** Hello! Thanks to anyone who has read this far! And thanks to those who had commented and favourited as what not! :-) You guys give me the courage to keep updating! Please let me know what you all thinkkkkkk!
PS... I don't own any of the Soul Eater Characters besides my OCs, Amaya, River and Taljin! **
A few days later, at school, Amaya walked inside with Stein, early as usual.
She waited in his classroom for a few minutes, and Stein sat down backwards in his chair, pulling a cigarette out of his coat pocket and setting it in his mouth gently.
"I wish you would quit smoking," Amaya told him, watching as he rolled over to his desk.
Stein gave her an odd glance, like she'd completely thrown him off guard.
"Half the time you have a cigarette in your mouth, it's not even lit," Amaya observed.
Stein didn't reply for a second.
"I've quit before," he finally said, not looking at her. He stared down at the papers scattered across his desk. "It didn't help."
"It might make you feel better," Amaya suggested.
"Smoking makes me feel better," Stein said, sounding angry. "I would appreciate it if you would stop trying to change everything I do."
Amaya was so surprised she couldn't speak.
"I do what I do for a reason," Stein said.
"Stein," Amaya breathed, feeling sadness crush her chest. She approached him where he sat in his chair and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She squeezed him tight. "I didn't mean to make you feel like I'm trying to change you. I'm just worried about you is all."
Stein didn't say anything.
"I'm just worried because smoking isn't good for you," Amaya continued to explain, her eyes squeezed tight, her arms wrapped around him from the side.
Stein bowed his head, his hair hanging in his face.
"I'll quit smoking," Stein told her, calmly.
"No!" Amaya exclaimed. "You don't have to! Keep smoking if it makes you feel better, you've had such a hard time your whole life, if smoking makes you feel better then you should be able to!"
It was quiet for a second, then Stein chuckled once, softly.
"What are you laughing at?" Amaya asked, lifting her face so she could look at his in confusion.
Stein just shook his head, not answering.
"Really, what are you laughing at?" Amaya was really curious.
Stein took a deep breath, and looked at her from behind his hair, his green eyes a combination of amusement and something else.
"I'm only laughing at myself," he replied finally.
Amaya still had her arms wrapped around his shoulders when Stein paused.
"You'd better go find Kid," Stein said to her. "I'm sure he's looking for you by now."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Amaya asked, slowly removing him from her embrace.
"Of course I'm okay," Stein gave her a small smile. "Don't be ridiculous. Go find Kid."
Amaya pressed a kiss against his cheek, to her own surprise, right on his stitches, and ran out of his classroom, panicking, without waiting to see his reaction.
She stopped outside the door, in complete shock, and pressed herself up against the wall where Stein couldn't see her.
Oh, god. She bet Stein really thought she was crazy now, if he didn't already before.
She should have at least given the poor man some warning. She should have at least given herself some warning!
Amaya inched her way back to the door and peeked one eye into the room, curiously.
Stein was just grading papers, his head down, not looking at the door.
He looked normal.
Didn't look like he was angry or even surprised. But Stein was a man who didn't show much emotion, and if he ever did, he recovered quickly.
Oh, well. She'd already done it now; she couldn't change anything.
Amaya turned and walked down the hallway, hugging her books to her chest.
Aside from the fact that Stein probably thought she was weird and bipolar, she had something else that was bothering her.
Kid.
Amaya realized that she was really starting to like Kid, probably more than she should.
And she found several things wrong with this.
One: with her Kishin father still running about, trying to kill off all her loved ones, Amaya worried about Kid every night.
For the last couple of days, she would be so worried that the Kishin would kill Kid in the night, she couldn't even sleep.
And every day at school, when he would greet her in the hallways, it would be as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
Two: Amaya felt extremely guilty for even becoming so closely attached to Kid in the first place.
Because of River.
Amaya had noticed how much River didn't care for Kid, when he was alive. Amaya had just assumed River wasn't used to them having other friends, especially ones that had any sort of interest in Amaya.
And maybe River had been a little jealous...
Amaya didn't know. But she had been feeling River's presence more lately. Not anything big, but sometimes Amaya just got the sense that River was so close, watching her.
She missed him, so much. Sometimes, when she felt his presence around her, she had the guilty notion that she had replaced River with Kid.
And that made her sad.
"Amaya!" she heard Kid's voice. She turned around in the hallway, and saw Kid walking to meet her, books symmetrically held across his chest. He stood straight, no slouch, and his yellow eyes studied her.
Amaya was so relieved he was still alive this morning.
Her shoulders seemed lighter once again, but she knew it wouldn't last long.
She felt herself smiling at him.
It wasn't fair. She really liked Kid, but she always felt so guilty after she finished talking to him.
It was as if her mind was cut in half sometimes.
