Usual disclaimers apply~
ENJOY!

WES----

Sitting in the luxurious car, Wes looked outside his window, observing the passing blur of the deserts of Nevada, just at the outskirts of Death City. He tried to give his brother, who sat beside him, his wanted privacy so he hadn't at all questioned why he was acting as such - staring out of his window side with empty eyes. After all, he had a clue of what caused this sudden depression.

Maka Albarn.

He couldn't understand how the connection between meister and weapon was, but he knew that it didn't just consist of a tight friendship and a perfect resonance. To those two, there was something more.

"She knows, Wes."

Why was he acting like that?

Why didn't he want her to know?

What did she say to him to make him like this?

Stopping the engagement. Not telling Albarn about it. Why didn't he tell her? What's the worst that could happen?

Was it some kind of burden he put upon himself? To protect her from the truth or something?

Sighing in confusion, he tried not to pry in his brother's business and only focussed on the upcoming talk with the leader of Death City and the founder of the school of 'warriors', tightly clutching at the box that contained the relic as he watched the school's infamous towers come into view.

SOUL----

What had just happened?

Why was he in Shibusen?

There he stood in the vast skied room that housed Shinigami's mirror, completely unfocused, his brother stood beside him talking business with Shinigami-sama, a small box offered to the peculiar looking leader.

Truthfully, he didn't exactly care. His mind was entirely blank apart from Maka's distorted and tearful goodbye.

He wanted to see her. Desperately. But he was afraid. Of being rejected.

He shouldve told her when he first heard about their arrangment. He shouldve told her the truth. His name. His connection to her.

Something was crushing his chest and it hurt like hell, preventing him from breathing, searing heat taking over his throat and burning at the back of his already dried eyes.

"Soul-kun…" The sound broke him from his reverie yet he remained immobile. Shinigami-sama sighed in dejection. "Soul-kun, you better get some rest."

Said weapon thanked the masked leader blandly and turned slowly, as if his depression was seeping into his entire being, weakening him. Destroying him. He distinctly heard his brother thanking the leader behind the mirror, not even noticing that the other Death Scythe's presence was nowhere to be felt.

Exiting the strange, forever sky-lit room, he had forgotten that they had arrived very early in the morning, classes in Shibusen University proceeding in their normal everyday routine. The bell for their twenty-minute break had sounded just as he had reappeared in the crowded corridor of the school.

Familiar wavelengths bathed him in warm welcome but he didn't notice any of them. He was searching for only one particular wavelength.

His eyes burned the rebirth of life as he found what he had been searching for. Faint and irregular, which was strange as this was never the characteristic of her wavelength. Realization showered him coldly - their wavelengths were still perfectly in sync with eachother since his also had the same irregular pattern that his meister's was currently undergoing. Irregular in anger, fear, panic.

Feeling for it, pinpointing its exact location, he ran towards her presence, his brother's shouts behind him ignored. He ran, even though he didn't know what he would say when he finally meets her. He ran, even though he had a feeling that he was going to be met with rejection.

The stupid students were blocking his path. But he was glad that he kept in control of his temper or else he wouldve been slicing everything from his path. He only had a certain amount of time, he thought as he raced up staircases, time which he needs to tell his meister everything.

Taking the flights of stairs two at a time, he saw the door which would lead him to the location of the unmoving wavelength, urgently adding more speed as he ran. As he opened the door that lead to the rooftop, he saw her frail looking yet powerful figure, sitting on the floor she always sat on, her favourite spot, holding her thick book open, staring at the morning view of Death City's buildings.

He instantly felt relief when she looked to him, her honey coloured hair blowing gently in the morning breeze, clear that she had already felt his oncoming presence and yet she hadn't tried to escape. She bravely faced him with swollen eyes emptied of tears, lips that had been slightly quivering slowly opening, her form readying to stand.

What he hadn't noticed - or ignored - was the fact that there was another person apart from them.

Kiel Lancet stood beside Maka's swaying form, eyes widening as he saw Soul's figure burst into the small area. Almost as soon as he was noticed, Soul felt a pang of jealousy in his heart - was she ready to choose a new weapon? Was he already her new weapon? Why did he care if she did though? He's not her weapon anymore. She's allowed to take on new ones. She definitely didn't need his permission to do so. To replace him. It was only when Kiel's rushing form passed him to exit the area that he realized he had been glaring at him with his crimson eyes burning in lethal jealousy.

Laying his eyes on his former meister's form again, he saw her expression sadden, disappointed with him, invisible tearstains provoking his guilt to replace the jealousy in his eyes.

