Calling Red

It's Soul Eaters Very Special Episode about BDSM.

A/N: I swear I like Maka. I promise I really do but tell me she wouldn't have old fashioned ideas about sex. Also I'm determined to drag her off the pedestal the fandom has put her on where she's perfect and can do no wrong. She's 14, let her fuck up sometimes people, please.

A/N: For ff,net this is edited without the mature content at the end. Go find my archiveofourown account if you want the full true experience.

If Kid had ever been able to choose how he told his friends and family about the fact he enjoyed kinky sex, it would have been in a way he could carefully control. Perhaps sitting in his living room and with prepared pamphlets to inform his family that what he and Crona did was for them both and he did really enjoy it, because he trusted Crona.

It would not have been while he was tied naked to his bed, a black ball gag in his mouth and Crona frantically pushing Liz, Soul and Father help him, Maka out of the room.

"I don't understand." Maka kept saying, her wide green eyes darting from Crona to Kid to the flogger in Crona's hand, and to all the toys laid neatly on Kid's boudoir. They were dressed for it, a tailored corset on under one of Kid's old silk shirts. They still had on their black leggings, but their black boots were next to Kid's clothes, carefully folded on his dresser.

"Maka, get out! Please!" Crona pushed her to get Maka out of the room. Liz and Soul, after taking in a shocked look at what was happening had left almost immediately, however Maka seemed too stunned to move.

"Crona," Maka's voice was loud, and Kid screwed his eyes shut, embarrassed and horrified to his core, "Crona, I don't understand."

"Maka, please, get out." Crona's voice was steady, just high pitched and desperate.

Finally the door snapped shut and footsteps ran over his carpet.

"Kid, Kid. I'm so sorry. I thought the door was locked. Are you alright?" Crona moaned, stroking his face.

Kid tried to nod and found his muscles tense and frozen in shock. He blinked up at Crona, and was so utterly grateful to them, that they understood.

Crona's hands was shaky as they undid the strap that kept the gag in his mouth. Kid spat it out as they worked on the leather cuffs around his wrists.

"R-red," Kid stuttered out. Crona froze for a second, working on his feet. They nodded and bent to kiss his knee. Something in Kid's chest was warm and the tight feeling of panic that had been there since the door had opened three minutes ago loosened.

"Of course, Kid. Of course. I love you, don't worry."

This was the first time he had ever used his safe word. He'd gone to yellow before, when he needed a second to breathe, or needed to tell Crona something, but Kid had never used it before.

Crona finished untying him from the bed and grabbed Kid's soft black blanket, wrapping it around his shoulders. Crona was still muttering to him as well.

"I love you. I'm sorry. I should have checked. Kid this is my fault, I'll fix it, don't worry."

Kid shook his head weakly.

"Crona, not your fault." They wrapped their arms around him, laying their head on his shoulder. The edging of their corset dug into him slightly. For a moment they both sat in silence, Crona stroking Kid's back into time to his breaths, which were slowly calming. He wound his arms around Crona's waist, breathing through his nose, slowing his racing heart. He put his face into their bony shoulder, wanting to hide from the shame of the his friends seeing such an intimate part of his life, and also being angry that he was ashamed, because what business was it of theirs, if he enjoyed being tied to his bed and gently tormented by his lover? Who were they to look in on his life and be shocked or appalled?

It was difficult to be jerked out of his sub-space so quickly, his mind and body confused and buzzing with unused hormones. He shivered and Crona twitched the soft blanket more securely around his shoulders.

After about ten minutes, they were both calm, and laying down on Kid's bed. Crona was tracing figure eights over his shoulder, eyes far away.

He didn't want to go downstairs and face Liz and Patti. From how tightly Crona was holding him, Kid had the feeling it was shared. Already naturally shy, Kid could barely imagine what they were feeling, having their best friend walk in on their natural love life.

They both jumped when there was a knock at the door.

"Kid? Crona? Hey, are you two alright? Crona come down, Maka's practically climbing the the walls." Liz's voice was concerned.

