HUGE update! Please let me know if you'd like me to continue. I think I have some ideas, but this could be a perfect ending as well. Please let me know what you think.

Maka had expected Tsubaki would be asleep and, technically, she was partially correct. Tsubaki was asleep, but on the couch where she instantly awoke at the sound of Maka in the suite. She rubbed her eyes, taking a single look at the flustered heat in Maka's face before blurting, "What happened?"

She was on the verge since she pushed through the glass doors on the ground floor. Five floors up in the elevator and the tears had threatened the whole way. "I hugged him," came the anguished cry, finally allowing for a few tears to spill.

Tsubaki blinked, still analyzing the words to make sure she had heard Maka correctly. "Like a friendly pat on the back type of hug?"

"Well, no." Maka made her way to the couch, sitting at Tsubaki's feet. Her fingers dug into her thighs, the embarrassment rising in her throat like nausea. "It was tight." So tight she could feel the details of his body, that clean laundry scent married with a shot of some kind of earthy cologne that he had only just barely applied completely taking over her senses.

"So a more than friends hug?" Tsubaki offered weakly.

Maka groaned, "I don't think there's such a thing!"

"I mean, did he seem disappointed? Upset?"

"No…" That wasn't a lie. He had been flustered, blushing harder than she had been if that was possible.

Tsubaki's smile and fervor for the conversation was coming back, always seeing the positives in everything. "When did this happen?"

"When he dropped me off back here." Maka sighed, reliving the embarrassment.

She playfully grasped at Maka's hand. "Wait, he drove you back to the dorm?"

"I rode on the back of his motorcycle." OK, so that was a little exciting, and she couldn't keep it from leaching into her voice.

"Maka!" Tsubaki gave her hand a pump. "So you hugged him all the way home and then again when he dropped you off?"

The heat crept up her neck to her cheeks. "Yes."

"Well, it's not that daring, but…" Tsubaki's smile widened. "I don't think you're in bad shape."

"Thanks," Maka only let out a portion of her sigh, feeling at least a little better. Tsubaki was nice, but probably not nice enough to let her off the hook for something ridiculous enough to ruin a relationship. Oh, no, not that word. Maka tried to stop herself before it started. "I'm going to try to sleep."

"Try," Tsubaki winked with enthusiasm, sending Maka into another blush.

"Goodnight," she tried to sound exasperated but she was barely able to contain the happiness that was growing. Maka patted Tsubaki's hand one more time before getting up, moving to the bathroom and prepping for bed. She spent much of her nighttime routine stopping to look at herself and wonder. She'd always thought of herself as middle of the road, a little too on the thin and muscular side to really bring any attention her way. Her body had definitely grown into a woman's as far as her hips were concerned, but her breasts still seemed to lag a little behind, staying a steady B cup.

But her body wasn't some secret, it'd been seen before, it'd been found acceptable, so why worry about it now? Why even think about it after all she can manage to produce is a hug? Once again lingering into embarrassment, Maka made her way to her bed, set her cell phone on the bedside table, and forced her eyes shut. This lasted for an hour or so, tossing, turning, thinking she heard the buzz of her phone but finding it empty of notifications.

During the third phone check, Maka gave in, pressing on his name in the SMS messages. "Are you up?"

The minutes ticked in the corner of the phone and she contemplated leaving the screen, scrolling through something when the bubbled finally popped up. "Yeah. What's up?"

She held her breath. "Can I listen again sometime?"

"Then I'll owe you." came back almost instantly.

A smile was tugging at the corner of her mouth and she tried to breathe normally, her heart thudding. "I'm OK with that if you are."

"OK, but you promised to go easy on me, remember?"

Maka was able to see him every Tuesday for the three-hour lab, and that would really have to suffice. Or that was the excuse that she used not to go every week to listen to his piano playing. That would obviously be too weird when you consider the best she could do was a hug, a hug. So maybe she went every other Saturday, switching to a Friday on occasion. Each time he would drive her home and she had learned to bundle to keep from freezing during the October nights. Each time she would embrace him, maybe letting it last a few seconds longer than the last, and each time he came away flustered, overwhelmed.

