Spring Break
by. Poisoned Scarlett
"Soul, hold up, man. We gotta' talk!" Black Star sighed, giving him a look of disappointment. He was sprawled on the couch clad in only his swim shorts, tapping his fingers on the armrest and looking every bit like a spoiled prince. He even had a jug of lemonade in his reach and a glass of it sat by his hand. Soul wouldn't be surprised if the lemonade was spiked with something. "What's up, seriously?"
"What're you talking about?" Soul asked, hand already curled around the doorknob.
Black Star gave an exaggerated sigh. "Today's the last day of Spring Break and you're not even gonna' stay for the ultimate goodbye party! Hell, I haven't even seen you this whole week! Where the hell have you been? Crashing some other party or something? And why wasn't I invited?"
"What's it matter where I've been?"
"Cuz this is like our only time to relax!" Black Star stressed, looking scandalized he hadn't realized this yet. "So?"
He gave him a flat look.
"Argh! Fine, tell me one thing you've done to have fun!" Black Star demanded.
Soul was getting frustrated. "I've drunk enough that my livers gonna' need to get replaced if I don't stop soon." He tapped his foot impatiently when Black Star gave him a thumbs down. "Fuck, what else do you want me to say? That I've banged over twenty chicks already?"
Black Star waggled his brows suggestively and Soul sighed again, aggravated. He was officially late now! He'd have to run to the dock if he wanted to get out with a minor scolding from her. Or, worse, get left behind and have to spend it doing something boring, like entertaining this moron here. "Look, can we talk about this later? Like, after Spring Break? I'm late."
"For?"
"Stuff," Soul didn't bother to elaborate and dashed out of the yacht; running past Kid, who was thankfully on the phone. He pushed his way through a crowd of party-crazy students until he made it to the boardwalk, where he continued down to the usual boat. Along the way, Soul spotted a man with shaggy red hair speaking with Liz, who looked more than a little guilty, and he wondered just what she'd done this time. Shaking his head, Soul continued to the docking area he and Maka had been meeting for the past few days.
Soul let out a breath of relief when he saw the boat was still docked; a distant figure walking around the top. His footfalls alerted her of his presence because by the time he was grabbing hold of the ladder, Maka was peeking out from the top and scowling down at him.
"What took you so long? I almost left without you!"
"Chill, Maka! I was just held back by someone, that's all," Soul grunted as he hopped aboard.
"Does everything you say have to be so secretive?" Maka laughed over her shoulder, more than used to his evasive replies. They'd gotten on her nerves like nothing else in the beginning but she figured he just wasn't the show-and-tell type. He certainly didn't strike her as the type once she got his basic personality down. However, it made for good teasing.
"For you information," Soul began, matter-of-factly, "Black Star was asking me where I've been this whole time." He walked toward the wheel, whistling at Maka for the keys and catching them when she tossed them at him.
"You mean you haven't told him?"
"He never asked." Soul shrugged at her disbelief. "What? It's none of his business what I do in my spare time. Besides, he never said anything about me having to be there to film his idiocy. That's Kid's job," he smirked.
"You were doing a pretty good job in the beginning..." Maka muttered under her breath but he caught it.
"What? Jealous?" He mocked and laughed when Maka growled and threw her wrap at him. He pulled it off his face, watching her sit cross-legged once more on the chaise and squirt sunblock onto her hand. She was efficient in the way she applied lotion on herself without any help unlike some girls he knew. She had amazing flexibility as well, as she reached her upper back easily. "Huh, I can't hear you!"
"I'm not going to answer that," Maka bit out. She heard him approach her but she stayed the way she was; not even twitching in acknowledgement when he stood directly behind her.
"Why? Cuz it's true?" He taunted.
"No, because it's stupid. "
"That you were jealous?"
"No, the entire thing is stupid!"
"…Because you were jealous?"
"NO! Because YOU'RE stupid!" Maka shouted, finally looking up at him with searing moss-green eyes. She squeaked when his hand covered her eyes, his laughter making heat rise to her face as it so often did when she was around him. "Ugh! Soul, let me go! Your hand is sweaty! Ew!" She screamed when she nearly toppled over the side of the chaise, his laughter growing hysterical. "You bastard—SOUL!"
"Oh, shit—!"
"No – no, step back! Step b—ACK!" Maka squealed when her head collided with the floor. Soul leaned over her, grinning from ear to ear and looking every bit the ridiculous man she'd grown fond of. She kicked her feet at his chest angrily, squeaking when he caught her by the ankles and hauled her up in one pull. It was as if she was weightless: she was hung upside down without effort. She gasped when a hand slid down her thighs to grab her waist, heaving her further up. She felt red spread across her face when her legs parted, hanging off his broad shoulders by the knees. "L…Let go of me! What are you doing? S-Soul! Let me go, I'm going to fall!" Maka choked out, her squirming only amusing him ever the more.
"Quit moving around! Maka, wait—!"
She froze when she felt his breath right in-between her thighs; right where it wasn't supposed to be. This was just a pose that was never supposed to be performed – much less with her, much less on her fathers boat, much less anywhere. But his hands never let her go and she shut her eyes as his breath continued to assault her dampening bikini shorts. Then she heard his chuckles; dark and sending thrills racing down her arms. "I told you to wait but you're always so impatient," Soul clucked his tongue in mock-admonishment. "You could've fallen and broken your neck or something."
"I could fall and break my neck right now," Maka forced out.
"Or not."
"Just let me down," she impatiently said. She heard him hum back contemplatively and grew even more nervous.
"Nah," he smirked and she growled.
"Soul, you have five seconds to let me down!"
"Starting now!" Soul cued mockingly.
