Intrigue

Chapter One: Safety Zone

"Hey Kid! Wait up for a second, will you?" Kid turned to look at the girl who had yelled for him to wait. Maka was all but sprinting down the hall towards him. He plastered his best smile to his face and prayed that it looked genuine. To be completely honest, he didn't much feel like smiling.

"Yes, Maka? Can I help you?" he asked. She smiled widely and somewhere in the pit of his stomach, Kid felt a strong tug, as if someone had tied a piece of string around his insides and jerked. That smile just wasn't fair. It was pretty, and of course, perfectly symmetrical. Not fair.

"Well… actually, I was just wondering if you would like to hang out after class… we have known each other for a long time… but we've never actually hung out, you know, just the two of us. Isn't that weird?" she said. A warning bell rang in the back of Kid's mind. He was a reaper. He was death. It would be stupid of him to get attached to this perfect, symmetrical girl. "Hanging out together" would be safe, wouldn't it? It's not she asked him to… okay, that's enough.

"I don't see why not. It couldn't hurt to do that." he said. 'Notfairnotfairnotfair.' His mind seemed to scream. The smile on his face seemed to be melting, or maybe it was just him, as Maka didn't seem to notice how it seemed to slip a little on one side. She just smiled brighter and said something Kid couldn't remember after it was said. He watched her retreating back and cursed himself. This was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid. This was why he always let himself be lost in the shadows of his friends. He didn't WANT to become close to them. He didn't want to have to see it. He hated the thought of watching those he became close to wither and die, while he hardly changed. It had been a few years since he'd met them. They had grown together more than he'd like. They were sixteen now… most normal sixteen year olds would be going out on dates and having sex in inconspicuous broom closets by now, but that was something he couldn't do. He could have impartial sex, he supposed, but that wouldn't be fair to anyone.

He continued to stand there like an idiot. He couldn't move. He was too busy being angry with himself for agreeing with her plan. "Are you going to class, Kid, or are you just going to stand there?" Kid jumped as he found himself face to face with Professor Stein, who was giving him the strangest of looks, that look that said 'I'd love to dissect you.' Kid smiled. It was always best to be polite.

"I apologize, Professor. I was just preoccupied with my thoughts, excuse me." He said, giving a slight bow of his head, heading towards class ahead of the Professor. As he took his seat between Liz and Patty, who thankfully, remained oblivious to his discomfort, Maka turned to smile at him. There it was again! That infernal tug in his midsection. At this point, he simply denied that it could be any more than the symmetry of that smile that urged such a reaction. Kid found it difficult to concentrate on what Professor Stein was saying. Too difficult in fact. He couldn't quite stop thinking about what was to come in less than an hour now. He kept catching himself staring at her, and was never certain why. He wasn't even looking at the SYMMETRY of her, no. He was looking at the way her lips seemed to pucker when she heard something that she didn't like. It was cute. 'Idiot.' He thought.

Somewhere in his mind, it seemed to register that there was a strong physical attraction to Maka that had crept in quietly, or at least, had crept to the forefront of his mind. Usually he kept those feelings under lock and key. They were painful if they festered too long, and forbidden to go farther than this. It was the only way he could keep the balance. He sighed. Their hearts were more important than his. Their time was fleeting; his stretched endlessly in front of him. He would have time to heal, so it was best if he were alone in his bitterness. He continued to watch her. She had changed in the past few years. She was no longer that thin, narrow girl she had been. No, she had indeed… what was a polite term? Hmmm… filled out, perhaps? That would do. His heart lurched in his chest as the bell pealed, telling the students that it was time to go. Maka leapt lithely from her seat and turned to her partner, Soul Evans. From where he was sitting, he could hear Maka telling Soul that she would be with him, and that she'd be home in time to make dinner. Soul just looked at him and grinned that grin he always did… the terribly asymmetric one that Kid could never quite hate. Soul nodded and slapped Maka a quick high five on his way by.

She stood there and waited while Kid gathered his things and told Liz and Patty to go on home. "I'll be home shortly." He told them. Liz ruffled his hair as she walked away and Patty just waved erratically and bounced away beside her sister. Kid smiled in spite of himself. Despite being a complete ditz, he did adore Patty's bubbly ways. Finally, he turned to Maka, who stood there, bouncing on the balls of her feet, looking like she was full of boundless energy. When their eyes met, he felt his heart leap into his throat, momentarily rendering him breathless. 'When did her lashes get so long?' he wondered. He'd never noticed it before. He smiled. "Where did you want to go?" he asked, trying not to make the situation unnecessarily awkward for her.