But this Friday would have to be different because Halloween had somehow snuck up on her. Dressing up was never her forte and the norm seemed to lean towards sexy "insert character here" and that was a little out of her comfort zone. But when she dug out the only costume she really had available, she found that it had morphed a little bit into the sexy range after her last growth spurt. When she wore it in high school, she looked perfectly like the adolescent Alice in Wonderland, but now the bust was too tight and the skirt too short but she didn't have the time for an alternative. Slightly sexy Alice would have to do.

Tsubaki thankfully took the spotlight off of her, opting for Chun-li that she made sexy simply by being herself, all curves in all the right places. Maybe taking the spotlight didn't make her feel better, especially as she had started to think of this as an opportunity to cement herself even further, meeting his friends and finally becoming acquainted with his house and his life. Again, as far as she was concerned, she wasn't much to look at and she assumed the other girls there would be…

Stop it, she reminded herself again. Not everyone is your dad. But that was still a tall order for her mind to fill, especially since nothing between them was permanent, nothing decided.

Tsubaki had forced her to stay at home until nine-thirty and then called a car, another perk of Tsubaki's lifestyle, to take them over. It was Soul who answered the door, that smile of his emphasizing his teeth which now actually fit his outfit, a classic Bram Stoker's Dracula with the cape and all.

"Hey," he tried to keep that signature soft croon but the excitement was breaking through.

Maka let her hand slip down his arm, resisting the urge to pull him into a hug at the doorway. "Hey." As if she could be more embarrassing.

He watched her hand move before clearing his throat, flourishing towards the inside of the house. "Come in." They walked the two steps into the living room proper and Soul shoved her forward a little further. "This is Maka and Tsubaki." Soul pointed them out and then moved to the crowd, listing out names as his fingers fell on them. He pointed out his roommates first, Kilik, Kim, and Black Star, before moving onto people from random spots in their lives. "Want something to drink?" He leaned into her and she found her hand balancing on his arm again, keeping him just far enough from her.

"Maybe just a beer…"

Always a good host, Soul moved his attention from her to her friend. "Tsubaki?"

"Same."

"Be right back." His hand slid delicately across the small of her back as he squeezed past her, sending an electric thrill up her spine. Soul didn't take long before he returned, handing off the two drinks. It wasn't hard to notice that he wasn't drinking and from what she could see he hadn't even before they got there.

Maka planted herself on the couch next to Kim, who seemed to be sporting a raccoon costume, watching as Soul watched her move to the seat but continued milling around the party, him and Kilik focused on the sound system.

"So you're Maka," Kim leaned in, trying not to be too obvious with her up and down examination.

"I am," it regrettably turned into a stutter.

Kim finished her observations with a small smile, turning her eyes back to Soul and Kilik. "It's cool you could come."

Maka watched her for another moment, seeing her eyes flow again from Soul to her. "Thank you."

"So, you like this sort of thing? Halloween parties?" She fixed her ear headband for the third time, sighing as it seemed to wiggle right back into place.

"Not usually. But Soul asked me, so…" Maka licked her lips, the nerves of what she said catching up with her. "And from what he said you were all really nice."

"Nice, are we?" Kim smirked. "I'm happy Soul thinks so."

Kilik had finally set up the sound system, allowing for Soul to sit down and start picking out the jams. He was leaning over his laptop, clicking and scrolling through as the music started to overpower the conversation. Maka found herself pushed back with the couch as people made room for an impromptu dance floor, the bodies obscuring her view of Soul at the laptop. Her beer was starting to warm in her hands so she drank through at least half, wondering if it would take the nervousness away.

There now seemed to be entirely too much movement in front of her, but in a way it was mesmerizing, the colorful costumes, the smiling faces. She sunk into the couch, draining the rest of her beer as Kim moved into the crowd, leaving her alone on the couch. Tsubaki was somewhere in there and she caught glimpses of the blue of her outfit. Should she dance? Should she wait for him, wherever he was? The panic started to mount in her that maybe she shouldn't be here.

As if requested, Soul slid onto the couch next to her, another beer in his hand that he switched with her empty one. "Sorry."

"No, you're the host, you'll probably be running around all night." Maka stared at the new bottle in her hands and took a tentative sip.

"Not anymore." Her whole body tingled as his arm slid across her shoulders, cupping her shoulder and pressing her closer.

