Soul Eater does not belong to us. The plot and any original characters, however, do.
Christmas. A time of love, joy, and peace on Earth. The sounds of families caroling, the sights - tinsel and gaudy ornaments hanging from every available space, a flurry of a snow covering over the streets and sidewalks in a white blanket, and couples stealing kisses under the mistletoe.
Soul hated Christmas.
He hated how carolers came to his door singing off key and off tempo songs while freezing their little asses off. He hated how obnoxiously the holiday were displayed, commercials for fake happy families and sappy little Hollywood-produced moments, lights too colorful and bright and blinding and annoying. He hated having to tread through the snow, the ice melting and sloshing in his shoes, cold biting into his skin, and having to drive on his motorcycle through the blinding snow. He hated how couples swapped spit so blatantly in public, groping at each other simply because of a little twig.
He also hated how shopping turned into an all out war in the Christmas time.
"It's mine, you bitch!"
"Slut, my kid has been wanting this toy for months!"
Soul just barely missed getting bulldozed to the side as two "enthusiastic" mothers came by, having a hair pulling match and desperately clinging to a box of some superficial electronic board game. A small crowd had formed around them, including Soul and the reason he was even out of his house on the day after Black Friday.
"PUT HER IN A CHOKE HOLD! NO, NOT LIKE THAT! Jesus, it's like they've never watched WWE before," BlackStar said, shaking his head.
He turned to the other men watching in horror as the two women hit the floor in their fight. "So who wants to bet on the fat broad with the hideous weave?" he asked, and Soul had to drag him away when the husband of the "fat broad" started giving him the stink eye.
"I swear, I should never go anywhere with you," Soul hissed, tugging on his blue haired idiot of a friend's shirt collar. Said idiot only laughed raucously in response. Honestly, Soul doesn't know why he let BlackStar drag him out to this hell hole. He would've prefered to be at home, watching some Nightmare on Elm's Street to rid himself of the horrible stench of Christmas in his house. But no, BlackStar had to come and pull him out, saying something about how his "godly disciple needed to help him pick a present for his goddess".
"Oh please, I make your life exciting," BlackStar said with a loud laugh. "Now come on, before all the crazy people get all the good presents!" He grabbed Soul's sleeve, dragging him around the whole store.
Soul hated present shopping. It was a madhouse, everyone scrambling to find that perfect gift, spending too much money on things that the receivers probably would use for only a few days and then completely forget about. Really, for a religious holiday, people were far too focused on spend, spend, spend and receive, receive, receive.
Annoyed by his friend's bad mood, BlackStar grumbled as they walked around the store. He and Soul had been friends for a few years, and his hatred of Christmas was something BlackStar never really understood. But until this year, he had respected Soul's life style choice of being a Grinch. But he was not going to stand for it this year, oh no! Soul was gonna learn to love Christmas if it killed him.
But first, BlackStar needed to find the perfect gift for his girlfriend.
"So I'm thinking get her some really hot underwear or something," BlackStar said with a lewd grin. "You know, get her something while getting me something at the same time? Genius, am I right?"
Soul sent BlackStar a very pointed look before solidly slapping his blue haired friend upside the head. "You moron, you might as well just write 'I'm a selfish Jackass' on your forehead," he said, fighting an oncoming headache. Couldn't his friend be less of an idiot, please?
"Well then you think of something!" BlackStar yelled, rubbing the back of his head where Soul had hit him. "All I can think of is underwear and jewelry, but I don't have money for jewelry! At least not the nice kind!"
BlackStar worked at the same auto repair shop as Soul did, which was how they had met. They both made the same meager pay, so Soul knew exactly how much jewelry BlackStar could afford.
Probably a package or two of Silly Bands if he was feeling generous.
Rubbing his temples, Soul groaned. "You're dating her, you should know." Taking a deep breath and resisting the urge to commit first degree murder - the store's repetitive loop of Christmas songs was not helping his attitude in the slightest - he offered, "Tsubaki likes to draw, doesn't she?"
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeah, so?"
Another slap to the back of the head.
"So get her some kind of art supplies or something, idiot!"
"Jesus Soul! Stop taking your Christmas rage out on me!" BlackStar snapped, shaking the stars out of his vision. "Now, where are the art supplies..."
Soul shot a disgruntled look to the back of BlackStar's head. "You were the one who dragged me along," he grumbled to himself. He was pouting, but he didn't want to admit that to himself. No, way too uncool. He wasn't pouting, his mouth was just sour from all the damn Christmas cheer everywhere.
The boys spent the next thirty minutes debating whether to get Tsubaki a new easel or some new paints - though most of the thirty minutes was spent with BlackStar trying to talk Soul into chipping in some of his hard earned cash so that he could get Tsubaki both. The paints were more expensive, so the easel won by default.