Kid shuddered, pushing his face into Crona's clavicle.

"We'll be down soon, Liz." Crona called out, stroking his hair. "Kid, are you alright?" They asked softly.

Kid took a breath. "No. Not particularly."

He smiled wryly, looking at them. Crona kissed his forehead.

"You don't have to go down. I-I can explain it," Crona said bravely. Kid's heart swelled and he kissed them.

"No. We're in this together, my dear."

Crona sighed and smiled softly.

"Okay. Okay."

8x8x8

Crona's hand was sweaty in his. Kid could feel his heart thumping erratically.

They were walking down the stairs to the entry way. He could hear Patti's video game, Liz and Soul talking and Maka's continuous pacing.

Kid took a deep breath, straightened up and and clenched Crona's hand tighter.

"Alright. Here we go," he said lightly before they went down the final steps. Maka looked up when they entered. Her brow was furrowed and her arms were crossed in front of her. Soul and Liz also looked up from where they were sitting at the kitchen table. Liz was grinning slightly but Soul was frowning, a small crease between his eyebrows.

Kid took a deep breath but before he could start Maka snapped, "I can't believe it. Crona, I am so disappointed in you."

Crona clenched his hand, and Kid gaped at her.

"What?" It was Liz who interrupted. Maka glared over her shoulder at her. "Maka, come on. They were just-"

"Crona, I can't believe after everything, you are abusing Kid. And Kid, I can't believe you're allowing it!"

"What?" Kid was utterly baffled, stunned to his core. Patti had stopped her game and thumped up to the kitchen, eyebrows raised. "A-abuse? Maka what-"

"Yes. Hitting your partner. That's abuse." Maka bit off each sentence, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Soul looked from Maka back to Crona, his eyebrows slowly creeping up on his face.

"Maka, please let us explain. We-"

"Crona, we all saw you. You had a flogger in your hand. There was a candle in Kid's boudoir. Death only knows what you were planning on doing with that!" She waved her hand in exasperation.

"Yes, because I consented to it Maka!" Kid finally burst out. Next to him Crona was trembling. "It's all consen-"

"You were strapped to the bed, and gagged, Kid! There's no way you could communicate anything. What would your father think?"

Kid felt his stomach drop and land somewhere around his shoes. Crona's grip on his hand hurt but Kid wouldn't let go for anything. How could Maka be saying things like this?

"Whoa, Kid really?" Patti asked.

He nodded, feeling oddly disconnected from the conversation and she flashed a megawatt smile and a thumbs up.

"Awesome."

Maka rounded on her. "No, not awesome Patti! Horrible, twisted, and abusive. How can you let this happen to Kid? You're his weapons." She emphasized the last word. Patti's smile vanished as fast as it came. Liz stood up.

"What did you just say?" Kid rarely saw Liz genuinely angry anymore. But towering over Maka with her eyes narrowed, Liz did not look like someone you should fuck with.

"His safety is your concern. He's being hurt and you-"

"Get out." Kid's vision was going grey at the edges. He could feel his heart pumping in fury. He let go of Crona's hand walked to the front door and wrenched it open. "Maka, get out of my home."

"Kid-"

"I will not stand here and listen to you insult my personal choices, my family, my friends, my weapons." He put emphasis on the word like she did. "And I certainly will not listen to you stand here and insult Crona. So get out." Kid gestured sharply.

Maka stood there stunned. She looked around from Liz and Patti, who were still bristling, to Crona who was staring at the ground, bangs over their eyes, to Kid, who was still pointing out the door.

Soul got up, and gently started moving Maka towards the door.

"Fine. I'll go. But I'm telling your father Kid. He'll see to this." She raised her head up and marched out. Kid had to restrain himself from slamming the door with all his strength.

"Wow. Wooow." Liz flopped down on the chair. "She is-" She bit off the rest of her sentence, looking over at Crona.

Crona was standing stock still, staring at the ground. Kid put an arm around them.

