Eat Out, Not In
by. Poisoned Scarlett

It wasn't that she hated him.

Because she did not hate him, not in the literal sense. She was just exasperated by his over-protectiveness. It didn't make much sense, in her mind, the trivial reasons he said were behind his over-protectiveness. She could understand why anyone in their right mind would be wary of her job: she wore a tight-fitting collar shirt matched with a blue pleated skirt that bushed mid-thigh. She wore knee-high socks, small feet fitted into roller blades. Her ash blonde hair was in a high pony tail, with a white cap to shield her eyes from the sun when she ran day shifts.

She carried trays of food to customers. She ran back and forth carrying out orders and sometimes there would be a spill on the floor or she simply stepped wrong and she would fall over in a flail of arms and legs. That hadn't happened to her in awhile but that didn't mean she was exempt from them. There was also the problem with raucous city boys – or, scratch that, just boys in general. They would get clever and, on very rare but very real occasions, try to cope feels when the roller girl wasn't paying attention. Again: very rare occasions. But no matter how much she insisted this had never happened to her (she'd only gotten the cocky boys, the ones who asked for her number or the ones who went overboard with the compliments) everyone seemed convinced of her inability to handle herself.

And it was all his fault: Soul Evans fault, she meant.

It was his fault Nygus decided she would work better inside because she was the youngest and, apparently, the weakest. It was his fault she got her roller blades taken away for an indefinite amount of time. It was his fault she was stuck with the boring cashier job, his fault she was stuck exchanging dark looks with mop-boy Ox Ford. How was it his fault? If he hadn't gone berserk that time a boy harassed her while she was delivering food (she admitted she had been slightly scared because he came on too strong but she could've handled it, she swore she could), then right now she would be out there on the skate lane, delivering food, enjoying the fresh evening breeze like all the other girls.

But no! Instead, she was behind the register, in a stuffy room that smelled like greasy fries and burgers, taking orders like a well-oiled machine, looking absolutely bored and feeling more than a little envious of the girls who roller bladed outside. They always had fun outside: laughing, trading orders sometimes, gossiping about the cute boys who pulled up, skating in general. Liz, the new head, caught her longing look and smiled sympathetically in reply. Maka straightened up when Liz opened the door, skating towards her.

"You're looking a little lonely!" Liz cheerfully greeted. "What's up?"

"I don't want to be here!" Maka groaned. She rested her chin in her palm miserably. "It's been a whole week and I already want to shoot myself! It was one time, can't you guys give me a break? I mean, there's been guys who practically stalk you, Liz, and I don't see anyone removing you from the ring!"

"Yeah but you're different, Maka, you're the youngest one here and that guy really did cross the line! The guys who like me have never tried what he did," Liz patted her hand when she grumbled. "Look, if Soul hadn't been there to put that guy in his place, things could've really gotten nasty. Nygus was really worried about you!"

"I can handle myself."

"We know that," Liz sighed, wryly.

"Then why am I here?" Maka pleaded, standing straight again. "I hate it in here and I'm pretty sure Ox is plotting my death somewhere!"

"He is not!" Liz snorted. "He's just mad because Kim ignored him for you. Y'know he's got a massive crush on her, right?"

Maka pursed her lips at the trivial reason. "I just want to go back out there with you guys! What did Soul tell Nygus to get her to send me inside? I bet he made me out to be some stupid, weak, girl! Ugh, he's such a jerk! I want to punch that stupid grin off his face every time I see him!" Maka steamed, bristling at the thought of him. She could barely understand why some of the roller girls giggled about him when they thought he wasn't looking.

He wasn't hard on the eyes, truth be told. He was just, for lack of better word, exotic. His hair and his eyes were what caught the attention of so many girls around the restaurant. His hair was a natural silver blonde, always wind-blown because of his choice of transportation: a loud motorcycle that always alerted Maka whenever he was close. His eyes were a deep wine red, brighter in the daylight, lazy around the corners, and always holding an internal light; as if the world was ever amusing him, as if he were enjoying an inside joke of some sort. Then came his grin, which she admitted did funny things to her sometimes, and don't even get her started on his stupid biker wardrobe choice, which he insisted made him look cool, something he apparently strove for in life...

