Manga AU

In which a weapon Maka is willing to do what it takes to protect her meister Soul. Even if it means being blind…

16: Dust Storms

"Ready?" She breathed out.

Verdant eyes focused on the distance, just outside of Death City. The sky had quickly taken on shades of dark greys and blacks, lightning streaking the skies though a thunderstorm was the least of their concern at the moment.

A wall of dust is approaching.

"You sound a bit too excited to be going into a sandstorm of all things." Soul snorted, ignoring the cross look she gave him from the corner of her eye.

She waves a finger up, making it turn into a mini silver blade.

"Don't forget this is number 100. As lazy as you are, we've managed to get this far together. I'm definitely going to be a better death scythe then Papa and the youngest one too!"

'Not a hard accomplishment to do.' But he wisely keeps that to himself than face her twisting said razors on him.

And true, the beasts causing this destruction, these deaths would finally be put to an end tonight.

"Remember, it could be anywhere within that haze. We'll need to be on our guard." He reminds her.

Maka waves him off, zipping up her backpack and shrugging it on. "You're so oddly serious about this Soul. We've taken down stronger monsters than this."

'I won't let you get hurt again…'

'I'll always protect you Soul. You're my meister after all.'

She had murmured the words so breezily and earnestly, not taking into account the effect it would have on their dynamics.

Their relationship.

He looks away before she can see the red surely coming up on his face.

The city becomes a standstill during this time of the summer season, the nights when the city becomes bathed in a sea of smog that makes seeing sometimes just in front of you next to impossible.

"Thirsty?" Maka questions, nudging a water bottle in his direction.

It's the last time they'll be able to keep their mouths uncovered, moving in stride to the bounds outside of the city's protective zone.

They're layered with protective goggles, jackets, and masks.

His throat is dry, but he refuses. The mission comes first and foremost and it's far too dangerous to get distracted right now.

Not by her coiled pink lips or confident smile…

"Your mouth has been there."

Maka pauses, flustering for a second before managing a straight face back on. "It's not like I have germs!"

'I know.'

Insults are easier after all.

The rumble of rising sand whistles through the air and drowns out anything else to say, a creature with haunting ice-blue orbs watches them from within, seeming to slither closer the more they approach.

"You really think you can stop me, I'll bury you like I've done the others." They warn.

A knife shoots forth they both easily dodge, Maka ricocheting the sharp objects back with her own blade.

Until it's finally time.

Soul meets her gaze with a nod and she transforms, a long black and green scythe so much like her father's save for the crescent shape of weapon more like a sickle.

"Let's do Plan A." Maka suggests, voice resonating and humming through his ears.

They've gone over this, having studied their opponent for weeks now. The cities they targeted, the way they moved, and even the time of day they were most likely to strike.

However, he's never been completely on board for this plan, this beast clearly likes to fight at long range and getting up close like following the plan is risky.

"I think it's the only way to catch them off guard. Or else we'll risk this battle dragging on for too long." She continues.

"Yeah, I agree. We'll make the sand become her weakness." Soul replies, adjusting the pattern of his footsteps to be lighter, tossing out the coins Maka told him to bring along.

And as expected, the beast follows the sound.

At first.

Howls of pain escape into the wind, their so close now, soon they'll become the tiny last cursed soul they need.

Maka's blade pierces into their back for the final blow, the color of their blood isn't scarlet.

Only an endless black.

It's too late to move away, narrow slits of the creature's eyes glaring and locking on to them as a cruel grin crosses her face.

"I won't let you get away." It growls.

Dust rises and burns into his throat at his scream as Maka tumbles back into the ground.

-X-

'Her eyes.'

Of all the things for her to lose protecting him…

Again.

The dust devils and sandstorms have drifted away overnight, blankets of bent powerlines, broken glass, and smog colored windows just a few of the remnants of yesterday evening.

Maka has reached her goal.

Their goal.

'It should've been me. Damn it.'

They shouldn't be here in the hospital's intensive care where the smell of blood, disinfectants, and tear stained cheeks are too much the norm, no they should be out celebrating with Black Star and Tsubaki over pizza and games.

The surgery has been finished for close to 2 hours now, he's been checked out already by Stein for his throat. Nothing that a few cough drops and warm salt water can't fix.

"When can I see her?" He fidgets, pushing his hands into the deep crevices of his pocket.

He itches to hold the cool metal of Maka's weapon form again or feel the warmth of her pressing into him when she falls asleep next to him after reading a good book.

Stein pauses and he grits his teeth at his silence.

'It's that bad?'

"She's still in the recovery area, her eyes were damaged pretty badly even with the goggles to protect her. We had to remove glass shards and grains of sand we had to flush out. It may be a long while before her vision returns." He explained.

If anything, this only makes his scowl deepen.

"Well, Maka will get her sight back, right?"

The question lingers above them; Professor Stein won't lie to him.

Another hour later he's sitting beside her waiting. Sunlight crawls through the windows of the dark room, yellow rays making her sandy blonde hair shine just a bit.

He pretends not to see the all the wires and drips connected to her, foreign terms and medicines he's never heard of preventing infection, blood clots, and pain.

Pure white bandages shield her eyes from it all.

"Hey, there's something I want to tell you once we finish this mission." Maka stated, walking a bit slower behind him.

Evening light casts ribbons of pinks and reds streaking through the sky, damp pavements from morning and afternoon rains glittering in the last moments of sunshine.