"It's okay, sweetheart. She didn't mean it." He guided them to a kitchen chair and made them sit before filling a water glass and setting it before them. Liz stared at them critically.

"So what happened?" Patti asked, leaning against the counter. Kid sighed.

"We were upstairs and um-"
"Kid was tied to the bed," Liz said helpfully.

"Yes. I was tied to the bed," he admitted.

"With a ball gag."

"Yes."

"Naked."

"Yes Liz, naked with a ball gag and tied to the bed," he snapped. He rubbed his temples. Suddenly his head hurt and all he really wanted was to go back to bed.

"You were also getting hard, and Crona was going to hit you with a flogger."

Patti snorted. "Really?"

Kid threw his hands up in the air. "Yes! All of it yes!"

Liz raised an eyebrow. "Do you often have immensely kinky sex when we're in the house?"

Crona spoke up. "No. But I wanted to see how well Kid could...could control himself and be quiet." They hung their head back down. Kid's blush was blazing across his face. He was surprised smoke wasn't rising from his ears.

He glared. "What I want to know is what Maka and Soul were doing here."

Liz shrugged. "Maka said that Crona forgot something at their apartment. You said that the two of you were going to work on homework so I thought it was cool to let them go up. I'm sorry Kid. If I'd known I would have told them that you'd gone out."

Kid took a deep breath. "You didn't know," he admitted.

Crona was still silent, but Kid sat down next to them, rubbing their shoulder.

Liz seemed to sense that they needed a moment alone and muttered about starting dinner. Patti followed her lead, going back to the den to finish her game.

Maka's words had cut them deeper than she could have known. Crona had struggled with their desire to have any dominance. Kid had to give a lot of positive reinforcement to even get Crona to this point. He gave constant reassurances that this was nothing like what Medusa had done to them, that Kid was giving his full consent, that Kid wanted Crona to control his pleasure. That he wanted someone else to be in charge for once, to let his mind be unfettered by the constant pressures of his life.

"Crona, you know Maka didn't mean it right?" He asked softly. "Maka-She doesn't always think before she talks. Give her a little while and she'll come around."

Crona nodded sadly, not saying a word.

Kid fought back the temptation to go and pick a fight with Maka. He laid his head on Crona's shoulder.

"Shall we go watch Patti beat her score on Portal?" Is what he did instead.

Kid needed Crona's control as much as Crona needed Kid's comfort.

8x8x8

The afternoon faded into evening, and slowly Crona unwound, enough to even play a level on Patti's game. Their hand-eye coordination still left much to be desired, Kid thought. However he still gave them a congratulatory kiss when Crona finally beat it. Patti watched them, looking bemused.

"The two of you are the most chaste couple I know. I've walked in on Liz and Tsubaki wayyy more. Hell if you hadn't told us, I don't think we would even know you're dating." She paused.

"So, BDSM? Really?"

Kid tsked. "Yes really. Why is this so surprising?"

"Neither of you seemed like the whips and chains and kinky leather types is all." Patti held up her hands defensively.

Crona interjected. "W-well it's not just k-kinky things. It's also," they rolled a hand around looking for the word. "Emotional. Dependant. It...makes us happy." Crona nodded, sitting back against the couch from their spot on the floor.

Patti wrinkled her nose.

"That is the sappiest way I've ever heard someone describe their sex life. I take it back, I can totally see how it fits the two of you." She winked to soften her words.

Kid rolled his eyes. "Well now that we have your approval Patti, I'm sure everything will be fine."

She punched him in the shoulder. "It will be. Like your dad will care, Kid. You saved the world. And if Maka doesn't like what you do in the privacy of your bedroom, she should take a page out of your book and go screw herself."

Crona looked aghast, blue eyes wide. "No! Maka's my best friend, and she was the f-first person to l-love me. I m-must have done something w-wro-"

Kid put a hand on Crona's shoulder, already shaking his head. "Crona. Absolutely not. We've exceeded caution to make sure that everything between us had been safe, sane and consensual."