"Hi, Kid!" Amaya exclaimed.
He stopped just in front of her and looked her up and down.
"Hello," Kid replied. "You seem particularly down today."
Amaya had greeted him in an overly-enthused manner. How did she seem down?!
"What do you mean?" Amaya asked.
"Your happiness today seems forced," Kid said, with a shrug, seeing right through her, in a way.
"Not exactly," Amaya replied, gulping against the anxiety that rose into her throat.
He saw the expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" Kid demanded, seriously, taking her arm and guiding her to the side of the hallway, where they could talk more privately.
"Nothing," Amaya said.
"Amaya, tell the truth," Kid responded. "I know something has upset you."
Amaya breathed out, and it was suddenly as if all her fears and worries came crashing down onto her now that Kid had pointed them out.
She felt tears prick the back of her eyes, but she held them back.
"It's just-" Amaya started, her bottom lip trembling, "I'm just so worried-"
"Don't be worried," Kid told her. "I promise everything will be alright. I'll protect you."
"It's not me I'm worried about. I'm so scared my father is going kill you in the middle of the night," Amaya reiterated. "I can't sleep, I just sit up all night, worrying."
She felt a tear spill over onto her cheek and hurriedly wiped it away.
Kid just watched her face, expressionlessly.
This was the first time she had cried in front of him.
He put his arm around her shoulder, comfortingly.
He seemed a tad hesitant, like he'd never encountered a girl who cried before.
"Don't worry about me," Kid told her. "I'll be alright. Liz and Patti are usually with me. I'll have backup if anything happens."
"Usually?" Amaya asked.
Kid didn't say anything.
"I feel so guilty because your life is in danger because of me!" Amaya told him, more tears spilling over.
Kid hugged her against his side tighter, his usually calm expression a bit pained.
"Don't feel guilty," Kid said. "I chose to stay with you."
Other students were starting to stare as they passed, but Kid just gave them pointed looks and they continued on their way.
"Please don't cry, Amaya," Kid told her.
Amaya wiped her face, trying to calm herself down before the madness started up like a dormant dragon.
"Would you like me to take you to my dad's?" Kid asked, removing his arm from her shoulders.
"No, that's alright," Amaya replied, taking a deep breath. "Stein's class starts in a couple minutes."
"I'll carry your books if you'd like," Kid offered.
"That's alright," Amaya replied, with a smile. "Thank you, though."
Kid nodded, with a returning smile.
Amaya stood on her toes and made to kiss his cheek.
But Kid turned his head at the last second, and kissed her lips instead.
She broke their kiss, surprised.
"Well, how did that happen?" Kid smiled coyly at her, ducking his head and looking at her out of the corner of his eyes.
Amaya laughed as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders.
"Let's get to class," Kid said, guiding her.
Maka walked up to them, with big eyes, her black coattails flying behind her plaid skirt.
"Amaya, Kid," Maka said, and they stopped to face her. "Are you guys... together?"
"Maka," Soul walked up behind her, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's none of our business. Be cool."
"I'm just curious, Soul," Maka defended.
"Maka!" Kid exclaimed, almost angrily. "Your ponytails are uneven."
He reached over and pulled one of them down to match the other.
"Don't try to get out of my question, Kid," Maka replied.
"We're going to be late for class," Kid said, and guided Amaya down the hall.
Amaya heard Maka sigh behind them.
Kid and Amaya were the first ones to the classroom.
Students were walking in behind them, whispering and giggling.
Stein was sitting at his desk, head down.
He looked up when he sensed their souls enter the room.
Noticing Amaya's red and tear-streaked face, and how Kid had an arm protectively wrapped around her shoulders, Stein gave her a confused and concerned look.
Amaya waved casually to him, as if telling him to forget about it.
Stein seemed to shake his concern off and prepared to take role.
...
It happened in the middle of Stein's class.
Amaya was perfectly fine at first.
She listened as Stein lectured about the history of some technique he'd been talking about.
Kid was sitting beside her, his left hand wrapped around her right, on top of the desk.
She wasn't even showing any sudden emotions, but the madness started ebbing into her mind.
Her mind was losing it's rationality.
She couldn't concentrate any more.
The warmth and strength of Kid's hand was the only thing keeping her sane enough to keep her mouth shut.
Stein's voice seemed to drone on and on. It was the longest class period she'd ever sat through.
With a glance at the clock, she saw that it was only 8:14.
It had only been fourteen minutes! It had felt like a lifetime.
Amaya's heart sank. She couldn't take the madness right now- not in the middle of class.
What if she blacked out and lost control? In front of everyone? In front of Kid?
She stood up suddenly.
Stein stopped talking and looked up at her, confused.
All the students turned and looked at her as well, wondering what was going on.
Amaya quickly walked out of the classroom, leaving all her books on the desk.
