Disclaimer: I wouldn't be writing fanfiction if I owned Soul Eater.

Chapter 2

Benefits

"I should call him."

Maka was sprawled out on her bed in the middle of a mess of notes that weren't in order. It was after three in the afternoon and she's been doing nothing but reminiscing about last night's events, trying to focus on organizing her thoughts to start on a ten-page essay that was due the coming Monday, and contemplating whether or not she should call him…or text him…or—whatever.

She bit her lip, glaring at her cellular device and the small sheet of scrap paper he had left behind with his number scrawled on there just as nonchalantly as ever.

"Soul," was all it said as an introduction to the digits; on the back it continued, "You wrote your # with your lipstick on my stomach btw…so yeah. I have it."

She couldn't remember how she looked when she did it…and she definitely didn't remember writing anything at all last night either. He didn't lie though…the lipstick was found in the tangled sheets that she took off her bed to clean. The embarrassing thing about the lipstick?

It wasn't hers…it was Tsubaki's.

Her cheeks reddened at that thought. She would have to buy her a new stick. She wondered how Soul took the rather suggestive gesture? Was he confused? Why would he be though? She pretty much told him that she was ready to be done in every which way and around if he felt like he needed a fix or to get Black*Star to shut up about not bringing home a girl every other night.

She totally just pimped herself…for free.

She couldn't be a good prostitute if there was a "How to" book on the latter. Maka groaned, lying on her stomach, "I shouldn't call him."

But why not? What does she have to lose?

…What does she say if he picks up?

"Hey! Yeah, so…I remembered everything! Now that my hangover has cleared and I'm back to my senses…I wanted to call off the deal. Sorry for drunk negotiating with you. You can delete my number and don't worry…I'll delete yours too."

That would work…but it didn't work at the same time—call it pride maybe…she said it and she kind of wanted to continue on with it. Kind of…anyway. Even though they exchanged names, had a pretty okay conversation—they were still complete strangers—

That fucked each other last night…

GAH—that thought wouldn't kill itself in Maka's brain. She was still a bit shocked that she did what she did. There was no way Soul respected her. He was an actual cool guy…a guy she felt that she could honestly trust (seeing as she has trust issues with all men despite her mental "live a little" to-do list), and she ruined it by wanting to loosen up a little.

Her, luck.

"Maybe I should call him anyway…"

She huffed in agitation, still not sure what to say if he answered.

What if he didn't answer?

What if he sent her call straight to voicemail—

Why in the hell does she care?

Maka dropped her cell far away from her, giving up on herself. She was so difficult…and that's something to admit so willingly.

"My actions are a reflection of my father's but my intentions are a replica of my mother's…ungh…"

"Hey Maka!" Tsubaki burst through the door, turning on the vacuum cleaner, "Get cleaned up! Guests are coming over!"

The dull blond haired female had buried her face into her back-up sheets with self-loathing, "I don't care…you can be a hostess on your own!"

"But you know that's rude to not be present when guests are here!" Tsubaki vacuumed about the door before backing back into their hallway, "What have you been doing in here all of this time?"

Maka brought her face up only by so much, "Having an internal battle with myself. Decision making normally isn't that hard for me to do."

"If you can call it that…you just act and think later," Tsubaki turned off the fairly small device before grinning to her friend, "Get ready please?"

Maka stared at her with an easygoing smile, "No."

The slightly older female of the two huffed disapprovingly, "Maka…please."

Green eyes stared into indigo eyes before faltering and looking away, "Fine. I hate when you do that."

Tsubaki smiled innocently before closing the door behind her to leave Maka alone. The ashy blond hairs were pulled up into a messy ponytail (Tsubaki and a few other friends used to never shut up about her pulling her hair into pigtails) before standing to her feet and looking for an outfit to throw on for their guests. She should've asked Baki who they were expecting but didn't feel like bothering her. Gathering the necessary items to run to their shared bathroom, she gave one last glance at her scattered notes, promised herself she will buckle down and get to working once their guests leave, and then left the room, not noticing her phone beginning to vibrate.

After putting on a red hoodie and khaki shorts once she was done washing up, she walked outside the bathroom to find Tsubaki greeting whoever was at the door. Maka yawned, walking into the living room to sit on the couch, legs pulled up, arms crossed, and eyes looking over the display of friendly snacks.

"I brought beer!"

"Black*Star…seriously? Can you have fun being sober for once?"

