Free drawing of Soul and Maka ! (Or at least, I tried :< lol~)

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"...That's some other book than yesterday. You're done with the another ?" Soul asked as he stared at Maka, who was intently reading. She, however, gave a nod. "I finished it this morning. This would be the second part."

"...How ? You were at the start when you woke up..." Soul mumbled, making Maka snicker.

"Didn't listen to Stein's bullshit class. Finished the book in two hours."

"...You should stop. Or take a break." Soul sighed. "You're starting to look like a zombie... Look at those bags under your eyes. You're growing thinner, too." He said, shaking his head as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Maka shrugged.

"Can't. Told you the reason why I love reading... And no one can stop me. Not even you." She huffed. Soul stared at her for a small while, seeing the intent gaze she had as her eyes focused on the book.

...Even with those circles under her eyes, she was still beautiful.

To him, that is.

"...I don't plan to stop you. Just, take a break." Soul said as he grabbed the book, and placed the bookmark between the pages, before closing it. Maka gasped, and desperately tried to retrieve it, but Soul moved it out of reach.

"Break."

"I slept !"

"I don't want your sight blurring in the future. So listen to me."

Maka sighed, before turning away.

"...Why do you care so much...?" She muttered, making Soul turn to her. She was wearing a frown... One that was obviously his fault.

"...Cause you're my best friend." Soul muttered, even though that wasn't the real reason. But Maka's frown just got worse.

"...Right. Of course."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Maka !"

The said girl groaned as Hiro called her name, who was running to her with flowers. "I-I bought you flowers !"

"I don't like flowers. I like---"

"Books. I bought the whole hard-bound set of The Ascendance Trilogy... Just for you."

Maka blinked, and stopped, turning to him with wide eyes. Hiro stopped in front of her and smiled, panting as he shakily held out a neatly tied pile of three books, and a small boquet of three red roses.

"...What are these for...?" Maka mumbled, reluctantly taking the set and the flowers. Hiro sighed, looking downwards with a shrug. "...I-it's almost Valentine's day... And I wanted to date you... Don't worry, I already told Soul. He said it was fine..."

Maka stared at him, blinking, as if she was still trying to take in what he was saying...

"...Soul let me date you...?"

"...Y-yeah." Hiro sighed. "...I'm sorry for acting such a douche, I just... I-I was despera--"

Maka wasn't able to hear the rest of his reasons or such. It actually broke her heart that he just...

Oh, she almost forgot. He never had feelings for her, right ? Of course he'd give her off.

Maka narrowed her eyes, before forcing a smile. "...I'm free this saturday..."

Hiro paused, and gasped, before smiling brightly. "I-I can pick you up at morning !"

"Great... Okay." Maka gave a small nod, before turning away and walking off.

...Handing her away, huh...?

Well, it hurts, but... That's what he did.

And Maka was determined to make him regret it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Soul sat in front of his keyboard, and sighed. Blackstar and Kid were on the couch behind him, Blackstar laying on his back and Kid sitting with his arms crossed. It was a friday that day, and was actually three days since Maka accepted Hiro's offer... Although she didn't go back home. Soul was worried, but he'd never show it.

And now here he was, being scolded by his only friends.

"Do you have any clue about how Maka loves you ?" Kid stated, staring at Soul's back with a glare.

"Of course."

"Then why give her away ?" Kid responded in such a strict voice. "Soul, after she let Hiro, she freaking came to our house and cried for fuck's sake !"

"I was there... I wanted to eat lots." Blackstar shrugged, but Kid glared at him, making him roll his eyes. "Strict-ass. Yeesh."

"Why do you two care ?" Soul grumbled as he started pressing keys, making a melody. "I gave her away because I don't deserve her."

"Why ?" Kid stood, ready to beat the life out of his friend if he said another stupid thing... Blackstar laid still and watched.

"Because I don't." Soul grumbled as he continued playing, the melody taking a turn to the dark side as his hands started feeling heavy.

"Why ?!"

"I'd never deserve an angelic being like her !" Soul yelled out as he withdrew his hands, panting hardly. Kid stared down at his friend with slightly wide eyes... Soul never raised his voice. Not until now, at least.

