There didn't seem to be an end to the small wonders– the little things that struck Maka about him with every new step. That moment it was the size of his hand and the way that it so gently and reverently cradled hers. He really does savor every touch, doesn't he? Her head tilted slightly to examine him, only to catch Soul already eyeing her. "What is it?" she whispered, carefully leaning towards him.

A soft tint of pink hit his cheeks before his eyes lingered out towards the garden. "Your hair…" His murmur stumbled clumsily off his tongue. "It looks different in this light." She reached her free hand to twist a tendril, trying to examine it until his fingers stole it away from her. "It's like… little pieces of you are different, and I keep wantin' to find each one."

He read my mind. The thought rushed over her with an intense wave of satisfaction. "We'll have more than enough time." She squeezed their connected hands.

She was close enough that he only really had to tilt his chin to sink a buzzing whisper in her ear. "When I run away with you…" Maka could hear the smirk in that, now feeling his fingers tease at the sensitive skin just above her collar. "But right now, let me walk you back."

"What– you don't trust me on my own?" she tried to bite back playfully, but his fingertips were making lines that forced all of her senses to fizzle.

He chuckled, which was nothing more than a tease as he pulled away rather than following that warming breath with another kiss. "Nah, just a love sick fool who wants to follow you around for a little while longer."

Her cheeks flushed. When did you learn to be like this? Or was this just another bit of yourself that you had hidden away? The side that could love and wanted so desperately to be loved in return? "I guess I shouldn't argue then."

"That'd be a first." He chuckled as her fist knocked into his chest playfully.

She slipped out of his grasp and off of the engawa, fixing her yukata back into place. "Let's go."

He hummed some happy little affirmative before he was sauntering beside her.

Maka felt the whiff of his hand trying to find its place, bringing a glowing smile to her cheeks. After last night, wouldn't he have some kind of permission with my body? But, no, he'd never… She sidled closer to him with the next step, letting those still tentative fingers touch at her waist before using her own hand to force his palm to plant. Her chin turned, catching his face but only seeing his grin. "Your mask…"

"Hm?" A little of the joy faltered as he touched a finger to the wood. "What about it?"

"Sorry–" Maka cut herself off with a dry laugh. "I just– I guess I got used to seeing you without it, so when it's on…"

"A little longer," he murmured. His steps faltered as all his attention went into whispering in her ear: "It's the first thing I want to burn here."

"Good." It's cliche, but he really will be like a phoenix from the ashes, won't he? Their steps steadied as he pulled away but still left the hand firm on her hip. The arbor was in sight, but a part of her wanted to slow, to linger in the early morning and the memory of all the joy that had been created in the moonlight.

It was as if Soul read that clearly from her face because as soon as they got underneath the minute bit of privacy from the overhang, he pressed her against it. The foliage tickled at her back as his lips found hers again. There was no urge to resist him, just melting into the divine way his hands clutched at her waist and tilted her to him. "Maka, I…" his murmur was hungry, leaving him only to break it with another kiss. "I was thinkin'…"

"Just now?" Maka couldn't keep the weak pants from breaking her lips. "I'm not sure I could think of anything right now."

He chuckled, hands rising to sink into her hair as he brought their foreheads together. "I know it was a rule, but… think we can break that one about me stayin' in the same room? With the engagement goin' so well, wouldn't it just make sense for me to come back to the house?"

Maka blinked at him, face reddening from the implication even though he'd just been latched to her a moment before. The rational part of her mind, still deeply saturated in the fervor of his kiss, took a moment to catch up. "It would only make sense if you'd moved back. W-we have to be together for, well…"

"Well, yeah," he murmured, nose nuzzling hers, "but… gotta be honest that I was more thinkin' about this."

"Yes," she whispered.

"Good." Another wisp of a kiss graced her lips before he pulled away. "I'll tell my brother today, and tonight…" That all too handsome grin was back, thankfully only flashing at half strength as he turned from her. He still offered his hand, letting her take it as he started the saunter from under the arbor.

While he led the way into the sunlight, Maka found herself overtaking him as soon as they hit the courtyard. His feet had actually planted in place, jerking her back a step and bringing her eyes from him to the figure standing before the engawa. "Crona?"

