There was a burn on her soul. He could feel it every time they synchronized. Every time, it got just a tiny bit larger. Every time, Maka walked away a little less herself.

"Does it hurt?"

"Of course not, moron," she adjusted her grip, flexed her thin, strong fingers.

He waited for it to scar over. It was probably normal. They were greenlings, and new partners, so it made sense for them to be disharmonious, right?

They got older.

Went crazy.

Cut things into little pieces.

"Why isn't it working?" Maka gasped, clutching the handle, her voice shaking. He felt a tremor as the soul passed down his throat, evil brewing in his stomach.

"Stein said we were clear," he shifted back, landed on all fours and rose with cracking knees, "We synch, alright? It's fine!"

Maka passed a hand over her face, and exhaled. She shook her head. "I guess. Okay. Let's go back."

They got older.

Saw each other naked.

Tore holes in the air.

It never scabbed over, just grew, and hurt. Soul knew it hurt. He knew her right down to the marrow.

"A burn?" Stein repeated, "Oh, my. Do I need to lock the two of you in a room together?"

"It's not that. We got that. We're partners. It's just-I don't know."

"Hmm." Stein spun in his chair, "How long?"

"Since the start, I guess. When I became her weapon."

"Sometimes, if there's a great trauma-like rape, maybe-"

"I wouldn't. Ever."

"Oh, my," Stein rolled his eyes, "So melodramatic, Soul-kun."

Soul shut his mouth.

"Well, it's not a matter of incompatibility..." Stein rolled his cigarette to the other edge of his mouth, "Opposites tend to work together better, in any case. But something in her is rejecting you."

"You mean she doesn't want to be partners anymore?"

"Oh, no!" Stein smiled humorlessly, "She must want that quite a lot, considering how painful being your partner is."

He left, and found her blindly, without having any idea what he wanted to say or even how he felt. Angry, maybe. Ashamed. Hurt.

"Maka-"

"I don't care!" she yelled, little hands balling at her sides, "Mr. Stein told you, right? Well, screw him! You're my partner! I chose you, and I'd do it again! You were right, Soul. It doesn't matter. It doesn't. So don't think stupid things, alright? It's my fault, not yours. I don't want to talk about this. Can we go somewhere?"

But it wasn't alright. Soul looked away.

"You should have told me."

"I was scared you'd leave."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't."