"Well… I actually was hoping we could just… take a walk. It's so nice out today." She said. Kid was yet again hit by that gut wrenching tug that plagued him whenever she smiled like that. It was dangerous. In spite of the danger he felt looming behind that smile, he returned the smile and gestured with a long, ivory hand for her to lead the way. She bounced away towards the door, turning back to look at him. 'She's acting like a little puppy.' He thought. While it was adorable, it wasn't necessary. He wasn't going to simply vanish like he wished he could at the time. She didn't have to keep looking at him like that with those beautiful, questioning eyes. 'Stop it!' he chided himself. Those thoughts were dangerous… forbidden, and yet… still they poisoned his mind. He thought them all the while as they walked, making idle chit chat. Finally, Maka turned towards him and smiled up at him again. Damn that smile… it made him feel things he never should, and think things he didn't want to think.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound as suspicious as he felt. She looked at him for a moment, her eyes boring into his in an uncomfortable manner, as if she were trying to read him.

"I was just about to ask you, actually. You've been so distant this whole time. What's wrong Kid?" she asked. He had to swallow several times before managing to dislodge his heart from his throat. What could he tell her? He couldn't be mean, not at this point. It was his fault that they were now in this uncomfortable situation. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He smiled.

"It's nothing. I'm perfectly fine." He lied. He couldn't tell her the truth. No… the truth hurt mortals and their delicate hearts. Maka frowned.

"Let's sit down. I want to get to know you better." She said, the smile resurfacing. Her words cut like Professor Stein's scalpel. He groaned internally. He wanted this. He wanted it badly. His heart was hungry for the companionship she offered, but he was terrified of it. His heart raced like a jack rabbit as they sat down on a bench. Kid tried to focus on something else, anything other than the girl next to him. She had turned so she was facing him, her knees nearly touching his leg. He frowned, and turned towards her as not to be rude.

"So… what did you want to talk about?" he asked. He managed a conversational tone. That was good, at least he didn't sound as conflicted as he truly was. She placed her finger on her chin in thought, giving Kid the chance to prepare his battered nerves for questions. He sincerely hoped they were simple ones, nothing too personal. 'Should I think of something to ask her?' he wondered. No, it seemed inappropriate for him to learn anything more intimate about her than he already did. And yet, he was curious. She took a breath. 'Here it comes.'

"Have you read anything interesting lately?" she asked. This surprised him, but he could talk about books for hours. They embarked on a short diversion, talking enthusiastically about the books they had read, and sharing their favorite parts. He learned her favorite were the classic romance novels, usually of European origin, while he divulged that his were the works of Twain, Poe and the like. She then said she found Poe's work a bit too dark and gloomy. He smiled. Had she forgotten who she was talking to? She had drawn a little closer while they spoke, her knees touching his. Even such an innocent touch sent his heart galloping at a break neck pace, his lungs working erratically, trying to keep up. "Are you okay? You're breathing kind of heavy." She remarked.

"O-oh! I'm fine!" he stammered. 'Damn. Please don't ask any more questions, just ignore it. Please, ignore it.' He begged her in his head. Her lips puckered, and she creased her eyebrows. He wanted to reach out and smooth out her crinkled features. This made him curse himself even more.

"Okay… well… let's see then… have you ever tried to dye over those lines in your hair?" she asked. Then, everything in Kid's mind ground to a halt. She… she must have thought he was such a pathetic creature. Before he knew it, he was in a crumpled heap on the ground.

"I'm such trash!" he wailed. "I don't deserve to live!" Maka looked on in horror. Hadn't he just been sitting next to her, calm as ever? She wondered. Then, it hit her. Symmetry. Of course. The stripes she adored so much threw off his symmetry. She chided herself. 'How could I have forgotten? Maybe because he's been acting so normal?' she wondered. At any rate, she'd need to act fast if she didn't want his neurotic tendencies to draw attention. She thought quickly. How did Liz manage to talk him out of these little fits? She sighed in frustration.

"No, no Kid! You're not trash. You're really great!" she said, encouragingly. He looked up, his face red and tear streaked. As ridiculous as it was, he actually was cute like that.

