Maka and Soul are so much fun :) Don't forget to review!

Catharsis

.

Taking 2 hours to get ready for school every morning isn't going to make you any less flat chested.

.

You picked a lame movie for movie night. I'm going to bed.

.

Can we do something besides study today? It's not my fault your tests scores are only second-place.

.

Why do you always have to wear that skirt?

.

Quit touching me already!

.

Maka took a deep breath and pushed the negative thoughts from her head. Sure, Soul had been especially cranky recently, but tonight's dinner would fix all that.

It had to.

The door creaked open and Maka forced a winning smile on her face. "Soul! I'm so glad you're home! I thought you had forgotten about dinner."

The white-haired boy peered into the kitchen, customary scowl in place. "What dinner?"

Maka tried not to let her disappointment show. "Our anniversary dinner, remember? We only do it every year..."

Soul frowned. "We're not dating."

"Our anniversary of becoming partners," Maka sighed. "You really forgot? I made your favorite dishes, just like I always do."

"Look," he started, "I kind of just want to be alone for a while, ok?"

"But Soul..." Maka trailed off, trying not to push him. He was already in a bad enough mood.

Soul looked at her, and then the full table, and back at her in silence. "Fine," he finally said, grudgingly taking a seat.

Make beamed. "You're going to love it! I didn't even burn the chicken this time," she explained, serving her weapon a large portion from the pan.

"Don't lean over me like that." Soul jerked away from the table, causing Maka to drop the large dish on the floor.

"I'm sorry! Did I burn you?" She asked, carefully checking his face and neck for burns.

Soul swatted her hands away, cheeks tinged with a faint pink. "Quit it, will you? I'm fine."

"Oh, ok," Maka said, confused. "I guess I'll just clean this up then. You can go ahead and start on the other dishes if you're hungry."

She threw the wasted food in the trash and cleaned the last bits up with a wet cloth. Soul watched his meister get on her hands and knees to wipe the floor and quickly averted his eyes.

"I think you got it, Maka. The floor is spotless," he said, gaze still fixated on the plate in front of him.

"How's the food?" She asked as she stood up, tossing the cloth away.

"Great," Soul answered, stuffing some in his mouth.

"Oh, good," Maka smiled. "I worked really hard on it."

They ate in silence for a while before Maka spoke again. "So, I have some good news. Remember that movie you've been waiting for to come out? I got it at the store today! I thought we could watch it for movie night tonight."

"No way! I thought they were sold out!" Soul looked up excitedly, before composing himself. "I mean, yeah, sure. That sounds good."

Maka giggled happily at the outburst. This was more like her old Soul, she thought to herself.

.

"This is going to be fun," Maka chirped as she put the movie in. "You haven't wanted to do movie night in forever."

"Yeah, just been busy, I guess," Soul shrugged as the movie started and Maka came to sit down.

She grabbed the blanket wrapped around Soul so it covered both of them and snuggled into the couch. Her weapon shifted uncomfortably beside her and finally pushed the blanket off himself.

"I'm actually kind of warm. You can have the blanket."

"Oh, ok, if you're sure," Maka said, pulling it around herself. She was just happy that they were doing movie night again. If he didn't want to share the movie blanket like usual, that was fine with her.

.

C'mon, Maka, your feet smell.

.

Halfway through the movie, Soul had found something else to grump about. Even if they did smell, Maka seriously doubted that he would've noticed through the thick blanket.

Still, she obligingly removed them from her partner's lap.

"I want to lie down though." Maka shifted so her feet were pointing away from Soul. "Can I least do this? I'm not even touching you."

Soul re-adjusted the pillow she had put between them. And then moved it again, each time scooting farther and farther away.

Maka was surprised he wasn't sitting on the floor already. He shifted under her weight once more and Maka stopped trying to focus on the movie.

They always sat like this during movie nights, Maka thought to herself. Why was he acting so weird now?

Had he guessed her feelings for him? Was that why he was so uncomfortable around her all of a sudden? Maybe he knew she had kind-of sort-of developed a little crush on him, but he didn't feel the same way, and didn't want to hurt her feelings by outright rejecting her.

