Chapter 2

Crona followed Maka out of the dungeon and into the fresh air. It was beginning to get dark.

"What do you say we take the long way to my house?" Maka suggested. "It's so nice out! Besides, I want to talk to you without the others around."

"About what?" asked Crona nervously. He always felt a pang in his stomach when someone said they wanted to talk to him. He worried what they would say.

"I don't know. It's just we are such close friends and you never talk about yourself. I want to hear about your opinions, your life. Anything."

"Oh I-I uh..." Crona stuttered. "Why?" He hated to talk about himself.

"I understand that it's hard for you. I know your life has been torture until recently and you may not want to tell me about it, but maybe talking about your feelings will make you feel better! And I want to know what you think about things! You can't agree with me on everything." She placed a hand comfortingly on his shoulder.

"Why do you care about me so much?" He lowered his head as they walked. "I still don't understand it. I'm horrible to be around and I betrayed you. You should hate me."

"Please stop saying things like that." She wrapped her arm around his waist. "I care about you because you're my friend. And you're sweet and gentle by nature. You aren't Medusa's pawn any longer and I'm glad. I'm glad I got to know you when you were sane. The sweet innocent Crona, not the monster Medusa tried to create."

Crona blushed. "I...I..." He smiled timidly and blushed.

"You don't have to say anything more. I'm fine. Just being with you. But I hope one day you are ready to open up to me." She smiled at him in reassurance but sighed inwardly. Maka had requested a therapist for Crona. However, when she asked the therapist said Crona was too afraid to speak to her and just kept repeating that "He couldn't handle therapy." She worried about the boy. He had suffered so much and chose to bottle up all his emotional trauma inside of him. She remembered the poem he had written. It was obviously just a snippet of the hell inside this poor boy's head.

"Ok." Crona said looking up at her. She met his eyes and he quickly averted them.

"Oh c'mon you don't have to be afraid to look me in the eye."

"I don't know how to deal with people looking at me."

"Am I just another person to you?"

"No!" Crona's head shot up in protest. "Of course not! You...you're unlike anyone I've ever met and I...I...you are the only person I feel safe around. I can't deal with anything without you here. I'm just..." He stopped as he fumbled over what to say next.

"It's okay Crona. You just need more time than most." She placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "One day you won't be so scared of everything."

"I can't see that happening. I've always been afraid. It takes all my strength just to get through one day of school. There's so many people."

"You like our friends though. Right?"

"Yeah! I really do! They are all so kind. I don't understand it."

"Why do you think that it is odd for other people to be nice to you?"

"I'm still not used to it. I'm used to expecting other people to hurt me I guess."

"See! You are able to talk about yourself! You didn't even say "pass" when I asked you that question. That's improvement Crona!"

Crona smiled bashfully. "I guess it is." They had now arrived at the small student house where Maka and Soul lived. It was a white one story house with a small garden and pathway. Maka pulled out her key and unlocked the wooden door, slowly pushing it open.

"Huh." Exclaimed Maka when she saw that all the lights were out. "Soul nor Blair are here. I hope she isn't getting into trouble again. Not that that's my problem." She smirked, flicking on the nearest light switch. "Well Crona I choose what movie to watch last time so it's your pick. Unless you want to play a game or something."

"What do you want to do?"

"I said it was your turn to pick."

"But what if you don't like what I choose." Crona gasped as pain wrenched his spine and Ragnorak pushed himself out of his bloodstream.

"Damn you Crona. Why didn't you ask me what I want? I'm sick of you. Before this stupid girl came along I always made the decisions and now you cower behind her like a stray dog! I say we watch something violent and gory!" Ragnorak screeched.

"Haven't we seen enough gore collecting kishin eggs?" Maka asked. "I said it was Crona's turn to decide not you Ragnorak."

"You never let me decide!" Ragnorak growled.

"I'll let you make decisions once you start being nice to Crona."

"What? Bullying Crona is the only joy in my life and I am never giving it up! Never!"

"Then I suppose you will never decide on what to do." Maka raised her eyebrows. She walked into her living room and plopped herself on the couch. "The movies are over there Crona. Pick one." She pointed to the wooden shelves by the TV. Crona nervously bent down to look at the movies.

"I don't know how to deal with making decisions Maka."

"Crona, I know you secretly have a movie preference. I won't be mad if you pick something I don't like." Come to think of it, I really have no idea what kind of things Crona would enjoy, Maka thought. He hasn't been exposed to all that much. I doubt he really had enough of a life with Medusa to find his interests.

"Is this okay Maka?" He held up the cover of The Fox and the Hound.

"Ah! The story of unlikely friends. Perfect. Now put it in and sit next to me." She patted the couch area to her right. "I'm getting lonely over here."

"Ugh!" Exclaimed Ragnorak in disgust. "That movie looks like a bunch of sappy shit. I'm out of here." He plunged back into Crona's back. Maka let of a sigh of relief. She liked it when it was just her and Crona. Crona put the disk in the DVD player and brought the remote over to Maka. He sat down next to her. She pressed "Play" and pulled a fleece blanket from underneath the couch.

"Share this with me." She said as she draped the blanket over the both of them. Crona inched closer to her. Maka smiled and leaned against him as the opening credits began to roll. Crona stiffened a little but quickly relaxed as Maka wrapped him in her comforting wavelength. "This was a good movie to pick Crona."