So here's a little of my fear of OOC content. Let me know if it's a valid fear. Dunno. It's an exciting chapter, at least.

Maka was trying not to watch him squirm. It was definitely past closing time, most of the other inhabitants of the office scurried off except Liz had to be hounding around somewhere since that was who Maka was waiting for. Somehow he didn't exactly strike her as the type to stay past the clock and from the looks of it, the way his eyes darted hesitantly towards her every few clicks or so, it wasn't necessarily of his own volition. "Are you going home soon?" she offered.

A grimace stretched his lips. "Are you going home soon?"

"You don't have to wait for me," her easiness seemed to surprise him. "If I have notes on your work I'll just tell you tomorrow."

He eased back in his chair, still trying on the grimace as he stuck his hands behind his head. "You staying all night?"

"No, Liz and I are going out," Maka answered pertly.

Soul let his eyebrows only raise for a second. "Thought you said you were from the 'burbs."

"I am," Maka shrugged. "But Liz wanted to celebrate the successful apartment hunt."

"She wanted to celebrate her successful nosing," Soul grumbled.

"Maybe," Maka giggled but let it fall away as his grimace grew at the sound. I probably sound so childish. "But it'll be nice. I've never been out in the city at night."

He seemed to chew on that statement, jaw working against his next set of words. "You know anything about this city?"

"Not really." Maka leaned closer, catching the flick of his eyes at the movement. "Something I should know?"

"Depends, where are you going?" She could tell he was editing, his answers slowing in reply as his eyes took longer on her face.

"To Club Spartoi." She instantly knew that was the wrong answer, his eyebrows furrowing as his hands fell to his lap.

"Blake's going with you," it sounded like less of a question and more of a demand.

"Liz said it was just going to be her and the other girls." That was even further from correct, made apparent by the sharp snap of his tongue. "It's not like we need a babysitter," Maka offered simply to make matters worse as a sharp grunt came from his throat. "Soul, I'm sure-"

"Maka!" Liz's sing-songy voice trailed from around the corner. "Time to go. Tell Soul to go home."

"Elizabeth," he barked.

The only reply he got was another trill call of Maka's name from Liz and Maka slipped out of the chair. "I promise I can take care of myself." And she had, for years, since there were plenty of sleazoids out there who thought blond and pigtailed were synonymous with vulnerable and easy, but the way his jaw still worked at her, the way that she suddenly couldn't read anything in those scarlet eyes made her stomach flip. "It's a work night anyway. We aren't going out for long-"

"Maka, he's not your dad," Liz called.

Ugh, she's just as good at teasing me now, Maka groaned internally as the blush hit her cheeks. "Bye, Soul." She didn't even get an acknowledgment of that as she slunk away to join Liz, each one of Soul's movements playing over in her head. None of it. He didn't like a second of it since I started talking. But I can take care of myself. He doesn't know a thing about me and he's just assuming I'm some unfortunate suburbian girl next door, too naive to know any better. The hint of anger there fed her, allowing Maka to turn up her chin just in time to join Liz.

"Is he pissed?" Liz smiled.

"Soul?"

"Duh," Liz rolled her eyes. "I assume you told him where we were going."

"And he was uselessly worried," Maka let that annoyance eke out which only seemed to amuse Liz more.

"Good," she chirped before turning again.

"Good?" Maka pressed as she tried in vain to continue at Liz's top speed down the stairwell.

"Soul never goes out," Liz's sigh following was exasperated. "But he will if Dark Soul is necessary."

Maka envisioned some caped character, a cheesy opera mask hovering over that stupid grin before she erupted into laughter. "Dark Soul? Is this a serial?"

Liz shook her head, "You laugh now, but just wait."

"Liz…" Maka complained.

Her lips were sealed and stayed that way to her apartment. When they arrived it wasn't a whirlwind of conversation but a tumultuous make-over, Liz and Patty refusing to let Maka leave in just her office clothes. Instead, she was forced into one of Patty's dresses which would have been acceptable except while body-wise they were just about the same size, Maka a little less blessed in the chest though the skin-tight material of the dress made that a moot point, their legs were a whole different matter. Maka found herself tugging at the hem, definitely never so secure as to show off this much thigh, even if her mother often pointed out the thin length of her legs as one of her best features.

