Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater. I do own the plot.

Chapter Nine: There's More to this Plot than SoulxMaka Fluff? Since When?

It had been a year since Soul's life did a complete 360 and, all in all, he liked how things were. He and Maka were still dating and their friends were all either hooked up with one another (Black*Star with Tsubaki, Chrona with Patty) or clearly interested in one another but just being difficult (Kid and Liz, Ox and Kim). Masumi was no longer in therapy for depression, having made a full recovery, and was actually starting to talk about getting back into the dating world. Soul always smiled and nodded when that conversation came up; he didn't want to think about his mother and some dude totally macking it. Plus, Blair and Wes had moved out about six months ago when Blair discovered she was pregnant.

They were expecting a little boy and had decided to name him Masun.

Currently, he and his mother were in a jewelry store looking at rings. Soul had decided recently that he was going to propose to Maka. He had decided not to tell any of their friends because they'd all start freaking out and he had a hunch at least one of them (i.e. Black*Star or Liz) would spill the beans. He had already informed Spirit of his desire to marry the young woman and, much to his surprise, had received the other male's support and blessing. "Just make sure you take good care of her and any children you two decide to have," He had said with a stern yet loving look to his features. He had then give Soul a pat on the shoulder and headed off. With those words in mind, Soul decided to go pick out a ring and asked his mother for help; he wanted to have a second opinion he could trust.

"How about this one?" Masumi said as she pointed at a ring through the glass. It had a simple silver band with a small triangular diamond in the center. "It's simple yet tasteful, which matches Maka's style quite well." She explained.

"Can I get a better look at this one?" Soul asked the young woman behind the counter politely. She nodded and pulled it out cheerfully. He picked it up and carefully examined it before smiling brightly. He nodded to his mother. "Now I just need to get a nice case for it."

"Go with the basic black velvet," She said as she indicated one on the shelf below the ring. They both knelt to look at it better. "It's traditional, which will definitely touch her heart to some degree. Plus it'll compliment the silver and diamond of the ring well."

Soul grinned at his mother. "You're so smart when it comes to this stuff, Mother," He said with clear admiration. She blinked, blushed then giggled lightly.

"Well, someone had to have some fashion sense. Did you honestly think your father dressed himself? The man was colorblind, for Heaven's sake!" She laughed lightly as Soul pointed to the box for the woman at the counter. He handed back the ring so she could ring it all up for him. He looked at her in surprise.

"Father was colorblind? Since when?" He yelped in surprise. He then turned back to the woman, paid, and set the ring in the box. He then turned to his mother, heading out the door with her.

"Since always. Or, at least, he was colorblind by the time he and I started dating," She explained as she rummaged through her purse for her keys. Soul had a car of his own but his mother had offered to drive out of her own excitement over his decision to propose. "He tried to hide it from me too but I caught him red-handed, so to speak. I wore this adorable little blue dress I had and asked him if he liked it. He agreed and said that green was a great color on me." Soul snickered a bit at that. "Your father was a lot of things; among them, he was a gentleman. You may not have seen much of it, but he was just such a sweetie when we were first dating and married. I guess that time really does change people, though; I hardly knew him by the time the end rolled around." She said with a sad little smile, pausing in putting the key in the lock.

"Mother?" Soul asked worriedly. She jolted up and flashed him a wide smile.

"Sorry, darling. Sometimes I just forget what I'm doing when I think about your father," She said nervously. She unlocked her door and pressed the auto-lock, unlocking his door as well. "But that's the past and I need to look toward the future! After all, I'm going to get to help raise a grandchild and help plan a wedding!" She gushed excited as she buckled herself in and started the car. Her youngest son smiled as he buckled himself in as well. "Things have been so wonderful ever since we lost all our money and everything! I can't remember the last time I was happy as I've been this last year or so." Masumi confessed happily as she backed out.

"I feel that way too, Mother," Soul said cheerfully. He had felt that way as well and sometimes wondered if he was the only one who felt that way. This whole situation may have been bad at first but it turned out to be one of the greatest things to happen to their family. After all, he wouldn't have meet Maka if not for the whole thing. It had all balanced out and been worth it in his opinion.