Maka's face screwed into distaste. She invited that damn moron over? Getting up, she sneered to herself, ready to retreat into the confinements of her bedroom to work.

"Speaking of sober…looks like your friend is doing okay."

His voice made her stop in her tracks before she whirled towards the door to see Soul taking off his leather jacket and Black*Star sitting the pack of beer on the ground with a disappointed look on his face. The only person to keep him from chugging alcohol down his throat is Tsubaki. Interesting.

"Yeah, she vowed to never get drunk again because of the hangover," Tsubaki easily replied, Maka gaping at her in the background.

"I knew the goody-goody two shoes couldn't hold her liquor!" Black*Star taunted, wicked grin plastered all over his features.

Maka made a face, wanting to retort but keeping it to herself. Soul raised a brow at her before elbowing his friend in the gut, "That's to be expected you idiot. People who don't drink on the regular compared to you will have trouble holding it."

"That's because I'm so great of an alcohol intaker."

"What the hell does that even mean?" Soul muttered with a roll of his eyes.

Tsubaki giggled, stopping Black*Star from continuing on with the small argument, "We got some snacks there and we could probably play—"

"STRIP POKER! Do NOT deny your LORD Baki!" Black*Star roared passionately.

Maka sighed, turning back to her room to leave the overbearing scene when she heard Soul call out to her nonchalantly, "Unless you're doing something cooler in that room you should hang out here with everyone else."

Her shoulders tensed before she turned to face the three of them with a sheepish look on her face, "I have a ten-page essay due this Monday and—I'm not really up for playing Strip Poker—"

"Laaammmeee~" Black*Star interrupted, making a vein visibly pop angrily on Maka's forehead.

Soul perked his brows at her, eyes showing no hint of caring about her dilemma, further reminding her of their "deal". She grumbled, hating the way he looked at her expectantly as she boldly marched up to him, grabbed him by his white shirt, and pulled him into her bedroom. Closing the door, she locked it, turning hotly to him to only jump in shock to find him close to her, hands in his jean pockets.

He rubbed the back of his neck absently, "It looks a little different with the lights on…"

"You left in the morning—"

"It wasn't that light out at the time," he looked down at her, amused, "So…What's up? Why'd'ya pull me in here?"

"Well…I didn't bring you in here so we could have sex."

Soul shrugged, "Okay."

She wasn't expecting him to respond that easily and calmly to the cockblock. Testing her luck, she continued, "I brought you in here because—I want to call off the deal."

His brow rose.

"I was drunk and didn't know what I was thinking …"

Soul turned from her, looking around her room in slight interest. He noticed the sheet change on her bed, his gaze lingering.

"Plus…I doubt I'll ever drink alcohol again. That hangover was terrible. After you left I threw up some, drunk gallons of water afterwards—still felt a little sick—I'm also not the type to have casual sex—it's just—"

"I didn't take you as the type to go back on your word."

That shut her up. She frowned, watching him sit on the edge of her bed easily. He gave her an indifferent smirk, "I thought…you were cooler than that."

Did he know that he was jabbing at her pride? It unsettled her, lips pursed defiantly. Soul then laid back, hands supporting his head as he let a relaxed sigh escape him, "The girl I met last night…is more bad ass than the one here making up excuses to get out of a deal that she made up in the first place..."

Maka glared.

"The girl last night was pretty bold, stubborn, and unpredictable…but this one…" He shrugged his shoulders, "This one is way too easy to read."

Her stomach lurched at those words.

"The deal was to let that other side of you show more—"

"—And have sex whenever you feel like it," Maka murmured shamefully.

He sat up, elbows helping him as he made a noise of disagreement, "Yeah. But I won't force you if you don't want to. That's not what cool guys do…plus…I'd rather you be sober instead."

Maka blushed despite herself, making Soul smirk before he laid back down, "It's not everyday a girl seduces me…and does it successfully…while drunk as hell."

She rolled her eyes, "Glad to be one of the few to be able to do that."

"The only one but whatever," Soul sat up completely, "Still want to call off the deal?"

Her mouth grew tight before letting out a stubborn, "No."

He grinned lazily, picking up her phone that lay beside him, "I called you—"

"You…did?"

"Yeah. Just to warn you that we were coming."

Her hands clasped behind her back as she rocked on her heels, "Oh…hey…sorry about writing my number on you with lipstick."

The edge of his mouth twitched, his eyes looking up to her ceiling in hesitation, "That wasn't the only thing you wrote."

She blinked, letting out a meek, "What?"

