A/N: Yes, I wrote a second part! This is for Redemtion13 because it was his birthday last month. I really fail at sticking to deadlines -_-

But yes, enjoy and feedback is always appreciated!

Part 2

Soul felt like he had been abandoned during a time travel gone bad and was living in the nineties again. He had never known how awesome it was to have a fully functioning laptop and Skype. He tried to recall their first Skype-session, all awkward and ungainly. They had come a long way since then. Her moans on the other hand of the line were driving him nuts as he stroked himself faster, not giving a fuck that he was being very loud and saying embarrassing stuff to spur her on and that the neighbours might hear him.

They had never needed phonesex, it had never appealed to either of them since they could have the amazing visuals thanks to Skype. He shut his eyes, picturing her fingers working against her wet slit, her face flushed, her lips parted breathlessly and her eyes hazy and cloudy. Damn it, he couldn't handle her voice, couldn't take the dirty words she whispered to him, was on the verge of going crazy with the things she wished he could do with her and how she wanted his─

"Unff. Fuck, Maka."

Her needy voice called out to him, he had never loved the sound of his name so much before. His blood was boiling as he pictured her in vivid detail, lying on the messy covers of her bed, legs spread open and─

They climaxed nearly at the same time, the echo of their cries bouncing off the thin walls. He slumped against the headboard tiredly, pleased and grinning like an idiot. He sighed, not minding that he had come all over himself, wiping everything away with the tissues he had put on his nightstand in preparation. He could hear her breathing, fast and hard, on the other side of the line. He picked the phone up, disabled the loudspeaker, smiling goofily when he pressed it against his ear.

"I'd say this was awesome even though we couldn't see each other," he said, his words carrying a slight drawl.

He heard her hiss softly, heard the soft crinkle of the covers as she shifted. "Hmm. I still prefer Skype over this though."

He snorted. "I actually prefer the real thing over both."

She let out a giggle that warmed his heart and made it ache at the same time. It was ridiculous how much he missed her; he wanted to hold her, look her in the eyes when they talked and just relish in the togetherness. He sighed. He had known a long-distance relationship wasn't going to be easy, especially not since their relationship had had a heavy emphasis on sexual tension. That's why he loved it that they could hold a normal conversation even after an intense and teasing session of phonesex.

"Are you going home for your birthday, or have you planned to do anything at all for it?" she asked tiredly.

"No. Can't go home since it's in the middle of the week. I don't want to ditch classes. My dad would go berserk," he smiled to himself. "And I really don't want to do something with the guys here because they're gonna try to fill me up until I'm totally wasted."

"Well, it is your 21st birthday. Isn't getting wasted kind of a rite of passage for your 21st?"

"I don't need that kind of rite of passage, and since when do you approve of me getting wasted?"

"I don't, but I also think there's nothing wrong with having fun on your birthday."

"So you...want me to read a book the whole day."

"Hey!"

He snickered, almost able to see the red on her cheeks from irritation, and the indignant pout and the cute way she would furrow her brows whenever she got angry. "Anyway, when do you have to get up, tomorrow. You sound pretty tired. You must have done some number on your p─"

"Soul!"

"What? Can't handle a little dirty talk?"

"I...I so can! You're just so urgh."

"Pfft...I can't believe it. You're like a sexbeast in one moment and a nun in the next."

She snorted loudly. "Please, I'm quite confident with my sexuality. I just don't need you to refer to my vagina as pussy the whole time."

"Do...do that again."

"Huh? What?"

"Say it again."

"Say what? I said a lot of stuff, Soul."

"Talk dirty, it's hot."

"Soul!"
"I'm serious. I...I could go for another round."

There was a pause and he feared he had chased her away with the revelation of the deep depravity of his pervy mind. He heaved a relieved sigh when she spoke.

"...you're horny...because I said...pussy?"

"Hell, yes."

She laughed. "I'll keep that in mind for next time so I don't have to start it with the awkward 'What are you wearing' thing."

"Seeing as I'm naked right now, it'd be kinda odd trying to describe you what I'm wearing."

"You could always go with 'Birthday Suit'."

"Nah, that's kinda dorky. It'd be more your thing to say."

"I don't know why you are under the delusion that you're not dorky at all."

"It is no delusion, sweetheart."

"Oh, really? Remember the day, it was a week before you had to leave for college, and we were supposed to do a sexy roleplay but you messed it up with your stuttering and blushing and─"

"Shuddup."

"But─"

"Shuddup."

She sighed. "Fine. I think I should go to bed anyway. I have to wake up pretty early."

"Okay. Good night."

"Soul, there's one thing that I..."

"Yes?" He gulped and gripped the phone tighter, knuckles turning white. The anticipation was burning a hole into his chest but he had no idea what he was anticipating. Or maybe he did. Maybe he had shouted his love for her on the day he left for university, in front of their families no less. Maybe she had yet to say something in return. Maybe he was anticipating three words from her like the protagonist of a romantic comedy.

"I...I uh...I miss you."

He blinked, trying to swallow the disappointment as he released the breath he wasn't aware he had been holding. He cleared his throat, made sure his bitter/sad feelings didn't seep through his voice. "I miss you too."

It was a cheesy exchange of words and he wished they had instead exchanged the even cheesier I love yous. He contemplated telling her again that he loved her but decided against it in the last second. There was no need to make things more awkward. He hung up a second earlier than her, knowing if he didn't he'd be tempted to play the You hang up firstgame.

In that moment with the heavy silence pressing down on him, doubts began to swirl in his head. Was it worth to uphold a relationship in which they would only be able to see each other just─

He shook his head and sluggishly dropped the phone on his nightstand. He was being an idiot. He had assured her the day he left that everything was going to be okay and that they were going to manage whatever crap life was going to throw their way. Yes, he missed her a lot but he had been pining after her since he was 15, had always been lovestruck by her deep green eyes, by her unwillingness to take anyone's shit, her brains and the confidence and determination with which she walked through life even if it liked to litter her path with hurdles left and right.

Of course there was more to her than that, things he hadn't been aware of when he had been a teenager and was admittedly more often distracted by her long legs than anything. But now he knew her better, knew that deep down, under layers of steel and strength, a fragile, insecure girl lay. If anything, it made him admire her more even if she annoyed him sometimes, riled him up with her stubbornness and her fiery pride that sometimes blinded her, pissed him off with her short temper and the unbelievable hotheadedness she could display in one moment, making him the more level-headed one.

He sighed drowsily, his eyes slowly sliding shut before he flinched, shaking his head.

How could a relationship with her not be worth it when he missed her so much? He wouldn't be missing her if she didn't mean so much to him, would he? Whatever. He was far too tired to wreck his brain thinking about stuff like that. That and he needed a shower.

Soul had never been one to celebrate his birthday with a big party. In fact, he found it more tedious than anything; it was too much work, too much money and too much after-party cleaning. If his parents and Wes hadn't called him on that day, he probably would have forgotten that it was his 21st birthday. He had been too busy looking forward to Thanksgiving break and to seeing Maka again. He was such a goner for this girl it wasn't even funny.

Well, it was funny for Wes apparently.

"I hope, dear brother, you will invite us all to the wedding. And don't you dare to elope and I expect to be your best man on your big day."

Soul growled, contemplating to throw his phone against the wall with the hope it would break and shatter into smithereens. "Shut up, Wes. I'm not getting married."

"...yet. Come on, don't tell me you aren't already thinking about the names of your kids and your domestic life in Pastel Suburbia."