"How can you say that? I'm the lowest hound of hell! I don't deserve your kindness Maka!" Maka patted his shoulder with one hand, pinching the bridge of her nose with the other. That dictionary in her bag was seeming more and more like a good weapon against his 'issues' than kind words.

"Kid… listen to me. You've got more going for you than just some silly stripes in your hair… which I happen to think are adorable, by the way." She said, blushing heavily. Kid stopped. He didn't move, speak, or for that matter, breathe. Did she just put him, or at least a part of him, and the word 'adorable' in the same sentence? That tugging feeling was back. This time, it seemed that whatever was pulling that imaginary string was bound and determined to gut him. 'Oh no…' he thought. 'This is way out of the safety zone.' He forced himself to look up. She was still holding him by the shoulder, her eyes full of concern for him, and regret. "Are you okay?" she asked. He couldn't speak, so he just nodded. She straightened up, giving him room to stand. As he did so, he took notice of the adorable blush that had spread across her cheeks. He had to resist the urge to reach out and touch her cheeks. 'Your hands are cold. She wouldn't like that.' he told himself.

"I'm sorry Maka… I just… can't help myself." He said, grinding his teeth a bit. When he was younger, this had been a bit more…tolerable somehow. It hadn't gotten any worse, but yet… it felt more like it was suffocating him now. Then it had been impulsive, whereas now, it was compulsive instead. She smiled warmly at him.

"Don't worry about it… everyone has their little quirks, right?" she said. He blushed. 'She calls it little like it's no big deal.' He frowned. The girl must have been insane. "Anyway… I'm sorry. I forgot how upset you get over that." she said. Kid looked at her for a moment.

"You don't have to apologize for that. It certainly isn't your fault that every time something like that happens I have to throw myself on the ground and wail like a banshee, making a complete ass out of myself." He said. Maka raised her eyebrows. Kid hardly ever cursed out loud.

"O-oh okay. Hey! I just thought of something!" she said. Kid tilted his head, urging her on. "Um… since you're a reaper, and you're practically death itself… are you… you know… warm like a normal person?" she asked. This question took him aback. For a moment, he just stood there and gaped at her.

"Er… well… I… I don't quite know what you mean by that." he finished lamely. Did she want to… touch him? Was that her way of asking permission?

"I just wonder if maybe you're cold?" she asked. Kid smiled genuinely. She was so intuitive.

"I'm not… totally cold, no. I still have a working heart that circulates blood. My body is that of a human, it is my soul that is not the same." He explained. She looked at the hand he'd just used to gesture with, a habit he'd picked up for some reason. She reached out tentatively, looking at him warily before touching the back of his hand.

"You feel a little cool. Is that normal?" she asked, allowing her hand to rest more firmly on his.

"Y-yes… ahem. I have poor circulation in my hands. They're always cold." He said, blushing from the contact, though he could not deny the pleasing tingle that ran up his arm and shot through his body. He barely managed to contain the shiver that came with it.

"Oh. Okay, that's pretty normal." She said. Suddenly, she looked at the sky and gasped. "Oh, I told Soul I'd be home in time to make dinner! Crap. I need to go home." She said, looking at Kid apologetically. He nodded.

"Well, I'll walk you home." He said. She smiled.

"Thanks, that's really sweet of you, Kid."

They walked in a comfortable silence all the way to the apartment Maka shared with Soul. Kid was glad for the quiet. It allowed him to compose himself, and chide himself for his inappropriate behavior. He should never have allowed himself the pleasure of her company. Standing outside the door, Maka turned to him, all smiles and blush. "Thanks again Kid. Be careful on your way home." She said, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight, but warm and friendly embrace. For a brief moment, Kid felt like they were a puzzle, her fitting perfectly beneath his chin, between his shoulders, her cheek pressed snuggly against his collar bone. Her breath tickled warmly across the exposed skin of his throat as she pulled away. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" she said.

