Odds and Ends

Fight Me?

"I see you two made it to the shack."

Maka jumped back away from Kid to peer over his shoulder where the voice had come from. Mounted on the wall hung a small mirror within a clock. The outer edges of the clock looked gothic in design with twisted bronze and silver. The mirror, instead of reflecting them, showed Professor Stein. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he studied the two teens.

"We just arrived a few moments ago," Kid answered, recovering faster than Maka. "We were discussing where to go from here."

"Ah… that's what you kids call it these days," mocked the older man. His smile widened as Maka started to protest loudly. "It's alright Miss Albarn. I was teasing."

"Have you had any problems?" Kid asked. His tone had gone from light to a professional one as he addressed their teacher she noticed.

"No more than usual," he assured. "I was just checking in on you two. It seems that you took a long route to get there."

At this Kid blushed, his tone lost the professional aspect and turned slightly colder as he spoke to Stein, "I was doing as you said to make the trip less weary on Maka. Since she hasn't mastered her weapon form I thought it would be safer to use ground transportation for the time being since you recommended it."

Ah, that was why he had been so adamant on not using Beelzebub unless he had to. Maka also heard the stress of how he pointed out that Stein had recommended that they travel that way. She was touched that he had done it for her but annoyed at the same time. It was almost as if he was secretly trying to get Stein to go along with what he was saying, although she knew that wasn't the case it still annoyed her. Luckily her professor seemed to voice her thoughts for her.

"She isn't going to learn if you baby her with worry."

Typical of Stein to try and rile people up, his voice in comparison to Kid's was relaxed and even held a bit of contempt as he peered at the pair through the mirror. She could feel her anger start to spike at his words. He was right. Kid had been babying her and he lied! It might not have been a huge lie, but Kid had never said that Stein recommended any of this. She had gone over with Stein and Kid about their background story of an eloping couple but she had never been aware that there may have been a different options. Out of every one Kid was someone she always saw being the most truthful, almost to a fault. Hadn't he said that he was just following Stein's directions? She gritted her teeth, refusing to lash out while Stein was still on the line.

"But what is done is done. I don't care as long as you two get the job… completed," he told them with a shrug continuing on and interrupting Maka from her thoughts.

"Maka being comfortable enough in her own skin to become a weapon is more important," Kid snapped. "You did give me those instructions to make sure Maka was more at ease and gave us that route."

"Alright Kid, no need to get so irrational. I'll leave you to train her. Let me know if you have any questions or if you find any… interesting developments," he said with a smirk.

Maka felt her anger dissipate slightly and felt slightly bashful that she had been so quick to believe her mischievous professor over her partner. She was thankful that she hadn't yelled out earlier, although she was sure Stein had picked up on her emotions somehow through the glass. However, that didn't excuse a lot of things. She could still feel her anger bubbling at the surface. They could have trained on the boat, or that night in the hotel. There was nothing holding them back from training, and Kid had yet to really address the issue with her.

Kid and Maka both nodded in response and the line went dead. Showing the two teens reflections now where their Professor's bobbing head had been only seconds ago. She was about to start yelling when Kid turned to face her.

Something about the look in his eye gave her pause. He needs to be reassured, she realized. He needs to know he made the right choice, you're his weapon… comfort him, an inner voice told her.

Her infamous temper vanished as quickly as it had come as she looked at him. She gave him a weak smile before sitting back on the couch, letting the air escape her with a soundless breath of relief. There was no real reason to be riled up over it, they had plenty of time to train and find this monster. Kid was right, if she wasn't in the right frame of mind then it would be utterly useless to attempt trying. Concentration was needed and a good deal of it. Once she was able to pull her body into that form once it would be no problem, of that she was sure. Look at how easily she had adapted to flying and fighting with Soul. Kid knew too, they just needed to figure out how to get her into weapon form first.

Kid still stood locked in place and ignored her invitation to sit beside her on the couch.

He had his wall up, his stoic personality back in place as he seemed to survey the air with disinterest. Does he do that when he is nervous? Is that so people can't read him? She was his weapon, it wasn't a requirement that she get to know him inside and out but it would help their partnership the more they knew each other. Was he always supposed to be so stoic and professional when he addressed people? What happened to the easy going relaxed Kid from moments before?

