Hi all, it's Pandora :) For New Year, Holly asked me to write her a SoMa fake dating AU and this is what I wrote for her. I hope you enjoy it!
The invitation to her cousin Naomi's wedding seems to stare at Maka from where she stuck it on the fridge. As she sits at the little table in the corner to eat her cereal she stares back, a gnawing sensation in the pit of her stomach. Of course she'll go—she and Naomi have always been close and she already agreed to be a bridesmaid—but part of her dreads it all the same. Naomi's fiancé Dan is lovely but his best man... To say that Maka and Steve had an acrimonious split would be an understatement: the last time they ran into each other on the train Maka went home scowling and had to run a bath and pour herself a large glass of wine to get over the encounter. Though it's been nearly two years and Maka would like to move on, he seems to like to annoy her by telling her all about all the girls he's been dating every time they see each other, and she has no doubt he'll do the same at the wedding. The milk from her cereal sours in her throat—just the prospect of having to spend time with that smug...
She pauses, taking a deep breath in and counting to ten before releasing it. It's no use thinking about this right now, she knows. Tsubaki always tells her that she can't allow him to take up so much space in her mind and she's right of course, but it's easier said than done and living alone leaves too much silence in which she can think. She finishes her breakfast, gulping down the milk left in the bowl before getting up from the table.
Even the bike ride to work doesn't do much to distract her; instead Maka finds herself dwelling on the idea of having to see Steve at the wedding and all the preamble to it. Is he going to gloat about his latest girlfriends or (worse) will he be bringing one with him? Whenever she's run into him in public with a girl he's always made a big show of showing her (and usually her ample bosom) off in the hope of getting a rise out of Maka. She sticks out an arm to indicate before turning onto a side street, scoffing to herself in disgust. There's no question in her mind that he'll be unbearable: she'll just have to be on her best behaviour and try to avoid him as much as possible.
As she puts her things in her locker and gets ready for her day she contemplates if she can maybe orchestrate an accident or arrange for him to be taken ill somehow, but then sees someone lingering in her peripheral vision.
"What do you want?" she asks, turning to look at her colleague Soul, who grins at her.
"You're looking pensive this morning sweetheart," he comments.
Maka slams shut her locker. "Don't call me sweetheart."
"Penny for your thoughts?" Soul asks, following Maka to the kitchen where she gets her mug out of the cupboard.
"Just... my cousin's wedding stuff, I'm—" Maka reaches out to grab the jar of teabags from one side but finds it empty. "What—?"
"Oh, did you want some tea?" Soul asks.
Maka turns to look at him again and finally realises that he's stirring a teabag around in his mug of hot water, a would be innocent look on his handsome, annoying face.
"This was the last one I'm afraid," he says. "I spoke to Mei Mei downstairs and she said they won't get more until tomorrow morning."
"You did that on purpose," accuses Maka, narrowing her eyes at him.
"You're welcome to reuse this one if you like," Soul offers, still stirring. "I could dunk my teabag in your mug."
With a grumble of annoyance, Maka puts her mug back and stalks off to her desk, the sound of Soul's laughter following her.
On her lunch break, Maka goes to the coffee shop down the road—much as she frequently makes it through work days without a cup of tea, Soul has been irritating her all day and she needs the comfort of a hot drink. As she waits she idly scrolls her phone, looking up when she hears someone calling her name.
Oh great, as if taking up her mental space wasn't enough...
"Long time no see," Steve says with a grin, coming over to her.
"Actually I don't think it's been long enough," she frowns.
Steve tuts. "So rude—I do hope you're not planning on being like this on Naomi and Dan's special day."
"Well I'd say I hope you're not going to be a jerk," says Maka with a roll of her eyes. She goes on her toes to try and see through the crowd to the counter in the hope that her tea might be done soon. "But that would be like wishing to win the lottery when I don't actually play it."
With a smug chuckle, Steve says, "I can't wait for you to meet my date for the big day, she's a real babe, curves in all the right places and always ready to go if you know what I mean."
