"So it just says you're here for an exam, but looking at your face, I think I can figure it out." Maka giggled as she tried to hold in her laughter- it'd be rude to laugh at a client. In her defense, Soul's pale face was all clawed up and red with scratches.

He didn't look very amused; it was clear that he wasn't having the best of times with his new living partner. He complained about Blair's constant meowing out the window at night, and all of his scratched up furniture and broken kitchen appliances. It'd only been a week since he adopted the little shit, and already he was thinking of giving her up.

"Well, I can take care of the whole scratching-your-face thing, but the rest is up to you. You can buy her scratching posts so she doesn't mess with your furniture and you can always buy something to cover it up when you're not home." Soul nodded his head, noting the suggestions.

"Regarding the meowing at night, you either have to get used to it, close your windows, or just let her out. Cats can live indoors and outdoors, unlike dogs. But if you do that, then I wouldn't recommend trimming her nails. She would need those to protect herself. So it's ultimately up to you. Whatta ya wanna do?" Maka explained. Truthfully, she didn't think that Soul was giving Blair the time to properly adjust to someone caring for her. The poor thing was living on the street just a short time ago, so it wasn't odd she was acting up a bit.

Soul shook his head and let out a sigh. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with the bratty kitten. He hadn't thought about the consequences when he had picked Blair up and shoved her in his jacket last week.

"I...I dunno. I didn't think it'd be this hard owning a cat. Can you just take her back there and cut her daggers before she rips my face apart for touching her food bowl?" Soul picked up the carrier and planted it on top of the table that separated him and Maka.

She raised her eyebrows and and chuckled. She found it humorous that Soul was getting so bent out of shape from something so small. She'd dealt with nastier cats before.

"Alrighty then. Anything else while I have her back there?" she asked while picking up the blue cage.

"Not unless you see something out of the ordinary."

Maka grabbed the carrier and walked into treatment.

"Anyone busy?" Maka called out. She placed the carrier on the table along with the folder.

"Whatcha need?" Jackie was the first to respond. She approached Blair's cage and peaked inside. "Oh, I remember her. How's she doing?"

"Well, I wouldn't put your face so close after seeing how bad she got Soul." The black haired girl quickly pulled away from the blue carrier.

"Maybe you shoulda said that before I risked getting my face ripped off. So how do we get her out then?" Jackie asked looking to Maka.

"Very quickly."

~!~

"How are you doing that?"

Maka met his question with a bright smile as the door closed behind her while cradling Blair in her arms.

"I guess she's just a little cage aggressive. She was fine once we got her out of the carrier. Didn't whine or try and claw our faces off, as you can see." Maka let the kitten slip from her arms onto the table while she placed the carrier on the ground.

Soul leaned in close to Blair and squinted.

"You little shit. So how am I supposed to get her back in there and then take her out when I get home?" He asked while petting his newest companion.

"Well, how did you get her in there the first time? Through the door?" He nodded in response. "Try opening it up from the top next time. That's how we got her out back there," Maka explained while she glanced over Blair's healing injuries. Soul looked confused.

"You can open it from the top?!" He shook his head and slammed it on the table face first.

Maka looked around the room, trying not to make him feel too stupid. She grabbed the cage, plopped it up next to his head, and showed him how it open up.

"So it's as simple as that, and I'm sure it's a lot less stressful for her this way. Also, I had a question I'd like to ask if you don't mind," she inquired while opening up the patient's chart.

"By all means."

"You've had her for a little over a week now and it doesn't really seem like you've been enjoying her company, so are you really sure you want to take care of this cat? Because if you don't, we can try to find someone else who would."

Soul mulled it over for a few moments while shaking his head and rolling his eyes to himself. He made up his mind the previous week when he went bought the necessities for her.

"I mean, I know it was never your intention to suddenly adopt a cat, and maybe you do or maybe you don't want her, but we have to think about what's best for her. She's just a kitten so she's growing into herself for now. For all we know, she might be cuddling up to you in bed when she gets older, but that's a risk you'll have to take if you decide to keep her." Maka explained. She wasn't too sure if Soul was paying attention or if he was just nodding his head just to let her know he was still listening.

They sat in silence for a minute as Soul mulled and thought it over in his head, exchanging glances with both Maka and Blair all the while. He shook his head a couple times and looked to the ceiling for an answer, even though he already silently knew what he was going to do. He exhaled a deep breath and nodded.

"I think I wanna keep her. I've never really had a pet before so I guess it's just been a little rough 'cause I didn't know what to expect. I'll just need a few pointers on how to handle her in the future."

Maka cracked a soft smile at his response. She was happy the cat was going to home that wanted her there. "That's good to hear. I'm sure it'll work out between you two. You just have to get used to living with each other. She's never known what it's like to have a family so she's probably just really scared."

"That makes two of us," he whispered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Anymore questions?" He snapped back.

"Guess not. Sit tight for a minute and I'll go get the doctor and he'll see how she's doing, alright?" Maka grabbed the folder and walked to the door. She jumped as soon as she opened it, as Stein was waiting immediately outside the door already.