"Five...four...three..." Maka swallowed as she slowed down to give him more time but he didn't show any signs of letting her go. "...O-one..." She sucked in a breath and her leg tightened around his neck when she felt his lips press against her center suddenly. Her breath hitched, her back arching and her fingers digging into the cushion of the chaise for support. "A-ah, Soul," she whimpered, an even louder moan tearing her throat when his tongue skirted around the edge of her bikini and found its way underneath. She ached with a desire that was barely relieved with each lick of his tongue. "Soul," she groaned, wanting to do something other than hang limply. "Soul!" she whined, and was both pleased and aggravated when his mouth left her throbbing core.
"What?"
"Let me go – !" She bumped back and felt something hard prod her lower neck. She had an idea of what it was. "The floor!" She demanded and Soul readily let her go, letting himself be shoved onto the chaise by her. He fumbled for the lever on the side, causing the backrest to slid completely flat behind him. He wouldn't be needing it: he needed to be lying down for this one. But before she could climb on top of him, he shook his head, pointing down south.
"Backwards, Maka," he smirked cunningly.
She stood there, uncertain, before he reached for her and pulled her closer. She swung her leg over his lap with her back to him and he gripped her thighs, pushing her forward toward his straining erection. But he wasn't too concerned with that at the moment, more focused on the prize before him as he went back to licking the ache that only became harder and harder to ignore. Maka gasped and gripped his shorts, sucking back moans. Her eyes fluttered closed and she mewed as he ravished her pussy. But she managed to regain some function in her arms and her fingers shakily pulled off his shorts unceremoniously, lidded eyes taking in his hard length before her mouth engulfed him. She heard his sharp gasp, joined by her own moan, as both suckled and licked and rubbed the areas of their body that burned for each other.
"Ah, ah – ah, god, Soul—!" Maka panted, digging her fingers up his shaft as her tongue licked his slick tip. With every bob of her head, it was followed by a rub of her hand and she could almost feel his release coming – even before his hips thrust into her mouth, sinking his cock so deep into her throat she gagged. She pulled back, sucking in breath, and swallowed him whole again and again until she heard his pained groan and felt his heaving breaths against her wet folds.
"That – is not fair," Soul ground out. He spread her thighs even more, pulling back enough to take in her soaking pussy. He needed to step it up if he wanted to catch up with her. He smirked when he heard her choke up around his cock when his fingers began to slide inside of her.
"Mpfh!" She muffled out, her hand slapping down to grip his calve, her other hand desperately digging into the plastic edges of the chaise when he slipped his fingers inside of her. In retaliation, she sucked harder on his length – sliding her tongue over his overflowing tip in the way she learned made his thighs tense and his hips tremble with the force of holding back. Her teeth then scraped up and down his cock and that seemed to be all it took for soon he left his load in her mouth and his fingers sunk deep inside her as his mouth gave one last noisy suck. That was her undoing as well and she arched and cried out, the sound lost in the calming waves of the ocean.
His head fell back but he propped himself up on his elbows when she sat up and lifted a leg over him to face him. Hazy eyes met before mouths did, their tongues seeking each others as the heat began to build in their stomachs again. Her fingers ran through his surprisingly soft hair; not at all the bleach-damaged mess she had expected. But the thought was quickly forgotten when she felt his hot girth slip between them pressingly. Maka pulled him back and he gave the chaise one hard push, frowning when it creaked threateningly. It would break or something they tried it on the damn thing so his eyes sought another proper location and they came to rest on the gunwale of the boat.
"Over there," he motioned.
"Won't I fall back?" Maka asked, concernedly, but followed him to it.
"I'll make sure you don't," he promised, lifting her up on it and slipping between her legs as he should've days ago.
"Take this off while we're at it," Soul said, reaching behind her to pull the string to her bikini top. Maka had the decency to flush red when it fell down between them, exposing twin mounds perked in attention. She bit her lip when his mouth descended upon one of them, rolling her nipple between his tongue and teeth and making her toes curl.
"Mm, Soul," Maka sighed, lifting her legs up when his hand reached down to pull the second piece off. The cloth slid up toned, sleek, thighs, and his mouth left her breast enough to admire the way it was flung off her legs, leaving her bare and exposed to him like he'd wanted. His arousal was starting to become hard to ignore again. His hands mapped the contours of her body, every curve not going unnoticed by him as his mouth kissed her neck, her jaw and trailed up back to her parted, quivering, lips.
"Ready?" He shakily breathed, his fingers digging into her scalp. His chest felt so strong against her breasts, each heaving breath kindling the fire that ached between her thighs. "Maka?"
"Wait, do you have a condom?" Maka suddenly asked and Soul swore.
"Fuck, no, I don't." Soul wasn't stupid enough to take a risk. There was just too much that could go wrong and even though he was starting to really like this girl, there was no way he was going to risk knocking her up. That was honestly the last thing he needed at his age.
"No – wait, I know!" Maka pointed to the pack that was thrown carelessly by the bow of the boat. "That's papa's! There has to be some in there!"
"Uh, I know he's a womanizer and all but…"
"Trust me, there'll be some in there," Maka blew out an annoyed breath. "Now go get it before I change my mind!"
Soul did not hesitate again as he walked over to for the bag. Maka let her eyes drop down to his ass, the muscle that shaped them so wonderfully. She felt her fingers flex at the thought of touching it again. He turned and walked back with, bemused that she had been right after all.
"Told you!" she sang.
"I'm not gonna' ask why your old man would be carrying around a whole box of these," he waved a condom box at her dryly before taking one out, "That might kill the mood."
"I think it already did…"
"Then let me remind you why I got one in the first place," he purred and laughed lightly with her before captured her lips, not taking long in reigniting the fire that had been blown to a simmer during their searching.
