This entire story is in Guys and Dolls (the musical, I never read the stories) style, so as little to no contractions as possible (and I pretend that Soul has Sinatra's voice).

Big thanks to WhatAreAllTheseTears

~ Diana

"Soul Eater! As I live and breathe!" Soul looked up at the speaker; messy blue hair with a brown hat perched on it. A large grin curled on his face. His white shirt was rolled up to his elbows and his jacket was slung over his shoulder.

Soul removed the cigarette from his mouth and smiled to his long-time friend. "Well well well, if it is not Black*Star."

Black*Star sat on the crates in the dim alley next to his friend. "When did you get back?"

"Just now. Kim sniffed me out and roped me into meeting her here."

Black*Star laughed. "You and us all. That doll has got a way of making us do whatever she wants."

Soul laughed. "At least we are in love with her. Poor Ox…"

Black*Star took a cigarette from Soul's open box and lit it. "I, of course, was here for another reason too." Black*Star wiggled his eyebrows.

"Black*Star…"

"I am telling you—this doll, man! She is amazing!"

"Oh no!" Soul shook his head. "Not you too! Another guy licked by love."

Black*Star grinned. "What can I say, Soul? She is a beauty."

The back door to the Chupacabra opened and Jackie stuck her head through. "We are on next." She said. Her black hair was wound with some type of pink plumage.

"Yeah, yeah, we are coming."

Soul and Black*Star crushed their cigarettes under their feet and joined the others inside the club. The Chupacabra's large spectator area was filled with small round tables. They joined Ox Ford and his friend Havar at a table.

"And now," the announcer introduced, "Miss Kim and her lovely pink ladies would like to say hello."

They watched as Kim and her coworkers danced and sang in large flamingo costumes with bright pink feathers covering everything. Soul's favorite part of the entire situation was when it ended.

After Kim's performance, the men were invited backstage to congratulate Kim. The four of them, plus Jackie, filled Kim's small changing room. She sat on her make-up chair in a purple silk robe, Jackie sat on her lap. Kim stood when the men walked into the room, her eyes filled with elation. "Ox! Havar! Soul! Black*Star! You came!"

"Would not miss it for the world, Angel," Ox said with a grin. Havar just shrugged pathetically, it was clear that Ox had dragged him along.

"You made me come." Soul muttered.

Kim mock-gasped. "A silly old doll like me? I could not do a thing to make you come!"

Soul snorted. Everyone turned to Black*Star who had become uncharacteristically quiet. The door was open a crack and his nose was stuck out of it. Kim cleared her throat and Black*Star jumped, banging his head into the door. He removed his nose and rubbed it angrily.

"What was that for, Kim?"

"Someone on your mind, Star?"

Black*Star grinned wolfishly. "Yeah, now that ya mention it. Who is the new doll?"

Kim smiled knowingly. "Oh no one…" She sang as she turned to the mirror and reapplied her make-up.

"Come on Kim! I got to know! She would make an AMAZING peon for the GREAT Black*Star!"

Kim rolled her eyes, "She's called Tsubaki. Bit of a loner really."

Oh dear, Soul could see that special glimmer in Black*Star's eyes. Challenge accepted.

"Well, I have paid my congratulations, doll. I will see you all at the game." He tipped his hat.

Game? "What game?" Soul asked. They could not be talking about a craps game! Those were Soul's territory and he hadn't created one since he'd left.

Black*Star froze and turned around slowly. Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably. Oh they did not! "You are going to someone else's game!" Soul cried indignantly.

"Well, Soul, you were gone and gambling takes no vacations…"

"I cannot believe you! You are going to someone else's game! I was coming back! You all knew it!"

"Soul…"

"Tell me. Was it Rung? Because if it was I will-"

"Albarn." Black*Star said. "Clean games, good money, good locations and times, Albarn is like you only better!"

Soul snorted. "No one is better than me, Black*Star! Soul Evans runs the cleanest and richest most reliable floating craps game in all of New York and you all know it."

"You have been gone, Soul! We needed someone to take over."

"Take me with you."

"Huh?" The confused sentiment was shared with all in the changing room.

"Take me with you. I want to meet this Albarn."

"Alright. Just right after the great Black*Star picks up this doll! We will all go!" And before Kim could protest (which she had opened her mouth to do so) Black*Star was out the door.

"I am done for the night, so all of you wait outside for me. We will go together." Kim shooed the men out and shut the door behind her. Ox sighed loudly and slumped against the wall. Jackie had stayed inside the changing room (Kim and Jackie shared a changing room). Havar reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cigarette box and a lighter. Soul took one from Havar's box and lit it with his own lighter.

"So what are you going to do when you meet Albarn?" Havar asked quietly.

Soul shrugged. "I have no idea."