He seemed to be wincing from the sun, fingers itching along the skin of his arms with impatience. "Maka, I–"

"Maka," Soul warned right at the end of the other man's stuttering. His grip became firm, almost defensive as she sent questioning eyes back to him.

She leaned closer to Soul, trying to meet scarlet eyes that were so intent on the man in front of them. "Just give me one minute, alright? I'm not asking you to leave, but just stay right here."

That brought a crimson storm back to her, but Soul's mouth remained shut as he loosened his grasp just enough for her to wriggle free.

She took a few steps forward, the ghost of his hand in hers as she stood before Crona. "Crona, I'm sorry. I told Medusa that I wouldn't– us meeting without Soul just isn't appropriate."

Crona sighed, his eyes lingering over the earth to her feet. "I-it's not that. I just– why?" He took a step forward, hands shakily coming between them. "Don't you know? Don't you know it'd be easier if you just–?"

Maka resisted the urge to cradle those hands that seemed to tremble with fear. "If I what?"

Instead of that quaking voice, it was an oily darkness that spat from Crona's mouth. "Don't you know you're just a piece of meat now?"

"What?" Muscles clenched as Crona's eyes finally raised to her– but they weren't. They weren't his eyes, and every inch of her was sure that this wasn't the boy who'd sat across from her at tea.

"You coulda walked away…" His body slunk closer, less of a step and more of a slither. "But now, now you can't."

Before Maka could open her mouth, Soul was there, wrenching Crona's arm to the side and out of her path. "What the fuck did you just say?"

Those wild eyes opened wide, an impossibly endless grin cracking Crona's face. "You'll watch her die. You'll watch her get eaten alive, and all you'll be able to do is–"

Maka grabbed Soul's other wrist just in time, keeping his hand from connecting with Crona's neck. "Soul, stop! That's not him."

"It's comin' out of his mouth," Soul spat as he used the arm he had to try to pull Crona further from her. "Did you not just hear him? You think I can listen to that and not–?"

"Soul!" Maka cut him off firmly as she slid her hand up from his wrist to cover the fist that had formed. "Let him go, and stay with me."

Soul threw him to the dust, watching as it only gave the freedom for him to roll with cackles of dark laughter. He backed in front of Maka, pressing her with careful steps away from the madman.

"She'll die! She'll die! She'll die, and it's all because you couldn't let her go!" Another trill of laughter erupted before Crona started coughing in the dirt. The light tan of the earth splattered with black droplets.

"Soul, do you see–?"

"Yeah," he murmured weakly, still pushing her back until he heard her feet connect with the engawa. "Get Franken. Get him now."

"What about you?" Her hands were still planted firmly into his kosode.

"All I'm doin' is makin' sure he stays right there."

Her fingers slipped away slowly. "Don't do more than that."


Franken's notes were spread haphazardly across the table, scrawls of text blurring into the next line. His eyes flicked away as he heard the commotion along with the swift footsteps pounding in the hall. He had gotten to his feet by the time Maka rushed in, eyes wide and fists clenched. "Something's wrong with Crona."

The name was what surprised him, but he didn't bother to let it slow him as he moved past her into the hallway. This is either an opportunity or a tragedy. He brought a hand up to his temple, tapping there in hopes of kickstarting his brain. His next sight was Soul's back, tightly wound and still as it blocked the exit off the engawa.

"Franken?"

"Yes." He watched Soul's shoulder deflate slightly as he shuffled to the side. "And Crona?"

"In the dirt," Soul grumbled.

A peel of laughter broke any of the ease in the young man's shoulders.

Franken kept his momentum, easing down the steps until he was in the dust himself. Crona was indeed there, but the cackles seemed to be receding as the man pulled his knees up towards his chest. Franken got close enough to crouch in front of the pale figure, not able to catch eyes that darted to and fro. "Crona?"

"I-I didn't mean to." His voice was nothing but a weak whisper barely drifting on the wind. A shaking hand came up to his head, palm pounding against his temple. "They– they won't shut up, and–"

"Why don't you come inside?" Franken offered softly, hand flat and steady between them. "I think I can give you something for them."

Hopeful eyes shot to Franken's face, a hint of something that resembled joy flashing in those pale eyes. "Y-yes–"

"Crona."

Franken's eyes flicked upwards just in time to catch Medusa in the shadow of the bower. "Your boy doesn't seem well."

