souls!

"What's this Soul?" I questioned, hesitantly taking the simple white box with the elegant, perfectly bowed ribbon. Did he tie it himself? It looked too perfect to be in my hands, where it looked like it should belong in some kind of expert crafting magazine and he just happened to rip out the picture to make it magically 3-D. Blair might've helped, but she hasn't been home for almost week… Who knew that Soul had a talent for crafts of a sort?

Soul didn't say anything, meekly shrugging his shoulders in response. He avoided eye contact with me, unless there was something far more interesting about his shoes. I eyed him before looking back down at the box, tugging the silk red away from the white square.

Girl's Day isn't for another month or so, and surely it wasn't my birthday. Was it anniversary of some sort? It couldn't have been when we had that fated meet in the piano room, a pure accident that was the beginning of our partnership; I always made sure to keep that date locked in my brain. Soul never seemed to forget that date either. Couldn't have been the day where he consumed a witch's soul (a real witch soul and not a cat with an immense magical power…) Skimming through my memories and dates that I kept important to me, I couldn't think why the hell Soul was giving me a present today. My head started to hurt because what if I did forget an important date and Soul didn't?!

"You… Kinda need to open it Maka…" Soul whispered shyly, finally making eye contact. I tried not to stare to long, an open and unguarded look almost causing me to drown in those burgundy irises. I squeaked quietly with embarrassment, realizing that I had been blankly staring down at the closed box for a few minutes while being lost in my thoughts while he just stood there awkwardly, waiting for some kind of response. I quickly covered it up, ignoring the amused smirk from my partner.

"S-Shut up… I know that." I huffed back, sliding off the lid to reveal a pendent. To be exact, a little scythe pendent that mirrored my own weapon's, including his little red eye, the golden fringe around the eye, the dazzling red and black pattern, and even my stupid angel wings at the end; the wings I was so insistent on that almost cost us a fight a little while back. I stared at the almost mini form of Soul as a death scythe on the golden chain, carefully pinching the clasp of the simple, thin chain and lifting it up to admire it in its full length.

"Soul…" I uttered lowly, feeling tears prickle at the corner of my eyes; but what for? It was just a necklace from my partner; yet, it held so many memories by just staring at it. It was just a little gift, and I've gotten so many from him over the years. Why was this one so different that it clenched around my heart and tugged our souls closer, butterflies swirling in my stomach and my skin a heated blush.

"H-Happy Valentine's Day M-Maka." Soul muttered quickly, face tinged red as he avoided looking at me again, knotting a hand through his thick locks. I blinked.

"Valentine's Day isn't till a week from today Soul, you know…" I pointed out, thinking he must be mistaken on the date, but he looked at me unfazed.

"I know… But I needed to give that to you early. You should remember that I have a mandatory witch meeting with Kid this coming weekend. You know, being Death Scythe and all." Oh… Oh! That's right… Soul had brought up last month that he was to attend the next meeting, Mabaa requesting Soul specifically to attend instead of my father; apparently already irritated with his constant womanizing with the witches.

"R-Right… I forgot." I giggled, shrugging my shoulders. His lips quirked into his signature smirk, snickering through those sharp teeth of his.

"Figured as much. You typically forget these kind of days. I mean, you remember some of the stupidest things, but holidays just somehow slip that massive brain of yours." He said, eyes sparking with mirth and tease as he gently tapped my temple with a knuckle.

"Do not!" I retorted, puffing my cheeks in slight irritation. He humbly sighed with a very expressed shrug, hands out to gesture an unconvinced 'I don't know Maka.' I could practically hear his very voice echo the saying in my head and I crossed my arms with a pout. Soul seemed to notice my frustration with a grin.

"C'mon, you know ya do bookworm." He drawled the nickname longer, almost grinning ear to ear as I grumbled. "For Death's sake, you remembered the day I slipped on that fucking banana peel that Black Star tossed behind him at school, being fucking uncool in that crowded hallway as everyone got a free show." He reminded and I bit my lip to hold back from laughing as the image of Soul cursing with flailing arms as he fell backwards from the slippery peel.

