A/N: Hm, I don't really have anything to say here.
Enjoy. Hope you like it. :)
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Soul Eater or it's characters.
Maka awoke to the sound of harsh coughing. She blinked her eyes open and worriedly looked at Soul.
He was sitting up on the couch leaned over and spitting dark liquid into his palm.
"Soul," she threw the blankets off her and ran over to him, kneeling by the couch. Maka grabbed a washcloth and wiped it along his mouth.
Soul breathed heavily, closing his eyes as he leaned back onto the pillows. He swallowed a gush of blood threatening to escape and sighed.
Maka stood to go rinse out the bloody cloth, but a hand held the back of her shirt weakly.
"No," Soul pleaded, his arm falling uselessly to the side of the couch," Stay with me please."
Maka looked at him, "Just let me go get another cloth."
"Just until I fall asleep?" Soul had never looked this bad. Even when he was sick, he found time to tease her.
She bit her lip, "Okay," Maka whispered, giving in, "...Why don't you want help?"
He smiled sadly, "Because I told you. I'm going to be fine."
Maka didn't look convinced, but she kept quiet, not wanting to argue with him in this current state. She sat beside the couch with her legs curled underneath her.
Soul moved his hand back onto his chest, breathing softly. They stayed in silence for a bit before Maka spoke up.
"Do I need to take you to the hospital?"
Soul shook his head, "No."
She nervously bit her lip, "I should call Professor Stein."
"No, it's fine," Soul gazed sideways at her now that she was at eye level.
Maka grabbed his hand, gently rubbing her thumb across it. She leaned her head down against his side, "Please, Soul," she whispered, "I'm worried about you. Please tell me what's wrong,"she sat back up, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't cry," Soul brought his free hand to wipe a thumb across her cheek,
"Please don't cry Maka. I hate it when you cry."
Maka rubbed a sleeve across her face, "I hate it when you hide things from me."
Soul's heart broke at that, he couldn't look at her anymore, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. For everything."
Maka intertwined their fingers, snuggling her head into the gap between Soul's head and shoulder, and resting it on the couch.
"I forgive you," She said softly, not realizing the extent of her apology.
Soul smiled, his eyes closed. He gave her hand a slight squeeze, "Just don't cry. Stay strong for me."
Maka nodded into his neck.
She stayed there until she felt his breathing slow and he fell asleep.
Picking herself up off the ground, Maka went over to the phone and called professor Stein.
After a few rings, he answered, "How is he?"
"He's asleep right now, but he wasn't looking too good. He didn't want me to call, but can you come over?" Maka twirled the phone cord around her finger, twisting it into a knot like her stomach.
"I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm currently in the middle of an exam. Keep an eye on him, I'll be near my phone if anything happens."
The line went dead.
Maka frowned as she returned to Soul's side. She felt his forehead; It was way too hot. She brought over a cold cloth and set it on his skin, hoping to lower the temperature.
His breathing was shallow, barely whistling past his lips.
Maka's heart was beating fast, the knot in her stomach growing. She put a hand to his chest, faintly detecting a beat; slow and uneven.
"Soul, what is wrong with you?" She whispered nervously.
Maka didn't want to leave his side for a second, but she figured it was no good sitting there worrying. Standing up, she stretched out her limbs and grabbed a textbook and binder off the table. She sat down and worked for a bit, constantly glancing over at Soul.
Lunchtime rolled around, but she couldn't eat. She felt sick; that pit of concern was eroding a hole in her stomach.
Maka stood from the table and walked slowly over to the couch, kneeling beside it. She reached a hand to his forehead, but paused and moved her hand to hover over his mouth. No breaths of air brushed past her palm.
Heart racing, Maka pressed a hand to his chest, feeling for a heart beat.
Nothing.
"Soul!" She cried, feeling his neck for a pulse. "No..." She shook his shoulders,
"Soul, wake up! Don't leave me! Soul, a-ans-swer m-me," she trailed off.
Tears began streaming down her cheeks, welling up in her eyes and spilling over.
Maka shakily got to her feet, stumbling over to the phone.
He answered on the first ring, "Maka...?"
"...there's no pulse," she whispered. Her legs were trembling and she had to sit down.
"I'll be right there, alright? Stay calm and wait for me."
She nodded, not caring that he couldn't see.
Maka's lip was shaking and her stomach was beyond twisting. It was so tight that she could no longer feel it.
Tears blurred her vision, and she was grateful that she couldn't see. She couldn't bear to look at him. That lifeless body was frightening.
Part of her didn't believe it. He was just sleeping. Tomorrow he would be fine, and they would go to the park, then get ice cream.
BlackStar would be teasing him and they would race to the corner and back while Tsubaki stayed with her and smiled at their energy. It would be fine...
A loud knock jolted her from her wistful thinking.
Maka clambered to her wobbly feet and opened the door.
Stein strode in, straight to the couch, ignoring the girl at the door.
Ms. Marie followed through the doorway and closed the door behind her. She gingerly put an arm around Maka and when she fell into her embrace, Marie wrapped her in a giant hug.
Silent tears cascaded down Marie's cheeks at the sight of her student lying lifeless on the couch.
Stein nodded at Marie in affirmation that Soul was truly dead. Nothing could change that.
Maka clung to her teacher tighter, not bothering to wipe away the tears. Her lip was quivering, hindering any attempt at speech, so she stayed quiet.
Stein came and sat at the table, gesturing for Maka to join him. She slowly made her way across from him and lowered herself in a chair.
"He came to me about a month ago," Stein started.
Maka became attentive, wiping the back of her hand across her eyes.
"The black blood in his veins was threatening to take over and drive him mad.
He had already made a pact with the demon in his mind to stop the progressing of the madness; if he would give up his life in return."
"W-why would he do t-that?"
"He didn't want to go mad. He thought it better to die sane than go crazy. He didn't want to hurt any if you," he paused and pulled out a cigarette and put it, unlit, in his mouth, respecting their apartment, "So he asked me to help delay his death and ease it some. He didn't want anyone worrying about him.
Nothing could change the fact that he was going to die. He wanted to protect you."
"So... H-he knew he was dy-dying this whole t-time?" Maka fiddled with her pigtail, sniffling.
Stein nodded.
"Why..." Maka shook her head. Wanting answers that she would never find,
"Soul..."
Marie put a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder while Stein called someone on the phone to come get the body.
Maka's head ached from crying and she just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.
Soon, two men in white coats came in the apartment and carried Soul's empty body out. Maka watched her partner's head bob up and down as they walked.
She stared at the lips that she would never see smile again; those red eyes that would never open, and she felt that his soul was gone. No life emanated from him any longer.
Life was such a fragile thing. One moment it's there, the next it's not.
A/N: I haven't ever had someone close to me die, so this is a bit harder to write since I don't fully understand the emotion and feelings. Sorry if I messed it up.
Hopefully I made you cry, that was my objective, haha. :P