"Safe, sane, consensual," Crona repeated distantly. Kid slid off the couch, kneeling in front of Crona, holding their face between his hands. Their eyes met and suddenly everything else feel out of the world. His father, Maka, Liz and Patti. Kid's mind bent around Crona, counting their eyelashes, his eyes darting over their greyish skin, taking in how cold their skin was.

Crona relaxed palpably under his hands.

"We both deserve to be happy Crona, and this makes us both happy. Maka can't stop us and my Father won't come between us. We've taken every precaution."

Crona blinked at him, blue eyes swirling with emotions. Communication was still hard, for them both, but they were working on it.

"Wow. You guys aren't just mushy. You're made of mush. I'm out." Patti stepped over them and headed towards the kitchen.

Kid shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Crona blushed grey, leaning forward to rest their forehead on his shoulder. After a moment of silence Crona asked, "Do you think Maka will really come around?"

Without hesitation: "Yes. Absolutely. She's just being stubborn, Crona."

A sigh.

"Okay. If you believe it, so will I."

Liz called down from the kitchen, "Stopping sucking face and get up here. I made lasagna!"

With a great tearing sound and Crona's gasp of pain Ragnarok appeared over Crona's shoulder.

"Move it losers! She fucking made lasagna and I'm starving!" He yanked on Crona's hair. Kid scowled.

"What have we discussed about violating Crona's personal space?"

Ragnarok slowly released their hair. "Don't?"

"And now?"

"Apologize?"

Kid glared. He could almost see Ragnarok's mind working through it. Finally the blob heaved a huge sigh and gingerly patted Crona's head. "Hey. Loser, I'm sorry for pulling. Can we go eat now?"

Kid sighed through his nose while Crona patted Ragnarok's head.

"Let's go," he pulled Crona to their feet and pressed a quick kiss to their knuckles.

~x~x~

Crona stayed over night, laying on his bed and wearing his old pajamas. Kid grinned, looking at how much ankle was revealed. That and the electric blue nail polish on their toenails that Patti had painted on.

Dating Crona hadn't been much of a secret, it would have been impossible. They'd simply decided one day to show up to class hand-in-hand. There had been the typical rumors and rustlings and more than one person had expressed their disappointment about Kid being taken off the market. However there was also the benefit that Liz and Patti seemed to have adopted Crona into their family without any hesitation at all. When Kid had asked why, Liz and Patti had exchanged a quick look before Liz explained. "Well frankly Kid, Crona kind of reminds us of before we met you."

"Really? How?" Kid couldn't see the similarities.

"Raised in a whore house, tossed on to the street, fighting to survive from day to day," Patti said ticking each event off on her fingers. "Then we meet someone who respects us and doesn't immediately try to fuck us over, and shows us love and courage and all that bullshit? You know we were almost kishin when you met us, and wasn't that Medusa's whole deal, to try and turn Crona into a kishin?"

"Yeah. See, we sympathise with Crona," Liz added, "'Cause we've already been on that track." She tossed her hair over her shoulder then looked at him. "Anyway we think Crona will be good for you." She winked. "Hell maybe you'll even get laid."

Kid spat the mouthwash into the sink.

Well Liz had been right, Crona was good for him.

He smirked at his reflection. And yes, it had gotten him laid.

Walking back into the bedroom, Crona was still deeply enthralled by the book they were reading. Kid climbed into bed and rested his head on their shoulder. He read silently with them for a moment, then laughed softly.

"Who recommended Harry Potter to you?"

"Kilik. I overheard him reading it to the twins," Crona answered distractedly, flipping to the next chapter. They marked the page carefully and placed in the drawer of the night stand. Kid smiled.

It was practically their night stand now.

Crona laid down and Kid turned off the lights. Crona immediately wrapped their arms around him, hiding their face in his chest. He ran his fingers through their hair, whispering softly.

Their fear of the dark would probably never truly leave but they were trying, for him.

"Kid?"

"Yes Crona?"

"What will we do, if Maka really does tell everyone about, um, what we do?"

"It's none of their business frankly."

"But you'll care, won't you?"

