Hey everyone *holds a shield* I'm super sorry, all I can say is: exams. But now they're over I can get back on track, I'm sorry. This may or may not be a quick one since I have party later on tonight so I thought why not stress myself out more by trying to write a chapter? By the way answering people's confusion about the last chapter- I intentionally made it confusing, and sort of vague to emphasize how Maka feels when she's upset, and the vulnerability and instability of this crazy couple, or how I made it to be. The ending was supposed to be like that, because Soul's words really hurt Maka and is confused on how they are even "friends" without killing each other first. As well as not understanding why Soul seems to be thinking that she was going to Kidd's house... But she does think going to Kidd's house is a good idea.

Enjoy! Btw any asian drama fans? I've been watching Dream High and Cheongdam Alice. Just gonna say it; Kim Soo Hyun is made out of dreams. Omfg he is... just so magical it makes me cry. I WANT A KIM SOO HYUN, IS THAT SO HARD TO ASK FOR?

Last time:

For the last time she was pulled back, her hand was tugged behind her, she turned to see Soul grabbing onto her wrist, his large hand easily smothering her one. "Please don't leave."

Soul had never begged before, was he going to start now?

"Shit..." A course voice groaned as the woke up from their dreamless and healing sleep. Dragging the soft, heavy comfortable duvet over their head and rolled onto their side, hopefully still able to fall back asleep. Deep, loud, threatening barks resonated throughout, making the possibility of falling back to sleep more unattainable. Obviously the owner was deaf as they had yet to quieten their idiotic mutt. Rolling onto their back and withdrew their covers, they should have met a familiar, white, slanted ceiling with a few cracks on the side however her ceiling had morphed into something quite unrealistic and different. Since greeting this startling sight, this created a wave of confusion and unease. Once again they stared up at the ridiculous ceiling. Who the fuc-

"MAKA! Good morning! I made ya pancakes!" if it wasn't the one and only.. Patty and of course came with her Liz and Kidd. The golden trio. Maka sat up quickly as she quickly deduced that Patty would storm in at lightening speed, sit on Maka's legs and break them if Maka was slow and stupid enough not realize how energetic Patty was, no matter what time of day. She pushed her ashy blond tresses out of her sleep face and gratefully inhaled the scent of fresh cooked pancakes.

"Thanks you guys, you really didn't have to. I would've-"

"Don't even finish that sentence Alburn! The state you were in last night, you really need some pick me up. And it's too early to go drinking" Liz smiled ruefully, ruffling Patty's already unruly hair. Kidd nodded too, his smile amicable however Maka glanced quickly at his complexion, sensing something else other then friendliness. Or maybe she was misjudging because her need for hunger was overpowering her rational thinking. Without further complaint Maka wolfed down her pancakes only offering her pancakes once to her friends.

"Seems like you're back to normal" Kidd noted quietly, yet forcefully clear as she almost inhaled her second last pancake.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for troubling you like that." Maka hesitated before picking up her last one. " A lot happened and I didn't want to go back to my apartment. The buses weren't running either."

"What happened then?" The air turned thick and dense with suspicions and seriousness. Even Patty who was swinging her feet playfully and happily smiled at Maka, had now uncharacteristically, shyly looked at her laced fingers. Liz had thoughtfully stared at Maka. Maka could already tell that Liz had figured the source of her behavior last night, as well as Kidd.

"The science project huh?" Kidd quietly commented looking out of Patty's window, seemingly staring out at the suburban street, carefully surveying the neighbors going on with their daily chores. Maka was still chewing on her pancake, wondering how to tell them her and Soul had the mother of all arguments last night. How they insulted each other, and how desperate Soul was to beg her to stay with him. "Is it with Kidd?" His harsh voice growled in the memory. The heat from his skin, the brush of this breath against her lips. The way she felt her lips swell from his bruising kiss. Did he mean to do that, to forever haunt her like this?

