I promise there's more to the party section. Just be patient.


Maka barely got out of the building before she pressed the call button, putting the phone to her ear and waiting with absolutely no patience, her stomach churning with each sound.

"Hey," Liz sounded only half present but Maka was sure she was about to rally.

"I'm going to a party," Maka moaned as she continued hustling down the street, trying to put distance between her and the boys as if that would help the butterflies in her gut.

"What?" There she was, fully alive now with enough energy to run a marathon.

"And what's worse," Maka continued without touching Liz's shock, "is that I sang that stupid song for him, Liz. Black Star convinced me to do it and I don't know what I was thinking."

"The song's whatever," Liz snapped. "If he doesn't know you're crazy about him by now he's an idiot, but what party? What are you talking about?"

"Black Star is making Soul have one at his parent's house." This was filled less with complaint than breathlessness. Maka tried to blame it on the walking speed but that was absurd, the windedness from the idea of her actually wanting to be there. This hadn't ever been a feeling churned up by that kind of event but the idea that it would be with him, it would be only with a group that she really shouldn't have access to was breeding a strange mixture of yearning and anxiety.

"Oh," Liz put the breaks on her worry. "It's just going to be us, then?"

"Your old high school crew," Maka corrected.

Liz hummed thoughtfully into the phone. "And he asked you to be there?"

"Technically, Black Star did, but I think that was because I'd already bewildered him with that stupid song." Maka stopped right in front of the shop, looking expectantly through the windows at the people meandering around inside.

"So you wrote him a love song, Maka. It's no big deal." Liz expelled a sigh over the line. "Plus, you just need to face it. You want something more than what it's been. It's OK to ask for that."

"But, I…" Maka pressed a finger to the glass, watching the unfortunate smudge that Andre, her manager, would probably have something to say about later. "I'm going to have to tell him about the party. About me before that can happen."

"Maybe," Liz chewed at her lip. "I mean, that's been coming slowly, right? You said you would try."

Maka knew better than to lie and the step she had made felt so insignificant it was almost impossible to add any emphasis. "I told him something happened that night. I didn't tell him what."

"OK," Liz sighed. "But have you thought about just having a romantic, not so tumultuous evening with him?"

"I mean, some nights we just lay on the couch or we go out to eat, it's not like every night I'm crying about my past or his," she grumbled.

"While that's cute, there's no romance. There's this thing called kissing, I don't know if you've heard of it-"

"Elizabeth," Maka groaned.

"Maka," Liz echoed. "This party can be your excuse. No drama, no sadness, just making out at the appropriate time."

Maka turned from the window, hopefully hiding the rising blush on her cheeks from any of the regulars on the other side. "I have to go to work," she murmured.

"Trying to change the subject," Liz chimed. "Just kiss him, or at least give him some kind of OK for him to kiss you. He knows something's up, he knows you're hesitant, so he's going to be extra gentle."

"What, am I supposed to wear a t-shirt that says, 'Soul, please kiss me?'" Maka griped back, her hand running through her hair.

"Wouldn't hurt."


It was a relief that Soul brought her there first, not allowing for the awkward moment of arriving on her own. It still felt very much like a Black Star party, him opening the door to Soul's own house, having gotten there first to iron out logistics with Soul's parents. Serena and Scott were nowhere to be found, another source of short-lived social reprieve. The first thing on the menu, as always, was a beer, thankfully not one of those cups of unidentifiable liquid since Black Star had standards. Maka watched as Soul nodded off the beer, instead sinking to his knees at the bar to clink around the bottles.

Maka tentatively sipped at her beer, adding to the wave of slowly rising panic. Party, alcohol, you're here with someone. It sent a chill up her spine but she tried to swallow it down, leaning down to examine his work. "Are you going to fill it with water afterward?"

Soul chuckled as he lifted his eyes from the bottles to her, giving her an ever-strengthening grin. "Dad won't miss it. He really only has drinks for guests. Mom prefers wine."

She poked at the corner of his mouth. "I think this suits you."

He batted away her hand playfully, hiding the blush on his cheeks from her touch by sticking his head back in the bar, finally coming across the treasure he was looking for. He stood slowly, putting the bottle on the counter as he grabbed one of the highball glasses and poured himself as much as he should drink. Maka wrinkled her nose as he passed the glass under it. "You don't know what you're missing," he gave in to her, letting her have more of that smile.

