"Wow Maka, this food is really delicious. Thank you for inviting us." Tsubaki said with a smile from across the small living room to Maka.
"It was no problem, really. Besides Soul's been complaining about my food lately so hopefully this will shut him up."
After Soul's insistent complaining about the quality of food she made on her nights to cook got to be too much for Maka to handle she decided to go all out and make a big dinner and invite all their friends over as well. Tsubaki, Blackstar, Soul and Patty were on the couch across from Maka and Liz who were seated on the loveseat while Kid sat on a chair next to the loveseat.
"Anybody would get sick of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every other night. That's not cool Maka." Soul griped with a frown.
"Can it, Soul!" Maka shouted with a book in her hands poised to Maka chop him into silence.
Blackstar stretched and got up from the couch with a yawn. "I'm bored you guys. Let's do something fun."
"Yeah, alright. But what are we gonna do?" Soul agreed standing up and stretching as well.
"Oh, I know! We could play truth or dare! Come on it would be so much fun!" Patty shouted with glee finding her idea to be the greatest thing since white bread.
Tsubaki and Liz nodded along enthusiastically. Kid just shrugged nonchalantly, not caring what they did. Maka looked a bit apprehensive but gave her consent anyway knowing that she would be dragged in one way or another. Blackstar and Soul were another story.
"Not gonna happen. Sorry, Patty but as manly men we do not play such games as truth or dare. There's nothing any of you can say to make us play." Blackstar said with gusto. Soul clearly agreeing with his best friend.
"Now boys," Patty began, standing up as well, "You will be playing truth or dare and you will enjoy every second of it. Do I make myself clear?" Her voice continually got deeper and scarier and her mouth twisted into a feral grin that meant business.
This was a side of Patty they had all witnessed at some point or another. Soul and Blackstar quickly agreed for fear of their own safety, and that's how the group of friends ended up playing truth or dare for the rest of the night.
Nobody choose truth all night, instead opting for dare each and every time. When it was nearing 10:00 the room had a general sense of unease. The dares had become more flashy and ridiculous. Kid had half of his face covered in makeup, which he had to keep on until he went to bed that night. Tsubaki and Liz had switched clothes earlier on a dare from Maka. And Soul had his hair in little pig-tails; Blackstar knew that dare would get to him. It was Soul's turn to dare someone and he had a look of revenge in his eyes.
Soul turned to Blackstar, drawing out the moment of truth, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. "Yo, Blackstar. Truth or Dare?" The evil glint in his eyes was only intensified by the grin his face now held.
Blackstar gulped and turned a bit pale, but gathered his courage and answered in a loud voice "Dare."
Soul was positively humming with anticipation. The entire room waited with abated breath. The silence was deafening.
"I dare you to… kiss Tsubaki." Soul shouted with manic glee, pride in his dare apparent in his voice.
Blackstar got scarily pale while Tsubaki's face tinged pink. They turned away from each other quickly. Maka and Liz began to giggle to themselves quietly, hoping not to embarrass Tsubaki further. Patty on the other hand was rolling on the ground, clutching her sides while tears poured from her eyes, laughing too hard to even speak. Kid looked on with a general sense of interest. Blackstar finally worked up the courage to face his partner, still a bit pale. Tsubaki turned as well deciding to just get it over with.
"I'm the guy who's going to surpass God someday! This is nothing! Ha, you think you're smart, don't you, Soul?" Blackstar shouted his own praises loudly.
What he did next surprised them all. He leaned forward and grabbed Tsubaki's shoulders. He looked her in the eyes before continuing on and pressing his lips to her own. They broke apart after a couple of seconds, both of them red from their ears to their toes.
"Okay, Blackstar. Your turn and make it a good one it's the last one before we have to leave." Kid told Blackstar from his side of the room. Eager to get home and wash the 'asymmetrical garbage' off his face.
Blackstar thought about it for a few seconds before the proverbial light bulb clicked in his mind. He looked straight at Soul before he began.
"Hey, Soul. Truth or dare, buddy?" the way he said buddy sent chills up Soul's spine. He mentally prepared himself for the worst.
"Dare, obviously." Soul replied with ease not letting his uncool thoughts show.
"Oh, good. I thought you might try to wiggle out of this with a truth. I dare you to…" Blackstar stopped there. Letting the tension mount to greater heights before he told them. The waiting got the best of Maka and she leaned forward and Maka chopped him on the head.
"Spit it out, Blackstar!" She shouted with malice.
Blackstar just grinned and cocked his head to the side. "Soul, I dare you to take Maka out on a date tomorrow night." Blackstar was glowing with his own brilliance.