Maka snorts, muttering, "Here we go again."
"What do you mean?" Steve asks.
"You always do this," says Maka. "Whenever I see you it's all 'oh my new girlfriend is so sexy' and 'my new girlfriend is a model don't you know'—it's getting old."
"Well I can't help it if I've got beautiful women tripping over themselves for me," says Steve with an infuriating grin. "You really should work on yourself you know Maka—you're becoming more bitter and bitchy by the day."
Knowing that she won't be able to say anything without swearing (and not wanting to give him the satisfaction), Maka bites back a retort. Thankfully she then hears her name called for her tea and goes to the counter to pick it up. As she turns to leave, however, she finds Steve still beside her.
"Will you go away?" she says irritably, pushing past him to walk out and keeping a firm hold on her cup to keep from throwing it at him.
Unfortunately he follows. "I can't say I blame you for being so bitter though," he says, the bell on the door tinkling as they step outside. "I'd be the same if I was in your shoes with your sad little job and no boyfriend."
"Actually I do have a boyfriend," snaps Maka.
Steve raises an eyebrow at her. "Really?"
Heart thudding hard in her chest at the lie, Maka nods. "Yeah."
"Who?"
"You don't know him."
"Oh really?"
"Yes really," insists Maka. "Unlike you I don't need to bore everyone else with every detail of my love life."
"Sounds fake but whatever," says Steve with a derisive laugh. "I won't believe it unless I see it."
"Well you will," Maka says, her face colouring, "because he's my date for the wedding."
Steve snorts with laughter again. "Yeah okay, can't wait to meet the guy crazy enough to take you on."
"At least he knows how to actually make me happy."
With a little toss of her hair, Maka walks away in what she hopes is a casual, aloof way despite the way her heart and thoughts are racing at breakneck speed.
Back in the break room at work, Maka taps her fingers on the side of her cup of tea, her phone against her ear.
"So you told him you have a boyfriend?" asks Tsubaki on the other end of the phone.
"Yes."
"But you don't have one," points out Tsubaki.
"Yeah I know," Maka sighs. "I don't know why I said it, I just... I was really sick of him being such a dick and I didn't think."
"Well it's done now," says Tsubaki, "so what are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know..." Maka frowns thoughtfully down at her tea. "I need a date for the wedding or I'm going to look stupid."
"Unless you said that you and this 'boyfriend' broke up just before the wedding?" suggests Tsubaki. "Then you don't have to bring a date."
Maka grimaces. "Oh yeah like that won't just give him more to gloat about."
"Well then where are you going to find someone to take as a date?" asks Tsubaki.
"I don't know," says Maka. "I can't think who to ask."
"What about Kid?" Tsubaki suggests. "He knows you pretty well so could sell being a boyfriend?"
Maka shakes her head. "That's the weekend of his magic show—I already had to tell him I couldn't make it."
"Oh true," Tsubaki says. She hums contemplatively to herself before adding, "Well how about you borrow Black*Star? He can't sit through Kid's shows anyway and I know he'd be happy to help."
Briefly Maka considers the idea but then sighs. "Thank you but you know what he's like: he won't be able to keep up with the lie and he'd probably start talking about his big-busted dark-haired girlfriend."
"Yeah that sounds pretty likely," agrees Tsubaki. "Sorry."
"It's okay."
"What are you going to do?"
Maka winces to herself. "Probably find someone on Kindling and explain the situation to them."
"Do you think that will work?" Tsubaki asks. "You've never liked anyone who you met on Kindling and you'll have an onslaught of photos of sad erections."
"It's literally all I can think of at this point," says Maka resignedly.
"Well good luck then," says Tsubaki. "I should probably go check that none of the class are eating glue or anything."
"Okay, I'll talk to you later then."
With goodbyes, they both hang up and Maka goes to her Kindling app to reactivate it, but then the sofa beside her sinks and she turns to see Soul sitting down beside her.
"Can I help you?" she asks.
Soul grins. "Sounds like you're in more need of help than me sweetheart."
