The problem was, no matter how much he relished being cool, Soul hated the cold.

"I have to agree with you on that," Maka admitted, kicking snow into the air as they made their way down the street. Giant, wet flakes tumbled from the sky in a thick sheet. The world around them spun with dazzling snowflake stars. "I don't like my fingers getting cold. Or my nose. They never seem to get warm afterwards."

Soul shrugged. "It's not that."

Maka cocked her head to the side. Maybe she'd heard him wrong through her earmuffs. He had a nasty habit of mumbling too. "What do you mean?" she asked with a sniffle. Cold nose. She hated that.

"I don't like snow. It's not cool."

"Yes it is." Maka smiled broadly at the look of disdain Soul shot her. He rolled his eyes.

"It's just kind of pointless. Cold water that takes up space. Not like rain, you know, that just flows away after a while." Soul made a wavy motion with his hand and stuffed it back in his pocket. Maka shivered just looking at him. She wasn't his mother, but heck if she wouldn't still nag him about not wearing proper winter attire.

"I like it." She looked up at the grey sky, icy flakes prickling her rosy cheeks. "It's peaceful in the snow. Really nice and quiet."

"It's boring," Soul noted.

"It's refreshing."Maka closed her eyes and grinned.

"I don't get it."

Maka opened her eyes to see Soul staring at her, eyes narrowed as though she was a bizarre creature that had crawled out of the sewer. She quirked an eyebrow.

"I don't see what's so hard to figure out, Soul. Snow is just nice. It makes everything quiet, makes the world look totally different. I mean, we've walked down this street hundreds of times, but it doesn't look at all the same." Maka threw her arms in the air for added exaggeration. "You don't think that's pretty cool?"

"I just don't see the point in getting yourself all up in a tizzy just because it's cold." Soul picked up his foot, his shoe coated in snow, probably soaking wet.

"That'll show you," Maka muttered. "Next time wear some boots like a sane person."

"What?"

"I said let's get some cocoa and warm up, okay?" She gave him the biggest, most sincere smile she could muster.

"Sure. I guess."

They turned the next corner, headed home. Maka continued to kick snow into the air. Soul kept his hands tucked in his pockets, walking in a slump. He was in the middle of ruminating about how awful this entire experience was when Maka flopped down in front of him. He looked around in confusion.

"Uh, Maka?"

She spread her arms and legs wide then drew them back into her body over and over.

"Are you okay?" Soul crunched through the snow over to her.

Without a word to Soul, Maka got up and admired her work. A perfect little snow angel carved into the white blanket that covered the road.

"Your turn," she said, turning to Soul.

"No way. That's probably the least cool thing I've ever see—"

"Too bad." Maka frowned and shoved Soul in the chest, catching him off balance and knocking him down. A cloud of white exploded around him.

"Not cool," he groaned.

Maka giggled as she offered a hand to help him up. She helped Soul to his feet and appraised his snowy outline on the ground.

"Not bad. Your hair kinda makes you look like a demon or something."

"You got snow down my shirt."

"Just helping you stay cool."

"You know, if I freeze to death no other weapon will ever be able to put up with you like I do." Soul scowled, doing his best to shake the already melting snow from his clothing.

Something caught his throat and he paused. Maka wrapped her scarf around his neck. It was warm and the wool tickled his chin.

"You're probably right," Maka said. "I don't think I'd do very well without a partner as cool as you, Soul."

Soul's cheeks took on a whole new layer of deep crimson and he grinned devilishly to compensate.

"Yeah. I guess I'll have to stick around for a while then."

"At least for a couple more winters, okay?" Maka nudged his shoulder with hers and started off down the street.

Soul glanced down a final time at the outlines in the snow. Angel and demon. He tucked his hands into his pockets and, relishing the warmth of Maka's scarf, followed after her. Like he always promised himself he would. No matter how cold it got.

"Pretty cool of you, Evans," he mumbled.