Another thing Soul hated about the holidays. The lines. Everywhere you went there were lines. In the parking lot. Lines. To the grocery store. Lines. To the coffee shop. Fucking lines! And lines with BlackStar were the worse. He would constantly call for everyone's attention, and try to push his way up front, to which Soul had to grab him by the back of his shirt and yank him back in his place. Soul tried to occupy his time by playing a ping-pong game on his phone, and he just barely missed saving BlackStar's skin as the earlier 'fat broad' walked by and noticed their out of place hair.
The two rushed towards the other side of the store, finding a much shorter line to hide from the angry woman in. They reached the cash register and a young woman with ashy blond hair and a bright smile greeted them. "Hello! I hope you found everything- BlackStar!" Her smile got wider, if that was possible. BlackStar grinned as well, shoving the easel into Soul's arms so he could hug the young woman over the counter.
"Maka! How you been sis?" he asked, pulling away from the woman.
Wait, sis? "Sis?" Soul asked, eyebrows scrunched together as he tried to keep a solid hold on the easel that had been shoved at him. Soul didn't remember BlackStar ever saying anything about a sister, and with how much he brags about himself, Soul would've thought he would. Although, to be fair, he's one talking, what with no one he knows knowing anything at all about his family...
He wasn't going to dwell on that.
"Soul, this is Maka Albarn," BlackStar said, pulling back so his two friends could get a proper look at the other. "Maka's my foster sister from back when I lived with my last family, but we lost contact after I moved out," he explained with a grin. He turned back towards Maka. "I haven't seen you in forever! How you been?"
Maka shrugged, still smiling brightly. "Pretty okay. I'm majoring in Literature at SU now, so I'm just trying to pay tuition. How about you, have you kept in contact with Sid and Nygus?"
"Yeah, I heard that they took in a new kid, some girl named Angela or something." BlackStar nudged Soul closer to his sister. "Well go on, introduce yourself!"
Soul blinked, looking down at the pigtailed, scrawny woman who was politely smiling up at him, green eyes wide and questioning. "Um, hi, I'm Soul Evans, I work with your brother here."
"I apologize for the pain you've doubtlessly had to go through," Maka joked, taking the easel easily from him. "Who's the easel for, boys?" she asked as she started to ring it up.
Soul snickered as BlackStar pouted at Maka's jab at his pride. His pout quickly turned into a beaming smile as he stood up straighter and prouder. "It's a gift worthy enough for my Goddess!" Soul rolled his eyes, slouching forward with his hands in his pockets.
Maka stopped, looking up at him with wide eyes. "No way. You got a girlfriend?" she asked, eyes wide. "I'd ask who the lucky girl was, but lucky doesn't seem like the right word, so I'll just ask who."
Soul couldn't help it, he laughed. He only laughed harder as BlackStar shot him a glare. Really, no one quite understood how BlackStar landed such a girl as Tsubaki. She had the patience of a saint, from what he had seen. BlackStar ignored Soul's mocking laughter as he started to rant to Maka about who Tsubaki was and how amazing she was.
"Wait, Tsubaki Nakatsukasa?" Maka asked, quirking her head to the side. "I have a few classes with her! She's really nice, congrats Blueberry."
"Blueberry?! Pfff-"
"Dude shut up!" BlackStar yelled, punching Soul's shoulder. Both he and Maka were laughing, and it took Maka a few tries to get the easel to scan right.
Soul grinned widely, eyes twinkling mischievously as he calmed down enough to talk. "I am never gonna let you live that down, 'Star."
"I've got shit on this guy that's way better," Maka promised, beaming up at Soul with her cheeks red from laughing.
Soul was temporarily caught off guard because wow, she looked pretty. A kind of pretty where her happiness seeped out of her, trying to share that joy with everyone. Soul quickly cleared his throat, looking away immediately. No need to get sappy over some girl he just met, and much less BlackStar's sister. Although she did seem kind of cool.
Maka watched him for a second longer before looking away, the red on her cheeks deepening a little. She and BlackStar talked a little longer, exchanging phone numbers and making plans to meet up sometime so they could catch up. Once BlackStar had paid for the easel, he headed out to the car, Soul following after him. "Bye BlackStar! Bye Soul! It was nice to meet you!" Maka called after them, waving happily as the next person in line came up.
Soul gave her a little wave in return, walking backwards before turning back to walk beside BlackStar. Who was sending him a look. "What?" he asked, stuffing his hands deeper into his leather jacket.
"So what did you think of Maka?" BlackStar asked casually, though he was still giving Soul a look that he recognized as the "Overprotective Older Brother Glare".
Soul shrugged, not looking at BlackStar directly lest he get the full power of his glare. "She seemed cool."