She tried to let that be her focus, not the continued analysis of how Soul had bristled. And tried to treat me like a child! she repeated in her head indignantly. Tomorrow at work she'd have something to say again about that, not being so gentle as to explain the 'I can take care of myself' line again but maybe something closer to gloating. But Liz seemed to insinuate he was coming tonight which seems impossible. I can't imagine him at a club, not with the noise and the people and his liking neither of those things.

"Earth to Maka," Liz chimed. "Time to go, girl."

A nervous laugh trickled from her throat as Liz pulled her from the apartment. The subway wasn't too crowded, a Thursday late night filled with people escaping the office late rather than going out on the town. It seemed strange to her to go out but Liz had explained that weekends were almost way too busy to bother unless you liked the life of a sardine. To actually have room to dance meant a weeknight and meant that Maka was going to be bleary-eyed for work in the morning. So much for her 9 PM bedtime.

Tsubaki thankfully met them at the next stop, giving Maka a reprieve from being the center of the sisters' attention. There were only so many questions she wanted to answer and now that they had new prey in the form of sweet, open Tsubaki the rest of the ride was filled with divulging secrets of the tall, slender Japanese girl.

"Maka, what about you?"

"Hm?" Maka had somehow let her mind become so unfocused, still tumbling through work, Soul, and how many times she might have to suffer through a dress malfunction.

"Dating?" Liz asked again, eyebrows raising as a soft blush formed on Maka's cheeks.

"No…" Maka offered weakly as a knowing sort of smile came to Liz's lips before she turned her attention back to a side comment from Patty.

The car slowed to stop and the four girls exited and made their way up to the street. It seemed more like an industrial district to Maka with large warehouses but the meandering life outside was enough to tell her that those buildings were not full of textiles. There were other women much like herself but the ratio seemed to tip towards men, especially ones with colorful skin poking out from their club clothes. It seemed like a spectrum, some with one or two tattoos and others covered from head to toe. But while the scenery seemed lively, a trail of jovial moments to pass to get to the entrance, Maka couldn't help but feel like something was out of place, a different vibe fluttering below the surface of it all.

That thought was pressed to the back of mind as Liz pulled her out onto the dancefloor. It wasn't like she was some great dancer, not really enjoying much of it other than what she might do in her room between cleaning or reading but it felt freeing. It was another reminder that she wasn't some little girl anymore especially as the male attention started gravitating towards them. First, it was just eyes from across the room but the slow shuffle continued nearer to them until hands were close enough to touch. Maka felt the feather touch on her hip and as she turned to maybe start a conversation she was met with a muscled back.

That back was simply clothed in a black tank that hung loosely off a lean body. Any of the skin showing was covered in finely tattooed hues of reds and greys with deep black to accent. She saw teeth, oni and tengu and all other forms of yokai covering his skin. "Looking's fine but touching's not happening."

Soul? Maka barely held in the squeal.

"Says who?" What Maka had thought were kind blue eyes were attached to an ugly sneer now, a harsh, raspy voice spitting out the words.

"What are you, new?" Soul grumbled back. "Ask someone who isn't a bottom-rung footsoldier. It'll give you something to do while you're not touching her."

"Look, jackass, this is a Noah club and if you-"

If Maka had blinked she would have missed the way his arm shot out, grasping the man by the shirt and forcing him a jittering step forward. "Then ask fucking Gopher before I-"

"Babe," Maka grasped Soul's arm, tugging playfully. "He just made a mistake."

"Huh?" Those red eyes snapped out of the rage that was about to come and narrowed at her.

"And remember, honey, you can't afford another assault right now. The last one just got out of the hospital." Maka raised her eyebrows at him, watching with relief as his face started to soften into a smirk.

"But, babe," the word made that grin turn aching. "This dipshit was about to-"

"I know, only you get to touch." She leaned into him and he had to drop his grip to receive her, his arm tentatively wrapping around her shoulder.

"You heard her," Soul grumbled as he jutted his chin to the periphery. "So fuck off." He waited, watching the hesitation but ultimately the sulking walk away. Like a reflex, his arm tightened around her, finally meeting the green eyes that were waiting expectantly. "Babe, huh? Nice cover."

"You were about to get in a fight," Maka murmured as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

Soul's hand was insistent and he leaned his head closer to her as he practically breathed against her ear, "If that's the story you're going with you're going to have to let me hang on a little longer. They're still watching. And nothing wrong with putting an asshole in his place."

"You…" Maka was trying to put sentences and thoughts together but the proximity killed each of them especially as her eyes darted over the colorful skin in front of her or breathed deeply the comfortingly warm, earthy scent that drifted off it. "He was just going to dance with me."