Appearance-wise, he was an instant hit with the ladies. Personality-wise, however, he practically had every girl running in the opposite direction. With good reason, too. He was snide and rude, sarcastic and sadistic. He had a sharp tongue, a biting sense of humor, and although there were times when he led Maka to believe he was a good guy underneath that gruff exterior, he always ruined that perception of his by pulling dick moves – like this one, for example.

"He isn't that bad," Liz admonished gently.

"Not you, too!" Maka let her forehead hit the counter.

"Maka, think about it, how many guys would actually have the balls to ask Nygus to transfer you inside because they thinks it's safer?"

"That bastard would!"

"But why?"

"Because he likes to see me in pain," Maka mumbled and Liz heaved a sigh, patting her back.

"He said more, y'know. Some things he promised us not to tell you," Liz pressed a hand over her mouth before she could ask. "And no, I'm not going to tell you. Just know that those reasons are why I'm cool with him and that he's doing this not because he wants to see you suffer or whatever but because he…cares."

"Cares?" Maka snorted but couldn't hold her scorn for the guy for long. She looked back out to the window, to the roller girls who happily carried out orders. The newbie who'd filled in for Maka was having trouble adapting and had already used up her three strikes. If she fell again and messed up the order, it would be coming out of her paycheck, and if she messed up a fourth time she would be pulled out to talk to Nygus about either being reassigned or otherwise. "I know he's worried about me. I'm not stupid. It's just... I really liked being out there. That's the only reason I applied for this job, Liz, don't you think I could've just asked for a job at the diner nearby my house if I wanted to be cashier? I just want to go out there again," Maka sighed, miserably. "My life was running so smoothly until he started talking to me…"

Liz gave her a measured look before nudging her arm with her elbow good-naturedly. "You get along with him pretty well for someone who always says she hates him!"

Maka pinked but didn't comment. They did get along, for the most part, until he pulled this stunt. You could say she was giving him the silent treatment and no matter what he did (yesterday he tried to buy himself back into her graces by giving her a book she had been meaning to buy; the day before with cheesy compliments that almost worked) she would ignore him until Nygus gave her back her head position as roller girl.

"Oh, okay, I'll give you a break!" Liz sighed, relenting. Maka perked up when Liz nodded to the back. "Go get changed. Your old uniform is still there."

"Liz…" Maka held her breath, hopeful.

"Just today, okay? You look like you need the air!" Liz laughed when Maka squealed excitedly, running to the back without a second glance. Liz skated behind the register, taking off her cap and fanning herself with it. She could use a break; her ankles were killing her! When Maka came back out with a huge smile and already dressed in her old uniform, Liz grinned. It was hard not to look at her, as she skated around to the front of the register, she really fit into that uniform like a glove.

"What time is it?" Maka asked, glancing around for a clock.

"Around three, why?"

"Soul comes at five so I'll be back before five, okay?"

"Smart," Liz nodded approvingly. "Alright, I'll handle the register til five. Have fun, Maka!"

Maka beamed back and skated outside. A fresh breeze blew her skirt around her thighs and she let out a happy breath. She liked being outside, delivering orders and skating to the window and back out to the lot. She liked talking to the girls outside, sometimes giving them tips pr advice, passing conversation around to kill time when the days were slow.

"Hey, Maka, you're back on skate duty?" Jackie, one of the roller girls, asked in surprise.

"Only for today! Liz is a little tired!" Maka told her, picking up an order with much gusto.

"It'll be nice to have you back!" Jackie smiled and continued to deliver orders when they started to pile up. Today was a busy day, Maka noticed as she rolled up to the drivers side of a car, she would have to be quick on her feet! She was, too, she lived up to her name as head and delivered the orders with quick and easy practice. She had just been getting back her old groove, skating skillfully around cars and the other girls, when the head-jarring roar of a motorcycle made her grind to a total halt. She looked over her shoulder with wide-eyes and cringed when she saw another familiar car behind the orange monstrosity Soul called a motorcycle. Black Star was here and no doubt he would be harassing the giggly roller girls who had no problem with his flirty ways. Maka hoped Soul hadn't caught sight of her as she hid behind a large mini-van, waiting for the customer to give her a tip that she insisted she take for such great service.

