She didn't want to be here.
Why did she have to let Blair do this to her? She was never really the clubbing type at all to begin with. Yet here she was, sitting at the bar, watching her best friend dancing (if what she was doing could even be called that) with every guy she could get close to on the floor.
Maka rolled her eyes and went back to her water. She wasn't the drinking type either. Not that she was against it or anything; she just couldn't stand the taste of alcohol. Everyone around her seemed to have no problem with it at all though, and she had several times had to turn down different guys' offers to buy her a drink, half out of the whole not drinking thing, and half out of paranoia that they were out for something more than a conversation.
She never exactly had the best luck with men, and her roommate and best friend, Blair, knew this, and seemed to be trying to introduce her to a guy for the past several months. It wasn't that she "never met the right guy," as Blair liked to put it; she just wasn't too fond of guys in general. Her cheating father hadn't really been a shining example of the male gender, and that had unfortunately played a rather large part in the decision. Blair knew this too, but seemed intent on changing her mind. She appreciated the effort, really, but still… she was happy single. Less drama to deal with. And some of Blair's boyfriends didn't really help to change her mindset on men to begin with, so she usually had very little faith in Blair's hopes for setting her up with someone.
Fortunately, after the twelfth or so decline, the guys at the club seemed to get the picture that she wanted to be left alone, as the corner of the bar she sat at was empty. Which was perfectly fine with her. All she had to do was wait until Blair got too drunk to stand, and then drag her home as usual. She would have attempted to enjoy the music, as she had in some of the clubs Blair dragged her to, but that didn't seem to be happening here. Quite simply, the music sucked.
"This seat taken?"
She glanced up and sighed at seeing a new guy with shock white hair approach her. "No, go ahead." She muttered before chugging down the last of her water, intending to either order another one, or leave, depending on what this new guy's plans were.
The bartender noticed the new arrival and asked for the new guy's order. He glanced over at Maka briefly before turning back to the counter. "I'll have a Mountain Dew," he jabbed his thumb in Maka's direction. "And whatever she'd like."
Maka sighed. Another guy trying to buy her a drink. "I don't drink," she replied, the response becoming automatic by this point.
He didn't even flinch. "I figured as much by the water. You look like you want to be here about as much as I do. Figured I might as well try to lessen the torture. Order yourself a soda or something."
Maka blinked. This was new. She glanced up at him and noticed he wasn't even looking at her, and he did actually look like he'd been dragged here as well. Well, fine. As long as he wasn't trying to get anywhere with her…
"I'll have a Coke."
The bartender nodded and walked off, leaving them alone. New Guy never said a word to her or even looked in her direction, which was fine with her. The song changed over and he immediately slammed his head onto the counter with a groan of frustration, making her jump a little before he pulled back up and growled.
"Does all the music suck here?" He muttered.
Maka found herself answering before she could stop herself. "Yes, actually. I get dragged here quite often. This is about the average of the music here."
"Ugh." New Guy slammed his head on the counter again for good measure. "God damned DJ wouldn't know music if it bit him in the ass."
Maka raised an eyebrow.
"So…" he muttered into the counter so quietly she almost didn't hear him. "At the risk of sounding like a douchebag hitting on girls at a bar like a moron…" he glanced up at her and rolled his eyes. "You come here often, then?"
Maka looked at him for a moment, trying to gauge whether or not he really was trying to hit on her, decided he was harmless, and nodded. "Yes. Against my will. My roommate keeps telling me I need to 'meet someone,' which I honestly have no desire to do."
New Guy blinked, and Maka noticed that in addition to his unusual white hair, he also had red eyes. While she could easily assume he bleached his hair, his eyes were genuine. She saw no outline of contacts that were usually visible with the colored ones. "Not much luck with guys, huh?"
"Not so much that as just don't like them in general."
He raised an eyebrow at that. "Mind if I ask why?"
Maka sighed and looked away as the bartender returned with their drinks. "It's… kinda personal."
He nodded. "Fair enough."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while before Maka decided that she probably hadn't worded her last responses very well. "I mean… I don't like guys, but… that doesn't mean I like girls."
He looked at her like she grew a second head for a moment before letting out a bark of laughter that he quickly muffled into chuckles. "I never assumed that, don't worry."