"...Yes. How other people see me is important to me. But not more important to me than you are Crona."

"Alright. I love you Kid."

"I love you too Crona."

~x~x~

The first thing that happened to them the next morning at school was Tsubaki running up, quickly kissing Liz and turning to Crona and Kid with a fevered light in her eyes.

"Soul told Black Star who told me. I didn't know you were into BDSM, I wish you had told me because I have lent you my books or my rope, though I'm not sure it would work with Kid, you might actually need a chain so you don't rip right through it." She said all of this so quickly that it took Kid a moment to process.

"E-excuse me?"

The excited look on Tsubaki's face dimmed slightly. "Soul said that he and Maka walked in on the two of you doing," she made quotation marks with her fingers, "kinky stuff, and that Maka was freaking out."

Kid could feel the flush of anger and embarrassment creeping up his face. Was she planning on telling the whole school?!

Next to him Crona shook. "N-no. He was telling the truth."

Tsubaki let out an uncharacteristic squeal and hugged Crona. "Oh thank Death, I thought I was the only one here! Have you been to any munches yet? Everytime I look one up it's out in Las Vegas."

"No." Kid shook his head firmly. "Not at all. We aren't interested in any other parties."

Tsubaki let go of Crona and took Liz's hand instead. Liz appeared thunderstruck and her wide eyed look told Kid that she hadn't expected this any more than he had. They started walking.

"Oh but munches are just to meet people. There's usually no play." A rather sly came over her pretty face. "But usually there's also an after party for practical demonstration."

Patti held up her hands. "Wait. Stop. Tsubaki you're into BDSM?"

For the first time Tsubaki looked a little bashful.

"Yes. I have been since I was pretty young. It's always fascinated me."

Patti looked at Kid and Crona then at Liz and Tsubaki. "I want my room soundproofed," She declared.

Liz sputtered, redding.

Tsubaki half smiled, biting her lip. "That's what Black Star said too, after I told him."

Kid felt a little bit better about this revelation, at least no one could claim that they were alone in their 'depravity'. Tsubaki was a respected student from an old venerable weapon family.

"What did Black Star say?" Kid asked.

"Same thing he said to me when I told him, that he didn't care so long as no one got hurt." She paused. "Actually Kid I think he said something about beating your ass was his job."

"I'm going to kill him," Kid swore softly as Patti laughed out loud and Liz shook some of her shock off to grin.

"Was Maka there?" Crona asked. Tsubaki shook her head, long braid swinging.

"No but Soul said she was just about through the roof about it." Crona's shoulders slumped. "What did she say to you?" Tsubaki asked.

Kid snorted. "She said that Crona was abusive because I consented and that Liz and Patti weren't doing their jobs as weapons to protect me."

Tsubaki jaw dropped. "She didn't!"

Liz nodded grimly.

"Well she couldn't have meant it, I mean, that's just not reasonable," Tsubaki played the end of her braid.

"We'll see about that." Kid muttered as they entered the Crescent Moon classroom.

As the bell rang students slowly streamed in. Kid saw many including Kim and Jackie scrutinizing him as they walked in. Black Star and Kilik walked in together, Black Star still speaking to Kilik, letting the twins hang off his flexed arms. Kilik shook his head and look up the rows of seats, seeing Kid and Crona sitting together, he paused, taking the twins back from Black Star. He passed them quickly, blushing. Kid just barely restrained himself from hitting Black Star when he and Tsubaki sat behind them. He tensed, preparing himself for whatever insipid comment he was going to make. Under the desk, Crona took his hand.

"Hey Crona, heard you finally got Kid laid! I always knew he was going to be the bott-"

"Thanks Black Star," Crona said, cutting over his words, their voice oddly high pitched. "Th-that's great." But they fell silent as Maka and Soul entered the room.

Maka didn't even look over as she marched to the opposite side from where everyone else was sitting. Soul gestured a half-hearted apologetically, following. Crona let out a quiet sound and Kid looked over to see them cover their face. He ground his teeth.