"Thank you," Maka smiled sweetly at the old lady. "And come again!" She slowly made her way to the skate lane. When she didn't see him anywhere, neither the blue-haired monkey who called himself Black Star, Maka sped up and made it to the order window. She uneasily took another order, placing the plate on her hand. She knew he was watching her from somewhere but where? She looked all around and found not a glimpse of him or his moronic friend, which was saying something as Black Star practically had a megaphone sewn onto his mouth.

She delivered that order and decided she'd exhausted her luck already. She better just go inside and change before Soul came out and made an ass out of himself and devil out of her (knowing her explosive temper). She had been making her way to the door when she heard a whistle from Jackie, who looked worried.

"Maka, can you take this order all the way down? Tsugumi fell again!"

Maka cringed. That would be the new girl, Tsugumi, and this would be her fourth fall. She wondered if she was okay as she went to pick up this last order. It was strange, Tsugumi had actually shown skating skill when she first tried out. For whatever reasons, though, she kept continuously falling. She also looked rather miserable and solemn, Maka wondered if she was having personal problems and if they were interfering with her job.

"Is she alright?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine! She just scraped her knee a little. She's with Liz right now in the back getting patched up!"

The back, is that where he's at, too? Maka wondered and skated down the lane with the new order in her hand. Hopefully he stays there! I really don't want to deal with him right now! Maka spotted a group of boys laughing raucously by their car, munching on fries and burgers, and shook her head at their antics. They were here almost daily and gorged themselves until they couldn't anymore. Honestly, boys, Maka smiled and delivered the order successfully.

"Oh, I didn't order this one!" the lady said after she opened the bag and peered inside.

Maka frowned. "You didn't?" She looked at her receipt again.

"Well, I did order this but not this extra bag!"

"It must've gotten dropped on my plate by accident then. Well, as long as you got everything you ordered!" Maka smiled when the lady nodded in reply. "Sorry for that! Have a nice meal!" Maka slowly skated back, hoping they hadn't remade the order as this one would go to waste. She noticed the boys who eyed her with sinister smirks and Maka frowned; what was their deal? One of them shot her an impish grin that took her by surprise and she only had time to gasp when one of them tried scaring her by pretending to throw soda at her. Problem was, the cap actually went flying. Her skate slipped almost instantly and she tumbled back roughly, her hand stretching out to break her fall. In those calm moments, Maka figured out why Tsugumi always fell and why she always tried to avoid the boys who came here: she was being bullied and they decided it would be funny to try it on her, too.

Maka didn't hear their laughter when she hit the ground; she didn't hear much of anything except her own scream. She felt intense pain and it shot up her arm, another cry tearing her throat. The plate clattered by her side loudly and she hunched over in pain, gasping out a curse. She snapped her head to the boys who were looking wide-eyed at her, not having expected her to actually hurt herself, and she hoarsely shouted: "Why the hell did you do that for?" before the door to the restaurant slammed open, silencing everything.

The boys eyes darted that way and they didn't hesitate in packing their food and hopping back into the car, tires screeching as they drove away. Maka looked to the restaurant door and found Soul running to her, panicked. Another unusual expression: panic. She couldn't recall a time when she'd seen him panicked, she made sure to catalog this as he slid to a stop before her, shouting her name.

"Are you okay? What the hell happened?" He demanded, kneeling beside her.

"Those bastards threw soda at me and I slipped! I bet they're the reason Tsugumi's been falling so much recently, too! They're bullying her!" Maka snarled but cried out when he touched her wrist. "Don't! It hurts!" Maka flinched when he took her elbow and lowered her injured wrist to her lap, tears sting her eyes. It was really starting to hurt now. She hoped she hadn't broken it; that would get her off skating duty for weeks!

"Ow!"

