It all started when they ran out of alcohol.

Blackstar was the first to offer that he and Soul and Death the Kid go out immediately and buy some more. Soul seconded the motion, saying that since the boys did most of the drinking (never mind that Blair had consumed more than all three of them combined), it wouldn't be cool if they didn't do something about it.

To everyone's initial surprise, Kid was also up for buying more drinks.

"I didn't think you'd be the drinking type, Kid-kun," Maka commented.

"My body has a very high tolerance for it," the son of the Shinigami answered matter-of-factly. "And besides..."

"Besides...?"

Kid aimed a sour look at Patty and Liz. The former was sitting on the floor, laughing about something, and the latter was lounging on the sofa, looking halfway between bored and dead-drunk. "Patty had one drink more than Liz, so obviously I've got to make it even."

Everyone else sweatdropped. But that was Kid for you, always chasing after symmetry and going to pieces when things didn't match up. Maka, Soul, and the others had gotten used to it by now, except those moments when Kid simply couldn't take it and spat up blood. THAT was unusual, even by their standards, and Shibusen students had a very high tolerance for the grotesque.

When the boys left, the girls were free to discuss whatever it was that girls liked to discuss whenever boys weren't around, and that was...well...boys.

They were in Maka's and Soul's house, the scene of many an afternoon party in past days. Now they were all a little bit older, with more responsibilities, and the afternoon parties turned into evening dinners. Maka and Soul were still together, as well as Blackstar and Tsubaki, and, of course, Kid and Liz and Patty.

Maka had always wondered secretly how that would turn out. She and Soul had eventually become a couple; they had been acting like a couple long before they decided formally, officially, to really be one. Everyone else had seen it coming, too. Blackstar and Tsubaki were also a couple, by some freakish miracle. He had announced it right on top of Shibusen, much to his Weapon's embarrassment. But Death the Kid had two weapons. He didn't seem like he was infatuated with one (or both) of them, and it didn't look like anything would even happen, romantically, between them. Nor did he seem interested in anyone else from the school. When Maka, unable to bear it any longer, subtly, jokingly asked him if he wasn't getting lonely, he murmured something about symmetry, glanced around in thinly-veiled disgust, and walked off, talking to himself and leaving Maka completely bewildered in the middle of the classroom.

"Guess he's just not attracted to anyone," Soul had said when she asked him about it. "Kid's not exactly normal. He's a Shinigami. Maybe it works differently for him."

"But his dad must've fallen in love with someone!" Maka had insisted. "How else would Kid-kun exist?"

Soul had simply shrugged. "Maybe Kid just...I dunno...sprouted out of his dad's forehead. Who can tell with Death Gods anyway?"

The idea of Kid popping out of Shinigami-sama's forehead was simply too disturbing for Maka, so she had let the topic drop. Now that she and Tsubaki, Liz, and Patty were talking, however, Kid's lovelife somehow sprang to mind again, and Maka found herself getting more and more curious about it.

She was spared the trouble of leading up to Kid when Liz suddenly leaned forward conspiratorially. "Say, Maka, Patty and I wanna ask you something."

Maka straightened up automatically. "Hai?"

"It's about Kid."

'Am I THAT transparent?' Maka thought, her heart thumping. She hadn't meant for them to find out! What if they misinterpret her interest as her having feelings for Kid? What if they made an issue out of it? What if Soul found out and believed them? What if--

Liz was gazing intently at her through half-lidded eyes. The older Thompson's expression was dour, almost as dour as Kid's, and she seemed very put-out. "I'm hoping you can be honest with us on this."

Maka didn't know if she was blushing or if she'd gone pale. "W-with what?"

Liz rather uncharacteristically pouted. "Are Patty and I attractive?"

What? Maka blinked several times. "Err...y-yeah, you are."

Liz scowled. "Are you sure?"

Now Maka was truly confused. "H-hai...I'm pretty sure..."

"What's the matter, Liz-chan?" Tsubaki asked. "You're not usually uncertain about yourself."

Liz sighed deeply. "It's just that Patty and I are getting impatient waiting for Kid to make the first move—"

"He's so damn slow!" Patty suddenly burst out. For emphasis, she smashed a fist into a paper cup and crushed it. "Slow, slow, slow!"

Maka and Tsubaki exchanged confused glances. "Err...well, you could ask him out on a date if you really want to," Maka began slowly. "I mean, these are modern times and—"

"Screw the date," Liz interrupted. "I want to drag him off to bed already."

Maka's jaw fell open. Tsubaki turned three shades whiter in complete shock.

Patty started laughing. "Your faces are all funny! Maka's is REALLY red, and Tsubaki's lost all her color! Gahahahaha!"

Maka shook her head quickly, recovering herself, and said, "When you say 'drag him off to bed', do you mean—"

Liz pressed a hand to her forehead. "Do I mean fuck him? Yeah."

Patty squealed and raised both feet into the air. "Me too, me too!"

Maka heard a strangled, wheezing sound and realized that Tsubaki was now stone-gray and barely breathing. "Liz-chan!" the Scythe Technician gasped. "You're going to kill Tsubaki-chan!"

Liz studied the ninja Weapon for a moment. "I think it was Patty that sent her hyperventilating."

"She isn't hyperventilating!"

"Good grief, you two," Liz said. "We're not kids anymore. You and Soul have done it already, right, Maka?"

Maka's eyes were about to pop out of her head. "I--we--you—that's none of your—"

Liz smiled. "Oh, I see. You don't have to be so shy about it. These ARE modern times, after all."