"Yeah… good night Maka." He said. Was that his voice? He didn't know anymore. He felt like a new person. That one hug sent all his composure flying out the window, ripping off his mask of indifference and disinterest in one fell swoop. She'd already said good night and closed the door, but he still stood there, confused by the thoughts rattling around in his mind. 'Move you idiot!' his brain screamed. It was only then that he managed to uproot himself and wander slowly back home. His mind was still hazy with thoughts that until now had been kept under rigid control. Now it seemed as if a dam had burst and all those forbidden thoughts flowed freely. It felt good to suddenly be normal and sixteen for once. He couldn't stop thinking about the way it had felt to have her pressed against him, the way her warm hands sent shivers of delight down his spine, which he hadn't bothered to hide. 'Idiot.' His brain said. Kid smiled. He didn't feel like an idiot. He felt wonderful. 'And that's why you're an idiot.' Kid stopped walking. He was being an idiot… he had broken the single, biggest rule he'd ever made for himself. Now he would have to pay the price… he would have to spend the night trying to rebuke all his feelings and try to reestablish his façade.

As he walked in the front door, Liz was standing there, smirking at him in the most infuriating manner. He simply looked at her with his eyebrows raised, waiting for her to tease him about what ever she'd found amusing at the time. "So… what did Maka need? You were gone for a long time… it must have been important." She said, her tone playfully accusing. Kid arched an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're getting at. We were just talking." He said, shrugging. Liz giggled.

"Oh, sure. I'm sure it's easy to talk with someone's tongue down your throat." Kid flushed.

"That is most certainly NOT what happened." He said, trembling slightly at the thought of kissing Maka.

"Mmmm… you sound a little disappointed. I don't blame you, but try to keep your hormones under control, Kid." She teased. He shuddered internally. It was her fault for bringing it up.

"Look, nothing happened. We talked. That's it, really." He said, managing to regain his composure.

"She really didn't do anything else? No touching, no hugs, nothing?" she asked, sounding a little upset. 'That chicken.' Liz thought. 'Everyone notices that Kid turned into a damn sex god. If he weren't like my little brother, I'd be throwing myself at him.' She continued to study the boy in front of her.

"Well… she did hug me before she went in her apartment, and she touched my hand out of curiosity, but that's it." He said, shrugging again. Liz seemed to practically glow.

"Oh really? See? Now was that so hard?" she asked. Kid sighed. Liz really was impossible when there was something she wanted. "Anyway, I'm going to call Tsubaki. You do whatever it is that you do…" Liz waved as she walked away. Kid shook his head and began climbing the stairs up to his room. Closing the door behind him, he leaned his head against the sturdy wood, his body going slack against it. With his eyes closed, he began to peel away layers of clothing that seemed to hold the stress of the day, as well as the traces of that one simple hug. 'It was just a hug.' He told himself. 'It didn't mean anything. She's your friend. Hell… she's hugged you before.' he repeated the mantra a few times before slipping into bed, trying hard to keep her face from popping into his mind, taunting him with everything that was Maka.

Maka was quiet throughout dinner. Soul couldn't help but notice that she seemed preoccupied by something… or rather, someone. He frowned. There had been a time that he was in love with his meister. But, he had since grown out of it. He could tell that it wasn't going to happen, and now that she was interested in Kid, the best he could do was prod her along so that he could see her smile. He still loved her, just not like that anymore. He grinned. This would be fun. "So, uh… Maka… what'd you talk to Kid about? You're awful quiet." He said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, nothing really. I actually was stupid enough to ask him about those stripes in his hair, and spent most of the time trying to calm him down. Although, we did have a pretty good conversation about books." She said. Soul laughed. Typical Maka. Talk to the guy she wanted to bang about books… but then again, it was Kid. Treating him like a chew toy wouldn't be the best idea, either. "Overall, though… it was very informative." She said, thinking about the coolness of his hands. They'd felt nice in the heat of the day, though his body had been warm.

"You look like you're thinking about him… it's kinda awkward." Soul said. In all honesty, it was a nice change from the usual Maka that wouldn't shut up at dinner… though he wasn't sure he really wanted to see her thinking about Kid… it was… creepy.

"I'm sorry… it's just… I hugged him, and I wonder if it was too soon. He was… a little shocked to say the least. He didn't even move. I wonder if I scared him away… oh God, Soul. What do I do?" she yelped. Soul rolled his eyes. No dude in his right mind would run away from a woman just because she hugged him.

"It's not like you pulled a Blair and shoved your boobs in his face, since you actually have some to do that with now." He smiled as Maka rolled her eyes. It was the truth; she had sprouted some in the last year or so. "Anyway… I really don't think you scared Kid away with a little hug. It's not even the first time you've done it. As for the shock, he probably just wasn't expecting it. If you haven't noticed, he's not the most physical person in the world; but I'm sure it's fine." Soul said, patting her arm reassuringly.

