professor-maka:

Next to You

Have a little excerpt teaser of my submission to the @soulmakazine2018, coming soon to a mailbox near you should you decide to order.

I highly recommend ordering—I’ve seen a lot of the content as a contributor and it’s gonna be amazing. I even think there are collectors bundles left with cool swag. You can order here.

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“You worry too much, you know that, right?”

His deep voice has her eyes flying to where she senses his soul, right in front of her, reaching over to gently set a steaming cup next to her open novel. He pulls out a chair to sit across from her, taking a sip from his own steaming cup shortly after. There’s a mystery paper bag resting in front of him, but she’s too busy working her mouth to really notice it.

“Wha?” she finally gets out, because how the hell had she not sensed him coming? She really must be out of sorts.

“Could feel you fretting from across campus. Chill.” He grabs the paper bag and digs out a danish, pulling out a second to wave her way. “Want one? From Plowshares. Line was hell, but totally worth it.”

Maka wants to protest—they aren’t supposed to eat in the library, even coffee is crossing a line—but she’s hungry, and it’s Plowshares, and screw it. Grabbing it from his outstretched hand, she thanks him more grudgingly than she means to, and takes a hasty, oversized bite. If her mouth is full, she can’t respond, because he could feel her fretting from across campus, really? Since they resonate so rarely these days, their link has become more muted. If he had sensed her distress from the distance—well, crap.

“Sorry,” she says after swallowing. “Didn’t mean to. It’s just, we should talk about what I said earlier. I mean, I know you said okay, but—this is big, Soul, this is years of our lives—well, years of my life, and maybe—”

“I’m just saying yes to appease you or something? Nah. Promise. We can talk about it later, but you’ll be a wreck if you don’t study, so study. I’m really cool with this, I swear.”

**Wanna read more? Buy the zine here.