"May 31st, two years ago I think… Papa, Stein, Marie, Hiro, Black Star, Patti- I even think Excalibur was there laughing at you too!" I said, believing it to be right as I slipped out a little chuckle. His smirk faltered into an irritated grin before he shook his head and then pointed his index finger right between my eyes, almost making them going cross.

"…See?" He pointed out, his snarky smirk growing to only my anger. He had a point…

"You remember stupid dates too!" I shot back. "You remembered the day I ran face first into a pole while running from a kishin! And that was years ago Soul." I barked, my face burning from the embarrassing memory.

"Hmm… November 6th about four years back; like, when we first partnered up." He snorted back his laughter, coming out more as a strangled chuckle. Suddenly, we were both caught up in the memory and I couldn't help but smile the slightest as I imagined how ridiculous I must've looked. "But that was complete karma for laughing at me the weekend before…" He growled out, rekindling a different memory for both of us. I bit the inside of my cheek as to not laugh as I recalled it fondly.

"You have to admit Soul, it was hilarious when you got your scythe arm stuck in that tree trunk… You sure had the strength to get yourself wedged in there, but you couldn't even pull yourself back out. We had to ask Stein to come help us out."

"God… And that was fucking horrible. It was like he was missing the tree to try to dissect me instead with that fucking huge saw…" He grimaced, shivering at the image of that madman scientist teacher of ours trying to hack at the tree, somehow catching a few strands of Soul's hair and leaving paper-cut slivers in his skin. He moaned and groaned about how those little slivers hurt, but I can think of worse; the worse 'sliver' he's ever received.

"It's not the worse that has happened to you." I reminded him, my smile faltering the slightest, but I tried my best to keep it real.

He didn't buy it in the slightest.

"Fuck- Maka, no. You know why I did that." He growled back slightly, trying his best not to snap at me, as he stood ridged. The image of that scar flashed across my eyes and danced on his chest, but I shook it off as I felt a dull ache in my soul.

"I know… But-" He quickly grabbed me by my shoulders, and instead of shaking me out of it with words like usual, he pulled me closer. Warm arms snaked around my back and crushed my body against his, my hands pinned in between with the box and pendent still in hand. Warmth spread across my skin like fire at the embrace, Soul's breath hot against my neck as his head hid there.

"I'm your fucking weapon Maka… And I'm always prepared to die for my meister." He replied, sounding so weak and raw as he tried to hold me closer. I leaned the side of my head against his, one hand slipping out and sliding up to his hair. My fingers raked through the silvery strands, his hair so soft and smooth as they slipped between my fingers. A habitual ritual that I used to calm him whenever he had a nightmare, or when I was hurt, or when he's slammed the phone down after his shouting match with them.

"I know. It just, scares me." I whispered, open honesty sounding just as raw as his words.

"Scares me too." We stood like that for a moment, relaxing at the comfort of being so close, our souls resonating calmly. Slowly he pulled away and looked down at me, eyes a darker shade than before, sending a tingle down my spine. I took a step back to calm my pounding heart, but not far from Soul as to offend him.

I glanced down at the box again and grabbed the pendant, handing the box to Soul. He held the box, looking at me with a gentle smile as I unclasped the chain, moving the two ends behind my neck to put them together again. I avoided looking at him, feeling my heart skip and soar at the tender expression, an ever so rare look from Soul. I peered down at the pendant that rested just below my collarbones, perfectly centered without slipping beneath the fabric of my top. It was perfect; he was perfect. I blushed at the thought, making sure not to spread that loving warmth through our souls. Don't need to be sending him weird signals he wouldn't return.

"Mm… So you like it?" He asked slowly, snapping my head up and making me want to smack him.

"Of course I like it Soul! I love it!" I assured him, sensing his soul relax. Why did he seem so nervous about it?

"Oh… I'm glad. I thought you were gonna think that it would be cheesy and dumb, so, yeah…"

"Well, I don't think so."

"You usually do, with all those cheesy and dumb romance… novels…" His hands instinctively raised in front of him, eyes wide as saucers. I blinked, realizing that a book had somehow slipped into my hand and was raised above me, ready to strike the victim.