"Oi Maka!" Liz snapped her fingers in front of Maka to wake her up from her crazy memory. Staring blankly back into Liz's dark blue eyes, she felt she was being x-rayed by these orbs. The were staring deep into her memory, as if trying to retrieve her darkest secret. Quickly licking her lips Maka turned away, trying to shrug off the feeling of unease.

"Whilst you off.. daydreaming Kidd took your tray and I don't think he's coming back anytime soon. So spill the beans Maka. Because I haven't had good gossip for weeks and my ears are dying for something juicy. So dish it." Even though Liz's voice was silky and demanding her mischievous eye gleamed at the prospect of some information and she was the first to hear about it. Although it was seen as a kind gesture, Patty carefully placed Maka's legs onto of hers so Maka could break free and escape from confessing the latest gossip.

"You and Soul had a fight?" Patty correctly inferred, with a questioning eyebrow raise.

"Yes and-"

"But it was a serious fight and that you guys may never recover from?" Liz interrupted with her hypothesis.

"Mhmm. We've insulted each other a lot." Liz and Patty exchanged knowing glances and Maka couldn't disagree with them" but this time it was really personal. We bought in a lot of dirty secrets. Constantly using each other's family's problems. He told me he wished he was with one of my other hotter friends" signalling both Patty and Liz.

"That damned bastard. I'll kill him." Liz threatened, gripping Maka's hand tightly

"He thinks I'm hot?" Patty pointed to herself in disbelief.

"Not the time Patty" Liz scolded her lightly with her burning look. Looking at Maka's almost tearful face. She rubbed her thumb soothingly across the back of Maka's hand understanding Maka's need for her brave face.

"Did he say anything else? Do anything to you?" Patty inquired earnestly. Maka took a deep breath, inhaling fully as if she was about to dive underwater, aimlessly staring at the gap between Liz and Patty.

"Just tell me if you have a date with Kidd?!" His voice rang in her mind as clear as day, it made her head spin with confusion. Why did he always mention Kidd to her these days. As if Soul was... obsessed with Kidd. No.. he couldn't be could he? But if he wasn't he wouldn't have-

With parted lips, they exchanged warm breath, and silky tongues running over her hot lips. Without a fault Maka still remembered the sting of the contact of his lips. How they held so much passion and strength and how it warmed her yet chilled her very bones. It rattled her and strengthened her, how he stole her first kiss... That tricky bastard.

"Nothing else happened. I got really offended and ran out into the rain. What he said got to me. I know we do this all the time but this time round got too serious. We were playing with fire without the fear of getting burnt to death." Maka said with a grave tone, hoping that she had concealed her tiny white lie within her serious voice.

"I see. Well you didn't burn to death but you almost froze to death. You passed out on our door step." Liz informed her

"What? I did?" Memories of the heavy rain crashing on her. The bullets of water shot through her with fresh iciness every second of her horrendous journey to Kidd's house. Her body turned numb as her clothes could not protect her from the heavy rainfall.

"Yep, we had to bathe you and dry you up so you wouldn't catch pneumonia" Patty beamed at Maka patting her legs gently. Maka tried to school her features into sincere gratitude but couldn't resist and let her eyebrows raise, lost into her fringe.

"Don't give me that look. We didn't do anything. You should have been more afraid of Kidd, albeit he was so petrified of you dying that he froze in shock as well you dripping all over his neat carpet" Liz winked.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving me. I will give you anything you want in return, but only once." Maka smiled sweetly, hugging her friends. Knowing full well that she had to be careful with her words especially with Patty, because she knew from previous experiences that this crazy, baby-blue eyed blond, adorable girl would milk this favor out of Maka, even if it would almost kill her.

Kidd stood by their door, folding his arms neatly and precariously over his chest. Closing his eyes slowly and taking a deep breath, leaning softly against the cold wall. He was planning to use this one time favor to grant him his dreams.

Be careful Maka you have to make sure you can guarantee these promises, otherwise there will be dire consequences.

After being thoroughly checked by Kidd, Liz, Patty and Kidd's own private doctor Maka was deemed ready to be sent back to her apartment and ready for school.