"Oh…" Maka looked away in embarrassment. "Sorry."
He waved it off. "Don't be. A lot of people here look stupid enough to just assume that. According to idiots like them, if you're not completely horny for the opposite sex, you're gay. That's it. Never mind that you just haven't met anyone you seem to work with or just want to be alone."
"You sound like you speak from experience."
His head hit the counter again. "Dear God… have you met my friends? They all hook up and assume I need a girlfriend too. Ugh."
Maka winced. "Sounds like what I have to deal with."
He sighed. "As someone who feels your pain, I apologize."
Maka looked down at him. "Is that why your friends dragged you here?"
He lifted his head off the counter and looked over at her. "Technically, no. I wasn't really dragged here, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't really wanna be here."
Maka blinked. "Oh?"
"Yeah," he nodded over at the stage, which had a drum, a keyboard, and a few guitar stands and mics set up. "There's a live band playing later. I'm part of it."
Maka perked up a little at that. His opinion on the music here probably meant that what he played was better… to him, at least. "Really? Do you sing or play?"
He snorted. "Play. Not for lack of the others trying, though. I refuse to sing."
Maka chuckled a little at that. "What do you play?"
"Keyboard."
Maka was about to say something else when a very loud boy with obviously dyed blue hair walked up behind them and thumped the boy on the back. "Oi Soul, we're on in like… now!"
He rolled his eyes and sighed. "All right, all right. I'm already set up, you go ahead, lemme finish my pop."
Seemingly satisfied, the blue haired kid left, and the guy she'd been talking to, whose name, if she heard right, was Soul, threw down the rest of his soda before glancing at her. "You gonna be here when I get back?"
Maka glanced out at Blair. She didn't show any signs of slowing down, so Maka turned back to Soul and nodded. "Yeah. My friend doesn't look like she's gonna give out any time soon. I'll likely be here."
He nodded. "Cool. Feel free to order whatever. I'll pick it up when I get back."
Maka shook her head. "You don't have to-"
"Don't worry about it." Was all she heard before he trotted off to the stage and completely out of earshot before she could protest.
She watched him climb the stairs and flop down behind the keyboard, adjusting a few switches on it before looking up at the blue haired kid, who was poking at a guitar, tuning it while adjusting his own mic. Apparently he sang and played.
Another boy with black hair with three horizontal white stripes on the left side had a bass guitar over his shoulder and was adjusting his amp. Two blond girls who were dressed similarly and looked somewhat alike, most likely sisters, stood beside him. The taller one with a guitar, the shorter one with a pair of drumsticks sticking out of her pocket. She looked every part a drummer, as she was giddy and didn't appear to be nearly as composed as her sister.
A tall girl with long black hair pulled up into a single ponytail was talking to the blue haired boy. Maka recognized her as a girl she saw Blair speaking with earlier, and since she had no instruments and was adjusting a mic stand alone, Maka assumed her to be the singer.
Maka glanced back at Soul, still adjusting settings on his keyboard, and had to hold back a laugh as a mic was set in front of him and he scowled up at the blue haired boy, who put it there. He simply shrugged and went back to his guitar as Soul bared his teeth at his back for a moment before going back to his keyboard.
After a few more moments, the blue haired boy grabbed a mic and shouted for the whole club to hear, introducing the band, and generally riling up the crowd. Maka had to admit he seemed made for the attention.
The music was definitely different from anything she'd ever heard before. It was rock, but it had a certain dark, melodic edge to it she'd never heard before. The guitars had a good part of the music, but the bulk of it seemed to her to be Soul's keyboard. And he was good. The lead singer wasn't too bad either. Her voice was beautiful and suited the music well. The two guitarists were off in their own little world, but their playing was perfect. The bassist seemed more focused on his playing. He had no music, but he stared down as his guitar as he played. The drummer was all over the place and looked to be having way too much fun, but her playing was solid.
She looked back at Soul out of curiosity, and was immediately struck by his playing. His eyes were closed the whole time, and he didn't even seem to need to think about what note to hit next. It just happened. And his music was beautiful. Occasionally some other members of the band would give background vocals for some of the songs, and while Soul had openly said he refused to sing, he seemed to anyway, so lost in the music that it just came out. She tried to hear him, but he was either just mouthing the words, or so quiet that the other two boys drowned him out.