Her eyes slowly moved from the beer to him, finding his smile still unsettled, his eyes searching hers. Her smile blossomed in return as she realized it was as if he was asking permission. "Don't worry, I only need a little attention."

"You're probably going to get more than that." Soul relaxed back against the couch but didn't relieve his grip, still holding her against him. "So, Alice?"

"And Dracula?" She let her fingers play with his cravat, that smile no longer settling on his face but stretching across it. "Next year we should coordinate a little more."

"Next year." He couldn't contain that grin anymore and he had to use a free hand to rub at his face as if he were trying to wake himself from a dream. "So, uh, Tsubaki came, too?"

"Yeah, I think she's dancing." Maka tried to take another look at the floor but could only afford to leave his eyes for a moment, feeling drawn back to him almost instantly.

"I think Black Star has a little bit of a thing for her," Soul laughed.

"Oh, boy," Maka put a hand over her mouth to contain the obnoxious laugh that was breaking through. "I'm not sure Tsubaki has the patience."

"I'll be surprised if anyone does." Soul watched nervously as she detached one of her hands from the beer bottle, first letting it rest on her leg before sliding it over to his knee. "Did you get to meet anyone?"

"Just Kim, for a second." Maka was sure he hadn't had anything to drink, not a bit of him smelling like alcohol, but his eyes still seemed glazed over as they watched her.

Soul leaned a little closer, whispering in her ear as if to avoid being overpowered by the music. "You only have Kilik left and you'll know everybody."

Again, that tingle ran up her spine and she found her fingers flexing into his leg. "Once I meet them all, am I allowed to come over?" She was afraid to move her head, knowing his face was right there, too close.

His breath was hot as he exhaled a laugh across her neck. "Yeah, total house approval is necessary before you can be a guest."

"I guess I have to, then." She felt him lean back, giving her enough space to see his signature wide grin.

"I don't think we'd get much studying done here, though." Soul nodded towards the dance floor which had parted to accommodate Black Star and his insane gyration.

"Probably not." Maka laughed without restraint, her eyes shining as she brought them back to Soul. "Maybe we don't need to just study though."

And that was them, frozen, for what seemed like hours, his arm around her and her fingers flexing against his leg, watching as the bodies changed on the dance floor. It was a comfortable existence and she almost forgot the stress of her first few minutes there. Kim came by again, leaning into Maka with a strange drunken affection that seemed to annoy Soul to no end. He ended up shooing her off, calling over a bespectacled young man with strange hair, Ox, to drag her off which seemed to both please and irritate her all at once. Kilik eventually abandoned the sound set up to stand by long enough to introduce himself before sending a look at Soul and excusing himself.

It seemed like they all knew something she didn't know, and Maka found herself looking to Soul each time they talked, gauging his reaction. It was wonderful how relaxed he seemed here, and the fact that he had not once looked at her the whole evening with that worry, that insecurity. Instead, his arm radiated a surety around her she happily fed on. Right as her legs started to ache from the inactivity he leaned towards her ear again, his voice gruff, "Did you want to dance?"

"I can't promise I'm any good at it."

A laugh slipped past her ear as he pulled back his arm, using it to catapult him out of his seat on the couch. He put out a hand to her, pulling her to her feet while his other free hand found its way to her hip, starting to guide her forward. But a voice froze Soul in his tracks, that soft hand on her body falling instantly away. "Hey, little brother."

Soul turned on his heels, his body blocking Maka. She peeked over his shoulder, seeing another man that at first glance would best be described as Soul in ten years. Looking closer she noticed the browner tone in this man's eyes, the sharper jawline but duller teeth. "Hey, Wes," Soul breathed out, his eyes never leaving the man's face.

"You didn't pick up your phone but I remembered you guy usually partied tonight. You got a minute?" It wasn't aggressive, not mean, just searching, a calm need for his brother's attention.

Soul didn't necessarily seem to bristle at his request either, just transforming into someone completely blank of any feature. Looking at him now you could swear that he was someone who had probably never smiled in his life, a bored, apathetic look replacing that beautiful ear to ear grin. "Sure. Let's go outside." He didn't even afford her a glance before turning and walking towards the back of the house and through a sliding door. She moved to watch people funnel back into the party from the outside, allowing Soul and Wes privacy.

