Maka was a decidedly picky eater, but she was willing to try almost any food once. The two habits often did not go very well together, which then often left Soul to eat whatever she hadn't finished. At the beginning of their partnership Soul didn't think much of it. He was a growing boy, and food was food. He was not opposed to eating Maka's share along with his own. As time went on, however, his view on the whole situation changed.
"Ugh," Maka said dropping her fork to the table. "This doesn't taste nearly as good as I thought it would." The results of their last test in Dr. Stein's class had come in earlier that day, and Soul had miraculously made a very solid "B." To celebrate, the two had ordered Chinese takeout. Maka, ever adventurous, had decided to try out the Kung Pao chicken. Soul had told her she might not like it. It was the second spiciest thing on the menu, and the first required you to sign a waiver in order to eat it. Maka was not known for enjoying spicy things.
"I told you you wouldn't like," Soul chided through a mouth of his own chicken.
"Well, I didn't expect it to be hot enough to burn my mouth off," Maka said grumpily as she started on what was left of her rice. She glanced up at Soul. "Do you want the rest?"
"Sure," Soul said as he put down his own fork. "I'll try some." Soul wasn't even sure he would like it. He liked spicy food as much as the next guy, but as good as it was he never enjoyed the rolling in his stomach after eating some.
He watched as Maka stabbed her fork into a piece and proffered it to him. Soul froze for a second. He was about to eat chicken off of Maka's fork. Maka's fork. The fork she had just been eating with and putting in her mouth and sucking on. Oh crap.
After a moment's hesitation that was probably too long for Maka to not notice its awkwardness, Soul leaned forward and took the offered chicken into his mouth. He felt the sudden urge to blush; not because it was super spicy, even though it was, but because of Maka's intent stare and the fact that he had just had an indirect kiss with his meister.
He squashed the urge and leaned back in his chair. Cool guys don't get flustered about indirect kisses even if they are from cute girls with pretty blonde pig tails. "It's not so bad. Don't see what you're complaining about."
"Fine," Maka huffed. "Then you can eat the rest of it." She pushed the rest of her meal towards him with a frown on her face.
"No problem for me," Soul said as he dug his fork into the Kung Pao chicken. He paused again. Maka's fork had been in and out of the container and in and out of her mouth, and the whole thing was now contaminated with Maka germs. He wanted to hit himself. The two of them had shared food plenty of times. It had never bothered him before, so why was it now? It's probably because you finally noticed how sweet Maka's smiles are, and how her pigtails swing as she walks, and when the light hits her eyes just right – Soul stopped himself from continuing that thought. Cool guys don't have crushes on flat chested girls no matter how cute or loyal or absolutely wonderful that flat chested girl may be, and cool guys don't freak out over sharing food. With that thought Soul started eating again. He looked up at Maka after another mouthful of food to see her hesitating over the last of her rice. Feeling Soul's gaze on her she looked up at her partner. After a second of just staring blankly at each other, she quickly looked away and back down at her rice. Soul could see the beginnings of a blush on her cheeks as she quickly shoveled a section of rice into her mouth.
Maybe he wasn't the only one preoccupied with indirect kisses, and maybe it wasn't too uncool to have a crush on a flat chested girl as long as she liked you back.