"He's fine," Medusa snapped. "Crona, get up."

Crona started to scramble, all hope gone as he struggled to his feet. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"You never mean to," Medusa hissed as he was now close enough for her to grab at. She snatched his collar, yanking him the rest of the way to his feet. "I'm sorry for the early morning intrusion." That reptilian smile slithered back over her lips. "I know how busy you all are. The wedding should only be a few weeks away." Franken watched her eyes focus over his head, narrowing back the house. "Isn't that right, lovebirds?"

"Crona–" Maka started but Franken raised a firm hand.

"His mother has him," Franken replied before locking eyes with Medusa. "And 'mother always knows best.'"


Soul sat stiffly– his only source of comfort being Maka's fingers as they nervously fidgeted with his own. "Franken," he grumbled.

"One more moment."

It's been one more damn moment for the past thirty! He sighed as he slipped a hand under his mask, popping it off to clatter to the floor.

Maka's touch moved from anxious to sweet, dancing across his knuckles to peter out a soft message. As he tried to concentrate on the caress, Franken finally turned from his desk.

"It's just what I thought." He tapped a vial in one hand, the liquid glowing a disgusting yellow. "It's the same."

"As me?" That creature clawed at his heart as he held his breath for the answer.

Franken tilted the glass. "Exactly."

See? A monster. You'll end up just like that– vicious, insane, deranged–

Maka's murmur broke through Soul's spiral: "Does that mean Crona's a weapon?"

"No." Franken turned back to his desk but his voice still rang clearly over his shoulder. "Just that whatever experiment Medusa was testing on Soul and his mother, she was trying it on herself and her child as well."

"But Soul's never been like that." Maka motioned out towards the courtyard. "He's never spoken like someone else or lost his sense of self completely."

Franken chuckled, turning just enough so that the corner of his cat-like grin could strike Soul. "You didn't tell her about the voice, then?"

"What voice?" Maka snapped.

"You…" Soul met those fiery eyes with a sullen smile. "You met the voice, remember? The oni– he talks. Sometimes a little too loudly."

"Met?" Franken swiveled, eying Maka with enough interest to dig down to her bones.

"When Soul was sick," Maka started to murmur but drifted off. She focused on his hand, gathering it tightly between her own. "I went to that room– the one where Soul dreams. I don't know how, but I was able to talk to the oni and see one of Soul's memories."

A delighted, thoughtful hum buzzed from Franken before his appraising glare settled on Soul. "And you remember this?"

"Sure. No different than you and me sittin' here."

"Interesting…" He leaned back, hand coming to massage at his temple again as he stared between the couple. "So, you and Crona have the black blood, but his seems to have taken a greater toll on his body. Let's ignore nature for a moment and wonder about nurture… from what I gather, your mother was good to you."

Soul nodded. Good's not enough to describe it.

Franken's smile turned bitter. "And we can surely suppose that Medusa was not."

"Which means if he was away from her–" Maka started in a strong gust, but Franken flashed a hand of caution.

"An idyllic hope," he murmured.

"I think it's fine to be idyllic," Maka spat back as she unsettled herself from her heels to lean towards him. "There's a good side to him. If we could just get him away– maybe even take him with us–"

"Maka–" Soul barely bit the complaint there. I'll sound like a jealous idiot, but– No!

"What?" There was a cornered quality to her now, an animal ready to bite as she snatched her hand away. "Wouldn't it be just as cruel to leave him here as it would have been to leave you?"

"Maka…" It was there, the captivity in those pale eyes that Soul couldn't deny knowing, but that same old beast reared in his chest. "How can you trust him?"

"How could I trust you?" Maka pressed back.

That was a slap to the face, Soul faltering in his lean as he moved more towards the wall supporting him than her touch. "Are we the same to you?"

Her eyes went wide, her hand reaching for him again. "Soul, that's not what I meant. I–"

There was a deep, dark swell building in his chest, bubbling up his throat. "All the time you spent with me, all of the things I told you–" That we did! All of it is the same as him? The last bit of poison brought him to his feet, away from her touch.

"Soul!"

He turned, reaching for the door to be anywhere but there. The last noise he heard as he barrelled out into the hallway was Franken's soft chuckle along with a mischievous coo: "Ah, young love."