I know it's a day late but I'm super thankful for all of you, my readers. Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to all you Americans out there :)

That beautiful pleased little grunt reverberated against Maka's back as Soul settled in, his grip forcing her into that cozy spot that was becoming second nature. Even more surprising, he hadn't asked tonight, didn't hesitate at her door or wait for some kind of invitation. His steps had been slower, giving her more than enough time to yank the rug out from underneath him but her silence was acquiescence and it was rewarded now with him intertwining with her. "You have any thoughts while I was gone?"

She was already feeling too hazy, sucked into his warmth and the steady tick of his heart. Honestly, there hadn't been panic, second-guessing while she drifted around the apartment by herself. Instead, the thought came as easily to her then as it did now, "I'm going to ask Mira for some birth control."

Soul wheezed and just barely covered the embarrassing sound with the clearing of his throat. "Like pills?"

"Pills. She's given it to some of the other girls, so…" that came with a nonchalant shrug that rubbed against his chest.

A breath quivered through his teeth before he tucked his face into her hair, hiding the whisper there. "We… we have to talk about this."

"We said we would," she murmured as she stroked steady fingers down the arm that was tightening across her chest. "Would it be easier to make a video?" The end of that question withered, the words rising a pathetic octave.

"Can't have a conversation that way," he muttered.

Relief fluttered over her lips before she pulled in another slow breath to form easier words. "Are you OK with me going on the pill?"

"Not my body," he murmured as he squeezed her a little tighter. "I… appreciate it. Does that sound stupid?"

"No," Maka laughed softly.

"I guess it's a little less scary," he croaked.

"But still scary," she followed quickly.

He sighed, sending her hair fluttering against her neck. "Between that and the condoms it takes care of the pregnancy worry," his voice was so low, choking on something that he probably couldn't put into words, that if his mouth wasn't so close to her ear it'd be lost forever. "But…"

"What's the other fears?" This wasn't necessarily her expertise and she waited for the laundry-list that she always received from him: Soul, the keeper of a million and ten ways for anything to go wrong.

"I hurt you."

Maka started the practically impossible process of fidgeting to turn around in his arms because she needed to display the joy on her face, that know-it-all burn that she'd perfected over the years as a teacher's pet. "I asked about that!"

"Asked who?" he balked and to her relief, his volume was back.

"Marie," Maka nodded with surety, "and Tsubaki and Mira, too, but Mira more in the clinical sense than the girl-talk way."

Soul groaned, "Marie? I bet she told your dad."

"You already bought condoms in front of him," she grinned. "I doubt he's in the dark anymore."

"Right," Soul huffed, "but…" A few horrible scenarios attempted to hijack his brain, forcing him off into blackout territory before he sucked in a breath, eyes focusing back on her. "It won't hurt?"

"It can be uncomfortable," Maka's eyebrows furrowed, "but it would only hurt if something's not right, like a medical problem." She nibbled on her lip before letting it split for a laugh, fueled by the ridiculousness of her own blush.

"What's funny about that?" Soul grumbled as his hand dug into her hair.

"Not that," Maka leaned into his touch, forcing it to cover the color on one of her cheeks. "Just… you've never had a problem making me, you know."

He managed a snort of a laugh, his lips cracking into a smirk, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"So, that's what makes it more comfortable," Maka swallowed before attempting the word, "the lubrication keeps it from hurting since the friction-"

His laughter ruined the rest of her biology lesson, her lips puffing into a pout as he failed to quiet. "Sorry, sorry, guess that's just… OK, so it shouldn't hurt."

"No," Maka offered a sure nod but it melted away in the motion. All she had left over was a nervous jumble in her chest. "What about the melodramatic part?"

"I love you," he murmured before his jaw clenched on the idea.

"I know you do." She eased fingers over the tightened muscle to his lips, wishing she could just pry it from him. "But what about loving me makes this scary?"

Barely even a quiver of breath squeezed through his lips, "You promised me forever, Maka."

"Yeah, I did," Maka grinned even in the face of his lack.

"What if…" How could he quell that frantic beast in his chest? How could he be sure that as soon as the words came out of his mouth that the act didn't give them truth and legs to stand on? "The only time I ever thought I lost you besides, well, you almost dying," the words barely gritted between his teeth, "was that day and I hadn't even kissed you yet. I didn't know what any of this was like and I thought losing what we had then was enough to kill me but now?" His eyes sank desperately into hers, trying to read each last minuscule movement of her face. "Or after? I can't."

"That's fine," Maka murmured, "because I can't either. I think if you left me after we went through all of this to have sex I would probably murder you."

"Maka," he groaned.

"I'm not joking," she laughed dryly and let her eyes flutter down to his shirt where her nail was drawing a delicate pattern into the threads. "I'd snap like one of those ladies on TV and end up burying you in the woods somewhere."

Soul was still trying to breathe, his eyes searching over her face.

