A/N: A little warning in here. I have read the manga, but I'm not up to speed on it. I'm actually just where the show left off. So a lot of this is going to be speculation and a lot is going to be blatantly made up. I'll stick true to the characters as close as I can, and what I actually know… but other than that. Expect the story to be slightly AU after this and after this chapter expect it to get a little dark. ~~

Odds and Ends

Are You Sure?

Maka felt like she was stumbling out of the room, only dimly was she aware that Kid was following beside her with the same lost look plastered on his face. They got about half way down the empty hallway before Maka stopped, drew herself to her full height and faced him.

"We don't have to accept you know. If you're uncomfortable…" Kid started before she could get a word in edge wise. "It is only extra credit after all," he finished lamely. The color on his face seemed to deepen, and she was sure hers was as well.

"I say we both sleep on it…" she started cautiously, "but honestly our friendship should be able to survive this. It isn't like this is permanent. I still have Soul, and you still have Liz and Patty. It could be like a vacation away from them. I don't know about you but Soul has a pretty good habit of getting on my nerves," she was talking way too fast by the end of her small rant, somehow thinking that she had to put it by him quickly before he could shut down the possibility of her idea that maybe and just maybe, they could do this. She knew that Kid had caught all that she had said. His smile turned softer.

"If you're leaning towards yes then I'm inclined to help you."

Maka made a face.

"If you don't want to, Kid, that is fine. It is only extra—"

"It'll be interesting," Kid interjected. He waved his hand in dismal as if her notion of his protesting was gone with it.

That it would be. The time frame alone would be interesting enough. They would be gone a whole month away from the academy, secluded on a desert island with only each other for company. Just in case anything went wrong…

Maka felt a bubble of excitement start to well inside her stomach.

"If it fails completely we should bring lots of books to read while we are there," she started walking down the hall again, and knew instinctually that Kid would be following perfectly in step with her.

"Between the two of us I'm sure even our collections combined wouldn't last us a whole month of free time," Kid joked, poking her side as they rounded a corner.

"I don't know about you but my collection would last you a few years… I can get through them in a day though," she stuck her tongue out, following it with a wink at her friend. Her mood felt considerably lighter, and she was eager. She was going to be learning something new, something that could make her stronger. At the thought of becoming stronger she felt herself falter, and her feet slowed again as they neared the exit to the school. Her pause caught Kid's attention as he shouldered on a backpack, which she couldn't seem to recall them stopping to pick up or seeing him carry earlier. That was the least of her problems though, as this new thought brought in dread that immediately drowned out her earlier excitement.

"How do we tell this to our partners? They are going to think we are nuts…" she said after a moment of a long gaze at each other.

"How about we sleep on it tonight? We don't have to rush to a decision, which is why Stein said he wanted our answers at the end of the week. This could become a big commitment Maka," he warned. "So don't feel pressured by anyone. It is for you to decide… because it is for you…"

And you, she added silently in her head. But the thought struck her as odd and she knew that voicing it was a bit too intimate for their friendship. They would risk their lives for each other on any day, but this new development put a whole new dynamic in, and she wasn't quite sure how comfortable either of them were with the thought.

"I still want to talk to Soul about it," she told him. Kid's gaze hardened for a second before he nodded.

"Don't let him decide for you," he warned as he pulled out Beelzebub and jumped on. He turned back and offered her his hand.

"I'll fly you home," he offered when she hesitated.

As soon as she grabbed his hand she knew her fate was sealed. If nothing else morbid curiosity would have her go through with this, and maybe it was the same for him as well. His hand seemed so hot yet cool in hers as she quickly jumped on and maneuvered to an awkward huddle between them. She pressed her chest tightly against his back (his stupid backpack made her feel like her grip was loose) and wrapped her arms firmly around him. She stared hard at the sun, who was trying hard to fight off sleep, as they speed towards her dorm. Who knew what would happen in the next month or so? They sure didn't.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Soul looked like he was on the verge of either having a major freak out or throwing a huge party. He finally settled on one emotion, as his face screwed up in distaste.

"You're a meister," he said again, stressing meister like it would get his point across to her if he said it differently.

He kept on saying those words, like it would somehow make it truer than it was a minute ago. She nodded.

"Yes I'm a meister, but I'm also a weapon," she said again. She fought the sigh that wanted to escape her like it was a bear. Which lead to her scowl at the table and at harmless cup of tea in her hands.