She ran into the hall, heading toward the girls' bathroom.
Amaya flung the door open and dashed into a stall.
The madness was overwhelming her.
She could feel the Kishin's presence, surrounding her, the evil trying to influence her thinking just as Stein had said.
All her emotions seemed to swirl inside of her.
She needed a vise- something to tether her to her sanity.
River.
The name exploded into her head like a firework. Like something to light her way.
"Amaya," she could hear River's voice somehow. Not in her mind.
In her soul. "Hold on to yourself. You can do it."
She gasped and hugged her arms around her waist.
She held on to herself.
Silence.
Everything was paused.
It all seemed still, like the world had froze solid.
The only thing that moved was her chest as she breathed.
It was so quiet.
"Amaya..." River's windy voice said to her soul. "It's ok."
Amaya's mind seemed to stop working as she listened to the voice she'd thought she'd never hear again.
"Everything is ok. Kid is ok..." River whispered. "His soul... Is pure."
Amaya's vision was blurry as her tears gathered in her unblinking eyes. She only stared at nothing, just listening. "You're strong..." River's voice continued. "Protect those... who protect you..."
Amaya continued to listen, but his voice faded away until it mixed with the sound of her rapid breathing.
"River?" Amaya whispered.
No response.
She finally blinked, her tears spilling over.
Why was it that she was always crying?
Amaya took deep breaths, and her heart finally calmed.
She returned to normal faster than usual.
When she was completely serene, she noticed something.
Someone was beating on the bathroom door. Frantically, loudly.
"Amaya!" Kid yelled.
Amaya was surprised because she'd been expecting Stein. She wanted to talk to Stein. Even though Kid made her happy, Stein understood more about madness scenarios.
Amaya stood up and opened the bathroom door.
Kid backed up a bit and let Amaya walk out.
The halls were deserted except for Kid, who was watching her with wide eyes.
"Are you alright? Professor Stein sent me to-" Kid said, but then cut off when he saw her expression.
Amaya watched Kid, and thought about what River's voice had said.
Had it really been River? Or had it been part of the madness, just her subconscious just telling her what she wanted to hear?
Either way...
Amaya felt that she had received a message somehow. If not from River, then from somebody.
Telling her that Kid was okay, and that his soul was pure.
What if the Kishin was projecting this into her mind to trick her?
Kid was alright, though.
Wasn't he?
She had to know for sure.
Amaya continued to watch Kid.
"What are you looking at?" Kid asked, softly. "Why are you so quiet?"
He sounded afraid.
Amaya watched him for another second, then ran at him.
He seemed startled at first, then confused.
Amaya wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his in an actual kiss.
Not just her lips touching his lips, but she reached her soul wavelength out and resonated with him.
Her soul attached to his, they became one soul.
When they had resonated to fight, they hadn't done so to explore each other's souls, or to find out more about each other.
She hadn't gotten a glimpse into his soul dimension.
Amaya kissed him fuller, and he put his hands on her waist to draw her closer.
Their wavelengths became one, and Amaya internally looked inside Kid's soul.
She could tell that Kid was aware she was doing this. She could feel him in her mind.
It was the downright most strange thing she had ever done.
She hadn't even known she could do this.
Amaya prodded further into his energy.
She sensed eternal good; eternal lightness. A kind nature; a strong will; a hidden excitement for beauty. His soul was linear. Symmetrical.
She could feel the speck of darkness inside of him that made him a reaper. The speck was all but engulfed by the good, but she sensed a flexibility within the speck.
Like the darkness could spread if he wanted it to.
Amaya felt sure that she could trust Kid.
She felt sure that the voice in her head was actually telling her that Kid had a pure soul.
She could trust him.
Amaya pulled away from Kid slightly enough to stop the kiss and stared past Kid's arm, in concentration. He was still holding her close, and he was breathing heavily.
How long had they stood like that? Bodies and souls connected, as they wandered through each other's soul dimension?
It couldn't have been more than a few seconds...
Amaya looked up at Kid, who looked surprised. His usually narrowed yellow eyes were wide with caution.
"What... just happened," Kid stated, his arms still around her waist. "Professor Stein will wonder where we've gone." He looked behind them but the halls were still empty.
Kid drew his gaze back to Amaya.
"Why did you do...?" he started, his quiet voice trailed off.
"I thought the Kishin had told me something..." Amaya explained. "But I guess it wasn't him after all."
Kid just looked down at her in confusion.
"Guys!" Maka exclaimed, running down the hall.
Kid quickly let go of Amaya's waist as Maka approached them.
"What is it?" Amaya asked.
"Professor Stein's class just ended," Maka informed them. "He wants to see both of you as soon as possible!"
Amaya looked at Kid, her eyebrows raised.
"Right," Kid said.