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The stench of burning eggs hit Soul’s nose and he looked over his shoulder. Maka stood at the stove, shoulders hunched as she pushed a spatula across the pan. She was burning their dinner.
Again.
Soul sighed, flopping backward on the couch. Maybe he should tell Maka he would cook for them all the time, and she could take over something else. She couldn’t be good at everything.
He grimaced, darting a look at Maka as another smell joined the burnt egg smell. She slapped her hand to her face. There was something dripping from her nose as she wheeled around, darting for the bathroom.
Blood.
Black blood.
“Fuck.” Soul whispered, pushing off the couch and running over to flip off the burner. He leaned around the corner, looking where Maka went. The light was on in the bathroom and the door wasn’t all the way shut.
Stepping into the hall, he could see Maka’s reflection in the mirror, as steam from the boiling hot water in the sink fogged up the glass, twin streams of black blood pouring from her nose. His eyes drop to the sink and she’s scrubbing thick, sludgy black blood off her hands.
Maka coughed, hunching over the counter as the cough shook her entire body.
Fuck.
Just as he was about to rap his knuckles on the doorjam, he felt a jolt of fear spike through him. And it wasn’t his.
Maka was looking at her hands, the new blood that covered them from her cough, and the fear began in her chest and flowed urgently into the rest of her body. He could feel it, as if it was his own.
Pressing himself to the wall beside the door, Soul took a deep breath, his hand pressing to his chest to try and dull the feeling. This was bad. This was bad.
Maka’s voice floated through the crack, a hoarse whisper that tugged at his heart.
“I know you’re there, Soul.”
He stepped into the doorway, knowing it was pointless to pretend. Maka knew him the same way he knew her, knew he would follow her to the ends of the Earth. The hallway of their shared apartment was just that. Theirs.
Her fear thuds in his chest as she scrubbed her hands again, and it grew and grew until it felt like it was going to pour out of him.
A single thought flew through his mind and Soul’s breath caught in his chest.
“Maka.”
She didn’t look, her blonde hair falling limp over her shoulders as her panic spiraled.
“I know what you’re not thinking that. You’re not dying, Maka, alright?” He reached out and turned off the water as she looked over at him.
“Something happened when we fought that meister and weapon, but we’re gonna figure it out. We always do.” Soul said, holding her gaze.
Her eyes widened. “Its…happening to you, too?”
Soul grunted in response. “No, but that doesn’t mean anything. Just…” He looked at her and couldn’t see anything but the bloody remains of her torso as he burst out of her body. “Just some weird dreams.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Maka said, her voice hurt as she straightened.
“Ttch. Why didn’t you tell me this was happening to you?” Soul shot back, shoving his hands into his pockets and shrugging his shoulders. “Didn’t want you to worry anymore than you already are. Can you blame me?”
Maka’s eyes watered and she sniffled, wiping a damp hand under her nose.
“Just get cleaned up. I’ll finish dinner. Or restart dinner, since you burned it.” Soul gave her a sharp grin and Maka let out a watery laugh, shoving him out of the bathroom.
*
The bottle of pills rattled as Maka shook a black capsule into her hand, grimacing. Soul watched from the table, setting two plates of noodles down.
“What are those?”
Maka heaved a sigh. “Medusa-Sensei gave them to me, they’re supposed to help with the black blood.” She shook the bottle again, a disgusted look on her face. “They taste awful.”
Soul stared at her and reached into his pocket. “Here.”
Taking the small wrapped hard candy he handed her, Maka smiled. “Candy before dinner?”
“It’ll help with the taste.” Soul dropped into his seat and stared down at his dinner, mumbling, “My mom used to give me one when I had to take medicine.”
“Oh,” Maka said, and Soul could feel her eyes on him. “Thank you.”
“Well, I don’t want you yaking all over the food I just cooked, do I?” Soul quipped, grinning.
Maka glared, raising her hand as she stalked forward. “What?”
“Don’t chop me!” Soul said, ducking around the table.
“Get over here!” Maka gave chase, the bottle of black pills forgotten and the single piece of candy held gently in her hand.
Maka grinned, lightly chopping Soul on top of the head as she tackled him to the couch.
Yeah, they would be okay.
She knew it.