Tsubaki and Liz stared at Maka with open mouths, not even knowing how to react. Blackstar was grinning like an idiot while Kid just grinned secretly to himself like he knew something nobody else knew. Patty, who had just recovered from her last fit of laughter continued with renewed vigor. Maka began stuttering and couldn't contain the blush that crept up her cheeks. Soul managed to keep his cool and actually grinned at Blackstar as if he took his meister out on dates all the time.
"Hey, Maka." Soul grinned at his partner while freaking out and going into panic mode on the inside. "You wanna go on a date with me tomorrow night?"
"Um, well… sure, I guess." Maka stuttered at her weapon, not knowing how to respond to such a question.
"Well now that's over, we really must be going. Thanks for dinner Maka! See you guys tomorrow!" Tsubaki called over her shoulder while dragging a still grinning Blackstar out the door.
"Yes, we really must be going as well. Thanks." Kid said before he too walked out the door. Liz and Patty following not too far behind him. Waving good-bye to Soul and Maka before shutting the door and leaving the duo in silence.
"I'm gonna go to bed, Soul. Goodnight." Maka muttered.
"Hey, Maka! I'm sorry I shoved that on you, really I am. But cool guys don't say no to dares and I wasn't gonna let Blackstar rub that in my face." Soul apologized with honesty.
"It's okay Soul. I don't mind." She paused not knowing what to say, "Well, goodnight." She said before turning tail and leaving for her room.
Maka could have sworn Soul's face was tinged in the slightest shade of pink, but didn't dwell on it. She was too worried about him hearing her heart pounding out of her chest.
The weapon and meister duo had been on a very serious mission when Maka had first realized she liked her weapon as more than a partner. The realization sent her mind reeling but she couldn't deny it, she was falling for Soul. That was nearly a month ago, and since then she had been watching herself around him constantly, not willing to give him any indication that she might have feelings for him. When they began playing truth or dare she had feared something like this would happen, but had swiftly thrown that idea away, it was silly after all. Now that it had actually happened she didn't know whether to hate Blackstar's guts or to be grateful to him. Either way she couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow and the dare.
Soul lay awake late into the night. He couldn't stop his mind from the continuous loop it was stuck in. He went from thinking about the dare to thinking about where he'd take Maka tomorrow. He also dwelt on the plan he had come up with. It all came down to Maka and her decision on whether or not to reject him outright or give him a chance. Cool guys didn't get rejected, that was all there was to it.
Soul could remember the first time he realized he liked his meister as more than a friend, it was right after they had fought Chrona for the first time. He had taken a blow to protect Maka. He decided then and there he would always be there to protect her and she would always have a special place in his heart. He just never found the right words or the right time to tell her how he felt. If he was being honest with himself he just didn't want to face potential rejection. That's why he had come up with this plan. He just hoped it went smoothly.
Maka woke up the next morning feeling relaxed and refreshed. She yawned, stretched and got out of her warm bed quickly changing from her pajamas into her usual outfit. She had a lot to do today and wanted to get it over with. She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice. She sat at the table, where she found a note covered in Soul's chicken scratch handwriting. It read:
Maka,
I had to go do something, I'll be back later. Be ready to go at 5, I'm gonna pick you up here. See ya later,
Soul
Maka frowned to herself, not even knowing where they were going, she didn't know how to dress. She decided to go see Liz who she knew had a great fashion sense. She jogged out the door not sure if she wanted the day to pass by quickly or not.
Maka made it through town in record time. When she was almost to Kid's place she ran in to Tsubaki who, if Maka didn't know any better, seemed as if she was waiting for her.
"Oh, hello Maka!" Tsubaki said cheerily.
"Hi, Tsubaki. Are you going to see Liz as well?"
"Yup, sure am. Are you excited for your date with Soul tonight?" Tsubaki questioned her as the two friends continued their journey together.
"Uh, well… No. Maybe… um I don't really know how to feel about this. I mean it's not like it's a real date or anything. Soul and I are just good friends and partners." Maka muttered to the amusement of her friend.
"But you like him don't you Maka? You can't deny it, I've seen the way you watch him out the corner of your eye when you don't think anybody's watching. Or how you always blush when Soul's around. I think you guys would make a great couple. So why don't you just tell him you like him? Tonight would be the perfect time to tell him." Tsubaki faced her friend with determination in her eyes.
Maka was flabbergasted; she had never realized she was that obvious. If Tsubaki had figured it out who else knew her secret? Before Maka could really start panicking, Tsubaki laid her hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"You've got me Tsubaki. But you know Soul as well as you know me, and he's too cool to like a flat-chested girl like me. He's even said so himself. I can't tell him, I don't think I could take that kind of rejection from him. I mean he's my weapon and best friend, I can't do that to our relationship." Maka said in a half whisper.
"Oh, Maka. You're so naïve. But I'm not going to ruin Soul's chance to tell you how he really feels. So let's go get you ready for your date. I'm sure Liz, Patty and I can make you look perfect for what Soul has planned."
