There was something about the fresh atmosphere of Loew that had Soul feeling like he was on cloud nine. The second he'd taken Maka's hand in a curt shake, it was like the night had shifted. Finally, the last reminiscence of sunlight disappeared behind the mountains, leaving them in the darkness of the stars and moon.

"It suits you," maka said as she dropped his hand, ,"Solomon. I like that name."

"More than Soul?" He questioned breathlessly.

With a hum and a toilet of her head, the latter shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. We'll have to see who you really are."

Once both of their loaves had been finished, the two were returning to their feet, dusting off the damp mud from their pants and cloaks. Again, Maka took hold of his hand like it was second nature and tugged him back to the heart of the village.

After aimlessly walking about for some time, they came across the market square. It was nowhere as big as Eibons's, but it sure was a lot neater and more open. More space was put between each open-aired shop and there were even regular indoor shops as well. It was both quaint and welcoming.

"Let's buy the most random things." Maka laughs as she tugs him toward the open-aired shops.

Stumbling over his own feet, he grabs onto Maka's shoulders with his other hand to balance himself out. "Would that not be a waste of money?"

Apparently, Maka's definition of fun entails buying all the rocks and gems she comes across, because why the hell not? Soul, admittedly, finds it very enduring, but it wasn't like he'd say that out loud.

After hitting each shop they come across, their bags filled with an assortment of different gems, herbs, rocks and a few knives that had caught Soul's attention that Maka insisted on buying, they were making their way through the village looking for a tavern.

"This is so weird walking around freely without anyone recognizing me," Maka had commented as they walked hand-in-hand.

"It's a nice feeling, isn't it?"

"Yeah," She'd replied solemnly, gripping Soul's hand a little tighter after that. "I wish it could just be normal at home, it's not even like I have big responsibilities yet. My parents were generous enough to not throw that much on my plate."

Part of Soul envied her for that, but he let the feelings pass. At least her parents cared about her. At least she didn't have a shitty upbringing.

"Maybe, someday things could be different."

A melancholy laugh left her. "Don't go around giving me more hope, Soul."

"I mean, you never know. Things are changing, times are changing. Some day, things may be different."

"Yeah, maybe when I'm all old and wrinkly."

"Ew." Soul scrunched his nose up, swinging their arms together. "Don't put it like that."

"What, you don't like imagining me all old and wrinkly?"

Turning his head, he eyed the blonde who was latched to his land. She was a few paces behind him, practically speed walking to keep up with his pace. He purposely slowed down his strides until they stepped in place side-by-side.

"I doubt you'll get all wrinkly, you have nice skin." He complimented, hoping it didn't sound too weird.

"But what if I do, will you still like me?"

Taken back by the sudden question, he turned his attention back to the buildings around them. "What's that even supposed to mean?"

"What do you want it to mean?" The blond comes to a halt, tugging at his hand until he stops just a few paces in front of her. "You do like me, right?"

The question weighs heavy in the air.

"What? Of course, I do, we're friends, aren't we?"

His reply doesn't seem adequate enough when he feels Maka tugging at his arms with both hands, forcing him to turn and face her.

"That's not what I meant," She clarifies, her gaze hardening. "I- nevermind."

"No, continue," Soul urges her, taking a step to close the space between them. "What did you mean?"

He's confused, and maybe he's getting his hopes too high, but as he watches Maka's gaze land somewhere else he swears he sees her blush.

"I-I forgot what I was going to say." She stumbles carelessly over her words, so carelessly Soul can tell she's lying. He wants to prod her more, wants to understand where she was going with her previous statement, but he's cut off before he can. "Hey! Look, there's a tavern!"

The moment was broken as Maka dropped his arm and made her way to the tavern, an odd kick in her step. Soul is shocked for a moment, left to gape at himself as he stands alone on the gravel path they'd been walking.

You do like me, right?

Maka's words, so softly and tenderly spoken, rang in his ears.

You do like me, right?

Had he read the situation right after all? Had she been implying so desperately what he thought she'd been implying?

You do like me, right?

Was Maka seriously flirting with him?

He's broken from his moment as Maka swings open the tavern door a few feet ahead of him, waving him to follow. "C'mon, or I am getting something without you!"

Like he always did, he followed after Maka like a lost puppy, grabbing onto the door handle with a little too much energy. The second they step in, they're greeted with the sound of music and the smell of alcohol, a mixture that Soul didn't quite enjoy together. The place was packed with unfamiliar faces, and with just one look around, Soul realizes its not only a tavern but a pub as well. There's a clearing in the mainroom where people stood shamelessly dancing, body-to-body as they swayed to the music.

Soul couldn't help but wonder what exactly he'd gotten himself into.

Sure enough, Maka is latching onto him again like its the only thing she knows, practically dragging him further into the establishment. There's a heat in his cheeks as she pulls him to her side, an arm coming to rest at the small of his back.

"This place looks fun," He comments, turning down to the blonde beside him, "Seems like your type of joint."

"You're an idiot," Maka replies, shaking her head.