"Jesus Christ! You scared the hell out of me. Can you wait next time?" She handed him the folder as he walked past her and headed into the room, completely ignoring her.

Soul felt an overwhelming pressure fall over him as the doctor entered the room.

The bespectacled doctor sat on his chair and quickly looked over Maka's notes. He then looked up to Soul who looked incredibly tense for someone who liked to put on a bad boy facade.

"Any problems at home?" Stein asked while observing the boy fidget in his seat, suddenly unable to sit still.

"Me or the cat?" Soul swiftly responded.

"Appetite?"

"She seems to be eating the food I set out. Doesn't like to eat in the day though; is that normal?"

"Cats are nocturnal. So if you've been hearing her wandering around at night, that's why. It's not abnormal for them to go all day without eating." Stein explained as he continued writing notes. Meanwhile, Maka stood with her hands behind her back, waiting to be called upon.

"Well that explains a lot. So while I sleep, she plays." Soul scratched his head while he tried to process this new bit of information.

"Basically. Having any problems with that?" asked Dr. Stein as he gestured for Maka to hold Blair for him. Soul glared at Stein; he couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

"She likes to scratch everything. I'll buy her some toys to play with."

"Good. Well she seems to be doing better, and her wounds are healing up nicely. Just need you to continue putting that cream on her and she should be good as new pretty soon," the doctor explained, finishing up his exam. "She seems to be doing fine today, so I'd like to update her vaccines if that's not a problem."

"Go for it," responded Soul, shrugging his shoulders. Maka took the vaccines from her pocket and gave them to Stein. She gently scruffed the kitten, giving her the benefit of the doubt. The shots were given quickly as possible without a problem.

"Anything else? Any questions?" Stein asked while placing the vaccine stickers in the records.

"Not that I can think of."

"Alright then. Maka can walk you out when you're ready. See you in three weeks." Stein exited the room and Soul felt an immediate release of pressure. Soul exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding in. He didn't know what it was about the doctor, but he just gave off this aura of someone who was a very dominating type of person.

"Say, I don't mean to be rude, but, it's kind of hot in this room. The A/C working in here?" Soul asked while wiping his brow.

"Hmm? Not really. Seems to be working just fine. I mean, it gets hot sometimes back in Treatment when we're really busy and everyone's running around and there's everything going on. It's actually pretty chilly in the rooms." Maka answered while they walked to the front desk in reception.

Maka handed the folder over to Liz and then crossed her arms towards Soul, angling her head.

"What? What's that look for?" He asked.

"You know what." She begun tapping her feet while he paid his bill.

"Uh, I really don't." Soul avoiding any eye contact with the tech, he knew exactly what she was on about.

"Well if you really don't understand, then show me your keys." Maka demanded. Soul realized what she was talking about and scoffed.

"Seriously? That again? Look, I drove perfect on the way over here, even with that cart attached, which by the way I really hate."

"You think that matters? Do you realize how loud that thing gets when you drive it? We can hear you when you're half a block away. Just imagine what that sounds like to Blair while she sits trapped in a box. Oh, and it's also probably rumbling beneath her too, isn't it?" Maka was just about seething. She told him the first time about this same issue, why couldn't he just listen? Why did clients have to be so stupid sometimes?

"Well-"

"Well you're scaring the life out of her. You wonder why she attacked you like that? Well here's a good reason why." Liz handed Soul his receipt so he could escape the tiny blonde's wrath. He didn't come to a hospital to get yelled at.

"Look, what do you expect me to do? That bike is my only form of transportation. I don't have a car, and I'm not walking if that's what you're thinking."

"You could-"

"I'm not trading it in. It's my bike."

Maka huffed and rolled her eyes. "Well, then...you could get another bike," she suggested.

"What? Why would I get another one? That... I thought you were supposed to be smart!" Soul exclaimed, waving his hands about while shaking his head.

"Hey! I am smart. You're the one riding a motorcycle with a cat. And I meant a bike bike. You know, like one with pedals. You can just buy a basket and put the carrier in there. That way, there's no noise and you can get a little exercise while you're at it. Everybody wins." She couldn't believe how dense this guy could be. Had he no common sense? Who would even drive with a cat on a motorcycle?

"A bike? You want me to buy a regular ol' bike with no engine and you want me to pedal my way here every time I have to bring her? What happens if there's an emergency and I have to get her here ASAP?"

"Borrow your neighbor's car," she suggested.

"No neighbors."

"You're really not even trying at this point, Soul! Meet me halfway here, will ya? Just...You know what, I'll pick her up. Whenever you have an appointment, call me and I'll pick her up. If biking seems like too much of a hassle for you, then I'll walk her here myself!" Maka was really getting irritated at this point. She didn't want to have to go so far for a client, but it was in the best interests of the patient.

"Forget it. That's stupid. I'll buy a bike if it gets you off my back."