"You wrote 'Maka's'…and then an arrow pointing down—"

"…Not up? At my number?"

"Nope. Definitely down. At my dick."

Her whole face burned, "You're lying."

"No…you told me you did it yourself. I thought you were lying."

Maka frowned, face still burning. She was the female version of her father! Her worst nightmare has become a reality. Never again! Never again will alcohol go down her throat.

Soul slouched, "It's whatever. Don't waste your time stressing about it. I thought it was funny."

She shook her head, not finding the words to further disagree with him. He looked at her listlessly before standing up, walking over to her. She tensed, her green eyes trying to figure out his next move.

"Relax will ya?" Soul walked behind her, his hands on her shoulders, squeezing and forcing her to relax. He then continued, his breath tickling her neck suggestively, "Let me lead okay?"

"Mmm…I…I have a problem…trusting men…so…I don't know if I could let you lead that much—"

"You trusted me enough to make the deal right? You can trust me to take the lead…I won't lead you into doing anything you don't want to do."

Who knew he was such a gentleman under that slightly cold, "cool guy", aloof demeanor of his? Maka's head turned to her right to better address him, "So…what kind of relationship is this?"

Soul's hands stopped momentarily, "Hm…Friends with benefits?"

She surprisingly couldn't help but nod in agreement. It wasn't like they were both searching for a significant other…she didn't trust herself to fall for any man what-so-ever. Plus…it's safer this way. Feelings will not interfere with this agreement. He didn't seem like the type to be tied down so easily even though he showed signs of being a gentleman. She didn't have it in her heart to be in a relationship that could potentially be like her father's and mother's.

An obnoxiously loud knock at her door stopped Soul. The two looked at each other in question before they made a face at the voice that came shouting soon after, "ARE YOU TWO BUMPING NASTIES IN THERE? BAKI AND I ARE HEADING OUT!"

Unlocking the door, Soul opened it to address his outrageous friend, "You're loud because?"

"C'mon! Let's go! I should've known you two weren't doing anything remotely fun in there," Black*Star chided.

Maka wrinkled her nose, "Like you would know."

Black*Star raised a brow at her before smirking, "Oh? So something did go down in here huh?"

The words, "Screw you!" were caught in her throat as Soul retorted nonchalantly, "It would've if you weren't being such a jack ass. You two can go without us."

"You don't even know where we were going!" The blue haired man argued while Maka gaped at what Soul said before his last statement. So he DID have plans to have his way with her! The nerve of him…though…she knew she shouldn't have gotten mad.

"The club?" Soul replied in monotune.

"…well…STILL."

"Stop shouting. I'm right here."

"You'll be missing out on my presence then…replacing it with Ms. Bookworm here. You better be getting some ass—"

"MAKACHOP!"

"ACK! THE FUCK WAS THAT—"

"—For being such a disrespectful asswhole," Maka tossed her dictionary to the side with agitation, ignoring the wide-eyed Soul, "It was an overdue chop too. Believe me, there have been plenty of incidents that deserve a chop to that arrogant head of yours."

Her slender arms wrapped themselves about Soul's torso, further surprising him, "And what Soul and I do behind closed doors is none of your concern. I don't ask what Baki and you do when I'm not around…I think we both deserve that same respect."

Black*Star narrowed his eyes, then he grinned wickedly, "So…what? You two are an item now?"

"Nah," Soul regained his resolve, "Friends with benefits."

Black*Star whistled, impressed, looking over Maka as Tsubaki looked wide-eyed in the background, "Well…Didn't think you had it in you Bookworm."

This was the moment Soul and her wanted; Black*Star finally agreeing to leaving them alone about…well… butting into their personal/private endeavors.

Maka shrugged though, borrowing some of Soul's nonchalance, letting him go to sit on her bed. Soul turned to her, smirking, as he closed the door on Black*Star's retreating frame,

"See? You didn't need alcohol for that."

Flushed, Maka beamed, "What now?"

He shrugged, "It's up to you…what defines 'Living a little'?"

Looking thoughtful, Maka scratched her neck sheepishly, "Skinny-dipping?"

Soul's mouth fell, "What?"

The ashy blond haired young woman laughed at his rather exaggerated facial expression. She didn't know his face knew how to make such a look he was so laidback and apathetic.

He gave her a look of disbelief before her laughter made him laugh, "You're really something…you know that?"

A/N:I'm pretty sure we all have an idea as to what's going to happen next chapter. (Bounces eyebrows)