Author's Note #1: So I don't own Soul Eater. I don't have the slightest idea how long this story will be, or where it's going, but it seems it'll be the early days of their partnership. My past stories also pursue this idea that's proposed here, that Maka and Soul did not just magically click together, so they have to work on it. Though they use "hateful" words, they are just playful near the end. I hope you guys like it. I also wanted to balance them out more, because while I do think they have a pretty equal partnership, I've seen so many fics that make Soul kinda like ... her slave? I don't know how to describe it, I don't get a really big "lay down for her" vibe from Soul, more like, "I care for her a lot and will do anything" but not like, "I'll let her walk all over me". So yeah ... I hope you guys like it.
Normal
by: Setkia
"Soul, do you just walk around carrying pads?"
The problem Soul has isn't that he doesn't trust her. It's just that he doesn't trust her.
To be fair, Maka doesn't trust him either. She hasn't said she doesn't trust him, but he knows she doesn't. And he's okay with that, it makes him feel better about not trusting her.
He's used to politicians who lie through their teeth for deals, used to people with pursed lips false-praising him for his "skills" with the ivory keys. He's used to fake people. He's used to distrusting people. And he can tell from the way she always glares at him that she's used to being suspicious of people.
He just thinks it isn't fair that she can yell at him for not trusting her when she doesn't even trust him.
It's a two-way street of distrust.
Soul thinks that if Maka could open up slightly to him, he'd be okay with trusting her. Just a sign that she's not like those snobbish people who think they know everything about wine, and he'll see all the reasons he decided to become her partner, but until then, he's not sure how it's going to work.
She hasn't even seen his weapon form and it's been a month.
He's pretty sure that's problematic.
He knows she has friends, despite how he had thought she was introverted like him, but her friends are all female. And he doesn't have a problem with that, he really doesn't, he doesn't care if her best friends are all gorgeous girls with long hair and impressive racks, but it's annoying, to watch her converse with them so freely while he stands in the corner, rejected again, becoming one with the shadows.
She has a problem with him.
Okay. He can deal with that.
But she's not even making an effort to get to know him or let him know her. Everything he's learned about her has come from watching her interactions with the girl with the long dark hair, and that annoys him because it's starting to make him feel like a stalker and he doubts that helps her opinion of him.
"Listen," says Soul, "if you think you jumped into this, or whatever, that's all cool. Just tell me so I can tell Lord Death to give me a new partner, alright?"
Maka is silent.
Soul puts his hands in his pockets and waits a few seconds. She probably won't say anything to him, she hasn't spoken to him much since they agreed to be partners (to be fair, this is the most he's said to her since then too).
He's about to leave when he feels her hand on the bottom of his shirt.
"Huh?"
"You're a boy."
She says it so quietly, Soul almost doesn't hear it.
He stays quiet because he's sure she's trying to get something off her chest, and he doesn't want to interrupt her. (It's more so that he doesn't even know what he would say, even if the atmosphere between them wasn't tense.)
"I don't … I don't like boys."
"So you're a lesbian?"
Soul is pretty sure his skull has a book-shaped dent in it now. She's hit him at least five more times since the first time, and he doesn't see many others going through this type of abuse. He doubts other Meisters treat their weapons like this.
"Hey, I don't have a problem with it," Soul says, rubbing his head. "Just because I'm from some traditional family doesn't mean I've got a problem with if you like chicks." He groans. He's going to have brain damage thanks to her. "'Sides, it's hot- WOULD YOU STOP HITTING ME?!"
"You're just proving my point," Maka says.
"What point?"
"Boys only care about sex."
"Hey, I do not!" Soul snaps. "You don't have any right to judge me, you don't even know me-"
"I know my Papa-"
"Do I look like your Papa?" Soul growls.
"All boys are the same!"
"Maybe I'm not!"
"You probably are!"
"How would you know?"
"Because-"
"Because nothing," Soul cuts her off because he's tired of her controlling the entire conversation and because they won't make any progress if they don't get on the same page soon. "You can't tell me I'm like your dad, or that I'm not like your dad because you don't know me, and you haven't even tried to know me. I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt, that maybe you just didn't like me, but if you've already decided you hate me because of some kind of prejudice your father has instilled in you, then fuck you! At least have the decency to hate me for who I am, instead of who you think I am!"
"I … I don't hate you."
"Yet."
Maka tilts her head and a small smile surfaces on her lips. "Yet."
"So are you gonna give me a chance to make you hate me?"
Maka laughs and it's a strange sound Soul has only ever heard from afar, when she laughs at something the girl with the long dark hair says something. It's nice up close. "Yes."
Soul grins, his sharp teeth glinting in the light. She doesn't even flinch and Soul knows he chose the right one to be his Meister.
Author's Note #2: The thank-yous!
Wicerene: I hope I keep them in character and thank you!
Crescent Reaper: Good to be back.
So do you guys want this scene by Maka's POV? I'm thinking this'll be a story about the beginning of Maka and Soul's partnership, all their important firsts and stuff. Review with recommendations of scenes you want.