"Sorry," he mumbled."C'mon, you have to stand," Soul grabbed her under her armpit and pulled her up slowly, making sure not to bother her injured hand. Maka made a noise in the back of her throat and she squeaked when her skates threatened to slip from under her again. Soda on the floor was one of the primary reasons the girls fell: that was why Ox's job was so important. In fact, she could see him running over with a mop at the ready, looking the slightest bit concerned for her as she leaned against Soul. "Did you get a good look at those guys?" Soul demanded and Ox nodded, lips pressed together in a grimace.

"Yes, they've been eating here recently but they've never caused any trouble until today."

"If I see that punk again—!" Maka began, furiously.

"—I'm gonna mess his shit up!" Soul finished with a hostile snarl. Maka blinked up at him: she was going to say she was going to give him a good talking to and maybe punch him in the face if he didn't apologize. But she didn't get a chance to voice these thoughts for Soul secured an arm around her waist and pulled her inside the restaurant, where Liz was waiting with a worried crease between her brows.

"What happened? We heard you scream!"

"Some idiot threw soda at me and I slipped," Maka sighed. Liz bristled and growled threats underneath her breath, her hand curled into a fist. "It's fine, Liz, I'm not angry anymore. I doubt they imagined I'd actually get hurt, they just meant to scare me a little," she muttered. She didn't like keeping grudges like this but that didn't mean that if she saw them again, she wouldn't do something drastic. Like yell a lot or maybe decide to let them get intimate with her fist, maybe boot if her wrist turned out broken.

"They shouldn't be tossin' shit at you in the first place!" Soul argued. He tightened his grip on her. Maka felt red start to paint her cheeks at the slow smile on Liz's face at his rough tone. "If I get my hands on them, I'm gonna' snap their necks!"

"You're not going to snap anyone's neck, Soul," Maka admonished and ignored the suggestive look Liz was throwing her. "Let's go to the back so I can wrap my wrist, it doesn't look broken to me. I hope," Maka lifted her hand. She couldn't prod her wrist at the moment, her free hand gripping the back of Soul's jacket to keep her balance, but once she was in the back she could properly check. So far, though, it only felt sprained.

"While you do that, I'll tell Nygus what happened!" Liz assured. She sighed. "Jeez, what a bad day."

"No kidding," Soul muttered and led Maka to the back.

"Tell her that it's not Tsugumi's fault, either, I bet those boys were bullying her!" Maka shouted over her shoulder as Soul led her into the locker rooms. Maka received a distant okay from Liz before the door closed behind them and Soul let her sit on the bench. Maka looked at her wrist, grimacing when it was starting to swell. She prodded her wrist while Soul scoured the back for a first-aid kit. She hissed when she poked a tender spot.

"Don't touch it, idiot," Soul chided and gently took her arm. Maka watched him evaluate her wrist silently before he stated, "Looks sprained. Get it checked with a doctor when you can. Later, I can take you if you want."

Maka nodded and watched as he started to wrap her apparently sprained wrist. He was quieter than usual, she wondered why. She expected him to be shouting at her for going against Nygus and skating again; maybe raving about those idiot boys who took a prank too far by accident. She dryly bet if she hadn't been so insistent today, Liz wouldn't have let her skate, and she would have a perfectly working wrist right now. She expected Soul to point that out to her in the most bluntest way possible. Except he wasn't, which was weird. "Tighter?"

"Hm?" Maka snapped out of her daze. "Oh, a little more." She tensed when he tightened her bandage and he looked up at her expectantly. "That's good." He continued to bandage her and she noticed he was actually doing a good job at it. "Do you do this often?"

"Black Star is always hurting himself," Soul answered, glancing at her. "After awhile, you get used to carrying around bandages."

Maka giggled softly and the corner of his lip quirked up.

"Done," he stood straight and watched her poke her wrist gently before placing her hand on her lap. Then she looked back up at him and stared, eventually raising her brow. "What?"

"Get out, I have to change."

He couldn't help himself. "Then change, no ones stopping you," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes. There we go; old Soul was back."Get out, Soul, I have to change into my jeans."

He paused then frowned. "Will you be able to? I mean, you can barely move your wrist."

"I can manage," Maka stiffly said.

