Five – Into the Light
AN: I'm eating expired chocolate right now. So if I end up never finishing chapter six 'cause I died, you'll know what's up. Anyway, don't give up on the riddle yet—the story is not yet over! :) It may be a bit longer—about a week?—before I have time to finish the last chapter. I hope this fluff will tide you over until then! Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I wish.
"But I know I must remember who I am
And what it took to realize
I can't win this alone.
Fairest of fair, linger there
Oh, when will I sleep tonight?"
--The Lonely Forest
...
…
…Always
Neither of them is particularly good with words, so it's not really a surprise that when anything mildly resembling a moral or emotional struggle arises, they're the first to vacate.
Even though they tease, they have enough respect for each other to believe that they can fight their own battles. But they're never really far enough away that, if one of them falls, they can't catch them.
It's one of the reasons their partnership works so well.
…
…Flutter
The remarkable thing about Soul Eater is that he never goes back on his word. Maybe it's because she's never had much faith in promises, but there's something disproportionately moving in that first time he guarded her in human, with only a few words and a world of determination as his shield against a man they're both dead afraid of. It's something she can express to him later only in the words "thank you."
The shockwaves of electricity run through her body, making her limbs flutter like a broken bird. And hell is he going to let this happen to her again. He'll die first; she's his meister. But more importantly, she's Maka.
…
…Rise
It's hell getting back up after being knocked to the ground so many times. Broken tissues and snapped muscles scream for her to stay down. But the enemy is heading in for the kill, and she's searching deep in her reservoirs of courage for the strength to rise again—just this one last time.
The unnatural metal of the demon scythe is warm beneath her hand; she feels his adrenaline heartbeat in her palm.
And that is strength enough.
She slams the butt of the staff into the cracked flagstones and, with bones quaking, drags herself up to face hell head-on.
…
…Kiss
It's one of those rare moments when Maka's let her guard down for a moment. It's not for any particular reason—they'd gone to the beach with their classmates, they were in an good place in their missions. Everything is just…alright.
He always enjoys theses rare moods, when she laughs more and acts her age—like a real teenager. It's cool.
He'll give her a piggyback ride home because she's won the race, not because she's been knocked unconscious. He'll tease her not because they're fighting but because he's happy. And—out of the blue—he'll lean down and kiss the crown of her head, not because he's afraid she's dying, but because they're both alive.
…
…Dawn
Dawn always seems to come, no matter how dark the night has been.
The first tendrils of light sneak through the quiet infirmary. He's curved around her, drooling slightly on the pillow in an unattractive but amusing way. Constellations of scars spread across his chest, lit by the soft morning light. The long old scar stretching from shoulder to hip seems faded amongst fresh cuts and bruises.
She can't remember who snuck into whose bed first, nor at what time during the too-short, too-long night. One of them will probably sneak back before Nygus makes the rounds. But just now, she muses, snuggling down into the clean, soft sheets, it's as if their little world has paused in its spiraling to catch its breath.
She presses her forehead to the little dip at the base of his throat, breathing in the moment before dawn wakes him too.
…
…
.
AN: This was probably my favourite chapter of this story...But I'm not loving it as much any more after rereading some of my previous fanfiction, into which I put a lot more care, planning, and attention to detail. Gah. I miss summer...and, you know, self-motivation. Kinda ironic how school sucks that out of you. ^^;
Comments, critiques, and reviews always welcomed. :)