The sun grinned down maniacally at a public swimming pool not too far from Shibusen grounds. Kid and Maka were sitting on a bench in the shade. Though they were both clad in their respective swimsuits, their faces were grim and full of expectation, as if they were about to face a serious battle. Kid's hands were tightly gripping the edge of the bench, and Maka's knees were bouncing up and down energetically, as if she couldn't take the suspense.
"Oi, what are you two doing?" Soul said after he had come back from changing into his swim trunks.
Kid and Maka shushed him in unison, and they resumed their unblinking watch on the door that lead to the locker rooms.
"I'm telling you that—" Kid began, though he never removed his eyes from the door.
"Well you're mistaken," Maka interrupted sharply.
Soul let out a sigh and removed his shirt so that he could put on sunscreen. "So not cool," he muttered.
They heard the doors swing open, and Kid and Maka instantly tensed up, getting hopeful. But it was only Tsubaki.
"Oh, you guys didn't have to wait for me," she said politely when she saw them lingering by the sides of the pool. But Kid and Maka hardly acknowledged her presence.
"Forget about it, Tsubaki," Soul said. "Liz and Patti are already out there tanning if you want to join."
"O-okay," Tsubaki stammered, throwing Kid and Maka a weird glance before she left.
"How much longer are you two going to sit in the shade like losers? I can understand tiny tits, but even you Kid?"
That actually invoked a response from Maka. Furious, Maka pulled a book from out of nowhere and Maka Chopped him. Kid watched with little amusement as Soul hit the ground, his head bleeding. But Soul recovered quickly.
"OW! Da hell? How did you manage to hide a book in that skimpy bikini anyway?"
"Maka powers," she retorted tersely with narrowed eyes.
"YA-HOO! JEEZ, you take so LONG to change! Are you a GIRL or SOMETHING?"
Soul sagged when he heard the over-enthusiastic cries of their ninja friend, but Maka and Kid jumped to their feet, red-faced, as if they literally were about to explode from anticipation. The door opened a crack, and together they leaned forward to get a better look.
Black Star kicked the door open the rest of the way, strutting out like he was the hottest thing at the pool. Which, he might have been, with that well-muscled chest and six-pack, but Maka and Kid could care less. They only had eyes for the tall, skinny, pale person trailing Black Star, looking incredibly awkward and uncomfortable as they covered their chest with their arms.
"Chrona's—!" Maka squeaked.
"Wait!" Kid said, dramatically holding out an arm to prevent her from racing over.
"Oh look, there're the others. LESSER BEINGS! Waiting for the star to arrive huh?" Black Star called, grinning cockily. "Of course, I would have been out sooner if Chrona hadn't taken so long."
Chrona looked up and spotted Maka. Smiling shyly, he unfolded his arms from his chest and waved at her.
"NOOOOO!" Kid cried, collapsing on the ground.
But Maka pumped her fist in the air, letting out a big, "YESSSS!" She pointed at Kid with a wink. "I win. You better pay up later." And then she skipped happily over to Chrona, taking his arm in hers.
"Chro~~~na," Maka half-sang cheerfully. She eyed his swim trunks, dark purple with white and lilac floral print. "I like your swimsuit."
"Th-th-thanks," Chrona stammered, looking down and turning pink. "You look . . . c-c-cute too."
Maka grinned. "Thank you."
As the two of them headed for the pool, Soul and Black Star looked down at the pathetic, blubbering heap that was Kid.
"Dude, seriously. Pull yourself together," Soul said, giving Kid a kick.
"But I could have sworn—!" Kid sobbed. He lifted his head and wiped his snotty nose, slowly regaining control. "Oh well, it was just a bit of a passing infatuation. I liked him enough to forget symmetry, but I certainly don't like him enough to go down that path."
Soul snorted. "I knew he was a guy from day one."
"What? Seriously?" Kid gaped.
"BUT OF COURSE!" Black Star laughed. "If he's flatter than Maka, then there's no way he could have been a girl."
Soul nodded.
Kid felt rather stupid.
"But I wouldn't say he's THAT much of a guy," Black Star continued mischievously, rolling his eyes. "I was in the locker room with him. He's like that small." He held his two fingers apart at a ridiculously short length. "Especially when compared to the AWESOME ME, he's—"
"Don't be vulgar," Soul interrupted him, whacking him over the head with Maka's book.
"F*$! Where'd you get that?"
"Stole it from Maka before she could notice," Soul said with a smirk.
"Backstabbing bastard."
A/N: I'm sorry you guys. But I've just always seen Chrona as a guy . . . well, a really shy, sensitive, timid kind of guy. But I really wish his gender problem would get fixed soon (even though it's occasionally convenient). And the fastest way to find out is to take of his shirt, right? ^^
Sorry Kid. You lost out on that one. :P