"What do you mean?" asks Maka.
"You need a date for that wedding," Soul says. "But you don't have one."
A scowl comes over Maka's face. "You were listening to my private conversation?"
Soul just shrugs. "You chose to have a private conversation in the break room."
"You shouldn't have been listening," argues Maka.
"You shouldn't have spoken so loudly."
"Whatever." Maka scoffs and shakes her head, trying to go back to her phone, but Soul doesn't leave.
"What if I helped you out?" he offers.
"You what?" Maka looks up, frowning at him.
Soul grins at her again, clearly pleased to have gotten her attention. "I could accompany you to your cousin's wedding if you like."
"You..." Maka snorts incredulously. "I've never known someone as presumptuous as you, you know that?"
"That's such a kind thing to say," grins Soul. "So what day is it? Do you need a ride or shall I meet you there?"
Maka half laughs. "You're ridiculous."
"That's not a no."
"You think it's a yes?"
"I think you don't have any other options," says Soul, "unless you want your ex to know you're as sad as he seems to think."
The mention of Steve evaporates any good will Maka might have felt towards him: she grabs her tea and gets up, scowling at him. "Get knotted Soul, I can find someone to take who isn't going to make me feel like a loser."
As she walks out of the break room, Soul calls after her, "You'll be back when Kindling fails you!"
Trying not to stomp down the corridor, Maka mutters to herself, "What is it, arsehole day?!"
A couple of weeks later, Maka heads into work with a weary sigh. Despite having spent much of her free time going on dates with and chatting to guys on Kindling, she hasn't found a single suitable fake boyfriend for Naomi's wedding. The first guy she met with was too passive and uninterested in doing anything (yet still expected to be invited back to hers afterwards), the second was too enthusiastic with his hands (and she swiftly blocked him after the end of the date), and the third so much like Steve that she actually left halfway through the meal. The others have all had problems too: too tall, too short, too rude, too boring... She feels as though she's spent the last while speed dating—why did she have to blurt out to Steve that she had a boyfriend?! At this rate she won't find anyone for this weekend...
"Morning Maka," Jackie greets her as she comes into the kitchen. "Good weekend?"
Maka makes a non-committal noise. "Exhausting."
"Oh dear, did you have a lot to do?"
"Something like that," says Maka.
Jackie gives her a kind smile before heading off to her desk and Maka starts to make herself tea. As she stirs the teabag around in the hot water, wondering what to do about her predicament, she hears someone come into the kitchen. Turning to greet whoever it is, she finds herself face to face with Soul.
"Oh—good morning," she greets.
"Morning," says Soul with a little smile, reaching past Maka's head for his mug out of the cupboard. As he leans close, Maka finds herself pressed against the counter, unable to ignore the smell of Soul's cologne, nor how nice it is. For a moment, she feels herself flushing, but then he steps back with his mug and starts making himself tea.
Maka blinks, watching him. "Is... that all?"
"Hmm?" Soul looks at her, giving her one of those annoying smiles. "What do you mean?"
"N... nothing."
Maka continues making her tea, still contemplating what to do about Naomi's wedding. Irresistibly, she remembers her conversation with Soul about it, and his offer...
No, I can't take him to the wedding, he's insufferable!
What other options are there?
He's a dick!
But at least I know him a bit better...
Yes, I know him well enough to know he's a nightmare!
"See you later," says Soul, taking his drink and leaving the kitchen.
Maka pauses in stirring sugar into her tea, her hand trembling slightly. I only have five days and he did offer...
All at once she drops the spoon in her tea and bolts out of the kitchen to follow him.
"Soul!"
Soul, only a short way down the corridor, turns to look at her. "Yes?"
"I..." She takes a breath, steeling herself. "Do you want to come to this wedding with me?"
For a long moment, Soul stares at her, but then—to her horror—he shrugs. "Nah, you're alright."
Ice drops into Maka's stomach. "What?!"
"Well I offered before," says Soul. "And you were pretty rude in rejecting me. It would take a little persuasion for me to be able to forget what you said to me."
