An Escape. (A Soul Eater fanfic)

Orange Juice and Nightmares.

Chapter Eight: Orange Juice and Nightmares

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Maka awoke still in her day clothes, under several layers of blankets-she would bet money that there were eight-and feeling, for the first time in a while, rested and ready to face the day.

That is, she would be, if the day wasn't already half gone.

Upon noticing the time she jumped out of bed and quickly changed clothes, getting ready for what little of the day had to offer.

She quickly made her way downstairs, where a seemingly equally as late-sleeping Kidd sat with a coffee on the couch and the newspaper.

"You drink coffee?" Maka asked, raising an eyebrow, to which Kidd sipped his brew and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Not often. Only when I have difficulty waking up. Would you like some?"

She shook her head, instead electing for orange juice.

"Did you just brush your teeth, by any chance?" Kidd asked nonchalantly, turning a page in the paper.

"Yeah, why?" She poured herself a glass and stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you," he chided lightly, though a small smirk lay on his face.

"What does orange juice have to do with brushing your teeth?" Maka scoffed, and as if to prove a point, downed the entire glass.

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Why didn't you stop me?!" she screeched, rushing across the kitchen and pouring a glass of water to rid her mouth of the horrible taste.

Kidd chuckled before it turned in to full-blown doubled-over laughter, complete with pointing and tear-wiping. "I warned you!" he snickered, brushing disarrayed hair out of his face. "I told you not to drink it!"

"You bastard!" Maka flung a book at him, and the magical entity that appeared from nowhere managed to hit him square in the face.

His laughter eventually died down, and he wiped a final tear from the corner of his eye. "By Death, that was hilarious."

She pouted. "How was I supposed to know toothpaste makes orange juice taste so bad?"

"I told you. I warned you. 'I wouldn't drink that,' I said. But did you listen? Noooo." He shrugged. "At least I don't have that taste in my mouth."

Maka twitched and held up another book.

Kidd set down his coffee and put his hands up in surrender. "Now, how does some coffee sound?"

"These actors are terrible," Maka commented, tossing a piece of popcorn into her readily open mouth.

"That's what makes it so funny. Look how constipated he looks. It's hilarious. I mean, could they not have let him use the bathroom before filming?" Kidd said, snatching the next one she threw out of midair and popping it into his own mouth.

"Hey, how many Twihards does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Maka whispered a few minutes later, eyes glued to the screen.

Curiously, Kidd hummed in response.

"I don't know. They're all too busy fighting over who gets to be Mrs. Cullen."

Kidd covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing too loudly-firstly at the joke, and secondly, the fact that Maka had been able to maintain a straight face.

"That was a good one," he said.

"I know. I saw it on the internet."

He raised an eyebrow, wondering just what she was looking at, but the thoughts left him as she stood up and stretched. "Well, I don't think I can handle this much longer. I'll be going up to be-"

Maka was cut off as a roll of thunder shook the house. She visibly tensed, and lightning struck a few miles away. Moments later the power was cut as rain pounded down onto the roof. Her eyes searched around frantically in the dark, and she yelped when what she assumed was Kidd gripped her wrist and pulled her back onto the couch.

"Don't try to walk around; it's pitch black. Wait until your eyes adjust, at the least."

"R-right..."

"Are you alright?" His voice sounded closer that before, and she could feel his breath on her face. His eyes seemed to almost glow in the dark, but it appeared he couldn't see, either.

"I-I'm fine," she muttered, shoulders hunching inwards.

Lightning crashed again in the city and thunder followed immediately after. Maka tried to hide it, but a small whimper forced its way out.

"Maka...?" Kidd asked, and the sound of couch springs rose as he adjusted his position. "Are you sure?"

"Y...yes..."

"I don't believe you. Is it the thunder?"

She went to nod but miscalculated her position and ended up resting her head on Kidd's shoulder. Her eyes widened when his response was to rub his hands soothingly up and down her back.

"I'm sorry...this must be a burden to you..." She made to lift her head and separate them but froze solid when she felt two hands on either side of her head. She was pulled forward until their foreheads banged together and she could faintly make out his eyes in the darkness.

"You are not a burden."

"But you've done so much for me...I don't deserve this..."

He sighed, his breath tickling her face. "There are things you deserve, and things you do not deserve. You did not deserve to suffer for so long, and I can only imagine how hard it was to run away. You did not deserve the hardships you undoubtedly faced on the way. You do not deserve to have him still following you, and you do not deserve to fear him. He isn't worth that.

"You deserve every ounce of friendship and love you've ever gotten. You deserve to have a stable home, and someone you can rely on for support. You deserve to overcome this, and you deserve to come out stronger. You deserve to have a life, Maka. You deserve to be free."

The tears had long since started streaming down her face, and it was not because of the now constant lightning and thunder.

"Thank you...I needed to hear that..." she mumbled.

This time, it was Kidd who miscalculated. He'd finally mustered up enough courage to try and plant a small chaste kiss on her forehead, but it seemed that she'd tilted her head up rather significantly...

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CLIFHANGER!!!

I love you all. I hope you like it.