For what felt like eternity, no words were exchanged but their expressions and wavelengths constantly changed in silent conversation.

Why?

I'm sorry.

How could you?

Please don't…

I want you to say something…

I want you to listen to me…

Before turning her back to him, he saw her eyes infintesimally soften and then Maka sat back on her spot, ignoring the bell that had just rung. Was that a good sign?

He stupidly stood frozen in his position as he watched her back, her honey hued hair glistening blonde in the morning sunlight, messy, and he had a twitching urge to comb it back with his hands like he had done for her once - they had been on a mission and Maka stupidly forgot to bring her brush, resulting in Soul using his fingers as a replacement for the brush and helped her tie her hair in her trademark pigtails. Her figure looked thinner than usual - as if she wasn't already thin enough - fragile, looking as if she needed protecting. But he knew Maka better than that. She was strong, she needed no protecting - only a handy weapon.

A pang in his chest told him of how much he missed her in just the few days he'd been gone. It had never felt like this in his previous missions; his long term ones that usually lasted months didn't hold the same feeling as he did now. This time was different because of their circumstance.

Finally willing himself to move, he slowly walked towards her and stood beside her, eventually taking a seat on his usual spot near her. Yes, he also had a spot here, like everywhere she went to or stayed, he would have his spot very close to hers, always beside her.

There wasn't much silence before Maka sighed calmly. The small act greatly calmed Soul, allowing him to gather enough courage for the following conversation.

"Welcome back," was the simple phrase that she had weakly, brokenly uttered. He didn't know why but hearing her voice in person, this close to him made his chest tighten - his breathing shallowed.

He had to answer back to regain the feel of their connection. "I'm back." It was simple but it caused Maka to look at him through blurry eyes, the tears trailing down her cheeks.

It broke his heart seeing her like this. Even more so because he knew he caused her to be like this.

He sucked in a shuddering breath as he reached out and gently wiped the tear from her cheek with his thumb, wrapping a warm, shaky hand around the side of her face. "I'm sorry," he quietly croaked, his voice cracked from the lengthy silence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" said she in a stern and mildly dangerous tone. Tears continued to flow, but this time they came from tougher eyes - eyes that burned in hurt and anger. Her wavelength was being forced to go crazy - to scare him, provoke his anger, repel him. Yet he had a feeling this was as far as she could go. She could relay her feelings no more than this.

Knowing better than to be swayed in fear by her glare, he wiped her other cheek using his knuckles, his eyes mirroring her hurt with his and her anger with his guilt. If she displayed determination, then he would too. If she glared at him harshly, then he would too. It was something only both of them do - for eachother.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"I don't want apologies," the whisper was harsh as she shook his touch off of her, looking away to return her gaze to the morning sky, "I want the truth."

Damn. He sank as his touch separated from her warmth - rejected. Sitting slouched beside her, crosslegged, he tiredly looked up to the spot where she was looking at. "What do you want to know?"

"Your real name."

He briefly looked back to her as the words were quickly spoken. "But you already know it," he said emotionlessly as he looked away.

"I do. Now, tell me." Her voice was as emotionless as his, commanding.

"Soul Eater Evans." Guilt filled his voice, the confirmation a harsh taste on his tongue.

MAKA----

The warmth from his touch on her cheek started to fade. Why her every sense was focused on that one small spot, she didn't know. She had already taken in the sight of him right before she shook off the touch that weakened her resolve – she didn't want to forgive him…yet why does it feel like she already had?

It might be because his eyes were laced with such guilt and sadness, ones that didn't suit its crimson colour, and she just wanted to take away that look. Or it might be because of the dark rings of puffiness under his eyes, ones that mirrored hers, evidence of the release of tears. Soul doesn't cry… she hated whatever it was that caused him to look like this… so it lead to her hating herself for making him like this. She knew it was because of her. She knew that because of what she told him through the phone last night would cause him his lack of sleep – apparent in his eyes – and disturbed him enough that he didn't realize that his hair was even messier than usual.

She wanted to fix him… But first she had to go through with this…

"Why didn't you tell me before? I told you of the arrangment with that- your family, so why did you keep silent?" She whispered with venom, the quivering threat of tears slowly resurfacing. A long pause was broken as she said, "Don't you trust me anymore?"

"No—No!!" he quickly interjected in a panicked voice. "I told myself… that I'd stop it before you could involve yourself. That I'd stop the engagement because you didn't want it," he said quietly, his voice laced with shame.

She seemed to contemplate his words as the silence lengthened. "Did you stop it?" He shook his head gently and even though she couldn't see it, she felt it and she felt like forcing out an emotionless snicker.