Maka's heart sinks. Shit. He's going to make her work for it. She didn't even want him to join her and now she has to beg him to help her?! Her jaw juts stubbornly but she swallows down her frustration.
"Please," she says.
A grin crosses Soul's face—cheeky and... no, not sexy dammit! "Please what?"
Maka squeezes her nails into her palms. "Please help me by coming to my cousin's wedding as my date this weekend so that I can show up my ex."
"Hmm..." Soul raises an eyebrow at her. "Well that's certainly intriguing."
"You'll do it?" Maka asks hopefully.
"I didn't say that," grins Soul. "There's some questions I have first."
Maka sighs. "Okay, shoot."
"First—what's in it for me?" Soul asks.
"Well..." Maka ponders. "You'll get a free three course dinner."
"Three courses? Fancy."
Hope blooms in Maka's chest at his words.
"What else?"
"Um..." Maka falters. "What else would you expect?"
"Is it open bar?"
"N... no..."
Soul sucks in a breath through his teeth. "No can do then sweetheart."
He turns to go but Maka calls, "Wait!" When Soul turns back to her, she adds, "I'll buy you a drink."
"A drink?"
"T... two?" she tries. When he raises an eyebrow at her, she groans. "Okay, three, but you know I can't afford any more."
Soul stares at her for a minute more before nodding. "Okay, deal."
A little jolt goes through Maka's chest. "Really?"
"Yeah,"smirks Soul. "Knew you'd come around."
Maka resists the urge to make a cutting remark, instead saying, "Thank you."
"You're welcome sweetheart."
Naomi and Dan's wedding ceremony is beautiful, exactly as Maka knew it would be. The weather holds out for the whole day, despite the forecast being patchy, and even Steve's presence isn't enough to ruin Maka's delight in seeing two people so well suited to one another finally get married. As the newly married pair walk down the aisle together hand in hand and everyone stands to applaud them out, Maka glances over to Soul (to his credit extremely well turned out in a tux) and returns the little smile he gives her. Maybe he's not so bad after all...
At the reception while they all wait for Naomi and Dan to arrive, however, Steve sidles up to Maka, a tall blonde on his arm.
"Maka, have you met Bonnie?" he asks—no preamble, of course.
Maka gives the woman a small smile and nod, holding up her champagne flute. "Nice to meet you," she says; just because she knows Steve is going to be rude doesn't mean she has to be so in return (and she's acutely aware that he's most likely already told Bonnie all about his 'crazy ex'). "Lovely ceremony wasn't it?"
"It was," says Bonnie genuinely. "I've never seen such a happy couple!"
"All alone Maka?" cuts in Steve before Maka can say anything more, a smirk on his face. "Was your 'boyfriend' a no show or were you just making it all up?"
Maka opens her mouth but before she can correct him, she feels a hand at her elbow.
"Oh hi, I'm Soul, you must be Stove!" says Soul, leaning in to shake Steve's free hand. His grin is friendly and open, apparently excited to meet him. "That's a pretty unusual name—what's it short for? Stovetop?"
Maka feels a snort of laughter threaten and catches it in her throat before it can escape, turning it into a short cough.
A frown crosses Steve's face. "It's Steve—short for Stephen."
"Oh, Stoven, I'm so sorry!" says Soul without missing a beat; Maka hides a smile behind her champagne. "Anyway I've heard so much about you."
"Oh... really?" Steve says, clearly stuck between surprise and flattery. "Good things I hope?"
Soul's grin changes almost imperceptibly, noticeable only to Maka, who carefully does not take a sip of her drink for fear of choking on another laugh.
"Oh very good things Stove," assures Soul. "She told me of all the guys she's ever known you're the quickest."
Resisting the urge to laugh at the dawning understanding coming over Steve's face, Maka links her arm in Soul's, giving him a sweet smile.
"Babe I'm sure Steve has some important best man duties to take care of," she says, her stomach aching with held-back giggles. "We should let him get back to them."
