He tried, okay, mainly for her to finally get off his back.

His dates with Blair were all awkward and short-lived, especially when he had discovered that he was "Boyfriend #4." Luckily, they hadn't done more than hold hands, so he didn't have to worry about catching any strange disease.

Still, despite his dismal feelings for the village barmaid in the first place, break-ups suck. Soul was feeling down for the better half of a week before Maka came up with the courage to ask him about it.

After telling her of his woes, she just seemed irked and went off to her (his?) bedroom without another word.

And now he came home to this.

The small purple cat mewed softly in Maka's lap, as she turned the page to yet another one of her huge books. He almost asked her why she decided to get a familiar now when he recognized the necklace amid the purple fur.

"Maka…"

"Hmmm?" He could tell she was trying to avoid his eyes.

"Did you turn my ex into a cat?"

She gave him a guilty smile. "Maybe?"

"Why would you…change her back, will ya?"

She pouted, which was simultaneously cute and frustrating.

"But why? She's so nice and mild like this." As if the accentuate her point, the small feline curled up against Maka's hip.

"Yeah, but that doesn't justify dooming someone to a life of drinking milk and—hey get off of me."

The cat was rubbing itself on his pant legs, in the process letting the mud from today's work get everywhere.

Maka was looking at the whole ordeal, lips a thin line. "Seems like she's still a player."

"Not cool, Maka!"

She crossed her arms. "Do you really want her back? She…she hurt you."

Something warmed in his chest. "Were you worried about me?"

"No. I just…"

"We broke up because I walked in on her making out with Gerald. Gerald. The shoe maker, who smells like five degrees of piss—

"Okay, alright, your point?"

He held the kitty at arms length, and tried his best to look serious in this absurd situation. "We're over. An ex is an ex. I didn't really like her that much anyways."

She made a flabbergasted noise at this. "But you guys courted for three weeks."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah, three weeks of her dragging me to every damn store in the village. I swear, if I ever see another ribbon…" Soul trailed off.

It was true. All he had wanted was a cool drink after doing some shopping, and he ended up with his server aggressively hitting on him. He had a feeling Blair only went out with him that day (and the next three weeks) so that she could link arms with the village oddity, and show off how nicely purple contrasted with his white hair or tanned arms. He wanted to say no, but there was a lilt to her voice that could charm snakes and Maka's constant woes of finding him someone loomed in the back of his head.

But his witch wasn't like Blair. Maka would never drag him around like an exotic handbag, and the words that came out of her mouth were sharp and ruthless and oh god that's just the way Soul liked them.

Or, that one part of his mind whispered, it wasn't that he had a type. It was just that she was what he wanted.

He liked her.

What a great time to realize it, when his ex-turned-cat started peeing on his boots.

"Ah god Maka!"

"Okay OKAY."

She grabbed the cat and nearly force-fed her a shimmering magenta liquid. In a puff of purple smoke, Blair-the-human was laying on the ground.

Naked.

He groaned and averted his eyes. "Why?!"

"Hey, Soul-kun~"

"Oops."

After a full five minutes of him facing the wall, Blair was re-clothed.

Soul finally managed to slump on a chair. "I'm so sorry this happened to you Blair."

"Why? It was fun!"

He looked at Maka, who was looking back at him with eyebrows raised.

"R-really?"

"Yeah, I've always wanted to be a pet. It's nice being pampered for. When can we do it again?" she started braiding her hair, as if this was a normal Tuesday for her.

"Uh, I'm not sure that's how it works," Soul stammered.

Maka looked contemplative, then finally huffed out. "Alright, I'm sorry for turning you into an animal. In return, I'll grant you the power to change in and out of that form whenever you wish."

She closed her eyes and started a low chant of words Soul was sure he never learned. The pendant around Blair's throat glowed once, twice, and then returned to its normal silver shine.

The air was electric, just a reminder of how much power was packed into one small girl.

Her eyes opened and all Soul could see was green green green.

"Okay, try it now. Just imagine being a cat."

Blair quickly squealed and closed her eyes with glee. Within seconds and another puff of smoke, the purple feline was trapped on the floor beneath her own dress.

Maka scooped her up into her arms. "She is rather cute like this, but I don't think such a whimsical woman would have made a good wife for you, Soul Eater."

He thinks back to the brief time he had spent with the mauve-haired woman. How he was so surprised by her height or frame or whatever, like he was expecting shorter. And lighter hair. And green eyes that could (probably literally) kill.

He looks at her, the one who he can finally admit to himself he likes (and maybe much more than he will admit today) and tries to remind himself not to kiss her when all she wants from him is for him to settle down with someone else.

Soul swallows the lump that has tensed in his throat. She was still expecting an answer.

"Yeah, I didn't really click with her anyways. Looks like you'll have to wait longer for that firstborn."

Is it too hopeful for him to pretend that the sigh she gives out is due to her relief?