13: Eating Ice Cream
Words: 1112

It was another one of those unbearably hot days in Death City, one of those days in which cranking up the A/C to the highest temperature would make the most sense… if you were home that is.

Maka and Soul had been on duty for the day, and the morning weather couldn't seem to have been more delightful, but that was before the sun had decided to play a cruel joke on them.

"It must be at least a hundred degrees out here today." Soul said as he let out a grunt and adjusted the headband that kept his untidy white locks from sticking to his forehead and eyed his partner, who sat on the floor next to him.

Maka had opted to wear shorts today, as if she was a weather wizard of sorts, but not even the shortest shorts could help her manage the hell that Death City had suddenly became. She unbuttoned the top of her shirt, revealing a lacy balconette bra much to the dismay of the Death Scythe that accompanied her through this duty section. "This is ridiculous. Why would Kid assign us to duty on such a hot day?" She asked, more to herself than to her partner, hoping that it would make more sense by saying it out loud, as she fanned herself with her hands.

Soul shrugged, still towering over her as he rested his back and head against the wall, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, breathing in the mix of hot concrete and Maka's aroma – which was also a mix of salt and vanilla.

He heard her take a deep breath and opened one of his eyes to look down at her from his position and he couldn't help but to smile inwardly. The way her bangs stuck to her forehead gave her this certain childish look, one that could fool anyone but him. He knew her, he knew her weaknesses and strengths, he knew her inside out, he could read her like a book. He was her partner after all. They've been through too much in the 8 years that they had been working, living, eating and even sleeping together. Their bond had grown with such magnitude that it scared him to think of a life without Maka in it.

He closed his eyes once more, zoning out for what must've been a very long time when a sudden familiar chime perked his ears.

Maka stood up in light speed and tucked at the hem of his shirt. "Do you hear that?" she asked as Soul remained in the same position – back and head rested against the wall – one of his eyes open and very alert, scanning the street they were in.

"Yes."

"We need to find it."

"That's a fool's errand, Maka. It's way too hot." He said in a tone that was too familiar to her, he was complaining, "Let it find us. We can't waste any more energy." She glared at him and he was all too familiar with that stare, the reckoning was coming, but before she could pout her way to victory he cut her off abruptly, "Don't even go there, Maka. You know I'm right. We've drank our supply of water for the whole day, if we leave this place who knows what waits for us out there. It took us way too long to find a decently shaded place and once dusk hits we have to walk back to the post to be relieved of duty, so no. We're staying here." And with that he closed his eyes before he could see the enormous pout that she was wearing. "The best thing we can do is be ready for when it comes."

He heard Maka sigh in defeat and he remained still, listening to the chime getting closer and closer, and he could hear her shuffling and fidgeting next to him, he could hear her heartbeat rise in anticipation, thumping loud and echoing in his mind as he grew more impatient with each beat.

"Wretched woman…" He grunted as he pushed himself off the wall and stretched.

"Yay!" Maka squealed in delight as she heard the chiming started to become a melody and it kept getting closer.

Soul fished into his pocket as Maka almost bounced up and down in delight, his face a mix of a scowl and a smirk – as unbearable as the heat was, he loved seeing his partner's face light up at one of the simplest things there could be, she was almost too childlike.

He stepped away from the shade and dreaded the moment he decided to do such thing, as he lifted his arm, the song getting louder and louder. His eyes were still shut, it was bright as all hell outside and he didn't want to deal with any of this right now, the loudness of the music becoming quite unnecessary and much unpleasant and he felt himself sigh when he heard it come to an end, the smell of hot asphalt and rubber hitting his nose.

"Hey there, sonnie. How can I be of service today?" The man exclaimed from the inside of the van.

Soul opened his eyes and scratched the back of his head as he looked at the menu that was glued to the side of the van, "I'll take a coconut popsicle and a strawberry waffle cone for the lady." He pointed to the excited girl bouncing up and down behind him.

The man took no time in getting their orders and Soul just dropped the money in the small basket, took the ice cream and walked back to shelter from the insane sun that was shining down in the Nevada Desert today. He handed the strawberry cone to Maka who took it without an ounce of hesitation and was surprised when she rewarded him with a small kiss as she proceeded to start eating her ice cream.

He felt the tip of his lips twitch upward into a tiny grin that showed sawed teeth, "You owe me, you know?" His voice was dark and nothing above a whisper.

Maka turned around, her face tilted down as she savored her ice cream and he witnessed every stroke of her tongue hitting the soft serve strawberry ice cream as she looked up, emerald leaking through thick eyelashes as she took a very slow and painfully long lick at her ice cream and Soul gulped. "Is the A/C on back home?" She asked innocently as she kept licking the ice cream and Soul knew… he knew that after duty this would turn into a long night, but at least they'd be cool.

A/N: Holy Batman, you guys! Sorry for the very long absence, I kept thinking of ways to come back to this fic and unfortunately I didn't really know how to juggle the married life along with the change in culture and everything that came with it (we moved to Japan!) and also the crazy work schedules. But now I'm back! I can't really say for how long, but hopefully long enough for me to finish this damn challenge and the others I have left halfway done.

Thank you for being patient! See you soon!