"You're right," says Soul, giving Steve and Bonnie a little bow of his head. "You both enjoy yourselves."
He and Maka turn away, heading into the crowd, and only once they're far enough away Maka lets out the laugh she's been holding onto.
"That was brilliant," she says breathlessly, half glancing over her shoulder but unable to see Steve or Bonnie through the sea of guests. "I've never seen him so speechless!"
"Glad you're happy," says Soul, dropping her arm to take her hand and squeeze it gently. To her surprise, Maka realises his hand fits perfectly in her own, their palms a similar size but his fingers longer where they curl around her hand. She squeezes back, taking a sip of her champagne to cover for the way her breath just hitched.
As a bridesmaid, she has a few more duties to fulfil during the reception—there are speeches and dances, the bouquet toss and other rituals—but once the meal is done and the dance floor fills with guests, she reunites with Soul, allowing him to lead her onto the floor for a dance. The music is upbeat and joyful—it feels good to let go and dance to it.
"Thank you for doing this," Maka says, giving him a smile—she never would have expected to be giving Soul of all people a genuine smile but whether it's the atmosphere here or the glass of champagne she had earlier... "You know you're not so bad when you're not being a pest and stealing the last teabag."
"Well I have to have some redeeming features," shrugs Soul. "Some guys are good at sports, some guys know the best place to get a sandwich at two in the morning, I know exactly how to wind up douchebag ex-boyfriends."
Maka laughs. "Can you see him right now?"
A strange expression crosses Soul's face but he looks over her shoulder. "Oh yeah, he's been looking over at you all evening."
Smug satisfaction fills Maka's chest with warmth. "How's he look?"
"Sick as a pig," Soul says. He tosses a casual little salute across the dance floor, grinning. "Oh he's real mad."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah might blow his top," smirks Soul. "His stovetop perhaps."
Maka can't help the loud laugh that escapes her, covering her mouth with one hand as friends and family turn to look at her. The song they're dancing to fades out and a slower one starts. She half expects Soul to suggest they go sit down, but instead he opens his arms to her and—to her surprise—she steps into them, letting him pull her close with both hands on her waist while hers come to rest on his shoulders. They sway together to the music and Maka looks up at him.
"You still have two drinks to cash in," she points out.
Soul shrugs again,. "I'll let you know if I get thirsty but I'm not that bothered."
"Oh..." Maka frowns. "But I thought that was what you were getting out of this?"
"Well," says Soul, meeting her gaze, his red eyes quiet, "maybe the pleasure of your company is better than any drinks you could get me."
Maka's face warms under his gaze, understanding making her pulse pick up speed. "R... really?"
Soul nods, lowering his head to kiss the tip of her nose. It's the lightest brush of lips on her skin but leaves tingles in its wake, the revelation of his words taking her breath away.
"But... I thought you didn't like me," she says softly, too stunned to say more.
Soul laughs. "I've always liked you."
"Always?"
"Ever since we did induction training at work together," he says.
"Then..." Maka feels her thoughts moving slowly like syrup. "Then why do you always wind me up?"
Soul's hands shift on Maka's waist as he laughs again. "Why does anyone wind anyone else up? I liked getting a reaction out of you," he explains. "Like when boys pull on girls' pigtails when they like them."
"Seriously?" Maka asks incredulously.
"I didn't say it was a good reason," admits Soul. "I'm not that great at telling girls I like them and usually I fuck it up because I annoy them."
Maka snorts with a little laugh. "Yeah I can see why."
As they continue dancing, Soul's words turn over and over in Maka's head—he's liked her pretty much since they met by the sound of it and while she has to admit his attempts to get her attention definitely haven't made it clear, she can't deny that today he's been the perfect fake boyfriend. Between that and how good he looks in his tux, she has to admit her perception of him has changed. She looks up at him.
"Hey Soul?"
"Hmm?" Soul meets her gaze. "What's up?"
Instead of answering, she slips one hand around the back of his neck, leaning up slightly to kiss him. For a moment, his lips press warm and soft against her own, his hands on her back pulling her closer, but then he pulls back, looking into her face.