"Hmmm," was all BlackStar said on the subject, and he started to brag again about how awesome his gift was and how much Tsubaki was gonna love it. They didn't mention Maka again for the rest of the night, but Soul still took every chance he could to call BlackStar "Blueberry".
Soul hated the way people tossed away money, especially on the holidays. His family used to waste their money on extravagant galas with people they weren't even all that close with, and all for what? Just so they could preserve their high social standing.
He told himself, though, that he is not tossing away his money. He was only buying a pack of gum. He just had a craving for spearmint was all. That's what he told himself as he approached the pig-tailed cashier.
He just really wanted some gum.
"Hey Soul," Maka said, greeting him with a warm smile. It had been nearly two weeks since they had met, and he had started coming by the store almost every day. He'd just buy little things, and he always came to her register, no matter how long the line was. His little visits were quickly becoming the highlight of her day, his snarky sense of humor and sarcasm a refreshing break from the whining of adults and the screaming of children.
And let's face it, the guy was a hottie. Who wouldn't want Mr. Tall, Tan, and Handsome visiting their register everyday?
" 'Sup Maka," Soul said, tossing the little pack of gum on the conveyor belt. It's a relief to see Maka, especially today since he had to deal with a bunch of kids earlier whose parents' car he had been trying to repair. They kept asking him if he was Santa because of his white hair, to which he snarled at them with his sharp teeth.
They had quickly shut up after that, and wisely stayed on the opposite side of the garage.
"I see you had a great day at work," Maka said dryly, smirking slightly as she quirked an eyebrow at him. He had come during the slow part of the day, so they could have a nice conversation without being rushed.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. The way she could read him was ridiculous at times. "Guh, just a bunch of punk ass little kids at my job today."
"Fun!" she said sarcastically. "And you're gonna drown your sorrows in gum?" she teased, holding up the small packet.
"Yes, or you know I could stick it to the pack of their little heads when they're not paying attention," he offered, grinning mischievously at her, eyes sparking.
Maka snorted, blushing in embarrassment at the dorky sound. "I'm sure their parents would be thrilled," she said, easily ringing up the gum and tapping the display that had his total on it.
Cute. Really fucking cute. Soul grinned at her, before pulling out his wallet and handing her the bills. "Well that's what they get for sticking these ideas of the white haired Santa Claus in their heads."
"Oh please, like you didn't think every guy with white hair was Santa when you were a kid," Maka said, easily making his change and handing it and the gum over. She leaned against the ledge where people could write their checks, propping her head up on her fists. "Where's your Christmas spirit?" she teased.
Soul frowned, popping a piece of gum from his pack. His teeth nearly obliterate the piece to bits, but he continues on chewing it. "I can't stand Christmas," he grumbled, looking off to the side.
"Wha- can't stand Christmas?" Maka asked, eyebrows furrowing in concern as her head tilted to the side. "Why not?"
Soul refused to look at her face. He was expecting this response. Everyone always looked at him weird when he told them he hated Christmas. What's so wrong about that though?! He had his reasons, couldn't everyone just accept it and let him be a scrooge in peace? "I have my reasons," he muttered.
"And I have my reasons for why I hate diet soda, but this is Christmas" Maka said. "The only reasons to hate Christmas is childhood trauma or a hatred of Christmas music." She hummed thoughtfully. "Actually, I think everyone hates Christmas music after the age of 8."
"What are you, Cindy Loo Who?" Soul mumbled to himself, slouching further into his jacket. He had his fucking reasons!
She pursed her lips. "That would make you the Grinch buddy, and I hate to break it to you, but Cindy Loo wins in that movie." She reached over the conveyor, reaching into Soul's back pocket to pull out his cell phone.
Soul nearly jumped out of skin, feeling her little hand escape from his back pocket. "What the fu-?!"
Maka's tongue stuck out of her mouth as she tapped her number into his contacts and sent herself a quick text to get his number. "Unfortunately for you, I take my Who duties very seriously," she said as she worked, only half joking. "It's my new mission to find out why you hate Christmas so much," she reached back over and shoved his phone back into the pocket she had taken it from, giving his phone a cheeky little pat.
"Tis the season to be a pain the ass, am I right?" she said with a mischievous smirk.
Soul glared at her. He can't tell if she's being flirty or cheeky, but either way it doesn't matter. She didn't need to poke into his personal reasons, no one needed to! He hated Christmas and that was that. "Try all you want, bookworm, but you're not getting anything out of me."
Maka leaned into his personal space, her smirk still firmly in place. "Watch me," she whispered, pulling back with a devious little giggle.
This story is one of the many collaborations between user AquaTwin and myself, TheSilverbloodAlchemist. We've been writing together for nearly a year, and have been meaning to post our stories here on ffNet for a while. We hope you enjoy all of our fics, not just this one.
We'll put up another chapter tomorrow, but for now, this is all we have editted. Enjoy!