The second bell rang and took another few minutes for Stein to roll into his classroom. Stein was now late to many of his morning classes, and it was the worst kept secret in the school that it was Ms. Marie who made him late.

"Alright settle down. Hopefully everyone has at this point covered the last two chapters of soulology from last week." At the classes muttered assent Stein twisted his screw and stood up. "Alright let's begin."

Kid honestly knew that he did not need to pay attention, he could have taught the class on soulology, and so stewed in his anger over Maka. If there was a practical today he knew he would be volunteering, just to have a reason to shoot something.

He was jerked back from thoughts when Crona tapped his knee.

"What?" He muttered and Crona nodded towards the front where Stein was fingering one of his scalpels, having evidently just asked him a question.

"Well Kid? We don't have all day." Stein leaned against his desk.

"You'll have to excuse him Professor Stein." Maka's voice cut across the room. "He probably is very distracted by his injuries this morning."

Stein twisted around to look at her. Maka was staring at Kid, fire snapping in her green eyes. Kid's heart beat was so loud in his ears he was surprised he could still hear her.

"Injuries? He and Black Star didn't have a fight yesterday, I would have had to referee." Stein tilted his head.

"No professor, Crona hit him." A wave of whispers broke out and many swiveled in their seats to look at Kid and Crona. Crona was sinking in their seat, large eyes dilated and grey blush blotchy.

Stein looked at Kid and Crona too, eyebrow quirked.

"Kid, is this true?"

"No! Absolutely not! I have no idea where-"

"They had a flogger! I saw it!'

"You have no idea what you saw Maka!"

Kid was distantly aware that he had leapt to his feet and Crona was pulling on his arm trying to get him to sit down again. Maka too was on her feet and Soul was whispering to her, casting furtive glances around the room. Everyone else was so quiet that a pin drop would have sounded like explosion.

"You think you know everything about Crona, and now that you've realised you don't it scares you!" He shouted.

"Scares me? I'm not scared, I'm furious!" She stamped her foot. "After everything Crona went through you'd think they'd be the last person to violent but I guess I was wrong!"

"Shut up about Crona!"

"You first, Kid! You'll never know them as well as I do!"

A sudden sharp squeaky sound filled the room and Kid clapped his hands to his ears.

Stein raked his nails over the board again.

"Sit down," he said quietly. Kid dropped into his seat, as did Maka.

"Good. Now everyone open their books and read pages 458 to 500. Maka, Kid and Crona out in the hall." He opened the door and walked out. Glaring at each other, Kid hardly noticed Crona, who was trembling from head to foot, until they bent close to his ear and in a quavering voice whispered, "R-r-red."

He stopped cold and felt shame wash over him. He'd made Crona so uncomfortable and insecure that they'd had to use the safeword. Maka stomped out into the hallway and Kid slowly followed, Crona still shadowing him.

Stein had placed a hand on Maka's shoulder, probably to keep her from attempting to hit him.

"I think you both know that what you did in my classroom was inappropriate?" Stein asked first. Kid nodded reluctantly. Maka huffed, crossing her arms.

"I'll take that as a yes. Now Crona," He turned to Crona who immediately shrank back, instinctively trying to make themselves smaller. "Did you hit Kid?" Kid opened his mouth to answer and was stopped when Stein held up a hand, entirely focused on Crona's face.

Crona nodded.

Stein paused, before asking, "Why?"

"B-because h-he ask m-me too."

"He asked you to?"

Crona nodded.

Stein looked from Crona to Kid to Maka. A sudden look of realization came over his face.

"What's your safe word?" He asked quickly. Crona jumped.

"R-red!"

"What does SSC stand for?"

Kid's jaw dropped as he looked at Stein.

"S-safe, sane consensual."

"What's R.A.C.K?"

"R-risk aware consensual kink."

Stein scrutinised them both for a moment before nodding. "Well, next time remember to lock your door, I suppose. You're free to go back to your seats."

Maka whirled around. "What? Professor Stein, I don't think you understand!"

