Author's Note: This is a series of drabbles that create one big story. The guy taking Maka out is just a random guy, no one in particular from the series. By the way, I freaking love Soul. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater.

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Certainty

by MintPizzaQueen

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-his invitation

She isn't even sure why she accepted the invitation in the first place. Was she that desperate? Was she lonely? Was she really looking for that significant other? Was she really into him?

But when the not-very-attractive yet not-very-ugly and certainly-not-Soul boy in class asks her out on a date, she says yes.

When Soul finds out, he asks her if she was really okay with this. She responds honestly. "I'm not sure."

He doesn't look at all assured of her choice in date, but regardless, he is silent with a look of confusion etched on his face.

-her outfit

When she prepares, it's like she's preparing for a funeral instead of a dinner date. Black dress top, black bottoms, black shoes, black gloves-

Soul takes pity on both her and her date and raids her closet for that simple yet very nice red dress and a pair of matching flats. He takes her gloves away the instant he spies her trying to stuff them into her handbag and hides them in his jacket pocket.

"You're supposed to have fun, don't torture yourself, idiot."

-his permission

Her date arrives right when he said he would.

He's dressed in a simple outfit, a fresh pressed dress shirt with a pair of slacks that makes him look like he's getting ready to see a princess. His hair isn't in disarray like the familiar shock of white she's used to; his brown locks are freshly combed to make him look crisp and clean and pristine in his presentation.

His blue eyes lock with her green ones and he smiles, not quite showing his teeth (which are flat, not at all shark-like in appearance). "Are you ready?"

She nods, prepared to leave but stops to turn to her partner. "Are you sure?"

Soul stares at her with a blank expression. His eyes are the only thing showing any sort of reaction, many emotions swirling within their depths. He scrutinizes her for a moment before he shrugs. "Just go."

"Soul-"

"I'm fine. Enjoy your date. See you later." He turns for the kitchen and leaves her, baffled, in the doorway.

-her reservations

He offers her his arm as she prepares to descend the stairs.

"Your ride awaits."

As they go down, he leans close to her. She isn't intimidated, but it's unnerving because it isn't his scent that fills her nose. It isn't his husky odor of manly deodorant and sweat that greets her, just the potent aroma of plain soap and fabric softener.

"I hope you like Italian," she didn't even realize that they are standing next to the car already, and he's standing very close with the door opened for her. "I made us reservations."

Maka's only reservation is whether or not Soul is going to eat tonight because it is her turn to cook and it's clear that he isn't happy with her choice in dating material. She debates whether or not she should order too much and take it home in a doggy bag because she knows that Soul loves Italian food much more than she does.

She slides into the front seat and buckles her seat belt as she waits for him to climb in as well.

-his chance

The restaurant is very nice, but it's one of those that's reserved for people who are made of money—like this guy.

He orders anything and everything she wants, no matter the cost. She has a Soul moment and considers ordering enough food in a private game of breaking the bank or purging the restaurant—who will lose, the man with the money (will he spend it all?) or the restaurant (will they run out of food?).

He somehow senses her scheme and orders one of everything on the appetizer menu (he quickly hides the dessert pamphlet) aside from what they already ordered for dinner.

Maka's common sense and good manners break out in time for her to protest as the waiter walks away with the list. "You didn't have to do that!"

He shrugs as he runs a finger over the rim of the glass that sits in front of him.

"Might as well spoil you since this will be the last date that I'll get with you."

-the motive

"If you knew this wasn't going to work, why did you ask me out?"

"If you didn't really want to go, why did you say yes?"

She is silent before her answer slips out in a whisper. "I don't know."

He takes a sip of his water before he speaks again. "I like taking risks."

She narrows her eyes at him, ready to beat him over the head with her chair (there are no books on her person and she feels so naked) but he suddenly looks up to her with a mischievous glint to his eyes.

"I also like making that weapon of yours squirm."

-the plan

He's a much better person that she is. He's patient, open minded, and kind.

He's quite the meanie to Soul though.

"I know your mind is back on him," he smiles. "That's where I expected it to be."

She's confused as he continues.

"Honestly though, I expected him to put up a fight about it. Maybe lecture me or threaten me a little. I wanted to get some sort of reaction out of him."