She angled herself again the wall, watching the two men staring at each other for a moment before Wes opened his mouth. Their voices couldn't filter in over the music but even without subtitles, she could see how the conversation evolved. Wes tried to keep the calm and amiable look he'd entered with, but as Soul became more withdrawn she could see it change, evolving to worry and then almost into pleading. It seemed as if Soul barely registered any of it, but she watched with growing sadness as his fist clenched at his side.

Wes paused and Soul's face turned, finally letting out an explosion of a sentence, his face going almost as red as his eyes. The two of them both seemed surprised at the outburst and Wes reached for him, Soul dodging it smoothly, waving his hands at the older man before sinking his hands into his hair, pushing it back from his face to say something that seemed to push Wes's patience. Before Wes could try for him again, Soul was pushing open the door leaving it open as he rushed for the other part of the house, disappearing in a hallway.

Wes popped through the door, his head looking left and right before he paused to mimic his brother, pulling the white hair back from his forehead with a sigh. Maka couldn't say a word but watched as he looked again towards the hallway but made his way towards the front door, his hands shoved into his pockets in defeat.

Soul didn't bother to turn around as the door clicked open behind him, his hands clenched tightly into the sides of his desk. "Look, Wes, I told you just to leave!" His voice was shrill, obnoxious and he instantly hated it, ready to turn on his heels and apologize like the gutless idiot he was.

"It's just me."

His heart dropped into his stomach. The door clicked shut, the sound from the party trapped away for the time being. "I'm sorry," he offered weakly, slowing turning and unclenching his hands, seeing Maka pressed against the door, her smile still there but plastered over with worry.

"No, it's OK." She took one more step, which in his room got her fairly far in the cramped space. "I just… wanted to check on you."

"Fuck," Soul muttered, his hands running through his hair again. "It's not OK. I shouldn't yell at you. Hell, I shouldn't yell at Wes either." Another string of curses under his breath and he ripped off his cape, throwing over the back of the chair. "Did he leave?"

"He was walking out as I came in here." Maka took another step, but diverted towards his bed, taking a seat on the edge. She waited for him to stop his frantic fight with his costume, for his hands to steady and his eyes to come to hers. "Look, I can't take you out of ice cream, but I can listen."

"I don't think you want to listen to how much of an idiot I am." Soul wanted to sit next to her but found himself pacing in front of her instead, his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his pants.

"It doesn't look like you being an idiot," Maka shrugged. "It looks like you being hurt."

"And why the hell should I be?" Soul spat at her, instantly stuffing his hands back in his hair with a groan. "I'm sorry."

Maka reached out and grabbed his sleeve on the next pass by, pulling his attention back to her. "How about one free pass to yell for the next hour? I won't take it personally."

He let a hissing breath out between his teeth. "Wes has everything!" The last word came out like a wounded cry. "And it comes to him easily, and he deserves it." His voice cracked and he felt her hand slip from his sleeve to his fingers, gripping tightly. He was able to concentrate on her warmth, allowing the next sentence to be only a fraction as painful as he expected. "I honestly don't know why my parents bothered having another kid. Wes does everything they want and more while I…"

Maka jumped into the space, not allowing him to let the words stagnate. "What do they want from you?"

"I'm not at some prestigious music college, for one. I treat the piano as a hobby rather than a lifestyle. I refuse to stay at home." Soul scoffed, stuffing the last thing on the list deep down, I won't date the girls they parade in front of me with money and pedigree. She had said she wasn't going to take anything personally but he was afraid that might toe the line.

"And Wes does all that?"

"You mean the world-famous violinist that graduated top of his class at Juilliard?" Soul felt the venom in his words and his stomach rolled with shame. "I think he pissed them off with taking the visiting professorship here, but that's only for three more years."

Maka pulled on his hand, probably tiring of holding it at such an angle. Soul finally relented, sitting next to her on the bed, his thigh pressed to hers. "So, he chose to work here only while you were here?"

"I guess." But she was right. He'd only taken a professorship after Soul decided this was far enough away from the family. And it wasn't like he was spying because he distinctly remembered the anger his father had let rip on Wes when he said he had taken the position. But, of course, the easiest narrative for his angry mind had been that Wes was here to control. Heaven forbid he think what was probably closer to the truth: Wes was trying to get away, too, and hoping he could be with his brother.