"Just... so I know," he says softly, his eyes more serious than she's ever seen them. "Are you kissing me as a pity thing or just to piss off Stove?"
The answer comes to Maka immediately; she smiles at him. "I kissed you because I wanted to."
After a short moment's pause, Soul smiles back, pulling her back in for another kiss as the rest of the room melts away.
Maka pulls up outside the building Soul navigated her to, cutting the engine.
"This is me," he says, giving her a smile. "Thanks for dropping me home."
"No problem," she replies. "Thank you for being my date today."
Soul reaches out to tuck a lock of hair behind Maka's ear. "No problem sweetheart—it was fun to upset someone who actually deserves it for once."
Maka laughs. "Does that mean I'm safe now then?"
"Well," says Soul with that cheeky grin, "it'll be no fun winding you up now you know why."
"Guess you'll have to find something new to do at work now," she says.
"Maybe." Soul's fingers brush over Maka's cheek—she knows her skin must be warm to the touch. "Maybe I'll have something new to think about."
He leans in, kissing her again, and Maka's fingers slide up into his hair, enjoying the feeling of his lips against her own. Somewhere in the distance a car horn honks, but neither of them pays it any mind, instead shuffling as close together as the gearstick between them will allow. When they finally part, Maka feels breathless, especially when she looks into Soul's eyes and sees the same feeling reflected there.
"Feel free to say no," he says slowly, one hand still cupping the back of Maka's head, "but do you want to come up for a bit?"
Maka's heartbeat races in her chest but she nods. "Yeah, I'd like that."
The two of them get out of the car and head inside, taking the lift up to Soul's flat. It's not big—only one bedroom, and the kitchen is pokey at best—but when Maka sinks onto the squashy sofa she finds it surprisingly comfortable. Soul removes his jacket and tie before sitting beside her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.
"You looked really gorgeous in your bridesmaid dress by the way," he tells her, his fingers drawing shapes on her bare shoulder. His touch sends a pleasant tingle through her, bringing another light flush to her cheeks. "This colour really suits you."
"You can thank Naomi for going with the periwinkle blue then," she says. "The other option was lime green."
Soul grimaces. "Why lime green?"
"I've no idea," admits Maka, "but I'm glad she picked blue." She runs one hand over Soul's chest, over the buttons on his shirt. "You scrubbed up well too."
With a chuckle, Soul says, "I'm told I do."
He brushes Maka's fringe out of her eyes before closing the distance between them again in another soft kiss, his fingers under her chin gentle in how they tilt her head up slightly. Maka's pulse picks up speed, thumping in her ears as her fingers curl in the fabric of his shirt. As Soul's tongue gently brushes along her upper lip, she opens her mouth on a quiet sigh, letting it slip inside to touch her own. When Soul swipes his tongue along the underside of hers, she responds by running one hand up into his hair again, a little moan finding its way out between their lips. By the time they pull back for breath, his hair is a mess where she's tousled it so eagerly and she knows her own hair (and likely make up) must be similarly dishevelled. Soul's eyes linger on her, seeming to drink in every detail of her face, her hair.
"Are you okay?" she asks.
Soul nods. "I'm great—just... you're amazing, kind of pinching myself a bit having you here like this."
A disbelieving little giggle escapes her. "I wouldn't have expected you to say something like that."
"Would you have expected to be here at all?" asks Soul.
"No," Maka admits, tracing one finger along his jaw. "You've been full of surprises all day."
Soul grins. "Can't say I'm not good entertainment value then."
With another laugh, Maka kisses him again, pulling him close to feel his chest against her own. Is it only her heart racing or is that his she can feel through his shirt too? When they next pull back to breathe, he trails more kisses along her jaw, up to her ear, down her neck, and her eyelids flutter on her cheekbones, the touch of his lips electrifying.
"Soul," she breathes when his teeth graze lightly over the join between her neck and shoulder, her fingers in the back of his hair.
He lifts his head, meeting her gaze. "You okay?"