Still not believing what her friend was saying Maka just shrugged her shoulders and nodded in agreement. They continued walking to Kid's mansion where Liz and Patty greeted them enthusiastically, Kid was nowhere in sight.
The girls hung out and talked for the rest of the afternoon. Helping Maka pick out a great outfit and soothing her nerves all at the same time. By the time Maka was on her way home she felt much better. She was wearing an off the shoulder pink and white striped top with a black cami underneath. Along with black shorts and grey converse. Her hair was up in a high pony-tail and she had opted out of too much makeup, just mascara and eyeliner. Maka thought she looked okay.
She got to their apartment 5 minutes before five and Soul was nowhere to be found. Before she could begin to panic, the door opened and soul poked his head in the door.
"Oh, you're here. Come on let's go." Soul told her as he walked back out the door to his bike.
Soul got on his bike and patiently waited for her to close and lock the door behind her. She walked up and swung her leg around the back of the bike putting her arms around his back like clockwork. She was so used to this she didn't even think to feel embarrassed about it. He started up the bike and began to drive away before she could even ask where they were going. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself, enjoying the feel of the wind in her face. Forgetting for that moment to be nervous about what she was on her way to.
None too soon Soul stopped the bike and she was forced to get off, her nervousness amounting to even greater heights. She looked around and her eyes landed on her date for the evening. Soul was dressed in clean jeans and a light brown shirt. If Maka was being honest with herself, he looked absolutely adorable. Her heart began the hectic beating she swore everyone in a ten mile radius could hear.
"Ah, Soul what are we doing?" She asked him in the steadiest voice she could manage.
He turned and looked at her, smirking. "You'll see. Come on. It's just a little bit up ahead." He began to walk down the trail.
They appeared to be in some kind of a park. As she followed him she breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the breeze and view of the woods surrounding them. Soul stopped directly in front of a lake where a picnic basket sat on a blanket. Maka blushed, still not believing they were actually on a date. Soul sat down and patted the space next to him.
"Come on, Maka. I don't bite." He said with a toothy grin she was used to seeing on his face.
"Yeah, alright." She said trying to hide her lingering embarrassment.
"Uh… you look really nice today. I made us dinner since you cooked last night." Soul replied scratching the back of his head.
Maka blushed and busied herself with looking in the basket. She pulled out two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a couple cans of soda. She glared at her weapon with death promised in her eyes.
"Is this your idea of payback? If so it's not very funny Soul. I said I was sorry for all those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!" Maka exclaimed with a frown.
Soul laughed at his meister's reaction to the small joke he just couldn't resist pulling on her. "It's just a joke Maka. Calm down."
Maka had to smile at her weapons antics. It felt so normal, especially when this date felt like a cloud of abnormal it wasn't as bad as she thought it might have been. It was almost as if they were back at the apartment laughing and joking like they usually did. But something felt different.
Before she knew it, night had fallen and she was feeling sleepy. Soul and her had just sat around, talked about nothing in particular and she felt more content than she thought he would be.
Soul got up and put his hand out for her. "Come on; let's walk around the lake before we go home." He said with a small smile.
Maka nodded her consent and let him pull her up. They began their slow trek around the lake. Soul appeared uncomfortable for reasons unknown to Maka.
"Hey, Soul. Is something wrong? You look uncomfortable."
Soul was immediately jarred from his thoughts. He decided it was now or never.
"Maka, if I would have just randomly asked you out, instead of Blackstar daring us, would you still have agreed to?" Soul asked her while his heart was in his stomach.
"To be honest, yes I would have." Maka replied looking away blushing slightly.
"Really?" Soul asked watching her closely.
"Um... Yes. Why?" Maka didn't know where he was going with this line of questioning.
Soul couldn't have been happier when he realized she really was telling the truth.
"Well, actually, I've been trying to work up the courage to ask you out for weeks now. I just didn't know how you would take it. That's why I set this little dare up with Blackstar and Kid." Soul admitted scratching the back of his head.
Maka was surprised to say the least. Tsubaki was right all along. Maka was still having a hard time wrapping her mind around it all though.
"Why should I believe that you actually like me? This could just be a part of the dare that I wasn't informed on." Maka questioned him with doubt riddling her mind. Her defenses immediately going up.
Soul stepped closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders. Forcing her to look him in the eyes.
"I would never lie to you about something like this. I've liked you for quite some time and just didn't wanna get rejected. That's not a cool situation. But now that I know you like me at least enough to go out with me on your own free will, I was wondering if you'd go out with me on a real date?"
Maka gasped hearing the truth in his words and wondering when she was going to wake up.
"Yes, I'll go out with you for real Soul." She said with a grin.
Soul smiled his toothy smile then leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. The perfect end to the perfect night for both weapon and meister.