"Or maybe I'd go really crazy," her sigh was sweet and almost dreamy. "Hold on to your corpse and pull a Norman Bates." She was peeking up at him through her lashes, catching the start of a smile on his lips. "Talk to you and eventually go so crazy I'd hear you talk back. Mostly just grumbling about what outfit I put you in or how uncool I let your hair get." Maka tilted her head as the laugh came from his lips. "Or does hair fall out when you die?"

"Probably just end up as a balding corpse," he snorted. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

Maka hummed out the affirmative as she brushed her lips to his. "But it made you laugh."

"Yeah…" He ran a hand up the length of her arm to her shoulder and then let it drift back down again to connect the dots on a few errant freckles. "Thanks," he murmured.

"So, no, no sex and breaking up." Maka curled in closer to him, hiding her face against his neck and encouraging a deeper tangle by hooking her leg over his. "Do you… want to hear what I'm worried about?"

"Yeah, of course," he replied hoarsely, the fingers of one hand already starting to work through her hair while the other clutched her closer.

Do it, Maka! You started it, you opened the door, so let it spill. Be a good example at the very least. "What if after… what if it's not enough?"

"For you?"

"No, for you," she let out a trembling sigh against his neck as she clutched her hands into his t-shirt. "What if… it's not good enough and you want something more or something else?"

"Or someone else," he murmured, driving a nail right into her heart.

"Someone else," she echoed weakly.

Soul sighed deeply before she felt his lips touch her hairline. "I've never thought about anyone else," he whispered without much inflection, just that slow, steadiness that always defined him. "Before, even at the moments in my life where I was sure this would never happen my mind didn't wander. It was stuck on you, always stuck on you and I could give you a million reasons for it. There are just about a million of them." An inhale crept over his lips before he started again, "Was I just stupid enough to think you're not as scared of losing me as I am of losing you?"

"It's not stupid…"

"It is, though," he let out a sharp laugh. "Yeah, Maka, it's pretty stupid. You said it before, you feel like I settled. I definitely didn't, but that's something that's still eating at you. Like there's someone out there better for me. At the same time, I'm worried about the same damn thing, right? Thinking about how much you'll stomach before you realize you're too good for this." His hand sunk into her hair, pulling her head from its hiding spot so he could catch the start of tears in her eyes. "Maybe that's what we have to stop before we have sex. You and me, we have to stop doubting this, convincing ourselves that there's an end coming up because neither of us wants that, right?"

"Right," she answered shakily.

"So that's what I think. No sex until we can believe that, both of us."

"Deal." Maka sealed it with a kiss, her lips dying to linger over his except for one more whisper. "But today, Soul…"

"Yeah?" His fingers were already running through her hair, easing calm into her skin.

"It was really nice," she hummed out pleasantly.

"Even getting interrupted?" he chuckled.

"No," Maka huffed, "but us… and you…" She faltered, the blush on her cheeks bringing nothing but nonsense to her mind.

A smirk started to settle on his lips even as the nerves lit like fireworks in his stomach. He had already played it like a video in his head, wondering at a million different outcomes but as the sweet thoughts still sputtered off her lips he willed himself to action, leaving behind the anxious scenarios. Soul pressed against her, pinning that delicate body in the bed as his cheek rubbed against hers to bring his lips to her ear. "I'm glad because the way you taste…" he let out an aching, hot sigh against her skin and felt her tremble underneath him. "I'll never get enough."

The fire created that fulfilling kind of burn, the one where your skin tingled until almost raw, making up for the sting that his fingers were creating on her leg. "Hold still," he grumbled but it was impossible, the way the gauze tickled the inside of her thigh making her foot fidget involuntarily. His admonishment was half-hearted anyway, his mind completely elsewhere.

"The fight didn't go that badly," she chirped as she nudged his cheek with her finger, getting those fiery eyes to flash to her momentarily.

"Not sayin' it did," he muttered.

"Then?" She pressed again and he caught her finger, bringing it out of range and tucking it in her lap.

"I'm…" he paused to sigh, eyes lingering along the edge of the bandage. "Just let me finish this."

"OK…" Maka leaned back on her elbows, trying not to create the end to this conversation in her mind as her eyes played connect-the-dots in a sky full of stars. It was entirely beautiful, a scene not to be missed and she was barely hanging on to it in his silence.

Soul tucked the last of the wrap before eyeing her legs for any last nicks. Besides what he had already bandaged her skin was a clean, creamy canvas and he allowed for a momentary run of it with his fingers, watching with a modicum of pleasure as she trembled and sighed. "Maka…"

"Ready now?"

His nod was barely a dip of his chin, his energy concentrated on sucking in air instead. "Look, I'm afraid you're going to think it's lame."

"But you're so cool," she teased against her better judgment but was rewarded with a crack of a smile from him. "I'm sure it can't be worse than that poetry Kid tried out on Liz."

Soul snorted a laugh, "Guess not."

"So?" Maka wiggled her leg in his lap, trying to urge him forward or at least earn another run of his hands over her skin. She was almost instantly rewarded with both.

"We, uh… this has been kind of happening for six months now."

