Maka Albarn was not in love with Soul Evans.
It was just that he had just walked into their apartment after being dragged off with Black Star to Shinigami-sama knows where and according to the red eyed albino himself, he had absolutely no say in it because it was Black Star and they all knew that he wouldn't take no for an answer. He'd told Maka that he'd try his best and get away as soon as possible though, and from the looks of it, he'd managed to succeed.
And all of that was the only reason she'd stayed up at the couch with a fluffy blanket thrown over her, a book in her lap and a cup of hot chocolate on the table in front of her; watching as the hours ticked by on the clock with almost obsessive accuracy and no, she wasn't turning into Kid to see if he made it exactly on time. She was just curious to see if Soul would actually manage to get away from the eccentric and loud meister's clutches, that's all. Honest.
The fact that she had made a second cup filled to the brim with the scalding hot liquid and placed it beside hers on the table didn't mean anything.
The fact that she had made it a little less sweeter than hers and just the way he liked it didn't mean anything either. Actually, it did mean something. In fact, it just meant that she was a very good friend who always had her friends' best interests in mind enough for her to remember their preferences and how they liked their hot chocolate and that's all.
So when he walked in, she had calmly been scanning the words in her book and almost completely engrossed by it; but the moment she heard the door slam shut Maka suddenly found herself unable to focus. Still, she just forced herself to keep on reading because it was quite interesting to know if this particular weapon and meister pair would survive their encounter with a witch. Just because she and Soul had didn't mean that she wasn't interested in the stories of other people.
But as he walked into the living room and shrugged his black jacket off, the girl found herself putting her own white mug down after just having taken a sip and lifting his black one up, dark green eyes still set on her book as she offered it to him and why wasn't she focusing on her book?
Soul smiled almost lazily, but the sincerity behind it clear as day as he moved forwards, jacket swung over a chair (which he knew for a fact would get him scolded later) and reaching out to gently take the hot mug from his best friend. He took a sip, grabbed his jacket, walked past her because even if Maka was being docile for now he didn't want to risk it, and hung the leather piece of fabric onto the small hook before turning back to her and Maka found herself thinking back on the many stories she had read and she knew for a fact that this would be the precise moment where the love interest would lean down and place a gentle kiss on the main character's forehead before sitting down and oh my Death, what was she thinking?!
But, much to her relief (because that was what she was feeling, mind you) Soul just sat down beside her with a simple 'thank you' and placed the black mug beside hers on the table. Her eyes went to the two cups, and she couldn't help but notice how even those seemed to work perfectly together. Black and white, a pair, always.
Like friends, of course. The two colors were just inseparable friends and yes, she was comparing colors to their friendship. Get your head together, Maka.
Soul leaned over, eyes cast downwards at the thick piece of literature in her gloveless hands (were they shaking? Of course they weren't shaking, they had been closer than this before so why should they be shaking?) with an obviously disinterested expression, but he still had the mind to ask. "Whatcha reading there, Maka?" Just for the sake of asking and make conversation because it was the easiest way to just sit back and relax since this was Maka and he knew that just hearing her ramble on and on about how the plotline worked and little facts about certain characters would be enough to make him forget all of the bullshit Black Star had spat at him not too long ago.
He loved the little guy, he really did. And even if that alone did not sound cool at all; Soul wasn't afraid of admitting it (in his head, that is.)
Even so, Black Star was an annoyance. He knew it. Maka knew it. Shinigami-sama knew it. Stein most certainly knew it. Everyone at the DWMA knew it, and he suspected that even Tsubaki was aware of her partner's behavior but was just too kind to call him out on it. That, or her feelings blinded her enough for her to find his obnoxious manner to actually be endearing.
Maybe a little bit of both.
Meanwhile, Maka was struggling to answer a question as simple as 'what are you reading?'
Nothing, probably, because I can't think straight with you sitting so close for some reason.
"That interesting, huh?" Soul chuckled at her lack of response, leaning a little bit closer so his red eyes could properly see the words and Maka hoped that he didn't notice the way her shoulders stiffened or her breath hitched.
I don't know, I don't know, probably one filled with part action and part romance, or maybe it's just romance or just action. I don't know and it's all somehow your fault and don't ask me how or why because I don't know that either. Damn you, Soul.
"Maka?" Soul slowly waved his hand in front of her face to catch her attention and snap her out of whatever thing she was thinking so deeply about. He knew for a fact that if she had just been that engrossed in her book then this would earn him a Maka Chop for sure; but if she wasn't, then he'd like to know what she was thinking about because this was starting to get worrying.
Especially when she suddenly reeled back, wide and confused eyes spiraling with uncertain emotions as they met his concerned ones and she shot off the couch, calling a hasty 'I'm tired' before bolting for her room and leaving her half-filled hot chocolate forgotten on the table right next to his.
Soul blinked thrice, a little confused as to what in the hell just happened but deciding to drop it since Maka tended to act weird on the most random of times. He didn't mind, she was uptight enough for the both of them, so letting her weird side out once in a while shouldn't be all too bad.
And because of that, the weapon simply rose off the couch, grabbed her mug and headed into the kitchen. He opened the cupboard, pulled something out, closed the cupboard and opened the lid of the flask before pouring the scalding brown liquid into the thermos and leaving it to stand on the counter with the lid screwed on tightly; knowing that she'd find it there and take it with her in the morning.