In the silence, Maka ran her thumb over his knuckles, her eyes focused on the movement. She gave him time to run through his thoughts, only speaking again when she heard him take in a deep breath. "You didn't invite him tonight, then?"

"He's been calling me all week." Shame cracked his voice again and he pressed a fist into his thigh, hoping the knuckles would hurt just enough. "This is our usual rotation, though. I ignore him until he has to show up here or at work. Tonight was just a night he definitely knew where I'd be."

He was watching her, her mouth opening and closing before deciding on the words, "If you didn't want to see him, wouldn't it just be easier to take the calls?"

Swallowing that sentence was like chewing sand. It wasn't fair the way she could be so logical in the face of it, exposing all his hypocritical actions. "Because I do want to see him. He's my brother, and he's never done anything in his whole life to purposefully hurt me. I know that. It's just like as soon as I'm with him I become some toddler that can't keep my shit together." His fist uncurled and came to his face, covering his mouth to keep any more shameful words from coming out.

"Maybe less a toddler, and more a teen?" Maka laughed weakly. "You know what's wrong, so that's important."

"But I keep making the same mistake," he shot back, another wave of shame at his tone.

She took his verbal hit without batting an eye, letting her glowing eyes connect with his. "Have you ever even talked about this before?"

"Never in my fucking life," Soul sighed. He had thought she was dangerous before, but now that she was loaded with all this information he had a sudden sinking feeling about the power he'd given her.

"Maybe now that you've said it once, you could say it again." She shrugged, squeezing his hand in the process. "Or just at least you know it for sure. It's like the stuff with my dad. I'd never said anything like that before, but after I said it to you I could, I don't know, handle his calls better. I could think a little more before I reacted to him."

"You think I could actually talk to Wes?" He sounded incredulous, but a part of him was sure that if she said it was possible, all those feelings would wipe away.

"I don't mean just bare your soul the next time you see him." She let her breath come out as a soft laugh. "Just a phone call. Maybe a quick apology?"

"Apologize," Soul groaned, those childish feelings rising up in him again.

"Or not." She laughed and bumped shoulders with him, eliciting something close to a laugh from him, too. "Maybe just a follow-up. It had to be something important that he came here to talk about, right?"

Soul felt the anguish hit the back of his throat again and he swallowed it down. "He's getting married."

Maka blinked, registering the information. "OK, so really important."

"And you're looking at the best man, unless I've fucked that up, too," Soul let out a hiss of a sigh. "Why he even asked is beyond me."

"He's your brother," Maka shoulder pressed against his again, "Maybe it doesn't feel like it, but it seems like he loves you."

"I hope so." The words barely felt like his, the shock of the admission written all over his face. It had always been there, his want to be a real brother to Wes, but those feelings were always in the way.

"Then try, Soul. It's going to be hard, but I think you can do it." She bit her lip, her eyes trailing away from his. "And if you need to talk about it, I'm here."

"Thanks." His eyes moved from their locked hands to their shoulders to her face. All of the talking had clouded how close they were, how they were sitting alone on his bed. He felt his mouth go dry and he couldn't swallow, just staring at her dumbly.

A soft blush started to spread across her cheeks but she wouldn't let go of his eyes. "Should we… go back to the party?"

He had just spoken so clearly about his brother, but suddenly when it came to her the words jumbled in his mind and mouth. "Can I drive you home tonight?"

"Now?" She blinked, amusement playing at her lips.

"I mean, whenever you want." Now the sweat was breaking out on his neck and he worried that their connected hands getting clammy.

"It's your party," Maka couldn't stop a laugh, even at the expense of the pained look on his face.

"Our party," he corrected. "And I already stormed off - my roommates will expect me to stay here for the rest of the night."

Her eyes darted past him to the clock at his bedside and he followed, seeing the red glow read midnight. By party standards, it was early, but by Maka's, it seemed just right. "I guess now is good," she murmured. "Just let me tell Tsubaki."

"I'll meet you outside." He should have moved first but he planted, unable to be the first to let go of their hands, to create distance between their bodies.