"I'll get Liz," he flatly decided and left before she could complain. Maka sighed but undid her skates. She kicked her feet out of them and pushed them to the side. Now that she could stand without help, she walked to her locker and opened it, reaching for her pants. She tossed those on the bench, pushing her skirt down her waist until it fell in a heap on the floor. She stepped out of it and grabbed her pants, knowing that here came the tricky part. She'd only gotten her feet in, unsure of how to pull them up, when Soul came back.

"She says she can't so stay in your skirt – or not, that's not a problem..." Soul trailed off, unable to help himself by staring at her firm glutes; the strong thighs that always teased him from beneath that short skirt of hers.

"SOUL, GET OUT YOU PERVERT!" Maka shrieked, red flooding her cheeks. She nearly fell over with how fast she turned to hide herself. Soul scrambled back, leaning against the lockers on the other side. His heart pounded in her chest like he just dodged a bullet, which he surely did. But what he just saw would haunt him forever in the best ways. "Soul, I know you're still here, you better get out or else!"

"Maka, you can't put those jeans on! You'll hurt yourself!" Soul argued, hoping his voice didn't crack. That just wouldn't be cool "G-get back in your skirt!" Now his voice cracked but he didn't think she caught it so his cool was still in tact.

"No way! Papa would kill me if he saw me walking around in it! I'm almost there – ow!"

Soul was torn between going to her aid or staying where he was. "Maka! Are you okay? Maka!"

"I'm fine!" Maka briskly snapped. "I just moved my hand!" She looked down at her jeans, still around her ankles. She sat down and tried it that way, too, but saw that every minuscule movement of her fingers or arm sent fresh waves of pain up to her shoulder. It was still too sore to move around and she couldn't concentrate when the pain grew progressively worse with every hasty movement of hers. For once, she hated owning skinny jeans. It took more effort to pull them up than it was worth.

"…Do you need help?"

Maka sucked in air. Help? From him? Maka contemplated sending him out with a feral threat but it never made it out of her throat. Soul really wasn't a bad guy, she told herself rather convincingly, she was just a little angry that he successfully managed to get her put on registry duty. As a whole, Soul was a very decent guy, just a little rough around the edges; reluctant to show too much affection, or emotion for the matter. He also sounded sincerely worried about her. That look of panic on his face flashed behind the lids of her eyes and she sighed resignedly.

"C…can you?" Maka called back, sounding so very awkward.

"Yeah, if you want."

"Um. Okay," Maka swallowed and looked down at her lap nervously when he slowly came into view. Soul walked up to her and when she looked at him, his eyes were on her open locker and avoided her. She smiled a little, rather touched he wouldn't take advantage of this and look at her.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

Maka gripped the door to the locker as he bent down and started to pull her jeans up her legs. She felt the heat on her face double at his deliberate slowness and couldn't help but squirm a little under his gaze. Her heart raced in her chest, blood starting to pound in her ears with every stretching second. Her hand dropped away from the door and held onto his shoulder instead, fingers digging into the muscle she felt there. He brought the jeans around her rear and she made a little noise in the back of her throat at his roughness. His chest nearly brushed the tip of her nose and she finally looked up at him, holding his stare. He zipped up her jeans swiftly, fingers buttoning them closed, and she was sure her lungs were going to collapse if she didn't draw air into them within the next few seconds.

"They're pretty tight," he hooked his fingers in the belt loops on her sides and pulled her jeans up her hips, a surprised squeak escaping her throat. Her hand squeezed his shoulder. His own slid down the sides of her waist, slipping into her back pockets with caution. Maka didn't utter a word, holding his stare, her blood boiling beneath her skin, wishing her wrist wasn't hurt so she could hold onto him better. His hands pressed their hips together with more confidence.

"You're not going to do something stupid, are you?"

"Depends on your definition of stupid," Soul huskily replied, slipping a hand out from her pocket to wrap around her waist.

Maka stifled a laugh, red tinting her cheeks. "I was talking about the guy who threw soda at me..."

"Oh, yeah, that. Probably."

"Don't."

"Why not?" He frowned, irritation seeping into his tone. "That dick hurt you. You could have broken your wrist or worse, hit your head on the ground and got a concussion or something!"