Maka nods. "It feels really nice."
"How about this?" Soul asks, running one hand up her ribs, his fingers grazing lightly over the side of her breast. "Can I?"
"Yes," nods Maka. "I... I want you to."
Soul's hand cups her breast through her dress, massaging gently and earning a little gasp from her. He kisses her again, swallowing more of the little moans she lets out as he squeezes her breast more. Maka's breath catches in her throat and her hands slide down Soul's chest, hesitating at his buttons. A moment later she feels his free hand guiding her fingers, helping her undo the first—taking the hint, she unbuttons his shirt, slipping her hands inside to feel the warmth of his skin. Soul sighs shakily into her mouth as her fingers explore his body, his own gently circling her nipple through her dress.
Soon Maka has to surface for air once more, her head tipping back. "Oh my god."
Soul gives her a little grin. "Good?"
She nods, fingers skimming over his stomach. "Really good."
Sitting up straighter, Soul shrugs off his shirt and lays it on the arm of the sofa. Maka lets her gaze linger on him, taking in the sight of his skin, the angle of his collarbone, the downy hair in the centre of his chest. When her eyes flick back up to meet his, they exchange a bashful grin.
"Do you want to take this elsewhere?" he asks. "We can stay here if you like but bed might be more comfy."
If Maka had known yesterday that today she'd be hearing Soul say that to her, she'd have pinched herself. If she'd known she'd nod and follow him to his room, she'd have pinched harder.
Soul's room is the same as the rest of the place: a little small but clean and comfortable, most of the space taken up by a king sized bed with navy bedding on it. Maka notices little touches around the room that give her some insight into his interests—an electric piano in one corner, the stool in front of it strewn with sheet music, a poster for a band called Excalibur stuck on the wall, a little pile of modern history books on his night stand. She turns to him with a curious smile.
"Is this where the magic happens then?" she asks.
Soul laughs. "If you want it to—I'm sure I can show you a few tricks."
With a giggle, Maka pulls him close and kisses him again, both hands on his bare waist. His hands slide up her back, fingers combing through her hair as he slips his tongue into her willing mouth once more. When she feels his hands move to the zip on the back of her dress she lets him undo it, slipping the straps off her shoulders so that it falls to the floor at her feet. Slowly, Maka steps backwards towards the bed, letting Soul help guide her to it until her calves make contact with soft bedding and she sinks down onto it. Soul joins her, the two of them shuffling up the bed and exchanging more kisses.
"You're stunning," Soul says softly when they next separate, reaching down to unbutton his trousers and take them off. Warmth pools in Maka's stomach at his words and at the feeling of his bare skin on her own, anticipation making her heart race all over again. "Couldn't stop looking at you today."
Maka reaches up to brush some of his hair behind his ear. "So are you just going to look at me now?"
"No way," promises Soul with a wicked grin, kissing down her neck to her chest.
Maka's breath catches in her throat when his kisses trail down between her breasts, his breath preluding each brush of his lips over her skin. She arches her back, reaching underneath herself to unhook her strapless bra and take it off. With more of her skin freshly exposed, Soul wastes no time in kissing down to one of her nipples, his tongue flicking teasingly over it to make her gasp and grip at his shoulders. Every little touch of his lips and tongue seems to drive her wilder, wind her tighter, making her let out soft moans that grow louder as he switches his attention to the other nipple and his fingers take up residence where his tongue was before.
"S... Soul," Maka murmurs, trembling at the attention. When he moves his kisses lower, down her stomach, his fingers sliding down to the waistband of her underwear, she bites her lip on a fresh moan. "Please... take them off..."
She feels his grin against her skin before his fingers hook in her underwear. Lifting her hips, she lets him slide them down her legs and toss them aside. Had she any time to think about this situation beforehand, she would have expected to be embarrassed—as it is she readily parts her legs as Soul finishes undressing himself and settles between them, pulling him close to kiss him deeply again. Anticipation curls deliciously under her skin, simmering and sparking, stoked by the way Soul's tongue presses to her own and his hands on her thighs. She moves one hand down between their bodies, wrapping it around his cock where it rests on her stomach, relishing in the whine he lets out into her mouth.