Maka took a seat on the couch, Soul opting to lean against the arm. Black Star was still flitting around, taking a second or two to pinch Tsubaki's ass before disappearing to the door or the kitchen as people started to filter in. It was Kilik first, still the same excitement as the last time, Soul's middle name officially changed to fucking. "Kilik, this is Maka."

"We met, I think. Once or twice, but hey, Kilik." He extended a hand to give Maka a quick shake.

"You're right, but just for a second, parties, you know." She tried to roll her shoulders to dissipate that continued tightness before opting for another sip of her beer.

Kilik's attention was suddenly grabbed by Black Star, pulled towards the sound system and giving Soul the opportunity to reach for her. He played it safe, one finger just caressing her hand gripping the beer bottle tightly. "Before you said you didn't know any of them. You said you knew the three of us and that was it."

Maka watched as his finger moved, gliding to her wrist. "We've met, but they don't know me. And most of them met the me from last year and that's not-"

"Don't worry about it," he murmured. "This can be their chance to get to know you then. Especially since, well, you said you're staying. If you're with me you're kind of stuck with them." Soul managed to produce something close to a laugh, the weight of 'with me' practically making it crumble. I must sound so pushy, out of nowhere, like we're together, like I just decided-

The thought was cut off by her grabbing that traveling finger, wrapping it up with hers. "Then keep introducing me. I promise I'll be on my best behavior."

His face lit on fire just in time for a pink-haired girl with bright blue eyes to throw her arms around Soul's neck, hanging on for dear life as she pressed her cheek against his. "Soul," she cooed.

"Hey," Soul laughed as he took his hand back from Maka to try to peel away the girl's grip to no avail. "Maka, this is Kim."

"We've met," Kim chirped. "Girls' night a million years ago, before the start of this year. But I guess you two know each other now…?" She raised her eyebrows playfully before Soul finally managed to pry her free.

"What are you insinuating, Kim?" Soul grinned at her. "You know my heart belongs to you."

Maka's own heart suddenly thundered in her ears, convulsing between the playful banter and the grin on his face. Kim was quite the opposite, eyes rolling, "You're full of shit. We hooked up for like two months and you were the one to end it in the first place!"

"And then you found out you like girls. What does that say about me?" Soul offered a wilting shrug.

"Nothing, especially since I like both," she corrected, turning her attention towards Maka. "And don't think it's about him because, honestly, he can make you cum faster than-"

Soul let out a cough of air only remotely resembling a laugh as he clamped a hand over Kim's mouth. "Seriously, Kim!"

Kim pried his fingers away, "What? We're not bragging about that anymore?"

"We never were," Soul hissed, feeling the color come to his cheeks. Even with the buzz, he didn't have the nerve to look Maka in the face.

"You would think that's what he'd start out with when he introduces himself," Maka managed, finally feeling like she could breathe again. It's old news, if it ever was news in the first place. But look at you still getting jealous!

"Nah, Soul's not that cringy." Kim ruffled Soul's hair. "It's good to see you, though. And not looking like shit."

"Thanks," Soul gave a short laugh. "How was school as far away from the rest of us as possible?"

She snorted a laugh back. "Try to sound more melodramatic. I didn't miss you if that's what you're asking. I made new friends. So many new friends. Really, just the most popular girl on campus."

Soul rolled his eyes as he translated, "In other words, you stayed locked up in your dorm and maybe actually got good grades for once since you had all the time to study?"

"Nope," she chimed. "I worked, an internship. Made shit money, but better than nothing."

Maka tried to wheedle into the conversation, thankfully finding Kim's attention as soon as she opened her mouth. "Where were you interning?"

"Accountant's office," Kim sighed. "Nothing exciting."

"Should have known it was money," Soul teased.

"That's why I was after you in the first place, Evans," she cooed back, giving him a light tap on the cheek.

"You break my heart," he gave the best forlorn sigh he could but it tumbled into a laugh.

"Ridiculous," she rolled her eyes before letting her attention be torn away by the rest of the party. Although, she made sure to give Maka a wink before turning away.

