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Chapter X

You rushed toward the eerie, dark woods that surrounded Stein's house, hoping the mad professor wouldn't be following you too close behind.
Only a few yards from the edge of the shadows of the thicket, you heard a faint thud coming from behind you. You spun around to find Kid, passed out on the dead grass. You scooped up his body - which was lighter than it should be - and made your way to the woods with Crona, fleeing from the gruesome scene of the basement. As much as you wished to never see anything like that again, the images stuck in your head, burned into your memory like a giant scar. All those innocent people...
You could hear Stein's crazed cackles - his voice sending a chill down your spine. "Where'd you go?" he called. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
You and Crona exchanged a nervous glance, ignoring his calls, and kept running. Logs and roots tripped you occasionally in the dark night. The starlight couldn't penetrate the thick leaves and twisted canopy of branches above you, not helping in your escape much.
"Up ahead!" Crona said, looking forward towards an opening - a break in the trees where a small creek wound through the forest. Pale blue rays of moonlight reflected off the clear, cool water like a beakon.
"Let's stop here," you said, panting slightly; you lied Kid down in a soft patch of green grass on the bank of the stream. Crona nodded and sank down next to a tree and pulled his knees up to his chest, leaning against the trunk as he cought his breath. He peered at the crystal creek through his pink bangs, bleached by the light the moon cast down through the trees.
He seemed deep in thought; lost in his own little world that only he knew.
You turned your attention back on the boy lying unaware on the ground. "We need to get Kid some water," you thought out loud. 'Maybe my magic will work now...' You held your hand out, palm up, hoping the wavelength's effects had worn off. You concentrated deeply, closing your eyes. When you opened your eyes, in your open palm humbly sat a simple tin cup. You filled it with water from the stream, and lifting Death the Kid's slender upper body off the ground, held the cup up to his dry lips. You slowly tipped the cup, allowing him to drink.
His body instinctively swallowed, welcoming the crystal clear liquid; he already began to look better - more healthy.
You lowered the empty cup, setting it down on the ground beside you, and held Kid, waiting.
His breathing steadied, and you let out a sigh of relief, brushing his charcoal bangs out of his face. He stirred and opened his topaz eyes, which held the reflection of the silver moon above you. He blinked a few times, processing his surroundings; he blushed at the sight of you and dropped his eyes.
'Damn... why do his eyes have to be so beautiful...?' you thought, awestruck. You wondered why you had never noticed it before. Pulling him up into a tight hug, you asked him why he didn't talk to you or come to school. "...I've missed you..." You felt tears pricking in the back of your eyes.
He sighed, escaping your embrace to sit in front of you. He hung his head, trying to hide the blush on his face (which you still happened to notice, despite his greatest efforts). "I'm such a fool..." he murmured to himself in a half-whisper.
"What?" you asked, confused at his words.
His eyes rose back up to meet yours, his yellow orbs sparkling as they pierced right through you. He just shook his head as if to say he couldn't find his words. Both of you sighed, knowing this wasn't going anywhere.
You grinned a little, trying to lighten the mood. "You should drink some more water," you offered him the tin cup after you refilled it, the edges brimming. "Here."
He just stared at you, breaking his gaze only to look at the cup then back at you. He reached for the cup and gulped it down eagerly, some water escaping his lips and dripping down his neck.
Questions spun around in your mind as you watched him, but you said nothing, keeping your mouth shut.
You laughed when he helped himself to a seventh cup.
"Hmm?" he lowered his drink from his lips, gazing at you with confusion and curiosity.
"You're thirsty, aren't you? That's the seventh cup you've had," you informed him, giggling some more.
"No! No, don't say seven! Say eight, dammit! Eight!" He shoved a finger in your face.
Rejection and confusion spread on your face as your laughter died. "W-what?" You were shocked at his sudden, unexpected outburst.
Crona, all but forgotten in his spot by the grand oak, spoke up in a timid voice. "H-hey, don't yell at her like that... and what's wrong with the number seven?" he innocently chimed in a questioning voice, trying as best he can to sound unafraid.
Kid spun towards your pink-haired friend. "What's wrong with the number seven?! Seven isn't symmetrical! It can't be split perfectly in the middle horizontally or vertically!" He ranted, yelling at the now cowering Crona. "Eight is perfectly symmetrical!"
You hopped up and jumped between the two - a steaming Kid and Crona on the verge of tears. You placed a hand on Kid's panting chest and defended Crona. "Don't yell at him! He's very sensitive, and he didn't do anything wrong."
Kid's eyebrows furrowed, and you could see countless emotions burning on his face... "What? Are you standing up for your little boyfriend?!" He spat the word in anger. Instantly, Kid's jealous face turned red and he turned away, ashamed that he had lashed out at you like that.
"Wha-...?" you choked out. Finally, you understood.
In the back of your mind, you cursed Soul for being such a mindless loudmouth. "Kiddo, Crona and I aren't... dating.... He's my best friend, nothing more." Crona nodded his head slightly, showing he was in agreement.
Kid turned his head, looking at you from the corner of his eye. "But Soul said-"
"Soul is wrong." You knew you were stating the obvious, but Kid had apparently taken him seriously.
Silence.