"I take that back!" He said quickly, exhaling a withheld breath as I lowered the book slowly.

"Good…" I huffed, nodding in agreement as I glanced down at the beautiful pendent again. Sliding a finger down the shaft of the scythe (oh god, that sounded terrible! No thoughts like that Maka!) with a smile, I thought about how thoughtful Soul was to give me this for Valentine's Day. I hardly ever got gifts for Valentine's Day, compared to Soul who always received them from admirers of all sorts. Now that I think about it… Then, my smile turned upside-down.

"Maka…? What's wrong?" Soul inquired as he took notice, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder with a comforting squeeze.

"I didn't get you anything for Valentine's day…" I mumbled, feeling bad to have such a wonderful gift bestowed on me, but nothing in return for my partner. The fact that it didn't cross my mind, even after all the years I've spend with him.

"A-Ah, it's fine! I figured- I mean, you rarely remember Valentine's day anyway. It was just a l-little something to… show much I lo- like you, uh, b-being my partner, and… all…" Soul stammered out with a furious shade of red across his features, laughing lightly and running a hand nervously (out of habit I noticed) though his hair again. For some reason, I felt a different and deeper connection with the words strained out.

A Valentine's Day gift for Soul… What would he want from me? I slowly looked up at him, opening my soul completely towards him through our resonance. He blinked questionably at first, but slowly and only somewhat opened his to mine, our resonance thrumming in a heavy tune that only we could hear, see, and feel. He was never completely open, which I can understand, but this time I could sense another emotion. Something so raw and yearning, calling out to me loudly through the resonance, it was the only kind of music that we both could understand; one that I could completely understand.

"This… Kind of music is something that we made together right?" I ushered the same words Soul had told me that sweltering July afternoon, Thursday the 18th. The celebration of a new era, a new lord Death, a new bond with the witches; just a restart for DWMA and all of Death City's inhabitants. The same words he said to me, his fingers gracefully dancing across his piano leg for everyone hear, but those words uttered meant only for me. Soul's mouth opened, then closed, before opening soundlessly. At lost for words, he probably remembered that day as clearly as I could, but must not have thought I thought too much about it as I had stood up to try to distract myself and avoid looking directly at him. That day, forever engraved in our minds and souls; it was the start of our new partnership.

Up on my tiptoes in an instant, fingers curling into the collar his uniform jacket, I pulled him down and close, even closer than before. Lips on lips, a clumsy bump of noses more affectionate than uncomfortable, it was finally open; our feelings on complete display for each other. Soul's hand wrapped around my waist after a moment, a hand threading through my hair as he leaned closer to press his lips more eagerly against mine, tilting his head to slant his lips better against mine. Untold and pent up feelings for affection, lust, and love was finally shared with the right person. After a moment of kissing and slight groping, I slowly pulled away to gaze at Soul. His forehead leaned against mine, a soft smile that I realized was only and always for me reflected my own smile.

"This kind of music is something we made together; and it's the best piece I've ever chose to play."

"Better than my choice in techno trance?" I giggled out to break his cheesiness, his laughter uncontainable as he held me closer. It was contagious as I joined in, our souls pouring out mirth and passion over each other's.

"Better than that shit. Better than any other music I've heard; ever." Soul added, eyes sliding down my neck to my chest, his fingers reaching out to touch his gift and coincidently letting his palm rest on my erratic heart. I slid my hand over his, the beat the same as my own.

"Because I made it with you?" He scoffed at my question, giving me a gentle peck that held more warmth than any of the previous kisses.

"Because we made it together."

"I love you Soul Eater Evans."

"And I'll always love you Maka."

And together they continued to tap the notes of their melody on that invisible piano they shared; a love song playing in the open for everyone to see and feel year after year, after year, after year…

Happy Early Valentines Day! I hope you enjoyed this little short. ;3 It's always fun writing all this fluff between these two. Thinking about a little follow up to go with this short for actual Valentine's Day, but still deciding... Hmmmmmmmmm...

~soulfullySoulful

P.S. Also, I've signed myself up for Reverb 2015! Won't be posted till later, but keep your eye out for it!