It had come up as conversation in the later stages of their relationship. Much much later, when it was safe to say that it was, for lack of a better word, appropriate, to speak of such things.

Was it ever 'appropriate'? Maka thought, embarrassed, and hiding her gaze from Soul, whose eyes were trained relentlessly on her twitchy form beside him on the couch.

"Come on, Maka, just tell me about it."

Maka couldn't remember quite clearly when she had first mentioned it, but she had definitely been less than coherent; waking groggily from a vivid dream and mumbling deliriously, or maybe late one night after one too many drinks and too loose lips. Maka could admit that the topic had crossed her mind actively, but never actively enough to want to openly discuss it with her weapon, or should she say, er, boyfriend… (She hated that juvenile term, but what else was there to call him, exactly? She supposed it was enough knowing that they both understood that what they had ran much deeper.)

And knowing Soul, at the time that she had first brought it up, (whenever that had been and despite the fact that it escaped her memory now) he had probably shrugged it off smoothly and superficially appeared unaffected in that oh so perfected way of his, but secretly, had kept the information she accidentally let out filed away, where he would remember it effortlessly until he decided that it was time to brush off the dust. That time being now, apparently.

"Quit shaking your leg like that, you're moving the whole couch." Maka swung her legs up onto the cushions and sat cross-legged at Soul's remark.

"Ungh. Sorry." She mumbled, vaguely indignant. "I've just never talked about this kind of thing before."

"Yeah, I should hope not." Soul didn't miss a beat.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maka immediately went on the defensive. "That I'm not entitled to that kind of behavior?"

"No, Maka-

"I'm too school-girl or something?"

Soul fixed her with a glare. "You're entitled to whatever you want, sheesh. I'm just a possessive kind of person. I don't like the idea of you with two other-"

"Ok, I get it, sorry." Maka quickly cut him off, cheeks pink. Geez, if she couldn't even talk about talking about it, how was she supposed to talk about it? "So if you don't like thinking about that, why do want to talk about it?"

"Well, it's a different circumstance. It's you and me, Maka, and someone else that I know and trust. Besides, I never said I was opposed to the actual act."

"Justwhen you aren't involved." Maka finished the thought for him.

"Exactly." Soul grinned a familiar grin, and her already stressed nerves went haywire.

"Well…"Maka sighed, trying to decide where to begin, "You brought this up-

"Technically you're the first one who brought it up-

"You brought this up Soul-" he chuckled by her side "-so tell me what you want to do about it."

Soul ran a hand through the hair at the nape of his neck, leaning forward with his arms crossed over his knees and his head turned, eyes regarding her contemplatively. There was about fifteen seconds of utter silence where Maka studied him with a little frown, their eyes locked.

"What's there to talk about? I want to do it."

The words fell out of his mouth and danced around her head, mocking her, and she sputtered with furrowed brows, becoming increasingly frustrated because she had nothing to be frustrated about, because her weapon and partner had just good naturedly stated that he wanted to indulge in her most risqué of sexual fantasies without even a hint of reluctance and just how could he talk about this so easily?

"Well uh, wow." Maka shifted in her space on the couch again, subconsciously wavering from the heavy presence of Soul's collected, calm aura next to her. "I didn't expect that kind of answer." Her voice was dry.

"Why do you sound upset?"

Maka felt a pang of guilt for the hint of unease in Soul's voice. She quickly backtracked.

"No, it's not that I'm upset…Maybe…I just thought there would be a lot more to…go over…"

"Go over?" Soul clutched his sides and laughed freely, that alluring, dark but friendly sound. It never failed to make Maka's blood rush, but right now she ignored her desire take his clothes off because he was laughing and they were trying to have a very serious conversation.

At her steely silence, Soul recovered, still smirking though, and began, "Hey, don't give me that look. I just can't believe you're treating this like some kind of exam or something."

"You're cavalier attitude isn't doing much for me." Maka answered, carefully watching his eyes glint.

"Well someone's got to balance you out."

"Seriously, Soul. Why is this so easy for you?"

Her question seemed to actually throw him off kilter, and Maka appreciated the frown and hooded gaze that he leveled her with.

"I don't see what's so hard about it. Sure it could be a touchy subject for some. But I know you want it and I'm willing. So that's that, right?"

Maka stared at him, perplexed.

"But most guys would…For most guys, this is usually really uncomfortable territory."

"Come on, Maka. Being narrow-minded and stuffy about sexuality isn't cool." For a moment, it seemed like he was making fun of his own choice of words. Stepping outside of his persona and creating irony in the fact that he had used his favorite word. It just amplified her sudden, awestruck state of admiration for this boy, who sat back on the couch, elbow propped on the armrest and head resting in his palm, red eyes glittering at her like little fragments of pure energy.

"It's really amazing that you just said that." She finally managed, feeling entirely vulnerable all of the sudden because he was remaining completely and utterly still, watching her, the only movement from him the glint of light in his eyes, and he looked like some kind of mythical creature from a fairy tale that might have a silver tongue and nimble fingers and trick you into doing really inappropriate things with him.

But he was still Soul, and even with that rush of adrenaline and faux danger, she'd probably do all those inappropriate things anyway and enjoy every second. Because her weapon, and partner, had just clarified that he was absolutely ok with sexual activity with another male.

"So?" Soul still didn't shift as he spoke. Maka felt like he was inside her with that gaze of his. "When are we going to call up Death the Kid?"