She finds herself laughing at that. "He probably didn't because neither of us really knew how to respond to this date. I wasn't sure why I accepted and he wasn't really sure what to do about my uncertainty." She looks away with a blush.

He nods at her response. "Well, I guess we better get going then."

"So soon?"

He smiles at her, eyes full of mirth—slight disappointment, but they are dancing. "I guarantee he's going to whine about being hungry. Better get a container to go, neh?"

She owes this guy so freaking much.

-his hunger

She gets home a couple hours earlier than what she told Soul. She quietly opens the door and slips inside, carefully setting the bags of restaurant food on the floor as she gently pushes the door shut.

He isn't on the couch, he isn't in the kitchen, and he's certainly not running for her with a barrage of questions.

She gently toes off her shoes and heads to the kitchen to put the food in the fridge when she sees that the kitchen is as pristine as it was when she left over an hour ago.

He hasn't eaten.

-her discovery

There's sounds coming from his bedroom. She makes her way towards the closed door, intent on opening it to announce her return when she hears him speaking.

"So...I was wondering..."

Her hand hesitates on the handle as she listens in on him.

"...would you like to go to the movies with me? Like, tonight...or something..." He trails off at the end with a mumble and Maka thinks that maybe, just maybe, he's on the phone with someone.

She frowns.

Who would he be calling at this time for a date? Who would be available? Sure, he had received many invitations in the past from various girls for a date, but each and every time he turned them away.

"Stupid!"

She jumps at his voice as a loud growl sounds out shortly after. Suddenly, there's a gentle noise of something small being thrown, like a pen or a pencil.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid! How the hell did he do it? What did he do to get her to accept? Damn it all..."

He clears his throat and she listens intently as he speaks again.

"Hey, so...I was wondering...would you go to the movies with me tonight, Maka?"

-his surprise

Her heart suddenly explodes in her chest.

She feels her breath catch.

She feels like she's having an out of body experience.

He's trying to ask me out!

But, she wasn't in there.

Carefully, carefully, she grips the handle of the door and turns it. Without so much as taking a breath, she opens the door a hair's width and peeks in with one green eye.

Soul is on his bed with his back to the door. With a pad of paper in his lap, the pencil that he had been using lays discarded on the floor by his desk.

She smiles as he grumbles under his breath.

"Damnit. So uncool." She watches as he takes both hands and madly runs them over his hair like a mad beast.

He takes a deep breath, and she watches as he gently rolls his shoulders before he speaks again.

"Maka, will you go out with me?"

She couldn't resist. With her heart beating fast, she throws open the door and lets it slam against the wall. "Yes!"

-his will

Soul lets out a squawk that was reminiscent of a cat screech. He flies to the head of his bed and plasters himself to the wall. "Maka?! Damnit woman, knock!"

Maka laughs at his horrified expression and steps into his room. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"What are you doing back so early?" He peels himself off the wall and rearranges himself on the bed in a comfortable position. "Weren't you going to be out late?"

She sashays into the room and pokes a finger at a lamp on his desk. "We got bored and decided to head our separate ways early."

He eyes her with a feigned look of indifference, but she could tell that his heart was still racing. From the adrenaline rush of her entrance she couldn't tell, but it was amusing to see his calm façade crushed.

She picks up a pen from his desk and twirls it between her fingers. "So...when?"

"When what?"

She rolls her eyes. "When are we going out?"

His eyes bulge and he suddenly makes a gurgling noise. "Y-you heard?!"

She merely smiles. "I brought home some food for you. It's in the fridge." She replaces the pencil on the desk and turns for the door when his voice reaches her.

"How about Friday?"

Her lips twinge at the corners as a full-fledged grin threatens to break out. "Okay, Friday it is."

-their certainty

"Are you okay with this?"

His fingers are agile, delicate, and barely touching her as he ties the dark red ribbon in her pigtail. He is wearing the familiar pin-stripe suit with a shirt that matches her red dress.

Her hand catches his as he prepares to put the second ribbon in and she tugs it down towards her face. Her lips brush against his knuckles gently as she whispers to him, face tinged pink and mouth pulled into a smile.

"I'm sure."