Stein's brief presence seemed to shock both of them back into reality. They shouldn't have let themselves get carried away on their crushes for each other. They had a mission to complete, and maybe afterwards they could figure out their feelings. Maka nodded in reassurance to herself.

"Maka?"

Kid's eyes were hard and unreadable as he extended his hand out to her. She felt dumbfounded as she glanced at his hand and then back to his face, before realization of what he wanted sank in. Her heart thrummed loudly in her chest as she stared back at his hand. Her hand twitched at her side, begging her to be resolute and to take his hand.

This wasn't the same situation as moments before when he helped her up and they had embraced. This was professional. The air seemed to fill with tension as she stared blankly at his hand. Her thoughts swirled around her. When she took his hand now, when he helped her stand up, it wouldn't be to embrace her. It would be to soul resonate and help her change into her weapon form. She chewed on her lip as glanced away from his hand and to his eyes. They were still unreadable but he seemed to realize that he wasn't helping her and relaxed slightly. Was she really ready for this? What if this changed something in her and she could never get it back? She had chosen the path of the meister to be more like her mother long ago, would changing this subconscious decision consciously change her too? What if she wasn't able to do it? What if she wasn't capable…?

"I know you can do it Maka," he smiled softly at her, urging her and moved his hand lower.

He knows I can do it, she told herself, I can do it because I know I can do it.

She reached out and gripped Kid's hand.

The change was instantaneous, she felt her body morph and twist its shape. It would have been painful, it was certainly unnerving, but Kid's hand was still holding on to her. Her solace was that simple fact and rock as her body flashed brightly. Their souls collided and invaded one another, hers almost tried to be dominate for a second, before she firmly reminded herself that she was a weapon and pulled it back. The connection was stable and sound as she felt her body stick (in a sense) into its weapon form. Ridged and stiff, she tried not to feel dizzy as Kid swung her around experimentally.

"Thank god, you are symmetrical," he breathed. His tone was still serious and all business like but she could feel his relief through the bond.

She was a double edged scythe. Her blade extended out of both ends of the staff. She was rather plain, much like her father, besides the flash of dull green near the tip of the blades that matched her eyes.

She laughed, and the metallic sound unnerved her slightly. She took a deep breath (she's not quite sure how, seeing as at the moment she doesn't have a mouth) to steady her thoughts before she timidly addressed Kid.

'We should be fine to go after the monster,' she told him, the sensation of talking to Kid like this was a bit odd to her, she was used to telepathic communication with Soul but that was when she was a meister...

He hummed but shook his head in denial.

"You aren't ready. We need to train a little, and find a few tactics that you can do no problem. The basics should get us through the mission," he told her. His thumb brushed over their initial grip and she was overcome with the sensation that he was squeezing her hand in reassurance.

"We need to get used to working together like this first. I'm sure it won't take long and then we can go after that monster."

'Right,' she said drily. 'It's your call,' she added.

Although the bitterness in her tone wasn't lost on either of them, Maka was somewhat grateful that Kid was in charge. She loved her relationship with Soul, that he had complete trust in her and followed her whims, she was starting to warm up having to actually listen for a change. Kid was someone she would always have to submit to, and in the future when he took over for his father, this little joint project would make it easier for her to trust him. This was making her stronger, showing her how to work in different aspects, and for that she was grateful.

She did trust him, but as a meister, where she could act and fight alongside him. Being his weapon and his partner was different; she had to be in sync with him. She had to trust him so completely that she was willing to lay her life on the line for him. She was scared about the new partnership, and the new feelings, but a part of her already knew that she was on that level. She had always trusted Kid, and believed in him. She only had to take a small step further in that trust. The difference between meister and a weapon wasn't so different, just slightly, and as she realized this she knew Kid needed to find out on his own. The only way he could do that was to work with her and learn first-hand.