That had to be it.

"You really need to lose some weight, Maka. Will you just sit up so you don't crush me?"

Maka frowned. It all made sense now. She had always thought Soul was kidding when he said those mean things...

She sat up numbly. Well, she wouldn't bother him anymore. "I'll just go to bed."

"What?" Soul looked at her in confusion as she got up off the couch. "This is the best part!"

"That's all right," she said quietly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," he said, clearly bewildered by her odd behavior.

.

Maka sighed, continued staring at her ceiling blankly, and decided boys were dumb. All of them. Her father, Soul... She'd just never have a relationship, ever.

She and Soul were partners. That was all. She had been foolish to imagine anything more.

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey, Maka? The movie's over. I thought, since it's only 9, you might want some ice cream? You seemed like you were bummed about something."

The meister closed her eyes and debated. A lovesick schoolgirl would just stay pouting in bed and not answer the door. A partner would go to the door and be pleasant.

Maka decided on a mix of the two. She opened the door and gave her partner a squinty look.

"Ice cream would just make me fatter, wouldn't it."

Soul raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about that kind of stuff?"

Maka rolled her eyes. "I get it, Soul. You think I'm a pig. If you're done insulting me, I'd like to be alone now."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Soul shoved his foot in the door to keep his meister from closing it. "I'm trying to be nice here, and you're acting like a psycho."

"You're trying to be nice?" Maka asked, getting louder with each word. "Saying I smell and that I'm heavy is nice?"

"Come on, Maka, you know I didn't mean it like that," Soul tried to explain.

"I'm pretty sure you did," Maka tried to shut the door again.

"Look, I'm sorry, ok?" Soul slid through the crack in the door before Maka could crush his foot. "You and I joke like that all the time."

"You joke like that," Maka retorted. "I would never say such mean things about my partner."

"Oh, yeah, right," Soul left the ice cream on her desk and ran his hands through his hair. "You're just a saint, aren't you?"

"Why are you being so mean?" Maka asked, still mad. "You've been such a jerk these past few weeks and I don't even know why! If you really hate me so much, why don't you just say it!"

Soul paused at her accusation. "You think I hate you?"

"Obviously!" Maka threw her hands up. "You hate being around me all of a sudden and all you ever say to me is how unattractive I am or how much I bother you."

Soul ran a hand over his face. "Look, you just don't understand, ok?"

"I understand just fine!" She spat back at him. "I get that you don't like me, Soul. That's fine! You don't have to. My feelings aren't hurt. We're just partners, and that's all. If you don't like me, I'll get over it. You don't have to do all this just to-"

In the middle of her ranting, Maka found a pair of lips roughly pressed against her own. Hands were behind her head, in her hair, and around her waist, pulling her closer.

She placed her own hands against his front hesitantly, her fingers curling into the soft fabric of his shirt. Maka heard a small growl come from the mouth of the boy in front of her, and suddenly warm hands pinned hers, and her back was pressed against the wall.

Soul's fingers intertwined with hers and the kiss grew rougher, his mouth claiming hers. For a moment, Maka didn't think he was going to stop, and she didn't want him to.

He finally broke the kiss, taking a deep breath. His forehead was pressed against hers, but his lips were just out of her reach.

"You really don't get it, do you?" Soul whispered between heavy breaths. "I'm sorry I say dumb stuff sometimes, I can't help it. It's ...so hard telling myself that that I don't want you. I know this isn't something you want, and you're not ready for this, so I'm trying. Really, but..." He twirled a piece of her hair around his finger and avoided her eyes as he spoke, "Damn it, I want you so bad, Maka."

The blonde meister was speechless.

Of all the things that she had wondered, the ideas she had entertained... This certainly wasn't one of them.

Of course, she had imagined what it might be like, to be in a relationship with Soul. But he was right, she had always pictured the physical part coming later, and never given it much thought. His breath was still tickling her sensitive lips, and Maka already missed the feeling of his hands on her.

