She first saw the flyer while running late for a coffee date with some kid Liz had set her up with. The paper was stark white against the neon flyers for various clubs that were around the college town, and Maka just had to know what was on it. Usually, the white flyers were plastered with the face of a missing animal or person. This one only had two words typed onto it.
First Kiss
Well, there was more on it, a phone number that was printed onto several rip-off slips that hung from the bottom of the sheet. She was curious. She'd always been curious, it was in her nature. She told herself that she should just keep walking, go met that Hiro guy Liz had told her about and apologize for being late, but she reached out, tore a slip off, and ran her eyes over the number. She took her phone out, slide her thumb over the screen to unlock it and dialed the number.
One phone call later, and one ditched date, Maka found out that she'd plucked the number for an art project. One of the students at her college, an art major who was doing their Concentration project on the study of how strangers interact with each other, was looking for volunteers to take part in a 'First Kiss' with a total stranger. The artist, a girl namedTsugumi Harudori, was taking the first twenty people who agreed to participate in the project.
"It's quite alright if you don't wish to participate," the girl said frantically over the line after telling Maka that if she would help then Tsugumi would have all twenty volunteers, "I can wait a little longer. The project isn't due until April."
"No, I'd actually love to help out!" Maka had already turned and started walking home, forgetting all about her blind date. "I think your concept it beautiful! I don't know too much about the arts, but I'd love to help you out."
"Oh, sweet! Thank you so much …"
"Maka. Maka Albarn."
"Yes, yes! That's right! Maka Albarn! I'll put your name down."
After a few more moments of Tsugumi thanking Maka, she told the blonde that the shooting was going to take place in two days at Room 42 in the art building. She repeated the location and time, twelve o'clock sharp, about ten times before the two finally ended the call.
Maka didn't really understand why she'd agreed to taking part. Maybe it was because the poor girl needed just one more person for her project to be a success, or maybe she just wanted to do something crazy for once. Whatever it was, she felt excitement and nervousness at the thought of some stranger kissing her. She wasn't an expert at kissing, but she had shared a few hot kisses in her twenty-two years of life. What if when she kissed whomever she was suppose to, she messed up? What if they messed up? Oh God, she really didn't want to kiss someone who was bad at it.
Whatever, she'd just have to wait and see what happens.
It seemed like she blinked and it was the day of the project. She'd woken up at ten, which rarely happens, made and drank two full pots of coffee and ironed the black skirt she was going to wear. After the project, she was suppose to go out with Liz and Patti to explain why she stood up Hiro. Maka would have to dress nice for the older girl, Liz being a fashion major and always buying Maka clothes that she knew Maka'd never wear. But today was special. She was going to be in an art project, and dammit, she was going to look at least a little fashionable. Her usual plaid skirt and white shirt wasn't going to cut it. Maka huffed as she stood outside of her closet, tapping a foot. What to wear, what to wear …
She glanced back at the skirt that she ironed, something Liz had bought her a few months back. If Maka remembered correctly, the girl also bought Maka a shirt that was suppose to go with it. Something with stripes. She looked at a black-and-white long sleeved shirt and pulled it out, her face turning pink when she realized the wide, open back. She looked back at the skirt. If she wore the skirt, but not the shirt, Liz would notice and have a cow. That damned girl remembered every article of clothing and every outfit she'd ever bought. But it was almost eleven thirty and she had to leave soon, so putting together another outfit in the next five minutes was a no-no.
Maka sighed, pulled the shirt on and the skirt over it, sliding her boots on before fishing her keys out of her backpack, throwing the bag over her shoulder. Her alarm clock told her that she was three minutes late in leaving and Maka cursed under her breath. She quickly made her way down the steps of her apartment complex, tugging her hair up into her signature pigtails, car keys held from her lips. Within a few minutes, her hair was up and she was driving towards the college.
Suddenly her heart started to race along with various thoughts in her mind. What if she really was a bad kisser? What if she really was a bad kisser all along, but her past boyfriends were too so they never said anything? What if her breath smelled bad? Shit, what is she tasted like coffee?! She had two pots of it for Christ sakes! Two pots?! Who has that much!
Maka cursed as she parked outside of the building, knuckles turning white as she gripped the steering wheel. Keep calm, keep cool. This was for that Tsugumi girl, to help her with her art project. It was just a kiss from someone who she'd probably never see in her life ever again. Never. So why was she getting so worked up over it.
"Fuck," she groaned, leaning back into her seat.
"E-excuse me?"
Maka looked out her window, which had been rolled down this whole time, to see a young, dark haired girl standing there with wide eyes. A camera was hanging around her neck, a bag hanging off of her shoulder which had a laptop peering out of it and a cord hanging from it. Shit. This was Tsugumi, Maka just knew it.