"A concussion?" Maka laughed, pressing her forehead against his chest. She dropped her hand down his shoulder until the tips of her fingers pressed into his firm chest. She breathed in the smell of leather and detergent. He wasn't wearing any of that Axe spray today, something she was secretly disappointed in. A reason she let him sometimes grab her and pull her so close to him was because he didn't smell half-bad.

"Don't blow this out of proportion! I've taken falls before!"

"Yeah, but not like this!"

"I nearly broke my ankle once!" Maka told him, matter-of-factly. "I didn't see you freak out then! No one freaked out, actually, you were all laughing at me!"

"You were laughing, too, idiot, it wasn't that serious! You screamed this time," he let his back hit the lockers, bringing her with him until she was pressed against him. Maka shifted so there was no weight on her injured wrist and turned her head to rest her cheek against his chest. "Scared the crap out of me today. I thought you broke something."

Maka smiled warmly at his awkward tone. Then she remembered something very important: she was supposed to be angry at him. Yet here she was letting him press her against him, his hands shoved down her ass pockets like they belonged there, her cheek pressed against his chest like nothing else mattered. For a second, her mind went blank, and then she scowled at him and pushed away from him, leaving him thoroughly bewildered by her rough reaction.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm mad at you!"

"Wh—are you serious?" Soul rolled his eyes when she ignored him. "You're gonna' keep it up?"

"Yes, I am! Until you convince Nygus to give me my old job back!" Maka shouted, sending him a dark look over her shoulder. She tried to calm the heat on her face with little avail. She gave up when it didn't go away, made worse when he reached out and took her uninjured hand.

"You really think she'll let you now, after you nearly broke your wrist?"

Maka argued hotly: "That guy threw soda at me! He was trying to make me slip! This is different, this could have happened to any other girl! I hate it inside, it's so boring and I didn't apply for this job so I could stand around behind some register taking orders! I took it because I wanted to skate!" Maka shouted, trying to wiggle her hand out of his. "I know it's dangerous, don't you think I don't? I've taken falls and they hurt. Soul, this hurts, but I'm not going to let this stop me! And that guy who harassed me a week ago – it happens, Soul, it can happen inside the restaurant, too! I know you want…me to be safe," Maka carefully worded and he let his mouth close so she could continue: "But you can't keep me safe all the time. I will slip up and I might get hurt when I do but keeping me all cooped up inside isn't going to solve anything!"

Maka watched him contemplate this silently, their hands held still. She lowered her voice and lost some of her fire. "I'm not all that adventurous as it is. And you don't see me trying to buy you a car when you drive around that…that death trap of yours!"

"My motorcycle?" Soul arched a brow. "I've been riding for years, I doubt anything is gonna' happen to me."

"Not you but someone can crash into you and you can die! Or you can hit something and die! Or you can – anything can happen and you can die!" She insisted, rather worried at the thought now. She'd never let herself think about it before but now that she was, all sorts of scenarios were running through her head. Holy crap, Soul could die at any moment because of that stupid motorcycle he loved so much. "Do you own a car, by any chance?"

"No."

"…Do you mind walking?"

"Okay, I get what you're trying to say, you can quit with the act now!"

"I'm being serious," Maka said, sincerely. This caught his attention. "I never thought about it before but you could get really hurt every time you ride that motorcycle. Anything can happen on the road…" She trailed off, uncomfortable at the thought of seeing him drive away now. She had always thought the motorcycle was ridiculous in the sense that it did not make him cooler, no matter what he said. She had completely forgotten about all the risks he took whenever he rode it. She let his hand go and rubbed her sore wrist absently; he would get out with worse wounds if something ever happened to him while he was on it.

"Hey," Soul called and smiled when she looked up with troubled green eyes. "Don't think about it. Have a little faith in me." He paused and begrudgingly admitted: "And I guess I can have a little faith in you, too… "

"So you'll ask Nygus to give me my old job back?"

"Yeah," he sighed.

Maka dropped her hand from her injured wrist and held out her hand for him again. He took it, squeezing it with reassurance; a silent agreement of sorts. She let him lead her into his arms again and this time she openly embraced him, doing the best with her hurting wrist. She happily hugged him until she wanted to pull away a few seconds after – something Soul wasn't very keen with, as he tightened his arms around her slim frame.