Soul rolled his eyes. "That's so uncool. I don't want to live in the suburbs later. I've had enough of it growing up in one."

No, Soul was pretty sure, he was going to live in the city later, preferably in a place with a lot of stores and shops and malls nearby. He'd also rather live in an apartment with his wife (Maka) and his two kids, one girl (Charlotte) and one boy (Damon), instead of in a family home. He was sure as hell not going to tell that to Wes, however. Tearing his mind from his imaginary future, he schooled his voice into detached boredom as he said, "Is that all you were gonna say?"

"Hmm, there's something else."

"Yes?"

"Am I going to be the godfather of─"

Soul hung up. He quickly got dressed, grumbling over his idiot brother as he went out, refusing to mope all day in his apartment because Maka had yet to call him and wish him a Happy Birthday. He understood why Wes liked to tease him about Maka so much, considering he had been with him as seeds of his crush had been planted and steadily growing over the years. At least his brother was supportive and liked Maka. Soul wasn't so sure about his parents, but he guessed it had less to do of the disapproving of Maka and more to do with the ball of crazy that was Spirit Albarn.

He recalled the day his dad drove him to the airport and asked him if the girl was worth having to endure her insane, cop father.

"Yeah, I love that girl," he had responded and his father had stared at him as if he had grown a set of green legs from his back and had almost ran over a cat in the process. Soul wasn't a man of emotionally-charged words, so he understood why his father had been so surprised; he had been surprised himself by how easily he could admit that he loved her. Of course, it would make things perfect if she said the same about him. That is, if she did indeed love him.

He had already arrived at the small music store as his thoughts were starting to wander into the depressing category of unrequited love. He greeted the visibly bored clerk with the enthusiasm of a five year old sitting through an Italian opera and cursed the grey, cloudy sky outside. Knowing his luck, he'd be walking home in the rain, fitting his dark mood perfectly.

What if she didn't love him back? And never would?

Soul gulped, randomly picking up a CD. It wasn't like it was that much of an otherwordly possibility. The divorce of her parents had done quite a number on her emotionally, something she had admitted to him in a quiet voice three days after the divorce had been finalized. It had been during lunch break and he remembered how helpless he had felt and how he had been on the verge of panicking when he had spotted the slight wetness in her big green eyes.

He shook his head, a frown on his face as he tried to distract himself with the music around him. It helped for a short time before he decided to screw it and walk back in the downpour anyway. He couldn't say he regretted it, even though he almost froze his ass off during the walk, because at least the rain had a calming effect on him.

Well, it ceased to be calming the moment he arrived at his apartment and saw her, wrapped in a drenched trenchcoat that looked too big on her, her body shivering and her lips almost blue.

"Ma-maka?"

She smiled, teeth clattering. "Happy Birthday, Soul."

"Seriously, why didn't you wait in the car? I thought you were smart and here you are freezing to death in the rain," he said as he shut the door behind them, his grin big and stupid. He could barely contain himself. Maka was here! It certainly was a great surprise for his birthday.

She scowled. "I've been sitting in that car for seven hours; freezing in the rain is preferable to being stuck in that stinky car. And what kind of greeting is that? I thought you'd be happy to see me."

He chuckled and put his hands on her shaking shoulders, rubbing them soothingly. "I am happy. Very." And he pressed a kiss on the corner of her mouth, feeling her lip tremble faintly as her mouth quirked into a small smile.

"I hope so because you have no idea how difficult it was to get away from my friends. They honestly can't spend a weekend without only that but they insist I always come with them." She rolled her eyes, scowling with displeasure.

"Why didn't you just tell them you were visiting me?" he asked, lightly stroking her quivering arms.

"I did! They didn't believe me. Hell, they think I made a boyfriend up, so I that I have an excuse not to go with them."

He quirked an eyebrow. "You have weird friends. What if you just tell them you don't wanna go to parties with them?"

"Won't work because they have their subtle ways to persuade me."

He smirked and pulled her closer. "I think we've talked enough about your friends."

"Agreed." She giggled and swatted his hands away when they dared to venture lower and lower down her body. "Happy Birthday, Soul," she said and kissed him fully on the mouth, her eyes bright with affection.

He sighed. "Best birthday present ever." He raked his hand through her wet hair, combed through the knots and tangles as she hissed and closed her eyes.

"Speaking of your present, I still need to give it to you." She opened her eyes and reluctantly pulled out of his embrace. He watched her with a raised brow, curious and inexplicably giddy with excitement. He couldn't care less what she got him because he was happy that she came to visit him in the first place. Her stance had a certain nervousness to it, unlike how he was used to see her: confident and strong.

She was blushing like a schoolgirl as she fiddled with the top buttons of her pale trench coat, having undone the belt of it already. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes and he wondered for a moment if she was aiming for another roleplay-session and wanted to be the shy, virginal maiden.

All thoughts of shy, virginal maidens were blotted out the moment she dropped the coat, only to reveal that...

…

His brain had a difficult time to process all of this.

She looked amazing! Absolutely stunning.

He took a strained breath, his skin burning and flaring with heat. "Never knew you had underwear like that." His voice was thick with arousal and man, he was already hard like nobody's business. When was the last time he got hard without being touched at all? In his teenage years.

"Do...do you like it?"

He released the breath he had been holding, his fingers flexing and twitching and his blood boiling with urge to bend her over the table and fuck her. He could only nod, words failing him because there was no way pathetic words in the human language could express his glee at seeing her dressed like this. The black babydoll that barely clung to her body was almost completely sheer save for the cups that covered her breasts; a small red bow held it together and left a milky strip of skin uncovered from her sternum down to her navel. The flimsy fabric fell a little further down her hips, a pair of lacy panties and matching stockings completing her attire.

Her eyes burned with a familiar passion, gleaming with confidence as she was right in front of him, her hand moving from his shoulder to his neck and up to his cheek. His breath caught in his throat as she smiled at him, saucy, kinky, sexy and─

"You have to unwrap your present."

They had joked and talked about this many times before, but had never been able to work up the courage to do it in the end. Surprisingly (or not), she had been the first to admit that she wouldn't mind - or more precisely she would like - some light bondage.

He shivered under her attention, his arms twitching as he tried to deal with not being able to use his hands, his wrists bound to the bedpost with one of his ties. He wondered how long he could take this sweet torture. He wanted to touch her, damn it! And how was it fair that he was naked and she hadn't even attempted to take off one piece of the skimpy lingerie she was wearing? Oh, it looked amazingly hot on her but he still preferred her naked. Always would.

Her fingers grazed his right arm, her touch feathery light, teasing the muscles between elbow and shoulder with particular care.

"You know..." she trailed off, biting her lip when he exhaled shakily. "I've been wanting to have you like this for a long time."

He swallowed hard, willing his voice to cooperate even though talking seemed like an impossible task at the moment. "Oh? For someone who looks so innocent, you're awfully perverse."

She snorted but the sultry smile never left her face, the anticipation clawing at him, making his heart pound and cock throb almost painfully. "Oh, Soul. You have no idea." She leaned down, holding herself above him on all fours as she kissed his neck, her lips moving at a torturously slow pace. He needed more, he needed all of her, needed to see her tits quickly or he was going to completely lose it. "Soul," she breathed against his ear and he groaned in response. "Do you have any idea what seeing you but not being able to touch you is like?"

Of course he knew! How couldn't he when he was on the verge of despair because he wanted to touch her, his own hand only a poor substitute that barely satisfied him? He opened his mouth, a smartass remark on the tip of his tongue but nothing aside from a strangled whimper escaped between his parted lips when she bit his earlobe and let her hand slither down his chest.