"Sorry, I'm just-you're Tsugumi, right? Maka Albarn." Maka reached out of the window and Tsugumi took the older girls hand, a smile rippling across her young face as she shook Maka's hand thoroughly.
"Of course! I see it now! Sorry, I was just a little caught off guard." Tsugumi adjusted her bag on her shoulder and stepped to the side so Maka could get out of the car. "You're just in time. Everyone's else is here, I was just running to my car to grab some other things."
"Haha, sorry, I'm usually not late. I was just trying to figure out what to wear."
"Well you look great! Artistic! Are you in the arts program? Oh no, that's right, you said you're not very good with the arts. Woops, that slipped my mind." Maka smiled at the young girls babbling as they both walked up to the building. "Anyways, at first I was unsure who to pair you up with, but after that, er, little moment back there, I know just who your partner will be!"
"Oh, really," Maka raised a brow, holding the door open for the girl. "What's their name?"
"Well, then you wouldn't be kissing a stranger!" Tsugumi smiled wide and then nodded down the hall. "The first door. Your partners in there. You guys will go first since he has to leave in half an hour."
"O-oh, first? Are you sure?" Maka blushed deeply and Tsugumi just nodded, shuffling to the room. Maka followed behind, her hands pulling at the bottom of her skirt lightly. Tsugumi opened the door, walked in and settle her things on a small, foldable table. Maka glanced into the room, a tall, gray backdrop set up. Her wide eyes then moved to the man she was going to be kissing.
Oh no.
He was hot.
He wasn't facing her at the moment, he was actually turned to the side, inspecting one of the lights Tsugumi had set up. He was taller than her, and she could tell that he was fit. The white shirt he wore was the slightest bit see through and when he rolled his shoulders, the muscles of his back rippled. He had his hands shoved into the pockets of his dark jeans, and when he turned around, she could see locks of white hair peeking out from under his grey beeny. Red eyes looked at her, traced her face, her neck and her body, before going back to her own eyes. Maka sucked in her lips, took a deep breath, and walked into the room, over to the man. She stood in front of him, rocking on her heels a little as a deep blush began to set into her cheeks.
"You guys can, ah, start whenever." Tsugumi said, standing behind her camera which was now propped up on a tripod.
"O-okay," Maka stuttered, looking over to the women to avoid the warm gaze of this (hot) stranger.
"I'm Soul," he started, putting out his hand. Maka shook it, introducing herself with a small voice because his voice was deep and rough and that only added onto his attractiveness. Fuck.
"So, ah, do you go to the college around here?" Maka asked, trying to break the tension in the room.
"Ah, yeah. I'm a music theory major." He scratched the back of his neck, his own blush appearing. "That's why I have to leave early. Have to study for a test I have coming up."
"Music theory? I haven't met anyone studying music." Maka's green eyes went wide and Soul smiled. "I'm a psych major."
"Oh, that's rough. One of my friends is doing that too." Soul said, hands coming out of his pockets. Good, that meant he was a little more relaxed, which also meant that Maka could calm down a little bit as well. She was just getting filmed kissing the boy, not making some hardcore porno.
Soul sucked in his bottom lip as he looked at her own lips. She took as shaking breath as he looked down, shuffling a little closer to her. Maka stepped forward, looking to the side as she let out a shaking breath, trying to calm her speeding heart. She watched as his hands reached out the slightest, his long fingers curling around hers, caressing her hands gently. Maka swallowed hard as she glanced up at him, only to see his red eyes looking right back at her. Their foreheads brushed together, noses gently moving across the others cheek. Maka lifted her hands from his, bringing her arms around his neck loosely as he turned to look at Tsugumi, asking if they could start whenever.
After given the clear, Soul looked back at Maka, his hands running up her hips and sides, resting on her ribcage as he gently tugged her closer, lips pressing softly to her. They were chapped and warm and, she could tell right away, experienced. Her eyelids fluttered closed as his hands moved up again, cupping her face gently. His mouth was open and hot against hers as she gasped, his tongue cautiously prodding hers. She let out a little nose that wasreally embarrassing, given that she had just met the damned man, and her arms left their place from around his neck, her hands trailing down to hold his arms. He tasted a little like smoke and coffee and she loved itHe held onto her face gently but with the sole purpose of holding her so he could kiss the daylights out of her. His mouth was hot, his teeth were sharp and his tongue had a mind of it's own. Maka's touch traveled lower, her palms pressed against his upper ribcage until she clutched to his shirt when he tugged her bottom lip with his teeth. She pushed herself into him, their bodies molded as the moved together with the kiss, rocking back and forth as they kissed one another as if they'd been in a relationship for years.