"Well… he sounded funny when he said good night. He sounded so out of it. I don't know how to describe it." She said, shaking her head. Soul snickered.

"Ever think that maybe he LIKED it?" Soul teased. Maka shook her head, blushing. Why would he… although it did feel good to touch him. He was so solid and warm.

"I think I'm going to turn in early… can you clean up?" she asked. Soul gave her a sneaky kind of grin and nodded. She shuddered. That smile said 'I know what you're thinking about, you perv.' Maka flopped down on her bed, pulling the covers over herself. She took a breath and allowed the sensations and thoughts that surrounded the afternoon come rushing back. Kid had become so… sexy, maybe? He'd been pretty when they were younger, what with his exotic eyes that were a little too big for his face and the cherubic pout of his lips, but now… he was simply stunning. It wasn't just his face that had changed. He'd gone from being thin and spindly to being lean and muscular seemingly overnight. She shuddered when she remembered the way his muscles had tensed when she'd embraced him. That had fascinated her almost as much as the smell of him. He smelled heavenly. Sure there was the smell of his expensive cologne and laundry soap, but beneath all that was the smell of his skin. She wasn't even sure she could describe the smell. It was a soft smell, somewhere between fresh baked bread and a really old book. It was nice. His hair smelled good, too, but she wasn't even sure what that smell was. She'd have to remember to ask him what kind of shampoo he used later. She sighed. She was far from tired, but yet she was afraid that getting up and turning on the light would frighten away the smells and feelings she was experiencing. His ivory skin had been soft and perfectly smooth, almost like touching a marble statue. She smiled. She wondered if the rest of his body was as nice as his hands had been, if his lips were as sweet as they looked. She groaned. This wasn't working. Thinking about him was making her crazy.

"I want to see him." She said to herself. She looked at the clock. It was only 9 in the evening. He might still be up… she could call. Would that seem too forward? She sighed, taking out her cell phone. She looked at it for a moment, wondering if she really should. 'The worst that could happen is that he won't answer.' It was rude to call this late, but it would be ruder if she used the mirror method. He had no choice but to answer that. After moments of contemplation, she dialed his number and hit 'call.' It only rang twice before his deep voice answered.

"Maka?" he asked, sounding wide awake. She sighed internally. Good, she didn't wake him up.

"I'm sorry to call you so late. I just wanted to talk for a minute." She said. She needed to apologize for earlier.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, sounding like he was listening thoroughly.

"Well… mostly I just wanted to apologize." She said, her cheeks coloring.

"For what? I don't remember you doing anything wrong." He sounded surprised, and maybe a little concerned.

"For… for all the touching and hugging… I know you like your space… it was rude to bust your bubble like that." she said, embarrassment taking over completely.

"Maka… you don't have to apologize for that… I'm not quite as standoffish as people think. It is true I like my space, and I don't like being touched by strangers but you're hardly a stranger, right?" he said. Maka smiled. That was true. They weren't strangers. "You can hug me if you'd like. I have no qualms with it." He said. She smiled. That was definitely an invitation. She could literally hear the smile in his voice.

"Really? You don't mind?" she asked. He chuckled.

"No, I don't mind. We're friends, right? It wouldn't be right if you couldn't touch your friend. Anyway… you should get some rest. We have some sort of test in Stein's class tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" he asked.

"Okay… hey Kid?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you wanna hang out tomorrow after school?" she asked. She just couldn't keep from asking.

"Sure. We'll talk more about it in the morning. Good night, Maka. Sweet dreams." His voice sounded different, and Maka shivered at the sound. His voice took on the richest, sugar coated sound. It was seductive, and Maka couldn't tell if he meant to or not.

"G-Good night, Kid."

Kid put his phone back on his night stand and sighed. He was in dangerous waters now, his mind reeling with everything that had come to pass that day. He shrugged. Maybe, it was time to rethink the boundaries a little. A close friendship was safe, maybe. He could stretch his 'safety zone' a little more to encompass that much, at least. With that thought, he let himself fall back on his pillows, smiling. His dreams were full of her sweet voice. Her touch was a little less innocent, their lips so close to touching it was maddening.