A/N: Thank you for the all the wonderful reviews!
Sorry for taking forever, but with how this has been going: you can probably expect one chapter a weeks now... I write it during the week then edit and put it up here on weekend. So yeah, be patient with me please. :)
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Soul Eater or its characters.
Maka slowly made her way to first period, stopping by her locker beforehand.
BlackStar appeared beside her, Tsubaki following closely behind, "Hey Maka! Where's Soul?"
"At home. He isn't feeling well," Maka answered, taking a book from her locker and closing the metal door.
"Oh, I hope he feels better soon," Tsubaki frowned.
"Me too," Maka secured the lock and started down the hall, "I'm leaving at lunch to go take care of him after I gather all the work he's missing."
"I'm sure he'll love studying while he's sick," Tsubaki smiled sarcastically.
"I'll come by and make him feel better, okay!" BlackStar yelled in Maka's ear.
"I think you'll just make it worse and give him a headache," Maka groaned, shielding her eardrums from his obnoxious voice.
"Tell Soul to feel better," Tsubaki waved, "We need to get to class."
"Yeah, I will," Maka waved a hand over her shoulder, "Bye."
"See you later!"
Maka arrived in class as the bell was ringing. She spoke to Sid about Soul's absence and getting his work, before she found her seat.
"Hey Maka," Kid leaned forward to talk to her in the row in front of him, "Where's Soul?"
"Sick at home," she turned to him, "He didn't feel good when he woke up this morning so I let him stay in bed."
"Oh. He seemed alright last night," Kid brushed his bangs aside and Maka noticed he had cut the other side to even it out.
Liz joined in, "Is it that bug he had earlier this week?"
"I guess. He had a fever and didn't eat breakfast," Maka took out some paper for taking notes, "I'm still worried about him though."
Patti looked up from doodling giraffes on her folder, "Just make him some soup! That always helps me when I feel bad."
"He does need to eat something," Kid frowned, "Going days without food isn't going to help."
"QUIET IN THE BACK, PLEASE!" Sid yelled at the group chatting.
Maka swiftly turned forward and started taking notes.
First, second, and third period dragged on, and Maka was afraid she would never get home. She checked the clock every few minutes, expecting change. She knew she was worrying too much, but she couldn't help it.
Finally she walked into fourth period, explaining to Stein why Soul was absent. He frowned, asking if he needed to come by and check on him.
"No, I'm sure he'll be fine," Maka faked a smile, "You've already helped enough."
Stein narrowed his eyes but didn't reply.
Maka made her way to her seat and class started.
After the bell rung for dismissal, Maka quickly went by their remaining classes and gathered up any
work that needed to be done by tomorrow.
Marie gave her regards and also a packet of practice tests.
Maka bade her friends farewell and headed home, arms full of books and folders.
"I'm home," she called, watchful of her volume as to not wake him up if he was still asleep.
Maka set her books down and softly padded across the floor to Soul's room. She gingerly opened the door and peeked in.
"Hey," he mumbled, his back to her where he lay under the covers of his bed.
"Feeling any better?" She came over and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at him with concerned eyes.
"A bit, yeah," Soul glanced at her, "Bring me lots of work to do?" He grinned wearily.
"Yes, I did," she placed a hand on his forehead before she let it fall to her side, a frown on her face,
"Ms. Marie, Tsubaki, and the others hope you feel better soon."
"I feel popular," he fell into a coughing fit, taking a moment to catch his breath. Soul closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Can I have something to eat?"
"Sure. What sounds good?" Maka stood, adjusting her shirt.
He shrugged, "Soup I guess."
She smiled and shook her head, "Alright. I'll start on that. If you feel up to it, you should come in the kitchen."
"I'll be there in a sec."
"Okay."
She left the room and began making chicken noodle soup. Soul eventually emerged from his room and went in the bathroom for a couple of minutes before stumbling into the kitchen. He sat heavily in a chair and laid his head on the table.
"Here you go," Maka set the steaming bowl of soup in front of him.
Soul lifted his head and stared at the bowl with a weary expression, "Thanks."
"Please eat at least a bit," Maka put a hand on his shoulder.
"I will."
She sat across from him and picked up a textbook from the counter, patiently waiting for him to finish.
Maka peeked up at him still looking into the depths of the broth. He set the spoon down and laid his head on the table, an arm across his stomach.
"Are you okay?" She asked, worried.
"...no," he mumbled. Soul quickly stood, knocking over his chair and stumbling to the bathroom.
"Soul!" Maka ran after him to find him coughing up blood in the sink.
Red coated the basin, the warm liquid clogging the drain. He turned the handle and washed it down, wiping a hand across his mouth, "I'm fine. It's alright."
He sounded tired, breathing heavily and leaning his weight against the counter.
"Come lay down on the couch," Maka insisted, leading him into the living room.
Soul collapsed onto the cushions and smashed his face in a pillow, closing his eyes with a sigh.
Maka came in with a wet rag and some medicine. She knelt beside the sofa, pressing the cold cloth to his forehead.
Suddenly the phone rang, causing Maka to jerk her head to the sound. She stood up and took it off it's holder on the wall.
"Hello?"
"Maka. It's professor Stein. How's Soul doing?"
Maka glanced over her weapon, "Soul is really sick and he doesn't seem to be getting better."
"What seems to be the issue?" Stein's voice became a bit concerned.
"He has a high fever, isn't eating... and he started coughing up blood."
"Maka, who is that?" Soul called weakly from the other side of the room, lolling his head to look at her.
"It's professor Stein," she covered the receiver and gave him a sad look.
"Tell him not to worry about it. The medicine he gave me is helping-" he started a coughing fit, specks of red splattering on his hand.
Maka turned back to the phone and spoke softy so Soul couldn't hear, "Professor, what's wrong with him? I'm really worried."
She heard him let out a sigh on the other end, "Give it a day. Keep him on the medications I gave him. If he's not better by then, I'll come over and check on him. I presume he won't make it for exams?"
"No. Not in this condition," she paused, "And I won't leave him like this..."
"I understand. Call me if it worsens, other than that, talk with you tomorrow," the other end of the line went quiet and Maka was about to hang up, "Just be there for him, Maka."
He hung up, leaving the girl staring at the white-haired boy on the couch. After hanging up the phone,
she went to his side and squeezed into the open space beside his head.
"Maka?"
"Yes?"
He adjusted himself so she could sit fully on the cushion and laid his head back on her lap, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" She absently started to comb her fingers through his hair.
"For all this," he closed his eyes.
"You couldn't control this."
He swallowed, "I guess."
Maka leaned her head back and continued to play with his hair. Soon she felt his breathing slow and he started snoring softly.
She gently lifted his head and replaced her lap with a pillow. Maka returned to the kitchen table and finished her schoolwork even though she was sure neither of them would be present for exams tomorrow.
Soul slept through dinner and Maka didn't wake him; letting him rest. She brought her pillow and some blankets into the living room and curled up in the armchair next to the couch.
Maka cast one more glance at Soul before she closed her eyes and fell into a troubled sleep.
A/N: Like I've mentioned before; sorry for taking a while to update. I've been really busy and I'm not trying to punish you guys, okay?
Just a few more chapters! Thank you all for being here to encourage me. It really means a lot. This has boosted my self-esteem so much!
I have some other Fanfics in the works, but I also have some original stories that I need to get to. You can't become a famous author with FanFiction stories, unfortunately :P
If I ever get any other stories out there, I'll inform you guys.
Again, Thanks. And be ready for an awesome ending to Before I Die. :D
And by awesome; I mean terribly sad and depressing, haha, just kidding... maybe.