"And then I realized that not being able to watch you come was even worse. Not being able to see you touch yourself while you said my name was hell." It was whispered against his neck, her voice breathless and heady and her hand on his chest sliding lower and lower was fucking distracting. His nerves were on fire, his blood boiling with a scorching heat that nearly numbed his senses. Her fingers danced closer to his dick and he had to bite back a pitiful groan before he begged her to touch him there, to stroke him, to do something before his cells disintegrated and his skin combusted.

His breath came out as a hiss when she finally took hold of his shaft, her fingers teasing up his length slowly, not giving a damn about how he needed her firm grip around him, or her amazing mouth and tongue working him into ecstasy. Her smile was sinfully sweet, her eyes alight with twisted mirth at his vulnerable position. If she were any other woman, he'd be doubting his sanity at allowing himself to be put into such a state. But he trusted her, cherished her and there was never once a fiber of doubt in him that she would release him immediately if he said the word they had agreed upon before they started this, not having minded that it deflated the sexually charged tension between them.

His chest rose with the deep, shuddery breath he took. He was torn between telling her to stop the teasing finally and to remain quiet, nerves tingling with excitement and anticipation. Her fingers enclosed around his dick and he was close to chanting her name with praise but then the warmth of her hand was gone and he was left staring at her desperately, a question on the surface of his eyes.

She leaned down to press a kiss against his lips and he barely had the will to return it. "You know," he gasped, trying his best not to sound pathetic, letting his voice drop to the husky timbre he knew that made her weak in the knees, "I remember you saying something about 'unwrapping my present'...take that thing off." He tried to motion with his head towards the babydoll, his eyes fixed greedily on her chest, the sight of the red bow taunting him.

Her wandering hands paused and she tilted her head to the side, pressing her lips together. "But how would that be fair? You have to do it, don't you think? It's your present after all." She ran a hand over his ribs, pinched a nipple and giggled at his stricken face. "Don't you want to undo it?"

He scowled, his lip curling into a snarl. "How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

"Ah, how about using your teeth?"

He blinked, slowly processing what she was telling him. "What the-"

Further words were cut short because her tits were right at his face and he just needed to lean a bit forward and-

"Nah, I think I'll do it myself." She sighed, throwing her head back, her hair falling behind her back in a smooth arc of blond. He growled weakly, swearing to himself that he was going to get his sweet revenge and that...oh, and the red bow was no more! Ah, but the babydoll was still covering her breasts and he might be about to completely lose it and then she shrugged it off, writhing and moving her shoulders to let it fall smoothly down her back.

"Better?" she asked, her hand running over a nipple, making all blood drain from his brain. He couldn't even bring himself to nod his assent. He breathed a heated sigh between clenched teeth, his jaw tense and his eyes wild with desire as he gave the tie another feeble tug.
And then her hands were back on his chest as she leaned forward, her spine curved, her soft hair pooling over her shoulders and tickling his skin. His eyes greedily roamed her up and down her body, his hands itching with the urge to finally touch and ravage her, to see her skin tremble and watch it flush, to taste her and make her squirm and moan.

His eyes were fixed on her hand as it slid down from her breast to her ribs and lower and lower it went, to her stomach and─oh shit, was she going to...oh, it didn't go between her legs but instead chose to trail over her thigh instead, halting where the stocking began. Her eyes were flashing, her teeth buried in her bottom lip as her other hand cupped his cheek in a gesture that was too tender, contrasting sharply with her coy and taunting expression.

"It was the worst when I could neither hear nor see you, Soul," she whispered, startling him out of his dazed reverie.

"Huh?"

"I'd lie in my bed and think about you and─" her hand trailed to the inside of her thigh, inching up higher and higher, slowly and languidly, and he couldn't fight back a groan this time. "─and imagine you were with me, touching me."

His breath caught in his throat when she pressed her fingers against her core. "I'd imagine it was your fingers, not mine, inside my pussy."

"Fuck." He exhaled harshly, growling out her name in pressing need. He didn't know it was possible to suffer from yet enjoy something at the same time.

"You like that, don't you? Like it when I talk dirty." She gasped as her fingers moved against her soaking panties and all he could do was watch her helplessly, his own pleasure denied, so he drank her in and his eyes were close to bulging out when her other hand cupped her tit, rolling a nipple between thin, pale fingers. "Mmmh...I imagined your voice, calling my name and─" She pulled the crotch of her panties to the side, revealing glistening, wet flesh to him before her fingers were working against it, slipping inside and thrusting.

He could almost feel his heart rate speed up in unison with hers, his chest heaving as his breaths came out ragged and fast. He wanted her, needed her or he was going to die from blue balls. He wanted it to be his dick that was plunging inside her, mimicking the movement of her fingers. He could easily demand that she untie him right now, but he couldn't make his mouth and vocal cords cooperate. He was painfully entranced and fascinated, watching her pleasure herself as her face contorted and her lips pressed together and her eyes clenched shut.

"Stop that." He was surprised at how steady his voice had come and even more so when she actually followed his command. "Untie me," he gritted out and realized that this was the moment when he should use the word to be sure she knew that he actually meant it, but when their eyes locked, it wasn't needed. She understood, shakily crawling forward to free him. He didn't waste any time flipping their position, twisting their bodies around with a clumsy lunge, making her squeak and clutch his shoulders, startled and shocked.

His mouth latched onto the sweaty skin of her neck, sharp teeth scraping against the pale skin, relishing in the noises she made when he allowed himself to bite her. His hands were everywhere at once, at her breasts, groping unabashedly, her ass, her thighs, and against the heated flesh between her legs. She mewled and his name left her lips with a long whine.

"You think you were the only one who had it bad?" He scoffed, slowly and carefully sliding a finger inside her, grinning at how wet and tight she was and how her walls clenched around him needily. "You're forgetting I couldn't touch you either. Couldn't do this─" he curled his finger inside her, caressing her as she moaned, eyes heavy-lidded. "─and this," he growled when he pressed against her clit, eyes cloudy and dark with delight. Her muffled moans were the best; he could listen to her raw voice all the time and never grow tired of it.

He watched her hips buck against his fingers, transfixed by the smooth and sinewy movement.

"Haah! Soul, I─"

Oh, he knew. There was no mistaking the desperate tone of her voice, the frantic grinding of her hips or the telltale way she arched her back. Before she reached her orgasm, he pulled his finger out, stopped stroking her clit and grinned goofily at her startled face.

"Sooouuul," she moaned pitifully, not able to work up the anger to glare at him. "What?"

He smirked, devious and sneaky. He stroked her cheek, loving the flush on them and how far it reached down to her neck and chest. Right, he had yet to touch her tits. "Hey, you had your fun teasing me. Now it's my turn."

She snorted and attempted an indignant face even though his hand was at her breast, his fingernails lightly scraping against the soft flesh as she shuddered. "Please, as if you didn't enjoy it."

He pinched her nipple, eliciting the cutest of gasps from her, before he released it only to tease her sensitive skin with his nails, the tips of his fingers slowly mapping her chest out, drawing lazy circles and random patterns.

A strangled mewl escaped her mouth as she accidentally ground against his dick and raked her nails from his shoulders down to his back, causing him to groan and shiver. Even though he had sworn to himself that he'd be the one strictly in control, he couldn't resist bucking against her eager hips, clinging to the last vestiges of self-control not to take her here and now.

