A/N: All of you fellow Soul Eater Anime watcher must have been guessing about Soul's old headband (I'm talking about the anime. If you ask about the manga, the eat sticker is on his locker and the soul sticker is on Maka's sleeve). This is my take about his headband. Please enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER. ATSUSHI OHKUBO DOES.

Headband of Masculinity

Soul has been keeping his precious things under his bed. It's the only place Maka won't tidy. One day, he decided to clean things under his bed. He can smell rotten food there, just to make sure. They are not really busy these days, since the kishin is already down.

"Yep, pizza box, banana peel, carton milk, wait? Black*Star's sock?" Soul takes piece by piece of the junks, until he sees something familiar. It's his old headband. He smiles. It has been trough a lot of memory.

~Flashback~

Maka and Soul had just moved out together. And they had finished their first battle with a kishin egg, and they both succeeded.

"Hey Maka, I think my hair is ruining my super cool performance." Soul twirls his hair in annoyance.

"Just go and buy a headband? Won't you?" Maka doesn't look away from her book.

"I've seen them. I don't like the models." Soul shrugs his shoulder.

"Ah! Your birthday is coming up right?" Maka smiles.

"Oh yeah, I'm turning 13 next week." Soul rubs the back of his neck.

"I know just what to do." Maka rushes to her room.

Since that day, Maka always gets to her room after school. She scribbles the design of a cool headband. Buy fabric, sew it, and even make stickers. And finally, It's Soul's birthday.

"Happy birthday, Soul! There's not much to give but, yeah… Hope you like it…" Maka hands him a red box.

"Oh yeah, thanks." Soul is pretty concerned by her hands. Almost all her fingers are bandaged. But her smile is so cheerful, so he ignored the wounds and unwraps his present.

"Wow! A headband! Cool…!" he smiles as he put it on.

"Thanks! Make sure you take a good care of it, okay? I spent almost a week to make it!" She chuckles.

~Present~

Soul smiles at the memory. Until now, the headband is still in a good condition. He keeps his words. But, it's a little shabby, since he never put it off, except it's night time. He even brought the headband to weapon camp. He thinks it keeps him close with Maka.

Soul can bet that Maka is a little jealous with his new headband. But honestly, Soul thinks that Maka's handmade headband is pretty cool. Soul takes off his black headband and wears his old one. He feels like his old self again. Not really mature and feels all cool. Well, he still thinks himself as a cool guy, but he is more snobbish about it on the old days.

And another memories start to come cross his mind.

~Flashback~

"Hey Soul…" Maka asks him, as she wields him in a schyte mode.

"Yeah. I'm ready." Soul replies. Drool starts to fall.

"Geraldo the butcher! Your soul is mine!" Maka spins Soul up and do her battle pose.

"Hehehe little girl. You won't take my soul!" Geraldo screams as he aims his knife at Maka.

The battle went on, and Maka is struggling. It's their fifth battle, but their souls haven't sync really well. Maka trips a little when Geraldo tries to cut her in half. Maka also falls down when Geraldo trips him.

"Hey Maka! Focus!" Soul shouts in his schyte mode.

"I'm trying to! It's your fault Soul! Why won't you just get this thing right!" Maka hits the schyte's handle.

"Maka! Watch out!" Soul screams, as Maka is knocked unconscious by Geraldo.

"I'll have to fight by myself!" Soul turns back at Maka.

"I'm going to protect you." Soul whisper softly at Maka.

Clangs and pangs start to be audible, as Maka starts to get back to her senses. Soul is in pinch. Geraldo tries to cut Soul's head. Soul tries to think.

Think, think, think, fast! Think Soul! If I move a little, He won't cut my head in half, but if I move, my headband will be cut in half! I need to do something!

"DIE! KID!" Geraldo aims his knive at Soul's head, but Soul changes one of his arm to a schyte and protects his headband from the knive. Maka suddenly snaps awake, as she sees the horrifying look of Soul's bleeding hand.

"SOUL! You idiot!" Maka sprints forward and Soul changes as a schyte. Maka spins him and cuts Geraldo in half. Soul takes his soul and eats it.

"Thanks for the grub…" Soul clasped his hands together in front of his chest.

"Soul… Why did you protect your headband?" Maka takes his bleeding hand and wipes it with her handkerchief.

"I don't want it to be broken." Soul looks away.

"But look what you did! Your hand is bleeding! I can always sew it again!" Maka soften her eyes as she takes her extra bandages from her pocket and wraps his hand.

"You're an awful sewer. Your hand is full of bandage every time you sew my clothes. I don't want to bother you! Soul blushes.

"Look. I don't want to see you hurt again, okay?" Maka secures the bandage and taps his headband.

"Are you okay? That knock must be painful…" Soul changes the subject and checks her head.

"Nothing is wrong! I'm fine! Just a little bruises. I can get away with it. But anyway your headband is full of blood. I guess I need to wash it!" Maka pats his shoulder.

'C'mon I'm starving!" Soul instructs Maka to move.

"Oh yeah! Coming!" Maka follows his trails and hops on his motorcycle. She clings to his waist as he drive off.

~End of Flashback~

"Soul… SOUL!" Maka shouts as she enters his room.

"Oh! Oh! Wait! Wait!" Soul tries to put off his headband, but it's stuck at his head.

"Oh man… How unlucky…" Soul rubs his head.

"Found ya! What are you doing with your old headband?" Maka closes the door.

"Nothing…" Soul blushes.

"Hey! Neat! So this is what you have been hiding under your bed!" Maka points at the banana peel, pizza box, Black*Star's sock, and a pile of papers.

"I'll clean it up!" Soul panickly tidy up his things

"Fine, clean it up, okay?" Maka slaps Soul's back and goes back to living room.

"By the way, I made cookies outside. If you have finished, come outside!" Maka giggles and walks happily outside.

"No matter how violent she is, I'm still gonna protect her." Soul winces in pain. He takes off his old headband and stares at it. That headband is the living witness of his attempt to protect her. Their battle with Professor Stein, when Crona tries to cut him half, Free's incident, and many more. That headband is the proof of his loyalty to Maka.

A/N: I'm going nuts trying to make the last sentences. Real hard time. Real hard time. Well then, it's pretty cheesy, and please review, and review! I LOVE YOUR WORDS! Sorry for grammar errors and typos.