"That's all?" Soul lifted his eyebrows. She tried to glance at the man again, to read him the way Soul must be but suddenly his other arm was around her, hugging her close to his chest, pressing her face further into the perfume of him. "They're taking a picture," he muttered. "Last thing you need is evidence of your face with mine so stay there for a second."

Maka was telling herself it was still an act as her fingers clenched into the fabric of his barely-there shirt. "What's wrong with your face?"

Soul chuckled, "Work's the only acceptable place to be seen with me."

She paused as her mind battled to make sense of that. "Then why are you here?"

"They're done." Soul relaxed both arms, giving her space and air that felt unnecessary and for a second she caught herself missing the warmth. "Time for you to go back to Liz. Me back to my corner." He nodded over to a set of high-top tables.

Maka stared at him, lips pressed tightly together.

"What?" He displayed his hands in innocence.

"You look…" Maka huffed, "Stupid. What are you even wearing?"

Soul balked, "Look, Albarn, I'll have you know this is practically the dress code. I'm the coolest guy in this room."

"You're certainly acting like you are," Maka let a playful smile come to her lips. "But the tattoos-" She started but cut herself off as soon as she saw the clench of his jaw, a pained look bleeding from his eyes for just a second before he snapped his head.

"Go back to Liz," he muttered before turning his back to her, slowly sauntering away to the tables.

It's like pointing them out hurt him, but why? He's showing them off, isn't he? That's the point of that lame barely-there shirt, right? Maka wasn't paying attention to how ridiculous she looked, just standing in the middle of the dancefloor with eyes focused on Soul who was no longer even paying attention to her, his glare actually everywhere but her.

"Maka, you are a space-case today!" Liz's hand was suddenly on her shoulder. "Saw you got the Dark Soul treatment. Welcome to the club. Though he was pretty handsy," Liz raised her eyebrows as she started to pull Maka back towards where Tsubaki and Patty were standing, taking time away from dancing to nurse drinks.

"It was an act," Maka grumbled.

"You sound disappointed," Liz chirped.

Maka rolled her eyes but refrained from the comment because technically, anything in her defense would be a lie. The way her skin had turned electric where their bodies pressed together was definitely something she couldn't ignore. But it's Soul. And it wasn't intentional, or at least not for that intent. Just his little superhero act. Regardless of the way the words could bite in her head, she found herself looking for him instead, finding that stark white hair standing out in the darkness.

It was a slow circulation around him as others seemed to come to pay their dues, most getting a glance and a nod but a few receiving a word or two. Much to her surprise that - what had he called him? - bottom-rung footsoldier even came back around, this time looking far more apologetic as Soul smirked. That was the rhythm of the night, Maka on the dancefloor until her curiosity got the better of her and she slinked back to the sidelines to watch him not looking at her.

It wasn't until she caught him deep in conversation that she found herself unable to stop her footsteps towards him. He was sandwiched between the shoulders of two other people, a petite girl with pink hair and a tall man with short dreads tangling the top of his head, and his lips were moving patiently with each reply, even letting a smile grace his lips. Soul noticed her once she crossed the dancefloor and she saw him give a quick shake of his head, his eyes narrowing at her.

The smart thing would have been to turn tail, Maka knew that, but if he was so sure she was making mistakes tonight then she might as well make another. The way he huffed out a breath as she approached and tried to put on a grimace amused her, giving Maka the ability to flash a smile at him.

"Go back," Soul grunted.

The man took a look at Soul as a sly smile came to his lips. "Hey, didn't anyone ever teach you any manners? Nice young lady comes over and you don't even introduce her."

"Not my job," Soul crossed his arms, flexing another oni face at her. "Kilik, Kim. Maka." Thankfully he added hand gestures to avoid confusion.

"Cute," Kim purred.

"You're not her type," Soul spat.

"But she sure seems to be yours," Kim cackled as Soul gave her a shove.

"Nice to meet you," Kilik held out a hand, leaving the other two to dissolve into whispered bickering. "Soul usually doesn't introduce his other work associates."

"They're my only work associates," Soul corrected. "And now that you've gotten the introduction, Maka's leaving."

Maka mirrored him and brought her arms to her chest but remained motionless. "I actually just wanted to know if you wanted a drink, but if you're going to kick me out of the conversation…"

"She's not much of a pushover," Kim nudged Soul.