"So do you want me to drop you off at the restaurant or did you want to get your car?" Masumi asked at a red light.

"I'll drive myself; I'm not scheduled to work today and Maka will be off soon. I'm going to ask her right at the end of her shift and then take her out to celebrate afterwards," He said with a large grin on his lips. Soul knew there was no way Maka would say no to him; Spirit had sort of revealed she was hoping for an engagement. That little tid-bit of information had made Soul's day and helped him solidify his belief that this was the right choice.

Masumi grinned widely and nodded. "Got it, sweetie," She hummed while heading back to their little apartment.

Soul was nervous as he walked in to the Ace of Hearts. The box in his jacket pocket felt like it weighed two tons. His throat felt dry. His heart was hammering against his ribcage and he swore his blood was pounding in his ears. Tsubaki smiled at him from the podium. "Hey there, Soul. What's up?" She asked cheerfully.

"Not much. Is it cool if I head back there real fast? I wanted to double check my schedule and ask Maka a quick question," He said smoothly. On the inside he was cheering excitedly over what a wonderful job he was doing of maintaining a cool and collected appearance. The raven haired woman nodded and he grinned back at her. "Cool." He said before heading into the back of the restaurant.

Spirit was tending the grill line like he usually did; their eyes locked briefly. Soul swore those deep blue orbs got watery for a second but after a blink the other male was barking out the table numbers on the tickets he was done preparing. He saw Maka and Azusa speaking a few feet away. The older woman was indicating something on a clipboard with a small frown on her features. Soul approached cautiously.

"Do you see the issue here? If Black*Star does not learn to put the bus tubs down more carefully we're going to have to fire him; at this point he's more of a liability to our expenses," Azusa stated sternly. Maka pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a small groan.

"I'll have another talk with him; when I tell him he's going to lose his job if he doesn't stop he might actually listen to me," She sighed lightly. Azusa nodded and headed off, content with what she'd been told. Soul lightly tapped her shoulder and she turned to face him, her frown turning to a smile at sight of him. "Hey, you." She hummed before leaning up and kissing him lightly. He kissed back eagerly.

"Gross!" They heard Black*Star suddenly declared. He stood a few feet away with a bus tub in his hands, his tongue sticking out in disgust. "The great Black*Star has blessed your union but that does not mean he wants to see you swapping spit!" Maka's eyes started to twitch.

"Black*Star, shut up! Oh, and while I have you here," She stated to stay, "we need to talk about how you handle being a busboy! You need to stop throwing the bus tubs in there! You keep breaking dishes and the other night you actually hit another employee in the face with a full tub!"

"It is not my fault if he isn't smart enough to catch with anything other than his face," Black*Star snorted. For a moment, the young woman started in disbelief and almost awe at such an ignorant retort. It was quickly replaced with the original anger.

"It's dangerous and if you don't stop it you won't have a job here anymore!" She snapped angrily. His eyes widened.

"What? You can't dare to fire the Godly Black*Star for the folly of others!" He snapped back.

"I'd be hiring you for your own mistakes! Either stop throwing the bus tubs or you'll be looking for a new job!" She snapped angrily. With a huff, Black*Star stormed off with a scowl. "Why doesn't he get it? He just can't admit that it's his issue!" She said with a heavy sigh.

"He'll get it; don't worry. He just likes to put up a tough front," He stated simply with a smile. She shrugged lightly and he quickly shook his head. "But right now, just forget about that. You're off in ten, right?" He asked.

She glanced at the clock and then nodded. "Yeah. I just need to do my side work and then I'm good to go. Why?"

"Well, I wanted to take you out for lunch," He said with a shrug. She blinked then smiled brightly. "Oh, but first, I have to ask you something." He said, reaching into his pocket. His hand wrapped securely around the box and he took a deep breath. He then produced it and opened it, forcing himself to fight off his nervous shakes. "Maka Albarn, will you marry me?" He asked.

"Hey, Soul what are you- Oh my God!" Liz gasped as she walked in, her eyes widening. Soul remained focused on Maka, whose eyes were bright and wide.

"What the-? Spirit, do you have anything to say about this?" Azusa sputtered, looking at the red-head expectantly. All eyes shifted to him before he chuckled and shrugged casually.

