maka stumbled across her bedroom, grabbing her jeans off the floor and pulling a sweater over her shoulders.

her one pair if flats had been left by the door the last time she was forced to go shopping with Tsubaki and she grabbed them now deciding it was easier than unbuckling her boots.

she grabbed her keys and slipped down the stairs, barely keeping from falling in her haste.

the air had cooled at sunset and maka pulled her sweater closer buttoning up the dark maroon fabric.

her tank top the only thing underneath was too thin to keep away the chill. she rushed the two blocks south to coffee street and fallowed it down until she found a rather dusty old bar.

she could smell the booze from outside and the pink neon Lady out front continued to spread and close her legs in a way that didn't suggest a strip club more than bad tastes.

she shouldered past a drunk frat boy and found kilik at the door, a whoosy Dean Mortimer hanging off his shoulder.

kilik just nodded his head towards the yelling and rolled his eyes before moving out the door.

Maka pushed her way through the room hesitating around the ring of people that had gathered to watch bathe fight.

"Blake!" she shouted.

when no response came she huffed and skimmed the perimeter looking for a way through. "Blake!" she shouted again hoping to get his attention.

"you must be maka" a voice sounded from beside her. she jumped startled by the figure suddenly standing beside her. He sounded like the guy on the phone. "yeah, are you the one that called?"

The figure nodded. she couldn't see very well in the bars low lighting, it seemed that her idiot brother must have busted one of the lights during the fight and left most of the room in even heavier shadows, but she could make out the movement of his head.

"please tell me you know how to deal with this." his voice sounded tired, almost as tired as she felt.

"yeah, I can handle him, you can go if you want." the figure shook his head. "no, unfortunately, I'm responsible for this idiot."

Maka couldn't help but let out a thin laugh. "I know how that feels. I'm maka by the way, his sister." she tried to stick out her hand for him to shake but evidently the gesture was lost in the darkness, because he made no move to touch her. "soul, I'm a friend."

his tone was casual but he leaned away from her as he spoke, like he was uncomfortable interacting with someone he didn't know.

maka stood on her tiptoes trying to peak over the crowd, she caught a glimpse of some drunk guy getting the shit beat out of him before some drunker guy leaned to the side blocking her view.

"I need to get through the crowd." she scanned her surroundings trying to make out any shape in the dark that might help her.

to her surprise Blake's friend grabbed her sleeve and tugged her through the crowd. Pushing past the worst of the drunks maka managed to spot Blake. He charged past her like a bull intent on his target.

she cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled the magic words. "Blake, the police are here and their going to call Sid if you get arrested." Blake skid for a second before stopping his momentum. he scanned the crowd aeound him spotting his sister easily.

"maka? what are you doing here? its supposed to be guys night."

"your buddies had to call me up to calm you down before you got yourself arrested again."she huffed.

" you know your on probation, what if you get kicked out, what about your partner, what would she think, did you think any of this through before you decided to get yourself into some stupid bar fight? "

Blake blanched. "geez maka your such a nag."

"maybe I wouldn't have to be if some idiot didn't put his entire reputation on the line for three shots of fireball."

"hey, I do not drink fire ball anymore. not after last time."

"we don't have time for this, the owner really did call the cops and you know your boss is going to be all over you if you get in any more trouble."

Blake managed to fallow her back through the crowd. though it wasn't very difficult with people hurrying out of his path. they were afraid to stand in his path after the shit they'd seen him do in the fight and half of them were underaged and needes to get out vefore the cops showed up too.

Maka grabbed Blake's friend and hauled them both out onto the street. she turned in the direction of Blake's place and pushed him. even drunk he was pretty light on his feet and could get home without much trouble as long as nothing shiny distracted him.

She turned back to his friend to let him know he was free to go when she spotted who she assumed was him standing a few paces back on the curb.

He was staring at her in opsen mouth surprise. His burning red gaze too familiar for her comfort.