That heavy bravado that he was holding onto for dear life started to falter. "Look, she just doesn't-"

"Hey," Kilik interrupted with a heavy hand to Soul's chest, the screen of his cellphone glowing in the other. "Boss's on her way."

"Fuck." Maka was sure she saw a second of fear flash over his face before he split from their shoulders. "Fun's over." Instead of grabbing her, his hand softly touched her wrist, his face dipping close enough that the next part was nothing but a whisper only she could hear. "Please."

Maka couldn't turn her head or they would be nose to nose so she simply pressed her wrist into his hand, letting him grab her before making a good show of pulling her across the dancefloor. He asked for permission because he's not forcing. His fingers are gentle. It's another act like this persona is just part of a play. Maybe I really am stuck in a serial.

Soul didn't let go until Maka was safely next to the group. "Round up the girls. Time's up."

"Oh," Patty groaned.

"And you," Soul moved passed Maka and bumped into Liz, bringing her just one too many steps away from Maka so that the words were drowned out. The exchange was still obvious, an angry comment from Soul, a playful reply from Liz, and finally a grimace of epic proportions, one that actually made him look like his old self again. For a second, she saw him back at the office, the same old lunchtime torture happening before her eyes.

Liz ended it with a momentary pat on the cheek, some final word that made him blush before he turned his head away from them. Her next victim seemed to be Maka since those dark blue eyes came right to hers and Maka braced herself. Instead, Liz walked over to her and just linked their arms, starting the exit out of the club together. Maka glanced over her shoulder and saw Patty and Tsubaki giggling together as an obviously sulking Soul took up the rear.

"Food?" Liz offered back to the rest of the group. "We owe our bouncer, after all."

That brought a minute grin to Soul's face, one he was trying to resist with his hard eyes still analyzing each step ahead.

"I should probably get home." Maka checked her phone for the first time the entire evening, the hour hitting her in the gut. I'm going to be so tired! "You can just drop me off at the bus stop."

"No," Soul sighed. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

Maka halted, turning as he stood with his hands in his pockets. "No, you don't have to-"

"Don't argue," he huffed again and this time moved close enough that his hand could come to her wrist again. "See the rest of you tomorrow."

"Bye!" Came a chorus of coos from the girls as they group bustled by the two of them.

"Soul-"

"I'm not leaving you at a fucking bus stop," he grumbled as his hand closed tighter on her wrist and started to move her back towards the direction of the club.

"It's not a big deal, I've waited before and-"

For the first time, his touch wasn't kind, yanking her forward to bring her face to face with him. "Stop. That damn courage of yours is one thing but this isn't safe." That stubborn wave was brewing and she was ready to hiss right back in his face but he quickly loosened his grip. Her wrist slipped through his fingers, her hand just catching enough in his that for a moment they were holding hands and Maka was floored by the way her gut jumped at the sensation. "Sorry."

"It's alright," she murmured. "I was wrong."

Soul looked bewildered, hiding it quickly by turning away from her and starting the walk again, letting her hand fall away completely from his. They passed the club, Maka noticing that while he was moving forward his eyes were always on the entrance and the people roaming around the outside. About a block past the club he turned down a sidestreet, slowing to a stop beside an obnoxiously orange motorcycle.

Any thought in Maka's mind, all the twisting and turning through new memories of him actually touching her, were thrown to the wayside as her face blanched. "You drive that?"

Soul snickered, looking from the bike to her. "What'd you expect? I'm too cool for a car."

"I'm wearing a dress!" She groaned.

"Relax," he reached into the saddlebag, taking out basketball shorts the same hue as his eyes and tossed them to her. Before she could even breathe another objection she watched as he turned his head and dropped his chin. "Go ahead, put 'em on."

She waited for his eyes to move from the pavement, to catch a look as she leaned over but he remained still except for fingers tapping on the handlebar. Maka stepped into the shorts, a ridiculous addition but one that actually felt more her speed. When she tapped his shoulder he waited another second before letting his eyes linger over her. "Looks better that way."

"What?" She looked down again as if she expected to see something different, not the ludicrous ensemble.

"I've seen longer dresses on hookers," Soul laughed as he threw a leg over the bike.

"Hey!" Maka screeched.

He cast a smile over his shoulder at her, "What I mean is, didn't exactly look like your style, bookworm."

There is was, always some moniker not her own as if he couldn't bring himself to say her name. "I told you not to call me that," her voice was so shrill even she didn't enjoy it.