Kid dragged her outside towards the woods, where they spend the rest of the afternoon finding balance with each other. Kid had to learn how to fight with a scythe, as he was used to Liz and Patti and long distance fighting. His spars with Black*Star were useful, but that was for fights without a weapon. Through their connection Maka felt his nerves. His every thought and feeling was conveyed to her, as her body was twirled around deftly in his hands. They chopped down a few dead trees as practice, both mentally celebrating at the sharpness of her blade, and the ease they seemed to be adjusting to one another.

As they headed back to the shack, Maka changed back to her human form. She stretched and realized now why everyone complained when they were in weapon form for too long. Kid seemed a bit weak as well, as he pushed against the door and stumbled in. She fixed them dinner, which consisted of grilled cheese and tomato soup, (she told him a bit annoyed that tomorrow would be his turn to cook) and started a small fire in the fireplace. They sat on the couch and dug into the small meal. She enjoyed the meal and let Kid finish most of it before she turned her attention to Kid fully. There were a few things she felt like she had to address, right now, before it was too late to talk about.

"Kid," she called gently. Her partner seemed to be in his own world as he twirled his soup around with his spoon. His gaze was far off as she cleared her throat and called out to him again. "Kid," she said a little louder. She reached out and touched his arm.

Golden eyes flashed in her direction, they looked cold for a fraction of a second, before they cleared and turned warmer. He tilted his head to the side to gesture he was listening as he continued to eat the rest of his meal (which consisted of mostly crumbs and the last dregs of soup).

"About earlier… I felt something… foreign, while we were resonating," she started timidly. Her hands shot to her pig tails, where she tugged on them nervously as she stared hard at her plate.

"What did it feel like?" he asked gently.

"There were a few things that bothered me. Do you mind if we talk about it?" she probed, testing the waters. She glanced at him discreetly and noticed that his facial expression hadn't changed. He probably understood one of her questions, but the other she was sure he was going to be thrown for a loop.

"Of course," he said urging her on.

"I've felt the first one before when we have done group resonating and I'm assuming the first one I felt was Death… it was cold. Really that is the only way I can describe it," she mumbled. Kid smiled kindly and dropped his spoon turning to face her fully.

"Can you accept that Maka? Can you accept that I am a God of Death? Can you work with that coldness and deliver it to others?"

Her gaze hardened as she met his. She was annoyed that he even had to ask her that, as she was a student at DWMA just as much as he was. Of course it was something she had no problem with.

"I'm a meister. I carry that same coldness and the will of Death. That does not faze me. I just wanted to reaffirm that was what it was."

Kid laughed good-naturedly and nodded.

"As always your Soul Perception will never cease to amaze me," he teased, "and you acceptance for others is beyond angelic."

She blushed at his comment. She had always fancied herself a bit of an angel, as conceded as it sounded. She could recognize her talent and she embraced it. She strived to be the strongest she could be. To do so was to accept herself and others, to understand them and their motives. It was a talent that helped greatly in battles and let her drop her analyzing beforehand so that she could just act and launch into battles. Soul always teased her that he couldn't see her as an angel, and it always sort of irked her.

"Within that coldness," she said after the pause, "I also felt something… dark."

Kid's gaze tightened in confusion as he searched her face for clues.

"Dark?" he questioned.

"You have secrets, everyone does I understand that. But I can't let you go on feeling like that. It isn't right."

"Feeling what?"

"Don't play dumb," she breathed exasperated. "I understand your OCD now. I can't see how you can see yourself like that Kid. You're amazing. You should never feel so inferior. You have everyone's support and loyalty. You're a good friend, a loyal friend, and no one would be able to take your father's place. You won't be replacing your father, you'll be succeeding him. I think you will do things that your father never could. He started Death City and the school but the world has missed his presence. Sure the meisters and Death Scythe's carry out his will, but a living, breathing, fighting God of Death will—"

"Stop," Kid hissed. His hand clamped tightly over her mouth as he stared hard at her cutting her off in her rant. "You can't fix this feeling overnight Maka. I understand all of that. If you think that this one little talk will fix that then you are horribly naïve," he growled. He stood abruptly.

"I appreciate your concern, but at the moment that wasn't necessary," he said coldly.