Maka heard the pack crinkle and rip before she felt something slick and hot press against her folds. She let out a shuddery moan as she felt him tease her, rub against her engorged clit and rile her up again. That echo of pleasure seemed to come back, stronger than ever, urging her to reach that edge again. "Soul, do it!" Maka groaned, squeezing her thighs around his waist impatiently. "What are you waiting for?"
"Remember what I told you before?" Soul breathed hard in her ear. A hand gripped her hip. "About taking it cool?"
"I don't care!" Maka reached between them and grabbed his cock in her hand, earning herself a sharp hiss. "I've been waiting forever for this!"
"You have?" He sounded a little lost.
"Soul! Focus!"
"Fine, jeez, but I'll remember that," he smirked out and she felt her lungs contract and never open again when he slid his length deep inside her. She was glad he didn't go in too fast for she had a hard time accommodating his girth. When had she last been with someone like this? At the moment, Maka could barely remember, but her body remembered perfectly and told her, shook and trembled with it, that it was not the same as before. This was better, it seemed to scream as her back arched and a cry caught in her throat, this was much better than whatever sex she'd had before.
Similarly, Soul felt her walls clench around him like a tempered vice. He felt like giving in the instant he slipped into her. The strength of her legs wrapped around him in a way that made him groan out her name, her walls so tight and impossibly hot around him, her breath harsh air against his moist neck and her nails digging into his back in a way that made him sigh. He couldn't remember why he'd taken so damn long to claim her already. She'd practically told him she'd been waiting for him to. And it certainly wasn't cool to keep a lady waiting.
"Ngh!" Maka grunted when he pulled out and thrust back into her. "S…Soul," she whispered and rocked against him, meeting his steadily fastening thrusts with equal vigor. Her head tossed back, a hand slapping against his chest with nails digging through skin as he pounded in and out of her. "Faster," she panted, "go faster!" She cried out when he did, swearing the boat rocked with each powerful slam of their hips against each others. "Nnnhh, Soul!"
"Maka," he grunted out, gripping a tense thigh and lifting it a little. "Move—yeah, like that, keep it up." She mewed in delight as he pounded into her at a different angle, short breaths hissing between his teeth with each thrust. Soon, their movements became more frantic, more erratic and hard and fast as they both began to read their end. Legs spread, both of Maka's hands gripped the edge of the gunwale, she came with a loud cry of his name and arch of her back. Soul managed a few more thrusts into her before he came with a moan, burying himself to the hilt inside of her.
"Oh…um…" Maka breathed, heavily. She looked up at him, catching her breath. He slumped forward on her and she wrapped an arm around his waist. "That was.."
"The highlight of our break?" He finished for her, just as wasted as she was.
"Yeah," Maka nodded weakly. Her cheek rested against his cheek and her eyes closed. "The highlight… of my break…" She looked up when his hand buried in her hair and pulled her back, kissing her with more affection than the lust-driven kisses they'd shared before. By now, Maka realized with surprise, the sun was a faint strip of pink and orange on the navy blue skyline. Where had the day gone? She wondered.
She could easily say, as Soul caressed her lips with his breath.
She figured something would drop by to ruin her evening.
Life was cruel like that.
"You get away from my baby girl, you sonofa—!"
"PAPA, STOP IT!" Maka shouted, pushing him away from Soul. "It's not Soul's fault! He didn't do anything!" Soul looked ready to tear his head off as well, fists clenched by his side. There was only so much verbal abuse one could take before they blew their lid and Soul was at his limit. After Maka had docked the boat again, the moon rising in its path to take the suns place, he had been struggling to put together his conflicted emotions about her when that man with the shaggy head of maroon gaped at them for a total of ten seconds.
Then Maka squeaked out, "Papa…" and it all made sense to him.
"Don't you try to defend him, Maka, I want to know what he was doing on my boat with you – alone – and I want to know now!" Spirit harshly demanded, setting stone-hard eyes at his daughter.
She flinched a bit but her reaction was fierce: "I was spending time with him because tomorrow is his last day here! He's my friend, papa, that's what you do with friends! It's no different than when Liz is with me—!"
"But Liz is a woman and not a – a sex-hungry beast like him!" Spirit accused, pointing a finger at Soul.
"Like you should be talking, old man, I wasn't the one fucking college students earlier!" Soul sneered and Spirit's chest swelled with rage.
"The fuck you say to me—?"
"You deaf, too?"
"You little shit—!"
"Papa, stop it before I tell mama where you've been all this time!" Maka roared, her chest heaving with the effort to contain her angry tears. Spirit stared at her, shocked, and set his jaw. Maka somehow wanted him to lie his way out of this; to make Soul's waspish come back less real. But Spirit only whispered her name apologetically, the fire in his eyes becoming a fearful and guilty glimmer. "He's my friend, Papa. I'm not like you. I don't go around sleeping with every single person I meet!" Maka spat. Spirit flinched, wounded. Maka dropped her watery eyes, regretting the words instantly. "Let's go, Soul…"
He silently took her hand and led her away from her father, both men sending each other acidic looks before the pair made it to the main boardwalk. Maka could still feel Spirit's sad gaze on her back as she walked with Soul.
"You alright?" Soul asked softly a few minutes later. Spirit had, as it seemed, wisely stayed behind by the boat. Soul hadn't meant much by his snarky statement at her father but he was surprised when it turned out to be true. Worse when the fact that his daughter, his own daughter, knew of his sleeping around and could hang it over his head. Soul knew her family was dysfunctional – she hadn't gone in-depth when they got into those conversations – but he didn't think it was this bad.