She easily settled into her familiar, dull yet busy routine, as if those events that happened that night had never happened. Yet something was still plaguing her mind. Her concentration in class was fraying and still decreasing by every second. Her mind was constantly replaying the fight. As she was walking from the cafeteria, failing to finish her delicious lunch she was still turning the events. She understood the insults. That was perfectly plausible, the heat and ferocity of that fight was also explainable. They had said hurtful things, bringing in dangerous family matters that were buried deep in their hearts. But the mention of Kidd, the begging and the... touching of lips were so confusing. Without even looking up she fell down to the ground.

"You need to learn to look after yourself, or are you asking me to protect you?" A swift handsome baritone teased.

"Oh.. ah sorry for bumping into you..." Glancing up to see "Kidd.. Erm I'll see you in biology later? Kay?" wistfully turning away, her mind still turning over the event's of the unspoken night.

"Or you'll see me now." He gave the alternative, not as a question but as a statement. Forcefully said and it was full of intention, yet the statement did not turn his friend's head so he had to use physical means. Grabbing her wrist and dragging her in tow seemed to do the trick. Luckily for Kidd and strangely for Maka that the students were still having lunch or did not think much of this friendly notion because they had already seen this scene too many times before and carried on with whatever they were doing.

"What you just said didn't even make sense! You just saw me now! Hey I have homework to do!" Maka tugged at her friend's thick, yet bony wrist to make him relinquish his firm grasp but in fact made it worse as he tightened his grip. He didn't care if her hand would turn blue because of lack of blood circulating, he would donate his hand to her if he had too.

"Hey! Can't we talk later, Kidd?!" She tried to reason, still trying in vain.

"Does it look like I want to talk later Maka?" He tried to silence her, still towing her but it was becoming increasingly difficult. At this rate they were going to have to cut into a little bit of lesson time. Didn't matter anyways, Maka was a smart girl she could pass any class blindfolded, where as he.. Well he would maybe have to ask her to tutor him. He smirked at the thought, natural for his mind to wander.

"No.. But I want to. I have things to do Kidd!" Maka pulled back to stop Kidd in his tracks, sucessfully.

"Yeesh, so ungrateful towards your savior. You hurt me Maka" He teased, using her hand to pat his left breast over his heart and pouting like a depressed puppy. Maka pulled away instantly as if she was burnt by fire. Narrowing her eyebrows she tried to break for it. Tried

Kidd caught her wrist once more, and where Maka felt the cool air around her wrist was once again replaced by long aristocratic fingers that had once again wrapped themselves tightly around her wrist. They had gone back to where they were previously.

"Hey! Aren't you listening to me?! Don't you use those stupid asymmetrical ears for something?!" Maka tried to insult him, but he merely chortled.

"If that's how you trash talk, I may have to invest in teaching how to do it properly, because that was appalling Maka." He had the actual nerve to look over his shoulder, wink and click his teeth at her as if he was checking out another one of his hot fangirls. "And thank you for noticing but my divine body's symmetry is perfect everywhere. Yes even my ears are symmetrical in height and width, they are identical to each other. I had my doctor check, but you are mistaken. I am truly a god in human form" He informed her so nonchalantly as this was everyday information. Kidd paced himself so he could get to his destination quicker however Maka had forgone the failed attempts of freeing herself and tried to turn her body into dead weight so that Kidd would have to slow down to accommodate dragging "extra weight".

"If you're being this difficult and uncooperative I will just throw you over my shoulder and carry you. Either way is good" He grinned, that stupid lopsided, roguish grin mocked her and she hated it. How could he silkily threaten her like this, didn't he know that 97% of the girls here would die to have Kidd like this? However her mind still reeled at the fact that Kidd threatened her to be thrown over his shoulder, with her ... butt up so high up. That was going to be her death sentence and she wasn't even wearing trousers or a long skirt. Today had to be the day when she decided to wear a short but unnoticeable chequered skirt, and no shorts or tights to at least cover up her backside.. not even to slightly blur the colour of her panties. Karma was a real bitch sometimes.