But then she said his name in a way that made his heart race, so full of want and need, a plea disguised in one syllable and he forgot all about wanting to tease her, about wanting to drag this out for longer. He kissed her deeply, their tongues tangling with fervent ardour. When they pulled apart, he quickly positioned himself properly between her thighs, the tip of his shaft brushing against her slit.

They rarely used the missionary position, or when they did they usually switched to another immediately because it bored them quickly. Though this time when he thrust into her and he held her hand, she loosely wrapped her legs around his hips; they kept looking into the other's eyes and he couldn't find it in himself to flip her around onto her knees and take her from behind.

No, instead he held the slow, sensuous pace, relished in the way his chest smothered hers, her breasts flush against his skin, her face sweaty and her cheeks red with sex and exertion. She panted softly, and he couldn't resist tasting her neck, her pulse beating furiously beneath his mouth. He let his lips ghost from her temple over her forehead and to her cheekbone, pushing her hair out of her face and behind her ear with his hand.

He wasn't sure how managed to refrain from pounding into her like there was no tomorrow or more surprisingly, how he made her come before him. He felt her muscles tense, her legs tighten around him as she moaned his name, her eyes drifting shut. her clenching insides pushed him over the edge, made him shudder and his shoulders shake, intent on riding his orgasm out as he chanted his pleasure.

When he eventually calmed and looked down at her once more, not bothering to pull out, he grinned dumbly, pleased and satisfied and happy and feeling an array of lots of other emotions he couldn't name. Her own enormous grin and the shy, little kiss against his cheek only heightened the euphoria that had his heart pounding more than any session of rough fucking ever had.

His heavy lidded eyes swept over the neon green digital numbers of his alarm clock as his fingers were splayed over Maka's hips. It was already after midnight, huh? A lazy grin stretched on his face. They'd been going at it for hours with enough breaks in between.

He sighed tiredly. He wished she didn't have to leave on Sunday again. He'd gladly spend the rest of the days she was going to be here like this with the occasional sex here and there without having to worry about his own classes. He was lucky that he had only two classes tomorrow and both were in the afternoon. Maka shifted on top of him, nuzzling her nose into his chest, her breath flitting over his skin softly.

"Oh, I nearly forgot!"

He flinched, startled and surprised as she arose. He thought she had fallen asleep. He watched her curiously, his eyebrows raised questioningly as she stood up and his gaze was inadvertently drawn to her ass when she exited his room. He contemplated following her but before he could make a decision, she was already back and this time his gaze was drawn to her tits...and then to the small package in her hands.

"Is that...you know you didn't need to get me anything," he said, but his heart was welling up with warmth and his chest was fluttering when she sat down next to him and placed the package into his hand with a small smile.

"You didn't think I'd only wear lingerie and call that your present, did you?"

He looked away sheepishly, feeling dumb and happy at the same time. "Thank you," he mumbled and awkwardly leaned over to kiss her. "I appreciate it...a lot."

She let out a laugh, ran her hand down his cheek and through his hair, the movement jittery and shaky as he tore the wrapping and the lid of the rectangular package off. There was no way he could hide his delighted grin, especially not when he saw what was inside."A pocket watch?"

She ducked her head, her hair shielding her eyes from his view. "It's not much. I saw it and thought of you..err, I mean I thought it'd fit you." She rubbed the back of her neck, her skin flushing.

His lips twitched. "It's awesome!"

It really was. It had a light bronze colour, simple and plain in style. When he opened it, Roman numerals greeted his sight...oh, and an engraving! In a curly, neat and beautifully elaborate font there was his name on the inside of the lid. The letters were done in a musical theme, notes and clefs around his name. It had to have cost a lot. It certainly didn't look cheap and the extra engraving had to have additionally cost something too.

"R-really? You like it?"

He chuckled. It was fascinating how confident and bold she was in one moment, but shy and insecure in the next.

"Yeah, I do." He carefully touched the ornate letters, marvelling at the smooth texture of the watch and how unblemished it was. He was afraid to use it, afraid to get scratches on it because it looked so perfect and more like something to be laid away safely.

"You know, it's not something that many people carry around and I understand if you don't want to but I thought it looked nice and...well..."

He smiled tenderly, circling her small waist with his arms and pulling her closer. After a moment of hesitation, she returned his embrace, her arms winding around his neck. The moments in which he was hit with the certainty that he indeed loved this girl differed starkly from one another. The first time he was sure of it was coincidentally the day he had to depart from her and the day he had admitted it out loud more to her father than her. It had certainly been not the most romantic way to say it, but Maka was never one for grand romantic gestures anyway. The second time he was sure of it was after a random phone call as weird as it sounded. And now, it was during such an intimate moment that he was overcome with the urge to blurt it out.

He wanted to tell her, whisper the words against her ear but in the end, he didn't dare to, was afraid he'd ruin everything and scare her off. Thus he was content with just holding her, feeling her warmth, her skin, each rise of her chest with every breath she took and the gentle drum of her heart; he was content with just drifting off to sleep with her in his arms. His eyes grew heavy, his vision a little blurry and it wasn't long before he was deep in sleep.

"Soul?" She didn't look up, scared and timid, but she continued regardless, "I love you, Soul."

She tensed up, heart thumping wildly in her chest as she waited for his reaction only to be met with an utter lack thereof. Slowly, she peeked up and her heart clenched and her lips twisted into a sad smile when she saw his peaceful face. Maybe...it was a sign or maybe she really had the worst timing ever. She just hoped she'd still have the courage to tell him later.

The weekend passed far too quickly to his liking. The first half of the Saturday was spent showing her around campus and his favourite places, like the music store he frequented. He made her listen to some jazz he was very fond of. He held back a smile as he intently watched her, her eyebrows almost up to her hairline and her lips pressed tightly together, her finger thoughtfully tapping against her chin. The large headphones looked ridiculous on her small head and kept sliding down because she had failed to adjust them properly.

It had never been a secret that if there was one subject Maka Albarn had struggled with, it was music. They had only spent a year in middle school together before they went to separate high schools, but that single year had been enough for him to determine as much. Oh, she still got good grades, mainly because she was adept at all the theoretical stuff she'd acquire via spending hours in the library reading about it. She was always at a loss when it came to applying this knowledge to a musical piece at hand.

"And?" he asked after a while, his voice light with humour.

She blinked, looking at him questioningly before she pulled the headphone off slightly, the soft tune of jazz louder and better for him to hear. "Did you just say something?"

He smiled. "Yeah. How do you like it?"

She let the headphones drop around her neck, briefly glanced at her shoes before her gaze was back on him again. "I-it sounds nice, I guess," she said uncertainly. "But...I kinda don't get it."

He snorted and snatched the headphones from her, carefully keeping her hair out of the way as he did so. "What's there not to understand?"

She sighed heavily, averting her eyes to side dejectedly. "I don't know. For me it's mostly just sound. Sometimes I think it sounds very nice, sometimes it sounds odd...but I've never felt moved or touched by a piece. I don't understand how some people are able to to interpret so much into songs, especially if it's just an instrumental thing."

"Hmm, I see." How could he explain to her something that came very naturally to him? "I dunno, you just feel it, I guess."

"But that's the point. I don't feel it and it's not like I'm some cold, unfeeling robot. I feel weird, maybe there's something wrong with me." She let out a humourless laugh, making him suspiciously aware of her dwindling good mood.

"That's bullshit. I guess some people are just more musically inclined than others. Nothing wrong with that, or with you."

"Yes, but-but─" she stopped with a deflating sigh, her shoulders slumping. "Whatever."

