Quicksand
by. Poisoned Scarlet

4a

"YAHOO!" Black Star hooted, grinning like a maniac. "That's what I'm talkin' about! You aren't such a dork, after all, Maka! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"

"SHUT UP BLACK STAR!" Maka snapped, finishing the glass the hyperactive boy had handed her only too eagerly. She turned to her friend, who had been watching with a nervous twiddle of her fingers. "Tsubaki! Tell him to be quiet – he's attracting a lot of attention!"

"Of course I am!" Black Star smirked. "Who doesn't wants to check out a god like me?"

"Black Star, please—!"

"C'mon – let's dance, Tsubaki! Let's make them jealous!" Black Star cackled, pulling her into the writhing cesspool of overdosing clubbers and sex. Maka watched them leave with a bright smile, Tsubaki tossing her a concerned look over her shoulder.

She was still worried because of her recent break up.

She was probably hesitant to leave her alone after Maka told her it was for real this time.

But Maka only waved her away, the high of the drinks finally kicking in.

Freedom was wonderful.

The strobe lights cast a delirious haze of colors that she fell into as the bass pulsed in rhythm with her heart. Cheeks flushed, breath heavy, sweat trailing down her neck and running its path down her bare back, Maka had never felt more alive than she did then.

She had never felt so free.

4b

It had been roughly an hour since Tsubaki and Black Star had been left to their own devices within the mass of clubbers.

And Maka wasn't all that concerned by her solitude; not while she was being basically squished amongst other party-goers. It made feeling lonely almost impossible.

Maka drained the cup of beer, bouncing with the crowd as the track took on a wild beat. Her hair had fallen out of its bun, threads of her hair stuck to her cheek as intoxication reached its limit.

"Hey! Here – !" A guy said, handing her a curious pill with a sleazy grin.

Maka looked at it, pausing mid-step. "What's that?"

"Just take it, babe, it'll make you feel fantastic."

Before she could open her mouth, another voice interrupted.

"What do you wanna' do? Overdose her, you retarded fuck? Get the hell away from her!"

"Whoa, man, chill!" The guy defensively said, although he turned away and continued his hunt for more prey.

Maka turned to find him – in torn up jeans and a striped button-up this time – glaring the dealer away with his menacing crimson eyes. She suddenly subdued, unsure of how to react to his reappearance. But she was sure of one thing: she had never been so relieved, so giddy, to see someone.

"Drinking away your misery again?" He asked, looking at her.

He didn't near her this time, she noticed, he kept his distance.

"Nope!" She brightly smiled, surprising him. "I'm celebrating!" She laughed, shoving her empty glass in his hands. Their fingers brushed and she felt a tremble race down her arms pleasantly. "Go get me another glass, please?"

"Who do you think I am? Your butler or something?" The guy gruffed but Maka watched him turn on his heel and head over to the bar obediently. She stayed where she was, swaying until her sways synched with the rapid beats of the track.

Bodies bumped into her; surrounded her as the electronic sounds became overbearing with their noise. Her blood was racing through her veins, through her heart, yet somehow not reaching her brain as the weightless spread through her being like cancer.

Hands grabbed her shoulders. "Hey – here's your goddamn drink!"

"Oh – thanks!" Maka reached behind her and took it from his hand, the golden liquid spilling over the side and splattering the floor. But Maka took no notice: she swallowed a mouthful and beamed, bouncing with the beat.

"Whoa – you're spilling the whole thing, idiot – !" He sucked in a breath when she wobbled and fell back against him. The heat in the room suddenly seemed to skyrocket, sweat shining on her forehead as his hands gripped her waist to steady her. Instead of quickly jumping away, Maka sunk back into his chest, pressing the cup against her chest tightly.

It was silent for a second, as her heart leaped to her throat and he breathed in measured breaths.

"Where's your boyfriend?" He asked, tonelessly.

"What boyfriend?" She mumbled.

There was pause, a moment when the synthetic beats didn't penetrate the thump of her heart, didn't ease the sudden anxiety clouding her mind, before she felt his hands grip her hips with renewed vigor. He rammed her against the evidence of his arousal; a relief like nothing washing through her body just as her blood sang for him.

"Finally ditch the loser?" He whispered into her ear, his arm snaking around her waist to keep her in place. She breathed shallowly, gasping when he ground into her; her sex throbbing with need at every grind. "He didn't deserve you, anyway."

She groaned when his teeth bit into her neck, a sensation she had long missed, and his long fingers brushed over her perked breasts; teasingly, igniting that feral desire within her once more.

"What..." Maka sucked in a breath when his hand splayed on her flat stomach, made its way down slowly.

"What was that?" He murmured, pausing. She was pressed against his chest tightly, his arms around her possessively. The buoyant crowd noticed nothing; continuing their raving, their crazed dance. And she felt safe in this strangers arms; like nothing could ever harm her again.

"Your.. name." Maka finished, some of the haze clearing. "What's your name again?"

"Don't remember my name? I'm hurt."

"Just tell me!" Maka grouched. "I think I misheard you the first time."

"No, you didn't. It's Soul." He replied, amused. He snickered when she gawked. "Soul Eater."

"Soul Eater – are you serious?" She had screamed that out all those days ago? Soul sounded familiar but the second part sure didn't.

"Kind of." He grinned against her neck, making her scowl. "I go by Soul Eater Evans."

That sounded right.

She finally had a name to associate to this nameless man who had eased her pain for so many nights; who had blew out the flame for him. This time she would remember it, Maka promised.

Maka turned suddenly, her fingers clutching the front of his shirt. His arms rested around her waist, watching her with veiled curiosity as she contemplated this far more intimate display. She looked up, into his black-flecked eyes, and smiled.

"My name is Maka Albarn."

And she saw his lips twitch into a small smile.

"Yeah. I know, Maka..." He whispered against her lips. The lights shadowed them, as he pulled her through the crowd and to their usual rendezvous. This time she eagerly pushed him inside, shutting the door behind her with her foot, and shoving him against the wall with an impatience that made him grin lazily.

"Miss me?" He tore her dress off without preamble, his mouth latching to the skin that had haunted his dreams for the past few weeks.

"You have no idea." Maka groaned and clutched him closer, her fingers threading through his hair in a familiar fashion. He left his mark down her neck; their breaths intermingling as they crossed the line between strangers to acquaintances. "Soul."

She didn't mind falling into this temptation anymore.

A/N: Yes, I know Maka was OOC. I felt that, since this was an AU! and the situation called for it, Maka's tweaked character is justified lol Besides, keep in mind she and Soul have had this casual-sex thing going on for a few weeks until Hiro came in... but now they're back to it, so they can develop their relationship a little more :D I wrote this because it had been bugging me for a while and, although the characterization is off, I admit, it was still fun to write something that isn't directly manga-related.

Hope you all enjoyed it, too!

Scarlett.