Soul watched as Maka stood on the balcony staring out at the city with a blackened Moon overhead. "Now who's brooding." He said making her turn and look at him as he walked over with two glasses. "I was wondering where you ran off to."
"I didn't run off." She said as she looked back out at the dark sky. "I was just thinking."
"About Crona." Soul said as he walked closer, he handed her a glass and leaned on the rail with her. "You know he wouldn't want you worrying about him." She gave a sad nod. "We'll find a way to save him and keep the Kishin from getting back out."
"I know. I just…" She sighed.
"I know." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she leaned into him.
"Soul." She said finally. "Thank you."
"For what?" He asked confused as he looked down at her when she pulled back to look up at him.
"For always being there for me." She gave a small smile. "No matter what happened or how much of a brat I was being you were still there. Thank you for never leaving me."
Soul smirked at her. "Cool guys never leave their partners even if they are being spoiled, know it all, annoying, little-."
"I get it." She giggled. "I'm sorry I put you through all of that."
He shook his head with a small smirk. "I'd deal with it all over again." She looked up at him with a smile making him grin at her. "No matter what happens I'll be right here, Maka." He saw tears building in her eyes before she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. It took him a minute before he wrapped her in his arms and hugged her back.
"You're the best partner." She smiled as she pulled away, wiping her eyes. "You try to keep your reputation but you really are the best person. Especially for a guy." She gave a little laugh.
Soul chuckled as he watched her dry her eyes. "Don't cry because of it." He said as he reached out to wipe a tear away.
"I just… after everything we've been through for the last four years… I'm glad you let me be your partner." She smiled up at him as he shrugged and leaned on the rail.
"Like I had a choice." She smiled happily at him as she leaned next to him, resting her head on his shoulder where they stood for a while longer. "We could just bale on this." He glanced over his shoulder at everyone still partying. "We've done our introducing and celebrating, they're just on overkill with this stuff."
"Yeah, I don't know how they're all still going." She said with a tired sigh.
"You want to bale?" He asked and watched her nod against his shoulder. "Let's make a run for it before we're caught." He smirked making her laugh as they slowly made their way out into the streets and passed the people still celebrating even there without being spotted and pulled into the festivities. Finally passed the party blocks they walked slowly through the streets back towards their apartment, Soul watching as she looked back up at the moon sadly. "Maka." He grabbed her arm, making her stop and turn to him. "I promise we will help Crona. It might not be tomorrow or very soon, but I will help you get him free."
She gave him a soft smile. "I know you will." She leaned into his side as they started walking again, both lost in thought about what they had been through and somehow managed to survive.
It was nearly one in the morning when Soul decided that sleeping just was not going to happen since his mind continued to think about how many times he and Maka had nearly lost their lives, and how much he still wanted to do. His mind continued wondering what would have happened if one of them or their friends had perished in the war or on any mission, and how much they would miss out on in life. With a frustrated sigh he opened his bedroom door to get a drink, only to find Maka on the couch curled up staring out the window with the television on low. She jumped and looked at him when she heard his door open. She didn't say anything, only turned back to looking at the television as she wrapped her arms around her legs that were pulled up to her chest.
"Can't sleep either?" Soul asked as he sat next to her. They had been having random late nights like this ever since they arrived back from the Moon nearly three weeks ago. It started out with sitting after a nightmare, discussing what they had survived and just sitting in each other's company and comfort. "You have another one of those nightmares?" Maka shook her head.
"No I haven't had one of those in a while." She said as she tightened her hold on her legs. "I just couldn't sleep."
Soul looked at her a moment. "Want to talk about it?"
Maka was silent before she sighed and looked up at him. "Do you ever wonder what you could be missing?" He raised a brow at her. "Like if you were a normal human what your life would be like."
Soul snorted. "I'd be forced into concerts and being in my brother's shadow as well as made to be nice and proper."
"Yeah but you'd be with your family and maybe be starting your own life soon." She looked away again. "Don't you want that? To have a life outside of the fighting and worrying and possible death?"
Soul sat silent as he thought about what she was saying before he shook his head. "No." She looked at him confused. "Because if I had that sort of life, I would have never learned of my own strength. I wouldn't have met you." He looked at her. "I'd rather face death down and be stronger together than to be able to have a life of fancy words and style."
"I don't want to miss out on life." She said softly looking away.
"Then don't." He told her simply. She was worried about the same thing he had been thinking about tonight. "Live your life and do everything you want to."
"You know it doesn't work that way in the academy. Being a meister is supposed to be my life. How am I supposed to live my life and be able to travel and see everything without being on a mission, or going into a fight knowing that I might never get to grow up and have a family of my own or if I do what happens if something happens on a mission and I don't come back?"
Soul listened and watched as she looked at him for the answers. He let out a soft sigh. "You need to live without regret. You want to travel, then do it, you want a family… well find someone who will put up with you." He smirked making her smile at him. "Do what you want and don't let anyone stop you. You're stronger than that."
Maka sighed and relaxed her hold on her legs. "I'm only stronger when I'm with you." She said softly. "I can't do anything without you." He watched as a small blush was starting to tint her cheeks.
He raised a brow, was she saying what he thought she was? "What are you saying?" He asked making her glance at him before down at her knees that were still drawn to her chest. He watched her face tint a little more as she shifted, struggling with her thoughts and words. "Maka." He paused. He had known since he took the attack from Crona, probably before that, that he had some feelings for her. Watching her struggle and grow only deepened them over the last couple years. "I know what your dad did to your mom. I know how that hurt you watching all of that, and I know it made you worry about other guys doing things like that…"
He trailed off as she shook her head. "I never worried about you." She again only glanced at him.
"And you never will have to." He said softly making her slowly look at him. "I would never do that, let alone to you."
"What are you trying to say, Soul?" It was her turn to be confused.
Soul paused as he rubbed the back of his head. "I guess the same thing you are." He watched the shock slide across her face. "I've thought about it a lot actually, and I realized a while go that… that I wasn't going anywhere." She faced him as she took in his words and meaning. "I'm not going to leave you for another meister, or some other life, or any other girl." Maka watched him a moment before she reached out putting her hand on his chest. "This scar is proof that I would rather be killed than live without you here."
"Soul…" She said softly as the shock and fear slid away from her features.
Soul put his hand over hers on his chest. "Since you asked me to be your weapon, it's only fair that it's my turn." She looked at him with emotional green eyes as he held her hand. "You want to experience all that we can of life around the academy, together?"
Maka stared at him, she still had that fear in her about what could happen, how things could go wrong. As she looked at his face while he waited patiently for an answer she felt her heart swell and beat a little faster, she felt her stomach twist and she felt the need to be close to him again. A small smile slid to her lips and she nodded. "I would love that." Soul smirked at her as she smiled brighter.
Soul grinned, happy that it was all finally out and that even though the actual words of dating, girlfriend, boyfriend and all the other words that went with it weren't said aloud, they both knew it was there. He reached out and pulled her to his side. "now that that's settled, put that show on you found last week." Maka laughed softly as she took the remote from his hand and started flipping through the stations, looking for the show the two of them had started getting into after a rough night of thoughts and worries and nightmares.