I have been ridiculously busy. Like ridiculously. I haven't updated "Damsel in Distress" in so long. I feel bad. Thanks so much for hanging with me so long guys! I really appreciate it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater

Your Hand is All I Need

"Tell me about your brother."

The moon shone full over the wall of trees that lined the road, and the winds pushed about stray clouds. Thin November air hung low and mingled with the scent of smoke and metal. Any hinting of pine were pushed back into the forest that surrounded them and Maka, not for the first time, shivered against cold asphalt.

"I'm pinned under a car and may bleed out on this street but you're concerned about my brother?"

"Yes?"

Soul snorted and the sound echoed about in the pocket of metal that both kept him safe and trapped him. The car that had collided with them was now heavily dented, and curved around Soul. It had twisted around a pole, crushing Soul's motorcycle between steel and effectively creating a metal cave that Soul had no chance of getting out of.

"Aren't you supposed to be an EMT or something?"

"An EMT in training, but there's nothing I can do. Not with this car on top of you. Besides, I can't even protect you from a car crash that's already occurred. I wish there was more that I could have done."

"You-"

"But then there's you, you absolute idiot. Pushing me off the bike. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that a few scrapes and bruises would be better than getting flattened by a car."

"I still don't get why you didn't jump off with me?" She tightened the hold on his hand that they had established through a small opening. It was just large enough for their intertwined hands. Her forearms scratched against metal if she moved too much.

"Like I said, I didn't think about it at the time."

"Ha," breathed Maka softly, "and they say chivalry is dead."

"Well, almost dead. It could very well be dead if the ambulance-"

She squeezed his hand tight enough to elicit a cry of pain. She felt bad and yet, couldn't find it in herself to be too upset. If Soul was joking, that meant that he was okay, that the crash wasn't that bad.

That he was alive.

"That is not funny, Soul."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry. Let me go." She huffed and started to pull away. Her hand had just left him when he snatched it back like it was a reflex. "I was kidding."

Maka rolled her eyes. The wreckage of the car creaked as another gust blew through it and Maka suppressed a shudder. "So your brother?"

"He's in New York for a show. He helped me move to Death City last year. I guess I feel bad that I never went to a show since I left home."

"You'll have the chance to," said Maka, looking at the opening surrounded by various shards of broken glass. When she looked away, it was an awkward craning of her neck down the road to where she knew the nearest town was. It had been her idea to leave Death City and head towards the camp grounds outside the city that she knew had a great view. "The ambulance is taking forever," she murmured. "You need to stay awake until they show up, okay?"

"I can try."

"No. You are going to stay up. They're going to get here and lift this goddamn car off you and both you and the driver will be fine." Ah yes, the drive who was still unconscious (but breathing). She hadn't been able to open the door that separated the man from the rest of the world but had checked his pulse through the broken glass window. Though unconscious, the driver was in the clear, and no amount of shouting had been able to rouse him. Not that she had tried her hardest, though. She did care but her heart and mind had been with Soul first and foremost. The driver was alive and she didn't dare try hard to get to him.

"Ever the optimist." Then, "I'm sorry."

Maka glared through the dark hole she knew Soul was trapped in. His face was obscured and she could see a little bit of his shoe peeking out from another opening. "Sorry for saving my life?"

"I mean, this whole accident thing. I never wanted this to happen."

"I know that."

"This is probably the worst date you've ever had."

"You'd be surprised," she said, "by the shitty things that happen on dates with me. Maybe I'm jinxed."

Soul went quiet. They'd never talked about her dating history besides the fact that she didn't go on many dates. Maka wondered if he regret asking her out. She thought the subject had been dropped before he said, "You're not jinxed. This might sound corny, but I'll take you on so many good dates that you won't doubt yourself again."

"That is corny," she sighed, whether it was more in exasperation or relief, she did not know, "but very sweet. I appreciate it."

"Ah, that is if you want to go on more dates with me."

"What a dork," Maka laughed fondly. "Of course I'd want to go on more dates with you. The night was going really well before...you know...this."

"That sucks."

"I know. If you weren't under a car, I'd kiss you."

"Really?" he choked out.

She hummed her consent and grinned. "You earned it. Besides it's kind of something I've been thinking of even before you asked me out."

"That's...a really good thing to know."

"I bet you're blushing," Maka teased and she giggled at his denial. They lay in silence and when the sound of sirens finally became noticeable, Maka allowed herself to speak again. "See? You are going to be fine."

"Maka?"

"Yeah"

"I think something is wrong."

"Wha-"

"I can't feel my legs, exactly."

Maka tried to force down the mounting anxiety in her chest so he couldn't her it in her voice. "You said you could earlier."

"Well I can't really move right now and I just realized that they were really numb. Like, really numb."

"That's not good, Soul, I-"

She started to sit up but Soul's grip remained tight and firm. "Don't go."

"I'm not leaving," she said. "I'll stay with you as long as I can. I promise."

"But-" She tried to look at him through the hole from which their hands were connected.

"Soul, do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then we'll be okay. I swear. I won't let go."

"Promise?"

"I promise, Soul," said Maka as blue and red lights cast themselves upon the trees. They inched closer to the crash and she held his hand with no intentions of letting go. "I promise."