Soul ignored the black cat wearing a stereotypical witch's hat purring and brushing her head against his leg while he turned and leaned against the kitchen counter, palms facing backwards and gripping the cold edges tighter as he sighed and leaned his head back; wondering on what to do next. He wasn't tired and soon grew bored. He had been content with just listening to Maka talk all night; had been planning to, in fact. But then she had to start acting all weird and simultaneously had thrown his plans out of the window now that she went and tucked in for the night a little earlier than normal.
And Maka just didn't know what to think anymore, because never before had she had this kind of reaction with Soul just leaning a bit closer and her mind was whirling with thoughts and thoughts and thoughts and it was driving her insane because she couldn't stop thinking about him.
In a purely friendly and platonic way, of course.
Because again, Maka Albarn was not in love with Soul Evans.
Maka Albarn was not in love with Soul Evans.
It's just that she was crying because he had - once again - taken a risk and shifted out of his weapon form to take the hit for her.
Again on his chest.
Again on a whim.
Again for her.
Again nearly cost him his life.
She was crying because she thought that she had gotten stronger by now, that she had been over this and that he wouldn't need to make dumb sacrifices like that again because they were a team. She was crying because she had nearly lost her closest friend for the second time now and she didn't think that she could handle losing him. And that was fine, because friends did that too, right? Friends had a sickening pang in their chest too when their friend got majorly injured, they felt broken and lost too. They felt incomplete too, right?!
The door handle of the infirmary creaked as it got pushed down, and Maka quickly wiped her tears and stood straight, face emotionless and completely void of any sadness, but red and puffy eyes betraying what she just had been doing.
Naigus stepped out of the room, the bottom part of her face covered in bandages but Maka could hear the soft, sympathetic smile in her voice as she called. "You're free to see him now if you want, Maka."
And because she didn't trust her own voice, Maka simply nodded with an obviously forced smile as she walked past the mummified nurse, hands trembling so hard she had to keep them in fists to make it less noticeable. Naigus watched the poor girl with sad eyes before sighing, those two, they really were going to get themselves in trouble sometime. Soul had been lucky twice in a row now, and their luck was bound to run out sometime.
Still, Naigus hoped that never had to happen for them and that the future would hold great things in their path; she didn't want to see them end up like many other students have.
Maka walked into the infirmary and shut the door behind her after hearing the clicking of Naigus' heels on the floor. She walked over to the chair beside her partner's bed and choked on a sob as she pulled it back and sat down, trying with all her might to keep her voice down so she wouldn't accidentally be waking him up. Tears weren't an option either; it wouldn't be long before word of Soul's injury got 'round and then Black Star would just kick the door down without warning and she wasn't just about to let him see her crying.
The scythe technician let her eyes fall on the deep red scar on his chest crossing right through the other, light pink scar made by Crona and forming an X shape and Maka nearly scoffed. Kid certainly wouldn't mind the symmetry once he had gotten over Soul's injury, that's for sure.
Her gloved fingers started acting on their own, reaching up and brushing the loose strands of white hair back in a gentle, caring and loving way. She kept brushing the hair back until she found herself softly massaging his scalp, smiling down at him with sad eyes as his breath hitched for a second before relaxing again, liking the feeling of her fingers in his hair even when unconscious.
Slowly, she removed her hand, only for it to slide down to his and grasp it tightly, fingers interlocked with each others and Maka had absolutely no control of what she was doing. Even if she had, it would still be purely platonic.
Because again, Maka Albarn was not in love with Soul Evans.
Maka Albarn was not in love with Soul Evans.
It was just that he had fallen asleep in her lap after a simply exhausting day and the both of them had just collapsed on the couch the moment the pair had walked through the front door. Soul had somehow ended up with his head on her lap and she had once again begun the process of gently combing her fingers through his hair and rubbing at his scalp as he groaned in content. It didn't take long for him to pass out after that, and Maka found that his soft snores were just a little bit too adorable to be legal.
He was mumbling nonsense in his sleep, and Maka traced the edges of his face with her ungloved finger - in a purely platonic way - almost as if in a trance. Her smile was gentle and loving, cheeks heating up just a little as he groaned and shifted in his sleep, arm loosely placed on her hip.
This was wrong, this was wrong, this was wrong.
Men were bad, what happened with her parents should have tipped her off on that. The way her Papa was behaving should've been proof enough that they were nothing more than shameless, good for nothing cheaters.
And still, here she was, in her home, letting one sleep on her lap while she lovingly traced his face with her finger and had somehow managed to throw a blanket over the both of them without accidentally smothering him with said blanket.
Soul whined in his sleep a little, grip on her hip tightening and Maka couldn't help but smile, raising her hand again to gently brush his hair back and trying not to enjoy the way he instantly relaxed too much.
"Maka..." He mumbled drowsily, and she froze, wondering if he had woken up, only for him to start snoring once again.
Was he...Had he just been dreaming about her?!
Maka's face lit up so fast it almost caught fire, wide green eyes staring down at her partner in surprise with her hand still buried deep in his hair. She knew that she should most likely pull back, that she should gently move him off her lap or bring him to his room. She should, but she wasn't doing anything like that. She just kept him there, arm placed on his stomach and unintentionally keeping him trapped. Trapped, like she was feeling right now.
He was dreaming about her, he had said her name in his sleep and he was actually dreaming about her.
Maka knew that she shouldn't be feeling as giddy as she was at the moment, but as her gentle smile returned and she slowly leaned down to place a soft kiss on his forehead; she realized something.
She realized she didn't care what she should be doing, didn't care that she should keep their relationship platonic.
She didn't care.
Because again, Maka Albarn was in love with Soul Evans.