They stand there for no more than a minute, scouring for an open table when an unfamiliar face approaches them with a kind smile. She had long dark hair, a white dress that stopped down at her ankles, her hands folded neatly in front of her.

"Hey!" She greets bubbly, stepping towards the two of them. "Are- are you two just walking in?"

Soul takes in the appearance of the woman before he's cautiously nodding. "Uh, yeah," He replies, timidly.

"Cool. Are you two new around here?"

"Yeah, we're just traveling, took a pit stop," Soul answers swiftly, "Who are you?"

"Oh- Sorry! My name's Tsubaki." She pulls her hand from the other, extending it to him. "I saw you two walk in looking kind of lost and my brother suggested we invite you over to our table.. Some of our friends bailed on us and he said you two looked interesting enough to fill their spots."

Soul was admittedly shocked by the forwardness, but then again, he'd lived a quite sheltered life growing up and kept to himself these days, so this was probably normal- right?

Cautiously, he takes Tsubaki's hand. "Soul." He introduces himself before turning to Maka, who is just happily smiling at the newcomer.

"Maka," she introduces as well, waving a careful hand. "We'd love to sit with you guys."

Soul trusts her judgment, and sure enough, they're following Tsubaki to a table in the middle of the joining. The table they stop at is filled with people- which takes him back by a bit. There's a man with a plaid hat, a boy wearing a white cloak, a man with an eyepatch and another man who had long black hair tied neatly in a bun.

"This is Grimoire, Masamune, Giriko and Free," She speedily introduced them to one another before turning promptly to give them a warm smile.

"I like the matching cloaks," Free commented, shrugging his shoulders innocently.

A moment later, they were ushered into their seats by Tsubaki.

"My friend who's like the life of the party got caught up in some stupid buisness stuff, as usual, so hopefully you guys like to party."

With a roll of his eyes, Soul could barely compose himself.

"Maka can barely take a glass of wine, please dont think she's going to be the life of the party by any means."

Offended, she yanked at his cloak. "Oh, you're one to talk, you don't even drink."

"Well, that's very sad to hear, but I am sure I can drink enough for everyone here."

The table erupted into laughter as they easily fell into conversation, exchanging quick formalities before falling into a random discussion.

"I'm kind of glad Blair got side tracked again, she always tries to sing when we go out to eat and it's so embarrassing," Giriko said half way through their conversation.

"Oh you have to admit, you miss her too," Grimoire laughed as he elbowed Girikos side. "We haven't seen her in months, admit it, you miss her."

"All she'd be doing tonight is complaining about her awful boss. I think we dodged a bullet on that one."

Honestly, Soul felt a bit out of place amongst them- but he found he didn't mind all that much when he felt Maka nudge up against his side, giggling along with the rest of the crew they'd managed to slip into.

As minutes accumulated into an hour, Soul found himself nursing a plate of lukewarm food as Maka spoke excitedly to Giriko, quiet bubbles of laughter leaving her every sentence. It felt nice to feel like a normal person for once, seated with a bunch of strangers that only saw them as two simple travelers.

When the majority of their table had finally finished their food, drinks untouched, Tsubaki was pulling Giriko and Masamune from the table excitedly. "Let's dance!" Before she pulled them from the table, she turned her head over her shoulder, facing Soul and Maka. "You two should join."

This time, Soul was the one standing, pulling Maka up from the table by her hands.

"Are you inviting me to a dance?"

"No, I'm thinking about throwing you out the front door, sorry."

With a quiet fit of giggles, the two were following after Tsubaki's lead, toeing around the filled tables of the tavern.

"Do you even know how to dance?"

With a scrunched nose, Soul pushed at Maka's side. "Why do you think I am incapable of doing things?"

"You're a guard, I've just take it that you don't get out much."

An offended gasp left him. "I had a life before I became a guard, that's just rude."

As they slip onto the dance floor, a few couples away from Tsubaki and her friends, Soul finds Maka looking up at him with a crooked smile.

"Never pinned you for a social person."

"I mean, I wouldn't really say I was a social person," he confesses, letting his hands slip from Maka's hands to her forearms, "I just learned to do a lot more than your normal run of the mill guard."

"Makes me interested in learning more about your past."

"Trust me, you don't want to learn more,'' He insists, pulling the blonde closer to him, "I'm a better person now than I was then."

As the music around them turned into something softer and the bodies around them swayed, Maka clutched to his arms a little harder.

"I doubt you were ever a bad person," she laughs tilting her head upward.

"Yeah yeah, I'm sure your opinion would change." Solemnly, he pulls Maka in closer until she's wrapped in his arms comfortably.

As they began to sway to the hum of the music, the conversations around them dulling out into white noise, Maka just shook her head.

"I doubt there's anything you could have done to make me think you were ever a bad person."

Soul wants to believe that- he really does- but who would think that a murderer and a traitor would be anything but a bad guy?

Instead, a cheap chuckle leaves him. "I promise I'm not this great person you think I am. I'm just a filthy liar."

