Finally, closing time. I grabbed the broom from the supply closet and walked over to table one; Black*Star's favorite table. I began sweeping up the remnants from that night's brawl. Curse Black*Star for being an easily provoked drunk. I was so busy picking up the pieces of broken shot glass (he SO owed me new shot glasses. They got expensive), that I didn't notice the bell on the door chime. I caught the sight of a pair of legs (nice legs) in my peripheral vision, and paused in my work.
"I'm sorry, but we're closed," I informed the woman as I stood up. She turned to me and I took in her appearance for the first time. She had long, wavy dirty blonde hair, emerald green eyes—and she looked very distraught.
"I know, but I'm afraid I left my purse," she answered me, her voice a light, medium soprano. That sparked my interest. I'd seen a purse lying on table five when I switched the sign…
"I put one back behind the bar," I jabbed my thumb in the direction of the bar for emphasis. "I bet it's probably yours."
"Thank you," she said, shyly. I smirked at the blush that crept across her face.
"Any time. You live around here?" It was a simple question, but the next thing I knew, we were lost in conversation. She lived in the same apartment building as me, went to the same college, even knew the local stray (who turned out to be her cat). Remembering her purse, I got an idea. I picked up the purse, about to give it to her, before I pulled it back.
"You'll only get this back on one condition," I teased her. She raised one delicate eyebrow, challenging me.
"And that condition is?" she inquired, arms crossed over her chest. I took a step toward her.
"Dance with me."
And we danced, out there on that empty hardwood floor. The chairs were turned up, and I'd turned the lights down low to save energy when I closed the bar. I assumed I'd chosen the right song, the way she held me as close as I held her. And that was it. We danced.
When the song came to a close, the woman snatched her purse from my hand, sticking her tongue out at me wryly. I grinned back at her, holding on to her hand longer than necessary. When she tried to pull it away, I squeezed it, causing her to turn around to look at me.
"What's your name?" Cliché, I know, but I wasn't about to let this beautiful woman leave without some way to find her again.
"Albarn. Maka Albarn," she said, impersonating James Bond. I chuckled. "Et vous?"
"E—Eater," I corrected. I didn't want her to know my real name yet. "Soul Eater."
"Soul Eater, huh? Strange name." She paused, mulling over it. "I like it. I'll see you around, Soul Eater."
From that moment on, there wasn't any doubt. I'd just found the woman I'd always dreamed about. The more I got to know her, the more I loved her. She was fluent in French, had a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and was an avid reader. She was studying to get her doctorate in Psychology so she could help abuse victims like her friend, Crona. She was afraid of being in love because of her dead-beat, whore of a father, and afraid of commitment because of her mother, who had left her to travel the world after her parents split.
She found out my real name, how I envied my brother. My love for the piano. How I'd never be good enough in my parents' eyes. How much I loved my Granny. I began to look forward to the end of the day, just because it meant I could see her again.
One evening, I finally decided to do it. The little velvet box seemed to burn a hole in my shirt where it was tucked away. Black*Star had just proposed to his girlfriend, Tsubaki, and was giving me "advice" all the way up until his fiancé showed up to drag his happy ass home. When Maka finally walked in the door, I thought my heart was going to stop. We talked for a while, until I finally got the courage up and pulled the box out of the pocket of my shirt.
As her eyes filled up with tears, she said, "I'll only marry you on one condition."
Thinking back to that first night, I smiled and asked, "And what condition is that?"
"Dance with me."
And we danced, like no one had ever danced before. I could never explain what happened on that floor. But the music played, and we held each other close. We danced. Oh, did we dance.
Gah. I HATE the way I ended this. But I LOVE the rest of it. I've been wanting to write a fanfic about Soul and Maka to this song for forever! I think it turned out adorably. I'm pretty proud of myself. haha. I hope you guys enjoyed it. :)
Dream on and live strong, everybody.