Author's Note: Another update? No way! I should probably space these updates out a little more, though. Haha. I don't want to run out too quickly. I was just so excited that I wrote again that I wanted to put it all out there. Hope you enjoy~!

Thanks for the reviews, Midnight Ghost, Hiezen Uchiha, SoulForAnime, and Enthusiastic Reader. :) They keep me going, as well as alerts and favorites. ^^ Thank you~

Warnings: Just...more fluff! xD

The pitter-patter of the summer rain on their rooftop didn't sway her from her vigorous studies, her emerald eyes never daring to roam anywhere out of bounds beyond what lay written between the lines. She barely even seemed to be breathing, living, and Soul felt more and more livid every time he stepped past her door late at night and saw her dim desk light flooding onto the carpet at his feet. Summer had started, and ever since, she rarely left her room aside from attending to their basic necessities.

Even as 2 AM rolled around, she refused to stop. He couldn't stand watching it, so how could she stand experiencing it? Seven days this had been going on, and he no longer felt powerless to halt it. He barged her door open rudely after much tossing and turning, and glared into her dimly-lit room without saying a word.

She didn't even turn his way.

"Bookworm!"

No response.

He grumbled inaudibly, on the edge of shouting. "Maka!"

She blinked and looked up as if awoken from a trance, and blankly looked his way. "Hmm? What is it, Soul?"

"It's time to go outside. Experience summer. And your window being propped open sure as hell doesn't count. Let's go." Before she could respond, he roughly grabbed her hand and tugged her out of her seat like a ragdoll, ignoring her heightening cries of protest.

"It's raining!" she whined, fraying his nerves further.

As they stood on their threshold, he suddenly bent down and began to clumsily remove her boots, as well as his own.

Her cheeks flushed a little, her first sign of life in the last week. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Just trust me, and go stand in the rain. Step right into the puddles."

"Huh?"

He didn't explain any further, only waving her toward the darkening street. "I'll be right behind you. Just go."

With those first words of his, she found herself standing the road, and in the rain. It felt not only ludicrous to be there, but also surprisingly warm as it slid down her exposed skin and soaked into her clothes, and she smiled faintly at the resemblance it had to her partner's attitude. With her feet vulnerable, bits of cedar and pebble stuck to her toes, but were quickly washed away as she dared to venture into a slowly-forming puddle. She held out her hands as if giving thanks to the ashen heavens, catching some of the rainwater in her palms.

"See?" Her weapon's voice broke into her thoughts as he came to stand beside her, looking up to the sky as well. "You needed this, right?"

"Mhmm," she acceded softly. "I did." Her smile widened. "Thanks, Soul."

"That's what I'm here for." He cleared his throat and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "We're friends, I guess."

We're more than that, she thought, but didn't dare to say. She settled for reaching out and taking one of his rain-glazed hands in her own, squeezing it gently as affirmation.

She'd wait for a night when they could see the stars.