set after Eibon.

NEEDLESS
/pseudonymosity
Set after Eibon events. Maka finds solace in reality.
Her fears were and are all unnecessary.


"Oi. Are you finished cleaning yet?"

Her grip is simultaneously tight and light around the pole of the mop, as she twirls it expertly in a singular hand. Fingers curl and flex, thumb stretching out at right intervals. She inhales and exhales at the right tosses and turns, to keep balance and inner equilibrium. But even then - it's effortless and unconscious. And she's pretty sure she can talk to Soul and do this at the same time.

She does.

"Yup. How'd it go? I hope you didn't make her cry, like the others."

"Wh- How'd you know?"

"Soul," she sighs, "there was a girl waiting outside and we all saw how she just beamed the moment you stepped out."

"Oh. Eh... It...was a confession," he scratches his head awkwardly, "I dunno. I don't get it."

"Hm," she hums as she continues her smooth movements, "at least this one asked outside of the class. The others made you go all across the school, right?"

"Because your confessions keep hogging the balconies."

"I don't even have that many!" she huffs, "I'm not 'hogging' the balconies. Tsubaki-chan... Liz and Patt-"

"Alrightalright. Shut up, I get it. Are you done?"

She blinks and makes a few more rotations, before stopping her movements swiftly. She handsthe mop to him, wiggling her fingers at the shoes in his other hand. They make the appropriate exchange of items.

"Got your shoes while I was out there," he needlessly says.

"Thanks," she needlessly replies, placing a hand on his forearm for balance as she props a leg up behind her, to slip on her shoe. Her ankle is still slightly sprained; Kim was only able to quicken the healing process by two weeks. She's thankful, but a little regretful there's still healing to be done.

"Tsubaki was talking about a sale at the fish market," Soul shifts closer slightly, to help her balance in order for her to put on the other shoe.

"Really?" Maka perks up, "I was thinking of making fish for Blair, as a thanks for helping us out with Eibon. And we can invite everyone for a party since Kidd's back now. Hope we have enough time to make enough food for everyone, though. Probably should leave as early as possible."

"You're the one holding us up."

"Shut up," she glares at him, as she taps the toe of her shoe against the ground lightly to tighten the shoe's hold, "o-kay. C'mon. Let's go."

She smiles teasingly at him as she heads for the exit, "Unless you have more confessions to deal with?"


in retrospect: koreans have this idea that if you present shoes to a significant other - you're giving them permission to run/abandon you. but. soul didn't gift them to her. he just got them for her. 'cause he's whipped like that.