Soul's arms suddenly wrapped around her, and Maka could have sworn that he let out a moan when his palms pressed flat against her bare back. She wrapped her arms back round his neck, pushing onto her toes as her tongue pushed past his lips, sliding over his teeth. Her fingers played with the few locks that escaped the hem of his beeny and she wondered what it would be like to actually lace her fingers into his locks.
Maka felt one of his hands travel lower, fingers spreading flat onto her lower back before he palmed her ass gently, pulling her hips against his. His other hand pressed against the soft flesh between her shoulder blades, making her arch her back. The kiss began to lose it's heat, tongue darting out cautiously and slowly until they gave each other a few soft pecks, Soul straying from her lips to kiss her cheek and jaw a few times. They separated a moment, her arms still locked around his neck and his holding her flush against him. Maka licked her lips, her cheeks on fire and probably as red at his eyes.
She unwrapped her arms, and Soul did the same, taking a step back. Maka couldn't help the giddy grin that danced it's way to her lips and she turned her back to him, pressing her face into her hands as she let out a long, embarrassed groan. Soul chuckled, pushing his hands back inside of his pants, his own lips pulled into a giant grin. Maka looked at him for a moment before her face lit up again and she opened her mouth to say something, but stopped and shook her head, looking back at the ground.
"You're face it turning red. Don't forget to breath, babe." Soul smiled, giving her a wink.
"Oh my god, thank you guys so much!" Tsugumi broke the (sexual) tension that was growing between the two strangers, clapping her hands after she stopped the video. "Really, thank you so much. I'll call you two when the video is all put together, promise!"
"Y-yeah," Maka looked to Soul who was still looking at her, and then gave Tsugumi a smile. "I had, ah, fun. Thanks Tsugumi. Soul."
Maka quickly left the room and she heard Tsugumi and Soul talk for a moment, their voices muffled by the closed door as she made her way towards the front door. Her heart was pounding, her cheeks were red and she may have been a little turned on. Damn, that boy knew how to kiss. She bit her lip as she remembered the way his teeth nibbled on it, knowing that no other man could have the same effect from doing such a thing to her. He was just that damned good, and Maka's mind wondered off, thinking about what it would feel like if his teeth were pressed against her neck, or her collarbones or her-
"Hey! Maka!"
And she had just gotten to her car.
"Fuck," Maka hissed lowly, turning on her heel. She wasn't suppose to talk to him, they weren't suppose to meet again. After kissing some stranger like that, she was hoping to never see him again to save herself from utter embarrassment. But there he was, jogging after her with a messenger bag around his shoulder. He was smiling, showing off those beautiful teeth which made her heart jump for a single moment. "Hey, Soul. What's, ah, what's up?"
"I, ah, was wondering …" Soul scratched the back of his neck before pulling off the beeny, revealing fluffy, white locks. (Damn, if he hadn't been wearing that hat …) His own cheeks were pink and he gave her a sheepish grin, peering at her from his eyelashes.
"Ah, yeah, yeah, I'd love to." She blinked rapidly and Soul's grin grew wider.
"Cool. So … when do you wanna … we could do, ah, something or do something else if you don't want to."
Maka giggled, nodding. "Something sounds nice. Here, let me …"
She opened the back door to her car, rummaged through her backpack before pulling out a Sharpie. She turned back around, raising a brow as Soul's eyes snapped up to her own. He was checking out her ass. The thought made her grin a little, but she just walked over to him, tugged on his arm and wrote her number down as neatly as she could with her shaking hands. She hesitated for a moment before making a small heart next to the last digit and capped the marker. Soul looked down at it, smirking and then looked back to her, the blush back.
"So, ah, I'll call you later?"
"Yeah, sure."
Maka turned to go start her car when Soul reached out, tugging on her wrist lightly. She glanced over and he gave her a snarky grin, wiggling his eyebrows.
"What, no kiss goodbye?"
Maka blushed, quickly turned back to him and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. His skin was warm and when she stepped back, he looked shocked, as if he wasn't expecting her to actually kiss him. She winked, stepping into her car and started it. Soul moved out of the way so she could back up, and then she rolled her window down, shouting out to him.
"If you want anymore kisses like the first one, you have to buy me at least dinner and a movie."
Soul smirked, nodding to the girl. "I think I can manage that."
"Let's hope."
With that, she drove out of the parking lot, Soul watching her car. His smirk was still plastered to his face as he walked to his motorcycle. His looked down to her phone number on his arm, letting out a chuckle at the small heart she put. Oh yeah, he was definitelycalling this girl.