Ahhh, yes I know this is a crack pairing – please don't hurt me! This came about mostly after watching episode 28 and enjoying the brief but rather emotional interchange between the two. It will definitely be multi-chapter which is always rare from me. :)

Also, I'm only current on the anime so if there are discrepancies, please forgive me.

I do not own Soul Eater or any of the characters therein. But I did get a super cute Maka figure at our last con – kawaii!

Phases of Night

o..O.o

It felt dangerous but he couldn't quite bring himself to retreat.

It felt right, though the road ahead was fraught with uncertainty.

But most of all, it felt like temptation and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to overcome.

o.O.o.O.o

After Arachne had finally been defeated, the horror of the Kishin's revival ended and Angela's safety once again secured, he hadn't quite known what to do.

For many long nights he'd pondered the decision, sleep becoming a distant memory. And it was the same this night, the hours creeping ever so slowly into that endless space between true night and predawn. As had become his habit, he lay awake and watched the baleful shadows flicker over the irregular stone ceiling, shifting in and out of focus. Exhausted, but unable to rest, his active mind had taken to spending the time meticulously analyzing every aspect of their numerous choices.

But there was one option that haunted him more frequently and more intensely than all the others combined.

It wasn't often that Mifune was unnerved and somehow she had managed to do it with a simple suggestion. Without even knowing him, it was as if she had seen straight into his heart, her compassionate words piercing him with their accuracy. He had told no-one of this, and yet this stranger – this girl – had pieced it together in mere minutes. All he could do was pray that she had some kind of special ability and that in actuality he wasn't that transparent. It really wouldn't do for a bodyguard to be so easy to read.

Irritated and restless, he flung the covers from his body and sat on the edge of the bed, resting his aching head in his hands. Although the weather was cool and comfortable, the evening breeze flowing gently through the curtains, a fine sheen of sweat covered him from head to toe. He knew the reason it was torturing him – and it wasn't just his potentially deteriorating skill as a samurai – in fact, that would be a relief. In reality it was much more sordid... disgraceful. The horrible truth of it washed over him anew, his stomach churning as he recalled the heat that had flushed his body, first from desire and then from shock.

Even now, warmth crept into his face at the memory. There was absolutely no doubt that he was indeed a depraved human being. A conclusion which was only further confirmed as an image of soft skin and sweeping curves flashed across his vision. Fisting a hand tightly in his pale hair, he willed the images out of his mind, hoping that the pain would override them, but the shameful visions stubbornly refused to disappear.

For all that he claimed to only want to protect children; he had become his own worst nightmare. With another painful clench of his heart, he sank back onto the bed, grateful at least that the lack of sleep also meant the absence of dreams.

o.O.o.O.o

After nearly four days of self-induced torture, he was completely exhausted but had finally made a decision. The only possibility for redemption was to confront his demon… or demoness in this case. Naturally a pessimist, it was difficult to remember that even though the chances were slim, it wasn't an entirely implausible scenario. In the promising glow of the early morning light it seemed almost feasible, though it could just be the sleep-depravation clouding his judgment.

But whether it was a good idea or impending doom – and he acknowledged the latter was much more likely – it was something he had to do. If there was even the slightest chance that the innocently seductive weapon was of-age he had find out. And if he happened to have an opportunity to talk with said weapon and determine just how she saw into his very soul… well, that was secondary.

Glancing out the window at the swiftly rising sun, he realized his young ward would soon be waking. And before that happened, he needed to figure out how to explain what was sure to be a harrowing journey – in more ways than one.

tbc...

A/N: alright, so there's the prologue... is it even remotely plausible? Love it, hate it - I'm curious to know what you think!