"...She's... Too perfect..." Soul muttered, his eyes narrowing as his head slowly lowered. "I'm exactly no one... Maka's the best person there ever was... She's intelligent, smart, clever, wise... Kind... She's... Everything a guy would wish of for a girl--except the fact that she's short-tempered and can beat you up... But... It's one of the nice things about her..."

"...And ?" Kid muttered, watching the white-haired male slowly curl up into a ball.

"...She told me she loved me before... And I... I took it as a joke---a freaking joke. I mistook her feelings as a joke and now that I wanted to say I feel the same... I can't. I've hurt her already---and this is my punishment. I'll never get the chance to say it to her... Because I've erased her bright smile---and turned it into a pained one."

"...One thing I've noticed about you, you're so negative about yourself." Blackstar stood up and went over to him, before grabbing a chair and sitting next to him. "Stop being so bad about yourself. Soul, Maka would never love you if you weren't something special. Kid, tell me something awesome about this idiot !"

"...He knows music...?"

"There ! You know mu---what the fuck, Kid ? EVERYONE fucking knows music ! Hum some shit and that's music already !" Blackstar huffed, obviously disappointed. "Never knew being the child of this city's leader would rot your brain to the point you're stupid. Yeesh."

"Wha--speak to yourself, you brat ! At least I was more of a proper male than you, you ignorant shit !" Kid retorted, but Blackstar ignored him completely.

"...You see, Soul, Maka sees something inside you... Something too special--not even the two of us can identify what it is. But you know, even if Maka thought it was clear you never had feelings for her, she continued loving you. She knows you more than you know yourself."

Soul blinked, and turned to the bluenette next to him, staring with his wide red eyes. Blackstar gave him a grin.

"She's been in our house since you let her date Hiro... Don't worry. She said she's coming home tonight. Take the chance."

And with that, Blackstar gave him a pat on his back, before standing up. Kid sighed.

"...Don't waste it this time, okay ? Who knows--what if one day, it's too late ?" He mumbled, before turning to his left and seeing Blackstar--taking leftover stuff from their fridge. Kid blinked, and glared, making Blackstar pout and put down the leftover cake in his hands... But took a few bottles of soda before Kid dragged him away.

Although Soul... He can't. His friends were right, but... He can't. How would he say it ?

So he just slept his problem off.

And then days passed. And strangely, weeks... He was slowly rotting in worry for her---although he knew from Kid that she was fine. And she turned down Hiro a day after they dated.

He exactly didn't know why she'd turn him down but... When he knew, he wished he didn't.

"Maka !"

Here he was, running his way through the crowd in an airport. Maka was on her way to London ! Or somewhere. She'd be leaving for four years.

He has to tell her. If he did, she'll stay. She'll surely stay. She can't be gone for four years--what about him ?!

"Maka !" Soul yelled as he ran ahead, constantly brushing off people in the way.

"...Don't waste it this time, okay ? Who knows--what if one day, it's too late ?"

Kid was painfully right.

"Maka..." He panted heavily, reaching the waiting area in minutes. But... She wasn't there. No one was. Nothing but a paper. Soul ran to it, and grabbed it, reading the words.

"Just in case you came... Soul, I still love you. But i... I have to study somewhere else. I wanted to tell you months ago when dad told me—but... Well, I guess I couldn't.

I don't want to leave you.

But hey, you don't love me, right...? So... I'm moving on. And when I get back, I promise you, I'd be better. And over you.

Thank you. For everything.

~Maka."

Soul froze in place, before turning to where the people should go to board the plane. What if she's still there ? What if---

"She can't move on... No."

Soul ran again, desperate to chase after the girl who once chased after him endlessly.

"One minute before departure."

The spot was meters away. Soul did his best to catch up.

"30 seconds."

"Damn it, faster !" Soul cursed in his head, feeling himself go nearer to the door.

"20 seconds."

"Ten more meters..."

"10 seconds."

"Nine more... Eight... Seven..."

"5 seconds."

"Four... Three... Two..."

"Taking off."

"One."

"No !" Soul reached his hand out to grab the door, wanting to stop it from closing so they'd delay but he was an inch or two too late.

Soul froze in place as he heard the said plane take off. It was a deafening sound... Really deafening.

"...But... I-i..."

"...I love you."

"...Sure."

Kid was right. He should've listened. And now, it was too late.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Like I said, this is fluff~! :3 Part three coming soooooooooon~