"Don't get so worked up over it. I never thought you're so interested in music and wanted to understand all of it."

"It's not really that...but..."

"But?"

Another sigh. "Nevermind."

"Now, I'm curious. Tell me."

"No."

"Spill it."

"I refuse to."

"Why?"

"Because it's...stupid."

He looked at her imploringly as he carelessly hung the headphones on their designated place. He really didn't want to press her further if she didn't feel like sharing but he couldn't help his curiosity either. "This seems like a really big deal to you."

She met his eyes meekly, biting her lip as she released a loud, exasperated breath through her nose.

"No," she said slowly, her voice calmer and more guarded. "It just makes me feel stupid, okay? I'm not used to not getting something."

He eyed her warily, not really buying her words but he decided to let it drop. At least, he decided not to press her for an entirely honest answer for now. "I see, your nerd sensibilities can't handle being not perfect in something." He snickered as she puffed her cheeks, half-heartedly hitting his arm. "So what if you don't get music? It doesn't matter and it doesn't make you dumb."

"It matters to me."

"Well, I like you just fine, musical genius or not."

He felt heat crawling over his cheeks, feeling a bit awkward, which was only heightened by her blank stare. But then she smiled brightly, her eyes alight with mirth and contentment. It was embarrassing how easily he was left dazed and dumbfounded with just a smile of hers.

"Uh, let's go," he grumbled and he was surprised anew when she grabbed his hand, twining their fingers as she was the one who lead him out of the store. Her hand was small and warm in his, her pale skin a stark contrast against his tanned flesh.

She left early in the morning; not because she wanted to, but because he insisted so she didn't risk driving at night. They'd be seeing each other at Thanksgiving, but it still seemed like too long. Their goodbye was sappy and neither of them minded as they exchanged lingering kisses and stumbled over their words as they tried to say the right thing.

"Soul?" Her voice was quiet and he felt like there was something serious about to come, so he waited anxiously, urging himself to listen attentively. Her arms were still wrapped around his shoulders and their faces were apart by the merest of space; he could feel her breath hitting his cool skin. "I...I...Soul, I think that..."

He gulped, all his muscles painfully tense as he encouragingly petted her back.

"Soul, I─"

He parted his lips to urge her on to get to the point because if she continued with this he was sure he was going to lose it. And then her hand was on his ass, squeezing roughly and wrecking any thoughts he might have had. He made an embarrassing, unmanly squeak and his eyes narrowed into a glare. She smiled cheekily, or attempted to because it looked more than a little forced and strained and fake.

She gave him a shrug. "I just needed another parting grope."

"What?"

Okay, the first time it had been funny but...now...now he had actually expected her to say something important. He heaved a deflating sigh as he lowered his eyes, still bringing a hand onto her butt in a feeble attempt to hide his disappointment, not that he was fooling her.

After that they shared a few kisses and dumb, half-hearted jokes about groping before she got into her car and drove off. He remained standing on the spot until her car disappeared from his sight.

"What? Are you serious?"

Soul wasn't sure if it was okay to take the sight in front of him at face value. He blinked and rubbed his eyes for good measure, the direction of his gaze alternating from his father to his "belated birthday present". It was a beautiful thing.

"Of course," Mr. Evans said, smiling at his son, his child-like glee amusing him. "Here." He threw the keys at Soul, who barely caught them.

"Seriously, dad? You got me a car and...and a Daytona Charger at that?" He couldn't hold back the large grin as he resisted the urge to jump up and down in happiness and giggle with uncontained glee. His father nodded and laughed a little. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome, Soul. Don't forget to thank your mom, too. She managed to persuade me into buying it."

His eyes widen a little as he was finally able to tear his eyes from the most awesome present he had received from his parents to date. "I'll thank her later."

"You know, since your uncle won't be in the States over Thanksgiving and we haven't invited anyone else, do you want to invite Maka and her father?"

Soul raised an eyebrow in question. "Why? We've never had them over for anything before."

"We thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to get to know her better since you're serious about her."

"I could ask her. I don't know if they have any plans for Thanksgiving."

Mr. Evans nodded. "Yes, do that. Rightaway."

"Dad, do we have to invite her dad too?" Soul grimaced, unable to imagine how a dinner with his family together with Maka and her crazy dad could proceed pleasantly.

"It would be rude not to, especially if we're inviting his daughter over. He's our neighbour after all. I'm sure we will have a good time together." His dad plastered on his trademark "pleasant-suburban-polite-family-man" smile on.

Soul's eye twitched as he sighed. "You're thinking back when he followed our car for twenty minutes, right?"

Mr. Evans patted him on the back. "Oh, well. I'm sure he'll be more well-behaved when you aren't french kissing his daughter in front of him, or admitting that you've been groping her, or admitting that you've done 'more than groping'."

Soul blinked, mortified and needing to dig himself a hole and remain there until this moment could be erased from his brain forever. "Dad!" He groaned, rubbing the side of his head.

Mr. Evans just laughed, giving him a clap on the back. "Let's just hope they'll accept the invitation."

Soul hadn't expected that the Albarns would actually come to have dinner with them on Thanksgiving, especially not since he had earned Spirit's ire for dating his daughter (and doing other things with his daughter). He was dressed in a an immaculate suit, sitting at the table stiffly as he was trying fight off another wave of nervousness and dread with each glare Spirit Albarn shot him. Dinner was mostly a silent affair, his dad and Wes were doing most of the talking with Maka joining them sometimes. The clanging noises of the silverware against expensive porcelain was grating on his ears, the taste of the delicious turkey his parents had prepared barely registered with his tastebuds.

"Do you already know what you want to major in, Maka?" Mrs. Evans' voice cut through the mindless smalltalk like a sharp knife, her voice soft and quiet yet strong like steel, making Soul's spine stiffen in response.

He gulped, almost choking on the bit of meat before he hid it behind a well-placed cough. He knew that look, that impenetrable, hard, scrutinizing gaze his mother would throw at someone she hadn't known for long, judging and analyzing everything. He just hoped it didn't unnerve Maka for he knew how scary his mom could be. It didn't help that her eyes were such a dark shade of brown that they nearly appeared to be black, her pupils and therefore the slightest bit of emotion she might be showing remaining carefully hidden.

Maka smiled easily, placing the knife and fork down. "I think I will major in biology and hopefully put my emphasis on marine biology."

Mrs. Evans raised a finely arched eyebrow, her lips curling into a pleasant smile as she leaned a bit forward. "Interesting. How come you like marine biology in particular?"

"Ah, I guess I have always been fascinated by the sea and its depths and the animals that live there. It's interesting and I'd like to study about it more."

Soul allowed himself to relax a little, making sure he didn't slouch on his seat before his mother noticed and scolded him for it. His dad was less strict, but he knew that he'd at least earn himself a reprimanding glance by his old man if he did so. Maka was handling herself well. He didn't know why he was so nervous or scared of this. Yes, his mother happened to be a perfectionist and would loathe to see her sons with partners who she deemed less than fit for them. Not that she'd ever consciously sabotage any of their relationships, but she'd make her disapproval clear in her own way. It could be annoying but even he had to admit his mother's judgement had been spot on when it came to his and Wes' past girlfriends. He guessed it was her way looking out for them, but that didn't mean she couldn't be positively scary with her attitude. So far, Maka seemed to be faring very well in her eyes. She had yet to receive a blank glare from his mother, her unresponsiveness or short, curt answers being clear signs that she wasn't overly fond of someone.

"You have a bright future in front of you, then."