"Soul?" Maka cleared her throat. "You can let me go now."

"I know."

"...So let me go..."

"Eventually."

"Soul," Maka wiggled but didn't make it very far.

"Patience, Maka, these things take time!"

"It's a hug!"

"Exactly, appreciate it. I don't give out hugs for free, y'know, they're expensive," he smirked.

"Ugh! Soul, this is so weird! You always do this…" Maka squirmed a bit more but gave up when it proved impossible. "Why do you like hugging me so much?" She grumbled, more out of frustration than actually wanting to know. But instantly the air thickened between them. She could feel the question just hang between them, waiting to be answered whether she wanted it or not. She involuntarily swallowed; what did she just start by asking this? And was she even ready? Liz's sly grin flashed behind her lids. She would need to be now, whether she liked it or not.

"Cuz," Soul mumbled into the crown of her head. She waited but he didn't elaborate.

"Because what?"

"I don't hug you that much!" Soul said instead.

"Yes, you do!" Maka snapped. He scowled. "Now answer the question! Because what?"

After a minute, it became clear to Soul that Maka was serious.

"…I like you…"

"What?"

"I like you," he said, louder this time. Maka sucked in air, heart threatening to burst in her chest cavity, noises that didn't sound human escaping her throat whenever she tried to speak. Soul just sighed awkwardly and added in a sort of quiet, gruff, rumble: "I've liked you for awhile now, alright? I just never got around to telling you…until now."

"Y-you do?"

"Yes!" He said through his teeth, looking down. "I'm not repeating it!"

"But…but you always call me names! "

"So? I didn't mean it. I was just teasing you."

"You were?"

"Don't tell me you took them seriously!"

"Sometimes!" Maka argued. She cursed when he laughed into her hair, shaking his head at her apparently endearing comment. But Maka found nothing endearing in it; she felt a little dumb for ignoring everything. For not seeing it as clearly as everyone else did (because now all the amused looks and Liz's grins made perfect sense to her). But you couldn't necessarily blame her: Soul was not a nice guy when he wanted to be. He was always calling her names and pissing her off and staring at her (something which she believed was with superiority now she knows was actually just because he liked her). "Argh, you can be such a jerk!"

"I didn't say anything!" Soul defended automatically. "What did I do now?"

"Telling me this," Maka sighed into his chest. She buried her nose into his shirt with a small smile, muffling out: "It makes me feel weird..."

"Weird...?"

She nodded.

"...Good weird or bad weird?"

"...Good weird..."

She knew he was nodding that slow nod of his. She didn't dare look up. She would rather just stand there and let it all sink in; just make up excuses she could tell Liz when she came out and she saw her red face and his satisfied smile. Soul nudged her and after the third nudge she grunted, letting him know she was listening.

"Look at me."

She shook her head.

"C'mon," she could hear the smile in his words, "look at me."

"NO!" Maka shut her eyes, trying desperately to cool her face off. But it only seemed to color even more and Maka stared nervously when he managed to get her to look at him. His grin was wide and teasing, his eyes lighting up with delight.

"I knew it! Isn't that cute?" He began, tauntingly. He cupped her cheek, feeling the heat of them as her face steadily darkened. "You're blushing!"

"SHUT UP!" Maka snarled, tearing her face from his hand. "You jerk!" She pressed her good hand over her mouth, trying to calm her heart. She pursed her lips when he chuckled and tugged on the back of her shirt.

"Alright, that wasn't cool," he apologized. "Sorry. Maka?" He went to her when she didn't move and wrapped an arm around her, pressing his cheek against her shoulder. "I won't do it again, yeah? Don't ignore me; that isn't cool, either."

"I don't like you," she mumbled, petulantly.

"Can we not like each other together?"

"That beats the cause!"

"No, it doesn't: we'd both not like each other, together."

"It doesn't make sense."

"It makes perfect sense."

"Stop mocking me."

"I'm not mocking you."

"Soul!"

"Maka."

"Argh!"

"Heh."