Stein shrugged. "You caught them in the middle of a BDSM scene. To someone who is unfamiliar with the practice it can look very dangerous."

Maka sputtered in horror. "Y-you don't mean to say you approve!" Stein was scribbling something on a sticky note and did not answer.

"Here, this is a pass to Marie. She doesn't have a class right now. I think you should really explain your feelings to her." Stein handed the note to a speechless Maka. When she simply stood there and gaped at him, Stein added, "Now, Maka."

They watched her storm away. Kid looked back at Stein.

"How did you-"

"It would be inappropriate, as your teacher, to share details of my or Ms. Marie's love life with you Kid," Stein said.

Kid nodded faintly. Stein glanced over at them.

"Can the two of you return to class or do you need a moment?"

His head still spinning, Kid leaned back against the wall. "I think we need a minute."

Stein walked back into the classroom without a word. Immediately Crona half collapsed on to his shoulder, shaking.

"It's okay. I have you Crona, it's alright."

They were beyond words for a moment, pressing into to Kid as close as they could get. He stroked up and down their back, humming.

When they pulled back their eyes were red rimmed but their face was dry.

"Sorry."

Kid kissed them, relishing the soft touch, the easy comfort. "Don't be. I'm sorry I scared you."

"You were loud," Crona muttered distantly.

"I was angry," Kid admitted, squeezing their hand.

"So was I," Crona said, their eyes snapping to Kid's face. "Maka was making me m-mad too. But I haven't seen you so out of control before."

"I dislike being shamed in front of all of our peers. And she shouldn't have said what she did about you."

Crona blushed, lowering their gaze to the floor. "Thank you Kid. But that was scary. The next time we see Maka do you promise not to shout at her?"

Kid nodded slowly. "I won't." He felt them sigh in relief.

"Thank you."

After a few more moments of peace they both felt collected enough to go back into the classroom. However upon opening the door, Kid realised they had walked into Stein lecturing and now there was something written on the chalkboard.

"Sexual Education 101: Anatomy, or where the G-spot is and how to find it."

~x~x~

"Unbelievable," Kid groaned, his head in Crona's lap. "I really can't imagine a day worse than this, I really can not."

It was lunch and the gang had staked out the usual spot on the grounds under some old oak trees. Black Star had left to go do conditioning but Liz and Tsubaki were trading lunches and Patti was braiding blades of grass. Soul had laid back on the ground, where he kept glancing at the doors, waiting to see if Maka was done with Ms. Marie yet.

Receiving sex ed. from Stein had been the worst. Worse, Kid imagined than it would have been from his father.

Well, maybe not that bad.

"I don't know Kid, he was very thorough," Liz pointed out fairly. "Also next week he says he's going to cover consent, that should show Maka a thing or two."

"Yeah I suppose the class does have the two of you to thank for this," Tsubaki said.

Kid groaned, rolling so his face was towards Crona's belly.

"You'd think having sex would make him less grumpy," Soul said softly.

It was only Crona's fingers, gently rubbing the back of his neck that prevented Kid from getting up and showing Soul how grumpy he could be. However it was warm out and Crona's lap was very soft, and if Kid concentrated he could almost hear their heartbeat. He breathed deep and let the smell of their clothes wash over him.

The day was half over, he could make it.

"Maka! Over here!" Soul called out suddenly.

Kid stiffened and sat up. Crona grabbed his hand, weaving their fingers together.

Maka was walking across the grassy lawn, holding a couple of books and her head was down.

She reached them and slowly lifted her head.

"I-I think I owe you an apology, Crona, and Kid."

Liz loudly and pointedly cleared her throat. Maka blushed.

"And you too, Liz and Patti."

Crona lept up and threw their arms around, making her drop the books so Maka could return the hug.

"I'm sorry Crona! I was so mean! I said you were like Medusa, how can you forgive me?"

Crona muttered something and Maka sniffled.

"I won't, I promise."

Crona let go of her and pulled Maka to sit down on the grass with everyone else.