"So you met Kim before?" Soul could still barely look her in the face, even with the cooling of the conversation.

"Just that one time, just before school started last year." Maka focused on swirling the liquid in her bottle. "But she didn't tell me that you two were…"

"It was, uh…" Soul rolled his shoulders, trying to eke out the uncomfortable feeling. "I guess the best way to put it was we were both trying to just escape. Needed some kind of diversion. In the end, we were always just friends." He laughed to himself, pressing a hand against his mouth before releasing it to uncover a smile. "Promise you won't laugh?"

"That makes it impossible," Maka grinned back.

Soul shook his head slowly but couldn't shake off the grin, fed by the boldness that was slowly growing in him as the night was progressing. "I know, but if you laugh I might just die of embarrassment."

"Alright, OK," Maka clamped a hand over her mouth, trying to stop the inevitable.

"It almost didn't happen because, well…" Soul locked eyes with her and she saw the thin line of blush tainting his cheeks. "Because for a while there I was still hung up on you."

There wasn't a laugh to be had, Maka just blinking as her hand fell away from her mouth. "Me?"

"I kind of held on to that night at the piano for a while. Did a lot of wishful thinking, even after Wes, and…" Soul trailed off, letting a hand comb through his hair. "But that's what teenagers do, right? Brood over what they can't have."

Maka's stomach wouldn't hold still, fluttering nervously. "You thought about me?"

"I told you before, I didn't forget." Soul reached out hesitantly, fingertips just trailing her arm and moving to her hand, taking it in his again. "I-"

"Soul, let's go." Black Star grabbed him by the shoulders. "Kid's here, so it's time for the music to start!"

"Don't I get to say hi to him first?" Soul groaned and his hand was out of hers again, fighting with this new grip.

Maka couldn't concentrate, not on that, her mind flooded with the possibilities of what was going to come after that 'I.' Don't be ridiculous, it could have been 'I just was a little foolish back then, obsessing over a girl I only met for ten to fifteen minutes.' Because we were nothing, it was just a kiss, not even on the lips, and I wasn't important. She tried to mirror the apologetic smile she was getting from Soul who was being tugged away. But what if he feels the same way you did? Like there was some strange, cosmic connection there? Like the two of you were meant for each other, whether it was this world or the next or all that fate and chance?

"Maka?" Liz patted her shoulder.

"Sorry," Maka snapped out of the panicked trance. "What are they doing?"

Liz sighed with a roll of her eyes, starting to push Maka over on the couch. "What these dummies always do when they get together and get drunk. Sing. Like fools. Almost like an idiot boy band."

That was enough to bring a smile to her lips, maybe even a laugh to part it. "Is Soul going to sing?"

"Probably not," Liz smirked. "He does draw the line there usually. You've heard him rap, right? The sad mumble?"

Liz practically sat on top of her, only amplifying the disapproving look from Maka, "It's not that bad."

"Oh, you are in love with him if you think that's 'not that bad.'" Liz snorted as she threw an arm around Maka.

"You're in love with somebody?" Patty suddenly popped in, her face appearing between Liz and Maka over the back of the couch.

Maka jumped, trying to cradle her beer in an attempt not to shoot it around the room. "I'm-"

"Soul," Liz refused to allow the avoidance.

"Liz," Maka hissed.

Patty made a low whistle before abusing the length of the vowel as she cooed, "Cute!"

Maka put a useless hand to her cheek, trying to make the color behind it disappear. The boys were arranging themselves in front of the fireplace, Soul sitting on the edge with a small keyboard balanced on his legs. She was noticing that the smile here came easy, effortless, and he was looking up at Black Star with a beautiful kind of loving annoyance. Kilik plopped next to him, a guitar in hand and they started to strategize between strums and notes.

It was her first time ever seeing Kid, a tall, thin boy with oddly striped hair. She imagined the dye job must be a bitch. The first time she had met Patty she'd heard he was quirky in an adorable kind of way, but Liz had corrected it to certifiable OCD, all cuteness aside. "Ladies, requests?" he opened the floor, leaving Kilik and Soul to eyeroll in sync.

"Since Kid is here I have the perfect idea," Liz nudged at Patty before belting out, "The mystery girl song!"