Soul was back to chuckling, his hand coming out and grabbing her wrist again to pull her closer. "Guess you have to go with showing off the legs-"

"I wasn't showing off," Maka huffed.

The humor started to drain from his smile, the tightness coming back to his jaw. "Sure, just like that guy was just going to dance with you." He tugged her wrist. "Get on, it's getting late. Where to?"

She slid behind him and as she tried to keep her distance felt an unsteady, uneven feeling that made her cave, forcing her to press her chest against his back. She recited her address, throwing in the best directions she could manage as the thought tried to break through that too many bases were jumped tonight between the faked relationship and this moment but instead of annoyance there was only this woozy sort of need. I like it when he touches me especially when I'm not expecting it. How firm he can look but touch so softly…

"Almost forgot the finishing touch," Soul dangled a bandana over his shoulder. "For your hair or you'll regret it."

He waited as her arms left his side to tie back her hair as best she could. His own bandana went over his mouth, tied behind his head, and left Maka to giggle at the old school bandit look. As soon as her hands hit his waist again he gunned the engine, having his own laugh as she jumped from the sound. That was how the ride started, both of them laughing as wheels hit the pavement. By the time she was pulling on his shirt to signal the slow down in front of her house, Maka was breathless, not for all the laughing since that had stopped a mile or so in but because of the continual hum in her that she wanted to blame on the machine.

Maka was surprised just as much by the cut of the engine as the start, her fingers clutching tightly into what little fabric of his shirt was there. His stomach muscles tensed under her fists and a grunt came from his lips but no more, not a complaint or admonishment. She eased off the back, finally on solid ground even though her stomach was still riding the dips and curves of her feelings. "Thank you."

Soul was staring at the handlebars, the bandana fluttering with a few huffing breathes but nothing more.

"Um, good night." Maka took a slow step back, desperately leaving him one more moment.

He ripped the bandana down, letting it settle at his neck before the frustrated words shot from his lips, "Look, you-" A grumble along with a string of curses streamed under his breath that allowed him to turn his head to look at her. "If you're going to live with me, you have to learn."

"What does that mean?" Maka shot back, her hands instantly coming to her hips.

"Oh, fuck," he groaned. "Calm down, bookworm, I'm not trying to get you to follow orders or anything, I'm just saying there's a big difference between this," he pointed to her house, "and this," and finished by pointing at his arm, the colors still glistening in the moonlight. "You're a smart girl but fuck are you stupid sometimes. You need both for the city and both if you're going to live with me."

Maka had bitten her tongue as her mind tried to perseverate on the first time she'd ever been called stupid in her life, but the rational side of her was tramping it down. He's right. You don't have to say that out loud because the smirk on his face would be punchable, but he's right. "OK."

"OK?" He blinked.

"But…"

"But," Soul sighed.

"We have to be even," Maka didn't let her voice falter, calling up that courage he'd touched on before. "If you're teaching me something, I'm teaching you something."

That struck him even harder than the affirmative, his head shaking quickly as if to unscramble his brains. There was a start to a smirk, a hand running through his hair, as he let out a soft laugh. "Yeah. OK, fair and square, I like it. Albarn, you're going to help me get lead project manager. I've got computer skills, but the people skills, not so much."

"Project manager?" Maka was floored, the request so far from anything she could imagine. But you said it yourself, he's good, so why are you letting yourself be surprised he wants to be better? Sure, he's lazy, a little rough around the edges, but if I whip him into shape… "Deal."

That seemed to give him more to think about than the original prospect, his hand roaming through his hair again as he let his eyes drop to mumble something to himself.

Maka didn't let him get away with sinking into his thoughts, "One more thing."

"Here we go," he grumbled.

"No more bookworm, blondie, or Albarn." Because I want to hear you say my name. It's so stupid, I know it is, but it's like some kind of spell, I swear. As soon as you say it I'll snap out of this and everything will be normal.

"I called you blondie once," he corrected but Maka's face wasn't budging, the firm glare narrowing her eyebrows. "Fine. Street smarts and… Maka."

How someone could make her blush at the sound of her own name was beyond her and she hoped against hope that the darkness was enough to hide it. Oh, it's not normal. She pinched her thigh, resisting the shaky breath that wanted to exit her lips by pressing them tightly together. "Good night."

"'Night, Maka."

That one sounded more purposeful and she was glad she could turn away from him now, hiding the burst of color with her hands as she rushed to the door. Definitely not normal.