"Okay. I'm sorry, Liz and Patti for saying you weren't doing your jobs as weapons."

Liz sniffed. "Yeah well Maka you should be. If any of us ever said that about Soul, you have fed us our own teeth. Seriously, do not think if something was wrong with Kid we wouldn't have noticed?"

Maka fidgeted with the grass. "No, I guess not."

"That's right. Trust us, why don't you," Patti said crossing her arms.

"I do! You're my friends but I guess I just thought that maybe you didn't notice," she finished softly.

"No offense Maka, but we kind of live with him. It would be impossible not to notice," Liz said.

Maka nodded abashedly. Crona stared at Liz and Patti. Kid knew that stare, the large blue eyes slightly watery and desiring something desperately. Those eyes had been his undoing more than once. He had no idea how Medus had ever managed to look her child in the face when Crona's eyes could melt even the stoniest resistance.

Patti nudged her sister. Liz raised her eyebrows at her. They both looked at Maka.

"But I suppose we'll forgive you, so long as you promise to not ever talk to us that way again," Liz finished.

"Thank you, and I am sorry," Maka said sincerely. She turned towards Kid.

"And I'm really, really sorry Kid. For insulting you, and saying I was going to tell Lord Death and being mean to Crona."

Kid looked her in the eyes, which were brimming with sincerity and sighed.

"I forgive you Maka, and I suppose that I'm sorry too. I didn't intend to have it out with you during class."

"I started it," Maka admitted and he was grateful for that.

"Yes well, I escalated it, so I apologize."

"It's okay Kid."

She smiled nervously at him and Kid nodded.

"So why were you with Ms. Marie so long? Was she mad?" Crona asked. Maka brightened and grabbed the books she'd dropped.

"Oh no, she was really great. She gave me some books on BDSM."

"Excuse me?" Tsubaki asked. "She gave you books on the subject?"

"Yep, she had a few. She's letting me borrow them."

Soul rolled his eyes. "Of course books is what gets you to listen to other people. Blair tried talking to you all last night and you shut her down every time."

Maka blinked. "Well Blair is a cat, what does she know about it?"

Tsubaki opened her mouth then slowly closed it again. Kid had the feeling she'd been about to elaborate on what Blair may or may not know about BDSM.

"Anyway she showed me all of the articles and blog people who do this write about safety and listening to your partner and how much trust you have to have in one another to do it safely." She looked at Kid and her eyes had a glimmer of admiration in them. "You must really trust Crona to be so vulnerable in front of them."

Kid was uncomfortably aware of his friends eyes on him. "Yes I do. Very much."

Liz and Patti 'awww'd at him. He could feel that intense blue eyed gaze on him and cleared his throat.

"What else did she talk to you about?"

"Those things that Stein made Crona recite, SSC and R.A.C.K, and what the difference was. She also told me that if the two of you were using a safeword there probably wasn't too much to worry about."

"We do," Crona said quickly. "We're very careful."

Kid was looking at some of the books. They had already been read and several pages were dog-eared. He looked over the backs, impressed that seemed to be pretty in-depth.

"So Kid do you wear a collar when you're with Crona?"

Kid dropped the book in shock.

"What?"

Maka was utterly sincere. "Do you wear a collar?"

Crona cut in. "Maka, that's a very intimate question."

She tilted her head. "Why?"

"W-well, for us, Kid's submission is something that's sacred. It's a privilege to us both. Asking if he wears a collar for me is like asking how he prays," Crona responded quietly.

Kid was, once again, struck breathless by how beautiful Crona's words could be. Maka was blushing.

"Oh, sorry."

Crona nodded to her. "It's alright."

Liz and Soul steered the conversation into what Maka missed during class and Kid slowly laid back down on Crona lap, relaxing fully. Crona leaned over and kissed his forehead.

"Thank you," they whispered. Kid had the feeling it was for more than just forgiving Maka.

"You're welcome. I love you," he replied softly.

While it wasn't the way Kid would have chosen to tell his friends about his relationship, he had to admit that it worked.