"So I guess you really want me to-" Kidd stopped to turn around and already placed his strong wide hand on her waist to hoist her up, that is when Maka slapped away his hand.

"Kidd just tell me want you want to say. I don't want to be dragged around." Maka gave her steely glare hoping that her friend would understand and drop this ridiculous and uncharacteristic act.

"Then hurry up and walk with me. Stop being so bratty" Kidd knew full well how this was going to end-

"I am not-" Her voice deepened several octaves and her expression:deeply offended. Cheeks blushing, full of anger and her feet stomping like a 5 year old child told that she couldn't have dessert.

"Then don't act like it and come with me. Quickly. Unless you want to skip lessons now?" He felt great, he didn't know why, but for once he was breaking the rules and stepping over lines that were drawn so big. No wonder it was hard to come back from hell.

-arriving at the destination-

"Okay what do you want to say Kidd?" She spat out, obviously annoyed. She was never like this too Kidd, she was usually much more amicable and friendly, then again Kidd has never been this forceful before. Not even when he wanted to make her slanted ceiling in her bedroom symmetrical.

"Don't get all moody because someone else other than Soul dragged you out." He teased, knowing full well he was poking the lion in the eye. He wasn't afraid of getting scratched. Well technically, lioness, he corrected himself. Maka couldn't help but flinch at the mention of him, she was even afraid of thinking of his name. It brought back the memory too raw, too fresh. It was like a salted wound or a re-opened wound from a torn-away plaster.

"Ahh so you guys really got into the mother of all arguments" Kidd summarized. Eyeing her up and down to notice anymore tell-tale signs. As if shielding herself, she wrapped her arms around herself, looking down at the deep emerald grass blades. Kidd was still awkwardly glaring at her, and Maka has never experienced this so she concentrated on the tiny ant that was easily passing through the tall blades of grass.

"Did you recover... mentally from it?" Kidd asked, angling his head to try and see her expression from her bent neck. Mischievousness left and careful gentleness had replaced it. Surprised from this sudden change in tone and movement, Maka's head shot straight up. Which was a stupid move which trapped her between the hard, gnarled bark of a tree and Kidd, who in a way was a tree as well. Stupid boys and their lucky growth hormones. Feigning confidence, Maka steeled herself and schooled her mouth into a familiar wide smile

"Haha, of course I did. Kidd do you underestimate me?" Tilting her head playfully, trying to bluff it off. It seemed to work, as Kidd let his mask go for just a second and restructured his features into a knowing and deadly expression.

"Hmm but yesterday Liz told me you were shaken up from his words... what did she say?" Kidd had finally caught her as she tried to flee and backed her into a corner. He wanted to know every last detail so he could sweetly take vengeance as painful as possible. "ahh that you.." glaring fiercely into her eyes "looked so delicate and tearful that even Liz wouldn't know how to piece you back together." Kidd relayed the message perfectly. Maka once again was caught trying to cover up her feelings. Fuck and how could she have not seen this, but why was Kidd doing this? Did he want to take revenge for her? Or strangely bully her for being so weak towards his friend? Either option was as crazy as each other.

"Why are you saying this to me now? It's not as if any of this was your fault." Maka pursed her lips, annoyed at today's fate. It was messing with her head, this was absolutely messing with her head.

"What did he say to you then?"

"Well we insulted each other a lot, but it was a lot angrier and brought in family ties too. It was scary, I have never seen him so angry like this, and I've never said such hateful things to him." Maka admitted, pushing back her fringe in frustration, Kidd noted that she did this when situations became awkward or unbearable.

"I don't think Soul will care that much, you guys are so hard-headed sometimes. I wouldn't worry about Soul too much, you're both even now right?" Kidd sincerely asked, glancing at Maka's arm which was concealing her hot leaking tears.

"Kidd why are you asking me this right now? It's really not your business. I'm so grateful for your hospitality and your friendship but -"

"But my idiotic friend made you cry. And right now you're more of a friend than he is to me. And my loyalty will lie with you." He flicked her forehead gently as if trying to imprint that message into her knowledgeable brain.