Maka clenched her teeth and simmered while he smiled into her shoulder, doing a good job at keeping in his laughter at her own attempts to act normal. After a minute, her shoulders relaxed and he felt tentative fingers meet his own. Soul let her hand grab his hand and he wove his fingers through hers so she wouldn't let it go when she over-thought everything again.

"...Is this a yes, then?" Soul mumbled gruffly into her shirt.

Maka lifted her head, side-glancing him. "On what?"

"Not rejecting me?"

Maka dropped her eyes back to her shoes and she smiled, the heat on her face finally receding. She took a deep breath and briefly wondered if this would be the biggest mistake of her life - honestly, giving such an insufferable guy a chance. She'd be in over her head in no time. But she still nodded her head and her smile widened when he sighed out in relief and embraced her with more confidence.

"Maka, you still in there?" Liz called, walking into the locker rooms. She stopped mid-step when she caught them together and took a step back instead. She grinned as she said, "Whoops. Didn't know I was walking into something important. You kids have fun!" She winked.

"NO!" Maka shouted, trying to disentangle herself from Soul. "It's not what it looks like! It's not!"

"That hurts, Maka, you were just confessed your undying love for me and now you're taking it back? Not cool."

"I never admitted anything! You did!"

"I'm not denying anything."

"But - I - argh, Soul, quit teasing me!"

Liz threw head back in laughter as Maka insisted they weren't breaking any rules; since the rules were strict against these types of things. Soul still held her hand and gave Liz a lazy thumbs up, which the girl replied with a sassy grin that left Maka all sorts of confused.

"Liz?"

"Come on, Maka, you're off duty until the doctor says you're okay!" Liz beamed. "Nygus wants you to get that checked as soon as possible! Soul, since she's your problem now, would you mind taking her to the clinic?"

"His problem?" Maka bristled. "More like he's my problem now!"

"Sure," Soul easily replied. "Let's go, my problem."

"I can walk by myself, bane of my existence," Maka mumbled under her breath.

"You're so romantic."

"Like you would know anything about that, you brute!"

"You'd be surprised," Soul scowled.

"I really would be," Maka smugly said. "Not that it's ever going to happen!"

"You guys get along so well," Liz drawled, closing the door behind them as they continued to bicker all the way out the door. She stood by the register again, watching them go with a content smile, so it wasn't a surprised, so lost in her thoughts, she nearly jumped out of her skin when Black Star popped up beside her and demanded extra fries. "Black Star! Don't yell! I'm right here!" Liz seethed.

"Yeah, yeah, just get back in the kitchen and make me some fries - oof!" He faceplanted on the counter, Liz glaring down at him dangerously.

"What was that?"

"N-nothing..." He wheezed. When she let him go, he straightened and rubbed his sore nose begrudgingly. "Where are Soul and pigtails at? Soul said he would tell her today, did he do it yet?"

"Soul took Maka to the clinic to get her wrist checked," Liz told him. He frowned. "And he did do it!"

Black Star perked up. "So? What happened? She reject him? I bet fifty bucks she would! She did, right? YES!"

Liz grinned, evilly. "Read 'em and weep, Black Star, you owe me fifty and I want it upfront, you bastard!" She grabbed the back of his shirt when he tried to run. "Should've never tried to bet on this, 'Star, we all saw it comin'! Even you did!"

"I thought she'd chicken out first and say no!"

"Too bad," Liz smirked. "So? Cough it up!"

"I don't have any on me!"

"Liar, you just ordered more fries!"

"I was kidding!"

"Dammit, Black Star!"

"Oh, look, is that Tsubaki over there? I should probably go - SHE NEEDS ME!" He ducked under her arm and ran out the door, cackling in victory while she screeched for him to get his ass back in there before she called up her sister to hunt him down for her.

And at the clinic, as Maka and Soul waited for the doctor to attend to her, Soul looked down at his watch idly and said, "I'm gonna' need some more bandages."

"Why?" Maka asked, curiously.

"Black Star."

Nothing else needed to be said. That explained it all.

A/N: Slight OOC, in my opinion. But it is an AU; that's what I blame it on lol I still enjoyed writing it. I hope you all enjoyed reading it :)

Scarlett.