"I don't think I should ask." Soul said out loud, walking in the brisk dark morning to the academy. The only sounds that could be heard was the soft pattar of their feet on the cobblestone streets and the occasional chirp of early raising birds.
"You should ask and you're going to ask." Alongside him trotted Maka, fully awake and ready for the eventful day of meister/weapon training ahead of them. It was obvious out of the duo, she was the morning person and Soul was the night owl.
"Think about it Maka, they have no idea what I'd be asking them. Not to mention they still get nervous whenever we're alone together. It wouldn't work out very well." Soul explained, hands resting in his pockets.
"That's why you two should work it out together. If you explain to Crona how you feel, I'm sure they'll understand and accept." Maka beamed over to Soul, encouragement radiating off of her.
There was a pause of Soul considering the possible outcomes before answering. "Hmm, nah. It was an awful idea to begin with." He shut down the pigtailed blonde, earning him a good chop to the head.
"You're going to ask Crona out or I'm gonna ask them for you." Maka barked, glared at the weapon. She didn't show an ounce of sympathy for the bump he was sure to have.
"Ow, fine I get it! I'll talk to them after classes, geez." Soul replied through gritted teeth, rubbing at the now sore spot on his head. He made sure to leave a larger space in between them while walking, incase he enraged her again. If he truly was planning on going through with asking Crona on something as intimidating as a date, he wanted to keep his brain in working conditions.
Gradually the yawning sun could be seen over the horizon, casting the night sky in hues of burnt oranges and royal blues. The two students neared the impressive staircase leading into the academy, Maka taking the first of a thousand steps.
"So, where do you plan on taking them?" Maka asked, curiously glancing over to her partner.
"That's pretty presumptuous of you to say considering I haven't even asked anything yet."
"Call me hopeful then. It's pretty exciting that my two best friends could possibly start dating each other. I just wanna make sure you don't blow it."
Soul could feel his eyebrows twitch in irritation. "Thanks for the encouragement." Maka turned to him, smiling. "Anytime, Soul."
"To answer your question, I'm not entirely sure yet. Somewhere quiet, but not where we're completely alone. You got any suggestions?"
"Well you could always take them to the park?"
"That's so lame," Soul scoffed at her idea, "Like walking around for an hour trying to awkwardly find something to talk about is romantic."
"What about the library?"
"And do what, read together? I'm pretty sure you're just listing dates you would rather go on."
Maka scowled at the white haired boy. "Reading together would be a perfect first date! You could take turns reading different pages to each other, or help with studying. It's the act of just being with each other that counts."
Soul looked thoughtful for a moment. "The act of being together huh?" He whispered softly to himself.
They reached the top of the steps and the sight of more teachers and students came into view, smiling and waving their good mornings. Soul felt more confident then when he woke up, perhaps more so when he confessed to his meister he was developing feelings for the swordmaster.
Maybe he could do this after all.
All throughout classes Soul attempted to focus on the professors voices and notes, instead of all the ways Crona could tell him no. He came up with more than certainly was possible. The kishin reviving in the middle of confessing was the most unlikely of scenarios, yet rated Soul's worst outcome.
The fact Crona sat two seats away did little to calm his buzzing nerves. He greeted them as usual, but other then that brief moment they rarely talked throughout the morning periods.
He could hear Maka whispering to them, and everytime the pastel meister laughed into the palm of their own hand Soul could feel his heart skip.
He wonders if he could ever make Crona giggle the way Maka does.
He ended up walking alone to lunch with Crona, Maka deciding to stay extra and go over some of the pre exam packets Stein assigned a week ago. How odd she now all of sudden wants to ditch them to go over trick questions their teacher unfairly adds in.
The halls are relatively bare of students, most of which have already gathered in the cafeteria. Soul agrees to get extra for his meister, so she can at least eat something at the end of their lunch period.
Their pace matches each other, shuffling feet with his hunched walk. When he thinks about it, he straightens his back and tries not to overthink how it would be a perfect moment to ask.
"Maka sure is stressed out over the tests coming up. I hope she's okay." Crona's worried voice breaks Soul out of his train of thought.
"This is nothing compared to the exam we had at the beginning of the year. She'll be fine." Soul reassured.
"Are the tests really that important?" Crona asked, a worried expression on their face.
"Of course they are you moron! Why else would all these lame teachers be drilling down your throat about being prepared for them!" Ragnarok emerged from Crona's back, resting atop uneven cotton candy locks.
Crona griminced over the sting in their back and their weapons booming voice combined. "I've never had a school exam before, I don't know what I'm gonna do if I don't pass it."
