Day 2 – Cuddles

Cuddling with Maka was nice, but it got a little trying when there was stuff aroused that should definitely not be.

rated M for implications

Cuddling was nice.

Soul had reached that conclusion about two years into their partnership, when they were on a mission somewhere in Iceland and the heater wasn't good enough to really keep them warm. That had been the first time they had shared a bed and limbs and they definitely didn't have to worry about the cold anymore that night. Because Maka was nice and warm and Soul liked it too much to stop doing it once they were back home in Death City.

Maka had been a little weirded out by his request to cuddle again a few nights later when they were back home and not freezing off their asses without additional body heat (and he admitted it, he'd been all sorts of uncool and awkward while asking for the favour), but that didn't stop her from complying with it after giving him a long, measuring look. Of course, her compliance may or may not have had to do with the fact that he'd still been pretty emotionally closed off back then and hatred of men or not, she was his partner and wanted him to open up at least to her. Not that he'd known that back then, but he hadn't asked either. He wasn't going to look a gift horse – or in his case gift cuddles – in the mouth and the following cuddles were something he quickly became addicted to.

With time, it became a habit for them to cuddle whenever they had the opportunity to and unlike the first awkward times, they fell into the habit as easily as breathing now. He'd throw an arm over her shoulder whenever an occasion to do so arose and she'd scoot as close to him as possible when they were sitting down somewhere. Only not at school, because even if she'd gotten cooler over the years, she was still the same braniac she'd been when he'd first met her. His beautiful braniac.

Yes, his. His very own girlfriend. That was something that had actually happened because of cuddling too, because that had been one of the times where he'd gotten drowsy with sleep and she'd asked him who he liked and it had just slipped out. He'd blacked out on her a few seconds later, because he had been honestly tired, but that didn't stop her from smiling so much that it looked like it would hurt her cheeks the next morning, still cuddling up to him before she'd whispered an "I like you too, doofus" and got up to make breakfast. It had been the best way to wake up to date.

Maka being his girlfriend had many perks. For one, he was actually allowed to be even bigger on PDA than they had been before (she didn't really care as long as he was kissing her senseless) and she allowed him to cheat off her now when he was on the verge of failing a test. He'd just have to make it up to her later. But the biggest perk was being able to kiss her, make out and touch as long as it wasn't too intense. Their cuddle sessions had never been more enjoyable.

Of course, now that he actually knew that she was into him, it was getting increasingly frustrating to have a lapful of meister and not being allowed to advance to a desperate romp on the couch or just furious grinding. But he was a good partner – and boyfriend now – and he wouldn't do that without her permission.

At least that was what he was intending to do, but he was beginning to think that it would be better to be at least a little selfish. Why? Because she was cuddling with him and she had been making out with him before she had abruptly stopped, leaving him completely hanging. And he was aroused too, so freaking much, and he was hard and he was not supposed to be hard, she was still lying on top of him for fuck's sake. Which he guessed though was – kind of – the core of his problem.

"Soul. Oh my Death, Soul, do you seriously have a boner?"

He groaned. Of all things. "I miiight, yeah." She pinked. Looked down at his crotch. Pinked some more. He wondered if he was a sick bastard for getting turned on by it. "So does this mean you want …" she let the rest hang in silence. Yes. Yes, he wanted, so fucking much. But he wasn't going to and it was all for the sake of his meister. "It's alright, you really don't gotta – force yourself or something. Just let me be for a little while?" Death, he sounded so uncool. And he was so screwed.

"I-I-I …" she stuttered, blush erupting into a deep shade of scarlet. "I just thought … you wouldn't be ready yet." she looked away from him. He'd heard right, right? Right. He should have counted on Maka being ridiculous again. "You know, it's usually the guy worrying about the girl not being ready." She looked him in the eyes again, a bit unsure and very embarrassed

"You're my weapon. I have to worry about you. But -" she stopped shortly, as if gathering courage, before continuing in a huskier voice "I'm definitely ready."

He gulped, throat suddenly dry. "Yeah. Me too."

It went without saying that post-coital cuddles quickly became his new favourite.