Almost suddenly, she felt someone's wavelength appear behind them – one that she hadn't recognized before - stiffening to the visitor's presence and eventually turning to look. The weapon mirrored her actions in confusion and ended up facing someone familiar looking who was standing about twenty feet behind them.

"My brother, Wes," Soul said quietly, as if he didn't want her to hear.

Yes. That was why the stranger looked familiar – too familiar – he was like Soul's carbon copy. Exactly the same, only the guest looked older. But the white hair and the crimson eyes, they were as hypnotising as Soul's own. He looked…beautiful.

"Brother?" Confusion was etched itself in her voice. He never did talk about his family; she never asked. And now, slowly, his family was introducing themselves to her, in the most unlikely fashion.

She knew her old weapon was curious about the tone in her voice but instead of asking, he slowly stood, her questioning gaze following the movement. He held out his hand to her and she held it, almost crushing his in her grip, as she pulled herself to a stand, still displaying the anger she felt for his secrecy and yet the only thing she felt through the thin layer of fabric was the warmth of his larger hand around hers.

They walked towards where Soul's brother stood elegantly still, and during that time, she had scrutinised the similarity between brothers. The gentleman feel was also the same for both of them, realizing that both wore crisp suits fit for a rich man - and it suited both of them well, albeit Soul's style was messier - cooler. More importantly, she also felt for his wavelength; making sure if he was dangerous or not.

"Wes, this is Maka Albarn, my meister." Wes. That was this man's name. After the short examination that she did, her eyes roved upwards, meeting and trapping her gaze in the crimson depth of his own eyes. Like Soul's yet so much different.

"I'm honored to finally meet the Albarn prodigy," he said in his flattering voice, taking her hand in his and gently brushing his lips to her knuckles in welcome, the action causing her wavelength to spike giddily, despite her calm blushing appearance. How she wanted at that moment to take off her gloves as curiosity took over her thoughts and she wondered whether his hands would be soft, like most of the nobles' were.

Maka only nodded as she gulped in shock. It seems that her anger was temporarily forgotten as the confusion took most of the space in her head. Turning her inquisitively curious eyes on the younger brother, she stuttered her question, her mouth uncontrolled as it gaped. "S-so if you have a brother… then who is my… f-fiancee?" Indeed, it had been the question plaguing her the moment she laid her eyes on her partner's brother, because she was so sure that is was Soul who would be her fiancée… This was a flaw in her deduction: she didn't think that there was another candidate for that particular position.

"Unfortunately, I am," Soul voiced with an undertone she identified as discomfort. "But don't worry, this engagement will only be in name. There's still a month left, I can still force my mother to call off the arrangement." So Soul was the mystery fiancée, as she thought. It puzzled her though, the fact that she felt a pang of hurt from what he only just said using a bitter tone, as if he didn't want to be engaged to her.

It was only a marriage by name. So it wouldn't need to include affection, right? That suited her and Soul perfectly well. It would be awkward to be taking up the surname of her partner, but that would be all it was. A bond of names and nothing else. He knows what affection could do to their relationship and she knows that he will never jeopardize it with the said display of emotion – that would be worse than what he had just done…

She should've actually been glad that he was doing something about the arrangement, asking for it to be stopped so she could live in her peace once again, but she wasn't. Disappointment flooded her system when it shouldn't have, but she couldn't help but feel that he was stopping the marriage for his own sake - to prevent being bonded to her.

If he truly felt that way, just wanting to destroy the arrangement and voiding it, then she should oblige to it, or even maybe help him with it. As long as they both have their freedom, then she would be happy.

As long as he's happy…

Deciding to follow her logic, she inwardly smiled, content with her choice. She would help him end the arrangement, not knowing the difficulty of the task she had just put herself in.

A/N: uuhhh... uh-huh... well~ theyre okay-ish now... them making up was cut short when Wes came in (argh?)
the story will resume its casual pace again since im trying to concoct some kind of continuation - im currently stuck *sweatdrops*
aaahhh! im sorry for any grammatical errors, spelling or very very confusing parts to the story but i hope everyone atleast understood o.o

oh my~! and a special thanks to nolli3 again~! for giving me like...walls of reviews!! *A* and also to yukari hiwada for reviewing since the start of the story~ im glad youre still reading up until now~!
omg! thank you so much~!!
but im thankful to everyone of my reviewers~ i wont be able to mention everyone, and im sorry about that but im truly grateful *w*

i hope you all like it and please dont forget to review ;D