She didn't know what she could say to fix their situation, to make him feel better, and not guilty for wanting her.

So she didn't say anything.

"Maka, wait," Soul tried to step away from her kiss. "You don't have to do this."

But, she realized as her hands found their way into his soft hair and down his smooth skin, this was even better than what she had imagined.

"I want this," she told him against his lips, begging him not to push her away anymore.

"What if you regret it?" He asked, turning away from her lips to kiss her softly on the cheek.

"I'm not going to regret anything," Maka insisted. "I'm a big girl now, Soul. I can make my own decisions."

Soul looked into her deep green eyes and chuckled to himself. His meister certainly had grown up. But then, he had noticed that a long time ago.

"Fine," he conceded, scooping her up and carrying her to her bed.

"I guess I'm not that heavy after all," Maka grinned, giggling when Soul dumped her on the bed and climbed over her.

"You got me," he admitted sarcastically, before trailing kisses down her neck. "I don't really think you're flat chested, either."

"Oh," Maka whimpered as he squeezed her breasts through her shirt. "Soul..."

He lifted the hem, kissing her stomach, until his meister pulled the shirt off herself. Soul grinned at her eagerness, taking his time to unclasp her bra and take one of her hard nipples in his mouth.

His warm tongue swirled around the sensitive area and Maka moaned, her hands grabbing at his hair and shirt. Before he realized it, his own shirt was up around his neck.

He paused to pull it off before looking at her mischievously. "I should also admit, I don't really hate this skirt."

Maka gasped in surprise when he yanked the plaid skirt up higher around her waist. He ran a finger lightly up and down the fabric of her panties, savoring the sensation of her soft moans in his mouth as he kissed her.

Her nails were tracing lines down his back, and her feet were hooked around his legs, practically begging him for more. Soul trailed his hand from her belly button to the waistline of her panties, pausing to feel her squirm under him before dipping his fingers under the fabric.

"Oh," Maka gasped when his finger slid inside her.

"Is this ok?" He whispered, trying to gauge her reaction.

"Mhmm," she nodded quickly, looking up at him with vivid green eyes. "This is perfect."

Soul slowly began moving his hand back and forth, making the girl under him arch her back in pleasure. He carefully got off from on top of her and kneeled at the foot of the bed.

Maka looked up to see what her partner was doing, biting her lip excitedly as he ran a hand up her leg. He pulled her panties off and spent a long moment feeling the soft skin on her thighs before pushing her knees apart.

Soul felt his meister's legs tense in anticipation. He exhaled slowly, just barely touching her wetness, and making her squeal at the sensation.

Then, he pressed his tongue against her and moved it up slowly, trying to memorize every part of her. His tongue swirled in gentle circles until Maka was moaning under his touch and he realized he had found the right spot.

Her fingers tangled in his hair as she quivered under him. When Soul thought she was getting close, he slid his finger back inside, slowly massaging her most sensitive areas.

"Oh," she whimpered, "Soul!"

Maka's legs shook with pleasure and her hips moved against his mouth, making each sensation more intense as she rode out her climax.

Soul didn't stop until she had relaxed back against the bed. He let out a soft moan, enjoying her excitement almost as much as she had. Maka tasted delicious, just as he had expected.

"Mmm," she hummed contentedly as he allowed her to lead him back up her body.

"You're sleepy," he accused between gentle kisses all over her milky skin.

"I am not," she protested, sitting up to look her weapon in the eyes and demonstrate her alertness.

"Good," Soul said with a sly grin. "Because I'm not done with you yet."

He pulled the plaid skirt off her legs and his fingers found their way between her legs once more. Maka gasped at the sudden intense friction and smiled excitedly.

They shifted positions on the bed, tossed any leftover clothes to the floor, and settled in for a long night.

.

And the forgotten bowl of ice cream sat untouched on the desk, frothy and melting from the heat, all night long, until only a sweet, sticky mess remained in the morning.

Catharsis - noun. 1. the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions 2. discharge of pent-up emotions so as to result in the alleviation of symptoms