Okay, he hadn't expected his dad to speak when his mom was in the process of analyzing Maka's personality. Oh, hell. Now his parents were going to tag team against her, weren't they? He marginally loosened his tie, his face hot and his throat tight.

Maka laughed, not too loud and not fake either. "I think you have more faith in me than I have."

"I can only agree with him, Maka," Spirit said and it was really odd seeing him so...normal, not screaming, not yelling, not frothing at the mouth. He turned to his daughter, smiling proudly, "You're a hard-working woman and you deserve a bright future for that."

"Oh, Papa," she looked at her lap, blushing darkly, making him grin at how adorable she was.

"You can only benefit from a good work ethic, especially when you're older and have to juggle family and kids on top of your job as well," Mr. Evans said, his eyes glazing over in thought.

"Uh, I actually haven't thought that far ahead...about having a family and kids."

Mr. Evans' brows raised in question, suspicions already forming in his eyes. "Oh? Of course it is your choice if you want children or not. I just wanted to inform you that I don't dislike the thought of grandchildren. At all."

Soul and Spirit choked on their food at the same time, both coughing violently. Soul's face grew red from more than the choking and Spirit looked ready to breathe fire at the Evans patriarch, the familiar deranged glint returning to his clear blue eyes. Maka had to have broken a record with the intensity of her blush as she was staring helplessly ahead and could only squeak pitifully. Mr. Evans just looked surprised, glancing at the people around him wonderingly. Mrs. Evans just facepalmed and sighed, shaking her head. And Wes...

...he was was just smiling heartily and happily chewing on his food and taking many sips of his wine, having the time of his life. Bastard.

Maka clapped him carefully on the back as he was gasping for breath, his chest heaving. He closed his eyes and hoped by all that was holy that this was only a very bad dream. Leave it to his dad to make such a faux pas; Soul shouldn't have expected less with how eager his father was to be grandfather later. But seriously? Bringing the topic of kids up with a girl he had been only dating for a few months? Granted, they had known each other for years but still.

Soul was torn between strangling his dad here and now and remaining calm and level-headed. Making himself guilty of patricide would do no one good. That and he actually liked his dad...usually, when he didn't pull off a stunt like this.

Wes cleared his throat, deciding to join the insanity. "I think it's too early for them to talk about children." Soul gave him a grateful glance which faltered the moment his brother grinned at him. He clutched Maka's hand to him, bracing himself for more humiliation. "But he did promise that I'd be the godfather of his kids later."

"..."

His red eyes flashed with the intent to murder. Locking his gaze with Wes', he let his expression speak.

'I hate you.'

'I love you too, little brother.'

"Oh, so you've been thinking about having children, Soul?"

He spluttered inelegantly, finding faint comfort having Maka's hand tighten around his. For all he knew, she could be freaked out over the prospect of having his kids. "Daad! No, I mean...I mean, it's not like I don't want kids at all but-but that's something to worry about later." He was proud at himself that his voice remained vaguely steady,his heart palpitating as he fought to cling to the last shreds of his sanity, when Spirit cut in:

"I think...no one is going to impregnate my daughter. Ever."

Soul gulped and despite the utter dread boiling in his chest, he still met Police Lieutenant Spirit Albarn's deceptively calm gaze. His mouth was pulled into an...imitation of a smile, his eye twitching as he bared his teeth to him, making him shrink back in his seat.

"Papa, I think it's my choice if I want to get pregnant or not," Maka growled dangerously, daring her father to make a fool of himself.

"But Makaaa."

"No buts."

"Yes, Mr. Albarn, I think it is not your choice to make."

Spirit ceased giving his pitiful puppy-dog eyes (Soul was fascinated and disturbed at once how effectively a thirty to forty-something man could pull this off) to his daughter and turned in his seat to face Mr. Evans, his blue eyes narrowing for a moment before the strained, fake smile was back in place.

"You should not talk about things you don't know anything about, Mr. Evans."

"Excuse me?"

"You couldn't possibly understand as you don't have a daughter but only these two dirty─eh, I mean wonderful, young, gentlemanly sons," he gritted the words out with venom, his teeth gritting as he eyed first Wes and then Soul darkly. For all Soul knew Spirit's eyes might have been equipped with atomary projectiles, ready to be launched at the slightest provocation. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.

A soft sound, someone clearing their throat, cut through the tense moment. All heads turned to Mrs. Evans as she rose from her seat, back and shoulders held straight. "I think this discussion only spoils dinner. Please, stop embarrassing your children," she said, her eyes pointedly remaining on the tall form of her husband before they subtly flitted over to Spirit who was able to hide his flinch exceptionally well. And then she smiled, before she continued, "Would you like some dessert?"

There was some underlying threat in her voice, which the Evans men could easily detect and which Spirit was not dense enough to miss.

"That-that would be great, Mrs. Evans," Maka said, and all air left Soul's lungs as he silently tried to convey his gratefulness towards his mom with a wry grin, the embarrassment still pulsing through his veins but the relief was slowly but surely setting in and calming him down somewhat.

Mrs. Evans thought that Maka Albarn was a good girl even though she had had her doubts about her; Soul and she seemed to be very compatible. She smiled to herself, carefully balancing the pumpkin pie on one hand and the whipped cream on the other. She had a good feeling about those two, she thought as she re-entered the dining only to be met with the awkward sight of Spirit Albarn looking ready to massacre all that was in his periphery, her husband looking cluelessly ahead, Maka sporting something between a frown and a grimace of mortification, and Soul glaring daggers at Wes. Wes looked very full of himself. She wasn't even going to ask what her eldest son had said to embarrass his little brother again.

His intentions had been totally innocent. He hadn't actually expected to get laid tonight, especially not when Spirit Albarn was still with them. Apparently with enough wine his dad and Spirit got along just fine, even when their discussions about football got quite heated. It was Wes who suggested he might want to take a test ride in his new car together with Maka. Soul guessed he had felt bad about earlier and making things intentionally awkward for him.

And thus Maka and he ended up driving around the town a little; it was nice and they were mostly quiet, enjoying the companionable silence and talking a little here and there. And all he did was show her the city from a nice vantage point as uncharacteristically romantic as it was, coming from him. After enjoying the view of the city for a few minutes, things took a sharp turn to the definitely not G-rated territory.

His head hit the headrest with a dull noise as Maka eagerly worked on his dick, her mouth unbearably hot and her tongue moving smoothly, knowing all the sensitive spots in and out and ruthlessly taking advantage of them to make him moan.

He could feel her smile, that naughty, self-confident, little quirk of her lips as she gently palmed his balls, causing him to jerk and gasp and helplessly clutch at the seat. Slitted, red eyes glanced down and he raised one hand to brush her unruly hair out of her face, in part to make it easier for her and in part to make him able to see her as she blew him.

Their eyes met for a moment when he brushed her hair away, holding it together in his hand. The green of her eyes was dark and cloudy, a hazy quality to them, her want and lust nearly palpable. She released his shaft momentarily, shooting him a coy smile before she licked its tip and then sucked on the side of it; his heart throbbed hastily as he gritted his teeth, the upcoming release sending liquid fire through his veins as heat bubbled in his stomach.

He faintly wondered if it would be too obvious if others saw it and too mortifying for him if he got some jizz on his pants - his terribly expensive and high quality pants. She gave him a languid lick before she engulfed him fully in her mouth and sucked on him noisily, and all of his concerns were erased because even if things got messy, it was so worth it. He came with a shuddery cry, the back of his head digging forcefully against the headrest and his hand fisting in her hair.