"Yeah," she sniffled, rubbing out an eye. The exhilarating high from their earlier activities had taken a nosedive when her father showed up. "I'm sorry about that. He doesn't usually go around stalking every guy I talk to…"
"Yeah, right, he just goes around kidnapping them and hiding them in a cellar," Soul morbidly sneered out and Maka smiled faintly. Prolonged silence followed and Soul thought about the words she'd spat back to her father. They made his gut knot up with anxious hope. "Hey, Maka?"
"Mm?"
"Back there, what you said to your dad…" Soul trailed off, struggling with the words. Maka looked up at him curiously. Tomorrow is your last day, a voice that sounded eerily like Kid nagged at him. What did he have to lose but everything? He swallowed thickly. "About not sleeping with every guy you meet…"
Maka pinked instantly. "O-oh…that. Well, I don't. What we did on the boat, that was…different. It's because…"
"….you like me?" Soul finished for her, a little hopeful.
She turned to him, alarmed. "No! Well, yes! But…" She faltered, downcast. "But you're leaving tomorrow..."
Soul jammed his hands in the pockets of his shorts and heaved a sigh. That was the problem, he grimaced, he was going back to Colorado the next day and who knew when he'd visit this obscure little town that had only been made known because of the Spring Break extravaganza?
"I don't usually do what I did with you because of my papa's horrible habits," Maka continued, a plank in the boardwalk creaking with their combined weight. "But, considering you're leaving tomorrow and I may never see you again….I didn't mind sleeping with you. You might as well try to have the least amount of regrets possible, right?" Maka offered with a halfhearted smile.
Soul stopped walking, Maka following after a few more steps. No regrets, huh? Soul thought to himself with a ghost of a smile. He might as well. If he was leaving tomorrow, then he'd leave with the least amount of regrets possible. They may have completely skipped over the dating phase and jumped right into the passionate part of the romance, but the least he could do was take her out on a date.
He held his hand out, grinning when Maka looked at it oddly.
"C'mon, let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."
Maka searched his eyes for a second and a small smile graced her face when she realized what he was trying to do.
She took his hand.
She didn't let go until they were seated at the local diner.
"This blows!" Liz whined, spinning the chair she was sitting with her foot. She reclined back, glaring at the ceiling. "Why do they have to live so far away? Why couldn't they live like... next door to us or something so we could visit! We probably won't see them until, like, the next Spring Break! If they even come back! Ugh, this sucks!" She spazzed, slumping in Maka's chair moodily.
Maka sat cross-legged on her bed, clutching a pillow to her chest in comfort. She didn't like thinking about that goodbye only a few hours ago. When they'd loaded up everything they needed and stood at the front of the airport, Kid having swiftly managed all of the details about returning his fathers yacht to its proper place, the ache of knowing he would be leaving and they would have nothing with each other (because they both agreed long-distance relationships fell apart after a while) really sunk her into a melancholy not even Liz's airy conversation could fix.
Maka buried her nose in her pillow.
"So, were you and Soul, like…" Liz began, hesitantly. She hadn't noticed until today, when they stood before each other with regret in their eyes and embraced longer than was suitable for friends.
"We're friends," Maka muffled out.
"Don't give me that! I saw the way you two were looking at each other!"
"We're friends," Maka repeated, sternly. She lowered her pillow to reveal gloomy, resigned, eyes. "That's what we decided yesterday…"
Liz brightened. "So you two did have something—aw, hell," Liz suddenly looked down, honestly feeling for her friend, who returned to burying her face in her pillow. "Did you really like him that much?"
"He was smart and sweet and a total ass but he always knew how to make me laugh," Maka groaned out, heaving a sigh. "He even let me hit him with my book when he was being a jerk."
Liz whistled. "That takes dedication."
Maka sent her a dry look.
Liz hastily amended, "I mean, not even Hiro could take your Maka Chops! He'd always bitch about it and then he'd bitch about you messing up his hair or something."
"Who cares about Hiro! He's not even half the man Soul is…" Maka scowled, remembering her ex-boyfriend only too well. He'd been one of the ones partying in the mass of Spring Breakers. They didn't hold much resentment towards each other and broke up on a good note, if possible, but Maka still remembered the dickhead moves he'd pull when they were together. His vanity and picking on her hairstyle being one of them.
Liz looked a little surprised at the declaration before a lopsided smile took its place. "Apparently, Kid goes to the same uni that Soul does," Liz conversationally began. "And they don't really like that school…."
Maka looked up, raising a brow. "What's that supposed to mean, Liz?"
"It means," Liz sang, swiveling the chair until she faced Maka, "that we have a perfectly suitable university here that has both their majors!" She grinned when realization dawned to Maka. Of course! Their university! How could she have forgotten? But she soured when another thought entered her mind:
"Soul and Kid aren't going to transfer here just because they don't happen to like their university, Liz. It has a lot of prestige – why would they leave it for ours?" Maka grumbled.
"Because ours is obviously better and plus, they'll have us around!" Liz cheerfully said. "Why wouldn't they come?"
Maka merely shook her head. It wasn't as easy as Liz made it sound, no matter how badly Maka wanted that to happen. Things simply didn't work that way. Their university wasn't currently enrolling as far as she knew and, if it was, they wouldn't be able to transfer until the next semester, which wasn't too far off now that she thought about it. But Maka forced those thoughts away. There was no use hoping for such a thing to happen, she'd never been much of a dreamer.
After another hour of conversation to get their minds off those two special boys, Liz wrapped up her tale and walked out with one last hug to Maka and a cheerful goodbye to her mother. At the sight of Kami's concerned eyes, Maka turned away and headed back up to her room. But being locked up with four walls surrounding you and seeming to cave in only made her antsy feeling worse, so she changed into some track pants and a gray shirt and made her way downstairs again.