The color instantly flashed up Soul's cheeks before he managed to squeak out, "That's so old."

"Yeah," Liz was smirking ear to ear, "Which is why I definitely want to hear it again. It's been a while."

"I still remember it," Kid shrugged much to Soul's dismay.

Black Star was suddenly behind Soul, arms flinging around his neck. "And we both know you remember it for sure, don't you?"

Soul grumbled something unintelligibly.

Kim leaned in over the back of the couch, nudging Liz. "I don't remember this one."

"Yes, you do," Liz corrected. "Remember that girl he crushed over? The one at the piano bench?"

Maka immediately froze up, her cheeks mimicking Soul's with a splash of color.

"Oh," Kim stretched out the word. "This one is cute. Let's go, Soul! Make it snappy."

Soul threw off Black Star's arms before taking another exuberant sip of his drink that made his eyes water. "It's going to be terrible." He fished out his phone, scrolling through the old playlists of saved files before finding the mix and balancing the phone on the edge of the keyboard.

"Stop complaining," Liz snapped.

He pressed play, fingers moving towards the keys in anticipation of his part.

Even with the words coming from Kid's mouth, Maka found herself unable to take her eyes off of Soul, fed by the reality that each one of these words was from him. About a mystery girl who's not a mystery to me.

"Feel like I'm wasting time trying to find where you are, I know but girl I want you…" Kid wasn't great at playing the crowd but at least his voice was charming enough. "All that's left is your aura, oh, girl, you got me chasin' now."

Liz started to elbow her, "Get ready."

Maka blinked at her until she heard Soul's voice. It wasn't a mumble, not that dark sadness but a smooth flow. "I wish I had a superpower, set the timing right back. It's ridiculous to miss you in front of me. I can't concentrate ever since that day." It was surreal, the way he didn't miss a beat with the piano as the words just spilled from his mouth, but by the end he seemed out of breath, the color still clinging to his throat. Soul was thankful he'd gotten through the entire thing, especially since with the amount of time it'd been since he'd performed he should have lost at least some of the words. Not to mention she's actually fucking listening. He managed to sum up enough courage to raise his eyes from the piano to her.

Her face was nothing but a reward to him, not some awkward stare but a glowing smile radiating off her face. So, Soul writes love songs. She couldn't add the 'about you' part yet, letting it still sit in the back of her mind.

Some of the color was fading away from his face, the embarrassment abating as he let it all sink in. She knows, she has to know it's about her and her only reply is that smile. A beautiful fucking smile. And I know you want to lie to yourself, say she doesn't, but, fuck, it's impossible to say what you're feeling isn't mutual. He let one of those pathetic, lovesick sighs pass his lips, a strange process that he hadn't experienced since probably minutes after her lips on his cheek years ago. But that feeling would have to wait, especially as just as his old song came to a close the next almost immediately started up, the same old pattern that used to fill their get-togethers. Soul tried to be better about stealing glances but found that she was only a second away from looking at him every time he focused on her.

"You two are disgusting," Black Star whispered in his ear.

"Shut up," Soul grumbled, trying to wipe away the smile as he concentrated on the keys.

Black Star took the chance and pinched Soul's cheek. "One more song and I'll break it up. You take her outside."

Soul's hard swallow bobbed in his throat comically. It was one thing to fill his mind with the idea that at the very least they liked each other but it was another to think about the next step. He couldn't deal with a hook-up, it would have to be a boyfriend, girlfriend thing and would he have to bring that up tonight if he did kiss her? And kissing. Damn it, did he ever want to, especially when he thought about the curve of her smile, the way it would feel to capture that between his lips, but everyone knows what kissing leads to. How long could he keep her at bay? Hold on to the one last little secret?

"Break time!" Black Star's shout cut through the music. "I need a new drink and Kim, you need to scrounge around this house for a second guitar…" He did his best to disperse the crowd, to get the focus to dwindle away from the show.

Maka stood up quickly but forced herself to move over to him slowly, that absurd grin still on her face. Soul put the keyboard aside just in time to stand to meet her. "Is there an actual name or did you title it the mystery girl song?"