He hadn't been aware that he had closed his eyes in the first place and only opened them when he felt her soft lips pressing against his jawline. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, grinning saucily as he finally regained his wits, releasing a sharp breath as he muttered his amazement and pulled her close to kiss her properly.

She giggled in between their tiny kisses, sighing and gasping when he let his hands travel down her body. He pressed against her, trying to maneuver them around so that she was the one on the seat and he was leaning over her. Her breath hitched when he fondled her chest through her clothes, clumsily pushing the straps of her dress down to touch her better. It was ridiculous how hot it had gotten in the car and how steamed up the windows had become. He'd make sure to make her scream as she did with him. Her panties, much to his delight, were a sexy pair of lace and frills and red and already wet. She mewled contently when he rubbed her carefully, delightedly watching her legs spread on their own accord.

"Soul." His name was slurred, her eyes misted over and unfocused and heavy-lidded but her hands gripped his forearms strongly making him halt any movements.

"Yes?" he asked huskily, slightly distracted by the way her nipples protruded from her bra.

She inhaled deeply, her eyes becoming clearer as she searched his face, a small, pale hand coming to rest on his cheek in surprisingly tender gesture. "I...lov─oh my God, what is that?"

He flinched, nearly hitting his head on the roof of his car in the process. "What?"

"There is something-!" She pointed a shaky finger and he followed it faithfully, only to jump when he saw...light against the window on the driver's side, coming from the outside.

"Soul? What-what is this?"

He gulped, quickly pulling his pants up in case he needed to fight some creepy motherfucker. "I have no idea." He squeezed her hand, trying to give her some comfort as both of them flinched when someone rapped against the window.

"Who's there?" Maka asked, beating him to it and for looking so scared she actually sounded like someone who wouldn't hesitate to bash your head and nuts, which she probably would.

"─Police Department. Open that window."

"Oh fuck."

"Yeah, fuck. Oh God, getting caught during..during this by the police. Why couldn't it be a simple thug?"

He threw her an incredulous glance over his shoulder as he opened the window with a grimace to come face to face with a man, sporting pair of scary, shiny glasses and a deranged grin and holding a flashlight in his hand. "What do we have here? You do know that this is private property here, right and maybe you should restrict such activities to─Maka, is that you?"

"Wha...oh, Mr. Stein, h-hi." She waved at him meekly, blushing furiously as she quickly tried to make herself look somewhat presentable.

"I never thought I'd find Spirit Albarn's daughter in such a position."

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!

This guy knew Maka!

This guy knew her dad!

This guy was a policeman!

This guy knew her dad!

This guy had caught them during foreplay!

This guy knew her dad!

The police officer raised a brow. "You have more of your father in you than I had thought."

Maka gasped indignantly, crawling forward, awkwardly stumbling over his lap so she could jab her finger into the officer's shoulder. "Take that back!"

"Fine, fine," Mr. Stein said, raising his hand in front of him in mock defense as he smiled creepily. "Just go home."

Huh? This was it? He was just going to let them leave? He fought back the light tendrils of hope, not trusting the peace. Maka was still half-sitting on his lap and fidgeting uneasily, her dress a rumpled mess.

"You-you're not going to tell Papa, right?"

Soul swallowed hard, willing the nervous shudder in his body down. If Spirit got wind of what they were up to, he'd go berserk on his pathetic ass.

The policeman sighed. "I won't. It's none of my business. Now leave and don't park your car on private property again."

Soul willed his voice to work, one hand on the steering wheel and the other at the keys. "We won't, sir."

Stein gave them one last smirk before he wished them a good night and sauntered off towards his car. Soul had never been this eager to get away from somewhere...or someone.

"Mr. Stein used to be Papa's partner before he got promoted to the rank of a lieutenant. And my papa used to be his mentor figure."

Soul groaned loudly, the keys jingling loudly in his hands as he struggled to find the lock in the dark. "I really didn't need to meet that guy. Especially not after..."

His unfinished sentence hung heavily in the air, both of them staring at each other intently, their eyes still hazy with want. She was the first one to look away, sighing loudly as he finally managed to unlock the door. Soul hated unfinished business and it definitely wasn't fair that he had been the only one who got off. He grimaced, running his palm over his face as he desperately tried not to think of her head between his legs and─and─

"Ssssoul!"

They flinched and watched, wide-eyed and confused, as Wes stumbled towards them with a ridiculous smile and an almost empty bottle of wine in his hand.

"Wes?" Soul began, warily eying him, "Are you drunk?"

He didn't get an answer of the verbal kind, at least not immediately. Wes draped an arm around his shoulders and said, "You two were out pretty late."

"Uh, yeah?"

"Umm, I should probably go home. Papa is probably worried─"

"Nah," Wes cut in, lazily motioning with his hand to the left, "He's passed out on the couch after too much booze, mom and dad are sleeping already too."

"Oh, I should wake him," Maka said, looking a little embarrassed and mostly looked like she was too tired of the day to care much.

Wes snorted loudly, almost giggling when he saw their hilariously perplexed faces. "Whyyy would you do that? You can have your house all for yourself and bang without having to worry about your crazy dad and here you wanna wake him up?" He cocked his head to the side. His breath smelled awful, causing Soul to make a face as he tried to pry his clingy brother away from him and not to mull over his words too much because it was late and Wes was drunk and Spirit Albarn was passed out on their couchand Maka didn't have the chance to come after she─

Maka and he exchanged a glance, wordlessly determined that yes, what Wes was saying might not be totally irrelevant even if he was piss drunk. She licked her lips, biting on her bottom lip when her mouth quirked at the corners into a devious little smile, a smile he had come to associate with lots and lots of amazingly kinky sex. He gave her a grin, sharp teeth bared as─

"Yo, you really gonna do eeet?"

There was only one hindrance that needed to be dealt with. Preferrably right now.
"Fuck, Wes! Go to your room and sleep. You're gonna have a nasty hangover in the morning..."

But Wes continued to blabber on like nothing was amiss, like his little brother and his girlfriend were not about to sneak off to fuck, like his brother didn't look like he was about to faint because of how awful his breath stank. Instead he grinned and...blabbered. "Don't forget the condoms."

"WES!"

"What! I don't wanna be an uncle or godfather yet."

"Get off, Wes and put that bottle away!"

"You know Soul, even if I'm sometimes an ass to you, I still love you, bro."

"What the..."

"You're the bestest little brother I could ever ask for."

"You're even drunker than I thought..wait, don't tell me you're about to cry."

"I know I am failure of a big brother and─and─"

Maka watched the exchange with growing amusement, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. "Soul, I think I should go."

"But Maka!"

"Don't worry. I'll be waiting," she said with a giggle, waving at him as she made her way out, Soul's eyes stuck on the sight of her ass she purposely swayed her hips.

After he successfully managed to make Wes go to his room and sleep his intoxication out, Soul did not waste any time to go to Maka's house. They were in her room and he watched her, eyes intense and gleaming with lust, as she got rid of her dress. She had her back to him, her shoulders a creamy white, the colour of her underwear contrasting sharply with her skin. He loosened his tie, he stopped and grinned.

"You know," he said, approaching her and coming to stand right behind her, breathing his next words into her ear as he took his tie off, grasping it lightly in his right hand. "I remember you mentioning last time that 'next time' it'd be my turn to tie you up."

He took immense delight in the way he made her shiver, relished in the goosebumps on her skin as he breath hitched. His lips brushed against her neck, the spot just below her earlobe, the sensitive shell of her ear. "What do you say, Maka?"