"Where are you going, Maka?" Kami Albarn asked curiously. "Oh, you're not going on that boat again, are you?"
"I'll be back before sundown," Maka promised, already unhooking the keys from the key holder. "I just need a little air."
Kami sighed softly. "Oh, alright. Be careful. By the way, Maka, do you know where your father is? I haven't been able to reach him for an hour and he needs to send this package to Blair! I want it to arrive before the wedding!"
Oh, right! Blair's wedding, Maka remembered, her spirits lifting at the thought. Blair had been a local girl who had, at first, taunted and picked on Maka before they steadily developed a friendship. It was a strange relationship they shared but it was one they both treasured. Kami had also liked Blair – at least, when her husband wasn't flirting with the curvy girl. "Are we still going? It's in two months, right?"
Kami nodded. "Yes, I've already reserved the plane tickets and everything! Isn't this exciting? I hear the man she's going to marry is quite the sensation over there!" Kami laughed heartily, picking up a few pans to begin cooking. "A famous musician, I believe."
"Really?" Maka awed. She hadn't really asked about Blair's fiancée when the girl called. She would have to call her later today and ask her about it. "Wow, I can't wait!"
"Now, go!" Kami shooed. "I'll leave your dinner on the stove, okay? Take your keys – I have work in two hours. I think I'll be pulling a late shift tonight, so don't wait up for me, sweetie."
Maka nodded, stuffing the keys into her pockets.
Another late night for her mother and father.
Both for different reasons.
Maka sighed at the thought of what fights will break out when Kami finally got some dirt on Spirit. She was close, of this she knew. She'd been rather mellow and indifferent with him lately. Maka can only imagine what she had planned for Spirit when he slipped up again…
He slipped up two days before Blair's wedding.
Maka sat on the plane beside her mother, her father nowhere to be found. She'd cancelled his ticket when she caught him in the throes of passion with another woman in his own office. Needless to say, after throwing the container of food at his face and running back to her car in tears, when Maka returned from her classes at university, Kami was a wreck and harshly told her they'd be going to Blair's wedding alone and they would speak no more of this.
Kami could be especially nasty when needed.
Maka snuck a look at her mother. Her eyes were rimmed red and there was a resentful, hateful, mournful, and hurting glimmer to her tired light green eyes. Maka felt her fists clench. She'd promised herself she wouldn't interfere with her parents marital problems but damn her if she didn't want to pummel Spirit for making her hurt so badly. It was bad enough he had the audacity to apologize when he knew he'd do it again, but he had to go do it in his workplace when he knew full-well (or perhaps he'd forgotten, Maka bitterly thought, he was always forgetting important things) that Kami dropped by every few days to deliver him a sack of lunch so he didn't have to buy out.
Kami hid a sniffle behind a cough.
Maka sat back and controlled her rage.
They arrived promptly and without fault. It was silent the entire way, even when they arrived at the hotel Blair had been kind enough to reserve for them and entered the impressive suite Blair chose for them. It was a towering hotel, with gold-trimmed everything's and sleek opal white floors. The receptionist was friendly and the bell hoppers were equally receiving. It's no wonder Blair had named this her favorite hotel of all time – although Maka dreaded to think just how much it cost to reserve a night. Blair had always adored luxury.
"Maka, can you check if I packed my bracelets?"
"You did! I remember you put them in your make-up bag!" Maka called back, slipping on her two inch heeled pumps. She stood up, rotating her ankle a bit and scrutinizing the polished black shoes that would make her feet hurt for hours. At least they looked good on her, she observed, that was some consolation. She was done save for her hair, which she decided she'd let loose and style into curls that fell down her bare shoulders. The dress was black taffeta, a cocktail dress with a fitted bodice that ended a few inches above her knees. The taffeta was pleated in secure tucks, turning a classic little number into something much more saucy. "You look beautiful, Maka! You'll have the boys at your beck and call at the wedding!" Kami smiled, clasping on her bracelet.
"So will you, mama!" Maka beamed back.
"Oh, please." Kami batted off with a bashful smile. "I would look better if I lost some weight!"
"Don't say that, you're fine just the way you are! I bet you'll have the entire room looking at you when you walk in!" Maka praised, laughing when her mother shook her head at her teasing and resumed applying her lipstick. After some touch-ups and adding the final touches to their hair, both women left the comfortable suite in the hotel and hailed a taxi to take them to the wedding.
"Do you think we'd be able to see Blair before she walks the aisle? I want to have a few words with her," Kami stated and Maka saw her eyes grow hard and bitter again.
"I'm sure we can if we make it early enough," Maka checked her cellphone. "At this rate, there should be enough time…"
Kami nodded distantly.
The destination of Blair's wedding was equally expensive, equally luxurious and classy. Maka wondered, as she walked through an elaborately decorated archway that led to a wide range of perfectly trimmed grass and strong oak trees that flourished with bright green leaves, if Blair had chosen the location or the groom. A picturesque scenery, Maka mused as they headed over to the cathedral that stood tall and proud with its stone sentinels flanking its sides. The gothic architecture was immediately beloved by Maka. She could only imagine how breathtaking the interior would look like…
"Maka, go find us a seat, okay? I'll be right there with you!" Kami promised, hurrying off to find Blair while Maka stood uncertainly in a steadily filling cathedral. She wandered past some pews before deciding to sit near the front, toward the sides. As everyone set up and all of the guests filled into their own seats, Maka saw the groom come in from one of the side doors.
The sight nearly made her choke.