"You'll get kicked out for real this time! They'll never let someone as stupid as you in their school again!" Ragnarok pinched at their meisters face, earning himself a slap (more accurately a desperate pat) in the process.
"Don't say stuff like that, it isn't nice. Besides, if I'm kicked out so are you." Crona defended themselves.
"If you're worried about passing so much, you can study with me later." Soul interrupted, hope swelling in his stomach at his sudden rush of confidence.
Crona looked over to Soul, hair unkempt over Ragnarok's antics. "Study together?"
"You usually do all your school work in your room right? I was planning to study at the library later after school, you're welcome to join me if you want." He lied through his sharp teeth.
"What about Maka?"
"I never study with her. She has this whole ritual when studying, it drives me up the wall. I like to do things at my own pace". Soul had a disgusted look on his face when answering the others question at the memories when she tried to force him to drink the peculiar green smoothies she made.
Soul's mind had the habit of wondering, and Maka asking him to sit still more then three hours on his own time just wasn't going to happen. Who even stretches for reading a book? Someone as extra as Maka, that's who.
"Oh, well if you don't mind it, yes. Thank you." Crona accepted, shyly smiling at Soul.
They entered the boisterous cafeteria, students from both Eat and Not crowding the tables. Regardless of the sea of students around them, Soul could easily spot their friends both in line and at their designated table, not bothering to wait for any others to begin eating.
"Cool, I'll meet you there once classes are over. I'll probably walk Maka home first, so don't freak out if I'm late." Soul explained, leading them into one of the shorter lines.
Crona simply nodded their head as their answer, silently stepping a foot closer to Soul. The students making them feel lost and claustrophobic. Soul offered some reassurance, making sure not to stray too far for Crona's comfort.
'The act of just being together.' Echoed in Soul's mind, proud of his miniature accomplishment. It wasn't anything grand, taking his meisters advice being simultaneously the most uncool yet smartest decision for him to make.
It wasn't a real date, so using that logic Soul shouldn't be able to fuck it up that bad.
The evening was quiet, with Maka starting on dinner for herself and her two roommates. Both of which were missing in action, with Blair probably not coming home until late in the night. Regardless, she was supposed to be sharing it with at least Soul.
She could hear the jingle of keys followed by the sound of her doorknob rattling from her place in the kitchen. She makes a mental note to fix it on chore day, Sunday.
"Welcome home." Maka doesn't really have to call out, considering the open kitchen and the fact that their shabby apartment is about the size of a shoebox.
"Thanks, sorry I was out for so late." Soul replied, slipping off his shoes while sliding off his school bag, leaving it at the entrance.
"How was your date?" Maka questioned with a sly smile, resuming her task of stirring curry in one pan.
Soul grumbled at her, "It wasn't a date. We went to the library and did homework. Agonizing."
"Well what did you two talk about?" Maka asked, taking some offence to Soul's whining about his regular assignments. Imagine if he choose to participate in any of the advanced classes, like she and Kid were in. Knowing Soul, he would probably Die.
"Algebra, mostly and soul study. How much of a nerd you are." Soul said the last part with a grin.
"Whatever, you can starve then." She whipped her head back to her cooking, but not before catching Souls grin turn into a pout.
Grumbling under his breath Soul started taking out plates, turning off the rice cooker and helping Maka in the dinner that hopefully wasn't poisoned.
"Are you planning on doing anything else with Crona?" Maka said, turning off the stove tops.
"I don't know yet. I thought about taking them to a music shop, but I'm not too sure if they'll be into it or not."
"I think that's a great idea." Maka reassured, catching on to Soul's melancholy tone. "You should buy them something soothing to help them relax."
"Knowing Ragnarok, he's going to try and break it."
"If you give him m&m's he'll do anything you say." Maka smiled, nudging at Soul with her elbow. "You should be excited about your highschool crush, not depressed. Aren't we supposed to be living out our glory days?"
"Yea, if I had any real chance. Besides, our school isn't necessarily normal. Any day could be our last."
"What makes you think you don't have a chance with Crona?" Maka demanded, ignoring that last part. Carefully she poured herself curry with rice onto a green plate with a frog sticking its tongue out (a gift from Patty) bringing herself and her unfinished argument to their uneven dining table.
She was soon followed by Soul with his own plate, grumbly sitting across from her. "I don't know, our past is kinda shaky. I'm scared of fucking it up."
"Soul.." Maka said sternly, "You're not gonna mess up something like this, especially when it involves Crona. I won't let you."