"Kidd you don't have to take revenge. Can't we just move on like always? We would already be in the ground if me and Soul took revenge for each other's actions towards each other." Maka laughed at how truthful it was. Was her friendship that diabolical that it would potentially kill her?

"Maka I have never seen you come to my house dripping in rain and almost dying in my house because of some argument with Soul. I demand repentance for all sins and faults. They can come in many forms:

1. You two apologize to each other and you guys do not have another fight this year.

2. I decide what you should do for punishment since you ruined my expensive and unique carpet which I had specially shipped from Russia." He was holding his two fingers, emphasizing her seemingly only options.

"I'll pay for the damage done to the carpet. But Kidd do not get involved where you will get killed. This is between me and Soul. No one else is and should now be concerned." She snarled back, she really disliked this interfering character. Sure she loved Kidd and everything and she should have seen this coming as his need for symmetry should have been a fucking flashing sign for her, but once again she was too ignorant to pay attention.

"I doubt you have that kind of money Maka, and besides I have other options for you to repay for the damage. Ones that are more enjoyable." implying something more tangible than the enormous amount of money that was apparently needed to pay for his carpet.

"Kidd, please stop playing around with me. It doesn't suit you becoming the bad guy like in the dramas." Maka sighed rubbing her temples, growing more agitated that he was able to still smirk at her.

"Now now Maka, you made me seem as if I don't know what could happen. You need to learn that I'm a lot more observant than I seem and my happy-go-lucky nature as you usually describe me having can easily be a facade as much as Patty's adorableness could be. And also remember that I am a formidable person that has a family that comes from old money. I can do what I need and want to do for me and anyone I care for"

"Pft. You say I'm bratty. And yet you are exactly like Soul, why don't you learn to play nicely and let people get on with their lives! I said I don't want to talk about this, because it does not concern you Kidd! Leave me alone!" Pushing as hard as she could against this steely body.

"Maka do not insult me like this. You do not want to see me lose it, lose myself to insanity. You will be fucking terrified and there may not be a chance of coming back. I will tell you this clearly. Do not compare me to Soul. You may not see it right now, but me and Soul not friends in the conventional sense. We are competitors, for the exact same prize, for the exact. Same. Goal. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. You're a little too naive to believe that we are actual friends. Our fathers, our grandfathers have put us on this very fate to make sure only one of us ends up on top. You don't know this because you are adorably but mind-numbingly oblivious to your surroundings. Liz and Patty understand very well what is happening and what is about to happen. Why do you think Liz was asking you questions in such detail? " Golden orbs had bored into her very soul and mentally pinned her against the tree again. "You say that it does not concern me, but it is in fact my battle as much as yours. But I have much more at stake than you. I may seem insane right now but I have barely scratched the surface unlike before."

"Bullshit."

"What?" If Kidd expected anything from Maka Alburn it wasn't her calling bullshit on his words.

"You and Soul and this whole fucking school are full of bullshit. You and Soul have your problems I get it, is that what you had to drag me out here to tell me? Honestly why did I ever think of enrolling into this insufferable school, you guys think it's funny to waste my time by telling me such menial things? Yes rich families has as many problems as do the commoners. But commoners have reality to deal with, I have bills to pay, work to get through and a diploma to get. This argument is worth nothing, so drop it and let me get back to school. This has been a waste of my time" She spat out angrily, of course she was pissed off. Did these rich people think she was a ox being dragged into the water hole by a rope? She wasn't mindless, and what insanity was Kidd talking about? He was always docile and sweet, but she began to think that it was going to take more than one night to forgive this.

"I have already said, insufferable woman (thanks Soul), that this argument does include me in it. More so than you can ever imagine Maka. I'm sure that Soul mentioned me in it. And maybe more recently as well?" knowing full well-

"How. Why do you this?"