Silver blonde hair, tall and broad, fitted into a clearly tailored suit with a smile that could blind the unprepared. The only differences between this man and Soul was his facial structure, sharper than Soul's, and his eyes, which were more black than burgundy. But the resemblance was eerie and Maka felt an overwhelming amount of dread and excitement well in her gut at the significance. Soul had mentioned something about his brother being a musician although Maka couldn't have fathomed he'd be the same person her mother had told her was quite famous and had many Billboard hits.
Then she saw him walking in seconds later after his brother.
Her eyes immediately locked on the handsome man who came to a stand beside the groom, yawning into his palm as if he'd been woken from a particularly satisfying nap. She stared; she couldn't help it, this was the most cleaned up she'd ever seen him. She'd only seen him in swim shorts and t-shirts the entire break. His suit was pinstriped and defined the lean contours of his body, with a bloody red shirt that brought out the crimson in his eyes. His hair was a tousled mess, as usual, and she knew it was him simply by the slouch of his shoulders. She had been around him enough to recognize it. Polished black dress shoes, silver cufflinks, and his trademark lazy grin finished off his look.
Maka felt that ache between her thighs grow fiercer as her eyes trailed down his body, taking in every contour. She always thought he was handsome in his usual clothes but, seeing him like this, dressed in a tailored suit, she didn't think she'd be able to ever look at another man the same way. He was handsome in his day wear, he was a devil in a suit. He ruined her for another man, she mourned quietly before going back to her staring.
Then he turned her way and his grin slid off his face.
Maka stared at him and he stared back, his jaw slacking. She wondered if he was just as shocked to find her here of all places. But their eyes never left each others – even when Wes, his brother and Blair's fiancée, snapped his fingers in front of his face and looked in her direction curiously. It was then that Maka flashed her eyes away and sunk deeper into her seat, hoping to dissolve into the waxed wood because there would be no focusing when she knew he was in the same room as her.
Ironic, Maka faintly thought, how just a few weeks ago they'd agreed to stay friends and now she happened to see him when he's at his most provocative.
Maka didn't think she'd last very long under the heat of his bedroom eyes.
Because that's what they were – smoldering, hot, predatory.
She wondered what Liz would say to this if she were with her right now.
"Maka, are you okay?" Kami asked, placing a hand on her daughters cheek. "You're red."
"I'm fine!" Maka gasped, shaking out of her touch. "I'm just, it's, um, it's a little hot in here!"
"Oh," Kami frowned. She personally thought it was rather drafty inside. "Well, if you want to go out for some fresh air you can. Just make sure you're back before the wedding starts."
"No, it's fine!" Maka hastily amended. "I'll just sit here. You're not going anywhere, right?"
Kami frowned at her daughters strange behavior but nodded. "Blair still needs to get ready, I'll talk to her later," she sighed and Maka's face regained its normal tone at her mothers melancholic frown. Maka quickly glanced back at Soul, finding him looking back at her as well, and sank back in her seat to await Blair's big entrance.
He was, unfortunately, sitting a few seats behind her.
Maka twisted her hands on her lap, only too aware of the pair of eyes that bore holes into the back of her head. It was worse when she had to stand up because she had to fix the tufts of her dress down her rear and she was so sure his eyes followed the movement faithfully every time she did. Here she thought he'd be sitting somewhere toward the front, with his parents or relatives or friends, but of course he'd sit towards the back with Black Star, who'd apparently been invited to the wedding. Likely to stave off boredom, Maka sighed softly to herself.
"She looks so beautiful," Kami whispered to her. Maka smiled softly at her mother. There was an admiration, as well as sadness, as she watched Blair hold Wes' hands in hers with adoring golden eyes. Maka wondered if her mother had looked like that when she got married and felt cold all of a sudden.
Did marriages all end like that? Were they all bound for failure? She got her answer when her eyes swiveled to the Evans family. Soul's mother clung onto his father's arm, a tissue over her mouth as she watched her dear son say his vows. No, Maka quietly thought, not all marriages were bound for failure. They had their ups and downs, but they had a chance just like anything else. She saw the head Evans pat his wife's shoulder softly and could just glimpse his smile from where she sat.
Some just had more luck than others.
The cathedral was suddenly plunged into applause and Maka withdrew from her thoughts to see Wes and Blair cut their kiss short and turn to face them. Blair was radiant, and Maka could see a joyous glow surround Wes despite his outward placid appearance. Funny how Blair married her total opposite, Maka thought with a laugh as the couple began to walk down the aisle, meeting congratulatory hand shakes and smiles with ease.
"Oh, Maka!" Blair squealed, running to her the instant she spot her. It was a little difficult, Maka just noticing the appalling height of her heels, but once she reached her Maka embraced her tightly and felt tears spring to her eyes. "It's been so long, kitten, look at you!" Blair sniffled, shoving her back to drink in her appearance. "You look like you belong in an escort house!"
"No, I don't!" Maka gasped in horror. Beside Blair, Wes hid a laugh behind a cough.
"You grew up so much while I was away, Maka-nya!" Blair continued as if she didn't hear her. She turned to Wes, pointing at Maka. "This was the girl I was talking about, the one I hated at first because she was so cute and Blair couldn't be as cute as her!"
Maka 's shoulder slumped. "Blair, is that really why you pushed me into a bathroom stall?"
"Maaaybe," Blair giggled, much to her chagrin.
"She pushed you into a bathroom stall?" Wes arched a brow at his new wife, who smiled cheekily.
"We didn't get along when we first met and when I was walked into the restroom, she bumped into me on purpose and I tripped into a stall. Nearly hit my chin on the toilet rim," Maka admitted, blushing a pretty pink that Blair called out with gushing affection. She squealed even more and hugged her tight, commenting on her beauty once more.
