This is a loose continuation of chapter 12, 'Well Then'.

Stood Up

Soul groaned and rubbed his temples, feeling for the poor girl sitting alone across the restaurant. Roughly around seven pm, the young woman had come bounding in, a giddy smile on her lips and a flush in her cheeks. She'd politely asked the hostess for a table for two, making sure to specify her dates features so that he could be pointed in the right direction upon his arrival.

Soul checked his watch, that had been almost two hours ago. Despite the time, the girl remained stubbornly in her seat, refusing to order a meal - though she had nothing against the alcohol, currently nursing her fourth glass of wine.

Out of the corner of his eye, Soul noticed the new bus boy moving passed him with a fifth. He grabbed the teen's shoulder to pull him back before he could stop himself. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Soul growled. The short teenager gasped, not liking the brief flash of sharp teeth.

"She asked for it," he squeaked, new hormones not helping his stutter.

"Give me that," Soul ordered, grabbing the wineglass and dumping it out in a nearby sink. "Go wash dishes or something," he told him, shoving the younger male aside as he walked up to the frowning customer.

Reaching the table, Soul casually slipped in opposite her, cringing at the hope in her eyes that was immediately crushed by his appearance.

"Hey, remember me?" he tried, smiling uncomfortably.

"You work here," she deadpanned, her teary eyes not impressed.

"Yeah, you used to come in with you're dad. I got your number once, remember? Must've wrote it down wrong though - it said the line wasn't in use anymore." He almost smiled at the thought, remembering how disappointed he'd been.

Maka blushed slightly, rubbing the back of her head. "Yeah uh, my dad switch phone companies and changed my number."

"You guy's stopped coming."

Maka laughed. "Yeah, he got a little paranoid." She wiped her eyes. "We go to bars now and - speaking of which, do you know where my drink is?"

"Listen..."

"Maka."

Soul offered a small smile of thanks. "Maka. I think you've had enough alcohol for tonight and - "

"You're cutting me off?"

"Look, drowning in your sorrows won't help anyone - "

"Who the hell do you think you are? Just because I was stood up does not mean I need some fucking knight in shining armor! Christ! Where is that ginger kid with my booze?"

Soul cringed as he noted the annoyed looks of the customers around them. "Look Maka, what do you say I take you home?"

"I have a car," Maka sneered then paused at the look Soul gave her. "Oh yeah. Drunk. Right."

"Look, my shift is over in half an hour anyway, so there won't be any problem with me ditching and... whoever was coming to meet you..." Soul sighed. "If they haven't arrived yet they probably aren't likely to. So what do you say? I'm cheaper then a taxi in any case."

Maka looked up at him and the defeated haze in her mossy green eyes made him want to punch something. Finally she nodded though, sliding out of the booth to grab her coat.

Maka silently took the hand offered and together they left the restaurant.

"It was a dare." Maka said, cutting through the thin veil of silence.

Blinking, Soul cast a quick glance towards his charge before shifting his eyes back to the road. Thunder roared as lightning flashed across the dash board, illuminating the dark, stormy night.

"Pardon?" Soul asked, not sure if he'd heard her correctly.

"My date was a dare," she repeated, head lolling to the side. "Fifteen minutes after I got to the restaurant, my so called 'date' emailed me. He said he'd get twenty dollars if he asked a girl out and stood her up. He said he is 'very sorry' and wishes we could give it another shot." Maka laughed dryly, running a hand through her hair. "He'll probably get forty if he can make me do it a second time. I mean shit! It's like high school all over again!"

"So you stayed at the restaurant anyways? Why?"

Maka shrugged, playing with a thread on her dress as they parked at the base of her apartment. "It was the first date I've been on in a while and I wanted to enjoy it. I couldn't afford the food but the drinks were cheap enough. Besides," Maka gave Soul a secret smile, "'drowning in my sorrows' seemed like a pretty good idea at the time."

Soul laughed. "And how'd that work out for you?"

"Pretty good, I think."

He smiled fondly at her. "Oh yeah? And how do you figure that?"

"I have you taking me home, don't I?"

It was meant as a joke but as soon as the words left her lips, the atmosphere thickened. Soul's red eyes burned into her own as they unconsciously leaned into each other. "Maka I..."

"Will you come in?"

Soul blinked, momentarily freed from his daze. He instantly moved away, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

Maka grabbed his hand. "Please Soul, just for a little while. Nothing will happen, I promise."

Soul frowned at her. "We both know that's not true."

"Please, Soul."

Soul sighed, looking away. He should really say no.

Say no.

Say no.

Say no.

"So this is my apartment," Maka told him, flicking on the lights. "It's nothing special, but it is home I guess."

Soul nodded, examining the pictures on her wall.

"Do you live alone?" He asked her.

"Yup, for a year now. I don't really have much furniture, yet. A student doesn't exactly make much money after all. Hey, would you like something? It might be a little late for coffee, but I have juice or tea or - Christ! Why are you taking your shirt off?"

Soul threw the shirt over the couch before looking back at Maka. "Please," he rolled his eyes. "This has been long overdue, and you know it."

"Oh, uhm, but - "

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No! No, no, no. But I uh..." Maka sighed, dropping her coat on the ground. Rubbing her arm, she looked up at Soul sheepishly. "Bedroom?"

Soul laughed. "Lead the way."

"Uh. Yeah, okay."

Soul simply smiled, closing the door behind them as they entered the small bedroom.

"So how do you want to - oh!" Maka gasped as Soul launched towards her, his head bending down as his teeth nipped a trail of hickies down her pulse. His long, lithe fingers worked quickly as they found the zipper to her dress, and it wasn't long before the soft fabric rolled off her shoulders to pool in a small pile at her toes. Lost in the sensations, Maka failed to notice the exposure of her skin in the cold room. Feeling her shiver however, Soul wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer, allowing the erotic friction of their bodies to heat her skin.

His mouth eventually traveled up her neck (pausing to nibble her chin) to finally claim her mouth, biting her lips for further entrance.

"You like to use your teeth," Maka gasped when they finally separated for air.

Soul chuckled, a deep rumble that Maka felt throughout her entire body. "You don't know the half of it," he whispered, hoisting her up so she could wrap her legs around his hips.

Oh my. I'm slowly leaving my prude cocoon to turn into a perverted butterfly.

I'm finally a true fanfiction writer. I don't know if that should make me happy or morbidly depressed...

Cheers.