She didn't notice when Blair plopped onto a stool next to her and downed three beers before deciding to make her presence known. "They're awesome, aren't they?"
Maka nodded. "I've never heard music like this before. It's kinda creepy, but at the same time, I really like it."
Blair nodded, flipping her violet hair. "I spoke with Tsubaki, the singer. She says their keyboardist writes most of their songs."
Maka smiled. Somehow that made sense. "It seems to fit him," she replied, forgetting that Blair probably didn't know that they'd spoken.
Blair grinned, gold eyes focused on her, and Maka instantly regretted speaking. "You know him, huh?"
Maka rolled her eyes. "Not really. We spoke for a bit before they started playing. That's all."
"And he bought you a drink," Blair replied, eyeing her soda. "Or two," she added as she noticed the empty soda glass beside the full one.
Maka blushed despite herself. She had in fact ordered another soda shortly after they'd started playing. "He insisted, and it didn't mean anything. We just talked for a while. He doesn't even know my name."
"But you know his." It wasn't a question. Blair was positively smirking.
"Only because the lead guitarist yelled at him a little before he left."
Blair glanced up at the stage for a bit before looking back to Maka. "His name is Black Star."
Maka stared at Blair. "You're kidding."
Blair grinned. "Nope. And the bassist's name is Death the Kid. But he goes by Kid."
Maka looked back at the stage. "Don't tell me the drummer and her sister have odd names too."
Blair shook her head. "Liz, guitar, and Patti, drummer."
Maka nodded. At least not all of them had odd names. Not that Tsubaki did. She had been pretty sure the girl was Asian, and the name only proved it. Blair leaned in conspiratorially, and Maka sighed, knowing what was next.
"So what's the keyboardist's name?" she purred.
Maka rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you know, since you have everyone else's."
Blair pouted. "Actually, no… Tsubaki wouldn't tell me. Neither would Kid or Black Star."
Now Maka was intrigued. "Why not?"
Blair only pouted more. "They all said that I should ask him myself 'cause he didn't like having his name given out. Whatever that means."
Maka smirked. "Then I probably shouldn't tell you, either."
Blair scowled playfully at Maka and poked her shoulder "No fair!"
Maka shrugged her off. "Besides I'm not sure I heard Black Star right. Or if Black Star was even using his name. So I can't honestly say I know his name either."
Blair pouted again. "He sat here and spoke to you for that long and didn't even tell you his name??"
"It didn't seem important, and I didn't ask…" Maka trailed off. "Wait…" She turned to glare at her friend. "And how long have you been spying on me??"
Blair grinned. "Since he offered to buy you a drink, and you let him. And I wasn't spying, just observing."
Maka's scowl deepened. "He didn't mean anything by it, Blair." She growled.
Blair shrugged. "Be that as it may, he got farther than any other guy has, and that intrigued me." She rolled her eyes then. "Imagine my disappointment when all you two talked about is how much you hate it here and how annoying your friends are."
Maka stared openly at Blair. "You were spying on me!"
Blair grinned, downed a shot of something Maka couldn't identify, and stood to leave. "I was simply observing. From a close enough distance to hear."
Maka growled at Blair's retreating back before she disappeared into the crowd again.
They played for a solid hour, ending on a beautiful song with a softer tone than the others. Black Star once again riled up the crowd, thanking them for listening and bowing overdramatically. Kid rolled his eyes and shook his head at Black Star's antics, but Maka could see a tolerating smile. After he was finished, Black Star put his mic down, packed up his guitar, and waked back to Soul, who he shared an exuberant high-five with before jumping down off the stage and turning to catch Tsubaki as she hopped carefully off the stage after him. Maka grinned, pretty sure they were together.
Soul packed up his keyboard and toed it under the stage with the rest of their equipment before heading back to the bar with his hands in his pockets before the crowd rushed the stage to talk to the band. He was waylaid by a couple guys who seemed to ask about his playing, since Soul seemed happy to answer them, but other than that, he escaped the crowd.