The ache started as soon as she stood, every last bit of her drifting away from him. Soul just watched as she moved towards the door, turning the knob and letting the sound of the party filter back in. She paused, turning back to him with a smile that didn't say enough of what she was thinking. "Can we take the long way?"

"Yeah." His voice was a hoarse croak, choking on his heart that had leaped into his throat. Who is this girl? She slipped out the door and closed it, leaving him drifting on the thought of that smile. It took him at least a minute to recover before he stood and walked back to the desk, picking up his phone, his keys, his wallet. He was almost at the door when he turned back, opening and closing drawers before he found what he needed.

It was a risk to walk right back through the party, but climbing out the window seemed a tad too extreme. Soul threw up his blinders, tucking his head down as he made his way directly for the door. Maybe he heard his name, but it wasn't enough to stop this man on a mission, not even slowing until he exited out the front door, seeing her standing in the soft glow of the streetlight that climbed up the driveway. For a second he was sure he must be drunk even without touching the stuff, the light making a halo around the golden sheen of her hair. He was just too far gone, too emboldened by allowing her in.

"What's that?" She pointed to the ball of cloth in his hand.

"Oh, uh," Soul held them out to her sheepishly, suddenly embarrassed that he thought of it at all. "It's a pair of shorts. I thought, with your dress…"

"Oh." Her cheeks turned scarlet as she took the shorts from his hand. He didn't even have time to turn away and she bent to slip a leg in, then the next, exposing hints of skin as she pulled them all the way up. The finished product was ridiculous, a pair of navy blue basketball shorts peeking, hanging low under the hem of her dress, but his mind couldn't stop reliving that flash of skin.

Soul could have bit his tongue but he smirked instead, "Cute look."

She wasn't flustered, didn't falter, just twirled her hips slightly. "Definitely finished the outfit."

"Come on." As he walked towards her he let his arm come out, sweeping to the small of her back and leading her towards his corner of the driveway. He'd left all his gear there, along with a spare set, having planned from the very beginning to drive her home. Of course, his original thought was, as always, by then he'd have kissed her, by then they'd be together, but he was now at that point where there wasn't ever going to be a plan. He hated to admit it, but Kilik was usually always right.

He waited for her to remark on the gear, but she simply began to scrunch on the helmet, lifting her chin expectantly towards him. Soul fixed the strap just tight enough to her throat before letting the back of his fingers drift down her neck, gently grazing her skin. It could have been accidental, but it still elicited a blush from her cheeks. "Maybe one day you'll do this yourself," he teased.

"I think you'll always do a better job than me." She let her own fingers retrace where his had been before taking a step back and a deep breath with it.

Soul slid into his jacket and then fixed his own helmet. He had never wanted so badly to be riding in his life, rushing through the snaps and zippers. As he got on the bike she didn't hesitate, just slipped behind him, her hands already resting in the pockets of his jacket. He couldn't stop his stomach muscles from contracting at the touch, even through his clothing, and he half grunted. He droned the sound out with the engine, clicking down the visor of his helmet before checking on her one last time.

The long way could be whatever he wanted it to be. Minutes to hours, depending. Part of him wanted to slowly pull apart that time, let her meld into his back for as long as she wanted. It was her time, she'd asked for it, but even as soon as they began on the road, he already missed being face to face with her, the reassurance shining in those green eyes. He was far gone, for sure. He puttered through the neighborhood, houses mostly still alight between trick or treaters or parties. It was a college neighborhood, after all. She wasn't her usual self, not preoccupied with the sights, her helmet practically resting on the back of his as her body pressed into his back.

Even as they reached the dorm, Soul actually parking in a spot this time, she didn't seem intent on letting go, her hands only slowing removing themselves from the pocket, trailing along his side to the small of his back. He had to turn off the bike completely before she got off, reminding him of her fashion choice for the evening which created laughter in the confines of his helmet. Hers was a slow undress and as soon as she took off her helmet she was quickly trying to unbite her lip, freshen up her smile along with her hair.

Soul, on the other hand, was swift, throwing each piece back on the bike, still watching her mind working across her face. "Maka, before you go…"

"Yeah?"

"Could we talk a little more?" He tried not to put any hard emphasis, no tone to indicate innuendo or playfulness. It was probably the first time in his life he sounded so frank.