"Kid, I just want you to know that you don't have to feel like that. I know it won't be overnight. I just want you to know… that I believe in you."

When he turned to look at her, there was an odd mixture in his eyes. They were still hard and they were trying to calculate her, yet there was also a softer emotion she couldn't quite place. He bent down before she could read too far into it and caught her lips in a searing kiss.

Much like their first kiss this one was desperate; it made her feel like time itself was running out. She hands caught his collar and pulled him on top of her as she fell back into the couch. Their tongues battled fiercely as he pinned her down. His mouth was feverish as it slanted against hers. They stayed like that for several moments, both scared to move their hands scared to cross the border of their fragile friendship. Although both practically ached to explore the others body.

When they broke apart, Kid closed his eyes and rested his head against her forehead, which gave Maka a fuzzy feeling that filled her head with a pleasant buzz. Their breath mingled as they breathed each other in.

Kid straightened and pulled her up with him. She was awkwardly braced in his chest for a second before they stumbled off the couch and stood about a foot apart. Kid closed the distance again and caught her waist pulling her closer. He bent down and caught her lips in a chaste kiss. The difference from moments before had her heart pounding loudly in her chest. This was soft and tender, his grip was tight on her waist as if he was scared she would pull away, but it relaxed as she kissed him back.

"We need to stop," Kid panted between kisses, yet he made no move to stop.

As much as she hated to agree with him, he was right. If they kept kissing like this… it could only lead to one ending. She swallowed and gently pulled back.

"Yeah," she agreed. Kid's eyes were dark with lust, and it stirred something inside of her. She didn't really want to stop, and it was obvious that neither did Kid.

"We should… uh…" she stumbled and fought to sound unaffected while searching for the correct words.

"Get ready for bed?" Kid guessed. He flashed a charming smile and stretched his arms over his head, yawning exaggeratingly. "We did have a rough few days. Tomorrow isn't going to be any easier. We'll have to go out and hunt something. The food source will get too low otherwise."

"It'll be good practice too," Maka agreed, she found herself frowning at having to actually hunt something but wrote it off. There actually wasn't that much food, maybe enough to last them another week, and if they found some meat they could make some jerky to last them. It just put more pressure on them to finish the mission quicker.

She wasn't sure when, but their hands had somehow become intertwined. She only noticed it as Kid tugged her back to the mattresses and for the first time in days the two collapsed on separate beds. Both stared at the ceiling, Maka found her eyes tracing the patterns that the stitches provided, and Kid used it as an excuse to discreetly glance over at Maka from time to time.

The silence that consumed them wasn't as awkward as it had been days before, but it was still tense. It might have been because after a while, Maka felt like she could feel Kid's smoldering gaze upon her. It made her shiver, and as much as she wanted to roll over and sleep, she found herself stealing a few glances at him. He wasn't bashful about his staring, the warm look in his eyes was gone again, and the cold replaced it. His golden eyes seemed hard as he scanned her body, but they were dilated ever so slightly by lust. The odd look left her feeling excited, almost like she was being hunted. Their bunks were close enough that if she rolled over in the middle of the night she would wind up on his bed. If she reached out she could touch him. The thought scared her, but the feeling of excitement failed to disappear.

"Maka," Kid whispered, his voice was surprisingly gentle despite his darkening look.

"Hmm?"

"Close your eyes," he commanded softly.

Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it, but she did as he bid. She waited, expecting his soft lips to brush against her as she felt the weight on her cot shift as his body slid above hers. She was willingly listening to him, trusting him more now than she had ever done before.

"Goodnight Maka," he mumbled, his lips barely brushing against hers. She felt the bed shift as Kid rolled back onto his cot.

"Goodnight," she whispered back with a soft smile. Her fingers subconsciously tracing her lips as she relished in the warmth. Her mind peacefully shut down as sleep drew her in.

A/N: For those of you who guessed Stein, good job! I mean I thought it would be pretty obvious but if I didn't then... oh well you found out. I went with Maka's fast ability to adjust to new situations in this chapter. For one I thought it made a good connection for Kid and Maka and the other was I didn't want to spend forever making her a weapon. Until next time!