"Holy... shit, Maka," he hisses as she strokes slowly, his hands trembling a little on her body. "Fuck you're gorgeous."
Maka gives him a grin, jolting as his fingers find her clit and rub a slow circle around it. "Do... Do you have a condom?"
"Y-yeah," he says, the word catching on his tongue as she squeezes gently.
Reluctantly he peels himself away from her, reaching into his bedside cabinet to retrieve a condom that he swiftly unwraps and rolls on. As he looks into her face again, Maka meets his gaze and gives him a little grin, sitting up.
"You look devious," says Soul.
"I want you," Maka replies, pushing him against the headboard and climbing astride his lap. His hands settle on her hips, guiding them as she grinds down in his lap.
"You want this?" Soul asks, guiding her hips so that his cock slides against her deliciously.
"Yes," Maka sighs, arching her back into the feeling and gasping when she feels the head of his cock slip inside her. Slowly she sinks down into his lap, her mouth dropping open at the sensation of him filling her. "Oh my god..."
"You okay?" Soul asks, his thumbs rubbing gentle circles over her hipbones.
Maka nods, pressing their foreheads together. "Feels so good."
"So do you," he says, his breath ghosting over her lips. "You're amazing."
Trembling a little, Maka starts to slowly rock her hips, whimpering at the feeling of his cock inside her and his lips as they find her nipple once more. As she settles into a rhythm, Soul's hands run all over her skin—her back, her breasts, her thighs—and he kisses wherever he can reach. With slow undulations of her spine, she earns a moan against her collarbone, Soul's hands gripping harder at her waist.
"Oh fuck," he groans, pulling her tighter against himself to kiss her again. "Maka..."
"Soul," breathes Maka, running her fingers through his hair and watching as his eyes seem to darken further. She moves a little faster, her breath catching in her throat. Every inch of her skin seems afire where it touches his, sparks lighting and catching at each roll of her hips. "Sh... shit..."
Soul chuckles softly. "Never thought I'd hear you swear sweetheart."
"I'm sure neither of us ever thought this would happen either," says Maka, still moving steadily in his lap, the feeling of his cock sliding in and out of her making her toes curl on the duvet.
"Well I had high hopes," Soul says with a grin.
Maka feels her heart skip a little in her chest. "How does the real thing measure up to your hopes?"
"Astronomically better," says Soul.
One of his hands slides down her stomach, between her legs to seek out her clit. He moves his thumb lightly over it, making her jump and cry out at the feeling.
"Oh fuck!" she whines, her nails digging into his shoulders. "Oh my god Soul please don't stop!"
"I won't," he promises, his touches growing surer and more insistent. "Are you close?"
Maka nods. "Really close."
"I am too," he rasps, his fingers faltering a little on her clit.
"C-come with me Soul," Maka stutters, her thighs already trembling as she approaches her orgasm.
The feeling of his cock pulsing inside her as he comes is the last push Maka needs before following him into bliss, their voices mingling between their lips as they cry out together. Soul's thumb doesn't relent on her clit, dragging out the feeling for her until she gasps from sensitivity, reaching down to still his movements with one hand.
"Oh my god," Maka sighs again against his lips, letting him pull her in for another kiss. It's softer and slower than the ones before, his hand on the back of her neck gentler and more tender. When they part she gives him a smile. "Wow."
"Yeah, wow," grins Soul. He helps her climb out of his lap, taking off the condom and quickly cleaning up before lying down beside her. "You're amazing."
Maka feels her cheeks warm despite herself. "You really think so?"
"I do." Soul kisses her forehead. "You want to stay the night? I make a pretty good breakfast shakshuka."
A grin spreads over Maka's face. "That sounds great, yes please."
Curling into Soul's side, Maka rests her head on Soul's chest. It's not where she thought she'd find herself by the end of the night but... well, she's certainly not sad about it.