"Ooh, Maka, you have to meet Wes' little brother! He's so cute, too – Scythe boy! Scythe boy, come here! Where are you going? Come say hi to my little kitten!" Blair whined. Maka hid a snort of laughter behind a cough. Scythe boy? Now she wanted to hear the story behind that one!
"What'd'ya want, Blair?" Soul growled as he sauntered to them, slipping a hand inside the pocket of his trousers. Black Star hung behind, amusing himself by watching them.
"Maka! I'd like you to meet—!"
"Soul..." Maka nodded, dropping her eyes before she could make a fool out of herself by staring. Blair blinked, surprised. Wes narrowed his eyes a fraction at the unusual expression his brother wore – a mixture of longing and regret. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, much less when it was directed to a girl.
"Hey, Maka," Soul quietly greeted.
"You two have meet before?" Blair questioned.
"Spring Break," Soul filled in for her. Behind Soul, Black Star's eyes rounded with realization. "Her friend was going out with one of my friends."
"Ooh, spring break, huh…?" Blair trailed off. The sly glint in her eyes when she turned back to Maka told her she would be in for an interrogation when they had the chance. Maka sighed at the thought. She really didn't want Blair analyzing her odd relationship with this man. Maka knew they'd crossed that borderline a long time ago without anyone telling her. "Well, that saves the introductions, then! We can continue to the reception!" She clapped her hands and added, "Maka, where's your mama? I told her she can ride with me in the limo!"
Maka started, looking behind her. Kami was nowhere to be found. "I don't know. She was sitting right beside me…"
"I saw her go out. I think she took a call," Soul offered, helpfully.
Wes' eyes narrowed another fraction; his brother wasn't known to be helpful. In fact, he was more likely to simply wander off mid-conversation. His contemplative expression did not go unnoticed by Blair. There was most definitely something he knew that she didn't and she wanted to know! After all, when scythe boy or her kitten were involved, the world could wait.
"Mouuu, go find her for me, Maka-nya! Then come to the front! But hurry! We're already behind schedule!" Blair cheerfully laughed and grabbed onto Soul's arm. Maka watched him growl curses at her as he tried to tug his arm out from between her generous bosom – the newly wed laughing something out while her husband shook his head and followed close behind her.
She caught Soul's worried look in her direction.
Maka smiled a little, knowing it probably looked sad, and continued to look for her mom. When she looked at Black Star, noticing he'd lingered behind, his lewd grin made her flush a terrible red and she hastened to find her mother; oblivious to the fact that she'd just answered all of Black Star's questions.
"You fucked her!"
Soul twitched.
"You were fucking her that entire time! Damn!" Black Star stated loudly hours into the after-wedding party, after both had taken more than their fair share of the bottles of champagne that lined the many laid-out tables in pairs. Blair and Wes had departed for their honeymoon early on in the evening, leaving their guests to mingle and drink to their hearts content until midnight.
Soul sent him a scathing look. "Shut up!"
"You did. You totally fucked her—!"
"Don't say it like that!" Soul snapped at Black Star. "It wasn't just for the lay, alright? I actually like her."
Black Star started to laugh before he sobered up at the sight of his friends menacing glower. "Holy shit. Holy shit, you're serious, huh? With her? I mean, she's okay and all, but she's a total geek. Like, with the school girl uniform and pigtails and glasses and everything!" He gesticulated wildly. "She's a total bookworm! And you hate reading as much as I do!"
"Lucky I have a thing for bookworms," Soul remarked snidely.
"You do not! I would know if you did!"
"Well, I do now."
Black Star deflated, running a hand through his hair in conflict. It was true that Black Star usually hated Soul's girlfriends (mostly because they were needy, clingy, women who never ceased to grate on Black Star's superior nerves) but he didn't know how to feel about this potential girlfriend. Maka Albarn was the type of girl who didn't strike him as needy – rather independent, actually – and, as a whole, a complete opposite to the girls Soul usually sought. She wasn't busty, voluptuous, or sexy: she was thin in the way a ballerina was, with a delicate bone structure accompanied with a high, tinkling, laugh. She looked younger than she was, her age reflected in the deep wisdom of her moss green eyes. Black Star also had the self-given right to judge her boring and, technically, plain just by these facts. But whatever Soul saw in her, whatever he knew about her, Black Star could only imagine was fantastic. Well, the sex must be anyway. That's the only way Black Star could understand his friends attraction towards Maka.
"So, you really like Maka, right?"
"Yeah."
"Like, girlfriend-like or just fuck-like—!"
"Black Star, shut up!" Soul growled. He slumped against the veranda, gazing up at the spotless sky with the usual uninterested expression. Black Star couldn't read him even if he tried, which often he did. Soul could be an enigma in and of itself when he wanted to be. "Maka… she's not like the other girls. For one, she doesn't give a crap if she insults me or not. She stands up to me," a faint smile clung to his lips. "And it also helps that she doesn't think I'm funny looking."
"You're not funny-looking, bro. I'd totally fuck you," Black Star helpfully said, hiding a snicker behind his hand when Soul deadpanned a look at him. "I'd be, like, begging you to fuck me every ten minutes, man. Trust!"
Soul smacked his forehead in his palm, ignoring his friends hysterical laughter at the sheer thought. "….Thanks, Black Star," Soul dryly said.
"That's what bros are for," Black Star smirked tauntingly and happened to glance sidelong to the right. He did a double take when he did. "Hey, isn't that her over there?"
Soul suddenly stood straight, watching Maka come walking back alone down the paved way to the ballroom. He could faintly see her trembling, her teeth chattering, and he then realized just how cold it really was. She likely hadn't come with a jacket either.
"Hey, if I don't come back in an hour, you can leave if you want. You know where the hotel is and you've got a key," Soul instructed swiftly, already on his way out of the balcony.