"Why not just tell me it now?" Soul inquired, arching a brow at her behavior.

They were alone after all, no Black Star, Liz, Patty or even Kid to interrupt or make fun of them with everyone in Spartoi out on assignments.

But Maka shakes her head, steeling herself as she stood up straighter and reached for his hand.

She squeezes it carefully, blush marring her face as she looked up at him.

"Don't…Don't be with other weapons once I become a death scythe."

The words come out jumbled and fast, Soul holding her in place even with the sharp jabs of her textbooks digging into sides.

"What? Why would I do that? Is this why you've been acting so weird these past couple of days?"

All the little teases than seemed to set her off faster, the lack of her smiling.

"Oh, come on! I know you've seen all those love letters get piled into your locker. It's bad enough hearing girls from the NOT class say it or whisper it behind my back when they think I'm not there."

Soul frowned, almost wanting to shake her.

"Idiot! Who said I ever cared about what they think?"

Maka blinked, wincing at his blunt tone. He was the one too who said she wasn't sexy or cute, just a nerdy bookworm who spent too much time indoors.

Fingers brush against the side of her face, tilting her face up.

"I've only wanted you silly."

They hadn't spoken of the kiss since then.

She had tasted of cinnamon, lips nervously moving and following his lead.

And then it was over.

"Soul, are you here?" Maka's crackly voice breaks through the memory.

The standard green and blue hospital gowns are big on her, collar sliding off revealing the faded scar of the past.

One long line against her chest.

Time's healed it into a faint red, it isn't like anybody can see it and openly question it.

But the scars that will be left from her multiple eye surgeries are something he'll be forced to see every time he looks at her now.

"Um, yeah. I'm here. Need something?"

Ugh, this is so uncool.

Maka giggles, dry and hollow.

"Water would be nice."

-X-

"I want you to be the first person I see."

It's been two weeks since the incident, the news at one point couldn't stop talking about the dust storm's effects on the city and the potential for future occurrences.

At nights when it's unbearable and lonely, he listens to the news feed. Of dust storms in other areas of the world and the devastation left.

But he nearly tossed out the TV at having to witness reporters swarm Maka's room to ask her about how she was handling her injuries. Spirit shooing them away in a rare moment of seriousness.

"I scared them with my blades, Papa did nothing except try and fail to flirt with them. He didn't need to see my eyes to know I was pissed it interrupted my workout." She mused softly at his concern over the matter.

Because Maka is still active despite her doctors and nurse's warnings to not pressure or stress herself out too fast.

She knows by now when it's him in the room even without saying a word, other senses having gone into hyper drive to compensate.

She can smell his plain lotions and colognes in comparison to Black Star's sweaty one to Tsubaki's sweet smell of lavender and vanilla.

"When do you think the bandages will come off?" Soul asks.

Anything to fill the void of silence going on for too long.

Maka shrugs, settling herself back against the pillows.

"Stein said their healing up nicely, but they need to watch the nerve damage carefully."

Soul nodded, breathing out a sigh.

He feels her hand search through the covers for him and he shifts closer.

"I…I didn't forget what you said that one evening."

Her lips settle into a hard line before a small smile comes through.

"Good."

It's such a simple statement, exactly like the first time they had awkwardly confessed. She doesn't stop him when he presses with his other hand to her cheek again, warming under his touch.

The second time is much slower, pressing her closer so she can understand feel all the pent up emotions he's bottled over these past days.

Weeks.

"You shouldn't have jumped in the way, it should be me sitting there not you." He grumbles when he pulls back.

Maka snorted, slipping her hand away briefly.

"Oh, you always say that Soul. As your weapon, I'll protect you with my life as I'm sure you would do the same for me."

Soul slammed a fist down against the sheets, startling her.

"No! I care too much about you to keep letting you get injured like this."

At her trembling he quickly stops, brushing a hand up through his hair.

"Sorry, I just…don't want to keep hearing that same excuse."

Maka swallows, knot returning back to her chest. Same butterflies flitter in her stomach being with him again like this.

'I know.'

The words stay on the tip of her tongue.

A knock interrupts anything else Soul has to say, hearing one of her same nurses say it's time for scheduled pain medicine.

"I'll bring you back more clothes and some food. Probably better than this hospital food crap you've been getting."

A genuine laugh bubbles up then.

"Maybe, as long as you haven't burned it!"

-X-

It's nearly 4:00 am when he gets the call.

'Her bandages can come off.'

He races through the night on nearly an empty tank from his motorcycle, letting the moonlight guide him instead of his headlights.

A team of doctors stands at the door when he approaches, stepping aside to let him in.

"Family?" One whispers in puzzlement.

"No, boyfriend or fiancé. I forgot which one the nurse said. He doesn't say much, though he visits her every day since the storm." Another mutters back.

Well, both are wrong on the first part.

For now.

A sandstorm caused all of this, weather never used to be something they focused on so much in carrying out assignments…

And he can't, won't risk letting them repeat these same mistakes.

If they do though, he's taking the blunt force of the damage.

Maka's eyes are red and puffy, jade orbs sparkling at seeing him.

A month has nearly flown by.

"Hello." She breathes out gently.

Soul nods, unsure of his own voice until he managed to clear his throat.

"Hey."

-x-

Just a quick update, felt like writing some Soul Eater again. Let me know your thoughts as always!

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