Maka could feel Blair's eyes on them as he sat back down in the same spot he'd been before and ordered another Mountain Dew. She looked down at her own soda before admitting she'd ordered herself another one while he was gone.
He downed about half of his own in one go before glancing back at her. "Just one?"
Maka nodded. "Yeah. I didn't want to impose or anything."
Soul snorted. "I said not to worry about it. I don't mind."
Maka frowned down at the counter. "I don't… want to feel like I owe you."
Soul looked at her. "If I thought you were that type of girl, I wouldn't have even spoken to you in the first place."
Maka blinked, but made no other move to respond.
Soul sighed. "Look. You don't strike me at all as the type to want anything to do with a guy no matter how many drinks he buys you. I'm fine with that. You don't, and never will, owe me anything."
This time, Maka did look at him. "Then why…?"
He shrugged with a smirk. "Is it a crime to try to cheer someone up?"
Maka looked away. "You don't even know my name."
He shrugged and took a sip of his soda before responding. "You didn't seem willing to give it, so I didn't ask."
"… Maka."
He grinned softly and downed the rest of his drink before looking back to her. "Soul Eater."
Maka blinked before shaking his offered hand. "Seriously?"
He grinned sheepishly, showing off a mouth full of pointed teeth. "Yeah… my mom was… a little vindictive."
Maka couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "Really?"
"Let's just say that I wasn't exactly… planned."
Maka frowned. "Rough life?"
"No, actually. True, I don't really get along all that well with my mom, but my dad's okay and my brother's awesome. I moved out years ago, so it's been easier lately." He started work on his third Mountain Dew before turning to her. "You? If you don't mind me asking."
Maka sighed. "My mom's great. My dad… I don't really get along with."
Soul frowned. "I'm guessing that has something to do with you not liking guys all that much." He said gently.
"… Yeah." She was amazed at how easy it was to talk to this boy. He was different from other guys she'd met, true, but still… She never even told Blair any of this, yet here was this guy that she knew for only a few hours and felt like she could trust him with everything. It was frightening, to say the least.
Soul seemed to catch on. "You don't have to give details if you don't want to, Maka."
Maka closed her eyes and sighed. "Thank you."
Soul grinned. "So how often do you get dragged here?"
Maka looked up, grateful for the subject change. "Saturdays. Thursdays and Fridays I'm dragged to different clubs. Occasionally my friend drags me to a gay bar to see how many guys she can attempt to 'turn straight.'" She put air quotes around her last words for emphasis.
Soul laughed hysterically for a couple moments. "Does… Does it ever work?"
Maka rolled her eyes, looking mildly disturbed. "Amazingly, she's done it twice so far."
Soul blinked. "Damn. I'm torn between being impressed and disturbed."
"I usually go with disturbed. She goes through guys quickly anyway."
"Ah. One of those." Soul rolled his eyes. "Point her out for me please, so I can have fair warning to run if she ever approaches me?"
Maka laughed a little before scanning the crowd for Blair before pointing at her.
Soul cocked his head. "The one with purple hair and like… no clothes?"
"That's her. Tell me she's still got her top on."
Soul grimaced. "Just barely."
Maka nodded. "Not quite drunk enough for me to drag her out yet then."
"So you're dragged here every Saturday?"
She looked up at that question. "Pretty much. Why?"
Soul shrugged. "We're gonna be here the next two Saturdays, it'd be nice to know there's someone here of intelligence I can talk to."
Maka frowned. "You're not local?"
"Oh no, we're local," Soul replied, absently swirling his soda glass. "Black Star actually lives right down the street from here. We just don't play in clubs much."
"Ah."
A loud crash from the dance floor got both their attentions, and Soul sighed. "Speaking of Black Star, someone's a little drunk and needs to be dragged home." He called the bartender over and ordered Maka one more Coke before paying the tab and standing to leave. "See you next week then, I guess?"
Maka nodded. After seeing her speaking with Soul both before and after the band played, Blair was sure to drag her here for the weeks the band was playing. "Most likely."
Soul smirked. "I'll look forward to it, then. Later, Maka."
As she watched him bolt across the club to collect his drunk friend before he did any more damage, Maka couldn't help but think that despite being male, he wasn't all that bad. Even though Blair would be devastated when she found out that Maka only saw him as a friend.