The walk to this Albarn's good local craps game was long. Albarn had set it up in an abandoned Mission office of all things. Black*Star and his new doll, Tsubaki (a sweet, tall Japanese girl), led the group. The inside of the backroom was filled with cigarette smoke and the pungent smell of sweat, men of all types were crowded around in a circle. A small night table with chairs around it sat at the back wall. A woman sat in one of the chairs, nursing a scotch. Well that was ironic. This whole god damned thing was ironic actually. What was it people say? Hiding in plain sight.

"Hey boys!" Black*Star greeted.

The game froze and salutations were crowed back. The two playing at the moment were a red haired man that Soul had never seen before and a grinning silver haired Doctor, who was quite regular. Doctor Stein was a rich man who won craps games like barbers cut hair. Whoever he had suckered into playing him was in for it, and the red haired man knew it. He was sweating; he must have been in deep because he kept playing.

The others joined the festivities and Soul sat himself next to the woman with the scotch. He poured himself a drink and raised his glass to her. "Along for the ride, doll?"

She smiled, drumming her nails against the glass. "Something like that."

"Soul Evans."

"Maka Albarn."

Albarn? "Albarn?"

"Yeah, that is my papa over there, the one getting being drained of his money."

So he was Albarn. Serves him right, what type of amateur organizer played in his own games? "What did one expect? Going up against Stein?"

Miss Albarn smiled grimly and sipped her drink. "The good doctor does have a knack for this game."

"He brings Lady Luck on his arm, it is only proper she blows on his dice."

This time Miss Albarn laughed. She glanced at him. Her eyes were piercing green, the green of healthy Connecticut leaves (Soul had had enough of Connecticut for a life time, taking care of his mother and dealing with his perfect brother did that to him, dear god he was glad to be back in New York). She smiled and Soul had this strange feeling come over himself.

Then he recognized it.

Oh no.

Oh no.

He'd been licked.

A cry of despair echoed from Mister Albarn. He seemed to have lost his dignity to Doctor Stein as well (something the good Doctor was very good at) and he fell to his knees in misery. Anger burned in Soul's chest, how dare that man steal his games, his income, his clients.

He stood and downed his drink. Miss Albarn raised a blonde eyebrow. "Where are you going Mister Evans?"

"To get my clientele back."

Full to the brim with confidence Soul strode towards Mister Albarn. The clientele parted like the biblical sea, whispers surfacing as their past game manager entered the craps game.

"How about this Mister Albarn, I will play you. If you win, you will get all of your money back-"

"But how could you do that?" Mister Albarn cried.

Soul stuck his hand in his jacket pocket and brought out a marker from the good Doctor. One day Doctor Stein had come in and Lady Luck had come with Soul (this was, of course, before Soul had taken over management of New York's best floating craps game) and he'd owed Soul a marker for whatever Soul asked for, to be used only once. The crowd gasped, some murmured, would Soul really use a marker of that caliber for something so worthless (because whatever Soul would want from this broken man could not be worth that).

"-and if I win, you will denounce yourself from craps games, and will return my clients to me."

Mister Albarn looked shocked. "I have never seen you before in my life! How could I have your clientele?"

Soul waved a hand at the gossiping crowd. "This! This is my clientele! Which you so unkindly stole from me in my moment of weakness!"

Mister Albarn looked confused. In fact, everyone did. It was Doctor Stein who finally understood, he began to laugh.

"Mister Evans, I believe you have made a mistake. Spirit Albarn is not the Albarn in charge of these games, no proprietor of these games would play. It is just ungentlemanly. The Albarn you are looking for is Maka Albarn, Spirit's daughter."

"A- a doll did all of this?" Soul cried. Really?

Spirit laughed. "Of course my Maka did this!"

"Did you really think that Spirit was smart enough?" Stein added.

"Yeah!" Spirit Albarn agreed. He then paused as what his opponent said hit him. "Hey!"

Soul felt like the world had been swept out from under his feet. He glanced around the room, her scotch sat unfinished on the night table and she was nowhere to be seen. "The deal is off." He heard himself mutter to Mister Albarn as he stumbled out the exit.

"Hey! Evans! If you are taking control again, are we getting a game next week?"

"You bet on it." Soul replied as he ran out.

The Mission was empty so he went to the streets. He saw a slip of blonde hair round the corner and ran after it.

"Miss Albarn!" He cried. "Miss Albarn!"

He skidded around the corner to find her grinning at him. "Took you long enough." That smile of hers. That could knock the greatest bachelor on his knees. Soul took a deep breath, embarrassed by how desperate his calls had sounded. In the dim street light her pale face shown. Her emerald eyes glimmered. Her straight and perfect teeth set under curved coy peach lips. Everything about her just screamed to him. Called to him.

And that transaction? Taking over a man's practice while he was away? The perfect amount of petty. To watch him struggle with anger for being snitched like that? Beautifully done. To set him on the path of her own father? Masterful.

Luck sure was one hell of a lady.