"Oh," Maka's cheeks burned, a delicate mix of loving his devotion and shame at her own forgetful nature. She hadn't been marking the calendar on this, just concentrating on the day to day.

"Yeah," he choked through another breath, forcing him to clear his throat. "And it's not a big deal, I mean, it is a big deal that we're together, but you and me, the partner stuff has been years, right, so six months shouldn't matter all that much but I…" Soul forced a huff as the heat crept up his neck, threatening to color his cheeks and ears. "I got you something."

"Really?" The starburst of excitement overtook everything else, a glowing smile hitting her lips even as the back of her head screamed that she hadn't even remembered the date let alone got him anything in return.

Her joyfulness didn't catch as Soul's smile stayed hesitant. He leaned back into the dust, grabbing at his pack and dragging it towards where they sat. After some digging, he produced a small, square box that jittered in his trembling fingers.

"Soul…" Maka plucked it away and his hands grabbed back at her leg. All she wanted was to desperately rip it open but she rested it in her lap instead, gathering up his hands and smoothing her thumbs over his knuckles. "Why do you think that's lame?"

"Technically we're at work," he grumbled. "And… I know what you like but I'm not sure this is exactly it since - I don't know - honestly, girlfriend you isn't much different from regular you but…" All he could add was a helpless shrug but that was entirely enough to compel Maka to action.

She scooted closer, sliding into his lap while his hands quickly moved to accommodate her. Her first answer was a kiss, tender and lingering as she tried to soothe that jangled buzz of his soul back to his regular hum. He was halfway there when she pulled away, giving enough room for the words to pass between them. "We're in a deserted forest under the stars after you saved my butt today and patched me back up. Even if this is work, it's still pretty romantic."

He only huffed with a smidge of conviction.

"And girlfriend me and regular me both appreciate that you even thought and remembered because I'm awful and I didn't." She sighed sweetly, especially as he shook a very forgiving head.

"That's fine," he murmured. "Just… open it, OK? Put me out of my misery."

Maka couldn't stop her eyes from rolling at the dramatics but offered one last wisp of a kiss to give him enough breath to watch her open the box between them. On a simple silver chain sat a singular wing, unfurled and ready for the wind. The metal was dimpled finely to show off each feather, such delicate detail that Maka had to squint in the firelight to catch the intricacies. "Oh, it's beautiful," she gushed.

"Yeah?" there was still a healthy amount of skepticism, but it was ripped to bits as she pulled it from his lips with her kiss.

This wasn't anything close to the feathery touch from before, stealing his breath away just as much as his sorrow. Her fingers clenched into his shirt, tapping at his sternum as she finally released his lips. "You're just… setting a dangerous precedent, Soul. If this is six months, what's a year going to look like?"

"Maybe one less gash on your leg," he croaked out a laugh.

"I'll take it." Maka pulled back enough that she could reach between them, taking the necklace out and clipping it around her neck.

Soul watched it settle against her chest as a soft, shaking sigh drifted from his lips. "I love you, Maka."

"I know," she murmured as she let her fingers press the charm into her skin. "I love you, too, and none of this, not any part of it was lame, OK?"

He didn't offer another word, just wrapping his arms tightly around her waist to cement her to him. His lips alternated between more sighs and thoughtfully placed kisses, hands clutching her tightly even though she showed no signs of letting go. "I did fine, huh?"

"More than fine." She hoped her fingers spelled the message as well, tender Morse code fluttering up and down his back.

Soul snorted a laugh, bringing goosebumps to her neck. "Think I earned you sleeping next to me under the stars?"

"Definitely."

"Let's go," he grumbled as he just barely relinquished his hold. He set about fiddling with the fire, setting it up to burn while they slept. As it roared, he wanted to blame the heat on the glowing embers but it was a healthy dose of the fact that the gift had gone over smoother than he'd ever guessed and the sight he caught when he looked over his shoulder, finding Maka arranging the bags opened one over the other instead of just side by side.

Another wave of relief washed over him as her needy fingers were grasping at him before he was even between the blankets, urging and pulling him quickly to her. As he settled, she rested her head on his shoulder and planted a few errant kisses on the cord of his neck. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything."

"You did," he murmured back.

"Um, well, unless I did it while I was sleepwalking, Soul-"

He caught the cute quip with his lips, his hand creating an aching slide into her hair to anchor her there for long enough to let him arrange the words. "This. Just havin' you because… I wasn't wrong. I know what you like - I know you, right?"

Maka narrowed her eyes at him but the fire only sparkled against his sharky teeth as that signature smirk ate up his face. "You do, but I don't see how that's a gift from me to you, technically, you did all the work for that, didn't you?"

"Nah," he shook his head softly. "You showed me I wasn't wrong. That's enough."

"I still don't get it," Maka muttered as she poked into his cheek. "Just what are you thinking?"

He let that enigmatic smile torture her, turning his eyes up to the stars. You just showed me that there's no way you're not completely mine, and that's the fucking sweetest gift of all.