As they sway to the music around them, Maka doesn't bother to move from Soul's arms. Instead, she rests her forehead against his shoulder, taking a shaky breath.

"Well, if you're a filthy liar, I guess that makes me a damn traitor."

With twisted eyebrows, he comes to a halt, his arms tightening around the blonde.

"I know I ask this a lot, but what is that even supposed to mean?"

"Look where we are." Maka lifts her head, a tender smile plastered across her face. "This isn't my kingdom, is it? We all have our faults. God, I couldn't ever see you as some bad guy. I couldn't hate you, even if you were Satan himself."

The comment almost has Soul barreling to the ground.

"What, do you have a thing for devils or something?"

"Maybe. Something like that."

It's simple and easy to resolve to joking. It was better than facing his issues head-on, at least.

Seemingly, they drop the conversation and return to swaying to the music until it changes into something more upbeat. From what Soul could remember about classical music, it sounded like a waltz of some sort.

Sure enough, the group around them was moving, clumsily and uncoordinated along with the music in a poorly put-together waltz. It was nothing like what a castle's dance floor would look, but nevertheless, it was perfect in its own way. Perfect enough for Soul at least as he parted from Maka, bowing before her.

"You know how to waltz?"

The blonde erupted into laughter, covering her cheeks with her hands. "Oh, you really are an idiot, aren't you?"

Slipping into the dance was nothing but muscle memory, and Maka looked honest to God surprised. It was messy, and anything but perfect, but then again they were on the floor from a pub with a bunch of random people. It didn't have to be perfect if it was fun.

"So, Solomon, when were you going to tell me you knew how to dance?"

The blonde pauses, cringing on herself for a second.

"Soul," She corrected herself. "Soul fits you a lot better, actually."

"Oh yeah? You think so?"

"Mmm.. I think so."

As they finish the final steps to their dance, rejoicing in one another's arms again as the music dips into something even slower, they're pressed together in the crowd as more very obviously drunk people slip beside them, laughing and giggling as they hang from one another.

Soul was sickeningly sober, or at least he thought so.

Something shifts in the room, something shifting between the two of them as well.

Suddenly, both of Maka's hands are sprawled against her chests and he feels intoxicated by the closeness. So close, he thinks, as Maka's forehead meets his shoulder again. Too close, as there's a brush of lips against his neck.

"Maka," He says her name like a warning, andyet, she doesn't budge. "Maka."

There's a moment of hesitation as she pulls back, pulling herself to her tippy-toes so that she's eye-to-eye with Soul.

"Soul," She calls out, so soft and warm it's enough to make him melt. "Tell me to stop."

"What?"

"I said, tell me to stop."

Soul feels suspended as Maka's hands move up from his chest to the side of his neck, the pads of her fingers resting easily against the warm exposed skin. For a moment, he watches as the other's emerald eyes flicker from his eyes to his lips in a slow drag. He knows where this is going in an instant, and somehow, he cant find it in himself to care. All of his common sense goes flying out the window as two warm hands capture his cheeks, thumbs pushing into his cheekbones bruisingly.

"Soul," She repeats again, dangerously. "Please tell me to stop."

He doesn't. For the first time, he doesn't listen to Maka's request. As their noses brushed together, a shallow breath escapes the blonde, the warmth hitting against Soul's upper lip. Maka tilted her head slightly, her eyes half-lidded. Soul stared intently into her eyes, waiting.

At that moment, he knew everything was about to change, and yet, feeling drunk off the close proximity, he couldn't bring himself to care.

A chaste second-lasting kiss was planted onto his lips. Just the slide of warm lips locking together before flinching away.

Admittingly, Maka almost looked frightened as she pulled away. Her cheeks were rosy, skin flushed with candlelight.

It was like the kiss had never happened, the people around them still dancing and chattering away, not a single person's eyes on them.

Soul's eyes were latched onto Maka's face, watching as her eyes focused solely on his lips, glinting with mischief. It was a face she pulled all too familiarly that gave him the chills. The way her eyes crinkled at the sides, eyebrows dipping down, she was concentrated.

"Soul, I-"

The words die on her tongue as Soul surges forward, reconnecting their lips. There's a hum of shock as Maka melts into the kiss, her grip tightening on either side of his face.

The only way he could explain the kiss was that it was somewhere between needy and demanding. In that kiss was the sweetness of passion, a million loving thoughts condensed into a moment.

It had Soul scared as he pulled away, gasping for air.

"Im sorry-" He resped out, his jaw dropping. "Fuck- I-"

This time Maka is the one cutting him off as she brings her hands down to Soul's cloak and pulls him down hard. Their lips crash together again messily, and yet, so perfect at the same time. The kiss was desperate- and yet, he found no shame in it.

He found no shame in the way he felt completely intoxicated, enveloped in Maka's arms as she kissed him like it was the last thing she'd ever do.

Thankfully, the crowd around them paid no mind, but even if they did, Soul most certainly wouldn't have minded with the way he felt like he was on cloud fucking nine.