"Whoa, wait, where you going?"
"Don't worry about it!" Soul grinned over his shoulder.
"You're just gonna' leave me here!"
"Yeah!"
"Dick!" he shouted and scowled when Soul didn't even reply. Black Star figured he'd go after the bookworm. He scoffed and mumbled things about unruly disciples and school girls. Meanwhile, Soul searched the crowd of guests for a head of ash blond, frowning when he saw nothing but black and browns and bright yellow blondes. He circumvented the crowd, always sticking to the walls, until he finally caught a glimpse of that taffeta dress that looked ridiculously gorgeous on her.
There she was: standing beside her mother, rubbing her shoulders and standing so straight she would make his mother proud. He watched her, hoping she'd feel his stare, and his wish was granted when she looked up curiously and almost immediately caught his eye. He crooked a finger at her and she glanced at her mother, telling her something before making her way to him.
"What, two months and no hello?" Soul started as once she was in ear-shot.
"I didn't even know you were going to be here, Soul, don't be so dramatic," she rolled her eyes.
"I still don't hear a hello."
"Hi, Soul," she shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips despite herself. "Happy now?"
"A little," he shrugged and grinned around his glass of champagne. It was easy to fall back into their normal habits from hours spent on a boat afloat in open sea. He had no problem speaking with her like he thought he would. He liked this type of comfortable conversation that flowed between them like a steady stream in a forest. She – everything about her – was comfortable; comfortable and taunting. It was a strange mixture but he hardly minded. It kept things interesting, he thought, it will keep them interesting.
"I didn't think you'd know Blair," Soul spoke up, both leaning against the wall. Black Star, if he heeded his advice, was likely gone by now. He really had nothing else to do at a wedding, that he'd made obvious by his whining. Soul could only hope so. He didn't need the guy making a ruckus around the ballroom or, god forbid, outside of it.
"We didn't get along well in the beginning, but we managed to put our differences aside and became really close friends until she moved. I didn't know the guy she was seeing was your brother – she always made him out to be some kind of uptight business man, not a musician!" Maka answered sheepishly with a laugh.
"Yeah, that's my bro alright," Soul dryly said. "10 foot pole up his ass, can't take a joke."
Maka laughed outright, reddening when she caught him staring at her again. Did she laugh too loud again? She cussed herself out inwardly. She needed to keep it, for lack of better word, cool! She cleared her throat before she spoke: "I'm guessing you're going back home tomorrow?"
"You guessed wrong!" Soul smirked at her tilted head. "Since Wes and Blair are off god-knows-where for their honeymoon, I've got the hotel room to myself. They rescheduled the wedding at the last moment, after we bought the plane tickets, so they couldn't refund them so I get to stay an extra day."
"Oh!" Maka perked up, excited. "Mama said we'll go back the day after tomorrow. I think she wants to do some shopping and sight-seeing before we do." She also wanted as much time away from her papa, Maka grimaced a little, her excitement quickly plummeting.
"So, what's up with the face?" Soul finally asked, not fooled when she looked at him in confusion. "You've had this weird look on your face since I saw you. What happened?" He took a swing of his drink, keen on every muddled emotion that crossed her eyes.
Maka sighed in resignation. "Mama caught my papa cheating."
His brows rose in surprise. "She didn't take it well? Or she didn't know all this time?"
"She knew, she just never caught him in the act so she couldn't do much. It was all smoke in the air until yesterday," Maka sighed softly. "She caught them in his office."
"Oh, shit," Soul cleared his throat. Jeez, what a horrible way to find out. "So, I'm guessing that's why she wants to stay?"
"Yep."
For a second, neither said anything. Soul glanced at her, the soft blush on her cheeks and the rather gloomy gaze towards the thinning throng of guests. He could do it now. He'd have a reason to. It wouldn't sound weird, not really. And, seriously, it was a hit or miss thing now.
He was hung up on her, bad.
He had been for the past few weeks.
People had begun to notice, more specifically his brother and Kid. Black Star remained oblivious but what did that matter? That idiot was usually oblivious to his inner struggles, at least until tonight, when he discovered his none-too-subtle crush on the apparent geek. Not that it mattered. Black Star didn't need to coach him on this: he was more than old enough to take care of these affairs by himself. But he didn't think he'd be able to just leave things like this with her tonight. If his brother kept prodding at him earlier for why he seemed more bitter than usual, he'd be practically interrogating him when he saw him next time if Soul just left things undone like this with Maka.
Besides, what did he have to lose? Soul finished his drink and took a deep breath.
Stay cool, stay calm, stay cool.
Stay cool.
"Since you're gonna' stay here another day…you wanna' hang out?" He inwardly cringed. You wanna' hang out? He snarked to himself. Is that the best you can do? Dammit, so not cool! But his heart was already beating to a drum line in his chest and his palms had begun to sweat. He hadn't felt this nervous around a girl since his first girlfriend and that novelty had very quickly worn off. This thing he had with her hadn't, wasn't, losing its charm for some weird reason. Because he'd already touched home base, now he was just revisiting the rest in a haphazard order. And he still couldn't get it right, not when it came to her. It still felt like he'd just met her on whim, and they'd hit it off, and now he was struggling to get her digits.
How lame, how easily he was thrown out of his element when an uptight, stubborn, and geeky girl came his way.
She looked up and smiled beautifully, apparently oblivious to his inner war. There was a gentle sprinkle of red that hued her cheeks, her eyes chipped pieces of emerald that crinkled at the corners with her smile. She was actually endeared from that awful line. Soul nearly laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of their situation.
"Yeah. That sounds great, Soul!"
It took him a moment to recollect himself. But when he did, his own lopsided smile captivated her just as hers did to him. "Cool."