Author's note: WARNING! This one is super depressing/angsty and I was going to wait until later to post this so it would maybe soften the blow but I couldn't wait. I loved it (because I'm all kinds of twisted) so much I had to post it sooner rather than later.

Half of a Whole

If he had learned anything in all his nineteen years in this world, it was that there was alway someone stronger. Even after becoming a death scythe, there were still enemies who could bring even Maka to her knees, like the dagger wielder they were pitted against now. Ever since he had swallowed the witch's kishin egg, Soul Eater could automatically keep stats tabs on the battles they fought, and this one was looking particularly grim. Maka had sustained several small but deep cuts, one of them had sliced a muscle in her left calf that severely limited her mobility. Her blood pressure had dropped from the blood loss, and her overall fighting power had dropped to 64% and she was struggling to keep her soul resinating with his. Her breath came in ragged puffs.

"This isn't looking good. You need to find a way to pull out," his voice echoed metallically from the scythe.

"You want me to run?" his partner laughed weekly. "I can't do that. This guy raids orphanages. You were the one yelling about how uncool that is."

"Maka, we can't win!" he said just as their foe made a super human leap to get inside Maka's reach. Her reaction was too sluggish to stave him off, and Soul knew that the next attack would kill her. He turned back into a human unprompted and body blocked the attack. The knife was so sharp that he couldn't even feel its' sting for the first few moments. Then his body convulsed and blood sprayed from his mouth and gushed from the slash. Maka screamed his name. Then she bellowed like an angry animal and tackled their greasy haired foe. Soul collapsed on his back and tried to endure the burning cut that was making the devil in his mind scream and writhe on the ground. Pitiful. He had a clear view of the moon's eyes glowing with insanity as he watched their fight. Bloody drool oozed around the teeth he was grinding in excitement.

Soul could hear hacking and gurgling like Maka was choking the life out of their enemy. Then he heard the sound of a blade cutting flesh and Maka's cry of pain rang out. Another wound he couldn't heal. With another stabbing sound, everything was silent. Soul's heartbeat vibrated like a humming bird at the horrifying prospect of the death of his second half.

Maka's dirt streaked face appeared in the sky and the strength of his relief made him cough, then gasp in pain, "Shit, I'd thought you died."

"No! No, he's dead and we're alive. We win, so everything's going to be fine," her voice trembled. She sized up his wound and her face paled, "Oh gods. Ok. Alright, I can fix this. Just gotta stop the bleeding." Her hands shuffled around the sticky mess of Soul's torso trying to find a position that would cover the whole cut, but it was impossible. The cut was too long and it was very deep. She applied pressure anyway and the pain elicited a tortured sound from the lips of her partner. Fat tears ran done Maka's cheeks as she sobbed once.

"DAMN IT Soul! Why do you always have to jump in front of me like that? Why can't you just-" her hands fell away and splashed into the growing pool of scarlet. She looked up as ice cold finger tips ran up her cheek to cup the side of her face and a thumb brushed away some tears.

"It's ok," he whispered. "Everyone's gotta choose something in this world that they're willing to die for, and I chose you a long time ago."

His hand started to slip but she held it there for him, "I never asked you to die for me. It isn't fair," she said softly. He thought of how Maka's face should never look said like this. He remembered how she always ate with more gusto when he cooked, the way her eyes looked a thousand miles away when she listened to him play the piano, how he spit out her horrid soup when she was nursing him back to health from a cold, the mischief of her two second secret smile whenever he did something stupid, the crinkle between her eyebrows when she concentrated on her studies, the way she curled into a ball when she lost herself in a book.

Soul smirked, "Turns out the world isn't a wish granting factory."

She smiled back at him, "You idiot, you've been stealing my books again haven't you."

"Snob,"

"Prick,"

"Nerd,"

"Freak," He tried to suppress a groan of pure physical pain. He could feel the strength leeching from his body at a dizzying rate. There were so many things he had never said to her.

"I love you Soul Eater Evan," Maka managed past a lump in her throat. There it was. Her hands streaked the pale skin with his own blood as she held his face and bent over him. She kissed him tenderly, then grew more desperate when he stopped responding. By the time she pulled away he was gone. Her body was wracked with emotional pain as she buried her face in her partner's lifeless chest. On a nearby fence a cat bristled and hissed at the inhuman wail that pierced the night.

Soul appeared in her dream that night. He embraced her like he never had in reality, like he would never have the chance to do in the future. They clung to that illusory warmth.

"Promise me Maka, promise me you'll get over yourself and move on," he could feel her smile on his neck.

"Can't do that. You know I'm far too selfish."

"I'll be watching. Everyday."

Afterward: Ok, so my goal with this one was to elicit some really strong emotion. Please review and tell me if my writing prowess is up to par on that or not! Also, I swear upon the bones of Sisyphus the hamster that the next post will be super sweet!