Maka beamed. "Good. Now if that's all, then I guess I'll see you later." Maka picked up Blair's Kitten Cab and started backpedaling.

Soul opened his mouth to protest but quickly shut it. He gave a peace sign instead. "Yeah, see you later." He wasn't going to reignite the fire after it finally sizzled down. If she wanted to bring the cat over, he was just going to have to let her.

~!~

He was cleaning around his two bedroom apartment when he heard a knock at the door. It sounded like it was someone who was ready flip his house upside down.

"Kitten delivery service!" Maka yelled from the other side.

He opened the door and was greeted with a cat in his face. He instinctively backed away to be safe.

"Jesus Christ! Put her down, would ya? Scared the hell outta me with that thing." Soul yelped while leading Maka inside.

"Haha. Don't be such a scaredy cat."

Soul narrowed his eyes at her terrible attempt at humor. "So clever. Just put her down, will ya? I was just getting her food out before you got here."

Maka laid Blair down and stood in the middle of the living room. She wasn't sure if he was welcoming her to stay or just being polite. Either way, she wasn't comfortable making herself at home in a stranger's home. It was pretty spacious for one person. He had a nice wooden walkway leading to what she assumed was his bedroom.

He hadn't let her any further into the apartment than the front door the previous time she had dropped Blair off. She figured that maybe it was because his house might have been a mess... or it had something to do with the very real fact that they were strangers to one another. Over the past week, she might have seen him walk by once or twice in the halls at school, but they never interacted. But this didn't surprise her; Soul was friends with her brother, and they both came off as loners to the majority.

She noticed that there weren't any pictures of people in his house; not even of his family. She wondered if he had a family. Maybe he fell into the money. She was- just guessing, but the place was pretty big for one person. Maka wasn't about to open her mouth and ask though. She surely didn't feel close enough with Soul where she thought she could openly ask personal questions.

She continued looking around while he messed around in the kitchen. He'd been messing around in there for a few minutes now. What was taking him so long to feed his cat? It shouldn't take too long to open up a can of wet food and put it in a bowl.

"Hey," Soul called from the kitchen. "You just gonna stand out there? You're welcome to stay for dinner if you want. It's the least I can do for you coming all this way. Again. "Maka shook herself out of a daze and blinked twice.

"Huh? Oh! No no, I'm... I-I can't. I don't want to impose." She threw her hands out in front and waved it off.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. Not gonna force ya." Soul placed the cat food on the floor. Blair was still visibly hesitant to trust him, but slowly crept towards it.

"Wow, she's still so scared. I thought she'd have warmed up to you a little more by now." Maka hunched down near Blair and watched her eat.

"Yeah, she's still a little sketchy, but she's getting better. She slept on the floor in my room the other night. 'Tsa bit of an improvement." Soul looked down on the two of them from over the kitchen counter and took a sip of water.

"That's good. Though that was pretty ballsy of you to leave your door open and trusting she wouldn't just maul you at night." Maka joked, careful as she pet the kitten while it ate.

"'Cause I totally left it open on purpose. I was tired and forgot to shut the door." Soul rolled his eyes.

"What, long night out?"

"Actually, yes. I was busy that night."

"Oh yeah? Your girlfriend keep you up?" Maka asked jokingly.

"Pfft. Yeah, I wish that was the reason. Don't have a girlfriend. I was busy. Just... busy. I have a life outside of school, ya know?" Soul smoothly replied..

"Well that much is obvious. Anyone could tell that this is a bachelor's pad. Everything's so neat and boring." She wanted to tell him how empty it felt, but didn't feel it was her place to push.

"Yeah, well...I live alone, so what? I like neat and boring," he lied. Soul cleaned up the place knowing that Maka was coming over. One would usually be able to find dinner plates in places they don't belong, covered with food that was at times a week old.

"Hey, I get it. Sorry I brought it up. It's getting kind of late anyways, and I should head home before my brother sends his search party out." Maka hadn't meant to push his buttons, and she honestly felt bad for him. All the space he had... but there was no one to share it with.

"It's fine, forget it." Soul walked her to door while keeping an eye on the cat.

"Really, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, Soul," she apologized while walking outside the reach of the door.

"I said it's fine. Just forget about it. Ok?"

"Ok," she whispered. He was just about to close the door before she lifted her head up.

"Soul," she called. She told herself she wouldn't, but it wasn't in her nature to just leave someone in the dark. She couldn't leave it alone. She'd regret it.

Maka clenched her fists and narrowed her brows. "You take care, alright? You're not alone anymore, got it?" Shit! That didn't come out right!

Soul was taken aback by the sudden proclamation. What brought that about? Was it something he said?

"Umm... Got it. That all?"

"Uh, yeah. That's all. Goodnight, Soul." Maka peeked her head around the door and wished a good night to Blair as well.

"So...see you at school then?" Soul asked, waiting to close the door.

"Uhh, yeah, maybe. Later, scaredy cat."

A/N: Thanks Jessi for Beta'ing :) Much appreciated