AN: Take them apart and put 'em back together. I write morbidly fluffy things, sue me.

Don't own.

I told her that I was in love with her and then I wished I hadn't. I'm her weapon, I'm never supposed to hurt her, never supposed to make her afraid but when she looked at me, I could tell she was even more afraid of me than she was of the Kishin. Maka left. There was no argument, she didn't give me time to try to stop her, to explain, she just turned on her heel, grabbed her jacket and was out the door. She didn't even hit me. I stood in the same spot for a stupid amount of time until my brain seemed to catch up and I stumbled to the couch. She'd come back, Maka didn't usually leave when we fought, or whatever this was, she'd come back later tonight and everything would be fine.

She didn't come back. I went looking for her on my bike at three in the morning worried sick and I couldn't find her anywhere. Finally at six I parked at school, I had been on my way to the library to see if she had fallen asleep between the stacks again when Lord Death passed me in the hall. He blinked once at me before telling me that Maka was just fine, she'd requested some time off to travel and wouldn't be gone too long.

He told me that six months ago. I still held the rank of Death Scythe, so I was mostly able to throw myself in mission and work. I begged Justin to train me how to fight without a meister, because despite how much Maka's departure hurt, I would rather die than let another wield me. School had never been much of a priority and without Maka to pester me I could have cared less about it, it eventually got to the point where I was taking so many missions that they just excused me from school. Our friends tried to be supportive, but she hadn't even said goodbye to them. No one spoke about her, at least not in front of me. I realized belatedly that I was being an ass to them, cold and hardly ever talking anymore but I couldn't be bothered.

During the first few months, Spirit was distraught. He blamed me for it, and while he was right that it was my fault, it just wasn't what he was thinking of. There was one day in particular during the second month that was especially bad. I missed her so much and I was so angry that when he found me on the training grouds and once again accused me of cheating on her and treating her badly I snapped. We fought until Lord Death separated us, I hadn't wanted to kill him, just wipe that shit eating smirk off his face. I managed to get the last word in though after Lord Death's stern talking to. But the look on Spirit's face when I told him that the reason Maka had left was because I told her I loved her and she had run because he had fucked her up didn't make me feel better. I just made me miss her more.

I celebrated my twentieth birthday alone that year on a mission.

I was dragging myself back to my apartment, I'd finished the mission, given my report and now it was time to patch myself up. I hadn't gotten a look at it yet, but I was pretty sure that I was still bleeding from a cut on my shoulder and one on my left leg as well. The one on my leg was going to be bad, it hurt to put too much pressure on it and my sock and shoe were soaked with blood. The sooner I was cleaned up the sooner I could sleep for the next three days. That's what I kept muttering to myself as I hobbled up the stairs and fumbled with my keys. Maybe I should have gone to see Stein.

I almost fell on my face through the door, it was getting harder to see straight and to stand. I seriously began to question just how much blood I'd lost when I heard a gasp of my name that sounded so familiar it made my heart hurt. I tried to blink, but everything was fuzzy and it felt like my brain was drowning in cotton. Figured I must have passed out or maybe died because there was no way the hands supporting me were real and there was no way in hell that those really were the blurry outlines of pigtails hovering above me.

There was furious muttering coming from my left and damn my leg hurt. The pain at least cut through the fog in my head and since when did Stein do house calls? How had he even known? I sat up with a groan wondering just what the hell was going on, maybe Blair had stopped by for a visit and found me passed out, that would explain it. But that was not Stein working on my leg.

I tried to be cool, I really did, but I swear to god there is no way to be cool when you're high off blood loss and the girl you love, who walked out on you seven months ago, is gently stitching up your leg. She'd even taken my pants off at some point, there was just no way for me to win. Maka was biting her lower lip, eyebrows scrunched as she focused on keeping her stitches even and not tugging too much. God I'd missed her. I was going to say something, really not sure what, but the edges of my vision were going black and god damn it all blood loss sucks.

When I came to it was morning and I was hungry. I was about to swing my legs over the edge of my bed wondering how stale my last box of cereal would be, when I remembered that she had been here. I was stiff and sore and my leg was throbbing but I had to find her. I limped out of my room intent on checking hers when she called my name from the living room. Think I gave myself whiplash I turned my head so quickly to look at her. Maka was just sitting on the couch, her legs curled under her and toes tucked into the seam between the cushions so they wouldn't get cold. It was like she hadn't even left. My heart caught in my throat and I tried to remember how to breathe.

"I'm sorry." She offered. I wanted to yell at her and be angry, I wanted to pull her close and just love her if she'd let me, but instead I sat down across the room from her at the dining room table. I needed some distance to get my head on straight.

"Seven months." My voice was rough and I tried to rub the sand from my eyes. She at least had the decency to look guilty.

"I needed time."

"I noticed." I looked her in the eye, she was sporting a slight tan and some wind burn on her cheeks, the highlights in her hair were more pronounced. "So you go for a walk and think, maybe stay at Tsubaki's for the night. You don't just up and leave for seven months."

"I was scared." She didn't waver.

"So was I."

She opened her mouth like she wanted to say more but closed it and just shook her head. Maka looked away from me. "I was afraid I'd ruin it. And then I did. By leaving." It was so soft I almost missed it. "And then I couldn't come back. Because I'd ruined it." She looked at me again but I'd already heard the tears in her voice, I didn't even need to see them gathering in her eyes before I was moving across the room to sit next to her on the couch.

I hesitated but Maka solved my dilemma by leaning into my chest. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and rested my chin on her head. "Soul I fucked up so badly, and this isn't fair to you at all, and I just can't because I'm such an idiot—"

"You won't leave again will you?" I asked, I needed to make sure and she needed to stop worrying.

"Never, if you'll let me jus—"

"Then I still love you." I braced for it, tightened my grip on her shoulders in case she really did decide to bolt. I heard her inhale sharply before she whispered my name in a rush. Because as badly as it hurt that she left, Maka was just as hurt and even more terrified.

"How did I even end up with you?" she muttered into my chest.

"You put up with me, that's how." I squeezed her shoulder and finally relaxed. She muttered something I didn't catch. "Hmm?" I asked with my eyes closed, wondering what could be so important, I was still sleepy she was warm and we were comfortable and together again.

"I love you too." Maka whispered before kissing my cheek. I blinked myself awake to look at her; she was blushing but smiling at me. I kissed her gently before letting my head fall back on the couch.

"Only took you seven months." I was tired but I still managed a smirk. Maka just snuggled in further against me with a content sigh.