Well Then

"I can't believe how high these prices are, the food isn't even that good! I could probably make a better meal, and it'd be free," Spirit complained to his daughter. "Do you think they'll give us a discount if we tell them it's your birthday?"

Maka looked up from her menu, eyeing her father shrewdly from across the table. Like every Saturday, Maka had agreed to visit with her father and, like every Saturday, Spirit had brought her to the local, family owned restaurant affectionately known around town as 'Hoity Toity's.' The place had a pleasant rustic feel and often had live music. Spirit was just bitter because his job had recently suffered minor pay cuts and he wanted something to take it out on.

"I find it hard to believe you hate the food considering we come here every week for dinner," she answered curtly before furrowing her eyebrows. "And why not say its your birthday. You already tried lying about mine three months ago."

"I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt to improve their food at the prices we're paying," Spirit muttered.

"We'll try to keep that in mind," an unimpressed voice spoke behind them. Maka grimaced as she and Spirit looked up to see an annoyed waiter with pointy teeth and angry red eyes. "Now are you ready to order, or should I tell the happy couple over there that a table just became free?" The light caught his name tag and Maka's eyebrows rose at his name. Soul.

Spirit reddend as he looked at up at the waiter. "Oh no, of course not. We're ready, aren't we Maka?"

Without taking his piercing glare off Spirit, Soul took out a pen and scrap paper from his back packet. "What do you want?"

"No offence about my harmless 'improving the food' comment, then?"

His eyes flashed. "None. What do you want?"

Spirit gave a nervous laugh. "You know, now that I think about it, it may have been the cook at the time. Hired any new cooks lately?"

"No. What do you want?"

"Ah! Probably some aging fellow then. You should probably weed out some of the oldies, they can't see a damn thing, the lot of them." Spirit laughed and Maka had to fight a groan, her head in her hands. Spirit was so happy to be connecting with 'the young people' that he had failed to notice as the white haired waiter grew more and more irritated.

She almost felt sorry for her father. Almost.

"We only have one cook, sir."

"Oh yea, whose that? Great-great Grandpa?"

"My mother," Soul growled.

"Oh..."

"What. Do. You. Want. To. Eat?"

"Clam chowder!" Soul blinked, seeming to notice Maka for the first time. "He's fine with clam chowder and I'll have the lasagna, thanks."

He gave her a thankful half smile and a rather thorough once over before leaving with the order. Maka sighed, trying not to think of the sudden tingle erupting in her fingers... and other places.

"Wait. Maka... I'm allergic to clams."

Maka gave him a secret smile. "I know."

"Here's the bill."

Spirit cringed at the price, before looking over to Maka.

"Son," Maka saw the annoyed look Soul gave her father, Spirit seemed to miss it though because he continued without pause, "did you know that it's my daughter's birthday today?"

"Wasn't it her birthday a couple months ago?" Soul deadpanned.

"No... I don't think so. Do you remember Maka? No? See, you must be mistaken."

The waiter raised an eyebrow. "Well, in that case," Soul picked up the cellphone Maka had placed beside her, "we'll just have to celebrate." After pressing a few buttons, he wrote her number down on scrap paper torn from his notebook before stuffing it into the waist of his pants. Then with a hand on her chin, Soul leaned in to kiss her on the mouth.

With a quick wink at Maka, Soul offered Spirit a two-fingered mock salute. "See you at the wedding, Dad."

Spirit looked frantic. "Whaa? Wedding? Makaa? What's he talking to about?"

"Dad he was just trying to get back at you, I don't even know the guy."

While this relieved Spirit, something in the pit of his stomach told him he'd be seeing a lot more of the shark-toothed waiter.

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Sandman~