"Oh." Maka's eyes wandered from him to the building. "Then, I guess, come up? Unless you want to talk here."

"Inside, OK." Maybe he didn't feel so chicken now, but his voice sure sounded like it, the octave a little off and a trembling on the first syllable before he could correct himself.

"OK." Maka didn't wait for him, just started the hurried walk across the lot to the building itself. Soul tried to trail, not exactly on her heels but maybe not close enough that his hand might wander. Inside the building it was a process: security, his ID had to be shown, hell, they almost asked his intent. He wanted to be snappy, What do you think a guy going to a girls dorm at midnight is going to do, but the insinuation would be a lie anyway.

The elevator was agony, as the glass on the walls gave him a 360 picture of her nervousness, highlighting the way she'd gone from malleable on the back of his bike to rigid in her own mind. The ding seemed to awaken her with a jolt as they hit her floor and she continued forward, barely a glance at him. Her eyes stayed forward until the door, lowering them to take out her keys and fiddle with the lock. When the door finally opened she let him in first, her hand softly guiding him at the elbow. Wordlessly, she continued to push him in, closing the door behind them, and walking him to the common area. "Is this OK?"

"Yeah, fine." He couldn't even think of sitting and she made no move to, both standing at the foot of the sofa. "Don't take this the wrong way, Maka," his voice was low, almost a whisper, "I'm glad I can talk to you. I'm glad we're friends."

She seemed struck as the word friend came from his mouth, "How could I take that the wrong way?" The color was coming to her face, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress.

Kilik had been right: pushing himself one way or the other had been fruitless. He hadn't planned to expose his wounds to her but in doing so he found himself relaxed, ready to say this to her. "By thinking all I want to do is be friends." Her silence was both exhilarating and anxiety-producing, forcing him to sit on the fence as to whether she was there with him or he had pushed her too far in a direction she wasn't interested in.

"Oh," it was like a squeak from her lips and her hand shot up as if to trap the sound against her lips. Behind the hand came a short laugh that made his heart thunder, the fear and nerves starting to make it feel out of beat. He was just about to try to add something, try to salvage whatever he had or hadn't said when she moved towards him, her arms circling his neck as she pulled him down, crushing her lips to his.

Soul had expected her to be delicate, slow, but as with everything, she surprised him. Maka pressed and needed, her lips fierce against his as she refused to leave space between the two of them. His hands planted at her waist and caressed towards her back, aiding in pushing her closer. Just like touching her hand or hugging her, this kiss was a whole new sensation, creating an ache in his chest at the mere thought that it would eventually have to end, the would have to breathe.

Maka slipped her hands to his chest, crumpling them in his shirt as she separated their lips, Soul barely letting her free. "You took long enough." Her voice broke causing him to open his eyes again to see her struggling on the border of a laugh and tears. "I thought…"

"If you thought I wasn't crazy about you, you were wrong, I'm sorry." Soul pressed his forehead to hers. "I'm just not so good at this."

"At what?" Her fingers glided through his hair. "Because that kiss was perfect."

He swallowed down a groan, the feeling instantly setting his body on fire. Oh, man, didn't it used to take a lot more than that? "At asking you to be my girlfriend. It sounds so stupid and I've just never done that so I don't even know how to start."

"Soul, don't joke with me, not right now." Maka took another shaky breath, her fingers flexing against his scalp in a way that made him unable to stop from leaning in again, feathering his lips lightly against hers.

"I'm not," his voice was deep, hoarse as if the kiss had stolen all his breath. "No one's ever seemed worth it until you."

"No one?" Incredulity was still in her voice.

"No one." It was hard to convince himself to remove a hand from her body but he lifted his right and gave himself enough room to hold out a pinky to her, interrupting their closeness. "Pinky swear."

Maka exhaled a laugh as she let her pinky meet his. "Just me, then."

"For as long as you can stand me." He tugged at her pinky before detaching and sliding that hand up her arm, feeling the goosebumps rise on her skin. "Does that mean it's what you want, too?"

"As long as we're friends, too. I want both."

Soul couldn't stop the relieving laugh from bubbling from his throat. It hadn't taken any plans, it had just been her all along moving this forward, bringing him to the point where he could have all he wanted. "And I thought you were going to ask for something hard."