"You aren't really a weapon, it is dormant. You are a meister," he said again this time with an exaggeration and slowness that made her feel like he was trying to communicate with an alien or something.

"Yes I know," she snapped.

This conversation had been following the same pattern for the past ten minutes. It really wasn't that stimulating. Soul was a bright kid, but when he wasn't teasing her or trying to think of some new 'cool' things, his wit seemed a bit lacking. Not in the stupid way, just in a way that she knew she was better at. He pieced together things for her, about her, when it needed to be done. He was her best friend, her partner, her weapon. They had an unbreakable bond that they have proven can withstand just about everything. Despite all this, Maka still would appreciate time away from him. He could be rude, snobbish, and he found some sick sense of enjoyment out of teasing her or embarrassing her in public. If nothing else this was just to get some much needed space and alone time. She didn't want to say that though, because that would hurt his feelings. Even if he tried to act aloof or like he didn't care, it was painfully obvious that it was just the opposite.

"I'll only be away for a month. It is an experiment, and if I can awaken my weapon side, this will be a huge advantage in the future. Think of all the possibilities…" she trailed off. "It is extra credit. That was what Stein was saying earlier," she added. Soul rolled his eyes at her statement.

"Such a bookworm," he teased, but he started to relax. She could tell by the way his shoulders slumped. He knew she couldn't resist extra credit, even if she had a perfect A in that class. Still her stomach started to knot uncomfortably. She had yet to explain that she would be with Kid this whole time, and that Kid would be acting as her partner. That would probably hurt his feelings. She swallowed hard.

The phone rang loudly causing her to jump. Soul rolled his eyes at her antics before leaning over the couch to snag the offending object. He tossed it to her, giving her a weak devious smile in the process. Soul refused to ever answer their phone while she was home. Another thing that annoyed the hell out of her about him, she scowled before clicking the talk button.

"Maka speaking," she answered.

"Ah…Maka. I just told Liz and Patty I would be away for a month and about the extra credit. So on my end I have decided," Kid's voice greeted her with what sounded suspiciously like cheer in his normally stoic voice, but she wrote it off as the static the house phone was probably giving off. She found herself holding the receiver closer and turning slightly away from Soul.

"That's great," she said with fake cheer.

"You haven't told Soul yet?" he asked, guessing at her tone. She let out a fake giggle.

"No, I did."

Why the hell didn't he just text her? The tension in the air could be cut with a knife, and her acting skills could really use some work.

"And?" Kid asked after a pregnant pause.

"I haven't finished quiet yet," she said in the same cheerful tone.

"Ah. I see…" Kid's voice trailed off almost as if he was disappointed. "You're going to leave out the fact that you're going with me?" he asked, rather correctly guessing her thoughts moments before, which had her fidgeting in her seat.

She sometimes forgot that Kid was normally on the same wavelength as her.

"No, I was just about too. It's a rather sensitive topic," she mumbled, dropping the fake cheer. Next to her she could feel Soul's curious gaze locked on her. It was quiet on the other end for a moment before Kid lightly chuckled.

"I wish you luck then," he said, his voice seemed to have a gentle smile attached to it, and suddenly she was hit with a very strong emotion. She wanted him next to her facing Soul about this announcement. But she quickly shoved that down, and inhaled sharply to clear the feeling.

That was weird, she thought. She had never needed anyone by her side to face anything, except for Soul when facing a bad guy. So why would she need Kid? Soul wasn't the bad guy, and if anything she wasn't scared of her partner, she was scared she was going to hurt his feelings.

"Yes thank you, I'll see you at school tomorrow," she said, and for whatever reason she found her own gentle smile plastered on her face in return even if she couldn't see his.

She didn't wait for him to say goodbye. The few times they had chatted on the phone she had found out he never said those words, and honestly she found goodbyes rather permanent and uncomfortable herself. With a click she shut the phone off. Sighing, she placed it on the table right next to her tea, whose steam was starting to thin.

"Who—"

"That was Kid," she offered, quickly cutting her partner off.

Soul's eyes widened in realization before she even said it. She didn't even need to say the words, 'he is going with me'. Because the next thing she knew her partner was angrily storming off into the other room. Thankfully he thinks slamming doors is uncool, she mused. She jumped slightly as the door slammed shut behind him. Sometimes, she was taken by surprise by her partner.

A/N: You guys still don't know the full assignment yet do you? Ooppps ;). You'll just have to see... mwahahahaha.