"Don't use my words against me!" Maka huffed. Tsubaki had fainted, poor thing, and was splayed out on the couch. At least she wasn't having a hard time breathing anymore. Maka did her best to ensure her friend was comfortable, and then she cleared her throat and sat down again.

"Okay..." Maka closed her eyes for a second, composed herself, and then looked at Liz. "So...you and...your sister...are just horny for Kid-kun."

Liz nodded. Patty nodded as well, only she was grinning from ear-to-ear.

Maka felt a headache coming on. It wasn't even time for the hangovers yet. "You...you're fine with sharing?"

Liz looked affronted. "Of course! It's what sisters do for each other! I couldn't imagine not sharing Kid with Patty. Besides, he'd be upset if he had to choose just one of us. You know, that stupid symmetry thing."

'It's not like he can do both of them at the same time!' Maka thought. Her brain was experiencing a total meltdown. "Err...so what's the problem, exactly?"

Liz threw her hands out. "He isn't DOING anything! It's like he's asexual! Patty and I live with him, and he doesn't do a damn thing! What does he think we are, virgins?"

"I am," Patty said. "I dunno about Sis, though."

"Urusai!" Liz near-shrieked. "Ahem. As I was saying, he doesn't do anything. Everyone we know is getting laid left and right, and all he wants is to have tea! It's so damned frustrating!"

"Does this have something to do with Kid having sprouted from Shinigami-sama's forehead?" Maka asked.

The sisters looked at her strangely. "Is THAT how he was born?" Liz asked curiously. "Hmm. I've always thought he was born the natural way."

Patty laughed. "Maybe someone else will spring up from Shinigami-sama's forehead and Kid will have a brother! Someone compleeeetely asymmetrical! Wheee!"

"Oh, joy," Maka murmured, covering her eyes with her hand. This was going nowhere. Were the Thompson sisters actually going to ask her what she thought they were going to ask her?

Liz slouched in her seat, looking even more ill-tempered than she had when they started talking about Kid. "I'm out of ideas. We've tried sexy lingerie, trips to tropical islands, touring on a cruise ship with hardly anyone else around—"

"We've even tried sneaking into his bedroom. Naked!" Patty added cheerfully.

"And still nothing." Liz heaved a great, forlorn sigh. "We like Kid. A lot. And I'm sure he's got a bit of a soft spot at least for us. We just want him to have some fun, too." She sounded extremely frustrated. "I don't get it! Most guys have that 'two girls' fantasy, right?"

Maka managed a smile. She was going for comforting smile, but had a feeling that it looked more pained than anything else. "Kid-kun isn't 'most guys', Liz-chan."

"Just our luck to be saddled with a whack-job," Liz muttered darkly. She looked pleadingly at Maka. "Please help us? We'll do anything you want us to do afterward, but we really need your ideas on this one. At this rate, Patty and I will be the only girls who aren't getting any in Death City!"

Maka stared at them both, and all the while a queasy feeling was developing in the pit of her stomach. Liz and Patty Thompson were asking her, top student, wielder of Soul, a Death-Scythe, to help them find a way to get into Death the Kid's pants. Death the Kid, the only son of none other than Shinigami-sama himself. Was this something that could actually get her expelled? Worse, would it get her exiled?

They heard voices out in the hall. The boys were back.

Liz grabbed Maka's hands. "Please???"

Patty put on her best puppy-dog face. "Pweash help us get laid with Kid?"

The door handle jiggled. Soul was fumbling with the key.

Liz put both hands on Maka's shoulders and shook her. "PLEASE, MAKA!"

Maka flinched. "All right, all right, I'll do it! I'll help you!"

The Thompsons grinned. "Thank you, Maka!" Liz gasped.

"Yay!" Patty giggled. "Nekkid Kid, here we come!"

The door opened.

Maka glared at Liz and Patty. "We'll talk about this tomorrow!"

"Oi Maka," Soul called out. "You all still conscious?"

"We've got more drinks!" Blackstar yelled, bursting into the living room and waving two bottles in the air. "Woohoo! So you all better still be up for some more--Uooooh! Tsubaki!!"

Maka sweatdropped. "Ah, yeah, she passed out."

Blackstar looked disappointed. "Aah, I guess I should've expected it. After all, when it comes to tolerance, I'm second to none! Well," he said, grudgingly, "Maybe just to Kid. But!" he added quickly, shaking a finger under Kid's nose, "I WILL surpass even YOU someday! Hahahaha!"

"Sit down," Kid said dispassionately, "You're just drunk. Go drink some more so we can have a little peace and quiet. Liz," he said, turning to the older Thompson, "Hurry up and drink one more round so you'll be even with Patty."

Liz glanced at Maka and rolled her eyes as if to say "See?"

And Maka did see. She had nothing against Kid. He was one of the steadier members of her team, at times even acting as the peacemaker for them whenever they started arguing. He was always considerate of other people, and the only time she felt inclined to hit him was when he went into his little fits whenever something wasn't symmetrical enough to suit his taste. She looked at his face, remembered all the times he looked emotionless, serious, or troubled, and thought 'Well, why not? Maybe this will make him happy. And it's about time he got a girlfriend--or two--anyway.'

She gave Liz a small smile and a wink. Yes, she definitely would go along with their little plan.

"Oi Patty! What are you doing? If you drink that whole bottle, Liz would have to do that, too!"

Maka sweatdropped again.