A/N: I'm on a roll, people!

Although this is short, I really like how it came out. Though, I think I might have exaggerated their personalities a little.

I do not own any of the characters in this fanfiction (damn-it).

Reward

"How awesome am I? Tell me, you know you want to. I'm really cool, and you just got to admit it. Where's my reward?"

Maka Albarn, a young girl at sixteen, currently a second star Meister at Shibusen Academy, glared at her partner and weapon, Soul "Eater" Evans. He had actually made her dinner when it was actually her turn to make dinner – yes, creepy, right? - and now he was bragging about it. Sure, Maka was happy that he'd actually bothered with making it, and it tasted delicious. But he was such a braggart.

"The food was great, Soul," she confirmed, which made his smirk grow even bigger, "but I won't give you a reward."

"Oh really now?" he said, staring her down. "And why won't you?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You know what," she rose up, carried her plate to the sink and turned the water on, "I like it when you manage to pull things like these off, Soul. It's when you start bragging that I stop being impressed."

"Well, you don't praise me unless I make a big deal out of it," Soul complained as Maka started rinsing her plate under the hot water.

"What do you mean? I always praise you. I feel like I'm a dog owner sometimes."

"Because you always scold me for things I say or do."

"Soul, are you secretly a woman? You stopped making sense just now. How did me not giving you a reward result in this conversation, anyway?"

Soul silenced and looked out the window in the living room from his seat in the kitchen.

"I was happy, really happy. Because you went all out like this," Maka said, turning the water off and turning towards him while leaning her hands on the edge of the sink behind her. She was referring to the neat job he had done with the table and arrangements of the food. It had actually seemed a bit professional. Soul didn't look directly at her, just sort of turned his face toward her and looked at something else.

"Do you really want a reward that much?" He nodded and looked up at her. Oh no. Not the puppy-eyes. Anything but the puppy-eyes! Maka tried staring him down, but his gaze became even wider. She sighed and walked over to him.

"What do you want? Candy? A hug? A pat on the head? What?" He didn't answer, just gazed at her with the same look. If Maka's hunch was right, she would have to...
Maka bent down and moved closer. Soul closed his eyes halfway as their faces came closer. The look in his eyes made Maka hold her breath. She had decided to just hug him, but suddenly she felt like that wouldn't be enough. In a swift movement, she leaned in closer and placed her lips on his cheek. Soul stiffened for a second, then, when she parted from him and straightened her back, he relaxed and looked away.

"M-maybe that sort of thing isn't a reward..." Maka muttered and looked away, blushing. Soul shook his head, and Maka looked at him. She was almost certain she saw him smiling for a second.

"That was the definition for a reward," he whispered. This, Maka didn't hear.

A/N: Random randomity