"Because I caused your rift between you and Soul. I may be a rich bastard that you deemed me as Maka, and you're right. I am filthy rich but at least I'm not as heartless as Soul as to remind you how little you have. In fact I admire you as well as other things. I beginning to care for you a lot more than you dared to imagine"

"Oh please Kidd. Stop. You keep throwing your words around so carelessly like the bad boy you aim to be. Stop before I fall for you ." Maka was too angry to see his dark sincerity. Mocking him with a pretend swoon and stormy eyes that glared back at him with twice as much fire and passion. How beautiful and seductive they were, he couldn't help but imagine those same eyes-

"Be careful Maka because I am telling you the truth. Unlike that bastard Soul. I care too much for you to be stepped on. By anyone. The paranoia caused by me was to set Soul alight, because Maka you are the prize of the king. I will make him burn alive for your pain as much as mine. You are priceless yet you will make us pay by shedding blood and bones, because you are so fucking intangible and I think Soul has had a winning start and I can not let him win." Kidd held her wrist gently in his hand, knowing she was too numb from shock. He couldn't help it, all these damned secrets were pouring out, and it felt good. He knew he would go to hell for this, but this weight he had carried for far too long was crumbling and he was playing and making his own rules. He had been the quiet, unsuspecting one for too long, since Maka still couldn't take him seriously. Well he could make her understand..

The breath brushed her neck and chin heavily as he was so close to her, only a few millimeters apart. She had never been this close to a guy before, well not so recently to another close almost romantic encounter with another guy. She could help but heat up, feeling her cheeks burn with either embarrassment or surprise, or perhaps both. How could she tell? She was just informed that she was a prize for either Kidd or Soul. So that meant all her other friends were keeping secrets about this apparent competition; great friends they were she mentally huffed.

"Why so shy now Maka? Finally realizing how much you mean to us? Or do you simply enjoy men fighting over you?"

"Men? Pah! Even my own sex-addicted runaway father is more of a man than both of you and Soul put together. You can not refer yourself as a man, men do not force women up against trees to prove their worthless points. Men are adults and this behavior is not appropriate. You are merely grade-schoolers. Unable to have a civil conversation." She scoffed lightly, still pissed that she was still in this ridiculous situation and Kidd was still trying to pull this crap over her eyes.

"If that's how you see it, then how come this grade-schooler can make you blush?" Kidd teased, dangerously. His breath panting and ghosting over her throat now, fully concentrated on her facial features. "Do I make you nervous? Do I make your heart beat rapidly as you do mine? Because Maka I promise you that this may seem idiotic and stupid (she ironically chucked) but it's exactly how it seems. You don't have to understand it now, but you will in time. I promise you." He pushed up her full fringe, and she could feel his whole body relax from the tension of keeping her body attached to the tree, he gently and sweetly placed his lips on his forehead.

"Next time Maka, I'll make you admit to me. I'll make you see." He didn't threaten her, as she had expected like in the gangster movies but it was a promise.

"See what?"

"See that Soul and I are much worse than you could ever imagine."

And that's a wrap. I guess you guys can flame me... I do suck. BUT read this so I can explain. I'll probably end up coming back to this chapter and deleting it anyways...

Basically there is some massive, massive, massive rivalry between Soul and Kidd and this time the ultimate prize is Maka. I know it seems really cliche, but don't worry I'm gonna make Maka as devious as possible and Kidd and Soul as crazy and cool as possible like the dramas. I intentionally made Kidd like this, in this chapter to develop his character and his relationship with Maka. I was originally gonna make him a simple love interest that usually gets thrown aside in the end, but this time I might as well go full way and have a possibility that Maka and Soul are not gonna be the crazy couple in love. It's gonna be a long journey and I intend to pave it with hellish intentions. Also next chapter is definitely going to have some Soul and Maka action and it may not be the type you expect...

When Kidd talks about insanity and going to hell, he's talking about his "dark side" (stupid huh?) but if you guys like this idea I will definitely flesh out and explain in much more detail about Kidd's insanity and much more interesting and crazy side. But for definite he can let go and lose himself in insanity when he's with Soul. However how did he come back since he's already been down that dark path. You'll find the answer if you like it.

Sorry for any mistakes and tardiness and probably shitty chapter

Love

Chang

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