The crimson eyed boy laughed to himself. "Thanks, Maka. I can always count on you."
"Don't forget the essay for cell mutations is due on Friday. And for Death sake you're high schoolers, please don't forget to put your name on it. Class is dismissed." Stein called out, instantly slumping into his wheeled office chair.
Majority of the students ran out, happy to be free of the lectures, except of the few lingering still at their desks.
"So, what are everyone's plans for today?" Liz asked, looking at the others while shoving her papers in a miniature pale pink Gucci bag. The moment she set it down, Kid took it, instantly rearranging the contents.
"Me and Tsubaki are practicing with Mifune in the gym, you guys should come watch me kick ass!" Blackstar hollered from his spot, looking extra excitable.
"That sounds boring." Patty said challengingly, turning around from her seat to stare up at the star of the show. The workshop papers they were previously writing on were shoved in her pockets, along with the colored pencils she brought that day. Kid had to take a moment to breath and count to 8, pretending to ignore it to instead focus on the conversation around him.
"What, yeah right! I've practically already surpassed God at this point, you're just scared you'll go blind with how awesome I am!"
"I doubt that Blackstar." Kid answered, sneaking quick glances of the crumpled papers spilling from his weapons shorts.
"Though they might go blind just from looking at you." Maka chimed in from her own spot in between Soul and Crona. She looked smug with herself as she organized her own papers as Soul snickered beside her. Silently Kid sighed in gratitude.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, huh Maka!" The assassin yelled, glaring in her direction. Kid did not allow himself to glance up to inspect Blackstar's class assignments under any circumstances.
"Come on everyone, let's not tease Blackstar." Tsubaki's soothing voice managed to quit him down.
"Look at you, being a good partner." Liz said, smiling at the taller girl.
"It's mainly because I live with him." She answered, unable to contain her smile. The group laughed, except for the big man himself.
"Wow Tsubaki, never thought you would betray me like this in front of everyone." Blackstar said, faking heart break.
"Sorry Blackstar."
"Well what about you guys, got anything interesting?" Liz looking over at Maka's table.
"I've got nothing planned. Might take a nap." Soul answered, ignoring the pointed glare his meister sent at the mention of slacking off.
"I'm planning to head over to the mission board and go over some of the available ones for the weekend. Hopefully I'll find a good one." Maka said, gripping her fists.
"Well I wish you luck. What about you Crona, do you wanna hang out?" Liz questioned her last target.
"Who, me?" Crona asked, pointing to themselves. "I-I didn't have any plans, but um.." Crona stuttered, trying to figure out the best option to answer, before getting saved by Kid. "You can't hang out with anyone until you're caught up on your work."
Liz groaned, facepalming into her arms while Patty giggled at her misfortune. "Same goes to you too." Kid chided, ending her laughter.
Tsubaki stood from her seat, starting to head down the steps, "We should probably get going if we want to make it on time." She was followed by her meister.
"You guys know where to find me if you want to witness some real entertainment." The blue haired ninja peaced out, Tsubaki waving goodbye as they left.
"We should get going too. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow." Kid said, standing with his weapons.
"See ya."
"Hey Soul, before we leave should we do something about Professor Stein? He's been like that for awhile now.." Maka asked, staring at her teacher still slumped in his chair from earlier. He looked eerily like a corpse with his gray skin, but Maka guessed he might have just fallen asleep where he sat.
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him move once. You think he's dead?" Soul answered her, standing.
"Nah, probably just unconscious. You think we should lock up for him?"
"Who is willing to break into Professor Stein's classroom?"
"You have a point. You ready Crona?" Maka asked, extending her hand to them even though she knew they really didn't need help setting up. They took her hand anyway, smiling. "Yeah."
Maka, being the only one with enough courage, took off Stein's glasses for him, setting them down gently on his desk. They shut off the lights to the room, leaving only the back headlights on, to not encase him in complete darkness.
The group of three walked before stopping in a large hall, still partially crowded with students. "Soul's going to finish walking you to your room, is that alright Crona?" Maka asked, smiling at the swords meister.
"Y-yeah, I'm okay with that."
"Pick us out something cool, but where I can still sleep in." Soul requested, looking hopeful.
"I won't! See you tomorrow Crona!" Maka waved goodbye, entering the separating hallway.
Soul and Crona started walking down the opposite hall, about to reach the staircase leading into the dungeons below, where the half witch's room was located.
Soul's heart was pounding much faster then it should, but if he hesitates a moment mor