He only had to wait a second before she nodded and it was all he needed and his tie had never felt so good in his hands and he had never felt so excited when he put it over her eyes, tying the end together into a loose knot at the back of her head.

The next time they saw each other was when he surprised her on the Christmas party one of her friends threw. It might have been unnecessary as he'd have seen her in a week back home, but he decided to drive to her university during a light snowfall.

He wasn't dressed at his finest, not that he cared and not that he was going to be noticed among the drunken party goers. It took him too long to find the stupid location of that party, so he had subjected himself to an involuntary tour through the campus, but when he finally found the party, the music blaring loudly and almost shattering his eardrums, he couldn't wait to see Maka again. He had to wrestle between numerous sweaty, stinky and wildly dancing and swaying bodies and even went so far to ask a junkie if he knew Maka; Soul had of course not known that the guy was a junkie before he asked him.

He found her more by chance than anything. She was in the kitchen of the apartment, talking to her friends...or arguing seemed more like it. She looked absolutely lovely in that long-sleeved dress of hers, a deep red in colour that modestly covered her front completely almost up to her neck, but left her back deliciously bare, the fabric hugging her ass just the right way. The sight made him almost drool, and he licked his lips, before their discussion brought him back to the world of the not sex-crazed.

"No, Liz! I'll not go out and flirt and dance with that guy," Maka said heatedly.

"You need to live a little, Maka. I'm only doing this for your own good," Liz retorted, flinging her long hair behind her shoulder with a smooth move of her head. She grinned wickedly and took Maka's wrist. "Come on, let's go."

"No! I don't want to flirt. I already have a boyfriend, and even if I didn't─"

"Oh, please. Don't think you can fool me with that made-up boyfriend of yours."

Soul decided to make his grand appearance, stepping into the kitchen. "Sorry to disappoint, but I really exist," he drawled lazily, his lips quirking into a smile when Maka's entire face lit up and she smiled brightly.

"Soul!"

"Wha?" Liz watched them dumbfoundedly when he walked towards Maka, gently pushing Liz aside.

"Excuse me," he said and pulled Maka into his arms, kissing her passionately. She didn't hesitate to return the affection, arms tight around his neck, tongue nimbly pushing against his as she released a soft moan. He was pleasantly surprised that she was sucking face with him so eagerly even though her friend had a front row seat and was staring at them dumbly.

When they pulled away, they were both panting and the rosy blush on her face made him want to kiss her again.

"Why didn't tell me you were coming?" she asked, easing into his tender embrace.

"It wouldn't have been a cool surprise if I did," he replied casually, inwardly congratulating himself on the utter coolness and awesomeness of his move. He squeezed her hips and was about to go for another round of french kissing when someone cleared her throat behind them in a not so discreet manner.

Maka's eyes flashed. "There! I have a boyfriend! I told you. Countless times!"

Liz laughed uneasily. "Oh, so it wasn't made up...ehehehe."

"Nope, I'm totally real."

The next hour or so was spent with Liz interrogating him and squealing over how Maka had grown up and how she proud she was of her. They managed to leave early, taking a short stroll through the campus, exchanging stories of what they had done in the past months, before they left for her apartment with his car.

Maka gasped throatily as he pressed wet, hot kisses against her neck, her nails digging into his shoulder blades roughly as the grasp of her thighs around his hips tightened.

"Soul, we-we should get inside..." Her breath hitched when he bit her, smiling against her skin smugly.

"Why?" His voice was deep and husky, his hands insatiable for her flesh, yet the last vestige of modesty was holding him back from undressing her completely. "I remember you and me, getting down and dirty on your dad's car. Now you're all shy doing it on mine?"

"Oh, shut up, you idiot." Despite her words, she kissed him, petted his hair and nuzzled against his neck.
He chuckled fondly, their movements becoming less hectic, not as much driven by lust, instead slower, more gentle, cherishing each other's closeness and warmth. His throat was tight when she looked at him with such affection that he momentarily forgot how to speak. He hugged her closer, feeling her breath feathering over his pulse, his heart throbbing.

She smiled, her hand resting on his cheek. "Soul, you know, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time."

He held his breath and even though he had always been met with disappointment whenever he dared to hope, he couldn't help but feel nervous and giddy and excited at once.

She took a deep breath, sitting more upright, her shoulders squared when she looked into his eyes determinedly. "Soul, I lov─"

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

They jumped apart and he almost fell down when...some crazy man passed them, arms flailing wildly and for a moment Soul feared Spirit Albarn was here, intent to cock- and love-block him and eventually to chop his dick off.

"What the hell, you bastard?" Maka yelled, looking ready to chop the guy's head off. He turned around and much to Soul's relief it was not Spirit Albarn, but the same idiot junkie he had run into earlier.

"Guys, guys, guys!" He sauntered towards them, hands raised in front him. He was shaking all over, his face pale, his eye bloodshot and hazy. "You gotta help me! You gotta run!"

"..."

"..."

"I knew I shouldn't have done it! But-but I couldn't resist. I had to eat that Snickers bar! But now, but now its mom IS COMING AFTER ME, OH FUCK! THERE IT IS! RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIIIIIVES!"

And off he went, disappearing into the dark and most certainly not being followed by a vindictive mama Snickers bar. He blinked, looked at Maka, only to see her looking as confused as he. She was the first to break the awkward silence.

"You have to be shitting me!" She agitatedly ran her hand through her hair, pulling at a few strands a little.

"Maka..."

She was pacing around, face flushed with fury and her fists clenched tightly. "This can't be happening!" Her eyes blazed as she gritted her teeth. "You know, I the first few times I chickened out, but THIS is ridiculous! A fucking stoner interrupts me this time? Scared of-of fucking chocolate? It's like something or someone doesn't want me to tell you that I love you. What the hell!"

In that moment, Soul could have been covered with cow dung and he'd still be the happiest man on earth.

"You just did." Even though he seemed somewhat calm, his heart was pounding viciously against his ribs, threatening to leave his chest cavity altogether.

She loved him.

Maka loved him!

There was nothing that could stop his huge grin.

"Did what?"

"Said that you love me," he softly said, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves and not to pull something embarrassing like a somersault in celebration.

Maka's rage deflated with a heavy sigh. She bit her lip, nervous and dejected. "I did...but it wasn't supposed to happen this way. I actually wanted to say it to you. And not yell it out because I got angry at some dumbass."

"I don't care." He inhaled shakily, closing the distance between them with a few shaky steps. His knees felt like they were filled with pudding and he was afraid he might just fall because he had been waiting for this for so long and got it in a way he hadn't expected and inwardly he was jumping with joy. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I don't care if it wasn't perfect...or..or romantic."

"I wanted it to be perfect. You know I'd have told you, looking you deep in the eyes and then you'd have said you love me too and then we'd have gone to my apartment and made love." It was mumbled demurely against the collar of his shirt, and he grinned despite himself.

"It was perfect in a way. No need to get worked up over it."

"But─"

"I love you too."

"H-hey, that's not going to make it subsequently perfect."

"And what was the next thing you mentioned after that? Ah, yes. Let's go to your place and make love."

"You're an idiot."

He tilted her head up by her chin, all anger and disappointment drained from her face. She wore a resigned smile and finally returned his embrace, giggling softly. He leaned down and kissed her gently.

"Yeah, an idiot you love," he said after they he pulled away, making her laugh and kiss him again. She grasped his hand, her eyes light full with mirth and affection when she lead him towards the door of the apartment complex.

"Yes, I do. Now let's go."