"I said everything I had to say last night when I gave him my blessing," He stated rather blandly. Azusa's eye began twitching and she launched herself at him with a loud cry. "Oh, dear God, you're crazy!"

"What about my opinion, Spirit? I didn't say anything about it!" She yelled as she chased him around the restaurant. Soul shifted his attention back over to the still surprised looking young woman.

"Well? What do you say, Maka?" He asked, his face becoming more nervous. Her eyes welled with tears and she latched onto him immediately.

"Do you even have to ask?" She laughed happily into his shoulder. He smiled brightly and hugged her back just as tightly.

"Oh my God! She said yes! They're getting married! They're getting married!" Liz screeched eagerly, flapping her hands in the air excitedly.

"YAHOO! You did it Soul!" Black*Star cheered from the busser's area.

"What's going on?" Kim asked as she walked in. Liz hugged the other girl and started jumping up and down. "What's going on? Liz, put me down and tell me what's going on!"

"They're getting married! They're getting married!" Liz chanted before spinning Kim around and running off. "Tsubaki! Tsubaki, Soul and Maka are getting married! He proposed to her! She's going to get married!" She squealed excitedly.

"Man, they are all so crazy here," Soul chuckled to Maka lightly. She smiled and leaned back a little so they were meeting gazes.

"Oh, you know you're used to it by now," She hummed before kissing him again. He kissed back happily, ignoring the cat-calls they received from Kilik and Black*Star and the excited squeals coming from Kim, Liz and Tsubaki (who'd come running back with Liz after hearing the news).

"Get back over here Spirit!"

"No! As long as you're being crazy I'm not going to stop!"

Spirit ended up closing the restaurant early that night to hold a last-minute engagement banquet for Soul and Maka. While he and the rest of the employees (and Soul's family) set everything up, he and Maka had spent the day in each other's company. He had slipped the ring on Maka's finger at the restaurant and the two had been practically glowing ever since. Anyone who saw them could feel the pure joy just rushing off them in waves.

When they returned to the restaurant, Soul was just grateful that Azusa seemed to have calmed down and accepted the two were going to tie the knot.

Liz ended up kidnapping Maka shortly after they returned. Soul had vaguely heard the other ask, in a sly tone of voice, "So, who's going to be your maid of honor?" He had immediately felt pity for her. It was then that Chrona, Kid and Black*Star came over to him as well.

"Congratulations," Kid said with a smile, giving him a high five. Timid Chrona smiled warmly and nodded his head, to which Soul dipped his head and grinned in return; although Chrona was warming up significantly more now that he and Patty were together he was still pretty meek. Black*Star threw an arm over his shoulder and grinned at him.

"You're lucky my presence was there; otherwise Maka would have totally shot you down!" He laughed proudly. Soul rolled his eyes and shook his head at the other. He perked up and smiled when he saw his mother talking with Azusa; and, much to his surprise, his mother actually had the darker haired woman smiling! He was suddenly very grateful for his mother's quite charms. It was then Soul spotted something that caught his interest.

"Hey, what's the deal with the woman and kids with Stein?" He asked, jerking his thumb over toward where the older male stood. Next to him was the woman Soul recognized as Marie Mjolnir, the woman in charge of the restaurant's finances. She was holding a little girl, wearing a pink ruffled party dress, in her arms and smiling pleasantly. Next to Stein stood a young boy who looked like a carbon copy of what the other male must have looked like at that age.

"Oh, you don't know, do you?" Kid stated with a blink. Soul shook his head; he'd only met either individual once and neither time did he really hold up a personal conversation with either of them. "Stein and Marie are married. She decided to keep her own last name, though, because it was just easier for her or something like that. Those are their children. The boy is Franken Stein Junior but everyone just calls him Little Frankie. And the little girl's name is Sadie."

"Both are very well behaved, though Little Frankie's a weirdo like his dad," Black*Star commented. He then shook his head. "But, back to me! Yup, this is all thanks to me! You and Maka can thank me by naming your first born son after me because I have decided you'll have a son first!"

"That's none of your business and no thank you," Soul remarked flatly. Black*Star glared at him while Kid and Chrona both chuckled in mild amusement as the two starting bickering.