Soul coughed out a laugh. "It's 'Aura' but please, remember, I was like fifteen when I wrote it."

"It was great." She moved a step closer, her hand hesitantly coming to his chest. "You're really, I don't know, different tonight."

"Bad different?" He had to hold his breath as he slipped his hand over hers.

"Absolute opposite," Maka laughed. "You're really happy, comfortable. It's nice to see."

"But I'm," he choked out a sigh. "I'm like that with you, too. I feel that way with you."

Maka crinkled his shirt in her fingers. "I know. When you're on the couch, when you're in your pajamas in bed, but it's nice to see it when you're surrounded by people. When you're the center of attention."

Soul let out a long, quivering sigh. "Do you… you want to get some air with me?"

"Yes, let's get you out of the center of attention." She laughed as she relaxed her grip, finding that he refused to let her hand get away, holding it at his side instead.

Soul pulled her to the sliding glass doors, opening one and letting them out into the summer air. The backyard was designed more like one of those botanical gardens than a lawn, the night air full to the brim with the heady notes of flowers in full bloom. "Oh, wow," Maka gushed before slapping a hand over her mouth, laughing at her own childishness.

He chuckled, "That's the normal reaction. Mom should have been a botanist with how much she loves this place."

Maka's fingers slipped out of his as she explored the rows, sticking her face close to each blossom to savor the different scents. Soul followed a few steps behind her, his hands stuffed into his pockets as a grin stretched his face. "You should see it in the daylight," he finally broke the silence, his smile widening as she turned to him. "I mean, you can, tomorrow if you want to stay over."

She froze, trying not to let any kind of expectation come into her voice. "Sleep here with you?"

Soul cleared his throat, "Well, usually the girls take my old room, boys in Wes's. Not that, not that I don't like sleeping next to you, want to sleep next to you, just…"

Oh, how I wish that gut reaction would stop. He's not just looking to fuck you, get over it already, see it for what it is. Stop! She forced her fingers through her hair, taking in a deep breath before turning to him. "You don't sleep in your room?"

A crack formed in the corner of his smile, sending a quiver through it. "I guess it's not really my room. I don't ever go in there anymore. And, uh, Mom's turned both into guest rooms, really, so it doesn't matter who takes where."

You ruined it. He was happy and look what you did- but before she could berate herself his hands were reaching out, fingers landing on her forearms before gliding to her elbows.

"I can take you home, though, if that's what you want. I know parties aren't your thing." She wanted those hands to keep moving, to slide up her shoulders to her neck in order to position her just right for what seemed like the inevitable, but they stayed put, cradling her elbows.

"No, it'll be a fun little sleepover," she smiled softly. "Soul…" Maka wanted to reach for him but found her arms moving to wrap around herself, hugging tightly around her middle. "Thank you."

"For what?" a little incredulous laugh trickled from his lips.

"For…" Maka rolled her shoulders in reply. "I think just for being you, OK? Thank you for being just what you are."

"You OK?" His grip tightened slightly as he pulled her a little closer, head dipping to meet her eyes that she had lowered.

"Yeah, fine." Maka lifted her eyes just enough, meeting his and feeling his exhale brush against her cheek. "I mean it, though. Maybe it sounds weird, but I've never been around someone who treats me like you do."

"And that's a good thing?" His heart drummed in his chest and he could swear he'd never catch his breath again.

"The best thing." Now her hands moved to his middle, pulling herself to him so she could fit perfectly against his chest. His heart was clamoring against her ear and she could feel the tensing of his muscles as he sucked in a breath, trying to absorb the moment. They'd hugged before, obviously, and laying in bed together now consisted of very little room in between the two of them, but this connection made a contented sigh bubble from his throat. Maybe it was the alcohol in his bloodstream or the way her hands were clutched into the back of his t-shirt, but every last inch of him was on fire. He wondered how it wasn't close enough for him but at the same time he could map out every inch of her with the way she was cemented to his body.

"Hey!" Patty called from the doorway. "Music's back on, let's go!"

Soul turned his head slowly, seeing Patty in the doorway, watching as Black Star suddenly appeared and started a low argument. He sighed, "Guess we got enough air."

Maka brought her head up from his chest, locking eyes with him as she murmured, "Maybe later."