The door of the restaurant was suddenly thrown open and an unfamiliar man walked in.

The man had on a top hat over his slicked back black hair. His eyes were a brighter red tint than Soul's that almost seemed like an insult to the rich ruby of the other male's eyes. He had a dignified face and was currently dressed in an all black suit. Instead of a tie, he had a white cravat tucked into the black jacket he wore over his shirt. Spirit walked over with a small smile on his face. "Excuse me, sir, but we're currently closed for private celebration. We'd be happy to serve you when we open in the morning, though," He stated gently. The other male regarded him then glared.

The mood of the room suddenly shifted; all laughter and smiles disappeared and the whole place was silent.

"Are you Spirit Albarn?" The man asked in a smooth voice. Soul perked up a bit; that voice sounded vaguely familiar. Given the other's wardrobe, he may have know Soul's family when they were still on top.

"I am," He answered, a serious expression coming to the other male's face. Maka walked over worriedly and stood beside her father, looking between the two men worriedly.

"Then I have come to the right place," He stated while pulling a sheet of paper from his jacket. He handed it over to Spirit and a smug smirk turned up his lips. "You see, several months ago you began sleeping with my wife, Lady Arachne. In response to this, I convinced one of your employees known as Justin Law to do some sleuthing for me. As of this following Monday afternoon, ownership of Ace of Hearts will fall to me. Consider yourself served." He said with a dark chuckle. Spirit's eyes widened and there was a collective gasp in the group.

"How dare you accuse my Papa of such a thing?" Maka declared strongly while stepping in front of her father. She glared right at the older man with her shoulders squared and face set in a headstrong scowl. "My Papa hasn't so much as looked at another woman since my Mama passed away!"

"You are a child who knows nothing and would be rise to hold her tongue," The other hissed out with clear annoyance. Maka, however, refused to back down.

"You are the one who should hold his tongue! You shouldn't go around ruining other people's lives and reputations just because your wife slept around!" She barked out. The man growled and then did something that would cause quite a war to be raised against him.

He backhanded Maka Albarn.

"Maka!" Soul called angrily before charging forward to her. She hit the ground and grasped her cheek, eyes wide in horror. Never before had anyone lifted a hand against her before. He knelt down and made sure she was okay before he set to glaring at the man. "Who the hell do you think you are? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I am a man who believes women should know their place," He snarled out bitterly. He then set his gaze on Maka. "You are a foolish little girl. Your father has been lying to you all these years; I have an entire list of women he slept with over the years. I can give it to you, if you'd like; it has every bit of information you could want. And so, because your father finds it amusing to break up happy homes, I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. That is a legally binding contract promising this building to me in six days; it has no loopholes, I can assure you. Have a good night." He said, tipping his hat and heading out.

Spirit did and said nothing; he just stood there and stared at the floor while everyone else just stared at him.

End

Notes time~!:

Special shout out to spixie303 for giving me the name Masun for Blair and Wes's baby~! I chose it because it's absolutely adorable and I liked you reason for them giving the baby his name~!

So… Yeah… There is a small plot! And I think I just made a few enemies… I'll be taking my leave now…

On a last note, I added some stuff to my profile that you might want to check out! I added some new quotes (from my real life), two new story summaries, the results of that poll I uploaded a while ago, as well as a new thing called Chapter Expectancy. As you can guess, it's me explaining my plans for my new stories and about what length I'll be aiming for with them. If you check it out and have any questions about anything, PM me; I promise to reply within a day or two. I also uploaded a new poll but it doesn't have anything to do with these stories I've currently uploaded. I've started the plotting and such for my upcoming fanfics and need your opinions on a certain matter involving one and hope you'll all respond to it so I can finish up the brainstorming process. :3

Next Chapter:

Maka finds herself unable to be excited about her engagement anymore after finding out that the relationship she grew up admiring was nothing more than a little girl's dream. Soul isn't sure if he wants to scream and beat up Spirit for messing everything up or just cry over the way things seem to be turning out; he ends up deciding that neither would be a very good, or cool, option. Black*Star proves to everyone that stupidity knows no bounds but does seem to have great timing for comedic relief.